Investment standards debate moves into state legislatures
Environmental, social, and governance investment standards are a hot topic among Republican lawmakers across the U.S., who see it as a political move to force a progressive agenda. Democrats, on the other hand, see it as a smart investing strategy. Oklahoma is the latest state to attract national attention to ESG investing, even though the Legislature passed a bill regarding it last year. State Treasurer Todd Russ published a list of 13 financial institutions banned from doing business with the state of Oklahoma earlier this month because of their ESG policies regarding fossil fuels. Those 13 companies have 90 days to tell the state it has stopped boycotting energy companies. And if they haven’t stopped their boycott, the law grants the state six months to divest itself of 50% of investments with the financial company and a full year to divest 100%. In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill that prevents the state’s treasurer from investing state funds based on ESG. The bill’s fiscal note states it will not significantly impact state or local revenues. Some Republican states are raising concerns and sometimes rejecting bills banning ESG-related policies. The North Dakota House of Representatives rejected a bill that would have required the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions to monitor banks for ESG policies. The bill would have cost the state about $1.7 million, with most of that going to salaries for additional bank examiners. The Arkansas Legislature also discussed possible fiscal implications when discussing a bill similar to Oklahoma’s, requiring the state to divest from financial institutions with ESG standards. The treasurer would also have to maintain a list of those financial institutions. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed the legislation. Fiscal concerns have not deterred every state from opposing ESG standards. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed House Bill 1008, which prohibits the board of trustees of the Indiana public retirement system “from making an investment decision with the purpose of influencing any social or environmental policy or attempting to influence the governance of any corporation for nonfinancial purposes.” It also requires the pension board to make investment decisions “solely in the financial interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the system for the exclusive purposes of providing financial benefits to participants and beneficiaries and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the system.” This despite concerns the state could lose $6.7 billion in investments. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, and Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs testified before the U.S. House Oversight Committee earlier this month. Frerichs told the panel that ESG was simply data used to make investment decisions. Treasurers and comptrollers from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New York City, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington state issued a statement backing Frerichs’ testimony. “The truth is simple. More data on risk leads to stronger returns for retirement accounts over the long term,” they said. “Ignoring risks to focus on short-term gains is not aligned with the needs of millions of Americans saving for retirement or their families’ education. But it is aligned with a short-term outlook to boost corporate profits. That’s why we’re hearing such loud and manufactured outrage against responsible investing.” While Republicans are banning financial institutions with ESG investment standards, Democratic-controlled states are embracing policies. New York lawmakers are considering a bill establishing a Green New Deal task force. The task force would develop a “detailed statewide, industrial, economic mobilization plan for the transition of the New York economy to become greenhouse neutral by 2030.” One of the bill’s goals is to promote “economic and environmental justice and equality.” Washington state lawmakers are considering a bill that would require “the state investment board publicly report on the climate-related financial risk, social responsibility, and proxy voting and corporate governance policies within its private and public market portfolios, including the alignment of the fund with the Paris climate agreement and Washington’s climate policy goals.” The legislation has yet to be heard in committee. In Arizona, the Republican-majority Legislature passed a bill banning banks from using a “social credit score” when making lending decisions. Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed the bill, calling it ambiguous as it doesn’t define a “social credit score.” And in Illinois, Democratic lawmakers passed a bill that requires investment managers of Illinois public funds, including pension systems, to disclose how they integrate environmental, social, and governance policies into their investment strategies. The bill is set to be sent to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Ex-Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson launches GOP 2024 bid, calls on Donald Trump to drop out
Asa Hutchinson, who spent two terms as governor of Arkansas, will seek the Republican presidential nomination, positioning himself as an alternative to Donald Trump just days after the former president was indicted by a grand jury in New York. In an interview that aired Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Hutchinson said Trump should drop out of the race, arguing “the office is more important than any individual person.” “I’m running because I believe that I am the right time for America, the right candidate for our country and its future,” he said. “I’m convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America and not simply appeal to our worst instincts.” Hutchinson is the first Republican to announce a campaign after Trump became the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges. His candidacy will test the GOP’s appetite for those who speak out against Trump. Others who have criticized Trump, including former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, have opted against a campaign, sensing the difficulty of prevailing in a primary. And in a sign of Trump’s continued grip on the Republican base, most in the party — even those considering challenging him for the nomination — have defended him against the New York indictment. That, at least for now, leaves Hutchinson as a distinct outlier among Republicans. In addition to Trump, Hutchinson joins a Republican field that also includes former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to jump into the race in the summer, while