Republicans

The Associated Press reports: A group of Texas bar owners filed lawsuits Monday seeking to overturn Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that closed their businesses to help contain the spread of the coronavirus in Texas. Abbott has pinpointed the re-opening of bars last month as one of the sources behind a dramatic spike in new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and …

Roll Call reports: Alabama officials asked the Supreme Court to step into the debate over how to conduct election laws in the midst of a national health crisis, in a legal dispute over absentee ballot requirements in three of the state’s largest counties. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill filed an application to the high court Monday to overturn a …

CNN reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reiterated his strong support of wearing masks and face coverings during the coronavirus pandemic, saying, “we must have no stigma, none, about wearing masks when we leave our homes and come near other people.” McConnell, speaking on the floor of the Senate, said, “The more we hate the pain and suffering that accompanied …

“There’s no question. He should not have retweeted it and he should just take it down. If you watch the entire video — you can’t play it because it was so profanity laced. The entire thing was offensive. Certainly, the comment about the white power was offensive. There’s no question. “We can play politics with it or we can’t. I’m …

The Texas Tribune reports: As the coronavirus pandemic engulfs Texas’ metropolitan areas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has left the door open for massive indoor gatherings. And organizers are moving forward with some big ones, including the Texas Republican party’s upcoming convention in Houston. Harris County, where Houston is located, has the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the …

Politico reports: Sen. Chuck Grassley laid blame on Fox News — and President Donald Trump — on Saturday over failing to articulate what his administration’s second term priorities would be during a recent interview with the news organization. The Iowa Republican tweeted that Trump got “off point” when asked by Fox’s Sean Hannity what his goals would be if re-elected, …

The Associated Press reports: Mississippi lawmakers could vote in the next few days to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag, a symbol that has come under intensifying criticism in recent weeks amid nationwide protests against racial injustice. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said Saturday, for the first time, that he would sign a bill to change the flag …

Politico reports: A Senate committee is re-engaging former Obama administration officials as part of an investigation targeting Joe Biden’s son, demanding transcribed interviews and documents for the Republican-led probe. The renewed scrutiny from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee comes amid intensifying efforts by President Donald Trump to target Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, over what the …

Politico reports: Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the No. 3 Republican in the House, on Friday urged people to wear a mask by tweeting a picture of her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney (R), wearing one. Many House Republicans have failed to wear a mask in public amid the coronavirus pandemic, despite health guidance that both masks and social distancing …

The Baltimore Sun reports: A co-founder of the ReOpen Maryland movement has said on social media that he tested positive for coronavirus this week but won’t work with public health officials trying to track the spread of the pandemic. Tim Walters, a two-time Republican candidate for the General Assembly from Linthicum, said in a series of Facebook videos starting Tuesday …

The Associated Press reports: When Texas began lifting coronavirus restrictions, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott didn’t wear a mask. He wouldn’t let mayors enact extra precautions during one of America’s swiftest efforts to reopen. He pointed out that the White House backed his plan and gave assurances there were safe ways to go out again. Two months later, a sharp reversal …

NBC News reports: The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to wipe out Obamacare, arguing that the individual mandate is unconstitutional and that the rest of the law must be struck down with it. The late-night brief, filed Thursday in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, carries major implications for the presidential election. If the justices agree, it would …

The Raleigh News & Observer reports: North Carolina Lt. Gov. Dan Forest announced Thursday that he plans to file a lawsuit against Gov. Roy Cooper. “Today, I notified Governor Cooper that, as a member of the Council of State, I will be suing his administration for violating the Emergency Management Act,” the post said. “The Governor has repeatedly ignored the …

Bloomberg News reports: The Senate Judiciary Committee blocked an effort by Chairman Lindsey Graham to give the attorney general the power to veto investigations of Justice Department lawyers by the inspector general. The committee instead backed — over the objections of Graham and Attorney General William Barr — a bipartisan bill by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah that would …

The Atlantic reports: Carly Fiorina was a Republican candidate for president just four years ago, and was briefly Ted Cruz’s prospective running mate. Trump needs to go, she says—and that means she’s voting for Biden. Fiorina is not going to keep quiet, write in another candidate, or vote third-party. “I’ve been very clear that I can’t support Donald Trump,” she …

The Fresno Bee reports: Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) cannot include Twitter in his lawsuit against two parody accounts and a Republican strategist he accuses of defaming him on the platform, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. Twitter cannot be held legally liable for statements by the accounts and strategist Liz Mair, Judge John Marshall ruled, citing federal law. Lawyers for Twitter …

NBC News reports: Senate Majority Whip John Thune sounded the alarm Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s support among independent voters was “soft,” urging a change in strategy in light of a New York Times survey that showed the president trailing Democrat Joe Biden by double digits.The Times/Siena national poll found Biden winning 50 percent of registered voters, with Trump winning …

Reuters reports: Dozens of Republican former U.S. national security officials are forming a group that will back Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, people familiar with the effort said, in a further sign that President Donald Trump has alienated some members of his own party. The group will publicly endorse Biden in the coming weeks and its members plan to campaign …

Newsweek reports: Kentucky has slashed the number of polling locations for Tuesday’s primary elections, a situation voting rights advocates say could have “disastrous” effects. There will be just 170 in-person polling stations across the Commonwealth on June 23—a major drop from the standard 3,700 sites usually made available for voters. The decrease comes as state officials heavily encourage residents to …

Oklahoma City’s Fox News affiliate reports: Shelli Landon is one of nine Republicans seeking the party’s nomination for Oklahoma Congressional District 5. Landon came to Oklahoma for college and never left. She graduated from Raymond Bible College, earned a PhD in education, and served as Master Artist at-Large. Shelli is a national anthem singer, and started, gathered signatures, and eventually …