Harry Reid won't see reelection . . . After a brutal eye injury, the 75-year-old Senate Democratic leader decides to forego another grueling campaign for reelection. Politico
Well, there's always a silver lining to a terrible accident.
How Congress is sabotaging human trafficking victims . . . Dear survivors of
human trafficking: We thought, by now, you would be receiving invitations to a bill-signing ceremony at the White House.
Everything seemed to have fallen into place for the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. The bill is a bipartisan effort to strengthen our government’s ability to prevent trafficking, prosecute traffickers and expand services for survivors. It would create a fund for victims using fines paid by convicted offenders. The legislation is particularly focused
on combatting the trafficking of children. More than 200 nonprofits agreed that it is Congress’s best option to get victims like you immediate support.
You are the reason this bill got so far. You bravely told your stories to strangers in the West Wing of the White House and in huge, cold committee rooms on Capitol Hill. You spoke to Attorney General Eric Holder, who told you, “We must do something. I never want to hear anything like this again.” But you were used.
Lawmakers took your stories to promote themselves and their political agendas. Now the bill is stalled while Republicans and Democrats bicker about minutiae that have nothing to do with your plight.
Autumn Hanna VandeHei and Michael Wear "Gohmert: You're playing God with the Internet" . . . Congressional Republicans are united in their anger over new net neutrality regulations—but no one could match the fury displayed by Rep. Louie Gohmert on Wednesday. "You're playing God with the Internet!" the Texas
Republican shouted at Tom Wheeler, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing. National Journal
Hillary to
push reset button . . . Clinton’s campaign-in-waiting is plotting a listening tour to re-introduce her to Real America. Politico
Jeb's stealth campaign to woo evangelicals . . . The same voters who famously provided the "ground troops" for George W. Bush's 2000 and 2004 victories are, thus far, looking askance at his brother, seeing him as a classic, feckless "moderate" Republican in the mold of John McCain and Mitt Romney. That could present a major roadblock to the nomination. National Journal
Bush: I don't read the Times . . . "I don't read The
New York Times, to be honest with you," Bush said when asked about a story in the paper. Newsmax
Because he's just
regular folk like you and me.
Ron Paul supporters bolt Rand . . . Many are disillusioned by Rand Paul’s concessions to mainstream politics. Politico
Rubio takes aim at DC gun laws . . . Sen. Marco Rubio, a likely Republican presidential contender in 2016, introduced legislation Thursday to roll back restrictive gun laws in the District of Columbia, arguing that congressional intervention is needed to “correct” laws that violate the Second Amendment.
Washington Times Bernie Sanders' wife may have defrauded state agency . . . Documents obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation indicate that the wife of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders may have been able to use her
clout to get away with loan fraud, nearly bankrupting the small college she was president of and collecting a sizable severance package in the process. Daily
Caller
Wall Street may fire back against Dems . . . Big Wall Street banks are so upset with Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren's call for them to be broken up that some have discussed withholding campaign donations to Senate Democrats in symbolic protest, sources familiar with the discussions said. Reuters
Senators back benefits for same-sex couples . . . Senators approved a budget amendment Thursday that would give married same-sex couples access to Social Security and Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. Eleven
Republican senators voted with Democrats in support of the amendment, including Sens. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Rob Portman (Ohio), each of whom are up for reelection in 2016. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) also voted for the amendment. The Hill
Senate passes House budget . . . The Senate passed a Republican-authored budget plan early on Friday that seeks $5.1 trillion in domestic spending cuts over 10 years while boosting military
funding. Reuters
Because he's just a regular guy like you and me.
Poll: Hillary’s Favorability Plummets to 26% after Email Scandal
Video || Mean Tweets – House Leaders