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George Santos

The disgraced Republican congressman, who is the subject of a House ethics panel inquiry, is expected to face many challengers

Disgraced Republican congressman George Santos, who has admitted to fabricating parts of his rsum in his successful bid for a seat in the House of Representatives, has announced he will stand for a second term representing his New York district.

Santos, whose district is focused on New York Citys suburbs, is the subject of an inquiry by the House ethics committee, as well as complaints alleging sexual harassment and campaign finance violations.

Shortly after he admitted to lying during his election campaign last year, Santos stepped down from all House committees. He is expected to face many challengers in the Republican primary for the district, which leans Democratic.

Santos was characteristically forthright in his re-election announcement, ignoring the multiple scandals that have repeatedly emerged in the US media that range from puppy theft to lying about being a producer on a Broadway musical about Spider-Man and making claims to have lost family in the Holocaust.

Since the left is pushing radical agendas, the economy is struggling, and Washington is incapable of solving anything, we need a fighter who knows the district and can serve the people fearlessly, and independent of local or national party influence, he said in a statement.

He added: Good is not good enough and I am not shy about getting the job done.

Santos has long faced calls to quit from fellow New York Republicans and voters in his Queens and Long Island district. Democrats are hopeful they will be able to grab the seat.

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George Santos, Republican who lied in his first election, announces second run - The Guardian US

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, told GOP donors that the party's future political success is tied to Fox News, which faces a $1.6 billion defamation trial set to begin this week in Delaware. Getty Images/Scott Olson; AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura hide caption

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, told GOP donors that the party's future political success is tied to Fox News, which faces a $1.6 billion defamation trial set to begin this week in Delaware.

At the Republican National Committee's spring retreat in Tennessee over the weekend, a swing-state GOP governor told major donors the party's future political success depended in part on Fox News.

In a speech about attracting independents and young people to the Republican Party, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said he had urged Fox News to break out of its "echo chamber" for Republicans to prosper.

Sununu's remarks echo a consistent theme found unvarnished in the private communications of Fox's stars and executives by Dominion Voting Systems in its $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against the network: That Fox is an integral player in Republican politics and the conservative movement.

"We have to start thinking about the long game," Sununu told Republican donors at the Four Seasons Hotel in Nashville. "We get ourselves tied up in issues. I'm not saying they're not important, but they ain't making the team bigger."

He said the party had an appealing "product" for voters, including younger voters, with an emphasis on low government regulation, low taxes and local governmental control.

Then he started to talk about Fox News.

"I was on with [Fox News business anchor and senior vice president Neil] Cavuto this morning, and I talk to the leadership at Fox all the time," Sununu said.

"I go, 'Look guys, I saw a panel discussion with four panelists on Fox and they all were literally agreeing with each other. ... They're talking in an echo chamber. What are you doing to grow the team?'"

"If you don't do it," he said, "we're going to lose."

Sununu said cable networks MSNBC and CNN were run by Democrats, and that Republicans should appear on their shows and own them.

That was the thrust of the governor's message, his communications director told NPR.

"He was telling Republicans they should be going on other media channels, not just Fox," Ben Vihstadt said. "Republicans watch those channels too."

NPR obtained an audio recording of an excerpt of the talk from Lauren Windsor, a liberal activist and consultant, who acquired them from an attendee. Vihstadt authenticated the governor's remarks.

Sununu's remarks come at a delicate moment for Fox. Its lawyers are simultaneously girding for a six-week trial, set to begin Tuesday morning after a one-day delay, and negotiating over a possible settlement with Dominion's legal team.

Dominion's case stems from baseless assertions on Fox that the voting tech company's machines threw votes from then-President Donald Trump to Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Dominion alleges that Fox tried to win back Trump voters alienated by Fox's projection before any other television network on election night that Biden would win Arizona. One way the network appealed to Trump loyalists was to broadcast the lies of election fraud promoted by Trump and his allies. (The network says it was reporting on newsworthy allegations from the nation's top elected official and its allies.)

It's long been known that Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch has sought to influence elections in his native Australia, the U.K. and the U.S., both in his news pages and programs and behind the scenes. Former Republican vice presidential candidate and U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan sits on the corporate board of Fox Corp., the network's corporate parent. (He was among those who argued that Fox had to release its embrace of election conspiracy theories.)

