Subject: GOP VP DAILY UPDATE – 5/18/16
From: "Kasnetz, Joel" <[email-masked]>
To: "Bauer, Nick" <[email-masked]>, "Dillon, Lauren" <[email-masked]>, "Graham, Caroline" <[email-masked]>, Veepstakes <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 18 May 2016 11:41:41 -0700

GOP VP DAILY UPDATE – 5/18/16

MARSHA BLACKBURN

CHRIS CHRISTIE

BOB CORKER

TOM COTTON

JONI ERNST

MARY FALLIN

NEWT GINGRICH

JIM JORDAN

JEFF SESSIONS

TIM SCOTT

MARSHA BLACKBURN

NDAA

Marsha Blackburn: “Today I’m Voting To Restore Strength, Agility And #READINESS To Our Armed Forces. #FY17NDAA” [@MarshaBlackburn, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/732608915431641088>]

Music

Marsha Blackburn: “Support Is Growing For #Fairplayfairpay To Ensure Music Creators Receive Fair Compensation For Their Work.” [@MarshaBlackburn, Twitter, 5/18/16<https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/732943637974253568>]

New Yorker On Liberal Jerrold Nadler And Conservative Marsha Blackburn Fighting For The Fair Play Fair Pay Act:” If The Two Of Them Can Find Common Ground On This Issue, Maybe The Rest Of Congress Can, Too.” “The proposed law, known as the Fair Play Fair Pay Act, is born of unusual parentage. Its lead sponsors in the House of Representatives are Jerrold Nadler, who represents Manhattan and ranks as one of the most liberal legislators in Congress, and Marsha Blackburn, of Tennessee, one of the most conservative. If the two of them can find common ground on this issue, maybe the rest of Congress can, too.” [New Yorker, 5/18/16<http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/congresss-chance-to-be-fair-to-musicians>]

CFPB

Marsha Blackburn Retweet: “The #CFPB Is An Agency That Has Abused Power It Never Should Have Had In The First Place.” [@FinancialCmte, Twitter, 5/18/16<https://twitter.com/FinancialCmte/status/732937827462209536>]

Contraception

Marsha Blackburn On The Supreme Court’s Decision To Accept A Compromise On The Contraception Mandate: “The Decision Sends A Clear Message That The Administration Has Once Again Overstepped Its Constitutional Authority.” [@MarshaBlackburn, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/732684688297431040>]

Net Neutrality

Marsha Blackburn “Do You Prefer The Internet As We Have Known It Or A Government Controlled Internet?” [@MarshaBlackburn, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/732662131372523521>]

TSA

Marsha Blackburn: “RT If You Agree With Me That #TSA Jobs Need To Be Privatized.” [@MarshaBlackburn, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/732623463584796673>]

Misc Social Media

Marsha Blackburn: “Ben Rhodes Has Admitted They Purposefully And Intentionally Deceived The American People.” [@MarshaBlackburn, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/732639415403712512>]

Marsha Blackburn: “Assembling Care Packages & Sending Thanks To Our Servicemembers This #Militaryappreciationmonth @The_USO” [@MarshaBlackburn, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/732677667368148992>]

Trump

WUSA9: Marsha Blackburn “Has Known Trump Since 2008.” “In an interview Tuesday, Blackburn, who has known Trump since 2008, said she believes women voters will come around to Trump now that the primary is behind him because of his stances on key issues. ‘A lot of voters will tell you they are furious about the lack of attention on national security, jobs and economic security and interestingly enough a growing issue – retirement security,’ Blackburn said. Blackburn also acknowledged that Trump’s language and tone – like that of a number of men in male-dominated workplaces, she said – could stand to be modified.” [WUSA9, 5/17/16<http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/top-female-supporter-on-capitol-hill-says-women-will-come-around-to-trump/200136763>]

Marsha Blackburn On Donald Trump And Women: “Yes, He Does Have Room For Improvement And He Needs To Be Very Diligent In Approaching That And How He’s Going To Approach” His Relationship With Women Voters. “In an interview Tuesday, Blackburn, who has known Trump since 2008, said she believes women voters will come around to Trump now that the primary is behind him because of his stances on key issues. ‘A lot of voters will tell you they are furious about the lack of attention on national security, jobs and economic security and interestingly enough a growing issue – retirement security,’ Blackburn said. Blackburn also acknowledged that Trump’s language and tone – like that of a number of men in male-dominated workplaces, she said – could stand to be modified. ‘He has said some things I would have preferred that he not say,’ Blackburn said. ‘And yes, he does have room for improvement and he needs to be very diligent in approaching that and how he’s going to approach [his relationship with women voters.]’” [WUSA9, 5/17/16<http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/top-female-supporter-on-capitol-hill-says-women-will-come-around-to-trump/200136763>]

Marsha Blackburn On A Priorities USA Ad Hitting Trump On Women: “‘I Am Pleased To Hear That Priorities USA Has Released Such An Ad, Because It’s A Waste Of Money, So Good! Let Them Spend Their Money On That, Because It Is More Of The Expected Noise Of A Campaign.” “Blackburn shrugged off the release of two new attack ads produced by Democratic SuperPAC Priorities USA, which show highlight Trump’s past inflammatory and sexist language about women. ‘I am pleased to hear that Priorities USA has released such an ad, because it’s a waste of money, so good! Let them spend their money on that, because it is more of the expected noise of a campaign,’ she said.” [WUSA9, 5/17/16<http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/top-female-supporter-on-capitol-hill-says-women-will-come-around-to-trump/200136763>]

WUSA9: Marsha Blackburn “Called The Idea Of Putting A Woman On The Ticket As Trump’s VP ‘Fantastic.’” “Blackburn called the idea of putting a woman on the ticket as Trump’s VP ‘fantastic.’ She did not directly answer when asked if she was being vetted by the campaign. ‘There’s nothing, nothing that I can say,’ Blackburn said. ‘I think that if service is something that is made available to someone or offered to someone, then of course you seriously consider that. But right now at this point I think that Mr. Trump and Corey Lewandowski are the two who know who is actually in the process of being vetted.’” [WUSA9, 5/17/16<http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/top-female-supporter-on-capitol-hill-says-women-will-come-around-to-trump/200136763>]

