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Meehan Suddenly Resigns
Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA) announced he will resign from Congress immediately as he battles sexual misconduct charges, The Hill reports.
Roll Call: “The Pennsylvania Republican said he intends to repay the $39,000 in taxpayer dollars used to settle the harassment case with the staffer within the next 30 days. He had already announced he would not run for re-election following the allegations.”
Judge Throws Out Manafort Lawsuit
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by Paul Manafort challenging special counsel Robert Mueller’s criminal probe of Russian interference in 2016 U.S. elections, the Washington Post reports.
Quote of the Day
“This is a stupid and ridiculous hearing.”
— Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), quoted by CBS News, on Diamond and Silk’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee.
Red State Fires Writers Not Supportive of Trump
“Salem Media, owner of the influential conservative outlet RedState, froze the site on Friday and dismissed many of its writers… Multiple sources told CNNMoney that they believed conservative critics of President Trump were the writers targeted for removal.”
Said one: “They fired everybody who was insufficiently supportive of Trump.”
Pompeo Seen As Likely Presidential Candidate
Wichita Eagle: “The beige-and-white storage units in Wichita – as well as nearly $1 million earning interest in Pompeo’s still-active campaign account – serve as a reminder that the former Kansas businessman may have powered down his political machine, but he’s keeping it tuned and ready for a potential future run.”
“To those back in Kansas who’ve monitored Pompeo’s political career, the question isn’t whether he will run again for elected office but when and for which one.”
The Impeachment Trap
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Brooks Says Assassination Threats Led to Retirements
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) “suggested in a radio interview that Republicans are retiring en masse because of assassination fears,” Roll Call reports.
He was speaking about the first Republican practice the Congressional Baseball Game after last year’s shooting that left Majority Whip Steve Scalise severely injured.
Said Brooks: “One of the things that’s concerning me is the assassination risk may become a factor.”
Villaraigosa Fades In Race for California Governor
A new UC Berkeley poll in California finds Gavin Newsom (D) continuing to lead the field for governor with 30%, followed by John Cox (R) at 18%, Travis Allen (R) at 16% and Antonio Villaraigosa (D) at 9%.
Will Michael Cohen Flip?
Bloomberg: “His decision could depend in part on whether he can readily shoulder the enormous legal fees required to fight a federal probe of this magnitude.”
“At first blush, Cohen looks like a pretty rich man. He drives a white Rolls Royce, sports a $50,000 watch and owns a fair amount of Manhattan real estate.”
“But just as his loyalty to Trump is coming under scrutiny, a more tenuous financial picture is emerging. A taxi business he and his wife built is deeply in debt and losing money daily, his commercial real estate is throwing off only modest income, and his legal and consulting work is on hold while he remains under investigation.”
House Republicans Claim No Evidence of Collusion
“The House Intelligence Committee released on Friday a roughly 250-page report on Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election, laying out Republicans’ conclusion after a yearlong investigation that they had found no evidence that the Trump campaign aided Moscow’s efforts,” the New York Times reports.
“Their conclusions are certain to be attacked by Democrats on the committee, who have accused the Republicans of prematurely closing the investigation and failing to conduct it with the rigor that the subject called for out of a desire to protect President Trump. The committee also released dissenting views from the Democrats.”
Trump Wants Regular Appearances on ‘Fox & Friends’
Kellyanne Conway told the hosts of Fox & Friends that President Trump wants to come on the show regularly, The Hill reports.
Said Conway: “The president has said he would like to perhaps come once a month and as news breaks. He’ll keep us guessing.”
McConnell Cements Trump Legacy With Reshaped Courts
President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell “are rapidly filling U.S. federal courts with young conservatives who will shape American law for generations to come,” Bloomberg reports.
“The Republican-led Senate confirmed Trump’s 15th appeals court nominee this week — more than the last five presidents at this juncture — with eight of the new judges in their 40s, and seven in their 50s. McConnell set the stage Thursday to confirm six more, one day after a committee voted to cut debate time, which if approved would further speed things up.”
Lawyer from Campaign Meeting Admits She’s an Informant
“The Russian lawyer who met with Trump campaign officials in Trump Tower in June 2016 on the premise that she would deliver damaging information about Hillary Clinton has long insisted she is a private attorney, not a Kremlin operative trying to meddle in the presidential election,” the New York Times reports.
“But newly released emails show that in at least one instance two years earlier, the lawyer, Natalia V. Veselnitskaya, worked hand in glove with Russia’s chief legal office to thwart a Justice Department civil fraud case against a well-connected Russian firm.”
In an interview to be broadcast by NBC News, Ms. Veselnitskaya recanted her earlier denials of Russian government ties: “I am a lawyer, and I am an informant.”
Taking Another Look at the Carter Years
Stuart Eizenstat, author of President Carter: The White House Years, talks to Chris Riback about President Jimmy Carter. Was he an ineffective, overwhelmed outsider who oversaw four of the worst years in our history, or one of the most consequential presidents in modern history?
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Thanks to the Cook Political Report for sponsoring this podcast.
Ohio Special Election Now a Toss Up
The Cook Political Report moves the August 7th special election in Ohio’s 12th congressional district to fill former Rep. Pat Tiberi’s (R-OH) vacant seat from Lean Republican to Toss Up.
Majority of Republicans See News Media as the Enemy
A new Quinnipiac poll finds a majority of Republicans — 51% — see the news media as the enemy of the people, compared with 37% of them who view the media as an important part of democracy.
By contrast, 91% of Democrats and 70% of independents see the media as an important part of democracy.
Ryan Suddenly Ousts House Chaplain
Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) dismissed the Rev. Patrick Conroy this month as chaplain of the chamber, “an unusual decision that angered some of the Jesuit priest’s allies in Congress,” the Washington Post reports.
“During Thursday evening votes, after news broke of Conroy’s dismissal, lawmakers in both parties voiced concern, particularly Catholics.”
New York Times: “Father Conroy’s resignation is all the more contentious in Catholic circles because Mr. Ryan is a Catholic conservative, whereas Father Conroy is a Jesuit, a branch that is viewed by some as more liberal.”
