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Republican Rep. Peter Roskam of Illinois has a safe seat in Congress. So whats he running from?

First, supporters of the Affordable Care Act showed up at his office for a previously scheduled meeting with his staff. But the 16 of them were turned away when Roskam staffers discovered they were accompanied by a reporter, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Next, Roskam went to the Palatine Township Republican Organizations monthly meeting, billed as open to all. But organizers shut out the general public because of intense interest. With hundreds of protesters massed outside, Roskam left through a back door. Some people chased on foot after his fleeing car.

Then, Roskam announced he would hold a telephone town hall meeting instead of the real thing. I have no plans to have one of these big, sort of circus meetings, he said, informing WGNs Rick Pearson that hes always thought those larger meetings are just not productive.

They certainly arent productive for Roskam and his fellow Republicans not now, anyway. An early backlash against the Trump presidency has led to many verbal confrontations between Republican lawmakers and the citizenry. President Trumps face plant since the inauguration most recently the resignation of national security adviser Michael Flynn over dealings with Russia is only making matters worse.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

As recent town-hall meetings of GOP Reps. Jason Chaffetz (Utah), Tom McClintock (Calif.), Gus Bilirakis (Fla.), Diane Black (Tenn.) and others turn into well-publicized tongue lashings, their colleagues are ducking and running.

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) canceled a constituent event in Southampton Village scheduled for April; his office told the Southampton Press they feared he would be harassed again by those who rallied at his recent appearance at a Rotary Club.

Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) was caught on video slipping out of his own community event last month before its scheduled ending time. Coffmans office told KUSA that the congressman had planned to have a series of one-on-one meetings, not a town-hall event. The result: Scores were still waiting for Coffman in the lobby when he left via an unmarked exit.

In California, McClintock left his town-hall meeting with a police escort. Its the first time Ive ever had an police department have to extract me from a town hall, and Ive done well over 100 of them, he told the Los Angeles Times.

The scene is reminiscent of the tea party summer of 2009, but the energy is on the other side this time. Now, as then, the victims say the perpetrators are outsiders Chaffetz said those who protested him included paid people from out of state, an echo of Nancy Pelosis claim of astroturfing but now, as then, the anger is real.

Trump has become increasingly toxic, with Flynns resignation and other Russia revelations, the travel ban struck down in court, chaos involving Obamacare, attacks on the federal judiciary and a series of bizarre pronouncements on everything from Ivanka Trumps fashion line to Frederick Douglass. The Posts Sean Sullivan and Ed OKeefe found Republican members of Congress increasingly wary of defending Trump. You cant make it up, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said after Trump was seen in Facebook photos making sensitive national security decisions in his Mar-a-Lago Clubs main dining area.

Trump canceled an event in Milwaukee because his would-be host, Harley-Davidson, feared protests. The White House just canceled a visit to Ohio that had been scheduled for Thursday; no reason was given, but protests had been planned.

Even congressional aides have felt demonstrators wrath. Staffers for Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue and Rep. Jody Hice, all Georgia Republicans, were met by hundreds of protesters last week in Greensboro, Ga., for what was supposed to be a mobile office hours event to help constituents with bureaucratic matters.

In Florida, after one of Bilirakiss listening session went badly, the local GOP tried to fight back, urging party faithful to attend the next session. Some did but they were still overwhelmed by protesters.

And so others are retreating. A Feb. 21 town hall scheduled with Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) at the Fairview City Hall was removed from the hosts website. Fairviews mayor told CNN the session would instead be a low-key gathering.

Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), in response to a question from WGRZ television, declared that he wouldnt have a town-hall meeting, because of demonstrators who come and shout you down and heckle you.

Then theres Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio), whose office this week edited his Wikipedia entry to remove a recently added line claiming Tiberi has steadfastly refused to hold a townhall meeting to discuss healthcare reform with his constituents.

His office, confirming its role in the Wikipedia editing, said Tiberi is instead offering to meet with the protesters in small groups and in private.

Twitter: @Milbank

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Trump's toxicity has Republicans running away from their constituents - Washington Post

Congressional Republicans are finding it increasingly difficult to defend President Trump after a tempestuous start to his term that has stoked frustration, fatigue and fear on Capitol Hill.

