Political Wire

Members should sign in for the full experience.

Paul’s Injuries More Severe Than Thought

November 5, 2017 at 9:43 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) “is recovering from five broken ribs and bruises to his lungs, and it is unclear when he will return to Washington, aides said Sunday, signaling that injuries he sustained Friday are far more severe than initially thought,” the Washington Post reports.

“The second-term Republican senator from Kentucky and 2016 presidential candidate was attacked, allegedly by a next-door neighbor, Rene Boucher, 59, who was charged with fourth-degree assault… The nature of the dispute between Paul and Boucher remained a mystery Sunday to locals who know both men as medical professionals based in this southwestern Kentucky town.”

The AP reports “it is unclear when Paul will return to work since he is in considerable pain and has difficulty getting around, including flying. “

Jury Begins Deliberations on Menendez

November 5, 2017 at 9:35 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Jurors in the federal corruption trial of Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) could begin their deliberations on Monday, CBS Philly reports.

Jonathan Swan: “The jury could reach a decision any day now, and the case looms large over the Senate. Nobody in the leadership of either party will reveal anything about their plans to deal with this highly sensitive and explosive matter. But it’s high on their minds.”

“This is a huge deal for the Senate and there will be many open questions if Menendez is convicted. What happens if Menendez appeals it? What will Mitch McConnell, who will play a key role, do? How will Chuck Schumer and Menendez’s Democratic colleagues respond? Would they call for Menendez to step down? And what reaction can we expect from the Senate Ethics Committee, chaired by the senior senator from Georgia, Johnny Isakson?”

GOP May Try to Use Tax Bill to Overhaul Obamacare

November 5, 2017 at 3:32 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Republicans are poised to begin debating details of their tax plan this week, but House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) signaled Sunday that party leaders are still mulling whether to use the proposal to end a central element of the Obama-era Affordable Care Act,” the Washington Post reports.

“The tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee is set to begin reviewing the GOP plan on Monday in public hearings that could stretch into Thursday. But significant differences remain, and new proposals could be added. Ryan signaled that a repeal of the health law’s individual mandate is still up for discussion, while a key New York Republican warned that he and other GOP lawmakers from highly taxed northeastern states remain opposed to the legislation.”

Commerce Secretary Concealed Ties to Putin Cronies

November 5, 2017 at 1:18 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross “shares business interests with Vladimir Putin’s immediate family, and he failed to clearly disclose those interests when he was being confirmed for his cabinet position,” NBC News reports.

“Ross — a billionaire industrialist — retains an interest in a shipping company, Navigator Holdings, that was partially owned by his former investment company. One of Navigator’s most important business relationships is with a Russian energy firm controlled, in turn, by Putin’s son-in-law and other members of the Russian president’s inner circle.”

New York Times: “Details of these arrangements surfaced in a cache of leaked files from Appleby, one of the world’s largest offshore law firms, which administered some 50 companies and partnerships in the Caymans and elsewhere connected to Mr. Ross.”

Russia Funded Investments Through Kushner Associate

November 5, 2017 at 1:09 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Two Russian state institutions with close ties to Vladimir Putin funded substantial investments in Twitter and Facebook through a business associate of Jared Kushner, leaked documents reveal,” the Guardian reports.

“The investments were made through a Russian technology magnate, Yuri Milner, who also holds a stake in a company co-owned by Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior White House adviser.”

Bevin Calls for Resignations In Wake of Scandal

November 5, 2017 at 10:59 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R), making his first public comments on a sexual harassment scandal that has rocked the state House of Representatives, called for “the immediate resignation of every individual who has settled a sexual harassment case, who is a party to trying to hide this type of behavior,” the Lexington Herald Leader reports.

Said Bevin: “These alleged actions, which haven’t been denied, are reprehensible, indefensible and unacceptable. Any elected official or state employee who has settled a sexual harassment claim should resign immediately. The people of Kentucky deserve better. We appropriately demand a high level of integrity from our leaders, and will tolerate nothing less in our state.”

Kentucky House Speaker Jeff Hoover (R) and GOP leaders are accused of concealing sexual harassment allegations against Hoover and three other Republican legislators.

Mueller Has Enough Evidence to Charge Flynn

November 5, 2017 at 10:44 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Federal investigators have gathered enough evidence to bring charges in their investigation of President Trump’s former national security adviser and his son as part of the probe into Russia’s intervention in the 2016 election,” NBC News reports.

“Michael Flynn, who was fired after just 24 days on the job, was one of the first Trump associates to come under scrutiny in the federal probe now led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into possible collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign. Mueller is applying renewed pressure on Flynn following his indictment of Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.”

“The investigators are speaking to multiple witnesses in coming days to gain more information surrounding Flynn’s lobbying work, including whether he laundered money or lied to federal agents about his overseas contacts.”

A Shower Meeting

November 5, 2017 at 9:20 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“All I need from you is to go to prison for a very, very long time. And in return, I still get to be president, which I hate, but I’m too proud to quit ’cause that’s not fair.”

Lewandowski Declined Job Offer from Trump

November 5, 2017 at 9:07 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Daily Beast: “Trump had asked if he wanted a job that would place him in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, across the way from the West Wing… According to two people who spoke with Lewandowski, he ‘strongly’ considered taking the gig, in hopes of getting to serve Trump in an official capacity once more. However, he came to the conclusion that the job wasn’t senior enough, telling friends that it was ‘beneath him.’”

