Political Wire

Become a member to get many great benefits -- exclusive analysis, trending news, a private podcast, no ads and more!

Internal House Budget Feud Threatens GOP Agenda

June 13, 2017 at 1:32 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“House GOP efforts to write a fiscal 2018 budget are deadlocked amid Republican infighting, a divide that threatens to undermine President Trump’s agenda by stalling tax reform and delaying progress on appropriations,” Politico reports.

“The House Budget Committee is months behind its usual timeline in releasing and marking up its annual fiscal blueprint. While the panel said it hoped to release the budget by early June, conference-wide bickering over priorities and spending levels have all but ground the process to a halt.”

Trump Disapproval Hits New High

June 13, 2017 at 1:27 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Gallup daily tracking poll finds President Trump’s approval rate at a lowly 36% to 60%.

Only Political Ruin Will Cause GOP to Abandon Trump

June 13, 2017 at 11:01 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Jennifer Rubin: “What if Trump decides to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, as Trump confidante Chris Ruddy, chief executive of NewsMax, said Trump is considering? That would spark a good deal of outrage in the press and among independents and Democrats. It might even cost Trump some support from sensible Republicans. A wholesale mutiny among Republicans however would not be guaranteed — even then. That reality gives one a full appreciation for how reluctant Republicans are to step out of line — even when it comes to defending an independent investigation by a man many of them praised.”

“In sum, the sad answer is that these Republicans won’t act out of principle, won’t challenge the right-wing echo chamber and won’t give up the delusion that they can get parts of their agenda through. Given truth serum, nearly all would prefer Pence to replace Trump; they just cannot summon the courage to make that happen. I suppose some undeniable smoking gun either of Trump’s Russian complicity or obstruction could force their hand, but increasingly it looks like the only thing that will convince them to abandon Trump is the certain prospect of political ruin. Even more likely, they’ll have to lose the House in 2018 before they realize Trump is politically radioactive.”

For members: History Shows the Bottom Can Fall Out Quickly for Trump

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

June 13, 2017 at 10:51 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“My expectation would be that this would be the last straw for Republicans — that they would finally have to stand up to the president. Of course, that expectation has proved illusory in the past. So there’s no guarantee.”

— Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), quoted by the Washington Post, on speculation that President Trump might fire special counsel Robert Mueller.

Kasich Backs Slower Medicaid Rollback

June 13, 2017 at 10:09 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) said that “he could accept a gradual phaseout of the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, but only if Congress provides states with more money than the House health care bill included and more flexibility to manage the health program for the poor,” the New York Times reports.

“Mr. Kasich’s statement could prove significant as Senate Republicans try to find near unanimity on a bill to repeal and replace President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement. His position points to a compromise that moderate Senate Republicans could embrace — but that could challenge the chamber’s most conservative members.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

June 13, 2017 at 9:18 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Clinton only survived a special prosecutor because he made Ken Starr the enemy.”

— Dick Morris, quoted by Politico.

Trump’s Lawyer Boasted of Getting Bharara Fired

June 13, 2017 at 9:04 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Marc Kasowitz, President Trump’s personal lawyer in the Russia investigation, “has boasted to friends and colleagues that he played a central role in the firing of Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York,” ProPublica reports.

Kasowitz told Trump: “This guy is going to get you.”

“Those who know Kasowitz say he is sometimes prone to exaggerating when regaling them with his exploits. But if true, his assertion adds to the mystery surrounding the motive and timing of Bharara’s firing.”

Why Ruddy Floated the Idea of Firing Mueller

June 13, 2017 at 8:55 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Chris Cillizza: “My (educated) guess is that during his visit to the White House on Monday, Ruddy heard that Trump was considering firing Mueller. Ruddy thought, rightly, that doing so would be an absolutely terrible political move. Rather than calling the President to tell him that, Ruddy took to a medium where he knew Trump would listen: TV.”

“Yes, this is strange, unorthodox and unlike any past president. But, so is almost everything Trump has said and done since he became a candidate for president almost exactly two years ago today.”

“Those who successfully influence Trump meet him on his terms, not their own. That’s what Ruddy is doing here. Telling Trump his opinions through the TV filter. Because he knows that’s the only way to ensure Trump will hear it.”

Dead Heat In Georgia’s Special Election

June 13, 2017 at 8:51 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new SurveyUSA poll in Georgia’s 6th congressional district finds Jon Ossoff (D) and Karen Handel (R) tied at 47% each in the special congressional election with 6% of voters still undecided.

Can Trump Fire the Special Counsel?

June 13, 2017 at 8:46 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Ari Melber: “No, not lawfully in one action. That is because federal regulations mandate ‘only’ the attorney general can fire the special counsel for enumerated reasons, or an acting attorney general in the event of recusal (28 CFR 600)… Can the president take actions to lead to the firing of the special counsel? Yes, as a matter of technical authority, a president could conceivably: (1) instruct the DOJ to change those federal rules, and then fire the special counsel under any new rules that provide for the President to exercise that authority; or (2) the president could instruct a DOJ official to carry out the firing.”

“The current rules do not provide the President the authority to unilaterally fire the special counsel — the action requires changing the rules or demanding other officials carry out the request.”

