Tag: GOP congress

Democrats Push Back Against Graham, Grassley Dossier Criminal Referral

The following article by Griffin Connolly was posted on the Roll Call website January 8, 2018:

Graham looks like a ‘man possessed’ over dossier obsession, Swalwell says

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is among those pushing for a criminal investigation into the author of the Trump Russia dossier. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

A Democrat on the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees said South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham “looks like a man possessed” as he and other Republican lawmakers amp up pressure on the main actors behind the Trump dossier alleging the president is compromised by ties to Russia.

Graham and Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles E. Grassley of Iowa recommended a criminal investigation into Christopher Steele, the dossier author, for making false statements to federal investigators.

California Rep. Eric Swalwell, one of a slew of Democrats to denounce the Republican senators for the criminal referral, criticized Graham for losing his way in deference to President Donald Trump. Continue reading “Democrats Push Back Against Graham, Grassley Dossier Criminal Referral”

Health Care Overhaul Appears Unlikely Before Midterm Elections

The following article by Joe Williams was posted on the Roll Call website January 10, 2018:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Majority Whip John Cornyn arrive for a news conference following the Republicans’ policy lunch on Tuesday. McConnell has been pessimistic about the chances for a health care overhaul this year. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Republicans are at risk of facing voters this year with no cohesive strategy to fulfill their seven-year campaign promise to repeal and replace the 2010 health care law or address the rising cost of health care.

Following a meeting at Camp David over the weekend between President Donald Trump and top congressional leaders, members said a major overhaul of the law is unlikely this year.

Such a move could anger members of the GOP base, who have heard Republicans pledge for years to gut the law, as well as a broader set of voters whom Democratic political operatives say are opposed to the failed Republican health care proposals from last year. Continue reading “Health Care Overhaul Appears Unlikely Before Midterm Elections”

Feud over Trump dossier intensifies with release of interview transcript

The following article by Devlin Barrett and Tom Hamburger was posted on the Washington Post website January 10, 2018:

Glenn R. Simpson, former Wall Street Journal journalist and a founder of the research firm Fusion GPS, arrives to appear before a closed House Intelligence Committee hearing in November. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

The political battle over the FBI and its investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election intensified Tuesday with the release of an interview with the head of the firm behind a dossier of allegations against then-candidate Donald Trump.

The transcript of Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn R. Simpson’s interview with the Senate Judiciary Committee was released by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), the panel’s senior Democrat, over the objections of Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa). Continue reading “Feud over Trump dossier intensifies with release of interview transcript”

Trump a genius? Hill Republicans not so sure

The following article by Manu Raju was posted on the CNN website January 9, 2018:

President Donald Trump has boldly declared that he is a genius — a “very stable” one at that. His Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill were not so quick to agree.

“He’s smart and capable at getting himself elected president,” said Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran. Continue reading “Trump a genius? Hill Republicans not so sure”

Republicans: Budget deal prospects are dimming

The following article by Racael Bade, Seung Min Kim and John Bresnahan was posted on the Politico website January 8, 2018:

“[R]ight now, the Democrats are holding that deal hostage for a DACA negotiation,” Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn said. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Congressional Republicans and White House officials are increasingly skeptical that they’ll reach a long-term budget agreement with Democrats in the next 11 days, accusing progressives of slow-walking a spending deal until they get what they want on immigration.

Party leaders from both sides of the aisle have been quietly working to raise stiff spending caps to avert a government shutdown before Jan. 19, when federal agency funding runs dry.

But Republicans claim Democrats won’t back a long-term spending plan until Congress agrees to shield hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation. The Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which gave safe harbor to “Dreamers,” formally ends March 5, although some immigrants have already started losing their protections. Continue reading “Republicans: Budget deal prospects are dimming”

Why Trump and Republicans are suddenly talking up bipartisanship

The following article by James Hohmann with Breanne Deppisch and Joanie Greve was posted on the Washington Post website January 8, 2018:

President Trump spoke about his legislative priorities and answered reporters’ questions at a news conference at Camp David, Md., on Jan. 6. (The Washington Post)

THE BIG IDEA: Since the day they enacted the biggest overhaul of the tax code in a generation without a single Democratic vote, Republicans have been talking a big game about their supposed desire to work across the aisle.

