Some great clicks over at Wonk Wire:
GOP Candidate Mistakes Campers for Migrant Children
Arizona congressional candidate Adam Kwasman (R) complained about the expected arrival of dozens of migrant children at a shelter on Twitter: “Bus coming in. This is not compassion. This is the abrogation of the rule of law.”
He included a photo of the back of a yellow school bus and later told the Arizona Republic, “I was actually able to see some of the children in the buses. The fear on their faces… This is not compassion.”
“But there was a problem with Kwasman’s story: There was no fear on their faces. Those weren’t the migrant children in the school bus. Those were children from the Marana school district. They were heading to the YMCA’s Triangle Y Camp, not far from the Rite of Passage shelter for the migrants, at the base of Mt. Lemmon.”
House GOP to Stage Mock Trial
National Journal: “In an unlikely setting for political theater–the cramped meeting room of the House Rules Committee–lawyers for and against Speaker John Boehner’s proposed lawsuit against President Obama will stage a kind of mock trial Wednesday to expound upon the plan’s possibilities and pitfalls.”
“Although the testimony will be equally divided between the pros and the cons, the outcome is inevitable. With a 9-4 majority on the Rules Committee, Republicans are certain to follow their leader’s suggestion and write a resolution for the full House to consider calling for litigation against the president.”
Rahm Catches a Big Break
Toni Preckwinkle (D) declared that she won’t run for Chicago mayor, “leaving union and community groups angry over Chicago’s violent crime, school closings and teetering finances searching for a credible candidate to take on Mayor Rahm Emanuel next year,” the Chicago Tribune reports.
“The decision is a boost to Emanuel’s bid for a second term and ensures he won’t have to square off against a popular, countywide elected official capable of uniting disparate voters from the South and West Sides with lakefront liberals.”
Lawmaker Says Undocumented Children Are Gang Members
Rep. Rich Nugent (R-FL) “called undocumented immigrant children at the border not children at all but gang affiliated persons from a culture of thievery, murder, and violence,” BuzzFeed reports.
Said Nugent: “A lot of these children… quote-unquote… ya know, the first caller mentioned it, ya know, they’re gang members. They’re gang affiliated.”
He added: “Listen if you’re 14, 15, 16, 17 years old and you’re coming from a country that’s gang infested, particularly with MS-13-types. That is the most aggressive of all the street gangs. When you have those types coming across the border, they’re not children at that point. These kids have been brought up in a culture of thievery. A culture of murder, of rape. And now we are going to infuse them into the American culture. It’s just ludicrous.”
Quote of the Day
“Jimmy Carter might have been a better president than Barack Obama, and I didn’t think I would ever say that.”
— Former Vice President Dick Cheney, in an interview on CNN.
O’Malley Forges Ahead With Presidential Plans
Ruby Cramer reports Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) is planning a run for president.
“In the last year, the governor has stepped up efforts to put together what he has called a ‘framework’ for a national campaign: He’s traveling the country to stump for Democrats, he’s speaking at state party dinners, he’s raising money, and he’s working on developing new policies.”
“In recent months, those efforts have intensified. About a dozen friends, former aides, strategists, and a handful of donors and fundraisers ready to support O’Malley if he runs, say they see the governor moving forward with those plans without a shade of hesitation.”
Beauprez Slightly Ahead in Colorado
A new Quinnipiac poll in Colorado finds Bob Beauprez (R) edging Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) in the race for governor, 44% to 43%.
Shaheen Maintains Solid Lead in New Hampshire
A new NBC News/Marist Poll in New Hampshire finds Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) fending off a challenge by Scott Brown (R), 50% to 42%.
Dead Heat in Iowa
A new NBC News/Marist Poll in Iowa finds Bruce Braley (D) and Joni Ernst (R) deadlocked in the race for U.S. Senate, 43% to 43%.
Christie to Test Presidential Hopes in Iowa
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) “will make his most significant and elaborate return to the presidential arena this week amid indications that, despite his tribulations, his political standing has stabilized and his advisers see a possible path to the Republican nomination in 2016,” the New York Times reports.
“Christie’s three-city swing through Iowa, the first state to have a say on the presidential race, will represent a highly public resumption of his White House ambitions after six months of scandal. It was deliberately constructed to showcase what his advisers believe distinguishes him from the emerging Republican field: his personality and ability to interact spontaneously with ordinary people.”
The Risks of Hillary Clinton’s Quasi-Campaign
Lynn Vavreck: “The only thing the tour is missing is the central element of a campaign: a raison d’être, a vision. It’s missing this, of course, because to Mrs. Clinton, it is not a campaign. But no matter how many times Mrs. Clinton says she isn’t sure if she’s running in 2016, the rest of the world is sure she’s a candidate, and they are treating her like one.”
“That divergence makes this book tour risky for Mrs. Clinton, if she does run for president.”
Jon Stewart to Clinton via TPM: “I think I speak for everyone when I say no one cares, they just want to know if you’re running for president
Lawmaker Plaques Include Criminal History
“Visitors to the portrait gallery at the Pennsylvania state Capitol in Harrisburg will see more than simple images of the state’s past lawmakers – new plaques unveiled on Tuesday include a listing of any well-known criminal history as well,” Reuters reports.
“The new bronze plaques beneath the portraits of four former House speakers were added as a compromise with lawmakers who wanted the portraits removed altogether after the politicians went to prison.”
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“You know, I’m kind of glad that’s in the back of their minds. Hopefully they’ll behave.”
— Gun lobbyist Larry Pratt, quoted by Rolling Stone, on a New York Congresswoman who had expressed fear that one of Pratt’s members wanted to shoot her.
Two Ex-Utah Attorneys General Arrested
Former Utah Attorneys General John Swallow and Mark Shurtleff have been arrested, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.
“Court documents show Swallow is charged with 11 felonies and two misdemeanors. Five are second-degree felonies for a pattern of unlawful activity, accepting gifts, compensation or loans when prohibited, receiving or soliciting bribes/bribery by a public official and false or inconsistent material statements.”
“Court documents show Shurtleff is charged with 10 felonies. Seven are second-degree felonies for a pattern of unlawful activity, receiving or soliciting bribes and accepting gift, compensation or loan when prohibited and improper use of a employees position.”
GOP Takes Big Step in Voter Data
National Journal: “Beginning this week… Data Trust–a privately operated entity backed by the Republican National Committee that maintains a master list of voter information nationwide–is rolling out a marquee technical upgrade that will allow Republican campaigns and their allies to share voter information with one another in real time. The new feature will let campaigns and approved outside groups not only access voter information anytime (with their own data software) but update it instantly, so others viewing the voter lists can see the information immediately.”
Florida Republicans Won’t Appeal Redistricting Ruling
“Florida legislative leaders have ended their silence on the rejected congressional map and announced Tuesday they will not appeal the circuit court ruling but agree to redraw the map deemed unconstitutional because of two invalid districts,” the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Cochran Solidly Ahead in Mississippi
A new Public Policy Polling survey in Mississippi finds Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) leading Travis Childers (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 40% to 24%.
However, the survey also found 31% still undecided and another 5% going to Reform Party candidate Shawn O’Hara.
