thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-13--Cardi B floats bid for Congress: 'I deadass have sooo much ideas'

Singer Cardi B , who last week said she wanted to leave the United States because President Trump is `` putting American lives in danger , '' now wants to be part of the U.S. government — even though she does n't agree with it .
`` I think I want to be a politician , '' tweeted the pop star .
`` I really love government even tho I do n't agree with Government . ''
Cardi B , 27 , said she was filing for a Nigerian passport the day after an airstrike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muhandis outside the Baghdad International Airport .
`` I do feel like if I go back to school and focus up I can be part of Congress , '' added Cardi B in a follow-up tweet .
`` I deadass have sooo much ideas that make sense . ''
The word `` deadass '' implies that Cardi B is serious about her ideas making sense .
This is n't the first time Cardi B has dabbled in politics .
Last year , a clip of the pop star demanding to see `` receipts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she pays a year went viral , with many suggesting that she run for Congress .
`` So you know , the government is taking 40 % of my taxes , '' said Cardi B in a video posted online .
`` Uncle Sam , I want to know what you 're doing with my f -- -ing tax money .
Because you know what I 'm saying , like , when you donate to a kid from a foreign country , they give you updates of what they doing with your donation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're doing with my f -- -ing tax money . ''

Singer Cardi B, who last week said she wanted to leave the United States because President Trump is "putting American lives in danger," now wants to be part of the U.S. government — even though she doesn't agree with it.
"I think I want to be a politician," tweeted the pop star. "I really love government even tho I don't agree with Government."
Cardi B, 27, said she was filing for a Nigerian passport the day after an airstrike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al Muhandis outside the Baghdad International Airport.
"I do feel like if I go back to school and focus up I can be part of Congress," added Cardi B in a follow-up tweet. "I deadass have sooo much ideas that make sense." The word "deadass" implies that Cardi B is serious about her ideas making sense.
This isn't the first time Cardi B has dabbled in politics. Last year, a clip of the pop star demanding to see "receipts" for the 40% in taxes she pays a year went viral, with many suggesting that she run for Congress.
"So you know, the government is taking 40% of my taxes," said Cardi B in a video posted online. "Uncle Sam, I want to know what you're doing with my f---ing tax money. Because you know what I'm saying, like, when you donate to a kid from a foreign country, they give you updates of what they doing with your donation. I want to know what you're doing with my f---ing tax money."
I think I want to be a politician.I really love government even tho I don’t agree with Goverment — iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 12, 2020
I do feel like if I go back to school and focus up I can be part of Congress.I deadass have sooo much ideas that make sense.I just need a couple of years of school and I can shake the table . — iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 13, 2020


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-13--Congress could vote Tuesday on war powers

A measure to limit President Trump ’ s authority to wage war with Iran could come up for a vote in the Senate as soon as Tuesday .
The sponsor of the Senate version , Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine , already has two GOP senators on board , Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky .
But Kaine needs two more Republicans to get the 51 vote simple majority needed for passage , and he ’ s hoping that Susan Collins of Maine and Jerry Moran of Kansas , who voted in the past for an amendment limiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the resolution over the top .
In a Saturday interview on Fox News , South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham dismissed the effort to rein in Trump as a meaningless exercise that has “ no effect of law.
” “ I do n't doubt their motives , ” he told Jeanine Pirro , “ They 're ... emboldening the enemy . ''
“ The Congress has the power to declare war .
That does n't mean that the commander in chief ca n't use military force to protect the country without Congress , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued .
“ We 've declared war less than 10 times in the history of the country , but we 've had military engagements hundreds of times.
” “ He has all the authority he needs to protect troops in the field , ” Graham added .
“ The War Powers Act is blatantly unconstitutional .
You can not have 535 commander in chiefs .
Can you imagine what our nation would look like if Bernie Sanders , Elizabeth Warren and Rand Paul and AOC , and keep going down that list , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless they all agreed ?
” Read more from our senior writer on defense and national security in today 's edition of Jamie McIntyre 's Daily on Defense .

A measure to limit President Trump’s authority to wage war with Iran could come up for a vote in the Senate as soon as Tuesday. The sponsor of the Senate version, Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine, already has two GOP senators on board, Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
But Kaine needs two more Republicans to get the 51 vote simple majority needed for passage, and he’s hoping that Susan Collins of Maine and Jerry Moran of Kansas, who voted in the past for an amendment limiting funding for military action, will push the resolution over the top.
In a Saturday interview on Fox News, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham dismissed the effort to rein in Trump as a meaningless exercise that has “no effect of law.”
“I don't doubt their motives,” he told Jeanine Pirro, “They're ... emboldening the enemy."
“The Congress has the power to declare war. That doesn't mean that the commander in chief can't use military force to protect the country without Congress,” Graham, a retired military lawyer, argued. “We've declared war less than 10 times in the history of the country, but we've had military engagements hundreds of times.”
“He has all the authority he needs to protect troops in the field,” Graham added. “The War Powers Act is blatantly unconstitutional. You cannot have 535 commander in chiefs. Can you imagine what our nation would look like if Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Rand Paul and AOC, and keep going down that list, that we couldn't defend the nation unless they all agreed?”
Read more from our senior writer on defense and national security in today's edition of Jamie McIntyre's Daily on Defense.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-13--Cory Booker drops out of 2020 presidential race

Cory Booker will no longer seek the Democratic Party nomination for president .
He announced his decision via a video posted on Twitter .
`` Today , I ’ m suspending my campaign for president with the same spirit with which it began .
It is my faith in us , my faith in us together as a nation , that we share common pain and common problems , '' Booker said .
`` And so now , I recommit myself to the work .
I can ’ t wait to get back on the campaign trail and campaign as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the eventual nominee and for candidates up and down the ballot . ''
His campaign manager , Addisu Demissie , announced in late September that Booker needed an influx of donations to stay in the race , $ 1.7 million by the end of the third quarter .
While the New Jersey senator met that goal , his fundraising was consistently a fraction of what top-tier competitors raised .
From the beginning of his candidacy , Booker struggled to gain much popular support .
Most polls throughout the primary race never had him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % in support , although the 50-year-old had met the polling and donor thresholds for the Democratic primary debates through October .
As Booker was unable to meet the Democratic thresholds needed to make presidential debates while billionaire businessman Tom Steyer continued to secure a spot , he expressed frustration that the debate stage did not adequately express the diversity of the party ’ s base and unsuccessfully lobbied the Democratic National Committee to ease debate standards .
The senator 's White House run had been speculated about for years until he finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with one of the largest ground teams in Iowa , ended his bid just three weeks before the Feb. 3 first-in-the-nation caucuses .
One complication for Booker ahead of the Iowa caucuses was that the Senate is expected to launch a trial for President Trump 's impeachment , keeping Booker in Washington and away from potential supporters in early voting states .
Throughout his campaign , Booker , a member of the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees , emphasized his support for social justice initiatives and introduced a Senate bill that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of reparations for American descendants of slaves .

Cory Booker will no longer seek the Democratic Party nomination for president.
He announced his decision via a video posted on Twitter.
"Today, I’m suspending my campaign for president with the same spirit with which it began. It is my faith in us, my faith in us together as a nation, that we share common pain and common problems," Booker said. "And so now, I recommit myself to the work. I can’t wait to get back on the campaign trail and campaign as hard as I can for whoever is the eventual nominee and for candidates up and down the ballot."
His campaign manager, Addisu Demissie, announced in late September that Booker needed an influx of donations to stay in the race, $1.7 million by the end of the third quarter. While the New Jersey senator met that goal, his fundraising was consistently a fraction of what top-tier competitors raised.
From the beginning of his candidacy, Booker struggled to gain much popular support. Most polls throughout the primary race never had him registering more than 2% to 3% in support, although the 50-year-old had met the polling and donor thresholds for the Democratic primary debates through October.
As Booker was unable to meet the Democratic thresholds needed to make presidential debates while billionaire businessman Tom Steyer continued to secure a spot, he expressed frustration that the debate stage did not adequately express the diversity of the party’s base and unsuccessfully lobbied the Democratic National Committee to ease debate standards.
The senator's White House run had been speculated about for years until he finally announced in February 2019. Booker, with one of the largest ground teams in Iowa, ended his bid just three weeks before the Feb. 3 first-in-the-nation caucuses.
One complication for Booker ahead of the Iowa caucuses was that the Senate is expected to launch a trial for President Trump's impeachment, keeping Booker in Washington and away from potential supporters in early voting states.
Throughout his campaign, Booker, a member of the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees, emphasized his support for social justice initiatives and introduced a Senate bill that would create a committee to study the impact of reparations for American descendants of slaves.
It’s with a full heart that I share this news—I’m suspending my campaign for president.
To my team, supporters, and everyone who gave me a shot—thank you. I am so proud of what we built, and I feel nothing but faith in what we can accomplish together. pic.twitter.com/Fxvc549vlJ — Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) January 13, 2020
[Previous coverage: Cory Booker plans additional attacks against Joe Biden]


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-13--Bookies push Bloomberg to third, Bernie Sanders jumps to first

All of Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg ’ s spending is getting him noticed just in time for the official @ @ @ @ @ season , pushing him to third in the latest betting odds .
The media mogul @ @ @ @ @ mayor ’ s odds to win the nomination are 11/2 , behind Sen. Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden , at 9/4 .
He is tied with Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
“ @ @ @ @ @ the betting markets even though he ’ s yet to appear in a Democratic debate @ @ @ @ @ industry analyst Alex Donohue .
“ However , he will have an audience after the @ @ @ @ @ s booked for an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
” When it @ @ @ @ @ , President Trump still leads , at 4/5 , followed by Biden and Sanders at @ @ @ @ @ to win it all shortened from 18/1 to 12/1 in the latest line .