WUSA9: Marsha Blackburn “Did Not Directly Answer When Asked If She Was Being Vetted By The Campaign.” “Blackburn called the idea of putting a woman on the ticket as Trump’s VP ‘fantastic.’ She did not directly answer when asked if she was being vetted by the campaign. ‘There’s nothing, nothing that I can say,’ Blackburn said. ‘I think that if service is something that is made available to someone or offered to someone, then of course you seriously consider that. But right now at this point I think that Mr. Trump and Corey Lewandowski are the two who know who is actually in the process of being vetted.’” [WUSA9, 5/17/16<http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/top-female-supporter-on-capitol-hill-says-women-will-come-around-to-trump/200136763>]

Marsha Blackburn On Whether Or Not She Was Being Vetted As Trump’s Running Mate: “There’s Nothing, Nothing That I Can Say.” “Blackburn called the idea of putting a woman on the ticket as Trump’s VP ‘fantastic.’ She did not directly answer when asked if she was being vetted by the campaign. ‘There’s nothing, nothing that I can say,’ Blackburn said. ‘I think that if service is something that is made available to someone or offered to someone, then of course you seriously consider that. But right now at this point I think that Mr. Trump and Corey Lewandowski are the two who know who is actually in the process of being vetted.’” [WUSA9, 5/17/16<http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/top-female-supporter-on-capitol-hill-says-women-will-come-around-to-trump/200136763>]

CHRIS CHRISTIE

Quinnipiac Poll of NJ

Philadelphia Inquirer’s Maddie Hanna: “Christie Job Approval Rating At 29 Percent In New Quinnipiac Poll; 72 Percent Of NJ Voters Say Trump Shouldn't Pick Him For VP.” [@maddiehanna, 5/18/16<https://twitter.com/maddiehanna/status/732920561362472960>]

Bridgegate

WNYC’s Andrea Bernstein: “Word Is Out. Donald Trump's Sister Will NOT Be In Third Court Panel Considering Whether To Keep #Bridgegate Co-Conspirator List Secret.” [@AndreaWNYC, 5/18/16<https://twitter.com/AndreaWNYC/status/732997942001471488>]

BOB CORKER

Domestic Policy

Bob Corker Said That It Was Unlikely That Congress Would Move On Legislation To Reform Government Sponsored Enterprises. “Don’t expect Congress to move this year on new GSE [Government Sponsored Enterprise] reform efforts. Four senators over the last week separately told Morning Consult that the chances for any such action are dim. ‘I think, really, you’re looking at January to begin’ the GSE reform efforts, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said Tuesday, adding that there might be ‘very small’ work done between now and the beginning of a new Congress to set the stage for GSE legislation. Referring to the  recent poor performance of Fannie and Freddie, he said, ‘I don’t think that this last episode generated any additional interest other than what was already there.’ Corker, along with Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), led an effort in the last Congress to advance legislation that would put Fannie and Freddie back in private hands and avoid future federal bailouts of the two institutions. The measure got a hearing in the Senate Banking Committee but never made it to the floor.” [Morning Consult, 5/17/16<https://morningconsult.com/2016/05/congressional-action-gses-still-unlikely-despite-lacking-fannie-freddie-earnings/>]

Foreign Policy

Bob Corker Supported A Bill That Allowed Family Members Of 9/11 Victims To Sue Saudi Arabia For Their Role In Their Attack. “The Senate unanimously passed a bill allowing the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia for any potential role in the attack, escalating a showdown with the White House over a bill that could spark new tensions with a key Gulf ally… With less than six months left before Election Day 2016, even senators who support the bill fret it could further strain the already-tense relationship between Washington and Riyadh — and leave the next administration to deal with the consequences. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, who supported the bill and worked to improve it, said he and other senators anticipated the White House veto threat. He too has lingering concerns over the bill’s potential negative impact on U.S.-Saudi relations and the principle of sovereign immunity. ‘I understand with all the families of the 9/11 victims the tremendous desire to get this done,’ he told Foreign Policy. ‘There’s just a little bit of unease when you deal with sovereign immunity issues that it may backfire on us, or other countries.’” [Foreign Policy, 5/17/16<http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/05/17/senate-911-bill-could-sour-saudi-relations-for-obamas-white-house-and-the-next/>]

Bob Corker Expressed Unease With Allowing American Citizens To Sue Saudi Arabia Because Of Sovereign Immunity Issues. “The Senate unanimously passed a bill allowing the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia for any potential role in the attack, escalating a showdown with the White House over a bill that could spark new tensions with a key Gulf ally… With less than six months left before Election Day 2016, even senators who support the bill fret it could further strain the already-tense relationship between Washington and Riyadh — and leave the next administration to deal with the consequences. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, who supported the bill and worked to improve it, said he and other senators anticipated the White House veto threat. He too has lingering concerns over the bill’s potential negative impact on U.S.-Saudi relations and the principle of sovereign immunity. ‘I understand with all the families of the 9/11 victims the tremendous desire to get this done,’ he told Foreign Policy. ‘There’s just a little bit of unease when you deal with sovereign immunity issues that it may backfire on us, or other countries.’” [Foreign Policy, 5/17/16<http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/05/17/senate-911-bill-could-sour-saudi-relations-for-obamas-white-house-and-the-next/>]

5/17/16: Bob Corker Was Not Prepared To Comment On Potentially Lifting The International Arms Embargo On Libya. “The United Nations' readiness to lift the international arms embargo on Libya landed with a thud in Congress, where lawmakers were either blindsided by the announcement or downright skeptical. A grand coalition including the United States, European Union, African Union, League of Arab States and several of Libya's neighbors came together May 16 in Vienna to endorse the coalition Government of National Accord in Tripoli and urge the UN to relax the embargo that has been in place since the 2011 uprising. Many lawmakers, however, remain concerned that blanket support for the fledgling government could lead to weapons ending up in the wrong hands and perhaps trigger greater US involvement in that country's messy conflict… Even lawmakers who are fully supportive of the Obama administration's strategy in Libya raised concerns. ‘I think it's something Congress needs to look at and evaluate, and then decide what to do,’ said Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. ‘It's not black and white. We want to see Libya succeed. We want to see ISIS [Islamic State] driven out of Libya. But… I think we need to be very careful.’ Others, including Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and House intelligence panel ranking member Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said they'd just found out about the proposed policy shift and needed time to review it before commenting.” [Al-Monitor, 5/17/16<http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/05/arms-sales-libya-congress-skepticism-washington-embargo.html>]