U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former Vice President Mike Pence are among those considering bids. Hutchinson, 72, left office in January after eight years as governor. He has ramped up his criticism of the former president in recent months, calling another Trump presidential nomination the “worst scenario” for Republicans and saying it will likely benefit President Joe Biden’s chances in 2024. The former governor, who was term-limited, has been a fixture in Arkansas politics since the 1980s when the state was predominantly Democratic. A former congressman, he was one of the House managers prosecuting the impeachment case against President Bill Clinton. Hutchinson served as President George W. Bush’s head of the Drug Enforcement Administration and was an undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security. As governor, Hutchinson championed a series of income tax cuts as the state’s budget surpluses grew. He signed several abortion restrictions into law, including a ban on the procedure that took effect when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade last year. Hutchinson, however, has said he regretted that the measure did not include exceptions for rape or incest. Hutchinson earned the ire of Trump and social conservatives last year when he vetoed legislation banning gender-affirming medical care for children. Arkansas’ majority-Republican Legislature overrode Hutchinson’s veto and enacted the ban, which has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. Trump called Hutchinson a “RINO” — a Republican In Name Only — for the veto. Hutchinson’s successor, former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, has said she would have signed the legislation. Hutchinson, who signed other restrictions on transgender youth into law, said the Arkansas ban went too far and that he would have signed the measure if it had focused only on surgery. Hutchinson endorsed Sanders’ bid for governor. Sanders hasn’t publicly endorsed Trump or anyone else yet in the 2024 presidential race. She has avoided direct criticism of her predecessor, even as she split from him on several policies. Among the bills she’s signed since taking office is legislation intended to reinstate the ban on gender-affirming care for minors that Hutchinson opposed by making it easier to sue providers of such care. She’s also dissolved five panels Hutchinson had formed to advise him on the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying she wanted the state to focus on other health challenges. Although he has supported Trump’s policies, Hutchinson has become increasingly critical of the former president’s rhetoric and lies about the 2020 presidential election. He said Trump’s call to terminate parts of the Constitution to overturn the election hurt the country. Hutchinson also criticized Trump for meeting with white nationalist leader Nick Fuentes and the rapper Ye, who has praised Adolf Hitler and spewed antisemitic conspiracy theories. Hutchinson has contrasted that meeting to his own background as a U.S. attorney who prosecuted white supremacists in Arkansas in the 1980s. An opponent of the federal health care law, Hutchinson, after taking office, supported keeping Arkansas’ version of Medicaid expansion. But he championed a work requirement for the law that was blocked by a federal judge. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hutchinson tried to push back against misinformation about the virus with daily news conferences and a series of town halls he held around the state aimed at encouraging people to get vaccinated. Hutchinson infuriated death penalty opponents in 2017 when he ordered eight executions over a two-week period, scheduling them before one of the state’s lethal injection drugs was set to expire. The state ultimately carried out four of the executions. The former governor is known more for talking policy than for fiery speeches, often flanked by charts and graphs at his news conferences at the state Capitol. Instead of picking fights on Twitter, he tweets out Bible verses every Sunday morning. Hutchinson, who graduated from the evangelical college Bob Jones University in South Carolina, said in the ABC interview that he considers himself part of the evangelical community. “I believe that the evangelical community understands that we need to have a leader that can distance themselves from some of the bad instincts that drive Mr. Trump,” he said. “And I hope that we can do that in the future.” Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Joe Biden in State of Union promises to ‘finish the job’
President Joe Biden exhorted Republicans over and over Tuesday night to work with him to “finish the job” of rebuilding the economy and uniting the nation as he delivered a State of the Union address meant to reassure a country beset by pessimism and fraught political divisions. The backdrop for the annual address was markedly different from the previous two years, with a Republican speaker sitting expressionless behind Biden and GOP lawmakers in the audience preparing to scrutinize both his administration and his policies. But Biden sought to portray a nation dramatically different in positive ways from the one he took charge of two years ago: from a reeling economy to one prosperous with new jobs, from a crippled, pandemic-weary nation to one that has now opened up and a democracy that has survived its biggest test since the Civil War. “The story of America is a story of progress and resilience. Of always moving forward. Of never giving up. A story that is unique among all nations,” Biden said. “We are the only country that has emerged from every crisis stronger than when we entered it. That is what we are doing again.” He added: “We’re not finished yet by any stretch of the imagination.” Biden sought to reassure the nation that his stewardship of the country has delivered results both at home and abroad, as he also set out to prove his fitness for a likely re-election bid. But the challenges for Biden are many: economic uncertainty, a wearying war in Ukraine, growing tensions with China, and more. And signs of the past trauma at the Capitol, most notably the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol, was unavoidable, with a large fence encircling the complex as lawmakers and those in attendance faced tighter-than-usual security measures. From the start, the partisan divisions were clear. Democrats — including Vice President Kamala Harris — jumped to applause as Biden began his speech. New Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, though he had greeted the president warmly when he entered the chamber, stayed in his seat. Rather than rolling out flashy policy proposals, the president set out to offer a reassuring assessment of the nation’s