Republicans

The Associated Press reports: Former U.S. Rep. George Santos pleaded guilty Monday to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, short-circuiting the federal fraud case that led to his expulsion from Congress just weeks before it was set to go to trial. “I betrayed the trust of my constituents and supporters. I deeply regret my conduct,” the New York Republican said …

The New York Times reports: George Santos, the disgraced former Republican congressman from New York whose penchant for lying led to one of the oddest sideshows in modern U.S. politics, pleaded guilty on Monday to aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. While Mr. Santos’s plea will allow him to avoid a trial on a total of nearly two dozen charges …

New York City’s NBC affiliate reports: Former U.S. Rep. George Santos is due in court Monday afternoon, where two sources familiar with the matter tell News 4 he is expected to plead guilty to multiple counts in the fraud indictment against him. A hearing for the planned guilty plea has been scheduled for 3 p.m. in federal court, the sources …

Rachel Maddow writes for the New York Times: A cleareyed look at Republicans’ handling of the administration of elections since Mr. Trump’s effort to overthrow the last election should prepare us: Refusals to certify results should not necessarily be seen as indicating real electoral problems; they are more likely part of a bad-faith strategy to mess with the democratic process. …

The Hill reports: Former Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock (Va.) said she will vote for Vice President Harris for president on Sunday, marking the latest former GOP member to break from the party’s support of former President Trump.  “After Jan. 6, after Donald Trump has refused for four years to acknowledge that he lost, and his threats against democracy, I think …

NBC News reports: The Republican-led House committees investigating whether to impeach President Joe Biden released their long-awaited report about their findings Monday morning, arguing that Biden has committed impeachable conduct but deferring to the full House on whether to pursue a formal impeachment. The nearly 300-page report is a summary of the investigation conducted by the House Oversight, Judiciary and …

“Yeah, they were asinine comments. There’s no doubt about that. Again, I don’t think they’re the first asinine comments former President Trump has ever made. I don’t think they’ll be a game changer in terms of the election.  “So to make these types of comparisons is so far afield, I don’t think it’s going to be a big politically, big …

“I’m confident that we’re going to do everything that we need to do over the next few months to make sure that House Democrats take back the majority so the American people do not have to encounter that question [on House Republicans refusing to certify the election]. It is a reality that far too many of my extreme MAGA Republican …

“I don’t look at Vice President Kamala Harris as a lunatic. I look at her as the most liberal person to be nominated for president in the history of the United States. I would make it about policy. A nightmare for Harris is to defend her policy choices. “President Trump can win this election. His policies are good for America, …

The Miami Herald reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis and top Florida Republicans are putting pressure on the state university system’s Board of Governors to look further into the spending habits of former University of Florida President Ben Sasse after a student-run newspaper reported that he’d spent millions in university funds on secretive consulting contracts and jobs for GOP allies. On Friday, …

First, some numbers from the latest poll: The poll—from The Washington Post, ABC News, and Ipsos—finds that overall perceptions of Vance are far more negative than those of Governor Tim Walz. While 42 percent of Americans view Vance unfavorably and 32 percent view him favorably—putting him 10 points underwater—Walz is viewed favorably by 39 percent to 30 percent. That’s a …

“Kamala Harris wants to give $25,000 to illegal aliens to buy American homes. This will only further exacerbate the housing shortage in our country. It’s a disgrace. We should be making it easier and more affordable for American citizens to buy homes.” – J.D. Vance, posting to Twitter. From the Harris campaign: “The Biden-Harris administration proposed providing $25,000 in down …

Politico reports: A former aide to Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) is suing the lawmaker’s office, alleging a pattern of homophobic comments from Nehls and his chief of staff, and attempts to push the aide out of his job because he was gay, according to a suit filed Friday. Alex Chadwell was a legislative correspondent in Nehls’ Washington office from January …

CNN reports: Former New York Rep. George Santos is expected to plead guilty Monday to federal charges relating to fraudulent activity during his 2022 midterm campaign, according to multiple sources familiar with the deal. Santos, who was expelled from the House last year, previously pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges, including allegations of fraud related to Covid-19 unemployment benefits, …

The Washington Post reports: House Republicans on Friday launched an investigation into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s connections to China. In a letter to FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) wrote that Walz (D) had “concerning ties” to China, citing the governor’s dozens of trips to the country, and requested a trove …

The Houston Chronicle reports: Attorney General Ken Paxton is trying to shut down an immigrants rights group in Houston, alleging it is “systematically” flouting nonprofit rules by advocating too aggressively against state laws and political candidates. It is the latest attempt by the Republican attorney general to shutter groups aiding immigrants in Texas. Paxton has sought, unsuccessfully so far, to …

CNBC reports: Billionaire Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson appears to have a blank check policy when it comes to her support of former President Donald Trump, as she aims to help get him back to the White House. Adelson’s political aide Andy Abboud was overheard telling attendees at a campaign event at Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Thursday …

Newsweek reports: Ohio Senator JD Vance’s plane made an “emergency” landing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Friday afternoon. Vance, who is running as Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick, was flying in Trump Force Two. Taylor Van Kirk, a spokesperson for Vance, told Newsweek in an email, that the pilot “advised there was a malfunction with the door seal.” The malfunction allegedly caused …

The Hill reports: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is suing the Biden administration again over federal workplace protections for transgender employees. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Justice Department (DOJ), argues that agency guidelines clarifying what constitutes harassment under federal law are unlawful and asks the court to permanently …

Oklahoma City’s ABC affiliate reports: The superintendent of Bixby Public Schools has filed a lawsuit claiming Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters defamed and slandered him during a news conference in late July. In a lawsuit filed by Robert Miller Jr. in Tulsa County, the Bixby Public Schools superintendent says Walters made “maliciously uttered slanderous and defamatory statements” during a July …