All of Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg’s spending is getting him noticed just in time for the official start of the 2020 primary season, pushing him to third in the latest betting odds.
The media mogul and former New York City mayor’s odds to win the nomination are 11/2, behind Sen. Bernie Sanders, at 2/1, and Joe Biden, at 9/4. He is tied with Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
“Bloomberg continues to surge in the betting markets even though he’s yet to appear in a Democratic debate,” says US-Bookies betting industry analyst Alex Donohue. “However, he will have an audience after the debate, as he’s booked for an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
When it comes to the final vote, President Trump still leads, at 4/5, followed by Biden and Sanders at 5/1. Bloomberg's odds to win it all shortened from 18/1 to 12/1 in the latest line.
Odds to win the 2020 presidential election:
Donald Trump: 4/5
Joe Biden: 5/1
Bernie Sanders: 5/1
Michael Bloomberg: 12/1
Elizabeth Warren: 16/1
Pete Buttigieg: 22/1
Andrew Yang: 25/1
Amy Klobuchar: 69/1
Tom Steyer: 150/1
Tulsi Gabbard: 150/1
Odds to win the Democratic nomination:
Bernie Sanders: 2/1
Joe Biden: 9/4
Michael Bloomberg: 11/2
Elizabeth Warren: 11/2
Pete Buttigieg: 9/1
Andrew Yang: 16/1
Amy Klobuchar: 33/1
Tom Steyer: 150/1
Tulsi Gabbard: 200/1


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-13--Liberal Media Scream: Former New York Times critic says Trump aides are cultists, 'toadies'

It ’ s hard to imagine supporters of President Trump being ’ dissed worse than Hillary Rodham Clinton ’ s slap as “ deplorables , ” but a former New York Times critic has gone way beyond that , comparing them to cultists such as those who adored Charles Manson and even Adolf Hitler .
For our weekly Liberal Media Scream feature , we present Frank Rich , who was featured on MSNBC host Lawrence O ’ Donnell ’ s show to elaborate on his New York Magazine feature , “ What Will Happen to the Trump Toadies ?
Look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Vichy collaborators , for clues.
” On the Thursday episode , Rich said , “ Whatever crimes are found out now or in the course of the Trump presidency is nothing compared to what ’ s been buried that none of us know about . ''
He also described Trump supporters as part of a “ cult , ” warning “ the cult leader , whether it be the Reverend [ Sun Myung ] Moon , who was a Nixon supporter , or Jim Jones or whomever , Charlie Manson , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Rich on Thursday ’ s Last Word with O ’ Donnell on MSNBC : “ What I tried to do in this piece is make the point whoever goes to jail or doesn ’ t go to jail , whatever crimes are found out now or in the course of the Trump presidency , is nothing compared to what ’ s been buried that none of us know about , not even a very zealous investigative press has found yet .
And people are going to be turning over rocks for decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , General Motors and Ford both had executives who were essentially Hitler appeasers , and in the case of General Motors , were involved in the armaments that were used against American troops in manufacturing them in Germany during the war .
It took 40 years to find all that out , but it all came out .
“ And people who support these kind of regimes , whether it be appeasement then or America first in the ‘ 30s or Trump , which is , you know , let ’ s face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to slice it , there ’ s going to be a reckoning .
And one other thing I wanted to mention is , you can only take the Nixon analogy so far because , yes , Nixon abused his office .
He also tried to throw a presidential campaign .
But it would never occur to him to collaborate and aid the Soviet Union , America ’ s own enemy .
It would never occur to him , to my knowledge , to break up immigrant families at the border and turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It would never occur to him to , quite the contrary , to fight climate change science and to downgrade a regulation of environmental poisons .
And so these are really serious crimes and whether they produce jail sentences or not for the people who did them , they ’ ll be implicated and so will their children and their grandchildren .
There ’ s going to be a stain .
“ Here , it is a cult because they absolutely — people who , in some cases , did have reputations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good reputations , have made fools of themselves for their dear leader .
And the thing about cults is they always do come to an end .
And the cult leader , whether it be the Reverend Moon , who was a Nixon supporter , or Jim Jones or whomever , Charlie Manson , they ’ re never going to be reformed .
And that ’ s certainly true of Trump .
They will never see the problems with their ways .
But the people who swirl around them and were taken in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a price , a human price , and a reputational price forever.
” Brent Baker , Media Research Center vice president of research , explains our weekly pick : “ The very definition of Trump Derangement Syndrome ( TDS ) , getting all the paranoia into one article and TV segment , though transferring his disdain from President Trump directly to those working for Trump .
Supporters are like those who worked on behalf of the Nazis , the legally enacted policies staff helped implement are ‘ serious crimes ’ and those in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cult similar to the one led by Charles Manson .
Liberals were upset by the ‘ Lock Her Up ’ chants against Hillary Clinton , but isn ’ t that just what Rich is doing here in criminalizing policy disagreements ?
” Rating : Five out of five SCREAMS .

It’s hard to imagine supporters of President Trump being ’dissed worse than Hillary Rodham Clinton’s slap as “deplorables,” but a former New York Times critic has gone way beyond that, comparing them to cultists such as those who adored Charles Manson and even Adolf Hitler.
For our weekly Liberal Media Scream feature, we present Frank Rich, who was featured on MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell’s show to elaborate on his New York Magazine feature, “What Will Happen to the Trump Toadies? Look to Nixon’s defenders, and the Vichy collaborators, for clues.”
On the Thursday episode, Rich said, “Whatever crimes are found out now or in the course of the Trump presidency is nothing compared to what’s been buried that none of us know about."
He also described Trump supporters as part of a “cult,” warning “the cult leader, whether it be the Reverend [Sun Myung] Moon, who was a Nixon supporter, or Jim Jones or whomever, Charlie Manson, they’re never going to be reformed.”
Rich on Thursday’s Last Word with O’Donnell on MSNBC:
“What I tried to do in this piece is make the point whoever goes to jail or doesn’t go to jail, whatever crimes are found out now or in the course of the Trump presidency, is nothing compared to what’s been buried that none of us know about, not even a very zealous investigative press has found yet. And people are going to be turning over rocks for decades. And you look back at history, General Motors and Ford both had executives who were essentially Hitler appeasers, and in the case of General Motors, were involved in the armaments that were used against American troops in manufacturing them in Germany during the war. It took 40 years to find all that out, but it all came out.
“And people who support these kind of regimes, whether it be appeasement then or America first in the ‘30s or Trump, which is, you know, let’s face it, a criminal presidency however you want to slice it, there’s going to be a reckoning. And one other thing I wanted to mention is, you can only take the Nixon analogy so far because, yes, Nixon abused his office. He also tried to throw a presidential campaign. But it would never occur to him to collaborate and aid the Soviet Union, America’s own enemy. It would never occur to him, to my knowledge, to break up immigrant families at the border and turn away refugees from horrors in other countries. It would never occur to him to, quite the contrary, to fight climate change science and to downgrade a regulation of environmental poisons. And so these are really serious crimes and whether they produce jail sentences or not for the people who did them, they’ll be implicated and so will their children and their grandchildren. There’s going to be a stain.
“Here, it is a cult because they absolutely — people who, in some cases, did have reputations that they’ve now destroyed, good reputations, have made fools of themselves for their dear leader. And the thing about cults is they always do come to an end. And the cult leader, whether it be the Reverend Moon, who was a Nixon supporter, or Jim Jones or whomever, Charlie Manson, they’re never going to be reformed. And that’s certainly true of Trump. They will never see the problems with their ways. But the people who swirl around them and were taken in, they’re going to pay a price, a human price, and a reputational price forever.”
Brent Baker, Media Research Center vice president of research, explains our weekly pick: “The very definition of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS), getting all the paranoia into one article and TV segment, though transferring his disdain from President Trump directly to those working for Trump. Supporters are like those who worked on behalf of the Nazis, the legally enacted policies staff helped implement are ‘serious crimes’ and those in Trump’s orbit are in a cult similar to the one led by Charles Manson. Liberals were upset by the ‘Lock Her Up’ chants against Hillary Clinton, but isn’t that just what Rich is doing here in criminalizing policy disagreements?”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-13--Buzz: Trump silent vote is ‘on steroids,’ J. David Patterson to Pentagon, Trump hotel sale scrambles

Buzz: Trump silent vote is ‘on steroids,’ J. David Patterson to Pentagon, Trump hotel sale scrambles fans

President Trump 's campaign pollster John McLaughlin is expecting the “ silent vote ” for his boss to increase in this year ’ s presidential election .
“ We have a president who is doing what we feel , ” he said .
In 2016 , polls showed Trump losing to Hillary Clinton , but pollsters said many people simply lied about their choice out of fear they would be criticized for supporting the unconventional Republican .
In 2020 , McLaughlin said that will happen again “ on steroids.
” ... • Last fall ’ s California wildfires did about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute , home to the Gipper ’ s library and famous museum .
And now , officials tell us that they are trying to raise money to make repairs and replace the destroyed trees .
“ We did get some real and heavy damage in the way of lost trees and IT equipment , ” said Executive Director John Heubusch .
He said insurance won ’ t cover it all .
... • There were lots of cheers inside the Pentagon when Trump nominated J. David Patterson to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ readiness .
He ’ s a familiar face in the building , having served as comptroller and as a special assistant .
Plus , he was an Air Force pilot during the Vietnam War , an academic , and a company owner .
“ He ’ s the full package , ” said one official .
… • With the Trump International Hotel in Washington , D.C. , up for sale , fans and staffers of Trump are wondering if it will stop being their unofficial headquarters .
“ I think it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staffs itself , ” said former White House spokesman Sean Spicer .