Some are at a loss for words when asked about Trumps unorthodox national security decisions. Others strain to sidestep current stumbles in hopes that conservative legislative achievements will eventually render them irrelevant. And a growing number warn that uncertainty about West Wing staffing and such controversies as Trumps unilateral immigration ban have detracted from their top priorities.

There are distractions, said Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.). They need to become more disciplined and more focused on their messages, and they have to get more active on policy development.

Both chambers and the White House will have an opportunity to address their differences during Tuesdays weekly Senate GOP policy lunch. Vice President Pence and Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) will attend and speak, according to their offices.

Many congressional Republicans have endured Trumps unpredictability including his criticism of the federal judiciary and an immigration order that caught them by surprise and drew intense national blowback and a legal rebuke because they believe he holds the key to passing the laws they have talked about for years.

Conservatives do and should view him as their current best chance to get conservative policy enacted into law because that was the grand bargain made, said Rory Cooper, a Republican strategist who opposed Trumps candidacy for president. The idea was they would overlook certain behaviors and distractions from President Trump in anticipation of being able to have a willing signature on the other end of conservative legislation.

[When Trump speaks, Republican policymakers shrug and get back to work]

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the Freedom Caucus, a conservative group of House members, put it this way: I would rather accomplish something with distractions than not accomplish anything with smooth sailing.

But on some of the major issues Republicans have vowed to tackle, including repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act and imposing tax cuts through comprehensive tax reform, there remains a glaring lack of consensus, leaving uncertainty about when and how things will get done.

In the meantime, a growing list of controversies has made it harder for some Republicans to shrug off the presidents behavior. The latest disturbance: the resignation of Michael Flynn as national security adviser over possibly illegal communication with Russia. Other surprise developments have also unnerved Republicans, including Trumps decision to effectively turn his Mar-a-Lago Club terrace into an open-air situation room.

You cant make it up, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) said with a laugh when asked about the Mar-a-Lago story as he stepped into an elevator Monday.

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), a former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said: I dont know if its improper. How about untoward. Thats a good word, right?

(Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

And Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said he hadnt heard about the weekend incident in which Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed a North Korean missile test with other club members nearby.

Yeah. Huh, Corker said when brought up to speed by a reporter. Thanks. Then he walked away.

[Trump turns Mar-a-Lago into open-air situation room]

The White House and some GOP congressional leaders have sought to downplay signs of discord. White House press secretary Sean Spicer argued last week that the president is actively seeking input from Congress and helping them craft an agenda to move the country forward.

Pence, a familiar face on Capitol Hill from his days in the House, has been a frequent visitor in recent weeks. He met with some GOP House members Monday.

But its clear his presence alone will not soothe concerns. Some of Trumps top allies say they have had to deal with blowback from fellow Republicans reminiscent of the skepticism that surfaced during the campaign.

Its been concerns. I dont want to overdo it, said Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.). But of course there has been some. He did not specify who was complaining.

Meanwhile, amid speculation about further White House staffing changes beyond Flynn, Republican lawmakers expressed growing anxiety about the fate of the presidents chief of staff, Reince Priebus. Priebus is seen by many on Capitol Hill as a stabilizing force in a turbulent operation.

A bunch of us feel the need to come to the guys defense. But does that help him or not? We just dont know we just dont know, said one Republican senator who spoke on the condition of anonymity to frankly convey the feelings of several of his colleagues. But yeah, we worry about that.

Some in the presidents orbit have been critical of Priebus. Trump has defended Priebus, telling reporters Monday that he has done a great job.

[Trump friend says Priebus is in way over his head.]

High atop Republicans wish list right now is confirming Trumps nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch. His pick of Gorsuch to fill the seat of the late justice Antonin Scalia was widely praised by Republicans on Capitol Hill. Many said it helped undo some of the damage caused by Trumps immigration ban.

However, the confirmation process has already grown complicated. Trump has bluntly called on Senate Republican leaders to deploy the nuclear option of dramatically changing Senate rules to confirm Gorsuch with a simple majority if they cant put enough cracks in the wall of Democratic resistance. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a devotee of Senate tradition and custom, is hoping that he never has to face that decision.

