Republicans

Politico reports: Chris Christie dreamed of becoming president. Now, he’s settling for a different role in Washington: lobbyist. The former New Jersey governor is making big money from businesses trying to tap the gusher of coronavirus relief funds coming from the federal government. Newly filed disclosures show Christie’s firm pulled in $240,000 in less than three months for lobbying the …

The Oklahoman reports: Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, predicted that a provision would be removed from the bill that requires the 10 military bases named after Confederate generals to be renamed. Inhofe said he spoke with President Donald Trump on Thursday about the provision, which the president and Inhofe oppose. “We’re going to see …

Axios reports: The governors in four of the states hit hardest by the coronavirus have taken a massive hit in public approval over their handling of the pandemic, according to SurveyMonkey poll data shared exclusively with Axios. Why it matters: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp — all Republicans …

Via press release from Loony Louie Gohmert: Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01) introduced a Privileged Resolution calling upon Congress to ban any political organization or party that has ever held a public position supportive of slavery or the Confederate States of America. It also calls for Speaker Nancy Pelosi to remove from the House wing of the U.S. Capitol or any …

The Arkansas Democrat reports: State Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Conway, is the first state senator in Arkansas to test positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic hit the state in March. In the spring, three state representatives announced that they had tested positive for covid-19. Rapert, 48, is a self-described fiscal and social conservative who has served in the Senate since …

The Associated Press reports: North Dakota’s Republican governor on Thursday blasted an anti-LGBTQ resolution that was passed by hundreds of his party’s delegates, calling it insulting and divisive. The resolution — one of dozens of party policy statements in a passed by this spring by mail-in ballot — states that many “LGBT practices are unhealthy and dangerous, sometimes endangering or …

NBC News reports: President Donald Trump said he will no longer hold a large, in-person Republican convention in Jacksonville, Florida, because of the coronavirus but will hold virtual events and still give an acceptance speech. “I told my team it’s time to cancel the Jacksonville, Florida, component of the G.O.P. Convention. We will be starting in North Carolina for the …

NPR reports: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., took to the House floor Thursday morning to admonish the insults hurled at her by Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., earlier this week. Yoho confronted Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of the Capitol on Monday, calling her “disgusting” for linking poverty to crime rates in New York City. “I was minding my own business walking up …

The Washington Post reports: Senate Republicans have cast aside one of President Trump’s key demands in their emerging coronavirus stimulus package, refusing to include a payroll tax cut in their opening offer to Democrats, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is aiming to unveil on Thursday. Their proposal also would slash enhanced unemployment benefits for millions of workers — …

CNN reports: Sen. Rand Paul, a long-time critic of Rep. Liz Cheney, joined the conservative pile-on of the Wyoming Republican, saying on Wednesday: “I don’t think she’s good for the country” and accused her of trying to “sabotage” President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. Paul, a libertarian-minded Republican, has long sparred with Cheney, who supports hawkish views on national security. And …

The New York Daily News reports: Florida Man says he’s sorry. Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) apologized Wednesday to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) for calling her a “f—ing b–ch” after a spat on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. The conservative lawmaker took the House of Representatives floor to say sorry “for the abrupt manner of the conversation I had with …

Politico reports: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has privately engaged in several spending practices in his nearly four years in office that appear to be in conflict with the House’s ethics rules, a POLITICO investigation has found. Gaetz, a close ally of President Donald Trump from the Florida Panhandle, improperly sent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to a limited liability …

NBC News reports: Joe Biden’s presidential campaign on Tuesday launched a highly personal broadside at Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, for pushing forward a committee inquiry into the presumptive Democratic nominee’s past dealings with Ukraine while he was vice president. Among other things, the Biden campaign is accusing Johnson of being …

Fox News reports: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer issued a stern condemnation of Rep. Ted Yoho after he reportedly got into a heated exchange in the Capitol with the left-wing freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that allegedly ended with Yoho uttering the words “f—— b—-.” “The comments related to me were despicable,” Hoyer, D-Md., said. “Unacceptable. Mr. Yoho owes not only …

The Washington Post reports: Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) came under fire Tuesday from the far-right flank of the House Republican caucus, who accused her of disloyalty to President Trump and a GOP incumbent, prompting calls for a challenge to her leadership position. Cheney, the chairman of the House Republican Conference, stood her ground and fired back at the conservative agitators, …

ABC News reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell revealed Tuesday morning that Senate Republicans plan to support another round of stimulus checks – or “direct payments” – to Americans in their next coronavirus relief proposal. In a Senate floor speech, McConnell gave no details on just who Republicans think should get this next round of checks. Most Republicans wants a …

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports: Federal officials arrested Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four others on Tuesday morning in connection with a $60 million bribery case. U.S. Attorney David DeVillers’ office would not discuss details of the case, but a source involved in the investigation confirmed Householder’s arrest to The Enquirer. Also arrested, according to the source: Neil Clark, founder …

The Dayton Daily News reports: Police activity is being reported at Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder’s farm in Perry County and the U.S. Attorney’s office said it is holding a 2:30 p.m. press conference today related to $60 million in bribes paid to a state official and associates. FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman and U.S. Attorney for the …

Politico reports: Donald Trump Jr. has a new book coming out next month, and he’ll have a powerful ally helping him sell it: the Republican National Committee. The RNC is buying copies of the first son’s forthcoming “Liberal Privilege,” which it will offer to donors who contribute at least $75. The committee orchestrated a similar fundraising campaign last year around …

ProPublica reports: Companies owned by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and his family received up to $24 million from one of the federal government’s key coronavirus economic relief programs, according to data made public Monday. At least six companies from Justice’s empire showed up on the list of Paycheck Protection Program aid recipients released by the Small Business Administration. The …