President Trump's campaign pollster John McLaughlin is expecting the “silent vote” for his boss to increase in this year’s presidential election.
“We have a president who is doing what we feel,” he said. In 2016, polls showed Trump losing to Hillary Clinton, but pollsters said many people simply lied about their choice out of fear they would be criticized for supporting the unconventional Republican.
In 2020, McLaughlin said that will happen again “on steroids.” ...
Last fall’s California wildfires did about $500,000 in damage around the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, home to the Gipper’s library and famous museum. And now, officials tell us that they are trying to raise money to make repairs and replace the destroyed trees. “We did get some real and heavy damage in the way of lost trees and IT equipment,” said Executive Director John Heubusch. He said insurance won’t cover it all. ...
There were lots of cheers inside the Pentagon when Trump nominated J. David Patterson to be the principal deputy undersecretary for personnel and readiness. He’s a familiar face in the building, having served as comptroller and as a special assistant. Plus, he was an Air Force pilot during the Vietnam War, an academic, and a company owner. “He’s the full package,” said one official. …


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-13--Trump could be ‘big beneficiary' in Virginia gun control battle, urged to get involved

The exploding battle over gun control in Virginia could help President Trump return the state to the GOP in the November elections , according to a leader of the effort to swat back limits on weapons .
“ Gun owners are wide awake .
Donald Trump is going to be the big beneficiary of this , ” said Philip Van Cleave , president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League .
“ He should be tweeting more stuff on it , taking advantage of it , activating his base , ” he added .
In reaction to plans by the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass sweeping gun control measures , some 100,000 gun owners and supporters have flooded into county and city meetings in the past two months to call for “ gun sanctuaries ” to ignore any new state laws .
The state GOP has attended many of those meetings to sign up new voters .
Trump lost Virginia to Hillary Clinton in 2016 , 44.4 % to 49.8 % .
And , in the 2019 state elections , Democrats took control of Richmond .
But in threatening gun control , said Van Cleave , Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should help the GOP this year .
“ They basically declared war on gun owners , ” he said , adding , “ People are now active , awake , and they ’ re angry .
They ’ re not just saying , ‘ Oh , it ’ s irritating.
’ They ’ re mad.
” Gun owners proved that early Monday when they jammed a Senate committee meeting being held to review several gun control bills , including gun bans , a universal background check , and a limit on handgun purchases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for supporters to show up at the meeting .
One group said the meeting room was divided between pro- and anti-gun control supporters .
The National Rifle Association encouraged attendees with free ammunition magazines and T-shirts .

The exploding battle over gun control in Virginia could help President Trump return the state to the GOP in the November elections, according to a leader of the effort to swat back limits on weapons.
“Gun owners are wide awake. Donald Trump is going to be the big beneficiary of this,” said Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League.
“He should be tweeting more stuff on it, taking advantage of it, activating his base,” he added.
In reaction to plans by the state’s new Democratic legislative majority to pass sweeping gun control measures, some 100,000 gun owners and supporters have flooded into county and city meetings in the past two months to call for “gun sanctuaries” to ignore any new state laws.
EMERGENCY AIRLIFT: @Magpul_HQ sent us 1,000 30 Round PMAGs to hand out tomorrow in Richmond to NRA members who show up to fight Northam’s extreme gun ban!
We’ll see everyone TOMORROW at the General Assembly Building in Senate Sub-Committee Room #1 on the 5th Floor at 8am! #valeg pic.twitter.com/wovch0bTuU — NRA (@NRA) January 13, 2020
The state GOP has attended many of those meetings to sign up new voters.
Trump lost Virginia to Hillary Clinton in 2016, 44.4% to 49.8%. And, in the 2019 state elections, Democrats took control of Richmond.
Lines at the general assembly! pic.twitter.com/R28XsUNQVu — Phil Van Cleave VCDL (@VCDL_ORG) January 13, 2020
But in threatening gun control, said Van Cleave, Democrats “woke a sleeping giant” that should help the GOP this year.
“They basically declared war on gun owners,” he said, adding, “People are now active, awake, and they’re angry. They’re not just saying, ‘Oh, it’s irritating.’ They’re mad.”
Gun owners proved that early Monday when they jammed a Senate committee meeting being held to review several gun control bills, including gun bans, a universal background check, and a limit on handgun purchases.
VCDL and other gun groups pushed for supporters to show up at the meeting. One group said the meeting room was divided between pro- and anti-gun control supporters.
The National Rifle Association encouraged attendees with free ammunition magazines and T-shirts.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-14--Desperate Elizabeth Warren now says she'll cancel student debt by executive action

In her latest show of desperation , Sen. Elizabeth Warren is now promising to implement her student loan forgiveness plan by executive fiat , adding legal questions to an already reckless proposal .
With less than three weeks to go before Iowa , Warren needs to make a splash in Tuesday night 's debate .
She 's teetering on the edge of disaster in the first Democratic nomination contest , and a poor showing there would doom her presidential ambitions .
After her campaign spent yesterday pushing the idea that Sen. Bernie Sanders told her in a private meeting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she 's trying out a new gimmick to highlight a popular proposal from earlier in her campaign .
Last April , Warren proposed to offer debt cancellation of up to $ 50,000 to more than 42 million people , or 95 % of those with debt .
She claimed that will completely wipe out debt for 75 % of borrowers with student loans .
The proposal , which would be a slap in the face to those who already struggled to pay off their loans , would create an incredible moral hazard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if they rack up debt , the government will always step in to wipe it away .
That will no doubt cause a new wave of borrowers to take out even more debt and incentivize colleges to increase tuition .
As Reason 's Peter Suderman detailed at the time , it is also a giveaway to a class of Americans ( college graduates ) who are relatively well-off and connected .
Flaws aside , the proposal helped Warren gain steam last spring and summer , particularly with the type of younger liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign .
Perhaps sensing there are questions among the Democratic electorate about how any of these ambitious proposals are going to pass , Warren is now trying to bring back one of her greatest hits — only claiming she can implement it without Congress .
`` I will start to use existing laws on day one of my presidency to implement my student loan debt cancellation plan that offers relief to 42 million Americans , '' she explains in laying out her recycled proposal , which also promises `` all available tools to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crack down on for-profit institutions , and eliminate predatory lending . ''
Warren claims the Department of Education has `` broad legal authority to cancel student debt . ''
Sure , there are circumstances where debt that has n't been paid back is considered in default and gets written off as the government assumes it will never get repaid .
But there 's no precedent for anything this broad .
So there 's no doubt her proposal would trigger significant legal challenges .
Furthermore , there is the financing issue .
Warren originally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost $ 640 billion , to be paid for with revenues generated from her wealth tax .
Yet her wealth tax would require an act of Congress to pass .
In the meantime , where does the money come from to wipe away hundreds of billions of dollars in federal assets ?
It 's also particularly rich that at a time when Democrats are attacking Trump for bypassing Congress and expanding executive power , that she 'd come out with a proposal to use executive power in an unprecedented way .
Policy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why Warren expects that this gambit will help her much .
After the success of her student loan cancellation plan , Sanders one-upped her by promising to eliminate all $ 1.6 trillion of student loan debt .
Surely he would n't hesitate to wave away student loan debt by executive authority if such authority could be claimed , so it 's hard to see what advantage Warren hopes to gain here .

In her latest show of desperation, Sen. Elizabeth Warren is now promising to implement her student loan forgiveness plan by executive fiat, adding legal questions to an already reckless proposal.
With less than three weeks to go before Iowa, Warren needs to make a splash in Tuesday night's debate. She's teetering on the edge of disaster in the first Democratic nomination contest, and a poor showing there would doom her presidential ambitions. After her campaign spent yesterday pushing the idea that Sen. Bernie Sanders told her in a private meeting that a woman couldn't be elected president, she's trying out a new gimmick to highlight a popular proposal from earlier in her campaign.
Last April, Warren proposed to offer debt cancellation of up to $50,000 to more than 42 million people, or 95% of those with debt. She claimed that will completely wipe out debt for 75% of borrowers with student loans. The proposal, which would be a slap in the face to those who already struggled to pay off their loans, would create an incredible moral hazard by establishing the standard for young Americans that if they rack up debt, the government will always step in to wipe it away. That will no doubt cause a new wave of borrowers to take out even more debt and incentivize colleges to increase tuition. As Reason's Peter Suderman detailed at the time, it is also a giveaway to a class of Americans (college graduates) who are relatively well-off and connected.
Flaws aside, the proposal helped Warren gain steam last spring and summer, particularly with the type of younger liberal voters she'll need to revive her campaign. Perhaps sensing there are questions among the Democratic electorate about how any of these ambitious proposals are going to pass, Warren is now trying to bring back one of her greatest hits — only claiming she can implement it without Congress.
"I will start to use existing laws on day one of my presidency to implement my student loan debt cancellation plan that offers relief to 42 million Americans," she explains in laying out her recycled proposal, which also promises "all available tools to address racial disparities in higher education, crack down on for-profit institutions, and eliminate predatory lending."
Warren claims the Department of Education has "broad legal authority to cancel student debt." Sure, there are circumstances where debt that hasn't been paid back is considered in default and gets written off as the government assumes it will never get repaid. But there's no precedent for anything this broad. So there's no doubt her proposal would trigger significant legal challenges.
Furthermore, there is the financing issue. Warren originally claimed that her loan forgiveness plan would cost $640 billion, to be paid for with revenues generated from her wealth tax. Yet her wealth tax would require an act of Congress to pass. In the meantime, where does the money come from to wipe away hundreds of billions of dollars in federal assets?
It's also particularly rich that at a time when Democrats are attacking Trump for bypassing Congress and expanding executive power, that she'd come out with a proposal to use executive power in an unprecedented way.
Policy and legal issues aside, it is unclear why Warren expects that this gambit will help her much. After the success of her student loan cancellation plan, Sanders one-upped her by promising to eliminate all $1.6 trillion of student loan debt. Surely he wouldn't hesitate to wave away student loan debt by executive authority if such authority could be claimed, so it's hard to see what advantage Warren hopes to gain here.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-14--Elizabeth Warren’s nauseating fake victim script