Gorsuch faces a critical day on Tuesday: Five of the six senators he plans to meet with are Democrats.

Trumps early unpopularity among the public has raised questions about whether his support in Congress will further erode. According to the most recent Gallup daily tracking poll, his job approval rating stands at just 40 percent, with 54 percent disapproving.

For some Republicans, the preferred way of defending Trump is to pivot away from him altogether.

I think they are taking it very seriously, said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, when asked about Trumps public deliberations about North Korea at Mar-a-Lago. Look at the mess the previous administration left for this administration to deal with.

Johnson then launched into an extended attack on different parts of Barack Obamas foreign policy record as president.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who has proposed a plan to replace key parts of the Affordable Care Act, said he is focused on that, as well getting up to speed on tax reform, another GOP priority.

If I react to every leak and headline and spin, he said, I end up incredibly distracted not doing my task at hand.

Kelsey Snell and Aaron Blake contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost

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As Trump stumbles, Hill Republicans find it harder to defend him - Washington Post

Its important to remember what was happening in the presidential race at the moment that The Washington Posts David Fahrenthold broke the story about that Access Hollywood tape.

It was Oct. 8, shortly after the first presidential debate thateveryone except Donald Trump agreed was a resounding victory for Hillary Clinton. Trump had edged closer in the polls, but, with only a month until the election, he was falling behind again quickly. On Sept. 15, he was down 1.5 points in the polls. By Oct. 1, it was 2.5. By the eighth of the month, 4.6.

For all of the talk about how bad the polls were last year, on the national level they were broadly accurate. On Nov. 7, the RealClearPolitics average gave Clinton a 3.2-point advantage. She won the national vote by 2.1 points. Those polls showed a real trend: Support for Trump falling.

It was at that moment that Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) had seen enough. The chairman of the House Oversight Committee and a member of Congress from a deep-red state that was deeply ambivalent about Trump, he told reporters that he could no longer support Trump.

Im out, he said to a local news affiliate the day the vulgar comments from Trump were made public. I can no longer in good conscience endorse this person for president. It is some of the most abhorrent and offensive comments that you can possibly imagine.

But then something weird happened. Trumps collapse halted and he started to regain ground against Clinton. The widest lead Clinton enjoyed in the last month was Oct. 17, when she was up 7.1 points. By Oct. 26, Trump had narrowed the gap to 5.6. Chaffetz suddenly altered his position, tweeting that he wouldnt defend or endorse Trump, but that he would vote for him. Two days later, Chaffetz, in his Oversight role, got a letter from FBI Director James B. Comey saying that the FBI was looking at new emails in its investigation of Clintons private server. By Nov. 1, the race was a dead heat once again.

Trump still wasnt expected to win, but, lo and behold, he did. The media was saturated with reflections on the rock-solid base of support that had powered Trumps surprise victory,and suddenly the Republicans had an unobstructed path to pass whatever policy they wanted. Nothing fuels political superstition like a victory especially a surprise victory so elected Republicans who had expressed skepticism about Trump when he was wavering were quick to rally to his side. Chaffetz among them.

The day Trump was sworn in as president, Chaffetz posted something remarkable to Instagram.

Next to an image from Fox News showing him shaking hands with Clinton, he wrote, So pleased she is not the President. I thanked her for her service and wished her luck. The investigation continues.

The investigation continues referring, of course, to the investigation of Clintons email server.

On Tuesday, Chaffetz was asked whether he would similarly call for an investigation into the events that led to the resignation of Michael Flynn, Trumps national security adviser, who resigned this week after it became publicly known that the Justice Department had informed the administration of the nature of calls hed held with a Russian official.

Chaffetz declined.

I think that situation has taken care of itself. I know that the Intel committee is looking into the hacking issue, he told reporters. I think he did the right thing stepping down.

Update: Credit where due, Chaffetz has asked the White House for information about security at Mar-a-Lago, after questions arose on Monday.

Chaffetzs disinterest in pressing further on Flynn was echoed by other Republican leaders, including the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.).

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said that more information was needed before an investigation which would unearth more information should begin.

Nunes and Ryan both supported investigations into Clinton, of course at least before Election Day.

