Republicans

Dallas’s NBC News affiliate reports: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) are set to discuss a bill that aims to “help prohibit social media companies from censoring Texans based on the viewpoints they express,” the governor’s office says. According to the Texas Legislature, Senate Bill 12 would give Texans a way to get back online if …

The Daily Princetonian reports: On Thursday, March 4, the American Whig-Cliosophic Society (Whig-Clio) voted to rescind its highest honor, the James Madison Award for Distinguished Public Service (JMA), from Sen. Ted Cruz ’92 (R-Texas). Following a 90 minute assembly, where speeches were given for and against rescinding, 37 people voted in favor of rescinding, 32 voted not to rescind, and …

CNN reports: Former House impeachment manager Eric Swalwell has sued former President Donald Trump, his son Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani and Republican Rep. Mo Brooks in a second major lawsuit seeking to hold Trump and his allies accountable for inciting the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6. The new lawsuit filed on Friday by Swalwell follows a …

The Texas Tribune reports: The Electric Reliability Council of Texas made a $16 billion error in pricing during the week of the winter storm that caused power outages across the state, according to a filing by its market monitor. Potomac Economics, the independent market monitor for the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which oversees ERCOT, wrote in a letter to …

CNN reports: Johnson is proudly pro-Trump, pushing further than many of his Republican colleagues to rewrite the narrative of January 6. Last month, Johnson said that McConnell needed “to be a little careful” after he blamed the former President for the Capitol riot, and claimed the Senate Republican leader did not speak for the Senate GOP conference. Johnson revealed to …

The Birmingham News reports: Alabama’s mask order will end April 9, Gov. Kay Ivey announced today. Ivey said the roughly one month mask extension allows businesses ample time to implement their own policies and make adjustments ahead of the deadline. Several major retailers – including Kroger, Target and Walgreens – indicated they will leave orders requiring facial coverings in place …

CNN reports: Federal investigators are examining records of communications between members of Congress and the pro-Trump mob that attacked the US Capitol, as the investigation moves closer to exploring whether lawmakers wittingly or unwittingly helped the insurrectionists, according to a US official briefed on the matter. The data gathered so far includes indications of contact with lawmakers in the days …

“The guy with low cognitive capacity is calling everybody else Neanderthals. First of all, that’s rich. I also find it rich that he’s doing his sanctimonious pearl clutching over a bunch of Texans who by the way can still wear masks. “I mean, you know, by the reactions of the liberals on this one, you would think that Texas outlawed …

Axios reports: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is forcing the Senate clerk to read the entire 628-page bill on the floor, a procedural move that will likely add 10 hours to the 20 hours already allotted for debate. During that time, Republicans will propose amendments — some unrelated to COVID relief — intended to force uncomfortable votes for Democrats, in a …

The Hill reports: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Thursday chided President Biden for criticism he issued the day before saying Republican governors rescinding public health measures meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus to were engaged in “Neanderthal thinking.” “We were called Neanderthals when I led the fight against imposition of a state income tax,” Blackburn said during an …

The Arizona Daily Star reports: A lawmaker persuaded the Arizona House to let businesses ignore mask mandates to stem COVID spread partly by arguing they weren’t needed decades ago to stop the spread of AIDS. On a 31-28 party-line vote Wednesday, the Republican-controlled House approved legislation that says business owners need not enforce any state, city, town or county requirement …

The Intercept reports: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has compiled a short list of successors in his home state of Kentucky, preparing for the possibility that he does not serve out his full term, Kentucky Republicans tell The Intercept. The list is topped by his protégé, state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and also includes former United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft, …

Boise’s NBC News affiliate reports: It’s five words that many have likely heard their children or someone arguing in social media comments say; “I have done some research.” That’s also what Representative Karey Hanks (R- St. Anthony) said while speaking in support of a bill that would ban any sort of face mask mandate issued by local governments in Idaho. …

Forbes reports: One day after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) eliminated most of his state’s coronavirus restrictions, the governor claimed immigrants released into his state by federal authorities are helping to spread the virus. Abbott tweeted Wednesday that President Joe Biden’s administration is allowing “hundreds” of undocumented immigrants who tested positive for the coronavirus to enter his state, a claim …

The Daily Beast reports: This won’t come as a shock — but Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott’s announcement that he’s ditching his state’s mask mandate did not come with the blessing of his team of medical advisers. In fact, according to the Texas Tribune, most of them didn’t know anything about it. Three of the four experts told the newspaper that …

The Associated Press reports: Family members of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem received more than $600,000 in funds from a state grant program pushed by the governor that directed federal coronavirus relief funds to small businesses. A ranch belonging to Noem’s family, Racota Valley Ranch Partnership, received one payment of $500,000, and a business operated by her brothers, Rock and …

The Texas Tribune reports: The board overseeing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the independent nonprofit entity that operates and manages the electricity grid that covers much of Texas, fired ERCOT CEO Bill Magness Wednesday night. The move by the board to vote in favor of a “60-day termination notice” came after they convened in a private executive session for …

“They don’t want to protect your America. They want to create an alternative America. It’s an America of racial deep inequality and an anti-white, and by the way, anti-Asian basis. “It’s an America in which transgender dominates Christianity and Judaism. It’s an America in which they want to actually pass a bill to create a permanent machine just like California, …

Politico reports: Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested Wednesday that he would run for president in 2024 if former President Donald Trump decides against seeking the White House for a second time. Appearing Wednesday night on Fox News, the former Trump administration official was asked by host Sean Hannity whether he would “consider getting in that race” should the …

Mediaite reports: When the House passed the police reform bill named for the late George Floyd, only one Republican had voted for it — by accident. The bill’s stated purpose is “To hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct in court, improve transparency through data collection, and reform police training and policies.” But less than an hour after that vote, Gooden …