Republicans

Mediaite reports: One of President Donald Trump’s most reliable defenders in the Senate blasted him Monday morning over his “shortsighted and irresponsible” decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Northern Syria — paving the way for a Turkish military operation.  Appearing on Fox & Friends, a program which long been on a shortlist of the president’s favorites, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) …

Politico reports: Senate Rules Committee Chairman Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) on Sunday expressed skepticism President Trump was “serious” when he called for the Chinese government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. “I doubt the China comment was serious …the president loves to go out on the White House driveway, he loves to bait the press to see what …

NBC News reports: Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson defended President Donald Trump’s recent calls for China and Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden in a combative “Meet the Press” interview Sunday morning where he accused Democrats and the media of trying to sabotage the Trump administration. “Let me tell you why I’m pretty sympathetic with what President Trump …

ABC News reports: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Sunday repeatedly refused to say whether he believed it was inappropriate for President Trump to call for Chinese authorities to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. “You really think he was serious about thinking China’s going to investigate the Biden family? I think he’s getting the press all …

The Hill reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) reelection campaign is seizing on the fight over impeachment, pledging in Facebook ads that he will lead Republican efforts to stop President Trump from being removed from office. “Nancy Pelosi’s in the clutches of a left wing mob. They finally convinced her to impeach the president. All of you know your …

CNBC reports: Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said Friday that President Donald Trump’s explanation for asking foreign countries investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son “strains credulity.” The rebuke from Romney, one of the only Republicans in Congress to criticize Trump’s calls for Ukraine and China to investigate his potential opponent in the 2020 election, follows Trump’s …

The Omaha World-Herald reports: Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., took issue Thursday with President Donald Trump urging China to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son’s business dealings there. “Hold up: Americans don’t look to Chinese commies for the truth,” Sasse said in a written statement to The World-Herald. “If the Biden kid broke laws by selling his name …

From the EventBrite invitation: Carl DeMaio for Congress- Help us flip the House Red again! Join Log Cabin Republicans New York chapter and other Empire state groups support Carl DeMaio in being the first openly Gay Republican elected to congress! Host committee: Ashton Theodore Randle, Charles Moran, Torrey Shearer, Thomas Weirich, Benjamin Franco, Andrew Agnello. To join the committee RSVP …

Politico reports: On Tuesday night, a very seasoned and well-known GOP operative sent us this stunning note, underscoring GOP alarm with how the Trump administration is handling impeachment: “GOP lawmakers and operatives are concerned at what appears to be a lack of urgency from the Trump administration in forming an organized, unified response engine to the Democratic impeachment threat. There …

The Charleston Post & Courier reports: Two Republicans, one of them former congressman Bob Inglis, have sued the S.C. Republican Party over its decision to cancel its GOP presidential primary next year. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in state court in Richland County, alleges the party scrapped its 2020 election contest illegally and violated party rules and state election law. The …

Axios reports: The retirement of six House Republicans from Texas at the end of this term shows their pessimism about winning back the House majority in 2020, GOP strategists tell Axios — and foreshadows bigger Republican fears in the nation’s second most populous state. “We need a new Republican Party because the one we have is getting our asses kicked …

Courthouse News reports: California Representative Devin Nunes asked a federal court in Iowa Monday to award him $75 million in damages in a defamation and common law conspiracy suit against reporter Ryan Lizza and Hearst Magazines. The House Republican and ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence claims in the suit that Lizza defamed him in a …

The Washington Post reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) received a letter of resignation from Republican Rep. Chris Collins on Monday, a senior Democratic aide said. The resignation will be effective when the letter is officially filed at a scheduled House session Tuesday. Collins, President Trump’s first congressional supporter, is expected to plead guilty to insider-trading charges on Tuesday, following …

It’s a bad day for Republicans and the law. NBC News reports: Stacey Dash was arrested in Florida on suspicion of domestic battery on Sunday night. The Clueless actress, former Fox News contributor and vehement Donald Trump supporter was arrested after she allegedly got into a verbal argument with an unidentified man who she pushed and slapped in the face, …

From an op-ed published today by former Sen. Jeff Flake: Two years ago I stood in the Senate chamber and said: “There are times when we must risk our careers in favor of our principles.” In my case, I had not supported the president’s election. One year into his presidency, I knew that I could not support his reelection. At …

The Buffalo News reports: Rep. Chris Collins plans to change his not guilty plea in the criminal insider trading case against him, federal court records showed Monday morning. U.S. District Court Judge Vernon S. Broderick scheduled a court hearing in the case for Tuesday. Moments after that docket entry was filed, a second appeared, indicating that Collins’ co-defendants – his …

Just in via press release: U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (TX-13) released the following statement: “It has been a great honor to serve the people of the 13th District of Texas as their congressman for the last 25 years. They have given me opportunities to serve the nation in ways I could have never imagined, including as Chairman of the House …

The Charlotte Observer reports: Former North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes faces up to six months in prison after agreeing to plead guilty to lying to the FBI in a sweeping federal bribery case. Hayes, a former member of Congress, is scheduled to formally enter his guilty plea Wednesday in federal court. Hayes, 74, is one of four men …

Newsweek reports: Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger condemned President Donald Trump on Sunday for quoting Pastor Robert Jeffress’ warning that impeachment might cause a “Civil War-like” fracture in the U.S. In response, Kinzinger tweeted: “I have visited nations ravaged by civil war.@realDonaldTrump. I have never imagined such a quote to be repeated by a President. This is beyond repugnant.” The president’s …

Page Six reports: Sen. Lindsey Graham on Friday gave a commercial flight a private preview of his appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” a source told Page Six, including calling the whistleblower controversy “Kavanaugh on steroids!” We’re told that the South Carolina pol was on a JetBlue flight from Washington, DC, to Charleston and was chatting loudly with “Jared” — …