Political Wire

Israel Launched Drone Attack on Iranian Facility

January 30, 2023 at 5:41 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“A drone attack on an Iranian military facility that resulted in a large explosion in the center of the city of Isfahan on Saturday was the work of the Mossad, Israel’s premier intelligence agency, according to senior intelligence officials who were familiar with the dialogue between Israel and the United States about the incident,” the New York Times reports.

“The facility’s purpose was not clear, and neither was how much damage the strike caused. But Isfahan is a major center of missile production, research and development for Iran, including the assembly of many of its Shahab medium-range missiles, which can reach Israel and beyond.”

Secret Hold Restricts Access to Scott Perry’s Phone

January 30, 2023 at 5:18 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“A federal appeals court panel has put a secret hold on the Justice Department’s effort to access the phone of Rep. Scott Perry as part of a broader probe of efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to subvert the 2020 election,” Politico reports.

“In a sealed order issued earlier this month, the three-judge panel temporarily blocked a lower-court ruling that granted prosecutors access to Perry’s communications. The Dec. 28 ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell was the product of a secret, monthslong legal battle by prosecutors who have been fighting the Pennsylvania Republican’s attorneys on the matter since August.”

Biden Team Weighs Fully Cutting Off Huawei

January 30, 2023 at 4:47 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Biden administration is considering cutting off Huawei Technologies from all of its American suppliers, including Intel and Qualcomm, as the U.S. government intensifies a crackdown on the Chinese technology sector,” Bloomberg reports.

Trump Sues Journalist Bob Woodward

January 30, 2023 at 4:29 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Former President Donald Trump is suing journalist Bob Woodward for releasing recordings of interviews that he gave to the journalist in 2019 and 2020, claiming he never agreed to those tapes being shared with the public,” Bloomberg reports.

“In a lawsuit filed Monday against Woodward, Simon & Schuster Inc., and the publisher’s parent company Paramount Global, Trump claimed that although he had given Woodward consent to record their conversations ‘for the sole purpose of a book,’ that didn’t extend to packaging those recordings as an audiobook.”

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Southern Democrats Push Atlanta for Convention

January 30, 2023 at 4:26 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Southern Democrats are banding together to urge President Joe Biden to select Atlanta for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, arguing the choice would solidify the party’s gains in Georgia and demonstrate commitment to the entire region,” NBC News reports.

“Atlanta is one of the three finalists to host the convention, along with New York City and Chicago.”

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports more than 60 officials signed a letter saying that picking Atlanta for the prestigious event will “inspire Democrats in other competitive states to run, to organize, to fundraise and to volunteer in what is now truly fertile Democratic territory.”

Politics Extra

January 30, 2023 at 4:00 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

I encourage you to sign up for Politics Extra, a companion newsletter from Political Wire.

Subscribe now and you’ll get it in your inbox at the end of each weekday.

Florida Seeks to Allow Concealed Guns Without Permits

January 30, 2023 at 3:22 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Florida House Speaker Paul Renner (R) unveiled a bill removing the state’s requirements for a permit and training to carry concealed guns, an idea endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), the Orlando Sentinel reports.

The legislation would eliminate the need to get a license to carry a concealed weapon as well as the required weapons training that goes with it.

Trump Flooded IRS with Record Requests

January 30, 2023 at 3:03 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Donald Trump demanded reams of information from the Internal Revenue Service as it was preparing to turn over his personal tax returns to a congressional committee, papering the agency with a deluge of Freedom of Information Act requests in search of a behind-the scenes look at its deliberations,” Bloomberg reports.

“The former president routinely works to drag out any legal challenge to him personally or politically. But this effort took an unusual turn when he filed several FOIA requests during the nearly four years he spent unsuccessfully trying to block his tax returns from becoming public.”

“Trump’s decision to use the public records request law to get information from his own government is unconventional, largely because as commander-in-chief and leader of the Executive Branch he has numerous options to get data from federal agencies that don’t require him to use a last-resort tool available to anyone.”

Spending Cuts Are Easier Promised Than Delivered

January 30, 2023 at 3:00 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Daily Beast: “Instead of wide agreement on when, where, and how to cut spending, members are still haggling over how to start.”

“The defense budget is huge, but some Republicans are cautious to be seen cutting money for the military and national security—a line-item Republicans have fought to increase for decades. Social Security and Medicare are allegedly on the table, but it’s a red line for some Republicans that former President Donald Trump—still the most prominent Republican—has insisted they should not touch.”

“And then there are earmarks. Earmarks—the member-directed spending for special projects in specific congressional districts—is another area of scorn for Republicans that could perhaps garner some support. But it makes up a minute fraction of overall spending, and wouldn’t offset the debts House Republicans have sworn to tackle.”