Misc. Social Media:

Bob Corker: “Thanks @ADL_National For Inviting Me To #Adlsummit To Discuss The #SFRC's Role In Fighting Anti-Semitism Globally.” [@SenBobCorker, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/SenBobCorker/status/732648915510693889>]

Bob Corker: “I Always Enjoy Welcoming Tennesseans To D.C. Learn About Our “Tennessee Tuesday” Breakfasts: http://1.usa.gov/1UTnFkd” [@SenBobCorker, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/SenBobCorker/status/732618573483520001>]

TOM COTTON

On Ben Rhodes Iran Testimony

Tom Cotton Criticized Ben Rhodes For His Comments On Iran Policy During An Interview With Hugh Hewitt. “He [Ben Rhodes] has stirred controversy in recent weeks for an unusually honest interview in which he shared details about the meticulous foreign-policy narrative he has helped Obama construct —particularly, how Rhodes says he helped Obama sell the Iran deal. ‘Some of the coverage of Ben Rhodes is what happens when you put van drivers and campaign flacks and failed novelists in charge of foreign policy and national security,’ Cotton said, taking apparent aim at Rhodes status as an aspiring novelist before joining up with the Obama administration. ‘And that chump may think that subsidizing Iran’s nuclear program with millions of dollars is a laughing matter,’ continued Cotton, who served in the US Army and fought in the Iraq war. ‘I don’t think it’s that funny. And if he or anyone else over there had ever been man enough to put on the uniform and pick up the rifle, and have to lead men in dodging Iranian-made bombs, they might not be laughing, either.’” [Business Insider, 5/17/16<http://www.businessinsider.com/tom-cotton-iran-ben-rhodes-2016-5>]

Tom Cotton: “I Guess I Became Public Enemy Number One At The White House” HH: “How did you become public enemy number one at the White House?” TC: “Just a few things happened. I guess I became public enemy number one at the White House, Hugh, because I’m telling the truth about the Iran deal. Look, what you just played, and some of the coverage of Ben Rhodes is what happens when you put van drivers and campaign flaks and failed novelists in charge of foreign policy and national security. And that chump may think that subsidizing Iran’s nuclear program with millions of dollars is a laughing matter. I don’t think it’s that funny. And if he or anyone else over there had ever been man enough to put on the uniform and pick up the rifle, and have to lead men in dodging Iranian-made bombs, they might not be laughing, either.” [Hugh Hewitt, Salem Radio Network, 5/17/16]

Tom Cotton: “This Administration Has A Pattern Of Telling The Truth In Classified Settings, And Then Misleading Or Misinforming The American People In Public Settings.” HH: “That’s where I come down to. Put aside Josh Earnest and Ben Rhodes, who is going to be eclipsed by history in about one minute after he loses his 1600 Pennsylvania pass. No one’s going to talk to him. But go to the reality of what they did. The reality of what they did is arm Iran and give terrorists $150 billion dollars. I don’t even know how anyone argues with the $150 billion dollars in sanctions relief. That’s what the Iranians wanted.” TC: “And Hugh, also, just let me speak specifically to the point about the amount of relief that Iran will get from this deal. Now President Obama has put the estimate at times well north of $100 billion dollars. But Hugh, now you’ve got flaks in the White House and John Kerry and other senior administration officials running around saying oh, it’s only $3 billion, it’s only $5 billion. This administration has a pattern of telling the truth in classified settings, and then misleading or misinforming the American people in public settings. I sit on the Intelligence Committee and the Armed Services Committee. I have had repeated briefings about the Iran nuclear deal, some just a few weeks old. They come from non-partisan, professional intelligence analysts. And I can’t tell you the number that they have briefed us recently, but I can tell you it’s a hell of a lot closer to $150 billion dollars than it is to $3 billion dollars. And sitting in that briefing was a political appointee named Andrew Exum at the Department of Defense, and any reporter who wants to know should go listen to him, because I gave him a piece of my mind, not because it’s his fault, but he is the political appointee who is there as the representative of administration policy. And it’s time that the administration came clean and told the American people exactly what they tell Congress in a classified setting. And the fact of the matter is the amount of sanctions relief is a lot closer to $150 billion dollars than it is to $3 billion dollars.” HH: “So the administration has a pattern of telling Congress in classified setting something very different from what Josh Earnest says?” TC: “Yes, and not just on the nuclear deal, on a whole range of national security matters, because they want to conceal just how calamitous their security policy around the world has been for American interests.” [Hugh Hewitt, Salem Radio Network, 5/17/16]

Tom Cotton: “As If Any Of Them [White House Staff] Had Ever Seen Anything More Dangerous Than A Shoving Match When They Were Playing Beer Pong In The Back Of A Bar In Georgetown.” “HH: “Now Senator Cotton, do you think Josh Earnest has a clue about what is, I mean, honestly, this isn’t a personal thing. But do you think Josh Earnest and Ben Rhodes have a clue about who the Iranians are, about the revolutionary government there, about Khomeini and Khamenei and what is really going on?” TC: “No, I don’t, Hugh. You know, most of who’s left in the administration now are all these yes men and fan boys who were van drivers or press flaks for Barack Obama in Iowa and New Hampshire in 2008. This reminds me of the time back during the big fight over Obamacare and the government spending bill in the fall of 2013. And one of the guys over there accused the House Republicans of being suicide bombers, if you recall that?” HH: “Oh, yeah.” TC: “As if any of them had ever seen anything more dangerous than a shoving match when they were playing beer pong in the back of a bar in Georgetown.”

