Minnesota GOP challenges Democrats over Rep. Maxine Waters’ words

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Democrats counter that GOP was silent on Jan. 6 insurrection at Capitol. 

WASHINGTON – Comments last weekend by Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters at a Twin Cities protest are deeply dividing Minnesota’s political delegation in Washington as Republicans unsuccessfully sought to censure the California lawmaker.

As the nation waited for the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial Tuesday, House Democrats, including four from Minnesota, blocked the GOP’s resolution censuring Waters for urging protesters “to get more confrontational” if the jury acquitted the former police officer.

Minnesota’s four GOP House members pushed for Waters to be censured, saying in a letter that “these comments … are unacceptable, divisive and can only be viewed as a means to incite further violence and destruction.” Continue reading.

GOP Congressman ‘Happy’ To Tout COVID-19 Stimulus Funds That He Voted Against

Rep. Madison Cawthorn, like every other Republican in Congress, opposed the American Rescue Plan.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) sent out a tweet Tuesday touting some funds that community health centers in his district will be receiving ― even though he voted against the legislation that made the money possible.

Cawthorn wrote that he was “happy” to announce that North Carolina’s 11th District received a number of grants from the Department of Health and Human Services.

“Proud to see tax-payer dollars returned to NC-11,” he wrote in a follow-up tweetContinue reading.

GOP Governors Who Opposed Rescue Plan Will Still Take $55 Billion

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Iowa’s Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds is highlighting her staunch opposition to the American Rescue Plan in her reelection campaign messaging as a way to attract potential supporters and obtain their contact information. But like other governors who have attacked President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion pandemic relief plan, she has not turned down the huge financial infusion her state will receive from it.

“I stood alongside 21 other Republican Governors to OPPOSE President Biden’s plan to use YOUR taxpayer dollars to bail out blue states like CA, NY, and IL,” Reynolds tweeted on Thursday. “Will you sign your name alongside side mine to tell Biden you OPPOSE his blue state bailout?”

The tweet links to a petition that contains required fields for email addresses and phone numbers and the disclaimers “Paid for by the Kim Reynolds for Iowa Committee” and “By providing your phone number, you are consenting to receive calls and texts, including automated calls and texts, to that number.” Continue reading.

Chris Wallace nails Tom Cotton for voting record under Trump after he opposes Biden relief checks

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Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) on Sunday defended his decision to vote against a stimulus bill that had similar provisions to bills he supported under former President Donald Trump. 

During an interview on Fox News Sunday, host Chris Wallace called out Cotton after he said that he had opposed the bill that was signed by President Joe Biden because “prisoners” could get relief checks.

Wallace noted that Cotton voted for similar COVID-19 relief bills that were signed Trump. Continue reading.

‘You voted against it’ trends as GOP tries to take credit for ‘bipartisan relief bill’ passed by Dems only

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Some Republican members of the House and Senate are trying to take credit for elements of the American Rescue Act after refusing to support the bill, prompting social media users to remind them: “YOU VOTED AGAINST IT!” 

That phrase trended on Twitter Sunday after at least four Republican congresspeople tried to convince their constituents they played a role in the broadly-backed $1.9 trillion stimulus package. President Joe Biden signed the bill into law on Thursday. No Republican in either the House or Senate supported the bill.

On Friday, Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) took to Twitter to “announce that the Biden Administration has just implemented my bipartisan COVID relief bill.” Despite insisting she was “proud” that her “bipartisan legislation has officially become SBA policy,” Salazar failed to mention that she, herself, voted against the bill. Continue reading.

Now That Trump Is Gone, GOP Demands Presidential Press Conferences

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After years of defending Donald Trump, Republicans are attacking President Joe Biden for lack of “presidential transparency.” But Trump’s administration set modern records for holding the fewest press conferences.

On Tuesday, the Republican National Committee tweeted a video noting that it has been “49 days without a Biden press conference.”

“Every day Pres. Biden goes without a press conference, he sets a new modern record for a lack of presidential transparency,” they charged. Continue reading.

GOP Senators Who Voted Trillions In Tax Cuts Now Back ‘Balanced Budget’ Amendment

Nine Republican senators introduced a proposed constitutional amendment on Wednesday that would both require a balanced federal budget and make it nearly impossible for the government to maintain even current levels of spending.

The resolution, backed by Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Marcia Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jim Risch (R-ID), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Thom Tillis (R-NC), would bar the federal government from spending more than it takes in during a given year.

While the proposed amendment would allow Congress to waive the balanced budget rules “for any fiscal year in which a declaration of war against a nation-state is in effect,” it makes no exception for pandemics. Continue reading.

Kelli Ward led a push to overturn Biden’s victory. Now her own win as Arizona GOP chair is being questioned.

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Arizona GOP chair Kelli Ward spent weeks relentlessly questioning the results of November’s presidential election. She emerged as a leading voice in the “Stop the Steal” movement to deny President Biden’s win, making false claimsof mass fraud.

But after Ward was narrowly reelected Saturday to her position leading the beleaguered state party, she is facing questions about the integrity of her own victory.

Sergio Arellano, a Pima County small business owner who lost to Ward by 42 votes, requested a recount of all state party races on Monday, he told The Washington Post. More than two days later, he said, Arizona state party leaders — who report to Ward — have not yet scheduled the audit, which was first reported by the Arizona Republic. Continue reading.

Republican senator suddenly worries about ethics after ignoring them for 4 years

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In a shocking news development, Senator John Cornyn of Texas has received a revelation: Transparency and ethics suddenly matter in government, after all.

Cornyn, blissfully unfamiliar with this topic for the past four years, has rediscovered his indignation hot button with the help of a New York Times (erstwhile “fake news”) story suggesting that some key aides to President-elect Joe Biden might face ethics issues. Cornyn was just beside himself Saturday on Twitter:

Continue reading.

Biden’s economic team gets mixed reviews from Senate Republicans

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President-elect Joe Biden on Monday announced his choices for key members of his economic team, with Senate Republicans complimenting one of his top picks and bashing another.

Biden said he would nominate former Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen to serve as Treasury secretary and Neera Tanden, the president of the liberal Center for American Progress think tank, for director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Yellen, who was last confirmed by the Senate in 2014 when Democrats were in the majority, earned positive remarks from some GOP senators on Monday. Continue reading.