Political Wire

Ernst Claims Federal Government Spied on Trump

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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) “suggested the federal government misused its power to spy on President Trump for political reasons as part of its investigation into Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 election,” the Des Moines Register reports.

Said Ernst: “It begs the question too, with the federal government spying on political opponents — what have we come to?”

She added: “And that seemed to generate out of the Obama administration. So I think that there are some things that need to be looked at. We need to understand, when is it appropriate to misuse power so that you’re using your federal assets to go after a political opponent? It sounds very much like something you find in Russia or someplace like that.”

Joni Ernst Says Mueller Testimony Not Necessary

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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) “said Monday she didn’t think testimony from special counsel Robert Mueller would be necessary in the days ahead, a sign of the clear split between Republicans and Democrats about how to pursue the findings from the two-year probe into President Trump and his campaign,” CNN reports.

Ernst Says Her Husband Physically Attacked Her

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“Years before her divorce, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) was assaulted by her husband after she confronted him about his alleged affair with their daughter’s babysitter,” the Des Moines Register reports.

“Ernst said that during her 26-year marriage with Gail Ernst, she was the victim of verbal and mental abuse and a physical assault after which a victim’s advocate wanted to take her to a hospital, she wrote in public records connected to their divorce.”

Ernst Claims She Turned Down Chance to Be Trump’s Veep

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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) stated in divorce proceedings that she turned down the opportunity to be Donald Trump’s vice-president because she believed her husband Gail “hated any successes I have,” the Guardian reports.

In an affidavit filed as part of divorce proceedings with her husband of 26 years, Ernst states: “In the summer of 2016, I was interviewed by Candidate Trump to be vice president of the United States. I turned Candidate Trump down, knowing it wasn’t the right thing for me or my family. I continued to make sacrifices and not soar higher out of concern for Gail and our family.”

She added: “He hated any successes I had and would belittle me and get angry any time I achieved a goal.”

GOP Senator Calls Pruitt ‘as Swampy as You Get’

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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) blasted allegations of ethical misconduct by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, calling him “about as swampy as you get,” Bloomberg reports.

“Pruitt’s tenure at the Environmental Protection Agency is under intensifying scrutiny, with at least 10 federal investigations probing his $50-per-night rental of a bedroom in a Capitol Hill condominium from a lobbyist, his frequent taxpayer-funded travel and his spending decisions.”

Said Ernst: “He is about as swampy as you get here in Washington, D.C., and if the president wants to drain the swamp, he needs to take a look at his own cabinet.”

Ernst Wants to Cut Perks of Former Presidents

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“Being a former U.S. president brings the ability to pull down millions in speaking fees and book deals. And yet American taxpayers are still on the hook for providing those individuals with an annual pension, as well as picking up the tab for office furniture, travel expenses, staff salaries and communications costs,” the Omaha World Herald reports.

Said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) wants to end the payments: “They can make in an hour what our taxpayers are generously subsidizing them, so that’s completely unnecessary.

“Ernst’s bill does not curtail the Secret Service protection and security for former presidents. It would set their annual pension at $200,000 and cap the currently unlimited allowances for office space, staff, cellphones, etc., at a total of $500,000. That cap would be reduced over time, to $250,000.”

Ernst Wishes Trump Spent Less Time in Florida

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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) said that President Trump’s frequent trips to Florida have been “bothering” her, saying, “I do wish he would spend more time in Washington,” CNN reports.

Said Ernst: “I have not spoken to him about the Florida issue yet, but that is something I think that has been bothering not just me, but some other members of our caucus. So I think that is going to be a topic of discussion that we have when we get back to Washington.”

Ernst Says Trump Should Release Tax Returns

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“Facing a jeering crowd of demonstrators and left-leaning voters, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) said that President Donald Trump should release his tax returns,” Politico reports.

“As she absorbed boos and heckles for her answers on health care, climate change and Planned Parenthood, the Iowa Republican gave the mostly Democratic crowd something to cheer for: Becoming one of the latest high-profile lawmakers to call on Trump to release more of his financial information.”

Trump Meets with Ernst as Possible Veep

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Donald Trump “met in New Jersey on Monday with Senator Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa, as he screens potential running mates in a series of meetings,” the New York Times reports.

“One person briefed on the process, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said that the campaign began vetting Ms. Ernst in recent days as a possible vice-presidential pick. But it is not clear how seriously Ms. Ernst is being considered for a position that Mr. Trump has kept close counsel about filling.”

How the Koch Network Made Joni Ernst

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Politico: “Until now, little has been known about the secretive role played by the Kochs’ donors and operatives in boosting Ernst. The Koch network has focused primarily on policy fights, mostly leaving the spadework of recruiting and nurturing candidates to the party.”

“But the network’s financial support for Ernst ― detailed here for the first time ― offers the first signs of a move into GOP primaries. The Kochs and their allies are investing in a pipeline to identify, cultivate and finance business-oriented candidates from the local school board all the way to the White House, and Koch operatives are already looking for opportunities to challenge GOP incumbents deemed insufficiently hard-line in their opposition to government spending and corporate subsidies.”

Ernst Seeks to Become a GOP Power Broker

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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) “hasn’t been in office a month, but she’s already delivered the GOP response to the State of the Union. And now the Iowa Republican is looking to parlay her newfound celebrity into something more powerful: influence in the 2016 presidential campaign,” Politico reports.

“Likely candidates are expected to attend a summer political event put on by Ernst that will showcase her sway at the national level. Weeks after Ernst won a hotly contested Senate race, her staff started planning the June 6 gathering that she aims to turn into an annual tradition akin to the steak fry that her Democratic predecessor, Tom Harkin, put on 37 times.”

Ernst Goes Folksy in Response

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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) “focused on the GOP’s policy priorities for the new Congress, rather than making a direct response to President Obama’s proposals, in her party’s official response Tuesday night,” The Hill reports.

“Ernst, a freshman senator who just won election in November, delivered a polished speech shortly after Obama’s address. The Iowa Republican worked in plenty of smiles and more than a few folksy references to her modest middle-class upbringing throughout her remarks.”

Des Moines Register: “Ernst delivered her address with polish and a toothy smile, avoiding the pitfalls that have befallen some of her predecessors who have given the GOP response.”

Quote of the Day

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“It was the White House switchboard. I was a little embarrassed that I’d been rejecting the president’s calls.”

— Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), in an interview on WHO Radio, explaining how she ignored phone calls from an unknown number after she had won the U.S. Senate race.

Ernst Won’t Speak to Non-Iowa Media

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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), “one of the most high-profile politicians to come out of Iowa, has kept a decidedly low profile in her transition from little-known state senator to a U.S. senator recognized virtually everywhere she goes,” the Des Moines Register reports.

“After coming off one of the hottest campaigns of the 2014 elections, Ernst was bombarded with media requests from every Sunday political show, network and cable TV station and major newspaper — influential outlets that her campaign aides last spring would’ve begged to just know how to spell her name correctly. She steered clear of all national media requests.”

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

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