Tom Cotton: “If Josh Earnest Or Any Of The President’s Other Fan Boys Were Man Enough To Wear The Uniform Or Lead Men In Combat As They Tried To Avoid Being Killed By Iranian Roadside Bombs They Wouldn’t Find This So Funny.” [Tom Cotton For Senate, Facebook, 5/18/16<https://www.facebook.com/TomCottonAR/posts/1162915123753745>]

On Being Donald Trump’s Vice President

The National Interest’s Scott McConnell: Picking Tom Cotton Would Not Help Donald Trump Unite The Party And It Also Might Hurt Him. “A variant on this idea was put forth by Eli Clifton on Lobelog, this time by recommending Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton. Like Rubio, Cotton is a neocon protégé, a foreign-policy hawk who has recently been busying himself in the Senate trying to put barriers in the way of successful implementation of the Iran deal. Unlike Rubio, the young senator seems to be actually lobbying for the role, pouring cold water on Bill Kristol’s plans to run someone as an anti-Trump third-party candidate, and letting it be known that he would welcome being chosen by Trump. If you consider these suggestions from Trump’s perspective, it’s clear that bringing on board a young U.S. senator, either Rubio or Cotton, who is very well thought of by the hawkish wing of the party, would probably bring him some favorable comment in the Weekly Standard and Washington Post editorial pages, as well as other venues. That would be helpful, to a point. But Trump would then lose at least some of those who supported him because he was the least neoconservative candidate in the GOP field… But there’s another equally vital reason not to choose Rubio or Cotton: what if Trump wins? A hold on the vice presidency would bring the neoconservatives back into the center of executive decision making.” [Scott McConnell, The National Interest, 5/17/16<http://nationalinterest.org/feature/trump-doesnt-need-neocon-running-mate-16241?page=2>]

On Olympic Doping Investigation

Office Of Senator Tom Cotton: “I Welcome Reports That A U.S. Attorney's Office Is Investigating Russia's State-Sponsored Olympic Doping Scheme. But The Department Of Justice Should Not Stop There.” “Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement on reports that a U.S. Attorney's office is investigating Russia's state-sponsored Olympic doping scheme: ‘I welcome reports that a U.S. Attorney's office is investigating Russia's state-sponsored Olympic doping scheme. But the Department of Justice should not stop there. The Russian economy under Vladimir Putin practically runs on official and semi-official corruption, and it all should be exposed and prosecuted for the world and every Russian citizen to see. Russia is scheduled to host the World Cup in two years, a winning bid that was almost certainly greased with bribes and kickbacks. There is likely similar wrongdoing in Russia's bids to host the Olympics, its appointments to international chess associations, its awarding of government contracts, and in a rash of other ventures. The long arm of U.S. law has begun to grasp for Vladimir Putin-it should be a long time before it lets go.’” [Press Release, Office Of Senator Tom Cotton, 5/17/16<http://www.cotton.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=390>]

Tom Cotton: “The Long Arm Of U.S. Law Has Begun To Grasp For Vladimir Putin-It Should Be A Long Time Before It Lets Go.” “I welcome reports that a U.S. Attorney's office is investigating Russia's state-sponsored Olympic doping scheme. But the Department of Justice should not stop there. The Russian economy under Vladimir Putin practically runs on official and semi-official corruption, and it all should be exposed and prosecuted for the world and every Russian citizen to see. Russia is scheduled to host the World Cup in two years, a winning bid that was almost certainly greased with bribes and kickbacks. There is likely similar wrongdoing in Russia's bids to host the Olympics, its appointments to international chess associations, its awarding of government contracts, and in a rash of other ventures. The long arm of U.S. law has begun to grasp for Vladimir Putin-it should be a long time before it lets go.” [Senator Tom Cotton, Facebook, 5/17/16<https://www.facebook.com/SenatorTomCotton/posts/603765003118372>]

Tom Cotton: “My Statement On Reports That A U.S. Attorney’s Office Is Investigating The Russian Olympic Doping Scheme: http://ow.ly/o5cm300iXRZ” [@SenTomCotton, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton/status/732696657406611458>]

On Obama Administration Foreign Policy

Tom Cotton: “Russia Isn't A Partner & Diplomacy Isn't An End In Itself. Humiliating.” [@TomCottonAR, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/TomCottonAR/status/732639409355563008?lang=en>]

Tom Cotton: “A Good @heritage Paper That Anyone Interested In National Security Should Read #fisa #nsa http://ow.ly/67rz300hXr0” [@SenTomCotton, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton/status/732605410167951362>]

JONI ERNST

Budget

Joni Ernst: “Progress! House Oversight Committee Passed My Bipartisan Program Management Bill Which Would Prevent Tax $$ From Being Wasted Due To Federal Government Mismanagement.” [Senator Joni Ernst, Facebook, 5/17/16<https://www.facebook.com/senjoniernst/posts/536275986533840>]

Convention

Joni Ernst Planned To Attend The 2016 GOP Convention And Stay With The Iowa Delegation. “Despite his reluctance to pay inflated costs for a hotel room during the Republican National Convention this summer, Sen. Chuck Grassley has decided to make a brief appearance to meet with fellow Iowans in Cleveland…Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, also plans to attend the convention and will stay with the Iowa delegation, a spokeswoman said.” [Quad-City Times, 5/17/16<http://qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/iowa/grassley-plans-fast-in-fast-out-visit-to-gop-convention/article_8043a74f-bfdf-5b6e-b07c-fa66ee270931.html>]

Women In Combat

Oklahoman: Joni Ernst Voted For The Senate Armed Services Defense Bill That Included “A Provision Requiring Women To Register For The Draft. “The Senate Armed Services Committee completed its version of the defense bill last week and included a provision requiring women to register for the draft. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, tried to remove the provision in a closed-door session, but lost by a vote of 7 to 19. Those supporting Lee were conservative red state senators, including Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa. All seven women on the Senate panel—including three Republicans—voted for the requirement that women register for the draft. Among the Republican women voting for the requirement was Sen. Joni Ernst, of Iowa, a U.S. Army veteran who served as a company commander in Iraq.” [Oklahoman, 5/17/16<http://newsok.com/article/5498671>]

MARY FALLIN

On State Budget

Mary Fallin Signed A Bill That Will Apply State Sales Tax To Online Purchases. “Gov. Mary Fallin has signed legislation that supporters say will help the state collect more revenue from online purchases. Fallin signed legislation Tuesday that requires retailers to notify their Oklahoma customers they may owe taxes on their online purchases when filing state tax returns. The bill would also require retailers to provide Oklahomans with an annual report of how much they spent on online purchases. The Oklahoma Tax Commission says it doesn't expect the legislation to have an impact on next year's budget, but officials estimate the state loses $150 million annually in unpaid sales and use taxes on mostly Internet purchases. Supporters say the law will help local retailers who struggle to compete with online competitors. The law goes into effect Nov. 1.” [KRMG, 5/17/16<http://www.krmg.com/ap/ap/oklahoma/oklahoma-governor-signs-online-internet-tax-propos/nrPM7/>]

