Christian Organization Sought Yoho’s Resignation From Board Following ‘Non-Apology’

Posted on by Zoe Richards

Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL) resigned from the board of a Christian hunger organization after the advocacy group expressed disappointment in the congressman for his “non-apology” to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) amid reports earlier this week that he had called her a sexist slur.

“We believe that Rep. Ted Yoho’s recent actions and words as reported in the media are not reflective of the ethical standards expected of members of our Board of Directors,” the self-described “bipartisan Christian organization” wrote in a statement Saturday.

The organization had said in an earlier statement Friday that it was “deeply concerned” by Yoho’s actions.

The Florida lawmaker had addressed reports that he had called the New York congresswoman “disgusting” and had shortly after a dispute with her used the words “fucking bitch” as he descended the Capitol stairs alongside Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX) in comments on the House floor Wednesday.

“It is true that we disagree on policies and visions for America but that does not mean we should be disrespectful,” Yoho said on Wednesday, adding that he would not apologize “for my passion, or for loving my God, my family, and my country.” 

Yoho denied that he had called Ocasio-Cortez those offensive names.

Bread for the World on Friday expressed concerned that his recent behavior did not “reflect the values of respect and compassion” that it expected from its board members.

Among the political figures represented on the organization’s board is “honorary member” Delaware Senator Chris Coons (D) as well as Republican Senator Jerry Moran (KS) and former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-KS) who was also a former Republican presidential nominee. Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern (MA) is also on Bread for the World’s board of directors.

Following its reported conversation with Yoho, Bread for the World wrote in a Saturday statement that although the advocacy group had reaffirmed with the congressman a “joint commitment” to expanding opportunity for men, women, and children around the world, the organization still “sought his resignation.”

The hunger advocacy organization said it saw Yoho’s stepping down “as an action that reaffirms our commitment to coming alongside women and people of color, nationally and globally, as they continue to lead us to a more racially inclusive and equitable world.”

Bread for the World lists among its aims alleviating hunger and poverty through public policy, while “upholding the values of respect, dignity, and compassion that Jesus calls us to when engaging decision makers from across the political spectrum.”

The organization added Saturday that “it is our hope and prayer that government leaders will find the moral courage and political will to foster healing and civil dialogue that leads to real structural change in our country and globally.”

The Florida lawmaker had appeared on Fox News Friday night, where he told Martha MacCallum in an interview that he had neither accosted Ocasio-Cortez, nor uttered the words that the press had attributed to him.

“I feel bad for Ms. Ocasio-Cortez who thinks this was — I called her these names, I did not call her these names. This was strictly on policy,” Yoho told MacCallum, adding that he believed the congresswoman was using “identity politics” to gain support.

“I don’t play that,” he said.

McConnell Says He Hopes COVID Relief Bill Will Go To House In ‘Two To Three Weeks’

Posted on by Zoe Richards

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that he hopes an overdue coronavirus relief bill will be able to reach the House in the next “two to three weeks.”

“Hopefully in the next two to three weeks we’ll be able to come together and pass something that we can send over to the House and down to the President for signature,” McConnell told WKTY, a CNN- affiliate station in Kentucky, in an interview published Friday evening.

 McConnell told WKTY that he will begin talking to Democrats as early as next week, following a delay earlier this week when many Congress members, including some GOP members expected a draft of the bill to be unveiled.

 The comments come after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) issued a statement Friday ripping GOP members of Congress and the White House for “disarray” and “delay” of a coronavirus relief bill that is urgently needed to help millions of Americans who are suffering under severe economic duress amid fallout from unemployment and other financial strain brought on by the pandemic.

 On Thursday, McConnell said the delay was because the Trump administration “has requested additional time to review the fine details,” while assuring  that “we will be laying down the proposal early next week.”

The pushed deadline and waffling comes as millions of jobless Americans anxiously await a decision from Congress about whether an enhanced payment of $600 — which was provided in an earlier coronavirus relief package — would be continued following its scheduled expiration at the end of July.

 McConnell has said he does not support an extension of the enhanced federal unemployment benefits which have been funneling an additional $600 a week to unemployed workers amid the pandemic.

Oregon AG Warns Of Portland’s Cautionary Tale: ‘It Could Be Happening In Your City Next’

Posted on by Zoe Richards

Oregon’s attorney general Ellen Rosenblum warned Friday that clashes seen in Portland between protesters and federal agents who were dispatched to quell them, “could be happening in your city next.”

The cautionary comments, shared in an interview with The New York Times, come after Rosenblum failed to secure a restraining order on Friday afternoon against federal agents who reports say have been driving around in unmarked vehicles in camouflage fatigues and masks and taking people into custody without probable cause.