And Trump drew from a roster of Fox personalities for appointments to his administration. Fox stars Hannity, Jeanine Pirro, Lou Dobbs and others advised him off the air. (Dobbs would be forced out a day after another election tech company, Smartmatic, sued Fox in a $2.7 billion defamation claim.)

In response to a request for comment, a Fox spokesperson noted that surveys suggest its audiences which are far larger than its peers include the most Democrats and independents watching.

Back in November 2020, NPR reported that Hannity invited RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on his show on the night before Biden would be projected to win the presidency.

An internal GOP memo to prepare McDaniel reflected full knowledge of what would be asked, setting out the specifics of the show's lengthy opening segment including its guests and subjects and Hannity's main points. They focused on suspicions of voter fraud.

But, in case there was any doubt, the material gathered by Dominion's legal team cements the image of Fox as an institution with a deeply ingrained conservative outlook and whose leaders are closely interwoven with Republican politics.

In late September 2020, Murdoch warned Trump's son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, that the Biden campaign ads were better. The next day, the media magnate, whose former wife had helped reconcile Kushner with his wife Ivanka Trump after a brief split, followed up with another email.

"Your adv at 1.0 pm this Sunday an improvement, but Biden in same football [game] is extremely good. Or I think so! Will send it," Murdoch said in an email made public through legal proceedings.

On Nov. 10, a few days after Fox projected Biden's win, star host Maria Bartiromo texted former Trump former chief political adviser Steve Bannon, "Omg I'm so depressed. I can't take this"

She continued, "I am watching the world move forward. & it's so upsetting steve."

Bannon had no plans to stand still. He laid out a multi-point plan that included delegitimizing Biden as president, Republicans' winning both U.S. Senate seats in Georgia, and getting Bartiromo elected to the U.S. Senate in New York all while prepping Trump for a 2024 White House bid.

On Nov. 14, 2020, Fox Corp. executive chairman Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert's son, warned chief executive Suzanne Scott about the tone of Fox's coverage of a pro-Trump rally.

"News guys have to be careful how they cover this rally," Lachlan Murdoch wrote. "So far some of the side comments are slightly anti, and they shouldn't be. The narrative should be this is a huge celebration of the president."

On Nov. 16, Rupert Murdoch affirmed his interest in aiding the Republican drive to win the Senate in an email to Scott: "Trump will concede eventually and we should concentrate on Georgia, helping any way we can."

Despite his criticisms of Fox, Sununu does not appear to disdain the network. He appeared on its news program "America's Newsroom" Monday morning, less than 48 hours after his pointed remarks in Nashville.

Continued here:
Fox News' ties to Republican Party on display in governor's remarks to donors - NPR

House Republicans released sweeping immigration legislation on Monday that would tighten asylum eligibility, expand migrant family detention and crack down on the employment of undocumented workers.

The 137-page proposed bill represents the legislative response to high levels of migration on the U.S.-Mexico border from House Republicans, who have made border security a focal point of their new majority. The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to mark up the bill Wednesday.

But the legislation may still face hurdles to make it through the House, given internal disagreement within the House Republican caucus over border security. Its also unlikely to gain traction in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

The committee action will follow previous delays on a border security measure, and the newest bill reflects some of the behind-the-scenes negotiations that have occurred over the past several weeks.

For example, the new legislation includes only some of the language from a border security bill introduced by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. Last December, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., had included Roys bill in a list of so-called ready-to-go legislation that would be brought to the House floor for a vote in the first two weeks of 2023.

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House Republicans release sweeping immigration bill - Roll Call

WASHINGTON House Speaker Kevin McCarthy released a debt limit bill Wednesday that he hopes to pass with Republican support, triggering a frantic push to gather the votes in his narrow majority.

We are introducing the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, McCarthy, R-Calif., said on the House floor, adding that it would responsibly raise the debt limit into next year and save trillions of dollars.

The proposal to avert default would be tied to conservative policies, including cutting federal spending to 2022 levels, limiting growth to 1% per year, repealing enhanced IRS enforcement funding, undoing President Joe Biden's student debt forgiveness and rescinding unspent pandemic relief funds, McCarthy said.

McCarthy told reporters it will lift the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion or extend it through March 31, 2024, whichever comes first. The 320-page bill, published moments after his speech, will be led by House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, the speaker said.

It's not clear the plan will get the votes to pass the House. It is the biggest test for McCarthy since his long battle to become speaker.

