Archive for the ‘Republicans’ Category

Trump, in Zigzag, Calls House Republicans’ Health Bill ‘Mean’ – New York Times


New York Times
Trump, in Zigzag, Calls House Republicans' Health Bill 'Mean'
New York Times
WASHINGTON President Trump on Tuesday bluntly derided a House attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act as mean, and in doing so, injected himself in a brewing Senate battle that his fellow Republicans had prayed he would avoid. At a White ...
Republicans Won't Utter the Vulgar Phrase Trump Used to Describe Their Health Care BillNewsweek
The remarkable steps Republicans are taking to obscure what's in their health-care billWashington Post
Of Course Republicans Are Passing Trumpcare in SecretRollingStone.com
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Trump, in Zigzag, Calls House Republicans' Health Bill 'Mean' - New York Times

Before Scalise was shot, man asked if Republicans or Democrats were on field, rep says – Fox News

A man asked whether Republicans or Democrats were on the field moments before the shooting at a congressional baseball practice outside Washington Wednesday morning, according to a congressman on the scene.

Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., told Fox News that he left the practice minutes before the shooting. But before he did, he had a very, very strange encounter in the parking lot.

As I was getting into the car [with a colleague], there was a guy that walked up to us that was asking whether it was Republicans or Democrats out there. It was just a little odd, he said.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., 2 U.S. Capitol Police officers, one staffer, and the gunman were shot, according to a Capitol Security source.

Scalise has a security detail. Police say the suspect is in custody.

DeSantis said the man he encountered before the shooting was not carrying anything at the time. But he said it was weird that he only asked that question and walked away.

Its just a really, really terrible situation, the congressman said.

Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.

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Before Scalise was shot, man asked if Republicans or Democrats were on field, rep says - Fox News

In Virginia, Democrats Win and Republicans Lose – New Republic

For that, Northam can thank Perriello, who nationalized the race in ways that should send shudders down the spines of Republicans across the country. While the Virginia press was initially skeptical of Perriellos constant hammering of Trump, Northams campaign eventually took up that mantle. His biggest moment of the campaign was when he referred to the president as a narcissistic maniac.

On policy, Northam followed Perriello on several issues. Once Perriello released his proposal for free community college, the Northam campaign issued its own (much smaller) proposal a week later. A day after Perriello announced his run, Northam appeared at a Fight for $15 rally.

Perriello nationalized the race in other respects. In addition to running on a broad platform centered on the minimum wage and college tuition, Perriello was able to bring a substantial level of national heat, including endorsements from Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, and others. He was able to chip away at Northams financial advantage, particularly with the help of George Soros. Message-wise, he pitched himself as a through line between Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders, a model for the future of the party: a Democrat who could speak movingly about racial reconciliation while also connecting with blue-collar voters about automation, wages, and the degrading effect of corporate money on politics.

Tom had a major impact on how this race was run, said Prince William County School Board Chairman Ryan Sawyers, the first Virginia elected official to endorse Perriello. He definitely changed the direction, changed the tone of Dr. Northams campaign by nationalizing this race, and I think that has great effectiveness for the party. Caroline Wadhams, a Perriello volunteer who worked with him at the State Department and the Center for American Progress, saw a silver lining to the loss. I think because Northam took on so much of what Tom stands for, I dont actually feel like this discredits at all the message Tom was promoting.

The Northam campaign, however, was able to undercut Perriellos biggest strength: his progressivism. While Perriellos economic message was in line with populist progressive policies, he was hamstrung by his record on reproductive rights and gun control. When he was a member of Congress, he voted for the Stupak amendment, which limited abortion access, and touted a high NRA rating. Northam, in comparison, has a strong record fighting for abortion access, leading the fight against a horrific vaginal ultrasound bill that made its way through Virginias legislature, and has been a staunch and steadfast advocate for gun control. There are blemishes on Northams progressive record, including his ties to Dominion Energy, the states energy monopoly. He also voted for George W. Bush, twice. But the fact that Perriello wasnt able to run entirely to Northams left likely hurt him.