Why Biden is Correct About the Debt Ceiling

January 30, 2023 at 2:56 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Dan Pfeiffer: “I worked in the West Wing during a financial crisis, a pandemic, multiple active terrorist plots, once-in-a-century storms, and the rise of ISIS. None of those threats were anywhere near as frightening as the two times the House Republicans tried to take the full faith and credit of the United States hostage. In both cases, a group of radical extremists with a faint grasp on reality led by a weak Speaker almost stumbled ass-backward into a global financial crisis that would make 2008 look like an economic head cold.”

“Well, here we are again.”

“A group of radical House Republicans led by a Speaker in name only is threatening a confrontation over raising the debt limit. Like President Obama in 2013, President Biden is refusing to negotiate with House Republicans. And like in 2013, all of the usual voices are raising concerns about that strategy.”

Bolsonaro Seeks to Stay in the United States

January 30, 2023 at 2:00 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, has applied for a six-month visitor visa to remain in the U.S. as his legal standing in his home country grows perilous, the Financial Times reports.

As the Washington Post notes, Bolsonarro really doesn’t want to go to jail.

Lindsey Graham Floats Compromise on Qualified Immunity

January 30, 2023 at 1:56 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is floating a possible compromise on what was one of the key holdups in the negotiations surrounding policing reform legislation after the death of George Floyd in 2020,” The Hill reports.

“The death of Tyre Nichols, 29, at the hands of police in Memphis earlier this month has sparked a renewed push for policing reform legislation. But one of the main obstacles to an agreement between Republicans and Democrats has long been the issue of qualified immunity.”

Asa Hutchinson to Decide on 2024 Presidential Bid

January 30, 2023 at 1:54 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Asa Hutchinson (R) says he has not made a decision yet about running for president in 2024 but the former Arkansas governor said in an interview he plans to decide in the next several months, USA Today reports.

State Republicans Want More Trump

January 30, 2023 at 1:36 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

After three disappointing elections in 2018, 2020 and 2022, one might expect Republicans to finally step back from Donald Trump and his divisive rhetoric.

Instead, the party seems to be doubling-down on Trump.

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Manhattan Prosecutors Present Trump Case to Grand Jury

January 30, 2023 at 12:59 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Manhattan district attorney’s office on Monday will begin presenting evidence to a grand jury about Donald Trump’s role in paying hush money to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign, laying the groundwork for potential criminal charges against the former president in the coming months,” the New York Times reports.

“The grand jury was recently impaneled, and witness testimony will soon begin, a clear signal that the district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is nearing a decision about whether to charge Mr. Trump.”

“On Monday, one of the witnesses was seen with his lawyer entering the building in Lower Manhattan where the grand jury is sitting. The witness, David Pecker, is the former publisher of The National Enquirer, the tabloid that helped broker the deal with the porn star, Stormy Daniels.”

What the New Governors Are Doing

January 30, 2023 at 12:55 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“After a midterm election year in which statewide races were almost entirely wrapped up in national issues — abortion and democracy — the nation’s newly elected governors are showing their ambitions with a mix of virtue-signaling on national issues, currying favor with their political bases and, for some, reaching out to broader constituencies,” the New York Times reports.

“With the direct responsibility of running their states, governors must also quickly produce detailed budgets that put their priorities in full view. Elected last year, nine new governors have been busy in their first weeks in office.”

Some Democrats Are Worried About Kamala Harris

January 30, 2023 at 12:21 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Washington Post: “Harris’s tenure has been underwhelming, marked by struggles as a communicator and at times near-invisibility, leaving many rank-and-file Democrats unpersuaded that she has the force, charisma and skill to mount a winning presidential campaign.”

“As Biden passes the halfway point of his term, Harris faces a critical moment. If he seeks reelection as expected, she would be a central part of the campaign, making it a high-stakes dress rehearsal for her own potential bid in 2028. If Biden steps aside, she would instantly move to center stage as his potential successor, facing the heightened attacks and scrutiny that accompany such a role.”

“Many Democrats worry that Biden’s age is a liability — he would be 86 at the end of a second term — but also fret over the lack of an alternative with a demonstrated ability to capture the party’s imagination, let alone 270 electoral votes. For many, that was supposed to be Harris, the first Black or Asian American woman to win a nationally elected office.”

Trump Courses Will Host Saudi-Backed Golf Tournaments

January 30, 2023 at 12:19 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Former President Donald Trump’s golf courses will host three tournaments this year for the breakaway league that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is underwriting, deepening the financial ties between a candidate for the White House and top officials in Riyadh,” the New York Times reports.

“LIV Golf, which in the past year has cast men’s professional golf into turmoil as it lured players away from the PGA Tour, said on Monday that it would travel to Trump courses in Florida, New Jersey and Virginia during this year’s 14-stop season.”