condition, declaring that two years after the Capitol attack, America’s democracy was “unbowed and unbroken.” “The story of America is a story of progress and resilience,” he said, highlighting record job creation during his tenure as the country has emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden also pointed to areas of bipartisan progress in his first two years in office, including on states’ vital infrastructure and high-tech manufacturing. And he says, “There is no reason we can’t work together in this new Congress.” “The people sent us a clear message. Fighting for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power, conflict for the sake of conflict, gets us nowhere,” Biden said. “And that’s always been my vision for the country: to restore the soul of the nation, to rebuild the backbone of America — the middle class — to unite the country.” “We’ve been sent here to finish the job!” The president took to the House rostrum at a time when just a quarter of U.S. adults say things in the country are headed in the right direction, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About three-quarters say things are on the wrong track. And a majority of Democrats don’t want Biden to seek another term. He sought to confront those sentiments head-on. “You wonder whether a path even exists anymore for you and your children to get ahead without moving away, I get it,” Biden said. “That’s why we’re building an economy where no one is left behind. Jobs are coming back; pride is coming back because of the choices we made in the last two years. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who gained a national profile as Trump’s press secretary, was to deliver the Republican response to Biden’s speech. She was to focus much of her remarks on social issues, including race in business and education and alleged big-tech censorship of conservatives. “While you reap the consequences of their failures, the Biden administration seems more interested in woke fantasies than the hard reality Americans face every day,” she was to say, according to excerpts released by her office. “Most Americans simply want to live their lives in freedom and peace, but we are under attack in a left-wing culture war we didn’t start and never wanted to fight.” With COVID-19 restrictions now lifted, the White House and legislators from both parties invited guests designed to drive home political messages with their presence in the House chamber. The parents of Tyre Nichols, who was severely beaten by police officers in Memphis and later died, are among those seated with first lady Jill Biden. Other Biden guests included the rock star/humanitarian Bono and the 26-year-old who disarmed a gunman in last month’s Monterey Park, California, shooting. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus invited family members of those involved in police incidents as they sought to press for action on police reform in the wake of Nichols’ death. The White House, ahead of the speech, paired police reform with bringing down violence, suggesting that giving police better training tools could lead to less crime nationwide. Biden was shifting his sights after spending his first two years pushing through major bills such as the bipartisan infrastructure package, legislation to promote high-tech manufacturing, and climate measures. With Republicans now in control of the House, he is turning his focus to implementing those massive laws and making sure voters credit him for the improvements. Biden, not known for his oratory, appeared relaxed and confident as he delivered his address. He casually adlibbed remarks, fed off the responses from Democratic lawmakers who frequently stood up with thunderous ovations and playfully engaged with his Republican critics. Addressing Republicans who voted against the big bipartisan infrastructure law, Biden said he’d still ensure their pet projects
Joe Biden set to give his State of the Union address tonight
President Joe Biden will deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress tonight, where he will lay out his agenda for the upcoming year. President Biden’s speech will begin at 8:00 p.m. CST and will be streamed online and on multiple major networks on TV and radio. Biden and his top aides spent the weekend in Camp David preparing the address to Congress and the nation. The State of the Union address comes following a stellar January jobs report on Friday, growing tensions with China following the shooting down of a Chinese balloon in American air space, and amidst a war between Russia and Ukraine where the Ukrainians are being supported by the U.S. and our western allies. While the Democrats picked up seats in the Senate during last November’s midterms, the Republicans now control the U.S. House of Representatives, and Republican Kevin McCarthy has replaced Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker of the House. President Biden is faced with a standoff with McCarthy and the Republicans over raising the debt ceiling. Republicans have said they would like to decrease federal spending to limit inflation as a condition for raising the debt ceiling. He has said that he is not willing to negotiate with House Republicans on spending to get the needed debt ceiling increase. The Treasury Department in January implemented “extraordinary measures” to prevent the U.S. from a government default on the debt. The U.S. has until June before the government can’t pay its bills. The U.S. national debt is in excess of $31.5 trillion and growing. President Biden is expected to press Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The Civil Rights community is pushing the administration hard on policing reform. Biden may also urge Congress to pass a new assault weapons ban. Congresswoman Terri Sewell will be accompanied by survivors of the recent tornado touchdown in Selma. “The Curry’s of Selma will be my special guest at the State of the Union representing the survivors of the Jan 12th tornadoes that ripped through Selma and Dallas Co.,” said Rep. Sewell on social media. “Their beautiful home destroyed! But they were unharmed! God is Good!” Biden has not yet announced his decision on whether or not he will run for a second term as president in the 2024 election. Biden is not expected to make that announcement in his address, but political observers will watch the speech closely, looking for any clues to his intentions. A Republican response will follow President Biden’s address. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders will present the GOP response to the Biden address. “I am grateful for this opportunity to address the nation and contrast the GOP’s optimistic vision for the future against the failures of President Biden and the Democrats,” Gov. Sanders said. “We are ready to begin a new chapter in the story of America – to be written by a new generation of leaders ready to defend our freedom against the radical left and expand access to quality education, jobs, and opportunity for all.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
