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Movement To Skip Electoral College Picks Up Steam

May 29, 2019 at 6:08 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

FiveThirtyEight: “The effort to bypass the Electoral College and choose the president via the national popular vote has historically seemed like a long shot. But after an impressive string of legislative victories this year, maybe it should be taken more seriously.”

“But the compact has still only enlisted states where Democrats have had free rein to pass legislation… If the compact passes in Maine, Nevada and Oregon, every single state where the legislature and governorship are currently controlled by Democrats will have joined. And assuming that most Republican lawmakers continue to oppose the National Popular Vote movement, Democrats will have to sweep state elections in some tricky states in upcoming cycles for the compact to reach 270.”

Netanyahu Fails to Form New Government

May 29, 2019 at 5:35 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Haaretz: “The Knesset voted Wednesday night to dissolve itself after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition, sending Israel to a new election mere seven weeks after the last one.”

“At the heart of the impasse was the issue of drafting ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students: Yisrael Beiteinu’s Avigdor Lieberman, without whom Netanyahu can’t form a coalition, refused to back down on the bill’s terms, while ultra-Orthodox parties claimed they have already yielded enough ground.”

Biden Says Impeachment ‘May Be Unavoidable’

May 29, 2019 at 4:49 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Joe Biden’s campaign said in a statement that impeachment “may be unavoidable” in the wake of special counsel Robert Mueller’s remarks earlier today.


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Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

May 29, 2019 at 4:45 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Everything else changes. What can’t be undone is a lifetime appointment… That’s the most important thing we’ve done in the country, which cannot be undone.”

— Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by the Washington Post, on confirming conservative judges.

Facebook Disinformation Pales In Comparison to Fox News

May 29, 2019 at 4:27 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Farhad Manjoo: “I understand the fear about digital fakery. But to focus on Facebook instead of Fox News is to mistake the symptom for the disease.”

“The disease is an entrenched, well-funded, decades-in-the-making, right-wing propaganda network, one that exists to turn faintly sourced rumors into full-blown, politically convenient narratives. The propaganda network’s tentacles now infiltrate every form of media — magazines, books, talk radio, social networks — but it still finds its most profitable and effective outlet in the Murdochs’ cable empire.”

“And it is devastatingly effective: Just about every political lie that has dominated American discourse in the past two decades — the Swift Boaters and the birthers, death panels, the idea that undocumented immigrants pose an existential threat but climate change does not — depended, for its mainstream dissemination, on the Fox News machine.””

Pelosi Says Facebook Execs Enable Disinformation

May 29, 2019 at 4:22 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told KQED that Facebook’s refusal to take down an altered video of her shows that the company’s executives actively contribute to online disinformation and were “willing enablers” of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Christie Says Mueller Clearly Contradicted Barr

May 29, 2019 at 2:28 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former Gov. Chris Christie (R) said that special counsel Robert Mueller contradicted Attorney General William Barr in comments earlier that morning, The Hill reports.

Said Christie: “Those comments by Bob Mueller about the other processes — obviously impeachment being the only constitutional way — definitely contradicts what the attorney general said when he summarized Mueller’s report and said he then had to draw the conclusion on that. Mueller clearly contradicts that today in a very concise way.”

It’s Up to Congress Now

May 29, 2019 at 2:22 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

David Frum: “The full report is rich with details. But that’s the essence. A foreign power interfered in the U.S. election to help the Trump campaign. The Trump campaign welcomed the help and repeatedly lied about it. The lying successfully obscured some questions the investigation sought to answer; in the end, it found insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy. President Trump, in public and in private, worked to stop the investigation.”

“Those are the facts. What are the remedies? Mueller underscored at his press statement: He did not exonerate the president. Under the Department of Justice rules he was subject to, he lacked the power to act.”

The Democratic Path to Taking the Senate

May 29, 2019 at 2:19 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

The Democratic road to winning control of the Senate in 2020 is not an easy one, but it’s certainly doable.

Republican-held seats account for six of the seven top spots in National Journal‘s latest ranking of the Senate seats most likely to flip party control.

The bad news for Democrats is that Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) tops the list as the most vulnerable.

Here’s the list:

  1. Doug Jones (D-AL)
  2. Cory Gardner (R-CO)
  3. Martha McSally (R-AZ)
  4. Thom Tillis (R-NC)
  5. Susan Collins (R-ME)
  6. David Perdue (R-GA)
  7. Joni Ernst (R-IA)

And here’s the math: Democrats would need a net gain of three seats if they also win the White House; four if they do not. However, winning four would be tough, given that it would likely require wins in states that President Trump needs for a second term.

The key seats include several potential swing states — Arizona, North Carolina, and Georgia — which all went to Trump in 2016 and which he would need again to win re-election. Democrats would also be attempting to beat at least two incumbents who have somewhat moderate reputations, such as Cory Gardner and Susan Collins.

It’s not an easy path, but it’s certainly possible.

What Is Congress Doing?

May 29, 2019 at 2:03 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Benjamin Wittes: “Congress’s current strategy is an incoherent muddle. While individual Democratic leaders may well have their eye on the ball, the aggregate output of a disparate committee chairs has reflected no discernable strategy. Some, judging from their statements, seem focused chiefly on getting the full, unredacted Mueller report and the investigative work product that underlies it. Why exactly this is the focus is unclear to me; the marginal information Congress is likely to glean from the full report is small. Much of this material is already available to certain members under admittedly limited conditions. And the legal impediments to the production of the remainder are substantial. Focusing on laying bare what is currently redacted is most unlikely to produce any game-changers. Other than establishing the principle that Congress can get it, it’s not clear what great oversight interest it serves.”