Elizabeth Warren is a millionaire , a former Harvard professor , and one of the most prominent politicians in the country .
Yet the Massachusetts senator is nonetheless always looking for a way to play the victim .
The latest feud between Warren and fellow 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders offers just the latest example of her nauseating fake victim script .
Warren has been slipping in the polls , while Sanders is making something of a renaissance ahead of the Iowa caucuses coming up in just three weeks .
So she ’ s decided to resort to outrage-mongering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to back her up ) rather than take Sanders on for his ideas .
Warren cried wolf , that “ Bernie is sending his volunteers out to trash me.
” In reality , Politico that Sanders told his volunteers to use the following lines : Is that “ trashing ” Elizabeth Warren ?
Give me a break .
This is the most milquetoast of criticism , layered with positives , to boot .
But what came next was even worse .
Warren ( it was almost certainly her or her campaign ) that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he told her that a woman couldn ’ t win .
“ Sexism !
” was the implicit charge , absurdly suggesting that , right or wrong , a mere estimation of political reality would imply bigotry .
It probably isn ’ t even true .
Sanders has , which isn ’ t exactly credible to begin with , seeing as it almost undoubtedly came from Warren 's campaign .
Fellow 2020 contender Tulsi Gabbard has to say that she also met with Sanders before running and that he “ showed me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he always has.
” So this entire thing is probably another fake stunt from Warren , seeking sympathy when she knows she can ’ t get ahead on her merits .
It wouldn ’ t be the first time .
Warren does n't exactly have a long record of credibility .
Remember when Warren lied about being Native American for years ?
Well , when critics called her out on it , and some people gave her the hilarious nickname “ Pocahontas , ” she accused them of racism .
Again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fake minority status for her own professional gain , was the victim of racism in the situation .
The senator also lied about her family background to make herself seem more blue-collar , claiming multiple times that her father was a janitor .
But Warren 's brother reporters , “ My dad was never a janitor , '' and said it makes him “ furious ” to see Warren claiming otherwise .
She clearly tried to invent economic oppression where there was none .
As Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe has , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexism ” when faced with the normal criticisms that just about any politician receives .
How long will her fellow competitors allow this to continue ?
It ’ s about time Sanders or one of the other candidates calls Warren out on her repeated attempts to employ cheap self-victimization over actual arguments and ideas .

Elizabeth Warren is a millionaire, a former Harvard professor, and one of the most prominent politicians in the country. Yet the Massachusetts senator is nonetheless always looking for a way to play the victim.
The latest feud between Warren and fellow 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders offers just the latest example of her nauseating fake victim script. Warren has been slipping in the polls, while Sanders is making something of a renaissance ahead of the Iowa caucuses coming up in just three weeks. So she’s decided to resort to outrage-mongering (and count on the liberal media to back her up) rather than take Sanders on for his ideas.
Warren cried wolf, saying that “Bernie is sending his volunteers out to trash me.” In reality, Politico reported that Sanders told his volunteers to use the following lines:
The script instructs Sanders volunteers to tell voters leaning toward the Massachusetts senator that the “people who support her are highly-educated, more affluent people who are going to show up and vote Democratic no matter what” and that “she's bringing no new bases into the Democratic Party.” “I like Elizabeth Warren. [optional]” the script begins. “In fact, she’s my second choice. But here’s my concern about her.” It then pivots to the criticisms of Warren.
Is that “trashing” Elizabeth Warren? Give me a break. This is the most milquetoast of criticism, layered with positives, to boot. But what came next was even worse.
Warren (it was almost certainly her or her campaign) anonymously leaked to CNN claims that when she met with Sanders before running, he told her that a woman couldn’t win. “Sexism!” was the implicit charge, absurdly suggesting that, right or wrong, a mere estimation of political reality would imply bigotry.
It probably isn’t even true. Sanders has denied the charge , which isn’t exactly credible to begin with, seeing as it almost undoubtedly came from Warren's campaign. Fellow 2020 contender Tulsi Gabbard has spoken out to say that she also met with Sanders before running and that he “showed me the greatest respect and encouragement, just as he always has.”
So this entire thing is probably another fake stunt from Warren, seeking sympathy when she knows she can’t get ahead on her merits.
It wouldn’t be the first time. Warren doesn't exactly have a long record of credibility.
Remember when Warren lied about being Native American for years? Well, when critics called her out on it, and some people gave her the hilarious nickname “Pocahontas,” she accused them of racism. Again, Warren claimed that she, who exploited fake minority status for her own professional gain, was the victim of racism in the situation.
The senator also lied about her family background to make herself seem more blue-collar, claiming multiple times that her father was a janitor. But Warren's brother told reporters, “My dad was never a janitor," and said it makes him “furious” to see Warren claiming otherwise. She clearly tried to invent economic oppression where there was none.
As Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe has artfully detailed , Warren and her surrogates routinely cry “sexism” when faced with the normal criticisms that just about any politician receives.
How long will her fellow competitors allow this to continue? It’s about time Sanders or one of the other candidates calls Warren out on her repeated attempts to employ cheap self-victimization over actual arguments and ideas.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-14--In Sanders vs. Warren, Gabbard feels the Bern

Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are in a showdown , and anyone watching the Democratic debate on Tuesday night might want to grab popcorn .
While the two front-runners in the Democratic primary have typically played nice , Sanders will be on the offensive after what appears to be a Warren campaign leak saying Sanders once told the Massachusetts senator that a woman ca n't win the presidency .
When CNN first reported the news on Monday , Sanders vehemently denied it , saying , “ It is ludicrous to believe that at the same meeting where Elizabeth Warren told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president , I would tell her that a woman could n't win.
” Warren , on the other hand , appeared to distance herself magnanimously : If her campaign leaked Sanders 's comment , however , her position is not so magnanimous after all .
There is one candidate who comes out of this dust-up looking good , and she just might be able to benefit from it .
No , it 's not Warren — it 's Tulsi Gabbard .
Late on Monday , the presidential candidate , who will not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` I also met with @ BernieSanders before announcing my candidacy .
We had a nice one-on-one conversation and I informed him that I would be running for President .
In that meeting , he showed me the greatest respect and encouragement , just as he always has . ''
In aligning herself with Sanders , Gabbard could be gunning for a role in a Sanders administration .
At the very least , she distances herself from what appear to be Warren 's disingenuous attacks on Sanders , and she adopts the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one who will win the presidency , but one with more to gain if someone besides Warren nabs the nomination .

Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are in a showdown, and anyone watching the Democratic debate on Tuesday night might want to grab popcorn.
While the two front-runners in the Democratic primary have typically played nice, Sanders will be on the offensive after what appears to be a Warren campaign leak saying Sanders once told the Massachusetts senator that a woman can't win the presidency.
When CNN first reported the news on Monday, Sanders vehemently denied it, saying, “It is ludicrous to believe that at the same meeting where Elizabeth Warren told me she was going to run for president, I would tell her that a woman couldn't win.”
Warren, on the other hand, appeared to distance herself magnanimously:
"Among the topics that came up was what would happen if Democrats nominated a female candidate. I thought a woman could win; he disagreed. I have no interest in discussing this private meeting any further because Bernie and I have far more in common than our differences on punditry."
If her campaign leaked Sanders's comment, however, her position is not so magnanimous after all.
There is one candidate who comes out of this dust-up looking good, and she just might be able to benefit from it. No, it's not Warren — it's Tulsi Gabbard.
Late on Monday, the presidential candidate, who will not be on Tuesday's debate stage, tweeted: "I also met with @BernieSanders before announcing my candidacy. We had a nice one-on-one conversation and I informed him that I would be running for President. In that meeting, he showed me the greatest respect and encouragement, just as he always has."
In aligning herself with Sanders, Gabbard could be gunning for a role in a Sanders administration. At the very least, she distances herself from what appear to be Warren's disingenuous attacks on Sanders, and she adopts the posture of a trustworthy candidate — not one who will win the presidency, but one with more to gain if someone besides Warren nabs the nomination.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-14--Tulsi Gabbard pushes back against Warren: Sanders ‘showed me the greatest respect’

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard weighed in on reports that fellow 2020 Democrat Sen. Bernie Sanders told Sen. Elizabeth Warren that a woman ca n't win the presidency by recalling her own meeting with the Vermont senator before she jumped in the race .
`` I also met with @ BernieSanders before announcing my candidacy .
We had a nice one-on-one conversation and I informed him that I would be running for President , '' the Hawaii Democrat tweeted Monday night .
`` In that meeting , he showed me the greatest respect and encouragement , just as he always has .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversy over reports that Sanders told Warren `` he does not believe that a woman can win '' the Oval Office during a private meeting between the two in 2018 .
Warren did not initially comment on the story , but Sanders , 78 , quickly disputed the claim , calling it `` ludicrous . ''
`` It 's sad that three weeks before the Iowa caucus and a year after that private conversation , staff who were n't in the room are lying about what happened , '' he said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her silence on the rumor Monday evening in a statement backing up the claim .
`` Bernie and I met for more than two hours in December 2018 to discuss the 2020 election , our past work together , and our shared goals : beating Donald Trump , taking back our government from the wealthy and well-connected , and building an economy that works for everyone , '' she said .
`` Among the topics that came up was what would happen if Democrats nominated a female candidate .
I thought a woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those close to the Sanders campaign suspected that Warren 's team or even the candidate herself planted the story during an escalation of a feud between the pair after a leaked internal memo from Sanders 's team revealed over the weekend that he instructed volunteers to attack Warren for having an `` affluent '' voter base .
Warren hit back , saying she was `` disappointed to hear that Bernie is sending his volunteers out to trash me , '' and Sanders later distanced himself from the volunteer campaign script , calling it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aside from the latest back-and-forths , the liberal presidential candidates , who normally team up to defend their leftist policies from criticism by more center-left rivals , had been operating under an apparent nonaggression pact .

