Congress
What Johnson told Edwards
Speaker Mike Johnson spoke to Rep. Chuck Edwards in the hours before the North Carolina Republican ended his reelection campaign in an early-morning X post, a Johnson aide familiar with the conversation said.
Johnson declined to say in a Tuesday night interview with POLITICO whether Edwards should continue his campaign after the House Ethics Committee recommended his censure over “inappropriate conduct” with young women on his staff. He said Edwards had “a big decision” to make and that he planned to discuss the matter with him further.
That conversation happened overnight, the aide familiar with the conversation said, with Johnson encouraging Edwards “to make the right decision for his family and everyone.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s expected choice for Army chief of staff faces resistance that could imperil his confirmation, according to the chair of the panel that needs to approve it.
Senate Armed Services head Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said Wednesday that he was aware of “some opposition within the committee” to acting Army chief of staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve taking the job on a permanent basis.
LaNeve, previously Hegseth’s senior military aide, was confirmed as Army vice chief of staff in January. But he has also served as acting chief of staff since April when Hegseth forced out popular Gen. Randy George, a move that drew widespread criticism from lawmakers in both parties.
Wicker said he was “not able to predict right now” if lawmakers could address concerns about LaNeve. He did not specify whether the concerns were raised by Republicans, but GOP resistance is likely given that nominees could advance through the committee on a party-line vote.
LaNeve has only held the position of four-star general for six months, an anomaly for the the senior most Army officer.
The Wall Street Journal first reported about Republican opposition to LaNeve, citing Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) concerns about his lack of experience at the four-star rank.
Ernst, in an interview, did not dispute that she was the source of the holdup. But she called it a moot point as President Donald Trump has not yet formally nominated LaNeve to the position. And she disputed reports that LaNeve’s lack of experience was the sticking point.
“I don’t think that time and grade has anything to do with leadership ability, so I don’t know how that came about, honestly.” she said. “That’s not what I’ve told anyone.”
If the opposition continues, Trump could decide to leave LeNeve in the acting position indefinitely.
Rep. Max Miller’s Democratic opponent doesn’t want to make his campaign about Miller, even as attention grows on the abuse allegations against the Ohio congressman.
“I’m not necessarily running against Max Miller,” ironworker Brian Poindexter said in a Wednesday phone interview. “I’m running for working families.”
“Are there more eyes on our campaign because of Max Miller? Sure,” he said. “But we’re welcoming people in. Republicans, Democrats, independents are all uniting around the fact that working families are just not making it, and they want to see real change.”
Miller is facing claims of abuse from his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno. Miller has denied any wrongdoing, including accusations that he poured hot water on Emily Moreno and held a gun to her head.
While it might be obvious for a challenger to amplify those claims, which have generated a media firestorm around Miller and his flagging campaign, Poindexter said he isn’t interested in doing so.
He insists that the allegations have not “changed the thing that we’re doing — we’re continuing to build bridges with people who have abandoned the Democratic Party.”
“Our message stays the same,” he said. “Obviously the allegations against Max Miller are very credible and very outrageous. … If they prove to be true, he should be in jail.”
But rather than continue to hammer Miller over the claims, Poindexter hit the congressman for rarely showing up to community events. Miller’s constituents, he said, “are happy to see somebody actually putting in the work.”
A spokesperson for Miller did not respond to a request for comment.
Pressed whether Miller should resign or drop out of the race absent a clear verdict from the courts or House Ethics Committee, which opened an investigation into Miller on Tuesday, Poindexter said he would not “presume to say what he should do or shouldn’t do.”
“What I’m just going to do is continue to run for the hardworking people of District 7. They need somebody who’s willing to fight for them, and I’m willing to fight to make sure that their lives are improved.”
The White House is leaning on Miller to withdraw his reelection bid, according to four people granted anonymity to discuss the private conversations. Miller confirmed Tuesday on CNN that President Donald Trump called him this week to say he was facing a “tough race.”
Miller would have to withdraw by the end of the week to allow for party officials to put a new name on the ballot.
Asked whether he’d like to see Miller stay in the race so that he could face a weakened candidate — as opposed to whomever GOP party brass would seek to elevate — Poindexter said, “I didn’t get into this race for an easy path.”
“I got into this race to fight for working people, and I don’t care who is on the ballot,” he said, “whether it’s Max Miller or anybody else.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune took an initial step Wednesday to allow votes on bipartisan college sports legislation, though it remains unclear how soon it could pass the chamber.
Led by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the Protect College Sports Act would rewrite the national rules for how college athletes are paid and how conferences can expand.
The bill got a boost recently when the Southeastern and Big Ten megaconferences dropped their opposition after the senators agreed to institute a “hard cap” on athlete payments for schools with revenue-sharing deals while preserving an athlete’s ability to secure deals for their name, image and likeness on the open market.
Cruz, Cantwell and other allies have spent recent days pitching the bill to colleagues and have expressed optimism that revised text released Tuesday could garner well over 60 votes needed in the Senate.
Thune’s move allows for an initial vote as soon as Friday, though a deal could speed things up. He also set up potential votes on Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general and a stopgap spending bill punting a shutdown deadline until December.
-
The Josh Fourrier Show2 years agoDOOMSDAY: Trump won, now what?
-
Politics1 year agoFormer ‘Squad’ members launching ‘Bowman and Bush’ YouTube show
-
Uncategorized2 years ago
Bob Good to step down as Freedom Caucus chair this week
-
The Dictatorship1 year agoLuigi Mangione acknowledges public support in first official statement since arrest
-
Politics1 year agoFormer Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron launches Senate bid
-
The Dictatorship1 year agoPete Hegseth’s tenure at the Pentagon goes from bad to worse
-
Politics1 year agoBlue Light News’s Editorial Director Ryan Hutchins speaks at Blue Light News’s 2025 Governors Summit
-
The Dictatorship11 months agoMike Johnson sums up the GOP’s arrogant position on military occupation with two words