Rosenblum’s lawsuit cited the case of Mark Pettibone, a Portland man who said that he was pulled off the street into an unmarked vehicle and detained for questioning by unidentified agents while walking home from a protest on July 15.  He was later released without charges.

A judge from the U.S. District Court in Portland  blocked the lawsuit saying that the attorney general’s office did not not have standing to bring the case because Rosenblum had not demonstrated that the issue was “an interest that is specific to the state itself.”

“I find the State of Oregon lacks standing here and therefore deny its request for a temporary restraining order,” Judge Michael W. Mosman wrote in his ruling.

In a statement issued after the ruling, Rosenblum said: “While I respect Judge Mosman, I would ask this question: If the state of Oregon does not have standing to prevent this unconstitutional conduct by unidentified federal agents running roughshod over her citizens, who does?”

Several other challenges are still under review by the courts, The Times said.

Jann Carlson, interim executive director of the ACLU of Oregon, said that while judge’s decision in the state’s lawsuit was “disappointing” federal agents “should not for a minute think their unconstitutional actions will go unanswered.” Carlson told TPM in an email that “the ACLU will be in court again to hold federal agents accountable for their unconstitutional attacks on the right to protest.”

The ACLU of Oregon has continued to take legal action amid the Portland protests, and succeeded in securing a restraining order Thursday that blocks federal agents from attacking or arresting journalists and legal observers.

Meanwhile videos continue to surface online that show agents using aggressive tactics against protesters. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) was tear-gassed on Wednesday night outside of the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse. Footage of agents swatting people with batons and firing flash grenades have also emerged. The Times also reported that a protester sustained serious injuries after being shot in the head with a crowd-control munition while standing on a city street outside the federal courthouse, where many protesters have rallied, demanding that federal agents leave town.

Earlier this week President Donald Trump announced that a “surge” of federal agents would be dispatched to stop crime and protect federal buildings. He told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Thursday night that up to 75,000 agents would be deployed to American cities.

After telling Hannity, that “as you know” federal dispatch had to first be “invited in,” Trump later in the call appeared to reverse that statement.

“At some point we’re going to have to do something much stronger than being invited in,” Trump said.

Trump Tweets Video Of ‘Q Supporter’ Who Says Trump Has ‘Never Been Wrong For This Country’

Posted on by Zoe Richards

President Donald Trump shared a video early Saturday from conspiracy theorist Antoine Tucker in which the self proclaimed “Q Supporter” says that Democrats “don’t give a fuck about helping Americans.”

Trump tweeted the video on Saturday morning, with the words, “Wow!”

The President has repeatedly retweeted QAnon supporters and cheered candidates who openly support the conspiracy theory, among them, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican House candidate in Georgia.

The clip, which was original posted by Tucker in March, involves a profanity-laden rant about Democrats amid controversy with Republicans to finalize a deal for a coronavirus relief package.

In addition to running a far-fetched campaign to unseat progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Tucker frequently posts conspiracy memes, tweeting earlier this month that he was a “Q Supporter.”

Trump’s move to share the video, comes after Twitter’s announcement earlier this week that it had shut down 7,000 QAnon-related accounts and that with time, it would reduce the visibility of a total 150,000 in an attempt to quash cyber attacks and the proliferation of misinformation.

In the video, Tucker claims to provide “proof that it’s never been about Donald Trump,” saying that the President has “never been a racist” and “never been wrong for the country” by accusing Democrats of blocking a coronavirus relief bill. 

“This stimulus package would have helped every last one of us,” Tucker said. “But the Democrats don’t give a fuck.” 

Two days after the video was posted, Democrats in the Senate secured a deal with Republicans for a $2 trillion relief package — significantly padding the package that Tucker slams Democrats for turning down.

Yoho Accuses Ocasio-Cortez Of ‘Making Hay’ Out Of Reports That He Used Sexist Slur

Posted on by Zoe Richards

Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL) on Friday denied reports that he had accosted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on the Capitol steps on Monday or that he had directed a sexist slur at the congresswoman claiming that “everything was directed at policy.”

“I’m not going to try to defend myself,” Yoho told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum on Friday. “I feel bad for Ms. Ocasio-Cortez who thinks this was — I called her these names, I did not call her these names. This was strictly on policy,” the congressman said, adding that he was “not worried about this.”

The comments come after the Florida congressman appeared to make gestures at a watered down apology Wednesday, saying that he regretted “the abrupt manner” of the “conversation” he had with Ocasio-Cortez after a report surfaced that a reporter from The Hill overheard Yoho calling the congresswoman “disgusting” and saying that she was out of her “freaking mind” to suggest that an upshot in crime was linked to the economic burdens made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.