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In Virginia, Democrats Win and Republicans Lose - New Republic

Senate Republicans back off proposed restrictions on media – The Hill

Senate Republicanson Tuesdayquickly backed away from a proposal to restrict media access in the Capitol after an angry backlash from reporters and an emergency meeting between the Senate Rules Committee and the media gallery directors.

Senate Rules Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) sent out a statement around lunchtime clarifying that there would not be a rules change, only a discussion about how to ensure safety as the Capitol hallways have become more hectic because of growing crowds of journalists.

Shelby announced in a statement that the committee had made no changes to the existing rules governing press coverage on the Senate side of the Capitol complex.

A Senate official familiar with administrative discussions said, Everything you did before, you can still do.

Democrats seized on the news, linking the new restriction to the GOPs work on healthcare legislation that is being drafted behind closed doors.

Earlier in the day, Senate Sergeant at Arms staff told the directors of the media galleries who represent journalists interests that reporters would not be allowed to film interviews with senators in the Capitol or the Senate office building without first receiving special permission.

Television reporters had been told they could not conduct on-camera interviews in hallways, outside personal offices or outside committee rooms without permission fromthe Senate Rules Committee, the Senate Sergeant at Arms or the Senate Radio and TV Gallery, depending on location, according to another Senate official involved in the matter.

Kevin Cirilli, chief Washington correspondent for Bloomberg TV, tweeted that he was informed that he could not stand outside the Senate Budget Committee to interview lawmakers.

The gallery directors were also told that all reporters seeking to speak to senators in the basement of the Capitol, where it is easiest to catch lawmakers on the way to votes and lunches, would have to stand in a special press pen.

The directive appeared to be in effect only brieflyon Tuesday.

Shelby told The Hill that his committee staff had acted without his knowledge after receiving complaints from other senators who sometimes feel hounded by reporters.

He instructed them to stand down and drop efforts to limit reporters activities.

I know some of the staff talked to the people in the gallery and I think the Rules Committee talked to the Sergeant at Arms, not me, Shelby said. When I found out about it, I said stand down."

Were not going to change any rules, not unless we hold committee hearings, he added.

Shelby said he hopes no additional restrictions will be placed on reporters, noting, We all benefit from you, as long as you act civil.

One Senate official said that the Senate Rules Committee insisted laterTuesdaythat it had never ordered the Sergeant at Arms to enforce tougher restrictions on the press and blamed the uproar on a miscommunication.

Shelby told reporterson Tuesdayafternoon that Rules Committee staff had been meeting with the press gallery and Sergeant at Arms.

"I think they had a discussion, I wasn't there, of existing rules because a lot of people complained, not to me, said the press the gets in their way and aggressiveness," Shelby said.

"I said leave it alone, leave it alone, we don't care you know? I don't," Shelby added. "So I told them to stand down."

Sen.Amy Klobuchar(Minn.), the ranking Democrat on the committee, told reporters that Shelby explained the alarm was set off by a staff inquiry and downplayed it as an arbitrary enforcement of a rule that is against common practice.

"He said he would never move forward on some major change without consulting with me. He said it was an inquiry and that we would talk about it. So he seemed to imply that they weren't going to change the policy," Klobuchar told reporters.

She also released a statement that said, "As ranking member of the Senate Rules Committee I call on the majority to allow reporting in the Capitol to proceed as usual.

Members of the media had responded with outrage to the restrictions.

Senate Rules Committee and @SenateSAA trying to SHUT DOWN press access in halls. No more staking out hearings without permission. Not OK, Manu Raju, CNNs senior congressional reporter, tweeted, using the Twitter handle for the Senate Sergeant at Arms.

Several senators from both parties criticized the move.

Sen.Chris Murphy(D-Conn.) tweeted: Maybe not the right moment to lower the secrecy veil on Congress. To whoever is trying to protect Senators wecan fend for ourselves.

"I want you to have access to us, inform your readers, inform your viewers what we're trying to do," Sen.Lindsey Graham(R-S.C.), one of the most media-friendly senators, told reporters in the Senate subway. But "of all the problems in America, y'all are pretty down on the chain."