“At the same time, the key committees have only shown limited interest in actually unpacking in public the voluminous material that Mueller has publicly reported and that is thus readily available for discussion. As of today, this requires a major rethink. Mueller himself is not riding in on a white horse to explain it all. If Congress is going to highlight what’s in that report and what Mueller found, it’s going to have to do it on its own.”

House GOP Grapples with Abortion Messaging

May 29, 2019 at 1:45 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Politico: “The party hoped a relentless anti-abortion message coupled with attempts to tag Democrats as socialists could help them regain the House majority. This year alone, House Republicans have tried 50 times to force a vote on ‘born alive’ legislation — which mandates medical care for babies who survive attempted abortions — in an attempt to corner Democrats in swing districts through procedural floor tactics.”

“But Republicans have gone mostly quiet since Alabama’s governor signed a bill into law that all but bans abortion — even in cases of rape and incest — and punishes doctors who provide the procedure with up to 99 years to life behind bars.”

Doing Nothing Is Risky for Democrats Too

May 29, 2019 at 1:14 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rick Hasen: “No one knows if a fairly done impeachment inquiry will hurt Democrats politically. No one knows if failing to seriously pursue an impeachment inquiry will hurt Democrats more. So it makes sense to do what is constitutionally required.  After all, it is not as though Pelosi is saying she doesn’t believe Trump obstructed justice or that these are not serious enough charges to merit impeachment. It seems a pure political calculation, which is arguably a dereliction of Congress’s responsibility to investigate.”

“If the House impeaches Trump though a fair process based on strong evidence of obstruction of justice, let the American people watch Mitch McConnell run a sham Senate trial—with Chief Justice John Roberts presiding—and let Republican senators vote against conviction in the face of that evidence. Even if McConnell runs no trial, every senator will be asked her position on whether or not the evidence adduced by the House merits removing the president from office.”

“Sure that’s a political risk for Democrats, but so is doing nothing. More importantly, it’s the right thing to do as a matter of constitutional responsibility. Mueller was saying no less.”

Gianforte Will Run for Montana Governor

May 29, 2019 at 1:13 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-MT) plans to run for governor in 2020, MTN News reports — “adding to a crowded Republican gubernatorial primary and creating an open race next year for Montana’s only congressional seat, and possibly other statewide offices.”

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

May 29, 2019 at 12:44 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump – and we will do so. No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law.”

— House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY), in a statement.

The 2020 Election Is About Bringing Trump to Justice

May 29, 2019 at 12:30 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

In his first-ever public comment on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, special counsel Robert Mueller said that Justice Department policy prevented him from charging President Trump with a crime.

Said Mueller: “A president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional… Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that, too, is prohibited. Charging the president with the crime was not an option that we could consider.”

He added: “If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”

While Mueller did not say so directly, he implied it’s up to Congress to take action on his findings. Only Congress can hold the president accountable for any possible crimes he commits while in office.

However, mainly for political reasons, Congress has not started an impeachment inquiry. With the Senate unlikely to convict Trump, the House leadership isn’t yet willing to go down that path.

But that’s not the only way to bring Trump to justice. Mueller also said he that he documented evidence of possible crimes in his report while memories were still accurate and intact. If Congress doesn’t impeach Trump, then he could still be indicted once he leaves office.

That makes the 2020 presidential election very personal for Trump. He knows that the Justice Department under a Democratic president has substantial evidence of him obstructing justice. And that’s not to mention other possible crimes being investigated federally by the Southern District of New York and by state law enforcement officials in New York.

If Congress does not move on impeachment, the pressure on a new Democratic administration to indict Trump will be enormous.

Mueller Won’t Comment Beyond Report

May 29, 2019 at 11:12 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Special counsel Robert Mueller publicly stated that he will not speak beyond what’s contained in his report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Said Mueller: “The report is my testimony.”

New York Times: “Mueller reemphasized the report’s main findings, including that there was not enough evidence to prove a criminal conspiracy with Russia’s interference and that he made no decision on possible obstruction of justice because of a Justice Department policy on not indicting sitting presidents.”

Mueller also announced his retirement from the Justice Department.

Mueller Will Make Public Statement on His Investigation

May 29, 2019 at 9:40 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Justice Department announced that special counsel Robert Mueller will make a statement about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The event, scheduled for 11 a.m. ET, will be streamed live on the department’s website. Mueller will not take questions.

U.S. Says Russia Defying Test Ban Treaty

May 29, 2019 at 9:39 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Russia has likely been secretly carrying out very low-yield nuclear tests to upgrade its nuclear arsenal, according to a new U.S. intelligence assessment, challenging Moscow’s claims that it is faithfully adhering to an international treaty banning nuclear tests,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The assessment marks the first time the U.S. has said the Kremlin has failed to strictly observe its commitments under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.”

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Word of the Day

Turkey Farm: In politics, a “turkey farm” refers to a government agency or department that is staffed primarily with political appointments and other patronage hires.

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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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