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard weighed in on reports that fellow 2020 Democrat Sen. Bernie Sanders told Sen. Elizabeth Warren that a woman can't win the presidency by recalling her own meeting with the Vermont senator before she jumped in the race.
"I also met with @BernieSanders before announcing my candidacy. We had a nice one-on-one conversation and I informed him that I would be running for President," the Hawaii Democrat tweeted Monday night. "In that meeting, he showed me the greatest respect and encouragement, just as he always has."
I also met with @BernieSanders before announcing my candidacy. We had a nice one-on-one conversation and I informed him that I would be running for President. In that meeting, he showed me the greatest respect and encouragement, just as he always has. — Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) January 14, 2020
Gabbard's tweet followed a daylong controversy over reports that Sanders told Warren "he does not believe that a woman can win" the Oval Office during a private meeting between the two in 2018. Warren did not initially comment on the story, but Sanders, 78, quickly disputed the claim, calling it "ludicrous."
"It's sad that three weeks before the Iowa caucus and a year after that private conversation, staff who weren't in the room are lying about what happened," he said in a statement.
Warren, 70, broke her silence on the rumor Monday evening in a statement backing up the claim.
"Bernie and I met for more than two hours in December 2018 to discuss the 2020 election, our past work together, and our shared goals: beating Donald Trump, taking back our government from the wealthy and well-connected, and building an economy that works for everyone," she said. "Among the topics that came up was what would happen if Democrats nominated a female candidate. I thought a woman could win; he disagreed."
Those close to the Sanders campaign suspected that Warren's team or even the candidate herself planted the story during an escalation of a feud between the pair after a leaked internal memo from Sanders's team revealed over the weekend that he instructed volunteers to attack Warren for having an "affluent" voter base.
Warren hit back, saying she was "disappointed to hear that Bernie is sending his volunteers out to trash me," and Sanders later distanced himself from the volunteer campaign script, calling it a "media blow up."
Aside from the latest back-and-forths, the liberal presidential candidates, who normally team up to defend their leftist policies from criticism by more center-left rivals, had been operating under an apparent nonaggression pact.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-14--Centrist Democrats coalesce behind Biden as Trump threat looms over their districts

Centrist Democrats are getting behind Joe Biden in the Democratic primary , moving to avoid being swept from office in House districts that could swing to President Trump in 2020 .
With the endorsement of Texas congressman Colin Allred on Monday , Biden has accumulated support from four freshman Democrats who narrowly flipped historically Republican House seats in the midterm elections .
In backing Biden , battleground Democrats are rebuking Bernie Sanders socialism and Elizabeth Warren liberalism , implicitly conceding they have little faith that the former vice president ’ s closest competitors for the nomination can defeat Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in almost every poll , ” said Garry South , a veteran Democratic operative in California .
Among Biden ’ s congressional supporters : Reps. Abby Finkenauer of Iowa , Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania , Elaine Luria of Virginia , and Allred .
All are classified as vulnerable by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee , the House Democratic campaign arm , and were named to the DCCC ’ s “ front line ” program for incumbents who represent districts that are competitive or likely to vote Republican at the top of ticket .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of New York .
In Congress since 2013 , he is not in the `` front line '' but certainly qualifies .
Trump lost Allred ’ s suburban Dallas seat by 1.9 percentage points in 2016 .
But he beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in Finkenauer ’ s central Iowa district by 3.5 points , won Lamb ’ s western Pennsylvania district by 2.6 points , finished on top in Luria ’ s Norfolk-area , Virginia , seat by 3.4 points , and won Maloney 's suburban New York district by 1.9 points .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ better against Trump than Sanders , Warren , or Pete Buttigieg , another leading candidate viewed as more moderate than Sanders or Warren .
Congressional Democrats who could face uphill reelection battles this year are responding accordingly .
The House Democrat charged with overseeing the DCCC ’ s “ front line ” program , Ami Bera of California , also endorsed Biden .
“ It can be assumed that the freshman endorsing Vice President Biden not only believe in him but also know that he is the best top of the ticket influence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategist said , requesting anonymity in order to speak candidly .
“ Their endorsements are likely aimed at influencing the primary but also laying down an early marker of where they stand when it comes to the left-right divide on the presidential stage.
” With the first votes in the Iowa caucuses just weeks away , the Democratic contest is unsettled .
Biden leads by 9 points nationally , per an average of recent polls .
But he is tied with Sanders and Warren in Iowa and New Hampshire , which holds the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Democratic establishment has gravitated to Biden , 77 , convinced that he is more electable than Sanders , 78 , and Warren , 70 , who enjoy more support from young Democratic voters .
The two senators from Vermont and Massachusetts are considered more liberal than Biden , an old-school labor Democrat who is quite liberal himself , but less so by current standards .
For instance , Sanders and Warren are proposing a government takeover of health care .
Biden is opposed , although he proposes implementing a public option that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy into a government system similar to Medicare .
Biden , an adviser said , `` is proud to have the support of so many leaders who recently flipped their seats and who know exactly what it takes to win in tough races .
Joe Biden is not just the only candidate who can beat Donald Trump , he 's the best-equipped to bring us down-ballot wins . ''

Centrist Democrats are getting behind Joe Biden in the Democratic primary, moving to avoid being swept from office in House districts that could swing to President Trump in 2020.
With the endorsement of Texas congressman Colin Allred on Monday, Biden has accumulated support from four freshman Democrats who narrowly flipped historically Republican House seats in the midterm elections. In backing Biden, battleground Democrats are rebuking Bernie Sanders socialism and Elizabeth Warren liberalism, implicitly conceding they have little faith that the former vice president’s closest competitors for the nomination can defeat Trump.
“Biden has pretty consistently led Trump in almost every poll,” said Garry South, a veteran Democratic operative in California.
Among Biden’s congressional supporters: Reps. Abby Finkenauer of Iowa, Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, Elaine Luria of Virginia, and Allred. All are classified as vulnerable by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the House Democratic campaign arm, and were named to the DCCC’s “front line” program for incumbents who represent districts that are competitive or likely to vote Republican at the top of ticket. Add to that list Rep. Sean Maloney of New York. In Congress since 2013, he is not in the "front line" but certainly qualifies.
Trump lost Allred’s suburban Dallas seat by 1.9 percentage points in 2016. But he beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in Finkenauer’s central Iowa district by 3.5 points, won Lamb’s western Pennsylvania district by 2.6 points, finished on top in Luria’s Norfolk-area, Virginia, seat by 3.4 points, and won Maloney's suburban New York district by 1.9 points.
In key battlegrounds, Biden routinely polls better against Trump than Sanders, Warren, or Pete Buttigieg, another leading candidate viewed as more moderate than Sanders or Warren. Congressional Democrats who could face uphill reelection battles this year are responding accordingly. The House Democrat charged with overseeing the DCCC’s “front line” program, Ami Bera of California, also endorsed Biden.
“It can be assumed that the freshman endorsing Vice President Biden not only believe in him but also know that he is the best top of the ticket influence on their races,” a Democratic strategist said, requesting anonymity in order to speak candidly. “Their endorsements are likely aimed at influencing the primary but also laying down an early marker of where they stand when it comes to the left-right divide on the presidential stage.”
With the first votes in the Iowa caucuses just weeks away, the Democratic contest is unsettled. Biden leads by 9 points nationally, per an average of recent polls. But he is tied with Sanders and Warren in Iowa and New Hampshire, which holds the first traditional primary and votes second.
The Democratic establishment has gravitated to Biden, 77, convinced that he is more electable than Sanders, 78, and Warren, 70, who enjoy more support from young Democratic voters.
The two senators from Vermont and Massachusetts are considered more liberal than Biden, an old-school labor Democrat who is quite liberal himself, but less so by current standards. For instance, Sanders and Warren are proposing a government takeover of health care. Biden is opposed, although he proposes implementing a public option that would enable Americans younger than 65 to buy into a government system similar to Medicare.
Biden, an adviser said, "is proud to have the support of so many leaders who recently flipped their seats and who know exactly what it takes to win in tough races. Joe Biden is not just the only candidate who can beat Donald Trump, he's the best-equipped to bring us down-ballot wins."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-14--Bernie Sanders vs. Elizabeth Warren and four other things to watch for during the Democratic debate

