The Republican Party of Texas voted overwhelmingly over the weekend to censure Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) for a number of positions they said went against the party, Politico reports.
The vote was 57-5 with one abstention.
Justices Decline to Hear Florida Prayer Vigil Dispute
“The Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider making it harder for people to challenge what they allege is the unconstitutional government endorsement of religion,” NBC News reports.
“The court turned away a dispute over a vigil held by uniformed police officers in Florida that included Christian prayers after a local shooting spree, with conservative justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas both writing opinions suggesting they believe the court should take up a similar case in future.”
Exchange of the Day
Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton was interviewed by Charlies Sykes:
SYKES: You said Trump had the attention span of a gnat.
BOLTON: That may have even been too complimentary.
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Memo Lays the Groundwork for Trump Indictments
Daily Beast: “When the Department of Justice took the position this week that former President Donald Trump acted improperly by urging his followers to attack Congress in 2021, prosecutors did more than open the door to a potential flood of civil lawsuits from police officers who were injured on Jan. 6.”
“What they actually did, according to legal scholars, is lay the groundwork for a potential criminal indictment against Trump for inciting the insurrection.”
Even Bret Baier Wanted Fox News to Cave to Trump
New York Times: “Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, the two main anchors, suggested it was not enough to call a state based on numerical calculations, the standard by which networks have made such determinations for generations, but that viewer reaction should be considered…”
Wrote Baier, in an email the next day: “It’s hurting us. The sooner we pull it even if it gives us major egg. And put it back in his column. The better we are. In my opinion.”
Inside the GOP’s Search for a ‘Deep State’ Whistleblower
Rolling Stone: “The results have left Democrats gleeful and even some Republicans deeply unimpressed. A ‘dumpster fire,’ is how one Democrat with knowledge of the at-times combative interactions terms the proceedings.”
Russia’s Population Nightmare
The Economist: “A demographic tragedy is unfolding in Russia. Over the past three years the country has lost around 2m more people than it would ordinarily have done, as a result of war, disease and exodus.”
“The life expectancy of Russian males aged 15 fell by almost five years, to the same level as in Haiti. The number of Russians born in April 2022 was no higher than it had been in the months of Hitler’s occupation. And because so many men of fighting age are dead or in exile, women outnumber men by at least 10m.”
House GOP Readies First Legislative Push
Politico: “The energy package — which they aim to pass the last week of March — is set to include some of the party’s most popular pitches over the past decade, from boosting fossil-fuel production on federal lands to disapproving of President Joe Biden’s block on the Keystone XL pipeline to easing environmental reviews of energy and mining projects.”
Jeffries Won’t Criticize Biden Over D.C. Crime Bill
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) declined to criticize President Joe Biden’s decision to allow Congress to potentially nix reforms to the criminal code of Washington, DC, even as many in the party are breaking with the White House, CNN reports.
However, The Hill reports former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) didn’t hold back, saying Biden should have “told us first.”
House GOP Plans Road Shows Across Country
New York Times: “It is part of a well-worn political strategy to reach voters where they live and generate local media attention for activity that would most likely draw little notice in Washington… But it also has a direct payoff for Republicans, allowing them to reward major donors with publicity and exposure for their businesses.”
Manchin Makes Everyone Wait
“Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is in no hurry to announce his plans for 2024, keeping the political world on the edge of their seats for the foreseeable future,” the Washington Examiner reports.
“While fellow red-state Democratic Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have announced their 2024 Senate campaigns, all eyes are on the centrist West Virginia Democrat, the only one up for reelection in a state former President Donald Trump won by double digits in 2020 who has not made his intentions known.”
Bill Would Ban Stock Trading by Top Officials
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is expected to introduce legislation Monday that would ban senior executive branch officials from owning or trading individual stocks, the Wall Street Journal reports.
What’s Different About This Debt Limit Fight
Politico: “Many Democrats argue there are two significant but nuanced differences between the current debate and past debt-limit deals: first, that the party demanding concessions hasn’t made an offer; second, the growing concern that, this time, Republicans would let the nation default on its debt if they can’t extract their tradeoffs.”
Bipartisan Push to Restore Voting Rights for Felons
Associated Press: “At least 14 states have introduced proposals this year focused on restoration of voting rights, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. An Oregon proposal would allow felons to vote while incarcerated. A Tennessee bill would automatically restore voting rights once a sentence is completed, except for a small group of crimes. Texas legislation would restore voting rights to those on probation or parole.”
2024 Republican Hopefuls Silent on January 6
Politico: “If any subject is verboten in the early stages of the Republican presidential primary, it’s the insurrection that once served as a defining point in 2024 frontrunner Donald Trump’s career. Whereas Republicans once talked openly about it being disqualifying for the former president, today it is little more than a litmus test in GOP circles of a candidate’s MAGA bona fides. None of them want any part of it.”
Tucker Carlson Ready to Show His Own January 6 Show
New York Post: “When you see what Carlson’s team has put together over the past two weeks of combing through thousands of hours of video, you will be struck by how different the reality was inside the building that day compared to the J6 committee’s deceptively edited prime-time dramas, produced by a former ABC News president for maximum emotional impact.”
“For instance, Carlson’s team says the J6 committee added audio to silent CCTV footage, inserting screams and other crowd mayhem sounds, to make it seem more ominous. The bookmarks on the video trove show the J6 committee had access to the same footage yet chose to show America only what suited its divisive narrative…”
“Most strikingly, you will see for the first time the truth about the so-called Qanon Shaman, Jacob Chansley.”
DeSantis Runs Up the Score in Florida
New York Times: “Since his landslide re-election victory, the emboldened Republican governor has proposed or endorsed policy after policy that has enthralled his supporters and alarmed his detractors: Allow Floridians to carry concealed weapons without a permit or training. Ban diversity and equity programs at public universities. Expand school vouchers. Allow a death sentence without a unanimous jury. Make it easier to sue the news media. Further restrict abortion.”
“Most — and perhaps all — of Mr. DeSantis’s wishes will likely soon be granted by the Republican-held State Legislature, giving him a broader platform from which to launch a widely expected 2024 presidential campaign. Ahead of the annual session, scheduled to begin on Tuesday and last 60 days, Republican lawmakers have given every indication that they will be guided by whatever the governor wants.”
