Politics

Via press release from right wing lobbyist Jack Burkman: After allegations of sexual assault stalled the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Jack Burkman, a D.C.-based lawyer and lobbyist, is offering a $25k reward for information on Kavanaugh’s three accusers. As rumors regarding the timing and potential of political motivation swirl, Burkman hopes to uncover the truth and supply …

Just in from Quinnipiac Polling: In the Florida U.S. Senate race, which could be critical to control of the Senate this year, Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson moves into a 53 – 46 percent likely voter lead over Gov. Rick Scott, the Republican challenger, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released today. This compares to a 49 – 49 percent …

NBC News reports: Arizona’s closely watched Senate race is a statistical tie, according to a new NBC News / Marist College poll that shows Democrat Kyrsten Sinema leading Republican Martha McSally by three points with likely voters, within the poll’s margin of error. The poll finds Sinema garnering 48 percent support from Arizona likely voters in a two-way contest, while …

CNN reports: President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton brought a prop to the UN General Assembly to underscore the Trump administration’s primary theme: the US stands on its own. Bolton waved a copy of the Constitution, a little booklet meant to symbolize the message of sovereignty US officials will hammer home during the year’s largest gathering of world …

Roll Call reports: Rep. Beto O’Rourke on Tuesday defended Sen. Ted Cruz after the senator and his wife were swarmed by protesters while they were having dinner at a Washington restaurant. O’Rourke is attempting to unseat Cruz in November’s Senate election. A RealClearPolitics average of polls in the race shows Cruz with a 4.5 percentage point lead in the race. …

ABC News reports: White House press secretary Sarah Sanders would not offer any assurances that President Trump will allow the special counsel investigation to continue without delay if Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein exits the Justice Department, telling “Good Morning America” Tuesday that she doesn’t want to get ahead of the process. Asked by ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos …

Politico reports: Everytown for Gun Safety, the group founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is rolling out a $5 million digital ad campaign targeting 15 House races, as the group continues heavy investment in the midterm elections. The digital ads, part of the group’s “Not One More” campaign, feature news footage of the aftermath of mass shootings …

The Daily Beast reports: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was forced out of the D.C. restaurant Fiola on Monday night by protesters denouncing his friendship with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. An activist group posted a video on Twitter showing Cruz and his wife being chased out of the restaurant by protesters chanting “We believe survivors!” Cruz then tells the loud …

The Hill reports: “We’re talking about an allegation of sexual assault,” Kavanaugh said in a clip released from his interview on Fox News Channel’s “The Story with Martha MacCallum.” “I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone,” Kavanaugh said. “I did not have sexual intercourse or anything close to sexual intercourse in high school or for many years thereafter. The girls from the …

Courthouse News reports: U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, the San Diego-area congressman facing charges of misusing campaign money, won his bid Monday to postpone his trial until after the midterm elections in November. Federal authorities indicted Hunter on 60 charges in August, involving the suspected use of $250,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses. Margaret Hunter, his wife and campaign manager, …

Jonathan Swan writes at Axios: I regret the way I wrote this morning’s version of the story. By saying Rosenstein had “verbally resigned” to Kelly rather than “offered his resignation,” I conveyed a certainty that this fluid situation didn’t deserve. It’s an important nuance, and I regret the wording. In the same post, Swan notes that the DOJ had prepared …

The Associated Press reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will receive an up-or-down vote in the Senate “in the near future.” McConnell on Monday angrily denounced Democrats, accusing them of waging a “smear campaign” against Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court. McConnell called the latest allegation “another orchestrated, last-minute hit on …

“I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process. The coordinated effort to destroy my good name will not drive me out. The vile threats of violence against my family will not drive me out. The last-minute character assassination will not succeed. I have devoted my career to serving the public and the cause of justice, and particularly to …

The Washington Post reports: Rod Rosenstein will stay in his job for now and will meet with Trump on Thursday, the White House says. Rosenstein’s future was a matter of considerable confusion Monday morning following reports that he had offered to resign. Rosenstein has been overseeing the investigation of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is looking into Russian …

The Montgomery Sentinel reports: Investigators in Montgomery County confirmed Monday they’re aware of a potential second sexual assault complaint in the county against former Georgetown Prep student and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. While investigators weren’t specific and spoke on background, they said they are looking at allegations against Kavanaugh during his senior year in high school after an anonymous …

Axios reports: Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has verbally resigned to Chief of Staff John Kelly in anticipation of being fired by President Trump, according to a source with direct knowledge. Per a second source with direct knowledge: “He’s expecting to be fired,” so he plans to step down. Rosenstein talked last year about invoking the 25th Amendment and wearing …

CNBC reports: The Senate Judiciary Committee contacted Michael Avenatti after the lawyer claimed to represent a client who has damaging information about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. On Sunday, the attorney — who represents porn star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Donald Trump — claimed he represents a woman “with credible information” regarding Kavanaugh and friend Mark Judge. …

Randy Rainbow is back today with a take on the still-unfolding Brett Kavanaugh controversy, setting the scandal to the tune of the King Arthur’s title song from Lerner and Loewe’s 1960 musical Camelot. Richard Burton won the Tony that year for his performance and Richard Harris won the Golden Globe for his King Arthur in the 1967 movie version. As …

Talking Points Memo reports: President Donald Trump on Monday affirmed his continuing support for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh despite the second allegation of sexual misconduct against him that surfaced Sunday, saying that it’s “unfair,” “unjust” and “totally political.” “He is a fine man with an unblemished past and these are highly unsubstantiated statements from people represented by lawyers,” Trump …

ABC News reports: The second woman to accuse Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct came forward only after Senate Democrats independently learned of the alleged incident involving her and Kavanaugh in college, according to one of The New Yorker reporters who investigated her allegation. Reporter Ronan Farrow, who investigated Ramirez’s claims with New Yorker colleague Jane Mayer, told …