National Federation of Independent Businesses endorses Katie Britt for U.S. Senate
Republican nominee for U.S. Senate Katie Boyd Britt announced on Monday that her campaign has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization. The NFIB endorsement was announced at a campaign event hosted at NFIB member small business Tang’s Alterations in Montgomery on Friday. “Katie Britt has shown a strong commitment to small business, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown,” said Rosemary Elebash, NFIB Alabama State Director. “NFIB worked closely with Katie when she represented the Business Council of Alabama. We were partners on multiple issues with the Governor’s office, including implementing Alabama Small Business Grants, replenishing the Alabama Unemployment Trust Fund to avoid a 500% tax increase, passing COVID-19 liability protection for businesses, and serving together on the Lt. Governor’s Small Business Emergency Task Force Committee to ‘Reopen Alabama Responsibly.’ During the campaign, Katie has visited with small business owners in all 67 counties and heard their concerns about government overreach with taxes, mandates, rules, and regulations. She will work closely with NFIB to promote policies to assist small businesses when she is elected to the U.S. Senate.” The endorsement was issued by NFIB FedPAC, NFIB’s political action committee. NFIB FedPAC is funded by voluntary contributions by NFIB members over and above their membership dues. Decisions made by the NFIB FedPAC are managed by a member-driven grassroots evaluation. “We are confident that Katie Britt will be a voice for small business owners in Congress,” said Sharon Sussin, NFIB Senior National Political Director. “She has proven to be a consistent small business supporter and understands the challenges small business owners face. We are pleased to endorse her today.” “I’m honored to have the endorsement of NFIB and Alabama’s incredible small businesses,” said Katie Britt. “Growing up as the daughter of two small business owners in the Wiregrass, I saw firsthand the challenges my parents faced and the sacrifices they made for our family and their team members — just as small business owners across Alabama do every day. In the U.S. Senate, I’m going to be a champion for small businesses in every corner of our great state, and I’ll fight to ensure Main Streets are able to grow and thrive.” Prior to her run for Senate, Britt was the President and CEO of the powerful Business Council of Alabama (BCA), a close ally of NFIB. Britt has already announced the respective endorsements of the Home Builders Association of Alabama, the Alabama Farmers Federation’s FarmPAC, the Alabama Retail Association, Manufacture Alabama, the Automobile Dealers Association of Alabama, the Alabama Forestry Association, the Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama, the League of Southeastern Credit Unions, the Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association, University of Alabama Crimson Tide legend Siran Stacy, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, the Alabama Mining Association, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives, former President Donald Trump, the National Association of Realtors PAC, Associated General Contractors of America PAC, U.S. Senator Tim Scott, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, National Right to Life, and SBA Pro-life America. Britt grew up working at several small businesses. She is an attorney and is a former chief of staff for U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, whose seat she is running for. Shelby is retiring at the end of the year and has endorsed Britt. Britt has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law. She is a native of Coffee County and is a graduate of Enterprise High School. Britt is married to former University of Alabama and New England Patriots football player Wesley Britt. They reside in Montgomery with their two children. Britt faces Libertarian nominee John Sophocles and Democratic nominee Dr. Will Boyd in the November 8 general election. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders announces endorsement of Katie Britt for U.S. Senate seat
Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that she has endorsed first-time candidate Katie Britt for U.S. senator. “I’m excited to endorse Katie Britt to serve as the next U.S. Senator for Alabama,” said Sanders in a statement. “Katie isthe leader we need in the Senate to fight for our Christian conservative values, advance the America First agenda, defend the sacred right to life, and stand strong against Joe Biden’s radical agenda and reckless policies. I know Katie will be a champion for faith, family, and freedom!” Sanders is a conservative Republican who is the current GOP nominee to serve as the next Governor of Arkansas. Shewas the 31st White House press secretary, serving under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019. Britt expressed thanks to Sanders for the endorsement, promising to be a voice for the America First movement. “I’m thrilled to have the endorsement of Sarah Huckabee Sanders,” stated Britt. “Sarah is a conservative fighter and anunwavering voice for the America First movement. As Alabama’s Senator, I will fight for policies that put Americanworkers and families first. This includes securing our border and finishing building President Trump’s wall, achievingAmerican energy independence and dominance, fixing the baby formula crisis, onshoring good-paying jobs, shoring upour domestic manufacturing and supply chains, ending the reckless spending that’s pouring fuel on Joe Biden’sinflationary fire, putting money back in everyday Americans’ pockets, and hardening our schools to keep our children safe. Together, we will save the country we know and love for our children and our children’s children.” Britt, a Coffee County native, has been endorsed by the Home Builders Association of Alabama, the Alabama Farmers Federation’s FarmPAC, the Alabama Retail Association, Manufacture Alabama, the Automobile Dealers Association of Alabama, the Alabama Forestry Association, the Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama, the League of Southeastern Credit Unions, the Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association, University of Alabama Crimson Tide legend Siran Stacy, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, the Alabama Mining Association, and U.S. Senator Tom Cotton. The Alabama primary runoff is June 21, 2022.
