Republicans

Raw Story reports: President Donald Trump urged his 67 million Twitter followers to donate to a New Jersey congressman who left the Democratic Party. Rep. Jeff Van Drew was elected in the 2018 blue wave as a Democrat but switched parties this week after breaking with Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the question of impeaching the president. “The Democrat Party’s Witch …

Mediaite reports: Former Vice President Joe Biden tore into former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders after she made fun of him for acknowledging his problems with stuttering during the PBS & Politico Democratic Debate. As Biden spoke about the people he has met throughout his campaign near the end of the debate, part of his statement included an …

The Seattle Times reports: State Rep. Matt Shea planned and participated in domestic terrorism against the United States before and during the armed takeover at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, an investigation commissioned by the Washington state House found. The 108-page report found that beginning in November 2015, Shea, working with militia leader Ammon Bundy, helped “in the planning and preparation” …

The Washington Post reports: When the Louisville Courier-Journal revealed earlier this month that former Kentucky governor Matt Bevin (R) had pardoned a slew of violent criminals during his final weeks in office, he cited his belief in second chances. But on Thursday, Bevin offered a different explanation for one particularly controversial pardon: He said he didn’t believe that a 9-year-old …

NBC News reports: McConnell criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for taking the “highly unusual step” of waiting to transmit the approved House articles of impeachment against Trump to the Senate. McConnell said he didn’t understand the move by Pelosi and said, while cracking a smile, that he didn’t agree with the idea that delaying the transmission might give her …

CBS News reports: The day after he became the third president to be impeached in a historic vote, President Trump welcomed Congressman Jeff Van Drew to the White House to celebrate the freshman lawmaker’s decision to switch to the Republican Party. The meeting notably occurred after Van Drew voted against both articles of impeachment — as a Democrat. Trump and …

NBC News reports: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Thursday said that House Democrats would be committing “Constitutional extortion” if they did not allow the Senate to promptly act on approved articles of impeachment against President Trump. Following the House votes to impeach the president on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) declined to say when, …

The Washington Post reports: Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), one of President Trump’s closest allies and staunchest defenders in Congress, announced Thursday that he would not seek reelection next year but would instead stay “in the fight” with Trump in an unspecified role. “For everything there is a season,” Meadows said in a statement. “After prayerful consideration and discussion with family, …

CBS News reports: Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., drew a direct comparison between Wednesday’s impeachment vote and the bombing of Pearl Harbor — saying that they are both dates that “will live in infamy.” “On Dec. 7, 1941, a horrific act happened in the United States, and it’s one that President Roosevelt said, this is a date that will live in …

“When Jesus was falsely accused of treason, Pontius Pilate gave Jesus the opportunity to face his accusers. During that sham trial, Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than the Democrats have afforded this president in this process.” – Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk, speaking this afternoon during debate on the articles of impeachment. .@RepLoudermilk: “When Jesus was falsely accused of …

USA Today reports: A prominent Kentucky banker who is one of the state’s largest Republican donors urged former Gov. Matt Bevin to pardon convicted killer Patrick Baker months before the outgoing governor issued a controversial last-minute order freeing the man. Terry Forcht, founder of Corbin-based Forcht Bank, has given more than $1 million to Republican candidates, committees and super PACs …

From the conservative Washington Examiner: When Mitch McConnell pitches Mike Pompeo on running for the Senate in 2020, a periodic occurrence, the majority leader does not fail to mention that the chamber is a great steppingstone should the secretary of state harbor higher aspirations. Fearing former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach could win the Republican nomination to succeed retiring …

The Associated Press reports: Republican Sen. Susan Collins officially launched her bid for reelection Wednesday, setting up an expensive and closely watched battle that’s starting against the backdrop of impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. Collins made her formal announcement in an email to supporters, saying her “bipartisan commonsense approach” has been key to many legislative successes and will be …

NPR reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., dismissed the impeachment process against President Trump as a political proceeding rather than a judicial one. “I’m not an impartial juror. This is a political process. There’s not anything judicial about it,” McConnell told reporters on Tuesday. “The House made a partisan political decision to impeach. I would anticipate we will have …

From the pro-Trump Washington Examiner: Maria Butina wore a “foreign agent” T-shirt to promote her new gig as a Russian state television host. Butina, who was not charged with espionage but pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as a foreign agent by infiltrating a gun rights group and cultivating relationships with conservative politicians, was deported in October after an 18-month …

United Press reports: North Carolina Rep. Mark Walker says he won’t seek re-election next year, now that his redrawn district tilts Democratic — but he’s eyeing a run for the U.S. Senate in 2022. The former Baptist pastor-turned-politician was in his third term when courts struck down North Carolina’s gerrymandered congressional districts earlier this year, forcing state lawmakers to redraw …

Same as it ever was: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a key vote in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial, is distancing herself from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) close coordination with President Trump’s legal team. She said McConnell’s plan to let Trump’s legal team dictate the Senate GOP’s position on the trial “would not be the approach that I’ve taken.” …

From the editorial board of the Philadelphia Inquirer: During the2018 campaign, Rep. Jeff Van Drew raised $1.9 million — about half in individual donations, and close to $120,000 in small donations, according to Federal Election Committee data. As a show of gratitude, Van Drew announced last week his intention to switch parties and become a Republican after less than a …

Talking Points Memo reports: Five staffers of Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ) announced their decision to resign from his office in light of his decision to join the Republican Party after declaring that he opposes impeachment. In a letter sent Sunday, the staffers said Van Drew’s decision to defect from Democrats and join the GOP compelled them to resign from …

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports: Rep. Jeff Van Drew, the conservative South Jersey Democrat who has vocally opposed impeaching President Donald Trump, is expected to switch parties in the coming days, according to three New Jersey Democratic sources, leaving a party he has represented for more than 20 years. Van Drew didn’t just oppose the impeachment effort. He repeatedly touted his …