A year ago, in the heat of the Republican primaries, we were beginning to see a fissure in the party between those who supported Donald Trump and those who supported other candidates. That fissure lasted almost until Election Day, with those two groups holding different views of Trumps candidacy until the very end. A key reason Trump won is that Republicans skeptical of Trump like Chaffetz and Ryan eventually came back on board, preferring him to another President Clinton.

Since Trump took office, that opposition from within his own party has vanished on Capitol Hill. While Cabinet votes are rarely moments during which senators break with the president of their own party, this years Cabinet considerations have received much more negative reception than in years past. But only three times have Republican senators cast votes in opposition to his nominees: Twice against Betsy DeVos and one vote against Trumps CIA nominee.

Why? Quite simply because Republicans are broadly supportive of Trump. Trumps approval ratings are lower in Gallups measurement than any other president at this point in his tenure but thats thanks mostly to disapproval from Democrats and independents. In its most recently weekly average, the polling firmfound that only 41 percent of Americans approve of the job that Trump is doing but 87 percent of Republicans do. (By contrast, only 11 percent of Democrats say the same.)

There is little political incentive at the moment to take a stand in opposition to Trump, regardless of what he does or what questions he may prompt. Cook Political Report compiles an index of how partisan House districts are. Chaffetzs is Republican plus-28 a strongly Republican district. Nuness is plus-10 and Ryans plus-3. Ryans is the most narrowly pro-Republican, but he won reelection last year by 35 points. Even when Chaffetz was confronted by angry constituents at a town hall meeting in Utah, he brushed them off, recognizing that a few hundred people wouldnt put his seat at risk (and claiming, ridiculously, that the attendees were paid to be there).

There was one Republican senator who called for an investigation into the Flynn situation. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) demanded an exhaustive look at what happened, so that nobody wonders whether there was a stone left unturned.

Blunt was also reelected in 2016, but much more narrowly, edging out Jason Kander by about three points in a state Trump won by 19.

Nothing makes an elected official feel more comfortable with what theyre doing than feeling like it will help them win their next election. Trumps surprise win soothed a lot of frazzled nerves. In other words, whats driven responses to Trump since he declared his candidacy was the extent to which people thought that there would be a political cost for challenging him.

At this moment, the pendulum for many prominent Republicans has clearly swung back to no.

Update: That vote against Trumps CIA pick came from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). In a radio interview reported by CNN, Paul said that an investigation into the Flynn situation might be excessive.

His rationale was interesting. I just dont think its useful to be doing investigation after investigation, particularly of your own party, he said. Well never even get started with doing the things we need to do, like repealing Obamacare, if were spending our whole time having Republicans investigate Republicans.

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Jason Chaffetz's passivity on Trump exemplifies Republican rationalizations - Washington Post

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling spoke to media as he made an appearance at a Republican Party office in Salem, NH.

So whatever happened to the Curt Schilling-for-Senate campaign?

Though Senator Elizabeth Warren wont be seeking reelection until 2018, it isn't too early for the GOP to begin to worry about finding an opponent. And early indications are that the powers that be in the state party arent wild about their options.

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Their quandary doesnt come as a surprise. The GOPs numbers are tiny in both chambers of the Legislature. With the exception of Scott Brown, they havent elected a member of Congress since the Clinton administration. Governor Charlie Baker, by far the most popular Republican in the state, already has the job he wants. The bench is thin.

And it doesnt help that Warren has become a full-fledged national figure. Her already high profile got an invaluable boost last week when her attempt to quote a letter from civil rights icon Coretta Scott King on the Senate floor was shut down by the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell.

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Republicans feel pressure to wage a credible campaign against the states senior senator. They believe her bare-knuckles approach draws no small share of detractors, even amid an army of admirers. They believe giving her a race is not beyond the realm of plausibility, even if she isnt likely to lose.

Warren, who has emerged as a leading voice against President Trump, is up for re-election next year.

Theres just one small problem: The GOP needs a worthy candidate.

It isnt that there arent Republicans willing to take Warren on. Its just that they are, in various ways, problematic. Either they are too closely tied to a president who is deeply unpopular in Massachusetts, or they have tiny name recognition. Or, as in the case of the ubiquitous Schilling, they are, well, unpredictable.