Mounting losses show limits of Donald Trump’s power
Donald Trump opened May by lifting a trailing Senate candidate in Ohio to the Republican nomination, seemingly cementing the former president’s kingmaker status before another possible White House run. He’s ending the month, however, stinging from a string of defeats that suggests a diminishing stature. Trump faced a series of setbacks in Tuesday’s primary elections as voters rejected his efforts to unseat two top targets for retribution: Georgia’s Republican governor and secretary of state, both of whom had rebuffed Trump’s extraordinary pressure to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. But the magnitude of defeat in the governor’s race — more than 50 percentage points — was especially stunning and raised questions about whether Republican voters are beginning to move on from Trump. Nearly six years after the one-time reality television star launched what seemed to be an improbable campaign for the White House, the “Make America Great Again” movement Trump helmed isn’t going anywhere. But voters are increasingly vocal in saying that the party’s future is about more than Trump. “I like Trump a lot, but Trump is in the past,” said David Butler of Woodstock, Georgia, who voted for Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday and said Trump’s endorsements had “no” impact “whatsoever” on his thinking. It was the same for Will Parbhoo, a 22-year-old dental assistant who also voted for Kemp. “I’m not really a Trumper,” he said after voting. “I didn’t like him to begin with. With all the election stuff, I was like, ‘Dude, move on.’” One thing Parbhoo liked about the current governor? “Kemp is focused on Georgia,” he said. Trump sought to play down the losses by his favored candidates, saying on his social media platform Wednesday that he had a “very big and successful evening of political Endorsements” and insisting some races “were not possible to win.” Still, the pattern of high-profile defeats is hard to ignore. After JD Vance vaulted from third to first place following Trump’s late-stage endorsement in the Ohio Senate primary, the dynamics took a turn. Trump’s pick in Nebraska’s primary for governor, Charles Herbster, lost his race after allegations surfaced that he had groped women. In Idaho a week later, the governor beat a Trump-backed challenger. In North Carolina, voters rebuffed Trump’s plea to give a scandal-plagued congressman a second chance. And in Pennsylvania, a marquee Senate primary featuring Trump-endorsed celebrity heart surgeon Mehmet Oz remains too close to call. But his biggest upset was in Georgia, a crucial swing state, where former Sen. David Perdue, whom Trump had lobbied to run and helped clear the field for, lost to Kemp. The governor was among Trump’s top targets after he refused to overturn the results of the 2020 White House election in his state. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who defied Trump’s call to “find” the votes to change the outcome two years ago — a call that is now under investigation — also won his party’s nomination. Attorney General Chris Carr and Insurance Commissioner John King — all opposed by Trump — were also successful in their primaires. In Alabama, Rep. Mo Brooks, whose Senate endorsement Trump rescinded as he struggled to gain traction, made it to a runoff, having gained support after Trump dropped him. Trump has endorsed in nearly 200 races, from governor to county commissioner, often inserting himself into contests that aren’t particularly competitive and helping bolster his compilation of wins. Some of his work, even in races with multiple candidates, has paid off. His early support helped football great Herschel Walker and Rep. Ted Budd sail to their respective Senate primary nominations in Georgia and North Carolina. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump’s former press secretary, easily won the GOP nomination for governor in Arkansas. And even in Georgia, all of the candidates Trump endorsed in open races won or will head to runoffs. Some allies say Trump’s endorsement tally is a poor measure of his influence, even if Trump constantly promotes that record. They argue that voters may support the former president and be eager for him to run again but may not be persuaded by his selections, especially in races with governors such as Kemp, who have long histories with voters. And even without Trump on the ballot, the party has been transformed in Trump’s image, with candidates adopting his “America First” platform, mimicking his tactics, and parroting his lies about a stolen election. But with Trump out of office and relegated to posting on his own social media platform, other voices are beginning to fill the void. Fox News host Tucker Carlson, the most-watched personality on cable television, has become a driving ideological force in the party. Republicans such as the conspiracy-embracing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who won her party’s nomination for reelection Tuesday, have taken up his mantle in Washington. Meanwhile, potential presidential rivals to Trump are waiting in the wings for 2024. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who has been distancing himself from Trump, rallied with Kemp in suburban Atlanta on Monday evening and told the crowd that “elections are about the future” — an implicit knock on his former boss. Trump has also spawned a new generation of candidates who have channeled his “MAGA” brand but who have done so independent of his support and see themselves as its next iteration. “MAGA doesn’t belong to him,” Kathy Barnette, the Pennsylvania Senate candidate whose late-stage surge stunned party insiders, said in an interview. “Trump coined the word. He does not own it.” While the left, she said, may see the “MAGA movement” as a “cult of Trump voters,” she said it goes far beyond one man. She argued that Trump had succeeded in 2016 because he aligned himself with voters’ concerns and said out loud what people were already thinking, particularly on immigration. She said she tried in her race to do the same. “I do believe Trump has an important voice still,” she added, but “he needs to get better advisers, and in addition to that, he needs to do better himself in remembering why we aligned with him. And it wasn’t because we were aligning with his
Nancy Pelosi says no State of the Union speech in the House until government opens