Republicans have a narrow majority and can afford only four defections before the legislation collapses, with Democrats expected to vote against it en masse. McCarthy said he hopes to put the bill to a House vote next week and expressed confidence it will pass.

Were going to work through it, but yeah, were going to get there, he said. I never give up. Well get them.

McCarthys move represents an attempt to pressure Biden to make policy concessions in order to avert a calamitous debt default as early as June. Biden has refused to negotiate and said Congress should allow the U.S. to pay its bills without conditions, a position McCarthy has blasted as irresponsible.

Even if McCarthys bill were to pass the House, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said its dead on arrival in the Democratic-controlled chamber, telling reporters on Tuesday that a clean debt ceiling is the way to go.

But if the House passes a measure, that could raise the pressure on Senate Democrats to craft their own competing bill.

Biden, Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke by phone Tuesday and the three agreethat we wont negotiate over defaultand Republicans should pass a clean billlike they did three times in the previous administration, the White House said.

A memo Tuesday by Goldman Sachs economic research team said the debt limit deadline could come earlier than it had expected.

While the data are still very preliminary, weak tax collections so far in April suggest an increased probability that the debt limit deadline will be reached in the first half of June, the memo read. We have been projecting that Treasury could operate without a debt limit increase until early August.

The Treasury Department has set a June 5 deadline for Congress to extend the debt limit or risk default for the first time in U.S. history.

Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

Kyle Stewart is an associate producer covering Congress for NBC News.

Garrett Haake and Alexandra Bacallao contributed.

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McCarthy releases Republican bill to lift debt ceiling. Its not clear it has the votes. - NBC News

With an assist from Anthony Adragna and Jordain Carney

The House Judiciary Committee will meet Wednesday to mark up a border package, but Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who sits on the House Homeland Security committee, has made clear he wont support the bill on the floor as-is. | Alex Wong/Getty Images

BORDER BATTLE Rep. Tony Gonzales is standing his ground on efforts to change a border security bill that he says doesnt take the right approach and hes willing to jeopardize other key pieces of legislation, including the debt limit, to do it.

Im so dug in against any bill that comes to the floor thats a bad vote for our members that won us the majority that Im willing to use everything I have to prevent it, Gonzales (R-Texas) said in an interview Tuesday afternoon. Including voting no against a debt ceiling package.

The House Judiciary Committee will meet Wednesday morning to mark up a border package, but Gonzales, who sits on the House Homeland Security committee, has made clear he wont support the bill on the floor as-is. The legislation being taken up in the Judiciary Committee pieces together proposals from several Republicans, but its also getting pushback from moderate GOP lawmakers (and Democrats).

At issue is a section of the bill that some see as too similar to a proposal from Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) that would, among other provisions, authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to prohibit migrants from entering the country if they think it is necessary in order to achieve operational control over such border. Moderates are further concerned that the asylum policies are too narrow making the path to legal immigration more difficult.

I think it is a terrible idea to give Secretary Mayorkas more power when he has proven that he has failed at the border. We should be doing the exact opposite, Gonzales said. I think its a terrible idea to think that Mayorkas is going to be the one that solves this problem.

Though Gonzales said he would be willing to vote against Speaker Kevin McCarthys (R-Calif.) proposal to raise the debt ceiling (remember, McCarthy only has a four vote margin), the timing may not work in the Texas Republicans favor. McCarthys debt ceiling bill could come up for a vote as soon as next week, while a border security package isnt expected to reach the floor until mid-May at the earliest.

Gonzales position signals the divide between the staunch conservatives in the conference, many of whom who sit on the Judiciary committee, and the more moderate members of his conference (including Gonzales), who argue theyre the reason Republicans won the majority in the first place.

Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said in an interview that hes worked to ease concerns with moderate members of his conference but the committee markup is moving forward Wednesday.

Our members have worked really hard in putting this together in a way that is good policy, good immigration enforcement policy that would truly secure the border and doing it in a way that also will get 218 votes, Jordan said. So I think were close.

And House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.) teased on Tuesday evening that he thought the Judiciary proposal was in good shape, even despite Gonzaless concerns. But Green declined to share specifics, predicting negotiations over the legislation would play out in due time.

Roys bill was part of House Majority Leader Steve Scalises (R-La.) original list of legislation that Republicans wanted to pass the first two weeks of their majority.