“It is true that we disagree on policies and visions for America but that does not mean we should be disrespectful,” Yoho said on the House floor on Wednesday, adding that he would not apologize “for my passion, or for loving my God, my family, and my country.” 

But any of what looked like it could be considered as a vague attempt at apologizing was taken back by Friday.

When MacCallum asked Friday if he had used the words ‘fucking bitch’ in reference to Ocasio-Cortez, Yoho denied the remarks, saying that as he walked down the steps he said “‘this is such freaking B.S.’ That’s all I said.” 

The congressman suggested that the New York lawmaker had “spun” their interaction “into saying that I’m attacking all women and women of color,” but that the altercation was “strictly policy” and that Ocasio-Cortez advocated for policies that were “bad for this nation.”

Yoho said that he often had conversations with members of Congress and that while “we don’t always walk away agreeing,” those conversations often ended in laughter “we’re always amicable,” he said. 

In a passionate rebuke Thursday, Ocasio-Cortez said that the incident with Yoho reflected a culture of violence and violent language against women. “ I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

Yoho responded by telling MacCallum that the progressive lawmaker was using “identity politics” to gain support, saying, “I don’t play that.”

The Republican congressman said in the Fox News interview Friday that Ocasio-Cortez was using his confrontation with her to her advantage politically all the while “making fun” of the incident in private.

“She’s making hay out of this, she’s fundraising off of this,” Yoho said.

 

The Wired-Up Political Consultant Who Brought Down Ohio’s Speaker

Posted on by Matt Shuham

The man who helped bring down perhaps the largest alleged bribery scheme in Ohio history is a rosy-cheeked motorcycle enthusiast and political consultant.

Continue reading “The Wired-Up Political Consultant Who Brought Down Ohio’s Speaker” →

ICYMI: Your TPM Weekend News Roundup

Posted on by David Taintor

Trump’s Goon Squads’ Magical Misery Tour

AOC Hammers GOP Colleague After Sexist Remark

  • An offensive comment really came back to haunt Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL) this week. It all started when a reporter for The Hill overheard the Florida congressman get into a disagreement with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on the steps of the Capitol. After the lawmakers parted ways, Yoho allegedly called Ocasio-Cortez a “f*cking b*tch.”
  • Ocasio-Cortez shot back at Yoho, tweeting “Hey, b*tches get things done.”
  • On Wednesday, Yoho took to the House floor to offer a half-hearted apology for any “misunderstanding.” He denied uttering the vulgar phrase.
  • The next day, Ocasio-Cortez laid into Yoho during a floor speech of her own. “To see that excuse and to see our Congress accept it as legitimate and accept it as an apology and to accept silence as a form of acceptance, I could not allow that to stand,” she said.

Trump Premieres Season 2 Of The Coronavirus Briefings

  • The nationwide surge of coronavirus cases, along with the mounting death toll, finally forced Trump back into the White House briefing room. This week, he resumed his coronavirus briefings after a months-long absence.
  • The very first briefing went wildly off the rails when he offered well wishes to Ghislaine Maxwell, the indicted alleged enabler of Jeffrey Epstein.
  • Trump has also used the briefings to once again display his rosy thinking that the coronavirus pandemic will “disappear.” The President also painted himself as Mr. Mask, after shunning the simple but effective face coverings for months.

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House Dems Accuse Trump Admin Of Downplaying Election Interference

Posted on by Josh Kovensky

Congressional Democrats and the Trump Administration released dueling statements about election interference on Friday, as top Dem leadership hit out at the President’s election security czar for underplaying the seriousness of the threat.

Continue reading “House Dems Accuse Trump Admin Of Downplaying Election Interference” →

Why Are New York’s Numbers Remaining Low? (So Far)

Posted on by Josh Marshall

One of the most pressing questions about the COVID epidemic is why some places are doing so much better than others. This applies both globally and within the United States. One example that gets raised a lot is why is New York State doing so relatively well while states in the South and Southwest are being hit so hard?

We need to start the conversation saying a) We don’t completely know and B) There are clearly multiple factors. But let me share some thoughts with you on one part of this debate.

While I still cringe that I see people in New York City not wearing masks, the truth is mask wearing is near universal in New York City. My sense is that aggressive mitigation efforts, both pressed by state authorities and embraced by the population, is the main reason why New York has at least to date avoided a second wave of infection. The last time New York’s case positivity rate went over 2% was June 2nd.