The Latest on the partial government shutdown (all times local): 2:50 p.m. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is officially postponing President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address until the government is fully reopened. The California Democrat told Trump in a letter Wednesday the Democratic-controlled House won’t pass the required measure for him to give the nationally televised speech from the House floor. Pelosi acted just hours after Trump notified her that he was planning to deliver the speech next Tuesday in line with her original invitation. Pelosi’s moves have left the White House scrambling to devise an alternative plan for the speech, which is one of the president’s top opportunities to lay out his agenda to the public. Pelosi said “I look forward to welcoming you to the House on a mutually agreeable date for this address when government has been opened.” ___ 11:25 a.m. President Donald Trump is urging state and local Republican leaders to “stick together” on his border wall demands. Trump held a conference call with state, local and community leaders Wednesday on the 33rd day of the partial government shutdown. During his remarks, Trump said he would not back down in his push for $5.7 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, calling it the “right policy.” The president also acknowledged there was “pressure” due to the shutdown, but argued it was worse for Democrats. Trump said “I think there’s more pressure on them than there is on us.” Polls show Trump gets most of the blame for the shutdown. Trump said: “We need this approved. We have to stick together.” ___ 11:20 a.m. A top White House economist says near-zero growth is possible in the first quarter if the government doesn’t fully reopen before the end of March. But Kevin Hassett, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, predicts a “humongous” rebound in the second quarter if the shutdown ends. Hassett told CNN on Wednesday that “we could end up with a number that’s very, very low” for January to March after the effects of an extended shutdown are factored into what typically is a weak first-quarter economic growth report. Pressed on whether that could mean no growth, Hassett said the number could be “very close to zero.” A stalemate between President Donald Trump and Democratic lawmakers over funding a U.S.-Mexico border wall has produced the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history, now on Day 33. ___ 10:55 a.m. House Democrats are considering drafting a new proposal to provide President Donald Trump with options for securing the border that don’t involve a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. No final decisions have been made, according to a senior Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity because the aide wasn’t authorized to discuss the lawmakers’ private discussions on the record. The proposals are likely to be drafted into a sweeping Homeland Security bill. Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York said Wednesday that personnel, technology and other options “are the things that would actually improve our border security.” Already, House Democrats have added $1.5 billion for border security to legislation being voted on this week. The funding would go toward immigration judges, bolstered infrastructure and aid to Central American countries. —Lisa Mascaro __ 10:15 a.m. The White House isn’t saying whether President Donald Trump will veto a bill that’s in the Senate to reopen the government through Feb. 8 while negotiations continue over his demand for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. But press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also didn’t say that Trump would sign the bill. Sanders declined on Wednesday to “get into hypotheticals” over the bill, which has been passed by the Democratic-controlled House and is due for a vote Thursday in the Republican-led Senate. Sanders says Trump put forward a plan that doesn’t kick the problem down the road. She was referring to a bill also set for a Senate vote Thursday reflecting Trump’s offer to trade border wall funding for temporary protection for some immigrants. Democrats have rejected the plan. Trump says a border wall is non-negotiable. ___ 12:15 a.m. Two different votes are set in the Republican-controlled Senate with the aim to end the partial government shutdown. One vote Thursday will be on a bill reflecting President Donald Trump’s demand for border wall funding in exchange for temporary protections for some immigrants. A second vote is set for a measure already passed by the Democratic-controlled House to reopen the government through Feb. 8. It doesn’t allow money for a border wall but gives bargainers more time to talk. Neither bill is expected to advance under Senate rules requiring at least 60 votes. Senate Democrats have dismissed Trump’s proposal, and it’s unclear whether Senate Republicans will back Trump’s insistence that the government remain closed until lawmakers allocate $5.7 billion for his long-promised border wall with Mexico. Republished with permission from the Associated Press
Donald Trump wants to deliver State of Union next week as planned
he White House is moving forward with plans for President Donald Trump to deliver his State of the Union speech next week in front of a joint session of Congress — despite a letter from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requesting he delay it. The White House sent an email to the House sergeant-at-arms asking to schedule a walk-through in anticipation of a Jan. 29 address, according to a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the planning by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. “Nancy Pelosi made the invitation to the president on the State of the Union. He accepted,” said White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “At this point, we’re moving forward.” The move is the latest in a game of political brinksmanship between Trump and the House Speaker as they remain locked in an increasingly personal standoff over Trump’s demand for border wall funding that has forced a partial government shutdown that is now in its second month. The gamesmanship began last week when Pelosi sent a letter to Trump suggesting that he either deliver the speech in writing or postpone it until after the partial government shutdown is resolved, citing security concerns. But the White House maintains Pelosi never formally rescinded her invitation, and is, in essence, calling her bluff. “She has not canceled it. She asked us to postpone it,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in an interview Tuesday with Fox News Channel. “We have no announcement at this time,” he said, “but Nancy Pelosi does not dictate to the president when he will or will not have a conversation with the American people.” At the same time, the White House is continuing to work on contingency plans to give Trump a backup in case the joint-session plans fall through. The president cannot speak in front of a joint session of Congress without both chambers’ explicit permission. A resolution needs to be agreed to by both chambers specifying the date and time for receiving an address from the president. Officials have been considering a list of potential alternative venues, including a rally-style event, an Oval office address— as Pelosi previously suggested — a speech before the Senate chamber, and even a return visit to the U.S.