Quote of the Day

June 13, 2017 at 8:42 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“If there is nothing there, then why do you keep impeding it?”

— Sen. Angus King (I-ME), on the Today Show, on President Trump’s handling of the Russia investigation.

Sessions Testifies Under Oath Today

June 13, 2017 at 8:04 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rick Klein: “For a guy who’s recused himself from the hot story, he sure does pop up a lot. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is an interesting man for the Senate Intelligence Committee to speak with today for a range of reasons that stretch back through the Trump candidacy and presidency. His appearance is being met with a tinge of trepidation, and a whole lot of anticipation, inside a White House where loyalty pledges work to buck up the president’s mood, though not necessarily his legal standing. Part of what makes Sessions intriguing is that he is, by accounts public and private, loyal to President Trump, loyal enough to have offered to resign weeks before he offered to testify.”

“Trump may not be happy with him these days but he’s stuck with him. Now he’ll be stuck with his version of events; he already has to contend with contradictions from his fired FBI director, and can’t afford a two-against-one he-said-he-said. Sessions serves a president whose relationship with facts is famously casual. But when Sessions talks about his conversations with James Comey, and doesn’t talk about his conversations with Trump, the attorney general of the United States knows the consequences of perjury, and surely wants to be on the side of truth.”

The Hill: Five things to watch in Sessions hearing.

Trump Has Been Warned Against Firing Mueller

June 13, 2017 at 7:19 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Playbook: “The reality is that Trump has sounded out associates about his concerns over Mueller — and no one knows what he might do. Trump would be making a big mistake if he tried to fire Mueller, and they don’t believe he will, aides said. He has been warned against it ‘by almost everyone,’ one adviser said. But he is often governed by self-preservation. He hates losing control of situations. He often lashes out when he feels someone could damage him. Plus, surrogates have begun telling him what trouble Mueller could pose. He met several times with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at Bedminster over the weekend.”

“So, yes, it seems unlikely Trump will try to fire Mueller. But then again, no one expected him to fire James Comey.”

This Is Not Even Close to Normal

June 13, 2017 at 7:11 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Mike Allen: “We try very hard here to simply explain the Trump White House, and not join the pile-on. To us, the Trump world doesn’t need more noise — it needs more explanation and illumination. But there are moments when it’s important to remind even our staunchest pro-Trump readers that this often isn’t anything approximating normal.”

“Remember that we’re living through history that will be studied and debated until the end of time. Many Trump backers, both the eager and reluctant ones, enjoy the destruction of norms and bemoan the highly critical coverage of this presidency. But we should never lose sight that we are experiencing a daily display of unprecedented actions and behaviors.”

Russian Hackers Hit Election Systems In 39 States

June 13, 2017 at 7:06 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Russia’s cyberattack on the U.S. electoral system before Donald Trump’s election was far more widespread than has been publicly revealed, including incursions into voter databases and software systems in almost twice as many states as previously reported,” Bloomberg reports.

“Details of the wave of attacks, in the summer and fall of 2016, were provided by three people with direct knowledge of the U.S. investigation into the matter. In all, the Russian hackers hit systems in a total of 39 states, one of them said.”

“The scope and sophistication so concerned Obama administration officials that they took an unprecedented step — complaining directly to Moscow over a modern-day ‘red phone.'”

Lewandowski Shopping Book Proposal Again

June 13, 2017 at 7:01 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

CNN: “It was not clear what Lewandowski’s book would be about. A proposal wasn’t submitted, likely to avoid details leaking to the public, the source added. Lewandowski previously had an offer from HarperCollins worth $1.2 million, but lost it over concerns about a nondisclosure agreement he signed during the campaign, Politico reported last June. This time around, however, publishers were told Lewandowski had been able to obtain a waiver of the nondisclosure agreement, one of the sources familiar with the matter said.”

Republicans Rein In Expectations for Killing Obamacare

June 13, 2017 at 7:00 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Politico: “Senate Republicans are aggressively trying to rein in expectations for their Obamacare repeal effort, wary of blowing a deadline or falling short of 50 votes on a promise that has driven the GOP’s political strategy for much of the past decade. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is still aiming for an Obamacare repeal vote in June, though his lieutenants acknowledge that deadline could slip into July. And while GOP leaders want to hold the vote as soon as possible, Republicans continue to avoid hard deadlines and say factors outside their control could strike.”

“A public copy of the bill or the CBO score are not expected until just days before any vote, minimizing the ability of opposition to mobilize, aides said. If a June vote is not possible, Republicans hope to at least to have an agreement on a bill before heading home for the July 4 recess.”

J.P. Morgan Pulls Ads Over Megyn Kelly’s Interview

June 12, 2017 at 8:48 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

J.P. Morgan Chase has pulled its advertisements from NBC News in light of Megyn Kelly’s upcoming interview with Infowars host Alex Jones, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Hollywood Reporter: “Critics argue that NBC’s platform legitimizes the views of a man who, among other conspiracy theories, has suggested that the killing of 26 people at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 was a hoax. The network released a brief portion of the interview, which is scheduled to air on Sunday.”