The Judiciary Committee wont have the final say on what the House GOPs final border bill will look like. Greens committee is expected to hold a vote on its piece of the legislation next week, after which the two bills will be forged together by the Rules Committee.

Also worth noting: Even if the bill passes the House, it will never be taken up by the Democratic-led Senate.

GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Wednesday, April 19, where your Huddle hosts are very excited because its hump day.

EXPECTATIONS YET TO COME Lawmakers come into todays classified briefings on leaked sensitive Pentagon documents with some specific desires understanding the full extent of the leak, answering how the 21-year-old accused leaker got access to the records in the first place and what steps are being taken to prevent it from happening again, according to interviews with more than half a dozen senators. They know they wont get all the answers at once I still think theyre learning about it, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), vice chair of the Intelligence Committee, told POLITICO but expect as much information as possible from administration officials.

Its just the first step. Theres a lot we have to work on, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), chair of the Intelligence Committee, said.

Remember, these briefings havent always gone super smoothly. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) threatened to slow down confirming all of President Joe Bidens nominees after a particularly unsatisfying one in January over records recovered at presidential residences. I look to hear about half as much as I can read about in whatever you write, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) quipped. Theres been a lot of frustration presented at previous hearings on things like the spy balloon. I dont think any of it compares to what will happen tomorrow if high-ranking officials dont come with some significant information and some solutions.

Department of real world consequences: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said the classified document leak came up directly at her recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His response was, you know, I had a plan. And now people know what the plan is. So I gotta do what I gotta do, she said in an interview.

JUDICIARY STALEMATE As promised, Senate Republicans nixed a speedy roster swap for Democrats to temporarily replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) blocked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumers (D-N.Y.) Tuesday afternoon request for unanimous consent to add Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) temporarily to the Judiciary Committee.

In theory, that could tee up a floor vote on the matter, but Democrats dont have the 10 GOP votes theyd need to move forward. More from Burgess, Jennifer Haberkorn and KTM.

NOT SOLD ON SU Julie Su, President Joe Bidens choice for Secretary of Labor and current Acting Labor Secretary, faces the Senate HELP Committee Thursday for a hearing on her nomination.

Su was making the rounds on the Hill Tuesday, even stopping in the Senate basement to chat with Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) plans to meet with Su on Thursday following the HELP Committee hearing and said hed be tuned in to see what questions her testimony raises.

Im very ambivalent. I voted for her before. I dont have a problem with her right now, but he suggested the hearing could bring up concerns. Tester, Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) all voted in favor of Sus confirmation to be deputy labor secretary in 2021.

FIRST IN HUDDLE Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House Counsels office, released a memo Wednesday ahead of the House Oversight hearing on the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan, slamming Republicans ahead of what is expected to be a contentious debate on the withdrawal.

These MAGA House Republicans are hoping to distract from their own failure to even agree upon, much less act on, solutions that are desperately needed today to protect the progress the Biden Administration has made to safely evacuate tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan at the end of the war, the memo states. You can read the full memo here.

DOUBLE, TRIPLE BOOKED Is there a way to keep House members from being double, triple, quadruple booked with different committee commitments in the same time slot? The House Modernization Committee, sure thought so and now the House Digital Service is making it happen. The new tool is called Deconflict and its all in the name. The initial version is only available to House GOP committee staff, for now. But there is a plan to expand usage.

WORTH A WATCH If youre one of the 17 House members, more than 500 members of Hill staff (along with hundreds more dependents) whose personal data was compromised in the breach of DC Health Link, heres a hearing for you. Mila Kofman, Executive Director of the District of Columbia Health Benefit Exchange Authority will testify, as will House Chief Administrative Officer Catherine L. Szpindor. Their written testimony is already out, read Kofmans and Szpindors.

DURBIN UPDATE Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) signaled on Tuesday that hes trying to honor the blue slip courtesy for Scott Colom President Joe Bidens judicial nominee for the Northern District of Mississippi whose nomination came under turmoil after Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) indicated she would formally block it. Were still talking, he told Nancy when pressed for further clarification. The nomination was effectively halted after the Mississippi Republican said she would not return a blue slip for Colom a legislative maneuver that gives senators a de facto veto over appointments to district court seats within their home states.

CAUGHT IN THE HATCH The Office of Special Counsel found that Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra violated the Hatch Act when he expressed support for Sen. Alex Padillas (D-Calif.) election at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute event in the fall.