On Vaccine Bill

Oklahoma Legislators Failed To Override Mary Fallin’s Veto Of A Vaccine Disclosure Bill. “The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Monday could not muster the votes to override Gov. Mary Fallin's veto of a controversial childhood immunization bill. Rep. Randy Grau, R-Edmond, garnered 55 votes but needed 68 votes to override Fallin's April 29 veto of House Bill 3016. Fallin was on the House floor during a portion of the debate.” [Tulsa World, 5/17/16]

On Prisoner Commutation

The Oklahoma Pardon And Parole Board Denied Parole To Larry Yarbrough After Mary Fallin Changed His Sentence To Allow For Early Release. “A 66-year-old Oklahoma inmate serving life in prison for possessing an ounce of cocaine was denied parole Tuesday, months after the governor modified his sentence in a way that allowed early release to be an option. The state’s Pardon and Parole Board voted 5-0 to deny parole to Larry Yarbrough of Kingfisher, who’s been imprisoned since 1997. The reasons for the denial weren’t immediately given, and a parole board official couldn’t be reached for comment.” [Tulsa World, 5/18/16<http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state/oklahoma-board-denies-drug-offender-parole-after-governor-s-commutation/article_c166fd01-2187-5176-a693-f21a2dff5dc3.html>]

NEWT GINGRICH

China

Politifact Said That Newt Gingrich’s Claim That China Stole $360 Billion In Intellectual Property From The United States Was Mostly True. “Gingrich said on May 15 that while he had played a major role as a congressional leader in passing one of Trump’s most heavily criticized trade deals, the North American Free Trade Agreement, it’s not a bad idea to be tougher now. ‘When you hear, for example, that the Chinese last year probably stole $360 billion in intellectual property from the United States, I think being tough about that's a good thing,’ Gingrich said. ‘I think conservatives can be for very tough-minded trade.’… The $360 billion figure comes from a senior government official, and there are indications that it could, if anything, understate the scale of the problem. However, it’s worth remembering that all estimates in this field are subject to guesstimation. The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information, so we rate it Mostly True.” [Politifact, 5/17/16<http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2016/may/17/newt-gingrich/newt-gingrich-says-china-stole-360-billion-intelle/>]

New Edition Of Book

Newt Gingrich Stressed The Importance Of God In The Public Square. “We believed a rebuttal was in order, and in 2006 we published Rediscovering God in America: Reflections on the Role of Faith in Our Nation’s History and Future to refute the idea that God should be shut out of the public square. The book was organized as a walking tour of the great monuments and memorials in America’s capital city, Washington, D.C. We showed how faith in God is literally carved into the stone of these monuments, just as it is embedded in our nation’s founding principles. But the book is not simply a walking tour of the city” [Newt Gingrich, Washington Times, 5/17/16<http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/17/newt-gingrich-rediscovering-god-america/?page=1>]

Newt Gingrich In Washington Times: Newt Gingrich Criticized “The Secular Left” For Attacking Religious Liberty. “It is startling to reflect that in the decade since the initial publication of Rediscovering God in America, the challenge the book was intended to address has become even more stark. The secular left has been more aggressive than ever under the Obama administration, as we have seen attacks on religious liberty in many states, as well as an effort to force Catholic nuns to violate the teachings of their Church or be put out of business (that business, of course, being serving the elderly poor). Now more than ever, we need to rebut the effort to drive faith out of the public square, and to offer a strong defense of the role of God in our nation’s history. That effort starts with making sure Americans learn American history, and particularly the central role the Founders saw for faith in maintaining our republican institutions. For instance, the secular left is fond of citing a line from Thomas Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists, in which he mentions a ‘wall of separation between Church and State.’ But how many Americans are aware that as president, Jefferson attended church services at the U.S. Capitol? In fact, far from believing that faith in God should be expelled from politics, Jefferson argued that God must be central to the American experiment. ‘God who gave us life gave us liberty,’ he wrote. ‘Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?’ George Washington, our first president, was similarly convinced of the importance of faith in America. ‘Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity,’ he said in his Farewell Address, ‘Religion and morality are indispensable supports.’” [Newt Gingrich, Washington Times, 5/17/16<http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/17/newt-gingrich-rediscovering-god-america/?page=1>]

Trump

Newt Gingrich Speculated That Donald Trump Could Be More Successful With Black Voter Than The Preceding Republican Presidential Nominees By Engaging With Predominantly Black Communities And Highlighting How He Would Bring About Change. “Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), largely speculated as one of the names on Donald Trump's vice presidential short list, predicted that the presumptive GOP presidential nominee would have ‘surprising’ success with black voters. ‘He’s going to get a surprising bigger vote there than [Mitt] Romney or George [W.] Bush,’ Gingrich said Tuesday during a question-and-answer session streamed on his Facebook page. Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, won 6 percent of the black vote, while President George W. Bush peaked in 2004 with 11 percent, according to exit polls. A new NBC/Survey Monkey tracking poll released Tuesday showed Trump with 9 percent of the black vote. The former Speaker said Trump needs to ‘go into the black community,’ listing places like Chicago's South Side neighborhood, Newark, N.J., and Baltimore as targets. He added that many cities with significant black populations have long been governed by Democratic lawmakers and that many may be ready for a change.  ‘Mr. Trump needs to say, “Wouldn't you like to try having jobs? Wouldn't you like to try having a safe neighborhood? Wouldn't you like to try schools that work?”’ Gingrich said, before continuing to echo what he thinks Trump should say. ‘”Come with me and I represent real change, and maybe we can get those things done. But stay with [Democratic presidential front-runner] Hillary [Clinton] and it's the same, sad disastrous past.”’”  [The Hill, 5/17/16<http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/280209-gingrich-trump-will-have-surprising-success-with-black>]

