Tag: GOP senate

Fealty to Trump has become the coin of the realm for GOP Senate candidates

The following article by Michael Scherer was posted on the Washington Post website April 15, 2018:

President Trump smiles during an April roundtable discussion on tax policy in West Virginia. Republican Senate candidates Rep. Evan Jenkins, left, and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, to the president’s right, appeared with him and are seeking his approval. Credit: Evan Vucci/AP

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Among his qualifications for the U.S. Senate, Rep. Evan Jenkins wants West Virginia voters to know that he once attended a Christmas party with Donald Trump, flew with him on Air Force One and watched two movies in the president’s private theater at the White House.

“He sat there right from beginning to end,” Jenkins (R) said of the screenings of “12 Strong,” a military thriller, and “The 15:17 to Paris,” the recent Clint Eastwood flick. “I have a great working relationship with him.”

Mitt Romney (R), a Senate candidate in Utah who called Trump a “phony, a fraud” during the presidential election campaign, recently embraced the president’s confrontational moves on trade and insisted he was tougher on immigration than Trump. And in Nevada, another Republican and former Trump foe, Sen. Dean Heller, has been praising the president’s policies in private meetings, while publicly saying that their relationship has “grown.” Continue reading “Fealty to Trump has become the coin of the realm for GOP Senate candidates”

Senate confirms a former coal lobbyist as Scott Pruitt’s second-in-command at EPA

The following article by Steven Mufson, Brady Dennis and Dino Grandoni was posted on the Washington Post website April 12, 2018:

Andrew Wheeler appears during his confirmation hearing to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency before the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works on Nov. 8, 2017. Credit: Alex Edelman/AP

If embattled Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt were to leave office, the reins of the agency could fall to a former Senate aide and coal mining lobbyist who was confirmed 53 to 45 Thursday afternoon to become second-in-command at the EPA.

Andrew Wheeler worked at the EPA more than two decades ago and later served as an adviser to Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), a high-profile critic of climate science who famously brought a snowball to the Senate floor as a prop. For the past nine years, Wheeler has been a lobbyist for a variety of companies, including Appalachian coal mining firm Murray Energy.

President Trump nominated Wheeler for the deputy administrator job last fall, but only this week did his nomination finally arrive on the Senate floor for a vote.

Wheeler, who works for the lobbying firm Faegre Baker Daniels, received $370,000 in fees last year from Murray Energy. Murray has paid Wheeler’s firms $225,000 to $559,000 over the past nine years. Continue reading “Senate confirms a former coal lobbyist as Scott Pruitt’s second-in-command at EPA”

Worried GOP views Trump trade war with angst

The following article by Alexander Bolton was posted on the Hill website April 9, 2018:

President Trump speaks to reporters before leaving the White House on Friday. (Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post)

Republican lawmakers are returning to Washington this week with their eyes focused on an escalating trade war with China that has roiled the stock market and put them on edge over the economy and this fall’s midterms.

Congressional aides say Trump’s tariffs will be the hot topic of conversation at party caucus meetings this week, even as they wonder what leverage they can exert on a president who vowed to put his stamp on trade.

“I don’t know there’s much you can do there,” said one senior Senate GOP aide. Continue reading “Worried GOP views Trump trade war with angst”

A Partisan Combatant, a Remorseful Blogger: The Senate Staffer Behind the Attack on the Trump-Russia Investigation

The following article by Robert Faturechi was posted on the ProPublica website March 28, 2018:

Jason Foster, chief investigative counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, once blogged under the handle “Extremist,” expressing worry about a Muslim takeover and whether Joe McCarthy got a bum rap. Today, as he helps lead an explosive investigation, he says the blogging was satire and asks for forgiveness.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Grassley and ranking member Feinstein listen to testimony during a hearing on Capitol Hill in July. Jason Foster is chief investigative counsel to this committee. Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Jason Foster, chief investigative counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, fits a classic Washington profile: A powerful, mostly unknown force at the center of some of the most consequential battles on Capitol Hill.

