Republicans

DeSantis To Send Troops To Lay Razor Wire In Texas

The Miami Herald reports: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced he is sending members of the Florida State Guard, a civilian military force under his control, and other state resources to the U.S.-Mexico border to help Texas stop what he called an “invasion.” “The goal is to help Texas fortify this border, help them strengthen the barricades, help them …

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Oregon Supreme Court Rules GOP Senators Who Staged Weekslong Walkout Cannot Seek Reelection

The Oregon Capitol Chronicle reports: In a unanimous decision, the court rejected arguments from five Republican senators that Measure 113, a voter-approved 2022 law meant to dissuade lawmakers from walking out and shutting down the legislative process, was poorly worded and would give them another term in office. Instead, the court agreed with state attorneys, who urged justices to consider …

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FL Moves To Cap THC In Case Weed Becomes Legal

Florida Politics reports: A bill capping the level of delta-9 THC in the event voters decide to legalize adult-use marijuana moved forward by a 13-4 vote in its first House stop in the Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee. In processed substances, such as vapes, shatter and wax, the cap would be 60% delta-9 THC if this bill passes. For practical purposes, that …

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McCarthy Plots Revenge On “Gaetz Eight” For Ousting

Politico reports: Kevin McCarthy is not done trying to exact revenge on the fellow Republicans who ended his Hill career. A top McCarthy ally, Brian O. Walsh, is overseeing an attempt to recruit primary challengers to take on members of the infamous “Gaetz Eight” — the Capitol’s nickname for Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and seven Republicans who supported his fire-McCarthy …

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Iowa Bill To Legalize Anti-Trans Discrimination Is Dead

USA Today reports: Iowans waved rainbow pride flags and erupted in cheers in the Iowa Capitol hallway Wednesday afternoon as lawmakers announced they were killing a bill that would have removed gender identity protections from the state’s civil rights law. All three members of an Iowa House subcommittee that considered the controversial legislation said they would not advance it to …

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Texas AG Sues Five Cities For Decriminalizing Weed

The Texas Tribune reports: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing five cities — Austin, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin and Denton — to block their ordinances decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession. In 2022, voters in the five cities approved policies that would end arrests and citations for possession of less than four ounces of marijuana. An initiative spearheaded by Ground Game …

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Arizona GOP Bill Would Make Pluto The State Planet

Courthouse News reports: For 75 years after its discovery at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, Pluto inched around the outskirts of our solar system known to all as the ninth planet from the sun. But when the International Astronomical Union voted to strictly define what does and doesn’t qualify as a planet, Pluto didn’t quite meet the criteria. Despite …

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Grassley Opposes Bill That “Makes Biden Look Good”

NBC News reports: Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, cast doubt Wednesday on passing a bipartisan tax bill, saying it could make President Joe Biden “look good” and improve Democrats’ chances of holding the White House in the 2024 election. Grassley said re-electing Biden could hurt Republican hopes of extending Trump-era tax cuts. “Passing a tax bill that makes the president look …

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GOP Rep: Killed Gazan Babies Aren’t Innocent Civilians

The Daily Beast reports: Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) stunningly claimed that babies in Gaza killed during Israel’s war against Hamas are “not innocent Palestinian civilians,” video shows. Members of Codepink, a feminist anti-war group, confronted Mast on Tuesday, with one accusing the lawmaker of being “heartless.” “You haven’t seen the pictures of all the babies being killed?” Mast is asked …

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House Approves Bill Aimed To Fight Childhood Poverty

CNN reports: The House voted on Wednesday evening to pass a $78 billion bipartisan tax package that would temporarily expand the child tax credit and restore a number of business tax benefits. The bill will next go to the Senate. House Speaker Mike Johnson currently oversees a razor-thin majority, but the bill passed with rare bipartisan support. The vote was …

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Haley: “If Texas Decides To Secede, They Can Do That”

ABC News reports: “If Texas decides they want to do that, they can do that,” Nikki Haley said in a Wednesday radio interview. “If that whole state says, ‘We don’t want to be part of America anymore,’ I mean, that’s their decision to make,” Haley said, though she also noted, “Let’s talk about what’s reality. Texas isn’t going to secede.” …

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Johnson Invited Hate Pastor To Give House Invocation

Media Matters reports: On January 30, pastor and far-right media figure Jack Hibbs gave the House of Representatives’ opening prayer as guest chaplain at the invitation of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Hibbs used the opportunity to pray for God to bring “holy fear” to the representatives in preparation for a “coming day of judgment” in which “all who have been …

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Vaseline Woman To Headline QAnon Nutbag Fundraiser

Politico reports: Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake is headlining a campaign fundraiser on Friday hosted by two wealthy QAnon supporters, according to an invitation obtained by POLITICO. Caryn and Michael Borland, who have shared numerous QAnon posts on their social media platforms, are holding the fundraiser for the likely GOP nominee at their mansion in Prescott, Arizona. Tickets for the …

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Trump Judge Boots Disney’s Lawsuit Against DeSantis

The New York Times reports: In a victory for Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a federal judge on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit filed by the Walt Disney Company claiming that Mr. DeSantis and his allies violated the First Amendment by taking over a special tax district that encompasses Walt Disney World. Disney said it planned to appeal the ruling. …

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Unsafe Stunt: GOP Rep Reported To House Sergeant At Arms For Doing Pull-Ups “200 Feet Up” On Capitol Rail

Politico reports: The Capitol Visitor’s Center has reported Rep. Rich McCormick to the House sergeant at arms, according to an email reviewed by POLITICO, accusing him of “unsafe actions” while on a tour of the Capitol’s dome Tuesday and doing pull-ups on railings suspended hundreds of feet above the ground. The Georgia Republican went beyond a posted sign reading “no …

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Florida GOP Advances Bill On Abolishing Property Tax

Florida Politics reports: A controversial idea is again gaining ground in the Legislature: eliminating property taxes and replacing them with a new “consumption tax” tacked onto the sales of goods and services across the state. The change, said Republican Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, would put an end to what some have called “the most hated tax in America.” “I believe it’s …

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Georgia Bill Would Ban RICO Charges Faced By Trump

The Messenger reports: State lawmakers in Georgia on Wednesday introduced legislation to void the racketeering charges former President Donald Trump is facing in the state. The lawmakers say they seek to prevent “current and future politically-motivated prosecutions commenced” in Georgia. The former president and several co-defendants face racketeering charges in Georgia over their attempts to overturn the results of the …

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Cultist Gets Hate Crime Charge In Satanic Temple Case

The Washington Examiner reports: A U.S. Navy veteran who is accused of tearing down a Satanic Temple statue within the Iowa state Capitol has been charged with a hate crime. Michael Cassidy, a conservative Christian veteran, is accused of tearing down the display in mid-December, leading to property damages that cost somewhere between $750 and $1,500. The action taken by …

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LIVE VIDEO: Johnson Delivers Speech On Border Deal

NewsNation reports: House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, is expected to deliver remarks on a proposed border deal from the House floor. It will be his first floor remarks since he was elected. The proposal is the work of a bipartisan group of Senators, in an effort to reach a compromise that would include changes to border policy and enforcement in …

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Graham Tells Social Media CEOs They Have “Blood On Their Hands” In Senate Hearing On Online Child Abuse

The Independent reports: At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on social media safety, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told major tech CEOS they have “blood on their hands.” “Mr Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands, you have a product that’s killing people,” …

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