ANOTHAH ONE, THANK YOU A former White House official has launched his bid for the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.). That makes 14 (!) candidates for the Ocean State seat, so far.

BOARDING UP Donna Shalala, the former Health and Human Services Secretary and Florida House Democrat, is joining the Board of Directors for a growing Medicare navigation platform: Chapter. Shalala touted Chapter as the only Medicare advisor to put the interests of beneficiaries above all else, adding in her statement that she is delighted to support Chapter and help them expand their services to more organizations and consumers.

SANTOS SPEAKS Embattled Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) has a very *ahem* honest conversation about how he sees Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) after that infamous moment during the State of the Union.

TWIN TUESDAY: Playbooks Rachael Bade accidentally matched with Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.).

The subway train stopped on its tracks during votes Tuesday and Sen. Mitt Romney ribbed some senators stuck inside.

How sweet it is to be the new steward of the Senate Candy Desk tradition.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver managed to compare the debt ceiling standoff to Blazing Saddles.

QUICK LINKS

GOP drops $1M on Manchin as Justice preps run, from Burgess Everett and Holly Otterbein

DeSantis gets warm words at GOP Hill event, but few endorsements, from Sarah Ferris, Ally Mutnick and Burgess Everett

Key Republican Tells Donors He Will Pursue Impeachment of Mayorkas, from Karoun Demirjian at the New York Times

Anti-corruption Rep. Dan Goldman made hundreds of stock trades after saying hed create a blind trust, from Dave Levinathl at Raw Story

George Santos left out of McCarthy fundraising group to help NY GOP candidates, from Caitlin Oprysko

TRANSITIONS

Catalina Tam is now the nominations director for Schumer. She previously was a legislative aide for Schumer.

Samuel Wojcicki is now senior director of climate policy at the National Audubon Society. He most recently was legislative director for Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.).

Will Bowen is now press secretary for Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.). He most recently was McHenrys regional director.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House convenes at 10 a.m. for morning hour and noon for legislative business. First and last votes are expected at 4:30 p.m.

The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. with two amendment votes at 11:30 a.m.

AROUND THE HILL

9:30 a.m. House Appropriations CJS Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the National Science Foundation. Director Sethuraman Panchanathan testifies. (H-309 Capitol)

10 a.m. Democratic Whip Clark, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), the Pro-Choice Caucus and Democratic Womens Caucus lead a presser on Democrats fight to protect access to abortion medication. (House Triangle)

10 a.m. House Appropriations Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the CDC, NIH and Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky testifies. (2358C Rayburn)

10 a.m. House Armed Services Committee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the Army. Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth testifies. (2118 Rayburn)

10 a.m. House Homeland Security Committee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for DHS. Mayorkas testifies. (310 Cannon)

10 a.m. House Natural Resources Committee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the Interior Department. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland testifies. (1324 Longworth)

10 a.m. Senate Appropriations State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for USAID. USAID Administrator Samantha Power testifies. (138 Dirksen)

10 a.m. Senate Finance Committee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the IRS and the 2023 filing season. IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel testifies. (215 Dirksen)

10 a.m. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) at 20: Achieving and Sustaining Epidemic Control. Sir Elton John testifies. (419 Dirksen)

11 a.m. Reps. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Gerry Connelly (D-Va.) urge Congress to strengthen pay for federal wildland firefighters. (House Triangle)

1:30 p.m. House Appropriations CJS Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for NASA. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson testifies. (2359 Rayburn)

12 p.m. Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), et al to unveil legislation to end qualified immunity. (House Triangle)

2 p.m. House Administration Oversight and House Oversight Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Government Innovation subcommittee joint hearing on the D.C. Health Exchange data breach. (2154 Rayburn)

2 p.m. House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for Customs and Border Protection. Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller testifies. (2008 Rayburn)

2:15 p.m. Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) will hold a press conference on a Resolution Condemning the Russian Kidnapping of Ukrainian Children. (House Triangle)

TUESDAYS WINNER: Ben Wainer correctly answered that then Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy was the third Democrat who did not vote to censure Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wis.) in 1954. Kennedy was in the hospital for back surgery.

TODAYS QUESTION from Ben: Which former senator became the first cabinet nominee of a newly elected president to be rejected from serving?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to [emailprotected]

GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning.

Follow Katherine on Twitter @ktullymcmanus

See the article here:
The Republican 'dug in' against his party's border bill - POLITICO