With Iowa polls showing a tight , fluid race between the top four candidates in the 2020 Democratic field , the last debate before the first votes are cast could be a critical moment for the White House hopefuls .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , businessman Tom Steyer , and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren debate in Iowa on Tuesday evening .
Here are five things to watch : The two left-wing ideological candidates have refrained from attacking each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far .
But a Sanders volunteer script revealed over the weekend has heightened tensions between the candidates , causing Warren , 70 , to criticize Sanders , 78 , for `` sending his volunteers out to trash me '' and fundraise off the document .
Tensions escalated when Warren said Monday that Sanders told her in a private 2018 meeting that he did not think a woman could win the presidency in 2020 .
Sanders has denied the comment .
Warren stated that she does not want to discuss the matter further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up on the stage .
President Trump 's ordered strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Quds Force leader Gen. Qassem Soleimani earlier this month put candidates ' foreign policy in the spotlight .
The candidates have doubted that the Trump administration thought through next steps in the region after Soleimani 's death , with Warren and Sanders warning that it could lead to another war in the Middle East .
Expect the contenders to make their pitches on how they would better handle the situation as commander in chief .
Biden 's history of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a point of conflict during the debate .
With the Middle East back in the spotlight , the Sanders campaign slammed Biden , 77 , for not being truthful about his support for the war .
While Biden has claimed several times on the campaign trail that he “ from the moment ” the March 2003 invasion started , the public record shows Biden supporting the effort months later .
Though Klobuchar , 59 , is still a second-tier candidate in the polls , her performances at previous debates have been spun into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be overlooked on Feb. 3 .
The pragmatic Midwestern contender for the nomination has recently deprioritized differentiating herself from her more liberal rivals .
Instead , she has targeted opponents such as Pete Buttigieg , from whom she needs to swipe support if she wants to meet the caucus 's 15 % viability thresholds and stay in the race .
But she may not leave the debate stage unscathed .
A former country attorney , her prosecutorial record has yet to be picked apart like California Sen. Kamala Harris 's was earlier in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he deserves a seat at the table Steyer , a billionaire hedge fund manager-turned-activist philanthropist who is largely self-funding his campaign , surprised many when he surged in a pair of polls released last week to 15 % in South Carolina and 12 % support in Nevada , helping him make the cut for the debate just before the qualifying deadline .
Rival campaigns criticize Steyer , 62 , for heavy ad spending and accuse him of trying to buy support .
Before the former New York Mayor and ultrabillionaire Michael Bloomberg entered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in ad spending .
Outside commentators wonder whether Steyer 's support is genuine .
Voters are not as familiar with Steyer as they are with top-tier candidates and even some candidates who will not be in the debate , and January could be his last chance on a national stage outside of advertisements .
Buttigieg , 37 , embarked on his White House bid as an underdog .
But his rise in the polls and popularity with donors has made him vulnerable to attacks , particularly over his corporate work with a management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Napa Valley `` wine cave . ''
Regardless of whether the dings cost him 9 percentage points in the most recent Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll , the Harvard grad , Rhodes scholar , and former naval Intelligence officer who served in Afghanistan requires a strong performance heading into the Feb. 3 caucuses so he can at least meet the high expectations set by political pundits .
Watch to see if he raises his military experience in response to questions about tensions in Iran .

With Iowa polls showing a tight, fluid race between the top four candidates in the 2020 Democratic field, the last debate before the first votes are cast could be a critical moment for the White House hopefuls.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, businessman Tom Steyer, and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren debate in Iowa on Tuesday evening. Here are five things to watch:
1. Beef between Sanders and Warren
The two left-wing ideological candidates have refrained from attacking each other during almost all of the primary campaign so far. But a Sanders volunteer script revealed over the weekend has heightened tensions between the candidates, causing Warren, 70, to criticize Sanders, 78, for "sending his volunteers out to trash me" and fundraise off the document.
Tensions escalated when Warren said Monday that Sanders told her in a private 2018 meeting that he did not think a woman could win the presidency in 2020. Sanders has denied the comment. Warren stated that she does not want to discuss the matter further, but it is likely to come up on the stage.
2. Iran policy and Biden's Iraq War support
President Trump's ordered strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Quds Force leader Gen. Qassem Soleimani earlier this month put candidates' foreign policy in the spotlight. The candidates have doubted that the Trump administration thought through next steps in the region after Soleimani's death, with Warren and Sanders warning that it could lead to another war in the Middle East. Expect the contenders to make their pitches on how they would better handle the situation as commander in chief.
Biden's history of support for the Iraq War could be a point of conflict during the debate. With the Middle East back in the spotlight, the Sanders campaign slammed Biden, 77, for not being truthful about his support for the war. While Biden has claimed several times on the campaign trail that he opposed the effort “from the moment” the March 2003 invasion started, the public record shows Biden supporting the effort months later.
3. Klobuchar's last stand?
Though Klobuchar, 59, is still a second-tier candidate in the polls, her performances at previous debates have been spun into a media narrative suggesting she should not be overlooked on Feb. 3. The pragmatic Midwestern contender for the nomination has recently deprioritized differentiating herself from her more liberal rivals. Instead, she has targeted opponents such as Pete Buttigieg, from whom she needs to swipe support if she wants to meet the caucus's 15% viability thresholds and stay in the race.
But she may not leave the debate stage unscathed. A former country attorney, her prosecutorial record has yet to be picked apart like California Sen. Kamala Harris's was earlier in the primary.
4. Steyer showing he deserves a seat at the table
Steyer, a billionaire hedge fund manager-turned-activist philanthropist who is largely self-funding his campaign, surprised many when he surged in a pair of polls released last week to 15% in South Carolina and 12% support in Nevada, helping him make the cut for the debate just before the qualifying deadline.
Rival campaigns criticize Steyer, 62, for heavy ad spending and accuse him of trying to buy support. Before the former New York Mayor and ultrabillionaire Michael Bloomberg entered the race, Steyer led the field in ad spending. Outside commentators wonder whether Steyer's support is genuine.
Voters are not as familiar with Steyer as they are with top-tier candidates and even some candidates who will not be in the debate, and January could be his last chance on a national stage outside of advertisements.
5. Buttigieg's expecations fight
Buttigieg, 37, embarked on his White House bid as an underdog. But his rise in the polls and popularity with donors has made him vulnerable to attacks, particularly over his corporate work with a management consultancy firm and exclusive fundraiser in a Napa Valley "wine cave."
Regardless of whether the dings cost him 9 percentage points in the most recent Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll, the Harvard grad, Rhodes scholar, and former naval Intelligence officer who served in Afghanistan requires a strong performance heading into the Feb. 3 caucuses so he can at least meet the high expectations set by political pundits. Watch to see if he raises his military experience in response to questions about tensions in Iran.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-14--Warren describes private meeting with Sanders: ‘I thought a woman could win; he disagreed’

Elizabeth Warren backed up reports that Sen. Bernie Sanders said in a 2018 meeting that he did not think Democrats could win an election with a female nominee .
`` Bernie and I met for more than two hours in December 2018 to discuss the 2020 election , our past work together , and our shared goals : beating Donald Trump , taking back our government from the wealthy and well-connected , and building an economy that works for everyone , '' Warren , 70 , said in a statement Monday .
The Massachusetts senator continued : `` Among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen if Democrats nominated a female candidate .
I thought a woman could win ; he disagreed . ''
CNN broke the story earlier Monday , citing two people Warren talked to right after the meeting and two others who were familiar with it .
The Warren campaign initially did not comment on the story .
`` I have no interest in discussing this private meeting any further because Bernie and I have far more in common than our differences on punditry , '' Warren said .
`` We have been friends and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , and I have no doubt we will continue to work together to defeat Donald Trump and put our government on the side of the people . ''
Sanders , 78 , denied the original allegation , saying that `` staff who were n't in the room are lying about what happened . ''
“ It is ludicrous to believe that at the same meeting where Elizabeth Warren told me she was going to run for president , I would tell her that a woman could n't win , ” the Vermont @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders campaign suspected that Warren 's team or even the candidate herself planted the story in an escalation of a feud between the two presidential hopefuls .
The incident follows the revelation of a Sanders campaign volunteer script that broke an apparent nonaggression pact between the left-wing ideological allies and Democratic presidential rivals .
Sanders volunteers were encouraged to tell voters leaning toward Warren that she brings `` no new bases into the Democratic Party '' and only appeals to `` highly educated , more affluent people who are going to show up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' I was disappointed to hear that Bernie is sending his volunteers out to trash me .
Bernie knows me and has known me for a long time , '' Warren told reporters in Marshalltown , Iowa , on Sunday .
The same day , about 100 miles away in Iowa City , Sanders distanced himself from the volunteer campaign script .
`` We have over 500 people on our campaign .
People do certain things .
I 'm sure that in Elizabeth ’ s campaign , people do certain things , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But you have heard me for months .
I have never said a negative word about Elizabeth Warren , who is a friend of mine . ''

