Republicans

The Hill reports: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) will gladhand with Republican donors at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort next month amid speculation that she plans to run for president in 2024. A source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill that Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle will host the fundraiser for Noem’s gubernatorial campaign on …

The Queens Daily Eagle reports: A Republican district leader from Queens was arrested for storming the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. FBI agents arrested Philip Grillo, a former candidate in the special election for Queens Council District 24, at his girlfriend’s home in Glen Oaks after identifying him by a Knights of Columbus jacket he …

The Dallas Morning News reports: Texas power retailer Griddy is the target of a class action lawsuit filed in Houston state district court Monday alleging the company participated in price gouging after winter storm Uri cut power to millions across the state. The lawsuit was filed by a Chambers County resident Lisa Khoury whose electricity bill from the week of …

Mediaite reports: Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) asked some simple yes or no questions designed to removed some opacity over what happened on that historic day and what really was going on during the deadly attacks led by Trump supporters. “Based on what we know now, including the recent department of justice indictments, do you agree that there is now clear …

The Hill reports: Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on Tuesday rolled out proposal to increase the minimum wage to $10 an hour over four years and tighten enforcement on hiring undocumented workers. “For millions of Americans, the rising cost of living has made it harder to make ends meet, but the federal minimum wage has not been …

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Former U.S. Sen. David Perdue will not launch a comeback bid next year, clearing the way for other Republicans to enter what could be a crowded 2022 race against Democrat Raphael Warnock. Perdue announced the decision Tuesday just days after filing campaign paperwork exploring a challenge against Warnock, who won a Jan. 5 runoff against former …

Politico reports: Conservatives know they likely don’t have the votes to block President Joe Biden’s pick to run HHS, Xavier Becerra. But they’re launching new ad blitzes and pressure campaigns targeting Senate Democrats up for reelection and others they believe can be swayed, aiming to make a vote to confirm him a political liability. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who has …

Mediaite reports: “You dropped off your daughters in Mexico, you came home in a day, probably less than a day. You’re [in the news] like 24/7, because you dropped somebody off and you came back home. I still think you can be a father and senator at the same time,” Hannity said. Cruz said this in response: “I think the …

The Huffington Post reports: Chris Cuomo invited Matt Schlapp, the chair of the American Conservative Union, onto his CNN show Monday to explain why ex-President Donald Trump has been invited to address the organization’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this week. But the interview soon went off-the-rails as Cuomo was forced to debunk Schlapp’s repeated lies about “widespread voter fraud,” …

Via press release from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: Less than one week after urging House Republicans to block $160 billion in funding for vaccines to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, Minority Whip Steve Scalise is using his position to elevate Republicans who have publicly urged Americans not to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Scalise is scheduled to lead a CPAC panel with …

The Texas Tribune reports: At the height of last week’s winter storm that left millions of Texans without access to heat and clean water, Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, were out of state on a “previously planned” business trip to Utah, a spokesman confirmed. On the day of Paxton’s Wednesday meeting, the state’s electrical …

The Hill reports: The senators, led by Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), urged Biden in a letter to withdraw the nomination of Xavier Becerra, California’s attorney general, arguing he is unqualified to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The senators wrote that Becerra has “no meaningful experience in health care, public health, large-scale logistics, or any other areas critical …

The Washington Post reports: Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said Monday that she will direct her department not to lower its flags in honor of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who died of complications from lung cancer last week. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said last week that he would order the state’s flags to be flown at half-staff on …

The Hill reports: Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) will oppose Neera Tanden’s nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), underscoring the dwindling number of potential GOP supporters for her confirmation. “Senator Romney has been critical of extreme rhetoric from prior nominees, and this is consistent with that position. He believes it’s hard to return to comity and respect …

USA Today reports: The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear election case of U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, who started his legal fight against the results of the presidential race within weeks after fellow Republican Donald Trump lost the White House to Democrat Joe Biden. The court announced its decision in an order issued Monday at 9:30 a.m.  “The petition …

Fox News reports: Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler is starting a voter registration and outreach group called “Greater Georgia,” in her first major public move since losing her Senate seat to Democrat Raphael Warnock in a Jan. 6 runoff. Loeffler’s group will mirror some of the functions of “Fair Fight,” the Stacey Abrams-affiliated group that many Democrats credit with the significant …

Via press release from Sen. Susan Collins: The Director of OMB is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the federal budget and plays a significant role in any Administration’s fiscal and regulatory agenda. Congress has to be able to trust the OMB director to make countless decisions in an impartial manner, carrying out the letter of the law …

Media Matters has the transcript: I have seen the video, I think that there’s a lot of compelling arguments there for some voter irregularities. And the whole point has been, I can’t tell whether or not there’s been enough to would have swung the election the other way. I don’t know whether there is criminal activity, but there is enough …

Politico reports: Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Sunday that he would not support a run by former President Donald Trump for reelection in 2024. “He’s got a good family … and they love America,” the Republican told host Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “But I would not support him for reelection in 2024.” “He’s going to have …

The Hill reports: House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), who last week visited former President Trump at Mar-a-Lago, on Sunday deflected blame away from Trump for the deadly riot at the Capitol. “At the end of the day, the people who stormed the Capitol on January 6th, it was a disgrace and they need to be held accountable,” Scalise said. …