The Hill: Newt Gingrich Said That Donald Trump Should Ask Black Voters “Wouldn't You Like To Try Having Jobs? Wouldn't You Like To Try Having A Safe Neighborhood? Wouldn't You Like To Try Schools That Work?” To Highlight How A Trump Presidency Could Benefit Them. “Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), largely speculated as one of the names on Donald Trump's vice presidential short list, predicted that the presumptive GOP presidential nominee would have ‘surprising’ success with black voters. ‘He’s going to get a surprising bigger vote there than [Mitt] Romney or George [W.] Bush,’ Gingrich said Tuesday during a question-and-answer session streamed on his Facebook page. Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, won 6 percent of the black vote, while President George W. Bush peaked in 2004 with 11 percent, according to exit polls. A new NBC/Survey Monkey tracking poll released Tuesday showed Trump with 9 percent of the black vote. The former Speaker said Trump needs to ‘go into the black community,’ listing places like Chicago's South Side neighborhood, Newark, N.J., and Baltimore as targets. He added that many cities with significant black populations have long been governed by Democratic lawmakers and that many may be ready for a change.  ‘Mr. Trump needs to say, “Wouldn't you like to try having jobs? Wouldn't you like to try having a safe neighborhood? Wouldn't you like to try schools that work?”’ Gingrich said, before continuing to echo what he thinks Trump should say. ‘”Come with me and I represent real change, and maybe we can get those things done. But stay with [Democratic presidential front-runner] Hillary [Clinton] and it's the same, sad disastrous past.”’”  [The Hill, 5/17/16<http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/280209-gingrich-trump-will-have-surprising-success-with-black>]

Newt Gingrich Said Donald Trump Needs To Better Address His Plan To Keep Families Safe With Strong Jobs. “Gingrich also addressed Trump's lagging poll numbers among women, lauding "his track record of promoting women executives" and arguing he needs to better communicate his plan to keep families safe and with strong jobs.” [The Hill, 5/17/16<http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/280209-gingrich-trump-will-have-surprising-success-with-black>]

Newt Gingrich Addressed Donald Trump’s Poor Performance In Polls With Woman, Noting Trump’s Record Of Promoting Women Executives. “Gingrich also addressed Trump's lagging poll numbers among women, lauding "his track record of promoting women executives" and arguing he needs to better communicate his plan to keep families safe and with strong jobs.” [The Hill, 5/17/16<http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/280209-gingrich-trump-will-have-surprising-success-with-black>]

Newt Gingrich Said That Wished Donald Trump Was Slightly More Presidential, And Showed More Restraint. “Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich expressed regret that Donald Trump hasn't acted in a more presidential manner as the presumptive Republican nominee, arguing that a little more "discipline" and ‘self-restraint’ would go a long way as he seeks the nation's highest office. Gingrich told Fox News Tuesday afternoon that he wishes Trump were ‘10 percent more presidential,’ adding that he doubts that will happen. He also told host Neil Cavuto that while Trump claims that he could be more presidential but decides against it because he'd be boring, a bit of ‘boredom’ could go a long way and could help him be more of a role model for America's youth. ‘I wish he was about 10 percent more presidential. That's not his style,’ Gingrich told Cavuto. ‘I have a hunch this is the presidential style we're going to have to live with if he wins.’” [Washington Examiner, 5/17/16<file:///\\dncshares\Research\2016\VP\Daily%20Updates\Corker%20Bio%203.30.16.docx>]

Washinton Examiner: Newt Gingrich Said That “I Have A Hunch This Is The Presidential Style We're Going To Have To Live With If He [Donald Trump] Wins.” “Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich expressed regret that Donald Trump hasn't acted in a more presidential manner as the presumptive Republican nominee, arguing that a little more "discipline" and ‘self-restraint’ would go a long way as he seeks the nation's highest office. Gingrich told Fox News Tuesday afternoon that he wishes Trump were ‘10 percent more presidential,’ adding that he doubts that will happen. He also told host Neil Cavuto that while Trump claims that he could be more presidential but decides against it because he'd be boring, a bit of ‘boredom’ could go a long way and could help him be more of a role model for America's youth. ‘I wish he was about 10 percent more presidential. That's not his style,’ Gingrich told Cavuto. ‘I have a hunch this is the presidential style we're going to have to live with if he wins.’” [Washington Examiner, 5/17/16<file:///\\dncshares\Research\2016\VP\Daily%20Updates\Corker%20Bio%203.30.16.docx>]

In Regards To Donald Trump’s Style, Newt Gingrich Highlighted The Importance That A President Be Able To Communicated With All Americans, And Be Able To Act As A Role Model For The Young. “Cavuto then told the 2012 GOP presidential candidate [Newt Gingrich] that his ‘style’ includes some ‘blunt’ and ‘crass’ language that turns off religious folks, which Gingrich readily acknowledged. ‘It should,’ Gingrich responded. ‘I think the most profound comment I heard — I was on with Rep. Tim Huelskamp from Kansas and he said he doesn't want to let his nine-year-old son listen to Trump because he's not sure what Trump's going to say. And I think that's something that Donald ought to take seriously.’ ‘The president of the United States has to be able to communicate with all 315 million Americans, and for younger Americans, he has to be a role model. He has to be somebody they can look up to, and I think we could use a little more discipline and a little more self-restraint in that sense,’ Gingrich said. ‘He claims he's capable of it. Every once in a while, he'll say, “oh, I could be presidential but you'll be bored.” Well, I think a little bit of boredom in terms of certain kinds of language would actually be good because lots of young people take their cues from the president of the United States and I think that it would be helpful for him to do that.’” [Washington Examiner, 5/17/16<file:///\\dncshares\Research\2016\VP\Daily%20Updates\Corker%20Bio%203.30.16.docx>]

RNC “2016 Election Principles”

