Republicans

“So CPAC has a new rule. If you’re a propagandist, you can buy a ticket, like everyone else, but you’re not in the media, and we’re not going to credential you by saying you’re in the media. “Now, there’s plenty of left-wing people who are in the media who actually, you know, at least 20% of the time, or 25% …

Politico reports: Speaker Mike Johnson delivered a presentation at a weekend GOP retreat that — although it was billed as a map to keeping the House majority — took on a surprisingly religious tone, according to two people in the room. Johnson’s private remarks to a small group of Republican lawmakers at Miami’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel over the weekend alarmed …

Florida Politics reports: A third and final House committee has advanced a contentious defamation bill. But one critic testified the legislation will help its sponsor bring forward lawsuits against anyone criticizing his political allies. At a House Judiciary Committee meeting, Milton gun shop owner Chris Smith discussed a lawsuit filed against his business. Santa Rosa County Commissioner Sam Parker filed …

The Des Moines Register reports: The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that Republicans say will protect religious freedom, but that Democrats have described as a “blank check to discriminate” against LGBTQ Iowans and others. The Senate voted 31-16 to pass Senate File 2095 on Tuesday. The legislation would say that state and local governments shall not “substantially burden” someone’s …

The Virginia Scope reports: Rep. Bob Good, R-VA05, was forced to leave an event in his district over the weekend where Republicans gathered to support Donald Trump. Good supporters believe the event was doubling as a campaign event for state Sen. John McGuire, who is primarying him for the Republican nomination this year. The event occurred in Farmville at a …

ABC News reports: Texas is building a new military base for National Guard members deployed to the southern border in Eagle Pass, Texas — where state and federal authorities have been in a tense conflict over dealing with immigration — Gov. Greg Abbott said. At a news conference Abbott announced the construction of what he said would a new “base …

The New York Times reports: A former F.B.I. informant accused of making false bribery claims about President Biden and his son Hunter — which were widely publicized by Republicans — claimed to have been fed information by Russian intelligence, according to a court filing on Tuesday. In the memo, prosecutors portrayed the former informant, Alexander Smirnov, 43, as a serial …

CNN reports: Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who resisted intense pressure from former President Donald Trump to overturn the 2020 election results in his state, revealed Tuesday that he has been interviewed by special counsel Jack Smith’s office. “I basically told them the same thing I told the special grand juries: that I follow the law and the Constitution and …

Axios reports: Behind closed doors, House Republicans have shifted from optimistically cautious to expecting a government shutdown, Axios has learned. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will have to choose in coming weeks between a fight with Democrats that threatens a shutdown, or a deal with Democrats that threatens his job. The government will start a partial shutdown unless a budget …

Arizona Central reports: U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs over the weekend appeared at a rally that was co-sponsored by several extremist organizations, including the state’s chapter of the Proud Boys, and a student group that has promoted anti-Jewish materials. Held in front of Arizona’s state Capitol, the 11th annual Second Amendment Rally featured not only a roster of gun rights advocates, …

CNN reports: The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to revisit sanctions levied against two pro-Trump attorneys who filed frivolous lawsuits challenging the outcome of the 2020 election in Michigan. Sidney Powell and Lin Wood filed separate appeals asking the justices to review sanctions imposed by a US district court in 2021. Though their cases involved several technical arguments, both claimed …

The New Republic reports: The Republican-controlled West Virginia House of Delegates has passed a bill that could see librarians facing jail time. House Bill 4654 passed the chamber Friday by a vote of 85–12, along party lines. The bill would remove criminal exemptions for schools, public libraries, and museums that distribute or display “obscene matter” to a minor, even if …

The Idaho Press reports: Rep. Jacyn Gallagher, R-Weiser, proposed legislation that would extend to 18-year-old students school immunization exemptions that are allowed for minors for religious or other reasons. The bill would allow students of this age to submit a signed statement to school officials stating their objections to vaccination requirements at public, private or parochial schools in the state, …

Law & Crime reports: Rudy Giuliani plans to dispute rape and sexual harassment claims lodged against him in a lawsuit filed by a former employee by attacking his accuser’s credibility, Law&Crime has learned. An attorney for Giuliani’s accuser has rubbished the notion. In May 2023, the former New York City mayor was sued in Manhattan Supreme Court, along with his …

Mediaite reports: House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) conceded in an interview that his impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden may very well not result in an impeachment vote. Comer spoke to Spectrum News and said the GOP-led House may not even hold a vote based on his committee’s report because the “math keeps getting worse” – referring to …

The Associated Press reports: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected appeals from three Republican U.S. House members who challenged fines for not wearing face coverings on the House floor in 2021. The justices did not comment on leaving in place $500 fines issued in May 2021 to U.S. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Ralph …

Yahoo News reports: GoFundMe has an answer for those who have asked if Donald Trump’s fundraiser on their site goes against their policy. The page has so far raised over $650k since being launched to help the billionaire mogul pay off the $355 million fine from his New York fraud trial. In response to the callouts, Jalen Drummond, the director …

The Daily Beast reports: “I think within 30 days you’ll see a purge of staffers from the RNC, because it’s a hotbed for anti-Trumpism,” Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist and host of the War Room podcast told The Daily Beast. “That’s the open secret.” Skeptical holdouts within the RNC have gotten the message: Their days are numbered. But it’s …

Florida Politics reports: A national group of Christian broadcasters is asking lawmakers not to pass legislation that would make it easier to sue journalists and news outlets for defamation. Michael Farris [photo], general counsel for National Religious Broadcasters, wrote a letter to House Speaker Paul Renner, a Palm Coast Republican, on Monday asking him to drop HB 757. He called …

Reuters reports: A group of 18 Republican lawmakers has urged President Joe Biden to deactivate his campaign’s TikTok account citing national security concerns. The lawmakers in a letter seen by Reuters said Biden was “ignoring TikTok’s well-established national security risks. How can the federal government warn Americans about the risks of this app if the Commander in Chief uses it, …