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brooklynite

brooklynite's Journal
brooklynite's Journal
December 18, 2019

The House Rule on Impeachment allows for 12 hours of debate

Which means a vote tonight when Trump will be at a rally in Michigan and I'll be on a plane to the Debate in Los Angeles.

December 18, 2019

No "Impeachment Carols" in the House today

Speaker has told Members to keep things quiet and sober after the vote. This is not a "happy" time.

December 18, 2019

Federal agencies will be closed Dec. 24, Trump says in executive order

Source: Washington Post

Federal agencies will be closed Dec. 24 and employees will have the day off with pay, under an order President Trump issued Tuesday that amounts to the latest in a series of holiday presents to the federal workforce.

Presidents commonly give federal employees additional time off around the Christmas Day holiday, although a full day off most typically is granted to create a long weekend when that day lands on a Tuesday or a Thursday. Trump did that last year when Christmas Day was on a Tuesday; when it falls on other days, the most common practice has been to give a half-day off, or none.

The order follows his administration’s recent acceptance of provisions in two budget bills sponsored by House Democrats to provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave and to pay a 3.1 percent average federal raise in January.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-agencies-will-be-closed-dec-24-as-trump-issues-executive-order/2019/12/17/a858415e-2125-11ea-bed5-880264cc91a9_story.html

December 18, 2019

Flying to Los Angeles tomorrow evening...

Should be in the Debate theater by 6 PM (Eastern). Will reach out when I can.

December 18, 2019

Pelosi announces Porter, Haaland will sit on Oversight panel

Source: The Hill

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced Tuesday that Reps. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) will join the House Oversight Committee, taking the places of former Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and Katie Hill (D-Calif.).

Cummings died in October while he was serving as the panel's leader. Hill resigned in November after she was accused of having a sexual relationship with a staffer.

Pelosi praised Porter and Haaland, both of whom are first-term lawmakers, in a statement on Tuesday. She called Porter an "unparalleled champion for consumers and working families across America," and said that Haaland has "distinguished herself as a patriotic, persistent leader."

"The leadership of these outstanding Members will be vital in advancing the Committee’s work at this important time in our nation’s history: ensuring that the Congress can function as our Founders intended, as a co-equal branch acting as a check and balance on the others, and that our Democratic Majority can continue to achieve progress For The People," the speaker added.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/475020-pelosi-announces-porter-haaland-to-sit-on-oversight-panel

December 18, 2019

RNC fires Trump campaign state director in New Hampshire

Source: Politico

The Republican National Committee has fired the director of its Trump Victory Team in New Hampshire just four months after he was brought on to lead the party’s statewide effort to reelect Donald Trump and deliver down-ballot gains for the GOP next fall.

State director Eric Mitchell was cut loose last Friday from the joint operation between the president’s 2020 campaign and Republican officials in the Granite State because of persistent issues with his performance, according to three people familiar with his dismissal. He was named state director in mid-August, the same day Trump traveled to Manchester for one of his signature “Keep America Great” rallies.

“Basically, they’re looking for somebody who was a little bit stronger than him,” said Stephen Stepanek, chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party. “They felt like he wasn’t executing as well as he should, so they are bringing in someone who is significantly higher-caliber to take over.”

Stepanek said Trump campaign officials had grown frustrated with a lack of staff on the ground in the swing state, complaining in weekly meetings with local Republican officials that 10 staffers was insufficient at this point in the race.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/17/rnc-fires-trump-campaign-state-director-in-new-hampshire-086753

December 17, 2019

Rep. Jeff Van Drew says Democratic staff had no choice but to quit

Source: Politico

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.) said Tuesday that staffers who resigned from his office following news that he was about to switch to the GOP were told by nameless officials to quit or be blackballed from future opportunities in the Democratic Party.

“They were told to,” Van Drew said, adding “They had to or they wouldn’t work again.”

Van Drew, in his first comments since news of his imminent party switch broke over the weekend, declined to say if he had any evidence that such a threat had been made but said “it would be very hard for them to work” if they stayed with him after becoming a Republican.

Staff members who fled Van Drew’s office said earlier this week that it was ultimately the congressman who left them no choice.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/17/jeff-van-drew-democratic-staff-quit-086566

December 17, 2019

The Vermont Primary requires submission of 1,000 signatures and $2,000...

Cory Booker, Michael Bennet and John Delaney did not get them (or did not try)

https://www.sec.state.vt.us/elections/candidates/presidential-candidates.aspx

Profile Information

Name: Chris Bastian
Gender: Male
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Home country: USA
Member since: 2002
Number of posts: 96,882
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