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) retweeted an NBC News reporter's tweet, adding: "This is a bad idea."

Tensions between the media and Republicans have ratcheted up at the Capitol since President Trump pulled off a major political upset by defeating Hillary ClintonHillary Rodham ClintonHow the Obama phenomenon and Trump earthquake happened Gingrich: Sessions 'didn't back down' during Senate testimony Gillespie edges out Trump-aligned candidate in Virginia gov primary MORE in November.

Public interest in Congress and media coverage of lawmakers has skyrocketed since Trumps inauguration and crowds of reporters in the Capitol hallways have hit record sizes.

Last month, the Senate Sergeant at Arms sent a note to media outlets warning about overcrowding as reporters try to pin down lawmakers for interviews in hallways and around the Senate subway system.

Since the beginning of the year, media outlets such as CNN, NBC and Fox News have regularly staked out senators outside of their offices and hearing rooms to ask questions about healthcare reform and the investigations into collusion between the Trump administration and Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Updated: 3:39 p.m.

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Senate Republicans back off proposed restrictions on media - The Hill

After initial shock, Republicans line up behind president …

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., during a TV interview Wednesday. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

The news of James Comeys ouster as director of the FBI was met with shock, confusion and condemnation from both sides of the political spectrum although mostly from Democrats Tuesday evening.

By the next morning, however, Fox News had managed to find plenty of people willing to publicly defend the presidents decision to fire Comey.

I think it couldnt happen soon enough, Sen. Rand Paul,R-Ky., said on Fox & Friends Wednesday. Id lost confidence in Comey a long time ago.

Paul dismissed suggestions that the FBI directors dismissal was related to his role in the investigation into possible collusion between Russian officials and members of Trumps presidential campaign.

Theres a lot of hypocrisy going on, Paul said, pointing to Democrats like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who called for a special prosecutor to take over the Russia investigation, suggesting that Comeys firing might be part of a cover up.

I think its a lot of crocodile tears, Paul said of the outrage from Schumer and others whod previously condemned Comey for his handling of information related to the Clinton email investigation days before the presidential election.

Democrats, he argued, should be thanking Trump for getting rid of Comey because he politicized something that may well have had something to do with Hillary Clintons loss.

Slideshow: Hundreds gather at the White House to protest Trumps firing of FBI Dir. Comey >>>

Former House Speaker and past presidential candidate Newt Gingrich was similarly dismissive of those whove raised questions about the timing of Comeys termination.

If Trump comes out at lunchtime today and says, the American flag is red, white and blue, Chuck Schumer will yell out its actually fuscia, he said.

While several top Republicans also expressed concerns about the timing and rationale behind Comeys firing, Gingrich insisted that Democrats are simply operating on the knee jerk mentality that if President Trump is for it, its gotta be wrong.

Its really pathetic, he said.

Echoing the White Houses own messaging, Gingrich defended Trumps decision by pointing to the bipartisan reputation of newly confirmed Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who previously served as U.S. attorney in Maryland under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. It was Rosenstein who authored the memo that Trump says prompted him to fire Comey.

This was not President Trump, Gingrich insisted. This is a brand new deputy attorney general, independent person, picked by President Obama to be U.S. attorney, approved by the Senate 94-6.

Meanwhile, on the Senate floor, Kentucky Republican and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell resisted Democrats calls for a special prosecutor to takeover the Russia investigation previously led by Comey.

Today well no doubt hear calls for a new investigation, he said, which can only serve to impede the current work being done.

According to Politico, the outrage over Comeys ouster came as a shock to Trump, who reportedly complained about the lack of support for his decision on TV news broadcasts Tuesday night. This frustration was apparent as the president took to Twitter to defend his actions and condemn his critics in a torrent of tweets posted late Tuesday and into the next morning.

Trump continued to stand by his controversial call during a meeting with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger at the White House Wednesday.

He wasnt doing a good job, Trump told reporters when asked why Comey was fired. Very simply. He was not doing a good job.

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