Elizabeth Warren backed up reports that Sen. Bernie Sanders said in a 2018 meeting that he did not think Democrats could win an election with a female nominee.
"Bernie and I met for more than two hours in December 2018 to discuss the 2020 election, our past work together, and our shared goals: beating Donald Trump, taking back our government from the wealthy and well-connected, and building an economy that works for everyone," Warren, 70, said in a statement Monday.
The Massachusetts senator continued: "Among the topics that came up was what would happen if Democrats nominated a female candidate. I thought a woman could win; he disagreed."
CNN broke the story earlier Monday, citing two people Warren talked to right after the meeting and two others who were familiar with it. The Warren campaign initially did not comment on the story.
"I have no interest in discussing this private meeting any further because Bernie and I have far more in common than our differences on punditry," Warren said. "We have been friends and allies in this fight for a long time, and I have no doubt we will continue to work together to defeat Donald Trump and put our government on the side of the people."
Sanders, 78, denied the original allegation, saying that "staff who weren't in the room are lying about what happened."
“It is ludicrous to believe that at the same meeting where Elizabeth Warren told me she was going to run for president, I would tell her that a woman couldn't win,” the Vermont senator said.
Those close to the Sanders campaign suspected that Warren's team or even the candidate herself planted the story in an escalation of a feud between the two presidential hopefuls.
The incident follows the revelation of a Sanders campaign volunteer script that broke an apparent nonaggression pact between the left-wing ideological allies and Democratic presidential rivals. Sanders volunteers were encouraged to tell voters leaning toward Warren that she brings "no new bases into the Democratic Party" and only appeals to "highly educated, more affluent people who are going to show up and vote Democratic no matter what.”
"I was disappointed to hear that Bernie is sending his volunteers out to trash me. Bernie knows me and has known me for a long time," Warren told reporters in Marshalltown, Iowa, on Sunday.
The same day, about 100 miles away in Iowa City, Sanders distanced himself from the volunteer campaign script.
"We have over 500 people on our campaign. People do certain things. I'm sure that in Elizabeth’s campaign, people do certain things, as well," he said. "But you have heard me for months. I have never said a negative word about Elizabeth Warren, who is a friend of mine."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-14--Biden battles to stave off Iowa humiliation

DES MOINES , Iowa — For a candidate whose campaign has repeatedly said he does n't need to win Iowa to secure the Democratic Party 's presidential nomination , Joe Biden is spending a lot of time in the state .
So far , Biden 's Iowa push has seen some returns .
On Monday , a poll of Iowa Democrats found former Vice President Joe Biden leading the field with 24 % support , a 5-point increase since placing second in a November survey by the same group .
But others , such as the latest Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything but sure .
That poll of likely Democratic caucusgoers in the state showed Biden in fourth place at just 15 % support , behind former South Bend , Indiana , Pete Buttigieg at 16 % .
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders led the pack at 20 % , with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 17 % .
Those close to the former vice president insist they are unconcerned with how their candidate will fare in the Iowa caucuses , confidently predicting that large-margin wins in South Carolina and on Super Tuesday would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The campaign has shed its previous carefully cultivated , carefree attitude about Iowa .
Biden 's super PAC has spent $ 2.3 million flooding airwaves with advertisements since October , which , combined with the campaign 's own $ 1.8 million in spending , means Biden and his supporters have spent more money on television advertisements in Iowa than any other campaign .
Both Sanders and Buttigieg are tied for second at $ 3.9 million in ad spending .
A poor finish would be reminiscent of Biden 's last two White House bids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately after the Iowa caucuses .
In 2008 , Biden placed fifth in the state with less than 1 % of the vote .
And a loss in Iowa could also affect the New Hampshire primary , which Biden has repeatedly proclaimed he would win .
But Biden , 77 , also has signs of support from New Hampshire Democrats , as a Monday poll by Franklin Pierce University , the Boston Herald , and NBC10 Boston shows a narrow lead over Sanders and Warren : 26 % , a 2-point bump over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ahead of Sanders 's 22 % and Warren 's 18 % .
Support for Sanders , 78 , in New Hampshire remained steady since October , but Warren , 70 , whose White House campaign began to falter in the fall after her backpedal on Medicare for All , plummeted 7 percentage points in contrast with her earlier 25 % of the vote .
The other top contender in the Democratic primary , Pete Buttigieg , 37 , dropped from 9 % last October to 7 % in January .
The Franklin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field by RKM Research and Communications , questioned 434 likely Democratic primary voters over the phone between Jan. 8 and Jan. 12 , 2020 .
Its findings have a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points , given its relatively small sample size .
Going 0-2 before his firewall of South Carolina , those close to Biden have said , could lead to a death spiral of declining fundraising and support .
Biden 's central campaign message , that he is the most electable candidate to take on President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inability to win over his party 's voters in a primary .
All of this would happen while Sanders has been aggressively courting Biden 's voters .
Biden 's campaign has , in recent weeks , announced a number of endorsements from heavy hitters such as former Gov .
Tom Vilsack .
On Jan. 2 , Biden 's campaign announced the first Iowa congressional endorsement , from Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer .
On Monday , Biden announced the endorsement of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller , who is the only official in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office for 10 terms .
Joining Biden on the Iowa campaign trail recently is also former Secretary of State John Kerry , who announced his endorsement of Biden in the state last December .
Kerry , a former senator who was the Democratic nominee for president in 2004 , won the Iowa caucus that year in a surprise upset .

DES MOINES, Iowa — For a candidate whose campaign has repeatedly said he doesn't need to win Iowa to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, Joe Biden is spending a lot of time in the state.
So far, Biden's Iowa push has seen some returns. On Monday, a poll of Iowa Democrats found former Vice President Joe Biden leading the field with 24% support, a 5-point increase since placing second in a November survey by the same group. But others, such as the latest Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll, show that his lead is anything but sure.
That poll of likely Democratic caucusgoers in the state showed Biden in fourth place at just 15% support, behind former South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg at 16%. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders led the pack at 20%, with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 17%.
Those close to the former vice president insist they are unconcerned with how their candidate will fare in the Iowa caucuses, confidently predicting that large-margin wins in South Carolina and on Super Tuesday would be sufficient to cut his rivals off.
The campaign has shed its previous carefully cultivated, carefree attitude about Iowa. Biden's super PAC has spent $2.3 million flooding airwaves with advertisements since October, which, combined with the campaign's own $1.8 million in spending, means Biden and his supporters have spent more money on television advertisements in Iowa than any other campaign. Both Sanders and Buttigieg are tied for second at $3.9 million in ad spending.
A poor finish would be reminiscent of Biden's last two White House bids, which ended in disaster before or immediately after the Iowa caucuses. In 2008, Biden placed fifth in the state with less than 1% of the vote.
And a loss in Iowa could also affect the New Hampshire primary, which Biden has repeatedly proclaimed he would win. But Biden, 77, also has signs of support from New Hampshire Democrats, as a Monday poll by Franklin Pierce University, the Boston Herald, and NBC10 Boston shows a narrow lead over Sanders and Warren: 26%, a 2-point bump over the same poll's showing in October and ahead of Sanders's 22% and Warren's 18%.
Support for Sanders, 78, in New Hampshire remained steady since October, but Warren, 70, whose White House campaign began to falter in the fall after her backpedal on Medicare for All, plummeted 7 percentage points in contrast with her earlier 25% of the vote.
The other top contender in the Democratic primary, Pete Buttigieg, 37, dropped from 9% last October to 7% in January. The Franklin Pierce University poll, put in the field by RKM Research and Communications, questioned 434 likely Democratic primary voters over the phone between Jan. 8 and Jan. 12, 2020. Its findings have a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points, given its relatively small sample size.
Going 0-2 before his firewall of South Carolina, those close to Biden have said, could lead to a death spiral of declining fundraising and support. Biden's central campaign message, that he is the most electable candidate to take on President Trump, would also be undermined by his inability to win over his party's voters in a primary. All of this would happen while Sanders has been aggressively courting Biden's voters.
Biden's campaign has, in recent weeks, announced a number of endorsements from heavy hitters such as former Gov. Tom Vilsack. On Jan. 2, Biden's campaign announced the first Iowa congressional endorsement, from Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer. On Monday, Biden announced the endorsement of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, who is the only official in the state's history to serve in the office for 10 terms.
Joining Biden on the Iowa campaign trail recently is also former Secretary of State John Kerry, who announced his endorsement of Biden in the state last December. Kerry, a former senator who was the Democratic nominee for president in 2004, won the Iowa caucus that year in a surprise upset.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-15--WATCH LIVE: Trump holds campaign rally in Milwaukee

President Trump will be holding a `` Keep America Great '' rally on Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST in Milwaukee @ @ @ @ @ overlap the Democratic presidential debate that is being held from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ Des Moines , Iowa .
The debate will be the last one before the Iowa @ @ @ @ @

President Trump will be holding a "Keep America Great" rally on Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST in Milwaukee. The rally will partially overlap the Democratic presidential debate that is being held from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. EST at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The debate will be the last one before the Iowa caucus on Feb. 3.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-01-14--Pat Cipollone will lead Trump impeachment defense team as Senate trial set

