Tag: Mark Meadows

White House Chief Of Staff Loved Oversight, Until Trump Hired Him

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is reportedly blocking Trump administration officials from testifying before Congress. But during his tenure as a Republican member of the House of Representatives, he tried to impeach people who stood in the way of congressional oversight.

Politico reported on Sunday that Meadows has implemented a requirement that everyone in the administration must get his permission before they can testify before Congress.

In May, news outlets reported on a similar effort by Meadows to block members of the administration’s coronavirus task force from testifying before Congress without his advance permission. ABC News reported that similar restrictions applied to Cabinet-level officials. Continue reading.

Meadows learns to navigate Kushner’s sprawling White House influence

The new chief of staff is witnessing Trump White House truisms: Power centers vie over many decisions, and Jared Kushner is often the most powerful voice.

When the White House’s top domestic policy job came open in recent weeks, newly installed chief of staff Mark Meadows was quick to suggest a surprising name: Stephen Miller.

The proposal, described by three people familiar with the situation, would place Miller, the hard-charging force behind the administration’s immigration policies, in a better-defined role as Meadows worked to reshape the West Wing.

But Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, intervened. He suggested others he had worked with at the White House. Eventually, Derek Lyons, who is viewed as close to Kushner, became the new acting director of the Domestic Policy Council. Continue reading.

Meadows puts his fingerprints on Trump White House

The Hill logoNew White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has executed a makeover of President Trump’s communications team and shepherded a $484 billion coronavirus relief package through Congress in his first few weeks on the job.

He’s done so while keeping a decidedly low profile, a shift from his cable news-heavy appearances as a conservative leader in the House, all while the White House is battling a global pandemic.

Many see Meadows as a good fit in his role at this time, given Trump’s impending reelection battle and the former congressman’s political instincts and relationships on Capitol Hill.  Continue reading.

For Mark Meadows, Transition From Trump Confidant to Chief of Staff Is a Hard One

New York Times logoWeeks into the job, Mr. Meadows has confronted the same problems that frustrated his three predecessors. It hasn’t helped him with his new White House colleagues that he’s emotional and sometimes cries.

Mark Meadows has officially been President Trump’s fourth White House chief of staff for less than three weeks.

In that time, he has shaken up the communications office, angering supporters of the press secretary he chose to replace. He has tried to put in place other speedy changes, hoping to succeed where his three predecessors failed. He has hunted aggressively for leaks.

But administration officials say he has been overwhelmed at times by a permanent culture at the White House that revolves around the president’s moods, his desire to present a veneer of strength and his need for a sense of control. It is why, no matter who serves as chief of staff, the lack of formal processes and the constant infighting are unavoidable facts of life for those working for Mr. Trump. Continue reading.

Here’s the real reason Bill Barr has re-emerged to give us a double dose of crazy

AlterNet logoNew White House chief of staff Mark Meadows announced this week that onetime Trump campaign spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany will become the White House press secretary. The campaign is looking for a replacement and it seems that Attorney General William Barr may be auditioning for the role. Judging from his two-night interview with Laura Ingraham, he is as enthusiastic about the boss as one of the famed Mar-a-Lago Trumpettes.

We hadn’t heard much from Barr since he was scathingly chastised by a federal judge last month for his  “lack of candor” in public descriptions of the Mueller report, saying that Barr had “distorted the findings” of the April 2019 report in his notorious press conference and a letter to lawmakers. The judge demanded a full copy of the Mueller report to review in order to decide whether to reveal the entire document, without redactions.

It’s not every day that the attorney general of the United States is personally castigated by a federal judge. But it was obviously too much to hope that Barr had taken his criticism to heart and had decided to play it straight. His return to the spotlight this week showed that while he may not have contracted the coronavirus, his Fox News brain rot is still raging out of control. Continue reading.

Grisham leaves role as White House press secretary

The Hill logoStephanie Grisham is leaving her position as White House press secretary after less than a year on the job, according to two people familiar with the matter.

She is expected to return to her original post representing first lady Melania Trump.

Grisham, who replaced Sarah Huckabee Sanders in June, will leave her position without ever having conducted a White House briefing. Her departure follows the arrival of President Trump’s new chief of staff, Mark Meadows, who is said to be interviewing potential replacements.  Continue reading.

Trump allies got coronavirus tests despite lack of symptoms and shortage

Washington Post logoTwo close congressional allies of President Trump underwent coronavirus testing in recent days in apparent defiance of federal recommendations reserving those tests for patients exhibiting symptoms of infection — and amid growing concerns about the availability of testing for Americans who are sick.

Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the latter of whom Trump named last week as the next White House chief of staff, both said in statements that the tests showed no infection after exposure to a coronavirus carrier at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference last month in suburban Washington.

The two lawmakers also said they were exhibiting no symptoms of respiratory illness, raising questions of why they were tested at all. Continue reading.

Incoming White House chief of staff Mark Meadows among lawmakers sidelined by coronavirus concerns

Washington Post logoThe incoming White House chief of staff, Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, was among three Republican congressmen who said Monday that they were quarantining themselves because of suspected contact with a confirmed carrier of the novel coronavirus.

A spokesman, Ben Williamson, said Meadows learned this weekend he “may have come in contact” with the individual who attended the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in suburban Washington late last month. Meadows tested negative for the virus and is not displaying symptoms but is remaining home in self-quarantine until Wednesday, Williamson said in a statement.

Trump named Meadows his chief of staff on Friday evening, replacing Mick Mulvaney. Williamson’s statement did not address whether Meadows physically interacted with Trump since the conference last month. Continue reading.

House Republicans move Jordan to Judiciary, Meadows to Oversight

The Hill logoRep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) will soon become the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, after the House Republican Steering Committee voted unanimously Thursday to have him replace Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), multiple sources told The Hill.

Separately, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) will take over Jordan’s top GOP post on the House Oversight Committee.

The move essentially installs two of President Trump’s fiercest allies on top committees, giving the administration two strong supporters to combat Democrats’ next investigations into the White House. Continue reading.

Rep. Meadows Threatens ‘Repercussions’ If Senators Vote Against Trump

A member of Donald Trump’s official impeachment team warned Monday that Republican senators who vote against Trump at the impeachment trial will pay a serious political price.

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), a close Trump ally, told CBS News, “I mean listen, I don’t want to speak for my Senate colleagues. But there are always political repercussions for every vote you take.”

“There is no vote that is higher profile than this,” he added. Continue reading.