Tag: GOP senate

A third of Trump’s court nominees have anti-LGBTQ history, report finds

“The damage that is being done to our federal judiciary may be this administration’s most lasting and dangerous legacy.”

A third of the more than 50 circuit court judges nominated by President Donald Trump since he took office nearly three years ago have a “demonstrated history of anti-LGBTQ bias,” according to a new report by LGBTQ civil rights group Lambda Legal, which asserts that the justice system is “now indisputably in a state of crisis.”

“The damage that is being done to our federal judiciary may be this administration’s most lasting and dangerous legacy,” Kevin Jennings, CEO of Lambda Legal, said in a statement shared with NBC News.

Lambda Legal has opposed 19 of the Trump administration’s 53 nominees to the country’s 12 circuit courts (50 of whom have since been confirmed) because of their anti-LGBTQ record. Among those that Lambda has opposed are Steven Menashi, Lawrence VanDyke and Allison Jones Rushing, all of whom were confirmed this year to lifetime appointments.

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Most Americans Want A Full And Fair Senate Trial

To hear some people tell it, House Democrats are like the dog that finally caught the car. Voting to impeach Donald Trump could turn out to be politically suicidal. Essentially because voters turned against Republicans for impeaching Bill Clinton—the GOP lost five seats in the 1998 mid-terms, ending the political career of Speaker Newt Gingrich—conventional wisdom assumes that Democrats will pay a similar price for acting against Trump.

It’s even been suggested that Speaker Pelosi save herself and her party by offering a motion of censure: surrendering to the president’s bullying, and to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s vow to hold a purely perfunctory Senate trial, calling no witnesses and rushing to a party-line acquittal.

In this formulation, Pelosi becomes a political battered wife, fearful that impeachment would only make her antagonist more dangerous and inflame his cult-like supporters. Continue reading

Kamala Harris: Will McConnell Let the Senate Hold a Fair Impeachment Trial?

New York Times logoEvery one of my colleagues has an obligation to pursue the truth, regardless of the politics.

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Trump. That means that sometime early in the new year, I will take an oath on the Senate floor to uphold the Constitution, review evidence and follow the facts wherever they lead, regardless of party or ideology. Every one of my colleagues will be required to do the same.

As a former prosecutor, I understand the importance of holding powerful people accountable. I know that every trial requires fairness and truth. Having worked my whole life serving the people, I know that any trial that abandons the pursuit of truth cannot be considered fair or just.

But the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, appears more interested in covering up the president’s misconduct than in pursuing truth and fairness. He is already trying to limit the impeachment trial by preventing witnesses from testifying, and he has all but announced a verdict. In doing so, he showed the American people that he has no intention of honoring his oath. Continue reading

White House working to feature Trump’s House allies in impeachment trial

One idea is to allow a collection of Republicans to present a minority report and make their case on the Senate floor.

The White House is actively exploring a way to give President Donald Trump’s staunchest House allies a public role in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial, according to five sources familiar with the matter, as the president looks to mount an aggressive defense in the upper chamber.

One idea under consideration is to allow a collection of House Republicans — who would be fresh off defending Trump in the House — to present a minority report on the Ukraine affair and make their case on the Senate floor, similar to the role Democratic impeachment managers are expected to play in the trial. The idea has been under discussion for several weeks, according to one GOP member familiar with the talks.

Some of the names in the mix include Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Mark Meadows of North Carolina, two of Trump‘s closest allies, as well as Rep. John Ratcliffe of Texas, a former prosecutor who sits on both the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees.

George Conway, Steve Schmidt and Rick Wilson burn Trump and the GOP to the ground in scathing joint op-ed

AlterNet logoFour prominent conservatives, including the husband of White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, called for the defeat of President Donald Trump.

George Conway, Steve Schmidt, John Weaver and Rick Wilson published an op-ed for the New York Times rebuking Trump as unfit to serve, and they shamed the Republican Party for replacing conservatism “with an empty faith led by a bogus prophet.”

“This president’s actions are possible only with the craven acquiescence of congressional Republicans,” the four men wrote. “They have done no less than abdicate their Article I responsibilities.”

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Majority Leader Admits ‘Coordinating’ With White House On Senate Trial

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell admitted Thursday night that he was “coordinating” defense strategies with the White House ahead of Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial.

“Everything I do during this [trial preparation], I’m coordinating with White House counsel,” McConnell told Fox News host Sean Hannity.

“There will be no difference between the president’s position and our position as to how to handle this, to the extent that we can,” he added.

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NOTE:  We note again that the Majority Leader will be the Jury Foreman for the impeachment trail. So, the person responsible for impartial review and deliberation is coordinating with the defendant’s legal team. 

Senate Confirms John Sullivan as U.S. Ambassador to Russia

New York Times logoMr. Sullivan, a close ally of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who had been serving as deputy secretary of state, was confirmed by a vote of 70 to 22.

The Senate on Thursday confirmed President Trump’s nominee John J. Sullivan to be the next United States ambassador to Russia, succeeding Jon M. Huntsman Jr., who resigned in August after a turbulent tenure characterized by sanctions against Moscow and investigations into the Kremlin’s election interference.

Mr. Sullivan, a close ally of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who had been serving as deputy secretary of state, was confirmed by a vote of 70 to 22. His confirmation has been closely watched as one of the key steps needed to pave the way for a possible Senate run by Mr. Pompeo in his home state, Kansas.

In Moscow, Mr. Sullivan will assume a particularly delicate post that is fraught with questions about Mr. Trump’s ties to Russia and his efforts to forge a closer working relationship with President Vladimir V. Putin, despite Mr. Putin’s aggressive actions around the world.

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Senate Republicans defend FBI Director Wray against Trump’s angry attacks: ‘I think he’s excellent’

AlterNet logoMore often than not, Republicans in the U.S. Senate decline to say anything critical of President Donald Trump — especially if they are up for reelection in 2020 and are worried about the possibility of a GOP primary challenge. The message often conveyed to Republicans in right-wing media is: disagree with Trump at your own peril. But this week, some Senate Republicans are defending FBI Director Christopher Wray against attacks from Trump.

The president is upset with Wray because of his response to U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz’ report on the FBI’s 2016 investigation of Russian interference in the presidential election and possible Russian ties to the Trump campaign. Horowitz concluded that the FBI’s investigation was legitimately predicated and showed no political bias against Trump, although he was critical of the way some FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) warrants were handled during the investigation. And Trump is angry with Wray for agreeing with Horowitz’ report, attacking Wray as someone who “will never be able to fix the FBI.” Continue reading “Senate Republicans defend FBI Director Wray against Trump’s angry attacks: ‘I think he’s excellent’”

New Senate Ethics Chair Defended Trump, Rudy On Ukraine

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) has reportedly been tapped to become the new chair of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics next month. Lankford has staunchly defended Donald Trump and those around him, even as their ethical scandals have mounted.

Recently, Lankford dismissed concerns about Trump’s personal lawyer and “de facto Secretary of State” Rudy Giuliani. “Part of the challenge is not a shadow foreign policy. It is doing political work for the president, as well as legal work. Obviously, Rudy Giuliani has been very engaged, trying to defend the president on all these accusations with Russia,” he told WBUR’s On Point in late September.

Lankford also minimized Trump’s effort to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to dig up dirt on political opponents, falsely claiming that Zelenskiy was “actually the one who brought the issue up — about Rudy Giuliani, and about the Hunter Biden topic — up to President Trump, first. And, then, President Trump actually responded back to him.” The call summary released by the White House shows it was Trump who brought up the Bidens and Crowdstrike.

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