President Trump ’ s legal defense roster is nearly finalized , and White House counsel Pat Cipollone will lead a team of lawyers during the high-stakes Senate impeachment trial starting next Tuesday .
Sources familiar with the decision said Cipollone , who joined the Trump administration in October 2018 following the departure of Don McGahn , will be joined by Trump ’ s personal lawyer Jay Sekulow , who began representing the president in summer 2017 as the White House navigated special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Trump-Russia investigation .
The duo , along with Cipollone ’ s deputies Patrick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump against articles of impeachment passed by the Democratic House of Representatives last month that allege Trump abused his power regarding Ukraine and obstructed Congress ’ s inquiry into the matter .
Much of the Trump team ’ s legal defense has already been prepared .
Whether Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz also joins the legal team remains to be seen , and there is little indication that any of Trump ’ s staunch Republican defenders in the House will be asked to join the trial effort in the Senate .
Former New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House on Friday and met Vice President Mike Pence but is not part of the legal defense .
Trump 's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has made no secret of his desire to join the impeachment legal team .
Cipollone , 53 , is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and a partner at Kirkland & Ellis , the United States ’ largest law firm , and worked as an assistant for Attorney General William Barr during Barr ’ s first stint in the role in 1992 and 1993 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a father of 10 , a founding member of the National Prayer Breakfast , and a board member of the Catholic Information Center .
The senior counsel has been harshly critical of the Democrat-led impeachment of Trump .
The White House did not participate in House-led hearings , although they are prepared to mount a full-throated defense in the Senate .
“ This baseless and highly partisan inquiry violates all past historical precedent , basic due process rights , and fundamental fairness , ” Cipollone said in one letter to House Democrats last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d “ wasted enough of America ’ s time with this charade ” and that adopting the articles of impeachment “ would be a reckless abuse of power ” and “ would constitute the most unjust , highly partisan , and unconstitutional attempt at impeachment in our nation ’ s history ” in another letter .
Sekulow , 63 , has served as Trump ’ s private attorney for more than two years and is the founder and chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice , a prominent religious liberty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Court a dozen times and has his own radio show and rock band .
Sekulow was a Mueller critic and is just as dismissive of the Ukraine allegations .
“ The Mueller report went nowhere .
These articles of impeachment in the Senate will go nowhere .
And that ’ s going to be the end of this , and we ’ ll be on to the next fight , ” Sekulow said on Fox News host Sean Hannity ’ s radio show in late December .
“ I ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is : writing up an article of impeachment about obstruction of Congress when you ’ re exercising your constitutional rights.
” Philbin , a graduate of Harvard Law School who clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas , is a Cipollone deputy who will also play a big role in Trump ’ s defense .
Also a former partner at Kirkland & Ellis , he worked at the Department of Justice during George W. Bush ’ s administration as an associate deputy and then deputy assistant attorney general , where he waded into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for holding detainees at Guantanamo Bay and the internal debate over warrantless wiretapping .
Purpura , another deputy White House counsel , is a U.S. Military Academy and Columbia University Law School graduate who formerly worked as a federal prosecutor and as an associate counsel during Bush ’ s presidency .
He helped negotiate the terms of the House testimony for the National Security Council ’ s former Russia expert Fiona Hill and was present during the questioning of former White House communications director Hope Hicks during her closed-door testimony with the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine controversy .
Dershowitz , the author of The Case Against The Democratic House Impeaching Trump , told the Washington Examiner it would not be appropriate for him to comment on whether he was still in discussions to join Trump ’ s legal team , but he praised those already on it .
“ I can tell you this : Both Cipollone and Sekulow are extraordinary lawyers , ” Dershowitz said .
“ They ’ re both at the top of their profession , and they bring not only real legal talent and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be very important in this matter.
” Dershowitz said he “ believed very strongly that the two articles of impeachment do not charge constitutionally permissible impeachable offenses.
” Dershowitz also said that even if Democrats managed to successfully call former national security adviser John Bolton as a witness , Trump would likely invoke executive privilege and would have the courts on his side , and this could open up the door to the GOP forcing Hunter Biden or Joe Biden to testify .
Giuliani remains a wild card , telling reporters at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eve party at Mar-a-Lago that he would testify .
`` Or , I ’ d do what I do best : I ’ d try the case , ” he said , adding , “ I don ’ t know if anybody would have the courage to give me the case.
” Giuliani has already publicly defended Trump , tweeting that “ the Supreme Court should step in and rule this impeachment unconstitutional.
” He said in a Fox News interview , “ It 's nonconstitutional , it 's null and void , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was totally illegal.
” Most of the Republicans in Congress who have been mentioned as possible members of the legal team are mum , though Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio told Fox & Friends this morning that “ I ’ m happy to join the president ’ s legal team if that ’ s what the president and that ’ s what Pat Cipollone and the White House counsel ’ s team wants and that ’ s what the Senate wants.
” Jordan ’ s press secretary said , “ The decision is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The offices for Reps. John Ratcliffe of Texas , Doug Collins of Georgia , and Mark Meadows of North Carolina all declined the Washington Examiner ’ s request for comment .
Pam Bondi , 53 , a former two-term Florida attorney general who joined the Trump administration last October , will help lead the legal team ’ s communications operation .
Bondi , a Fox News regular , endorsed Trump just before the GOP ’ s Florida primary in 2016 .
And Tony Sayegh , 43 , will join Bondi on the impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s Treasury Department from 2017 to 2019 .
Sayegh is a longtime Republican strategist and spent years as a Fox News guest and contributor .

President Trump’s legal defense roster is nearly finalized, and White House counsel Pat Cipollone will lead a team of lawyers during the high-stakes Senate impeachment trial starting next Tuesday.
Sources familiar with the decision said Cipollone, who joined the Trump administration in October 2018 following the departure of Don McGahn, will be joined by Trump’s personal lawyer Jay Sekulow, who began representing the president in summer 2017 as the White House navigated special counsel Robert Mueller’s Trump-Russia investigation. The duo, along with Cipollone’s deputies Patrick Philbin and Michael Purpura, will defend Trump against articles of impeachment passed by the Democratic House of Representatives last month that allege Trump abused his power regarding Ukraine and obstructed Congress’s inquiry into the matter. Much of the Trump team’s legal defense has already been prepared.
Whether Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz also joins the legal team remains to be seen, and there is little indication that any of Trump’s staunch Republican defenders in the House will be asked to join the trial effort in the Senate. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was at the White House on Friday and met Vice President Mike Pence but is not part of the legal defense. Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has made no secret of his desire to join the impeachment legal team.
Cipollone, 53, is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, the United States’ largest law firm, and worked as an assistant for Attorney General William Barr during Barr’s first stint in the role in 1992 and 1993. A staunch Catholic, Cipollone is a father of 10, a founding member of the National Prayer Breakfast, and a board member of the Catholic Information Center.
The senior counsel has been harshly critical of the Democrat-led impeachment of Trump. The White House did not participate in House-led hearings, although they are prepared to mount a full-throated defense in the Senate.
“This baseless and highly partisan inquiry violates all past historical precedent, basic due process rights, and fundamental fairness,” Cipollone said in one letter to House Democrats last December. He told them they’d “wasted enough of America’s time with this charade” and that adopting the articles of impeachment “would be a reckless abuse of power” and “would constitute the most unjust, highly partisan, and unconstitutional attempt at impeachment in our nation’s history” in another letter.
Sekulow, 63, has served as Trump’s private attorney for more than two years and is the founder and chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, a prominent religious liberty nonprofit organization. Sekulow has argued before the Supreme Court a dozen times and has his own radio show and rock band. Sekulow was a Mueller critic and is just as dismissive of the Ukraine allegations.
“The Mueller report went nowhere. These articles of impeachment in the Senate will go nowhere. And that’s going to be the end of this, and we’ll be on to the next fight,” Sekulow said on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s radio show in late December. “I’ll tell you what an abuse of power is: writing up an article of impeachment about obstruction of Congress when you’re exercising your constitutional rights.”
Philbin, a graduate of Harvard Law School who clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is a Cipollone deputy who will also play a big role in Trump’s defense. Also a former partner at Kirkland & Ellis, he worked at the Department of Justice during George W. Bush’s administration as an associate deputy and then deputy assistant attorney general, where he waded into controversial issues such as the legal justification for holding detainees at Guantanamo Bay and the internal debate over warrantless wiretapping.
Purpura, another deputy White House counsel, is a U.S. Military Academy and Columbia University Law School graduate who formerly worked as a federal prosecutor and as an associate counsel during Bush’s presidency. He helped negotiate the terms of the House testimony for the National Security Council’s former Russia expert Fiona Hill and was present during the questioning of former White House communications director Hope Hicks during her closed-door testimony with the House Judiciary Committee last summer, before the Ukraine controversy.
Dershowitz, the author of The Case Against The Democratic House Impeaching Trump, told the Washington Examiner it would not be appropriate for him to comment on whether he was still in discussions to join Trump’s legal team, but he praised those already on it.
“I can tell you this: Both Cipollone and Sekulow are extraordinary lawyers,” Dershowitz said. “They’re both at the top of their profession, and they bring not only real legal talent and experience but great judgment, and that will be very important in this matter.”
Dershowitz said he “believed very strongly that the two articles of impeachment do not charge constitutionally permissible impeachable offenses.” Dershowitz also said that even if Democrats managed to successfully call former national security adviser John Bolton as a witness, Trump would likely invoke executive privilege and would have the courts on his side, and this could open up the door to the GOP forcing Hunter Biden or Joe Biden to testify.
Giuliani remains a wild card, telling reporters at Trump’s New Year’s Eve party at Mar-a-Lago that he would testify.
"Or, I’d do what I do best: I’d try the case,” he said, adding, “I don’t know if anybody would have the courage to give me the case.”
Giuliani has already publicly defended Trump, tweeting that “the Supreme Court should step in and rule this impeachment unconstitutional.” He said in a Fox News interview, “It's nonconstitutional, it's null and void, it shouldn't have happened, it was totally illegal.”
Most of the Republicans in Congress who have been mentioned as possible members of the legal team are mum, though Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio told Fox & Friends this morning that “I’m happy to join the president’s legal team if that’s what the president and that’s what Pat Cipollone and the White House counsel’s team wants and that’s what the Senate wants.” Jordan’s press secretary said, “The decision is entirely up to the White House.”
The offices for Reps. John Ratcliffe of Texas, Doug Collins of Georgia, and Mark Meadows of North Carolina all declined the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
Pam Bondi, 53, a former two-term Florida attorney general who joined the Trump administration last October, will help lead the legal team’s communications operation. Bondi, a Fox News regular, endorsed Trump just before the GOP’s Florida primary in 2016. And Tony Sayegh, 43, will join Bondi on the impeachment communications team after leading public affairs at Trump’s Treasury Department from 2017 to 2019. Sayegh is a longtime Republican strategist and spent years as a Fox News guest and contributor.