For the last year, Foster — empowered by his boss, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, the committee’s chairman — has been the behind-the-scenes architect of an assault on the FBI, and most centrally its role in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, according to interviews with current and former congressional aides, federal law enforcement officials and others. Continue reading “A Partisan Combatant, a Remorseful Blogger: The Senate Staffer Behind the Attack on the Trump-Russia Investigation”

Shall we protect Robert Mueller now, Mr. McConnell?

The following commentary by the Editorial Board of the Washington Post website January 26, 2018:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

“I DON’T HEAR much pressure to pass anything,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in November when asked about bills that would protect special counsel Robert S. Mueller III should President Trump try to fire him. “There’s been no indication that the president or the White House are not cooperating with the special counsel,” Mr. McConnell explained.

Now there is an indication, and a pretty strong one. The New York Times reported and The Post quickly confirmed Thursday that the president moved to fire Mr. Mueller in June, shortly after the special counsel’s appointment. Mr. Trump pulled back only after White House Counsel Donald F. McGahn threatened to resign. Continue reading “Shall we protect Robert Mueller now, Mr. McConnell?”

‘Negotiating with Jell-O’: How Trump’s shifting positions fueled the rush to a shutdown

The following article y Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey and Ed O’Keefe was posted on the Washington Post website January 20, 2018:

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) faulted President Trump and Senate Republicans for the government shutdown. (U.S. Senate)

In a remarkable, televised 55-minute meeting with about two dozen Democratic and Republican lawmakers earlier this month, President Trump twice proclaimed that any immigration deal would need to be “a bill of love” — setting an optimistic tone for averting a government shutdown with a bipartisan solution.

After the president ordered cameras out of the Cabinet Room that day, the group delved into the details. Kirstjen Nielsen, Trump’s homeland security secretary, and her staff passed out a four-page document on the administration’s “must haves” for any immigration bill — a hard-line list that included $18 billion for Trump’s promised border wall, eliminating the diversity visa lottery program and ending “extended family chain migration,” according to the document, which was obtained by The Washington Post. Continue reading “‘Negotiating with Jell-O’: How Trump’s shifting positions fueled the rush to a shutdown”

Week 34: The Dossier Strikes Back

The following article by Jack Shafer was posted on the Politico website January 13, 2018:

Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

After ‘Sneaky Dianne’ releases 10 hours of testimony, the salacious report gets a boost of respectability.

The Steele Dossier—the sensational opposition-research document that alleged, among other things, that Donald Trump once performed urinary vandalism on a Moscow hotel-room bed—has just celebrated the first anniversary of its release by BuzzFeed. Now, thanks to the publication of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s interview with Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson, who commissioned the research, the document has reflowered to daub the press with its perfume once more.

At the beginning of the year, Simpson called for the release of his testimony in a New York Times op-ed, writing, “We’re extremely proud of our work to highlight Mr. Trump’s Russia ties.” Democratic senators Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.) seconded him at the beginning of the week, and beseeched committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (Iowa) to do just that. They called for GOP attacks on Simpson and dossier author Christopher Steele to stop and for the selective leaks of the Simpson testimony to cease. Continue reading “Week 34: The Dossier Strikes Back”

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”

Historic Obstruction or Success in Senate? Yes

The following article by Ed Pesce was posted on the Roll Call website January 9, 2018:

McConnell decries debate time delays, praises success in confirmations

Williams/CQ Roll Call

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell used his leadership time on Monday to criticize Democrats for making 2017 “an historic year of partisan obstruction” by using the full 30 hours of debate permitted under the rules on nominations. But McConnell’s complaint, echoed by other senior Republicans and President Donald Trump, comes as those same leaders have been trumpeting their success in confirming a record number of 12 federal circuit court judges to the bench, as well as the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.

The Kentucky Republican and his allies say the Democrats are purposely gumming up the works to prevent Trump from staffing the executive and judicial branches. McConnell pointed to his having to file procedural cloture motions to limit debate on the four pending district court nominations that members are considering in the chamber this week.  Continue reading “Historic Obstruction or Success in Senate? Yes”

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”