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Of course, these categories arent mutually exclusive.

By conventional standards, the best candidate against Warren might be state Representative Geoffrey Diehl of Whitman. He is a favorite of party conservatives and reportedly hopes to make an issue of Warrens frequent attacks on Trump and Washington Republicans. That would figure to rally Republicans in a primary fight.

But he isnt likely to have the field to himself. Businessman Rick Green might run. In political circles, he is best known as the money behind the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, a conservative nonprofit. Green chaired John Kasichs presidential campaign in Massachusetts, which I guess makes him a moderate.

There is persistent speculation that voters havent seen the last of Gabriel Gomez, the businessman and former Navy SEAL who lost to Ed Markey in 2013. Gabs seemed like a great candidate on paper military, Latino, successful businessman but it didnt translate into real-life politics. My lasting image of Gomez is the video of him getting away from the Globes Stephanie Ebbert when she tried to ask him about his inflated claims of job creation. He seems to have become more of a moderate since his race, which could help.

The wild card in the race is Schilling. His heroics on the diamond are a matter of record, but his life off he field has hardly been senatorial. Hes been a failed businessman (just Google 38 Studios and bailout for details); a fired broadcaster; a man accused, quite understandably, of being sexist, racist, and homophobic on social media; and a guy who just a few months ago joked about lynching journalists.

You see why the GOP doesnt seem ready to coalesce around him.

The 2018 race feels a long way off, especially with events in Washington shocking the nation on a daily basis. Heaven knows, weve all seen how much can happen in politics in a surprisingly short time.

But it is impressive how quickly Warren has solidified her position in Massachusetts politics. Yes, she elicits strong passions on both ends of the political spectrum. But few will say she is likely to lose her seat. Warren is just four years into her Senate career, yet it feels like shes been there much longer.

Excerpt from:
If not Curt Schilling for US Senate, then who? - The Boston Globe

Republicans are taking their first shot of 2017 at Planned Parenthood.

The House is expected this week to vote on a resolution that would rescind an Obama-era regulation barring states from defunding the organization for political reasons.

Because the measure is being moved through a law that allows Congress to rescind recently finalized rules, the bill cannot be filibustered in the Senate, raising its odds for success.

Republicans framed the move to rescind the regulation as a way to give back to the states the power to determine how federal funds should be spent on women's healthcare.

But Democrats call the move a thinly shrouded attack on abortion providers.

Its really about getting at Planned Parenthood, and this is the first salvo in doing so, said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.)

The House Rules Committee passed the resolution Tuesday along a party-line vote, 7-4, and the full House will likely vote on it later this week.

Now that Republicans have majorities in both chambers and a GOP president, theyre facing increased pressure from anti-abortion groups to move quickly on their promises to cut funds to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.

Republicans are also considering whether language defunding abortion providers will be included in a bill that repeals ObamaCare.

Anti-abortion protesters have gathered outside Planned Parenthood clinics across the country over the past week to call for an end to federal funding for the organization.

Obamas rule specifically requires that state and local governments distribute federal Title X funding for services related to contraception, fertility, pregnancy care and breast and cervical cancer screeners to health providers, regardless of whether they also perform abortions.

It was issued by the Obama administration after a string of states tried to block funding for Planned Parenthood and its affiliated clinics.

Supporters of Planned Parenthood argue that it provides essential services to low-income women, including birth control, STD tests and preventive care that could be at risk if defunded.

Democrats at Tuesday's hearing also accused Republicans of trying to make womens healthcare decisions for them.

Politicians shouldnt be making decisions about womens health for them, and states shouldnt be either, said Rep. Louise Slaughter (N.Y.), ranking Democrat on the Rules Committee.

Its high time we recognize that women can make decisions for themselves. For more than 40 years, men in blue suits have been trying to determine what women can and should do when it comes to their own health.

While Planned Parenthood doesnt use federal funds for abortion, Republicans argue any money given to the organization still supports the procedure.

We should invest in womens health, not abortion. Abortion is not healthcare, Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) said Tuesday during his testimony at the hearing.

The federal government should not incentivize the practice by undermining the authority of states.

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Republicans make first move targeting Planned Parenthood funding - The Hill