Bonus Tweet of the Day

Tweet of the Day

Prosecutors May Use RICO Statutes to Charge Rioters

The Justice Department is considering whether to charge members of far-right groups involved in the deadly Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol under a federal law usually used against organized crime,” Reuters reports.

“The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO, enables prosecutors to combat certain ongoing racketeering crimes such as murder, kidnapping, bribery and money laundering. The 1970 statute provides for hefty criminal penalties including up to 20 years in prison and seizure of assets obtained illegally through a criminal enterprise.”




https://politicalwire.com/2021/02/03/prosecutors-may-use-rico-statutes-to-charge-rioters/

Isn't 'bloodthirsty media' an old anti-Semitic dog whistle?

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) lashed out over a reported proposal to remove her from one of her committees because of her past controversial comments.

Said Greene: “No matter what Kevin McCarthy does it would never be enough for the hate America Democrats. They are only set out to destroy Republicans, your jobs, our economy, your children’s education and lives, steal our freedoms, and erase God’s creation. And the bloodthirsty media are their henchmen who help them by relentlessly attacking anyone in their path.”




https://politicalwire.com/2021/02/03/greene-lashes-out-at-attempt-to-strip-committee-assignments/

MD-GOV: Michael Steele considering run for governor of Maryland

Veteran political operative Michael Steele says he is considering a run for governor of Maryland.

Steele, who previously served as the state's lieutenant governor and as head of the Republican National Committee, confirmed his consideration to The Hill on Monday.

During a radio interview on Friday, Steele said he would take "a very strong, long look at it and see where the chips fall."

“I know I’m not everyone’s favorite cup of tea within my party," Steele said. "I never have been. I don’t let those things bother me."

Steele last year joined the anti-Trump political organization The Lincoln Project and he often appears on cable news to decry Trump and his policies.

"Today is the day where things should matter and you need to take stock of what matters to you -- and the kind of leader you want to lead in these moments. And for me, it ain't him," Steele said on MSNBC last summer. "I get my role as a former national chairman. I get it, but I'm an American. I get my role as a former party leader. I'm still an American. And these things matter to me more than aligning myself with a party that has clearly decided it would rather be sycophantic than principled."




https://thehill.com/homenews/536780-michael-steele-may-run-for-governor-of-maryland

Senate Dems may have to drop minimum wage boost from reconciliation with or without Machin

The Senate Parliamentarian would likely rule that the minimum wage is not pertinent to the budget and not eligible to be a part of a reconciliation oachage.

NY-SEN: Schumer quietly nails down the left amid AOC primary chatter

Just a few weeks after a group of young climate activists, accompanied by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, orchestrated a highly publicized sit-in in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office in late 2018, their Sunrise Movement received an unexpected email from Chuck Schumer’s staff.

Could the rabble-rousers meet with the then-Senate minority leader? He wanted to talk to them about his agenda if Democrats ever won back the Senate, which included tackling climate change, democracy reform, and economic and racial inequality. Before long, his team was asking for their support on a clean cars proposal.

Schumer’s outreach was likely no coincidence. New York, the veteran senator’s home state, is the epicenter of the progressive movement’s efforts to oust incumbent Democrats in Congress. And Schumer, who is up for reelection in 2022, has been taking steps both publicly and privately to steel himself from a left-wing primary challenge — especially from his biggest threat, Ocasio-Cortez.

At the time of the meeting, Ocasio-Cortez was fresh off her stunning primary upset victory. She hadn’t even been sworn into office yet. But in the two years since then, Schumer has thrown his weight behind a plan to cancel student loan debt by executive order. He's voted against the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. He’s said “nothing is off the table” when it comes to eliminating the filibuster. And that’s only a fraction of the progressive moves he’s made in recent years. It still hasn’t inoculated him from the possibility of a primary.

“It’s exciting to see how much action Schumer is currently taking,” said Saikat Chakrabarti, Ocasio-Cortez’s former chief of staff. “And I hope that progressives continue pressuring him, threatening a potential primary.”




https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/01/chuch-schumer-aoc-senate-464255

Schiff has his eyes on being California's AG and Pelosi's on board with it

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) wants to be named California’s next attorney general — and he has House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s blessing, according to four Democratic sources familiar with the matter.

Schiff, a Harvard Law School graduate and former prosecutor who currently serves as the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has lobbied California Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint him to the role, those individuals said. News of Schiff’s interest was first reported by Axios.

The current California attorney general, Xavier Becerra, was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as Health and Human Services Secretary and will be vacating the post if, as expected, he is confirmed by the Senate.

Pelosi has been advocating for Schiff’s appointment on his behalf, said three of the people familiar with the matter. A spokesman for Pelosi declined to comment. A spokesperson for Schiff did not return a request for comment.

While Newsom is not personally close with Schiff, the congressman’s name has emerged in recent days as an increasingly-attractive choice among people in Sacramento. The pick would provide Newsom with some national star-power by association while giving Schiff a launching pad to run for governor or Senate, including the seat of Dianne Feinstein.




https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/02/adam-schiff-california-attorney-general-465312

'Let them take you to court': Biden dares GOP to obstruct him

Go big. Go fast. And, if need be, go without the GOP.

Since assuming office two weeks ago, President Joe Biden has made this his credo while instituting a record 45 executive actions that fulfill campaign promises on everything from climate change to racial equity to immigration, that undo a number of Donald Trump’s policies, and that have shaped the news cycle along the way.

And while the carefully calibrated policy rollout can’t, on its own, juice the economy or ramp up the Covid-19 response on the scale that’s needed, White House aides believe it has helped build momentum for the president as he tries to sell a historic $1.9 trillion “rescue” package.

Their belief in that is so strong, in fact, that Biden officials and allies are now practically daring Republicans to fight them, convinced that the public is firmly on the side of quick action.

“It will save our majority if he takes that approach with everything that he does,” said House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), one of Biden’s closest allies in the House. “Don’t try to go around them. But if they refuse to do it, use his executive powers and do it. And let them take you to court.”



https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/02/biden-executive-powers-gop-465015

Turnout dip among Georgia Republicans flipped U.S. Senate

Control of the U.S. Senate was on the line, but many Georgia Republicans — at least some deterred by Donald Trump’s loss — stayed home rather than cast ballots in January’s runoffs.

Their absence at the polls helped swing Georgia and the Senate to the Democrats.

Over 752,000 Georgia voters who cast ballots in the presidential election didn’t show up again for the runoffs just two months later, according to a new analysis by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution of recently released voting records.

More than half of the no-shows were white, and many lived in rural areas, constituencies that lean toward Republican candidates.

Trump’s message that the election was stolen discouraged voters such as Craig Roland, a 61-year-old Rome resident. Roland said he didn’t believe his vote would count.

“What good would it have done to vote? They have votes that got changed,” Roland said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever vote again.”

Meanwhile, 228,000 new voters cast ballots in the runoffs who hadn’t voted in the Nov. 3 election. They were more racially diverse and younger voters who tend to back Democrats.



https://www.ajc.com/politics/turnout-dip-among-georgia-republicans-flipped-us-senate/IKWGEGFEEVEZ5DXTP7ZXXOROIA/