DSCC LAUNCHED WHATCHANGEDSUSAN.COM. SENATOR COLLINS DIDN’T LIKE IT.
A new website we launched this week – WhatChangedSusan.com – features Senator Collins *in her own words* on impeachment in 1999 and now. Spoiler: She refuses to live up to the standards she set then and is siding with Mitch McConnell’s proposal to move forward without any “commitment to calling witnesses or admitting new evidence.”
Senator Collins didn’t like the website and actually pointed to it as a reason why she will not demand witnesses or evidence. From Politico:
“I don’t think Chuck Schumer is very interested in my opinion since he’s just launched a website in Maine and just committed an additional $700,000 in additional negative advertising from the Majority Forward PAC,” Collins groused about Democrats’ drive to deny her a fifth term in November.
MCSALLY CAUGHT ON TAPE: “WE PRAY” STRUGGLING CAMPAIGN GETS OUTSIDE HELP. Unelected Senator Martha McSally was caught on tape pleading for outside groups to start spending money in Arizona and lie about her toxic record of voting to tear down the health care law and its protections for pre-existing conditions. In the audio, McSally said: “We need close air support to show up. There’s outside groups… we pray for them every day. We need conservative outside groups… [to] start muddying up the landscape.” Read more:
FRONT PAGE NEWS: GARDNER “MUM,” DUCKS AND DODGES ON TRUMP AND IMPEACHMENT. Senator Cory Gardner continues to do what he does best: avoid his constituents and refuse to answer questions from reporters. The Denver Post published a front page story on Gardner’s months-long silence on the upcoming impeachment proceedings and his refusal to commit to a fair trial or answer basic questions about the president’s conduct.
POLLING: “VOTERS WANT TO SEE MORE WITNESSES.” Every single vulnerable Senate Republican is siding with McConnell to support a sham process that does not include any “commitment to calling witnesses or admitting new evidence.” That’s despite the fact that new polling this week shows voters — including many Republicans and independents in battlegrounds like Arizona, Colorado, Maine, and North Carolina — want to see a fair hearing with more witnesses.
FIRST WEEK FLOP: LOEFFLER’S ETHICAL ENTANGLEMENTS GROW. Kelly Loeffler’s temporary appointment in the U.S. Senate is already running into trouble as she faced scrutiny for being assigned to the committee that oversees the regulator of her husband’s company. With this new committee assignment creating more “cause for concern,” Loeffler keeps adding to her growing list of ethical conflicts of interest.
ANOTHER WEEK, MORE SILENCE FROM JOHN JAMES. The failed Senate candidate once again refused to come out of hiding to tell Michiganders where he stands. This time, it was his refusal to comment on the conflict in Iran.
FUNDRAISING ROUNDUP
IA – Iowa Starting Line: IA-Sen: Greenfield Raises Record-Breaking Numbers In Q4
KS – Kansas City Star: Kansas Democrat Bollier raises more than $1 million; Senate race heats up without Pompeo
MI – Michigan Advance: Peters raises $2.5M in 4Q, has $8M in the bank
NC – Raleigh News & Observer: A big fundraising quarter for Democrat who wants to take on Tillis in NC Senate race
SC – Post & Courier: SC Democrat continues record-breaking fundraising against Lindsey Graham with $3.5M
MEMO: DSCC LEADS PUSH TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS. The DSCC and DCCC released a memo Wednesday detailing their legal work with other key partners to protect the integrity of American elections and expand the right to vote to young people, communities of color, and rural voters in key battleground states. The DSCC and DCCC have invested millions of dollars in legal efforts in Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas to counteract arbitrary partisan advantage, end obvious voter suppression, and expand access to the ballot. Read the full memo on this eight-figure investment here.
IN THE STATES
AZ – The Hill: Poll: Democrat Mark Kelly leads incumbent McSally in Arizona Senate race
CO – AP: On impeachment, pressure on Colorado senator is from right
CO – 9News: Gardner defends Trump administration’s Iran explanation (VIDEO)
GA – Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “A pair of polls… point to challenges ahead for Georgia’s new U.S. senator”
ME – TPM: Collins Takes McConnell Line On Impeachment Trial
NC – Charlotte Observer (Editorial): Thom Tillis’ birthday blunder embarrasses NC
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Lauren Passalacqua
@laurenvpass
Stewart Boss
@stew_boss
Izzi Levy
@chevytothe_levy
Regina Anderson
@reginasopinion
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