Newt Gingrich’s Suggestions For The RNC Were In Contradiction With The Praise He Gave Donald Trump’s Candidacy. “Earlier this month, Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House and a presidential candidate in 2012, released a set of recommendations for Republicans running for election this year. Gingrich put together the 22-page manifesto, “2016 Election Principles,” at the request of the Republican National Committee. The document — in essence a master plan that comes with the strong endorsement of Reince Priebus, the chairman of the R.N.C. — stresses the need for “widespread inclusion of ethnic groups.” It sounds remarkably like an across-the-board renunciation of Donald Trump’s campaign strategy. This presents something of a paradox, though, because Gingrich claims to be one of Trump’s strongest supporters. In March, well before it was clear that Trump would go on to win the nomination, Gingrich told Slate that: ‘Trump has had the nerve to raise questions in a clear language because he represents the millions of Americans who are sick and tired of being told that they have to be guilt-ridden and keep their mouth shut.’ Since then, Gingrich has made it official, telling Fox News’s Sean Hannity on May 11: ‘Let me start by saying that, clearly, to anybody who’s watched, you know, I endorse Donald Trump. I’m going to work very hard for the Republican nominee.’ Given the fact that it would be hard to imagine an approach to campaigning more diametrically opposed to Gingrich’s plan than what Trump has done so far, Gingrich’s enthusiasm for Trump appears almost inexplicable. Gingrich’s 2016 election proposal echoes the now familiar 2013 Republican ‘autopsy’ report, also known as ‘The Growth and Opportunity Report,’ which warned Republicans that in the aftermath of President Obama’s second election victory they had to gain support among Hispanics, gays and women in order to remain competitive in national contests against the Democrats.” [New York Times, 5/18/16<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/opinion/campaign-stops/does-democratic-weakness-create-republican-opportunity.html>]

Newt Gingrich Used Cory Gardner’s Success In Colorado As An Example Of How Republicans Can Be Successful With Latinos, And Other Voter Blocs That Generally Lean Democrat, When They Focus Engaging With Those Communities. “In the R.N.C. document, Gingrich fails to reconcile his inclusive strategy with Trump’s focus on driving up conservative white support by demonizing minority voters. Without referring to Trump’s ‘white power’ strategy, Gingrich asserts that ‘in every campaign we studied, there was a direct correlation between paying attention to minority communities, events, activities and key dates and the increase in votes.’ Gingrich singles out the example of the Colorado senator Cory Gardner’s election in 2014: ‘Gardner went from between 6 and 8 percent support among Colorado’s Latino voters in January to tying incumbent Senator Udall at 48-48 on Election Day. Colorado Republicans worked Pueblo, a largely Hispanic area they had traditionally ignored and which now has a Republican Latina state legislator and boosted Gardner’s vote above the historic pattern.’ In the case of women, Gingrich writes, Gardner ‘seized the initiative and defined women’s health on his terms before the left could push him into a “War on Women” defensive position.’ Gingrich argues ‘that the goal has to be inclusion, not outreach. Outreach is when the old order makes a decision and then calls the community leaders to inform them. Inclusion is when the community is in on the discussion before the decision.’ Republicans, in Gingrich’s analysis, ‘have the opportunity to perform better among single women, younger voters, Asians, Hispanics, and African-Americans.’” [New York Times, 5/18/16<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/opinion/campaign-stops/does-democratic-weakness-create-republican-opportunity.html>]

In His RNC Report, New Gingrich Ignored How Down-Ballot Republican Candidates Would Deal With The Controversies Raised By Donald Trump, Or How They Could Endorse Trump When Gingrich’s Advice Runs Counter Trump’s Approach To Engagement With Minority Communities. “The Gingrich document pointedly ignores the crucial issue facing his party this year: How do Republican candidates deal with the controversies raised by their presidential nominee? Nor does Gingrich explain how he could endorse Trump when Trump’s electioneering approach runs counter to the strategy Gingrich believes is essential for Republican success. Gingrich’s stance is striking because it is obvious that Republican candidates are going to be under pressure — at meetings with voters, at news conferences and during door-to-door canvasing — to respond to voters who ask, ‘Do you agree with Donald Trump’s latest statement about (insert women, Muslims, immigrants here)?’” [New York Times, 5/18/16<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/opinion/campaign-stops/does-democratic-weakness-create-republican-opportunity.html>]

Newt Gingrich Thought That The GOP Would Be Able To Avoid Core Disagreements With Trump By Taking Advantage Of Softening Support For The Democratic Party. “Why does Gingrich think he and his party can skate over his core disagreements with Trump? The answer is provocative and illuminating. Gingrich is convinced that there has been a weakening of the Democratic Party over the last eight years at the state and local level — including in key battleground states — which has left a door open for a broad Republican victory this November. Gingrich bases his argument on the following data. According to the average of the first five Gallup polls in early 2009, when Barack Obama took office, 51.8 percent of voters identified with the Democratic Party and 38.4 percent with the Republican Party, a solid 13.4 point Democratic advantage. In 2016, however, the average of the first five polls shows that the Democratic advantage has shrunk to a far more modest 5.2 point edge, with 47.2 percent of voters identifying as Democrats and 42 percent identifying as Republicans. This translates to a Democratic loss in voter identification, over the past seven-and-a-half years, of 8.2 percentage points — a political bloodletting. Then take three battleground states: Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. In 2008, Gallup found partisan advantages favoring Democrats in these states by 18, 16 and 9 points respectively. But in 2015, the most recent year for which Gallup state data is available, the Democratic advantages had virtually disappeared in two of the three states, falling to 0.2 points in Ohio and to 0.7 points in Florida. In Pennsylvania, the 16 point Democratic advantage fell to 3 points. Last week, Quinnipiac provided further evidence of increased Democratic liability in these three states, with polls showing Trump ahead of Hillary Clinton in Ohio by 4 points and just one point behind her in both Florida and Pennsylvania. These Gallup findings favoring the Republican Party appear to work against demographic changes pushing the electorate in the opposite direction. Every four years, voters in presidential elections become roughly 2 percent less white and 2 percent more minority, primarily Hispanic, Asian and black. These diverse voters support Democrats by large margins. The death of older voters, the most Republican of all whites, also drives the decline of the white demographic.” [New York Times, 5/18/16<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/opinion/campaign-stops/does-democratic-weakness-create-republican-opportunity.html>]

