McCarthy Fails to Stop Intra-Party Feud
“House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tried — without success — Tuesday night to end an ugly battle between two of his GOP freshmen,” Politico reports.
“The California Republican implored Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Nancy Mace (R-SC), in separate private meetings, to stop attacking one another after their back-and-forth online spat dragged on for hours earlier Tuesday.”
CNN: “Emerging from her meeting, Greene told CNN that both she and former President Donald Trump would back a primary challenge to Mace in 2022.”
Andre Dickens Elected as Mayor of Atlanta
“Andre Dickens, the Atlanta native who first beat an incumbent eight years ago for a spot on the City Council, defeated Felicia Moore in Tuesday’s runoff election to become Atlanta’s 61st mayor,” the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.
“Dickens will succeed Keisha Lance Bottoms, who did not run for a second term and endorsed Dickens to replace her as mayor, a job Dickens said he has wanted since he was a teenager.”
Chris Cuomo Suspended Indefinitely
CNN suspended anchor Chris Cuomo indefinitely following new revelations about his involvement in the management of his brother’s sexual harassment scandal.
Wall Street Journal: “Mr. Cuomo is one of CNN’s biggest stars, anchoring the network’s 9 p.m. hour in prime time. His suspension will leave the network without one of its most prominent journalists as it battles a sector-wide viewership slump in the aftermath of the Trump administration, which was frequently a ratings gold-mine.”
Judge Blocks Biden’s Vaccine Mandate for Health Workers
“A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday to halt the start of President Biden’s national vaccine mandate for health care workers, which had been set to begin next week,” the New York Times reports.
“The injunction effectively expanded a separate order issued on Monday by a federal court in Missouri. The earlier one had applied only to 10 states that joined in a lawsuit against the president’s decision to require all health workers in hospitals and nursing homes to receive at least their first shot by Dec. 6 and to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4.”
Trump Allies Launch Publishing House
“Allies of former President Donald Trump are trying to rip up the traditional book publishing paradigm in politics by setting up a publishing house of their own. And they have the ex-president helping them do it,” Politico reports.
“Trump announced last week that he was publishing a coffee table book of photographs from his time in the White House — just ahead of the holiday gift rush — with Winning Team Publishing. The outfit is a new imprint with a decidedly MAGA flavor, run by former Trump campaign aide Sergio Gor and Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr.”
“Trump has not yet written a post-presidential memoir. And part of the reason, sources in the industry say, is that some of the major publishing houses have recoiled at the prospect of having to fact-check his work or the social backlash that would ensue. With allies setting up their own publishing house, the president could potentially circumvent those hurdles.”
Manchin Meets with Both Schumer and McConnell
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) met with both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Politico reports.
“This doesn’t happen often, and speaks to Manchin’s influence in the 50-50 chamber.”
Rand Paul Will Try to Block Saudi Arms Sale
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told Politico that he plans to force a vote to block the Biden administration’s proposed arms sale to Saudi Arabia.
Greg Abbott Promises ‘Lights Will Stay On’
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) “promised that the state’s electric grid would be able to withstand pressures caused by any potential winter storm that occurs this year,” the Houston Chronicle reports.
Said Abbott: “Listen, very confident about the grid. And I can tell you why, for one: I signed almost a dozen laws that make the power grid more effective. I can guarantee the lights will stay on.”
Nancy Mace Fires Back at Marjorie Taylor Greene
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) shot back at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) after the Georgia representative called her “trash,” responding by using emojis to call her fellow freshman Republican “batshit crazy,” The Hill reports.
Schumer Eyes Spending Bill Vote In Two Weeks
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) is planning to bring President Biden’s social and climate spending bill to the floor as soon as the week of Dec. 13, The Hill reports.
“Schumer’s plan is to bring the bill, known as Build Back Better, to the Senate floor once Democrats finish their conversations with the parliamentarian, who provides guidance on what can be included in a bill passed through budget reconciliation.”
Politico: “Schumer has also noted that schedule is contingent upon completing work with the parliamentarian, who will determine whether the bill runs afoul of the budget reconciliation’s protections from a filibuster. Some provisions, most notably immigration, could get stripped out of the House-passed bill before it comes to the Senate floor if they don’t pass muster with reconciliation rules.“
Pennsylvania Official Targeted by Trump to Resign
Al Schmidt, the lone Republican on Philadelphia’s election board and one who staunchly defended the integrity of the 2020 presidential vote, will resign in January, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
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Man Charged In Insurrection Running for Texas House
Mark Middleton (R), who is facing federal charges for allegedly assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6 insurrection and siege at the U.S. Capitol, is running for a Texas House seat, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Oakland Mayor Works to Re-Fund the Police
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf (D) “announced she’s working to reverse plans to divert funding from the police department to social services and hire more officers to stem this year’s spike in deadly street violence,” KPIX reports.
Said Schaaf: “There is nothing progressive about unbridled gun violence.”
Chris Christie Says Trump Didn’t Get Much Done
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) sharply criticized President Trump’s administration, saying it “didn’t get a lot of stuff done,” Axios reports.
Said Christie: “Like, let’s just go through the list of things. The wall isn’t built. Obamacare is still there. We didn’t get an infrastructure package done that we wanted, so now we’re stuck with theirs.”
He added: “And that’s a problem. That management style is a problem. I have no problem in the main with the policies that were followed by the Trump administration, that they attempted to implement. I really think they were very, very solid.”
Ohio Republicans In Fight with Party Leadership
“Five of the Republican Party’s 66 elected central committee members are suing state party Chairman Bob Paduchik in an escalation of the group’s fight with party leadership over how it’s handled money given to Gov. Mike DeWine’s re-election campaign, among other internal party financial issues,” the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Officials Scramble for Funding to Fight Omicron Variant
“Senior White House officials have in the last few days studied how much funding they have available to respond to the omicron variant, as the Biden administration makes contingency plans to deal with the next potential stage in the pandemic,” the Washington Post reports.
