Republicans

The Associated Press reports: A federal appeals court panel ruled Wednesday that a Kansas law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote is unconstitutional, upholding a judge’s injunction that had banned its use. A 10th Circuit Court of Appeals panel in Salt Lake City found in two consolidated appeals challenging the Kansas statute that the state law violates the …

The New York Daily News reports: Former state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos was released from from an upstate prison Tuesday into home confinement after contracting coronavirus. A federal prosecutor and Skelos’s defense team confirmed the crooked Nassau County pol walked out of FCI Otisville. Ten staff and two inmates at the facility have tested positive for the virus, according …

From an interview with Fox News: Let me just say that the Senate majority has not been a certainty at any point this cycle. We always knew from the beginning, and I’ve said consistently there’s going to be a dog fight. The other thing that’s not new is that we’re being outspent these days. We were outspent in 2016 and …

In today’s chapter of Republican assholery: Kelli Ward, the head of the Republican Party in Arizona, told those planning to protest stay-at-home orders aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19 to dress in scrubs and masks on Twitter. Ward also seemed to suggest that some health workers engaging in counterprotests across the country were not really health workers. The tweet …

Courthouse News reports: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt asked President Donald Trump Saturday to declare the Covid-19 pandemic an “act of God” to shield the oil and gas industry as it grapples with the dual shocks of collapsed demand and surging supply as U.S. oil futures contracts briefly went negative this week. A fellow Republican, Stitt asked for the federal declaration …

Miami’s ABC News affiliate reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis used ground zero, nursing homes and God’s waiting room all in one sentence at his press briefing on coronavirus Sunday, raising the eyebrows and the ire of a few. “Florida is ground zero for the nursing home, we’re God’s waiting room,” DeSantis said Sunday. “We have a huge number of facilities, a …

Mediaite reports: You may have seen Friday a warning from the state of Maryland that no, you should absolutely positively not ingest cleaning products. On ABC’s This Week Sunday, Governor Larry Hogan (R- MD) addressed that warning and criticized the president’s comments on disinfectants as seriously concerning. “We had hundreds of calls come into our emergency hotline at our health …

Filed under infighting is funny: Kansas GOP Senate candidate Kris Kobach lashed out at the state Republican Party on Friday after it called on two of his opponents in the race to drop out to narrow the field, amid fears from national Republicans about Kobach becoming the party’s nominee. Republicans fear a crowded GOP primary could split up the establishment …

The Detroit Free Press reports: In the midst of the continuing spread of the coronavirus in Michigan, the Michigan Legislature has scheduled a special session for Friday to create an oversight committee to examine how Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has responded to the crisis as well as consider bills that would strip the governor of some of her powers. The extraordinary …

The Kansas City Star reports: Kansas GOP chair Mike Kuckelman sent letters Thursday to two Republican candidates asking them to drop out of the race for U.S. Senate for the good of the party. In nearly identical April 23 letters to Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle and former Johnson County Commissioner Dave Lindstrom, Kuckelman cited poor fundraising and polling data …

Politico reports: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan insisted Thursday that he has pulled no punches in advocating for states’ interests when dealing with President Donald Trump. But the chairman of the National Governors Association also acknowledged he has been careful not to “poke the bear” in the Oval Office amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hogan suggested he had opted to pursue a …

Politico reports: Georgia Rep. Doug Collins on Thursday criticized Gov. Brian Kemp’s aggressive plan to reopen their state’s economy, accusing Kemp of “not communicating clearly” amid the coronavirus outbreak and failing to solicit input from local leaders. The GOP congressman’s harsh assessment represented a rebuke of his Republican governor and signaled Collins’ intention to instead side with President Donald Trump …

Fox News reports: Oklahoma is set to become the latest state to reopen some businesses on Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic after Gov. Kevin Stitt announced that hair salons, spas, nail salons and pet groomers can open their doors. Stitt’s announcement, in which he said that the shops will be open by appointment only and will have to maintain social …

Reuters reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday opened the door to allowing U.S. states to file for bankruptcy to deal with economic losses stemming from the coronavirus outbreak that are punching big holes in their budgets. McConnell said in a radio interview that Republicans would not support giving state and local governments more money in future coronavirus aid …

Gosh, who could have predicted this? Nineteen people who either voted in-person or worked at a polling location during Wisconsin’s state elections have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the state’s health department said today. Health officials are in the process of interviewing COVID-19 patients and finding out whether they voted in-person or worked at …

The Independent reports: Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill used his personal Twitter account this week to mock a voter who asked about Alabama’s strict photo ID requirement for absentee voting. A constituent tweeted at Merrill Tuesday morning to ask about voting in Alabama’s July 14 runoff. “I have found the PDF of the application and am fortunate enough to …

The Birmingham News reports: Gov. Kay Ivey did not announce plans to reopen the state in today’s press conference. Ivey said the state’s stay at home order will remain in place at least through April 30. “Keep doing what you are doing,” Ivey said. “I am as eager as anyone to get our economy back open and operating on all …

Talking Point Memo reports: Believe it or not, Texas Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick (R) is actually sticking to his pro-death solution to fixing the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “What I said when I was with you that night is there are more important things than living,” Patrick told Fox News host Tucker Carlson, referring to when he first made …

“I would surely hope so. If you could see what I’ve lived with every day in West Virginia, you would be packing up and heading here tomorrow, because it’s the most pristine air, the most pristine water, good family people that have real values, low crime, good schools, the roads are good. “People have such a misconception of West Virginians. …

The New York Post reports: South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham on Tuesday lauded his home state’s plan to reopen its economy during the coronavirus pandemic — but chided neighboring Georgia for “going too fast too soon.” “I support what South Carolina Governor @henrymcmaster announced yesterday — a small reopening of our state’s economy with a focus on social distancing. I …