Trump opens up Camp David as an "adult playground" to woo GOP lawmakers during impeachment [View all]

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Sat Nov 23, 2019, 04:44 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Washington Post

Trump opens up Camp David as an "adult playground" to woo GOP lawmakers during impeachment

By Seung Min Kim, Rachael Bade and Josh Dawsey
November 22, 2019 at 6:56 PM EST

President Trump, partial to gold and marble elegance, never took a shine to rustic Camp David. So acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney pitched to him an unusual idea at the start of the House impeachment inquiry: Use the secluded mountainous presidential retreat to woo House Republicans.

Since then, Mulvaney and top White House officials have hosted weekend getaways for Republicans at the historic lodge, seeking to butter up Republicans before the big impeachment vote. The casual itinerary includes making s'mores over the campfire, going hiking, shooting clay pigeons and schmoozing with Trump officials, some of whom stay overnight with lawmakers.

During dinners, Trump has called in to compliment members personally. ... "I've worked with a number of Republican presidents over various administrations . . . and I've never, ever been invited to Camp David," said Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.). "It was amazing to go for the short weekend. So historic."

The Camp David excursions are one prong of a broad White House charm offensive, meant to hold House and Senate Republicans in line through a House impeachment vote and a trial in the Senate that appears all but inevitable. ... The White House has made sure that a small clutch of Republican lawmakers have accompanied Trump to a trio of recent sporting events, whether at the Ultimate Fighting Championship in New York, the World Series in Washington or at the football game in Tuscaloosa, Ala., between the University of Alabama and Louisiana State University
....

Seung Min Kim is a White House reporter for The Washington Post, covering the Trump administration through the lens of Capitol Hill. Before joining The Washington Post in 2018, she spent more than eight years at Politico, primarily covering the Senate and immigration policy. Follow https://twitter.com/seungminkim

Rachael Bade is a Congress reporter for The Washington Post, primarily focusing on the House. Her coverage areas include House Democrats' oversight of the Trump administration as well as policy clashes with the White House, the dynamics animating the historic freshman class and the inner workings of the Democratic leadership team. Follow https://twitter.com/RachaelMBade

Josh Dawsey is a White House reporter for The Washington Post. He joined the paper in 2017. He previously covered the White House for Politico, and New York City Hall and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for the Wall Street Journal. Follow https://twitter.com/jdawsey1

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-opens-up-camp-david-as-an-adult-playground-to-woo-gop-lawmakers-during-impeachment/2019/11/22/ec6e7810-0c6f-11ea-8397-a955cd542d00_story.html

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The timestamp on the tweet is 1:04 a.m. The article is from yesterday evening. I can move this to Editorials, but I'm on a slow connection now.

Trump opens up Camp David as an "adult playground" to woo GOP lawmakers during impeachment

Link to tweet

{edited on Saturday afternoon to add the writers' biographical material}