The Longer Tax Bill Is Debated the Less Likely It Will Pass

November 5, 2017 at 8:34 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Stan Collender: “There is absolutely no economic imperative for this bill. The only reasons congressional Republicans are rushing to get this done by the end of this year are political: Trump says he wants it, the GOP thinks its reelection prospects will suffer if it’s not enacted and there’s a general assumption that the more people learn about this bill the less they’ll like it. (Hint: It’s already unpopular.)”

“That’s why House Republicans are racing to get this to a vote and giving far less consideration to their tax plan than they typically do to a bill naming a post office. There will be no hearings, no expert testimony and no town halls to get constituent input.”

Northam Has Edge In Virginia

November 5, 2017 at 8:12 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new New York Times/Siena poll in Virginia finds Ralph Northam (D) edging out Ed Gillespie (R) in the race for governor, 43% to 40%.

Said pollster Don Levy: “This is a classic barnburner election that will have both candidates and campaigns working hard until the polls close Tuesday night. Northam and Gillespie are both strong with their bases: Gillespie has the support of 88% of Republicans while Northam is supported by 89% of Democrats.”

The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Northam ahead by just 1.8%.

Manafort Proposes $12.5 Million Bail Package

November 5, 2017 at 7:45 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Paul Manafort is offering to post $12.5 million-worth of assets — including his Trump Tower apartment — as part of a bail package to ensure that he appears for the trial he’s facing on charges of money laundering and failing to register as a foreign lobbyist,” Politico reports.

“In exchange for pledging the properties, Manafort is seeking to be released from home confinement at his Alexandria, Va. condo and permitted to travel freely in Florida, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and New York.”

Trump Has Worst Approval Rate of Modern Presidents

November 5, 2017 at 7:33 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds a majority of Americans say President Trump “has not accomplished much during his first nine months in office and they have delivered a report card that is far harsher even than the tepid expectations they set for his tenure when he was sworn into office.”

“Trump has an approval rating demonstrably lower than any previous chief executive at this point in his presidency over seven decades of polling. Fewer than 4 in 10 Americans — 37% — say they approve of the way he is handling his job… The president’s disapproval rating has reached 59%, with 50% saying they strongly disapprove of the job he is doing.”

“He is the only president dating back to Harry S. Truman whose approval rating at this point in his presidency is net negative — by 22 points. The next worst recorded in that time was Bill Clinton, who had a net positive of 11 points by this time in his presidency.”

Brazile Considered Replacing Clinton with Biden

November 4, 2017 at 2:17 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former DNC head Donna Brazile “writes in a new book that she seriously contemplated replacing Hillary Clinton as the party’s 2016 presidential nominee with then-Vice President Biden in the aftermath of Clinton’s fainting spell, in part because Clinton’s campaign was ‘anemic’ and had taken on ‘the odor of failure,'” the Washington Post reports.

“In an explosive new memoir, Brazile details widespread dysfunction and dissension throughout the Democratic Party, including secret deliberations over using her powers as interim DNC chair to initiate the removal of Clinton and running mate Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) from the ticket after Clinton’s Sept. 11, 2016, collapse in New York City.”

“Brazile writes that she considered a dozen combinations to replace the nominees and settled on Biden and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), the duo she felt most certain would win over enough working-class voters to defeat Republican Donald Trump. “

Bush 41 and Bush 43 Worried Trump Is Destroying the GOP

November 4, 2017 at 7:44 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Trump is not a favorite in the extended Bush household. Former President George Bush considers him a ‘blowhard,’ only interested in feeding his own ego. Former President George W. Bush, his son, thinks Mr. Trump fans public anger and came to office without any understanding of the job,” the New York Times reports.

“And both worry that Mr. Trump has blown up a Republican Party that they spent two lifetimes building, a party that was once committed to removing boundaries to trade and immigration, promoting democracy and civil society and asserting a robust American leadership role in the world, according to an author who has interviewed them.”

These comments are from a new book: The Last Republicans.

Democrats Still Toxic In Rural America

November 4, 2017 at 7:40 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Virginia gubernatorial hopeful Ralph Northam looked like the perfect candidate to help Democrats regain traction with rural voters after a disastrous 2016, with his Southern drawl, upbringing in the state’s rural Eastern Shore and military background,” Politico reports.

“But despite substantial efforts in the far reaches of the commonwealth increasingly ignored by Democrats, Northam appears to be coming up short of a big improvement, according to his own internal polling.”

“Critics point to Northam’s stances on sanctuary cities and natural gas pipelines as possible reasons for the struggles. But the predominant issue may be that no Democrat, no matter their rural credentials, appeals to rural voters who have been turning away from the party for years — a big warning sign for Democrats hoping to compete in dozens of rural-rooted Senate, House and gubernatorial elections around the country next year.”

Six Women Accuse Florida Lawmaker of Harassment

November 4, 2017 at 7:38 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Six women who work in Florida’s Capitol say the state Senate’s powerful budget chairman, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Latvala, has inappropriately touched them without their consent or uttered demeaning remarks about their bodies,” Politico reports.

“The women, who include Senate staff and lobbyists affiliated with both major parties, told Politico Florida they did not want to be identified for fear of losing their jobs, getting a bad reputation in the male-dominated Capitol or running afoul of an influential politician who can kill their clients’ issues. The incidents, they said, occurred over a period of several years, happening in the privacy of Latvala’s Senate office or in public places like the Capitol rotunda, a bar or an elevator.”

Weiner Will Report to Prison on Monday

November 3, 2017 at 10:42 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) has to report to federal prison on Monday, WABC reports.

The 53-year-old was sentenced to 21 to 27 months in prison for sexting a 15-year-old girl.