“We hope that 2018 will be a year of more bipartisan cooperation,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters at Camp David on Saturday, dubiously predicting that “a significant number of Democrats” will want to support President Trump’s agenda. Continue reading “Why Trump and Republicans are suddenly talking up bipartisanship”

Trump reiterates ‘Mexico will pay for the wall’ after $18B request to Congress

The following article by Jaqueline Thomsen was posted on the Hill website January 6, 2018:

Trump reiterates 'Mexico will pay for the wall' after $18B request to Congress
© Getty

President Trump said Saturday that Mexico will pay for his proposed wall on the U.S.–Mexico border, one day after it was reported that he will ask Congress for $18 billion to fund the wall. Continue reading “Trump reiterates ‘Mexico will pay for the wall’ after $18B request to Congress”

The Justice Department lacks key leaders, and a Republican senator is threatening to keep it that way

The following article by Matt Zapotosky was posted on the Washington Post website January 6, 2018:

Nearly a year into President Trump’s administration, the Justice Department lacks Senate-confirmed appointees in leadership posts running the national security, criminal, civil rights and other key divisions. And the problem shows no sign of abating anytime soon. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Nearly a year into President Trump’s administration, the Justice Department lacks Senate-confirmed appointees in leadership posts running the national security, criminal, civil rights and other key divisions. And the problem shows no sign of abating anytime soon.

On Thursday, after Attorney General Jeff Sessions revealed he was implementing new guidance to make it easier for federal prosecutors to pursue marijuana cases in states where the substance is legal, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) accused the Justice Department of trampling the will of Colorado voters and said he would “take all steps necessary, including holding DOJ nominees, until the Attorney General lives up to the commitment he made to me prior to his confirmation.”

Already, the department had a dearth of Senate confirmed nominees in leadership positions. While the top three posts are filled, the National Security Division, Criminal Division, Civil Rights Division, Tax Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration and others lack confirmed presidential appointees. A Justice Department official said the delays have been frustrating, particularly in the criminal and national security divisions. Continue reading “The Justice Department lacks key leaders, and a Republican senator is threatening to keep it that way”

FBI No. 2 Targeted By Trump Had No Conflict In Clinton Probe, Documents Show

The following article by Ryan J. Reilly was posted on the Huffington Post website January 5, 2018:

Andrew McCabe had faced criticism because his wife received campaign donations from a political action committee affiliated with a Clinton ally.

Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe testifies before a House Appropriations subcommittee meeting on the FBI’s budget requests for FY2018 on June 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. McCabe became acting director in May, following President Trump’s dismissal of James Comey. (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON ― FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, a frequent target of President Donald Trump’s Twitter tirades, did not have any role in the Hillary Clinton email investigation while his wife was running for Virginia state senator, according to documents disclosed Friday.

Trump and congressional Republicans have alleged that the FBI’s investigation of Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state was tainted because the campaign of Dr. Jill McCabe received nearly half a million dollars from a political action committee tied to Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a close ally of the Clintons.

The FBI documents made public Friday show that McCabe had no oversight of the Clinton email investigation when it began in July 2015. At that time, McCabe was in the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Clinton inquiry was being run out of FBI headquarters. His wife lost her election in November 2015. McCabe didn’t begin overseeing the Clinton investigation until months later, when he became deputy FBI director in February 2016. Continue reading “FBI No. 2 Targeted By Trump Had No Conflict In Clinton Probe, Documents Show”

Senior Republican refers Trump-Russia dossier author for possible charges

The following article by Devlin Barrett and Tom Hamburger was posted on the Washington Post website January 5, 2018:

Former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, shown in London in March. (Victoria Jones/PA Images/AP)

The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended Friday that the Justice Department investigate for possible criminal charges the author of the now-famous dossier alleging the Trump campaign coordinated with the Kremlin during the 2016 election.

The move by Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) marks a major escalation in conservatives’ challenges to the FBI’s credibility as the agency investigates whether any Trump associates committed crimes. Another Republican, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), joined in the letter to the Justice Department.

Their letter makes what is called a criminal referral to the Justice Department, suggesting it investigate the dossier’s author, former British spy Christopher Steele, for possibly lying to the FBI. It is a crime to lie to FBI agents about a material fact relevant to an ongoing investigation. Continue reading “Senior Republican refers Trump-Russia dossier author for possible charges”