-Mexico border as Trump is expected to continue to hammer the need for a barrier, according to two others familiar with the discussions. Multiple versions are also being drafted to suit the final venue. The Constitution states only that the president “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union,” meaning the president can speak anywhere he chooses or give his update in writing. But a joint address in the House chamber, in front of lawmakers from both parties, the Supreme Court justices and invited guests, provides the kind of grand backdrop that is hard to mimic and that this president, especially, enjoys. Still, North Carolina’s House Speaker Tim Moore wrote a letter inviting Trump to deliver the speech in the North Carolina House chamber. And Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield on Friday invited Trump to deliver the address at the state Capitol in Lansing instead. Trump called Moore Monday evening, according to his office, and spoke by phone with Chatfield Tuesday morning, Chatfield tweeted. “I understand you have other plans for #SOTU, but as we discussed, I look forward to hosting you in Michigan again soon,” Chatfield wrote. Pelosi in her letter had cited the impact of the ongoing shutdown on the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Secret Service, questioning whether they could secure the speech given that they have been operating without funding. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen responded by assuring that DHS and Secret Service were “fully prepared to support and secure the State of the Union.” Asked about the letter by reporters Tuesday, Pelosi did not address the White House’s decision, saying only: “We just want people to get paid for their work.” Senior White House staff had been in a morning huddle discussing the upcoming speech when news of Pelosi’s letter first broke on TV. The power play — which Trump countered by revoking Pelosi’s use of a military aircraft, thereby canceling a congressional delegation visit to Afghanistan — had put the status of the marquee speech in limbo, leaving staff scrambling to figure out how to proceed. “We’ll keep you posted,” Sanders had told reporters when asked for a status update Friday. In their standoff, Trump has also accused Pelosi of behaving “irrationally,” while Pelosi has refused to negotiate with Trump on border funding until he agrees to reopen the government. In a tweet Sunday, Trump wrote that he was “still thinking about the State of the Union speech” and that there were “so many options – including doing it as per your written offer (made during the Shutdown, security is no problem), and my written acceptance.” “While a contract is a contract,” he wrote, “I’ll get back to you soon!” Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Donald Trump fumes over NYT op-ed; top officials swiftly deny role
Pushing back against explosive reports his own administration is conspiring against him, President Donald Trump lashed out against the anonymous senior official who wrote a New York Times opinion piece claiming to be part of a “resistance” working “from within” to thwart his most dangerous impulses. Perhaps as striking as the essay was the recognition of the long list of administration officials who plausibly could have been its author. Many have privately shared some of the same concerns expressed about the president with colleagues, friends and reporters. Washington was consumed by a wild guessing game as to the identity of the writer, and swift denials of involvement in the op-ed came Thursday from top administration officials, including from Vice President Mike Pence’s office, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Dan Coats, director of national intelligence, and other Cabinet members. Trump was furious, tweeting Thursday morning that “The Deep State and the Left, and their vehicle, the Fake News Media, are going Crazy – & they don’t know what to do.” The Deep State and the Left, and their vehicle, the Fake News Media, are going Crazy – & they don’t know what to do. The Economy is booming like never before, Jobs are at Historic Highs, soon TWO Supreme Court Justices & maybe Declassification to find Additional Corruption. Wow! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 6, 2018 On Wednesday night, Trump tweeted a demand that if “the GUTLESS anonymous person does indeed exist, the Times must, for National Security purposes, turn him/her over to government at once!” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called on the “coward” who wrote the piece to “do the right thing and resign.” White House officials did not immediately respond to a request to elaborate on Trump’s call for the writer to be turned over to the government or the unsupported national security ground of his demand. To some observers, the ultimatum appeared to play into the very concerns about the president’s impulses raised by the essay’s author. Trump has demanded that aides identify the leaker, according to two people familiar with the matter, though it was unclear how they might go about doing so. The two were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. In a “House of Cards”-style plot twist in an already over-the-top administration, Trump allies and political insiders scrambled to unmask the writer. But the op-ed also brought to light questions that have been whispered in Washington for more than a year: Is Trump truly in charge? And could a divided executive branch pose a danger to the country? Former CIA Director John Brennan, a fierce Trump critic, called the op-ed “active insubordination … born out of loyalty to the country.” “This is not sustainable to have an executive branch where individuals are not following the orders of the chief executive,” Brennan told NBC’s “Today” show. “I do think things will get worse before they get better. I don’t know how Donald Trump is going to react to this. A wounded lion is a very dangerous animal, and I think Donald Trump is wounded.” The anonymous author, claiming to be part of the “resistance” to Trump “working diligently from within” his administration, said, “Many Trump appointees have vowed to do what we can to preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr. Trump’s more misguided impulses until he is out of office.” “It may be cold comfort in this chaotic era, but Americans should know that there are adults in the room,” the author continued. “We fully recognize what is happening. And we are trying to do what’s right even when Donald Trump won’t.” Trump raged about the piece in the White House, calling around to confidants to vent about the disloyalty of the author and fuming that the so-called Deep State within the federal government had conspired against him, according to a person familiar with the president’s views but not authorized to discuss them publicly. The text of the op-ed was pulled apart for clues: The writer is identified as an “administration official”; does that mean a person who works outside the White House? The references to Russia and the late Sen. John McCain — do they suggest someone working in national security? Does the writing style sound like someone who worked at a think tank? In a tweet, the Times used the pronoun “he” to refer to the writer; does that rule out all women? The newspaper later said the tweet referring to “he” had been “drafted by someone who is not aware of the author’s identity, including the gender, so the use of ‘he’ was an error.” The Beltway guessing game seeped into the White House, as current and former staffers alike traded calls and texts trying to figure out who could have written the piece, some turning to reporters and asking them for clues. For many in Trump’s orbit, it was stunning to realize just how many people could have been the op-ed’s author. And some of the most senior members of the Trump administration were forced to deny they were the author of the attack on their boss. Hotly debated on Twitter was the author’s use of the word “lodestar,” which pops up frequently in speeches by Pence. Could the anonymous figure be someone in Pence’s orbit? Others argued that the word “lodestar” could have been included to throw people off. In a rare step, Pence’s communications director Jarrod Agen tweeted early Thursday that “The Vice President puts his name on his Op-Eds. The @nytimes should be ashamed and so should the person who wrote the false, illogical, and gutless op-ed. Our office is above such amateur acts.” Pompeo, who was in India, denied writing the anonymous opinion piece, saying, “It’s not mine.” He accused the media of trying to undermine the Trump administration and said he found that “incredibly disturbing.” Coats later issued his own denial, followed by Housing Secretary Ben Carson, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, budget director Mick
White House admits error for false claim on African-American employment
The White House has acknowledged error in its false claim that President Donald Trump created three times as many jobs for African-Americans than President Barack Obama. It was a rare admission of fault for an administration that frequently skews data and overstates economic gains. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Twitter late Tuesday that she had been wrong earlier that day when she told reporters that Obama created only 195,000 jobs for African-Americans during his tenure compared with Trump’s 700,000 new jobs in just two years. The U.S. economy actually added about 3 million jobs for black workers during Obama’s tenure, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “President Trump in his first year and a half has already tripled what President Obama did in eight years,” she told reporters during a Tuesday press briefing. But that assertion is false. Official statistics show black jobs went from 15.5 million when Obama took office in January 2008 to 18.4 million when he left in January 2017. In fact, the most dramatic drop in black unemployment came during the Obama administration as the nation climbed out of a crippling recession. Unemployment of black workers fell from 16.8 percent in March 2010 to 7.8 percent in January 2017. It is true that black workers under Trump have continued to see gains, reaching a record low of 5.9 percent in May. Still, black unemployment rate is now nearly double that of whites, which is 3.4 percent. Sanders tweeted Tuesday: “Jobs numbers for Pres Trump and Pres Obama were correct, but the time frame for Pres Obama wasn’t. I’m sorry for the mistake, but no apologies for the 700,000 jobs for African-Americans created under President Trump.” Sanders linked to a tweet by the White House Council of Economic Advisers, which claimed responsibility for the “miscommunication.” Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Donald Trump open to Moscow visit if Vladimir Putin formally invites him
President Donald Trump is open to visiting Moscow if formally invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House said Friday. Putin had said earlier Friday during a meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, that he was ready to invite Trump and also ready to visit Washington if conditions are right. That’s fine with Trump, said Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The U.S. president “looks forward to having President Putin to Washington after the first of the year, and he is open to visiting Moscow upon receiving a formal invitation,” she said. Trump had initially invited Putin to Washington this fall for a follow-up meeting to their controversial Helsinki summit. But National Security Adviser John Bolton said this week that Trump now believes the follow-up sit-down should take place “after the Russia witch hunt is over” and “after the first of the year.” He was referring to the federal investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and whether Trump’s campaign assisted or was aware of the efforts. Trump has repeatedly denounced the investigation as a “witch hunt” intended to delegitimize his presidency. Putin said Friday, “I understand very well what President Trump said: He has the wish to conduct further meetings. I am ready for this.” “We are ready to invite President Trump to Moscow,” Putin said, according to the state news agency RIA-Novosti. “By the way, he has such an invitation, I told him of this.” He did not clarify if that was a face-to-face invitation to be followed by a formal one. “I am prepared to go to Washington, but, I repeat, if the appropriate conditions for work are created,” the Russian leader said Trump has been widely criticized for failing to strongly denounce Russia’s election interference and appearing to accept Putin’s denials during their joint press conference in Helsinki. Trump has since tried to walk back at least some of his comments. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
