Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) asked his state’s residents to “commit” to wearing a mask for four weeks, despite his ongoing lawsuit against Atlanta officials for mandating a face covering be worn, The Hill reports.
Pat Roberts Endorses Roger Marshall to Replace Him
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), who is retiring, officially endorsed Rep. Roger Marshall (R) in next month’s Kansas primary, the Kansas City Star reports.
His support comes as Marshall is locked in bitter race with rivals Kris Kobach (R) and Bob Hamilton (R).
Iowa Mayor Defies Governor on Face Masks
“Iowa City’s mayor on Tuesday ordered people to wear masks in public to stop the spread of the coronavirus, defying Gov. Kim Reynolds’ (R) claim that cities cannot mandate face coverings,” the AP reports.
Leaked Plans Show ‘Reimagined’ Democratic Convention
The Daily Beast obtained a ten-page preview outline of the Democratic convention.
“As expected, the convention, which begins on August 20, amounts to a radical departure from traditional party convention planning, with an emphasis on digital participation by delegates, speakers, and attendees. Held amidst the coronavirus pandemic that has upended the Democratic primaries since March, the convention will primarily feature speakers, video, and images beamed in from outside Milwaukee’s Wisconsin Center, and largely from outside the state.”
“According to the plan, while the convention will feature ‘major programmatic elements’ each night of the convention, one or more of the ‘main’ speakers each night will address the nation from an unnamed ‘message-based location’ in swing states around the country.”
Ohio Speaker Charged In $60 Million Bribery Scheme
A federal complaint charges that Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder’s (R) political operation accepted more than $60 million in bribe money from FirstEnergy Corp. to secure the company a $1.3 billion public bailout, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
“Householder, chief political aide Jeff Longstreth, and lobbyists Matt Borges, Neil Clark, and Juan Cespedes used the bribe money to expand the speaker’s political power and enrich themselves by millions of dollars through a ‘web’ of dark-money groups and bank accounts.”
Note to Readers
If you’re a regular reader, become a member.
You’ll get exclusive analysis, a trending news page, no ads and many other member benefits. And you’ll be supporting a site you love.
Senate Panel Approves Judy Shelton for Fed Seat
“The Senate Banking Committee voted 13-12 to approve Judy Shelton’s nomination to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors on Tuesday, sending the controversial, conservative economist to be considered before the full Senate,” the Washington Post reports.
“Shelton has drawn scrutiny for her views on related to the long-abandoned gold standard, along with her calls for closer ties between the White House and the Fed.”
White House Says Trump Tested ‘Multiple Times a Day’
As Americans struggle to access coronavirus testing and receive prompt results, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said President Trump is being screened for the disease as many as “multiple times a day,” Politico reports.
Maine Brewery Cancels Trump Campaign Event
A Maine brewery canceled a Wednesday campaign event for President Trump that was to be headlined by the president’s daughter-in-law after an owner said he was misled by the campaign about the scope of the event, the Bangor Daily News reports.
The owner were deluged by negative comments after news of the event spread.
Tom Ridge Rips His Old Agency
Former Homeland Security secretary Tom Ridge “had sharp words for his former agency Tuesday, condemning the Trump administration’s decision to send federal officers into the streets of Portland to quell protests, saying it was ‘counterproductive,’ and that it was not the agency’s mission to act as domestic law enforcement,” the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports.
Said Ridge: “The department was established to protect America from the ever-present threat of global terrorism. It was not established to be the president’s personal militia.”
He added: “Had I been governor, even now, I would welcome the opportunity to work with any federal agency to reduce crime or lawlessness in the cities. But I would tell you, it would be a cold day in hell before I would consent to an uninvited, unilateral intervention into one of my cities.”
Eviction Looms for Millions of Americans
“Millions of Americans who have missed rent payments due to the coronavirus pandemic could be at risk of being evicted in the coming months unless government measures to protect them are extended,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Nearly 12 million adults live in households that missed their last rent payment, and 23 million have little or no confidence in their ability to make the next one.”
How Trump Funnels Campaign Funds to His Businesses
“Donald Trump has not given a dime to his reelection campaign, opting instead to fund the entire effort with his donors’ money. His business, meanwhile, has continued to charge the campaign for things like food, lodging and rent. The result is that $2.2 million of contributions from other people has turned into $2.2 million of revenue for Trump,” Forbes reports.
“And that’s just counting the money flowing directly through the president’s campaign. His reelection apparatus also includes two joint fundraising committees, which work with the Republican party to raise money for Trump. Since he took office, those entities—named Trump Victory and the Trump Make America Great Again Committee—have funneled another $2.3 million into the president’s private business.”
“Then there’s the Republican National Committee, which has spent an additional $2.4 million at Trump properties. Add it all up, and the president, working in concert with the party he leads, has helped push $6.9 million into his businesses since taking office.”
ACLU Will Sue Trump Over Census Order
The American Civil Liberties Union vowed to sue the Trump administration over the president’s executive order aimed at excluded undocumented persons from being counted in the 2020 census.
The organization also sued when Trump tried to add a citizenship question to the census and lost in the Supreme Court: “We’ll see him in court — and win — again.”
Matt Gaetz Calls for Liz Cheney to Be Removed
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) called on House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY) to step down or be removed from her leadership role following a heated confrontation during a House GOP conference meeting this morning.
Gaetz says Cheney “has worked behind the scenes (and now in public) against Donald Trump and his agenda.”
Playbook: “This is the Freedom Caucus agitating against Cheney, who, most House observers understand, is positioning herself to continue to climb up the leadership ladder.”
Coronavirus Infections Much Higher Than Reported Cases
“The number of people infected with the coronavirus in different parts of the United States is anywhere from two to 13 times higher than the reported rates for those regions,” the New York Times reports.
“The findings suggest that large numbers of people who did not have symptoms or did not seek medical care may have kept the virus circulating in their communities.”
House Conservatives Pile On Liz Cheney
“Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus tore into Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) during a heated GOP conference meeting on Tuesday, lobbing attacks at her for breaking with President Trump, supporting Dr. Anthony Fauci and backing a primary opponent to one of their colleagues,” Politico reports.
“Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), the head of the Freedom Caucus, even accused Cheney of undermining the GOP’s ability to win back the House and said that if someone has a problem with Trump, they should keep it to themselves.”
Donald Trump Is a Broken Man
Peter Wehner: “The most revealing answer from Donald Trump’s interview with Fox News Channel’s Chris Wallace came in response not to the toughest question posed by Wallace, but to the easiest. At the conclusion of the interview, Wallace asked Trump how he will regard his years as president.”
Said Trump: “I think I was very unfairly treated. From before I even won, I was under investigation by a bunch of thieves, crooks. It was an illegal investigation.”
“When Wallace interrupted, trying to get Trump to focus on the positive achievements of his presidency—’What about the good parts, sir?’—Trump brushed the question aside, responding, ‘Russia, Russia, Russia.’ The president then complained about the Flynn investigation, the ‘Russia hoax,’ the ‘Mueller scam’ and the recusal by his then-attorney general, Jeff Sessions.”
“Donald Trump is a psychologically broken, embittered, and deeply unhappy man. He is so gripped by his grievances, such a prisoner of his resentments, that even the most benevolent question from an interviewer—what good parts of your presidency would you like to be remembered for?—triggered a gusher of discontent.”
Missouri Governor Pledges to Pardon St. Louis Gun Couple
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) told KFTK that he would probably pardon the St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters marching past their home on June 28.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the couple were charged Monday with gun crimes.