Republicans

Politico reports: The conservative Club for Growth plans to air a massive ad campaign attacking Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), adding fuel to the intraparty battle that kicked off after the GOP congressman launched a Senate campaign this week. Collins announced Wednesday he is challenging Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), who was sworn in this month to replace Sen. Johnny Isakson after …

CNBC reports: Libertarian and conservative donors who attended the annual Koch network summit over the weekend discussed the need to defend the GOP majority in the Senate as a backstop in case a Democrat defeats President Donald Trump in November. People at the meeting in Palm Springs, California, didn’t just fret about progressive candidates Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren …

He’s springboarding his impeachment showboating. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Congressman Doug Collins launched a bid Wednesday for U.S. Senate on Fox News, saying he’d center his campaign on support for President Donald Trump as he dismissed concerns about opening a bitter Republican rift in Georgia. “We’re in for the Georgia Senate race. I’ve still got a lot of work left …

The New York Times reports: Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, told a closed-door meeting of Republicans that he does not currently have the votes to block Democrats from calling witnesses at the trial because some Republicans remain uncommitted, according to people familiar with the meeting. In making the statement, Mr. McConnell — who had with him a “whip count” …

“I think it’s increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton. I think with the story that came out yesterday, it’s increasingly apparent it would be important to hear from John Bolton. “I, of course will make a final decision on witnesses after we’ve heard from not only the prosecution …

NBC News reports: Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, indicated Saturday that he is “likely” to vote to call witnesses in Trump’s impeachment trial, but would not commit to doing so just yet. “I think it’s very likely I’ll be in favor of witnesses but I haven’t made a decision finally yet and I won’t until” arguments on both sides are done, …

The Hill reports: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says he will vote against a motion to subpoena Hunter Biden if a majority of colleagues agree next week that additional witnesses and documents need to be summoned for President Trump’s impeachment trial. If Republican colleagues introduce a motion to subpoena former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Graham said “I’ll …

Raw Story reports: Republican senators received a violently metaphorical threat before the impeachment vote. One of President Donald Trump’s confidantes said GOP senators were warned not to vote for impeachment — or else, reported CBS News. “Vote against the president and your head will be on a pike,” senators were told, according to the confidante. It’s not clear who delivered …

Mediaite reports: Senator Ted Cruz took a page from President Donald Trump’s “the best defense is a good offense” playbook in a Friday tweet that took a shot at CNN Capitol Hill reporter Manu Raju, and also, quite curiously, played the victim card against one of the more respected reporters inside the beltway. While covering the ongoing impeachment trial of …

The Hill reports: Republicans are using the threat of a protracted executive privilege battle as a cudgel to dissuade their colleagues from calling former national security adviser John Bolton to testify at President Trump’s impeachment trial. As the Senate barrels toward a make-or-break moment on witnesses next week, Trump allies and members of leadership are warning that calling Bolton, or …

The Oklahoman reports: Gov. Kevin Stitt is giving California a taste of its own medicine. Citing “Oklahoma’s pro-life stance,” Stitt on Thursday signed an executive order banning all nonessential state-funded travel to California. The move comes after the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in October banned city-funded travel to 22 states, including Oklahoma, that city officials say have “restrictive abortion …

The Christian Post reports: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz explained that his Christian faith was instrumental for his ability to forgive President Donald Trump for the hurtful things he said and tweeted during the 2016 presidential election. Cruz, 49, spoke with ABC News’ Paula Faris for her “Journeys of Faith” podcast this week. For example in March 2016, Trump tweeted a …

Is a book by a Trump cultist better than a fidget spinner? Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said she read a book during the third day of proceedings of President Trump’s impeachment trial in the upper chamber on Thursday. “First – I’m reading Resistance (At All Costs) by Kim Strassel. Read the chapter on obstruction. It provides good insights into today’s …

The Week reports: House Judiciary Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) is making his impeachment argument with a little blast from the past. Nadler turned to the words of one of his colleagues, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who during the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton argued a crime isn’t required to impeach a president. In an old clip, Graham says that …

Roll Call reports: Sen. Richard M. Burr is trying to help out his antsy Senate colleagues. The North Carolina Republican is providing an assortment of fidget spinners and other gizmos to his GOP colleagues at this week’s Thursday lunch. Senators have been restless in the hours and hours they’re spending at their desks on the Senate floor during the impeachment …

The New York Times reports: Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic attempt on Tuesday to issue a subpoena summoning Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, to testify in President Trump’s impeachment trial. The 53-to-47 vote, which fell along party lines, was the latest effort by Democrats to force the inclusion of new evidence in the proceeding. Mr. Mulvaney …

NBC News reports: Sen. Chuck Schumer has introduced his second amendment, to subpoena State Department documents related to the charges against the president. They are reading the text of the amendment now. Why it’s important: The State Department is in possession of highly relevant records and communications involving officials in the Office of the Secretary as well as officials covering …

Bloomberg News reports: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced an amendment that would order the White House to produce what could be thousands of pages of documents related to the charges against Trump, including material from Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. That includes any records related to meetings or calls between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, …

Just in from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “Leader McConnell’s plan for a dark of night impeachment trial confirms what the American people have seen since Day One: the Senate GOP Leader has chosen a cover-up for the President, rather than honor his oath to the Constitution. Shamefully, this sham proposal does not even allow for admitting the House record into …

Just in via press release from the White House: Today, President Donald J. Trump announced that the following Members of the House of Representatives will serve as part of his team working to combat this hyper-partisan and baseless impeachment. This initial list includes the following Members: Congressman Doug Collins Congressman Mike Johnson Congressman Jim Jordan Congresswoman Debbie Lesko Congressman Mark …