Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) vowed to block all State Department nominations until President Obama appoints an inspector general to investigate the attack on the consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
GDP Growth Revised Down
Wall Street Journal: “The U.S. economy grew at a 1.8% annual rate in the first quarter, slower than the earlier estimates of 2.4% growth. Economists had expected a 2.4% final reading for first-quarter growth.”
Passion for Obama Fades Among Democrats
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds a majority of Americans regard President Obama favorably, but his numbers have softened considerably among his fellow Democrats.
Obama’s favorability stands at 53%, compared to 44% of Americans who view him unfavorably.
While 85% of Democrats regard Obama favorably, the number of those who are strongly supportive of him has dropped since the start of the year. Just 58% of Democrats describe themselves as having a “strongly favorable” view of Obama, down from 72% who said the same in January.
Quote of the Day
“It’s been fun, but, uh, see you soon.”
— Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (R), quoted by the Austin American Statesman, after declaring an “unruly mob” had pushed a vote on an abortion bill past the legislative deadline.
Democrats Defeat Abortion Legislation in Texas
“The nation watched on Tuesday — and into Wednesday — as Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis (D) and hundreds of impassioned reproductive rights advocates stalled proceedings and ultimately defeated controversial abortion legislation in a storm of screams and shouts as the clock struck midnight,” the Texas Tribune reports.
Said Davis, after standing for nearly 13 hours to filibuster a bill designed to restrict abortion: “I am overwhelmed, honestly.”
“Republican senators made a last-ditch effort to approve SB 5, voting 19-10, but by then the clock had ticked past midnight. Under the terms of the state Constitution, the special session had ended, and the bill could not be signed, enrolled or sent to the governor. That fact was not immediately clear, and confusion abounded on the Senate floor. Republicans claimed the bill had passed while Democrats said it had not.”
Washington Post: So who is Wendy Davis?
The 1% of the 1%
Sunlight Foundation: “In the 2012 election, 28 percent of all disclosed political contributions came from just 31,385 people. In a nation of 313.85 million, these donors represent the 1% of the 1%, an elite class that increasingly serves as the gatekeepers of public office in the United States.”
Gillard Ousted as Australian Prime Minister
“Australia’s first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, has been sacked by her party and replaced by the man she ousted three years ago,” the Guardian reports.
“After an unprecedented day of political bloodletting in Canberra, Kevin Rudd beat Gillard to become Labor party leader in a ballot of MPs by a margin of 57 to 45. It is only the second time a sitting Australian prime minister has been removed from office by their party; Rudd’s removal was the first.”
The Sydney Morning Herald has the latest.
The Chief Justice’s Long Game
Rick Hasen explains how Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for a conservative Supreme Court majority in Shelby County v. Holder, crippled Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
“In the Shelby decision, we see a somewhat more open version of a pattern that is characteristic of the Roberts court, in which the conservative justices tee up major constitutional issues for dramatic reversal. First the court wrecked campaign finance law in Citizens United. On Tuesday it took away a crown jewel of the civil rights movement. And as we saw in Monday’s Fisher case, affirmative action is next in line, even if the court wants to wait another year or two to pull the trigger. Imagine striking down affirmative action and the Voting Rights Act in the same week!”
Obama Sinks to New Low in Ohio
A new Quinnipiac poll in Ohio finds President Obama’s job approval is a negative 40% to 57%, his lowest grade ever in the state.
Donor Gave McDonnell $6,500 Watch
A prominent political donor purchased a $6,500 Rolex watch for Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell (R) and the governor did not disclose it in his annual financial filings, the Washington Post reports.
“Williams’s gift came in August 2011 — about two weeks after he met with a top state health official to pitch the benefits of his company’s health products at a meeting arranged by first lady Maureen McDonnell… Williams bought the watch at the urging of Maureen McDonnell, who admired Williams’s own Rolex and suggested that he buy her a similar one she could give to her husband.”
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“In fairness, I doubt that will ever happen. I just cannot imagine — I’m just being honest — Congress ever
coming to terms with what they could agree on.”
— Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), quoted by the Huffington Post, about the likelihood of lawmakers coming together to restore the Voting Rights Act after today’s Supreme Court decision.
Markey Wins in Massachusetts
Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) defeated Gabriel Gomez (R) in the special U.S. Senate election race in Massachusetts, the AP reports.
IRS Credit Cards Used for Wine, Pornography
An agency watchdog says poor oversight by the Internal Revenue Service “allowed workers to use agency credit cards to buy wine for an expensive luncheon, dorky swag for managers’ meetings and, for one employee, romance novels and diet pills,” the AP reports.
“Two IRS credit cards were used to buy online pornography, though the employees said the cards were stolen.”
Another Big Supreme Court Day
The Supreme Court will reconvene tomorrow at 10:00 AM
ET to issue the final three cases of the term, including the two
same-sex marriage cases.
Wonk Wire looks at the mix of possible rulings.
Weiner Leads in New York Mayoral Primary
A new NBC News/Marist Poll finds former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) jumped ahead of Christine Quinn (D) in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary by five points, 25% to 20%.
Last month, Weiner trailed Quinn by 5 points in a similar survey.
Pritzker Confirmed as Commerce Secretary
The Senate easily confirmed Penny Pritzker as the new Commerce Secretary, by a vote of 97 to 1, the Washington Post reports.
“Pritzerk’s nomination was initially thought to face some hurdles in the Senate, owing to the Hyatt hotel heiress’s battles with labor unions and some personal financial issues. In the end, though, nobody stepped up to vocally oppose her nomination.”
Texas Lawmaker in 13 Hour Speech to Block Abortion Bill
Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis (D) “continued a dramatic filibuster Tuesday afternoon designed to block passage of a controversial and politically charged anti-abortion bill,” the Austin American Statesman reports.
Davis could succeed if she continues talking on the bill until midnight when the special legislative session ends.
“Leaders in the GOP-controlled Senate who want the bill to pass said at
mid-afternoon they were considering invoking a little-used rule to end
the filibuster with a vote, a move that other Republicans had earlier
vowed not to use. They planned to let Davis talk the day out — as long
as she stays within the rules for such speeches, with no leaning on her
desk or no pausing or straying off the subject.”
Texas Moves to Implement Voter ID Law
With the Supreme Court suspending the mechanism that forced Texas to get a federal OK before it can implement any election law change, state Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) said that “nothing now can stop the state from activating its controversial voter ID law,” the Dallas Morning News reports.
Said Abbott: “With today’s decision, the State’s voter ID law will take effect immediately. Redistricting maps passed by the Legislature may also take effect without approval from the federal government.”
Meanwhile, WLTB-TV reports Miississippi will move ahead with its voter ID law too.