Gallup Polls Agreed With Newt Gingrich That The Democratic Party Is Weaker Than Widely Recognized, But Also Said That Short Term Support Was Shifting Back Towards Democrats. “Gingrich, for his part, argues that pro-Republican trends will have a long-term negative impact on the ability of the Democratic Party to compete in future elections. ‘Since President Obama’s election in 2008,’ Gingrich writes, ‘we have gone from 22 to 31 Republican governors, for a gain of 9; 22 to 32 Republican lieutenant governors, for a gain of 10; and 18 to 27 Republican attorneys general, for a gain of 9.’ Gingrich then gives the dagger another twist: ‘To get a sense of the depth of the Democratic Party’s decay at the state legislative level in the Obama era, consider that since President Obama took office, 85 of 98 legislative bodies have become more Republican than they were when he was inaugurated.’ The result, according to Gingrich, has been ‘the destruction of the Democratic Party’s farm team in the states.’ Gingrich is at his best in identifying Democratic vulnerabilities. His 2016 victory plan, however, has a number of weaknesses. First, while the Gallup data supports the Gingrich case that the Democratic Party is weaker than is widely recognized, the most recent findings from Gallup show Republican gains are grinding to a halt. In an email to The Times, Jeffrey Jones, Gallup’s managing editor, wrote, ‘Our latest update on national party ID showed things looking better for the Democrats.’ Jones added that ‘as of now the short-term trends are moving in the Democratic direction.’ A second point of weakness: Gingrich has argued that the Trump campaign is drawing new voters into the Republican Party. A detailed analysis that Politico published on Tuesday, however, found that the turnout increase in primaries this year comes not from new Republican voters, but from voters who in the past eschewed state and local races and only cast ballots in the general election.” [New York Times, 5/18/16<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/opinion/campaign-stops/does-democratic-weakness-create-republican-opportunity.html>]

A Detailed Analysis From Politico Called Into Question Newt Gingrich’s Claim That Donald Trump Was Bring New Voters To The GOP, Indicating Instead That Trump Was Bringing Voters That Only Vote In The General Election To The Primaries. “Gingrich, for his part, argues that pro-Republican trends will have a long-term negative impact on the ability of the Democratic Party to compete in future elections. ‘Since President Obama’s election in 2008,’ Gingrich writes, ‘we have gone from 22 to 31 Republican governors, for a gain of 9; 22 to 32 Republican lieutenant governors, for a gain of 10; and 18 to 27 Republican attorneys general, for a gain of 9.’ Gingrich then gives the dagger another twist: ‘To get a sense of the depth of the Democratic Party’s decay at the state legislative level in the Obama era, consider that since President Obama took office, 85 of 98 legislative bodies have become more Republican than they were when he was inaugurated.’ The result, according to Gingrich, has been ‘the destruction of the Democratic Party’s farm team in the states.’ Gingrich is at his best in identifying Democratic vulnerabilities. His 2016 victory plan, however, has a number of weaknesses. First, while the Gallup data supports the Gingrich case that the Democratic Party is weaker than is widely recognized, the most recent findings from Gallup show Republican gains are grinding to a halt. In an email to The Times, Jeffrey Jones, Gallup’s managing editor, wrote, ‘Our latest update on national party ID showed things looking better for the Democrats.’ Jones added that ‘as of now the short-term trends are moving in the Democratic direction.’ A second point of weakness: Gingrich has argued that the Trump campaign is drawing new voters into the Republican Party. A detailed analysis that Politico published on Tuesday, however, found that the turnout increase in primaries this year comes not from new Republican voters, but from voters who in the past eschewed state and local races and only cast ballots in the general election.” [New York Times, 5/18/16<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/opinion/campaign-stops/does-democratic-weakness-create-republican-opportunity.html>]

Newt Gingrich’s Claims That The Republicans Were On The Cusp Of A Voter Targeting Revolution Was Met With Scorn After The Democratic Party’s Success In That Area, And That Lack Of Interest By Donald Trump’s Campaign In Developing A Ground Game. “Gingrich claims that Republicans are on the cusp of a game-changing “revolution” in microtargeting through the use of a new technology called “Voter Score.” Voter Score is a database that ranks every voter in the nation on a series of 100 point scales for their likelihood of casting Republican or Democratic ballots, their stands on issues and their turnout history. There are indications that Voter Score is not as revolutionary as Gingrich makes it out to be. I sent Gingrich’s description of Voter Score to Laura Quinn, a former Democratic National Committee technology guru who now runs Catalist, a Democratic list management firm. Her response was straightforward: ‘LOL. We have been doing this for a decade. Wow, they have a long way to go. We can show progress far beyond that.’ Eitan Hersh, a political scientist at Yale who has written a book on political microtargeting, ‘Hacking the Electorate,’ raised a number of questions about the value of Voter Score. To begin with, Hersh said, Democrats and liberals have been more willing to share key voter lists between candidates, parties and interest groups than Republicans have. He argues that since each user keeps adding new information to the list, the accuracy of the Democratic lists improves. Hersh contends that a crucial factor in the development of microtargeting lists is a large volunteer force constantly going door to door and refining the quality of the list through hand-held devices. In 2004, this worked well for Republicans because conservative and evangelical churches provided a massive base of workers for canvassing. In 2008 and 2012, however, Hersh said, neither John McCain nor Mitt Romney drew much enthusiasm from the Christian right. With fewer volunteers, the lists atrophied. The Obama campaigns of 2008 and 2012, Hersh points out, were swamped with volunteers.So far this year, Trump has shown little interest in building a volunteer-based ‘ground game,’ and without such a network, Hersh suggests, the Republican Voter Score system will not undergo the constant updating required for a high-quality operation.” [New York Times, 5/18/16<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/opinion/campaign-stops/does-democratic-weakness-create-republican-opportunity.html>]

Newt Gingrich Was Mostly Correct About The Weakening Support For The Democratic Party, But Donald Trump’s Campaign Did Not Operate Using Gingrich’s Suggested Inclusivity. “What can we conclude from the pluses and minuses of the Gingrich analysis? To some extent, Gingrich is right. Democrats are arguably too sanguine about the party’s demographic inevitability and its Electoral College advantage. That overconfidence may, in turn, lead to strategic errors in targeting states, making ad buys and other key tactical decisions. Meanwhile, NBC’s most recent poll gives Clinton just a three-point lead nationally, 48-45. While Trump brings the risk of implosion to the campaign, with the potential to devastate the Republican Party, he also has the potential to win and to transform American politics for the foreseeable future. The odds favor implosion, but do not preclude the possibility of transformation. Still, the Trump campaign is (and has been) playing a high-risk game, the opposite of the base-broadening, inclusive strategy Gingrich now calls for. Trump’s presidential campaign will be the ultimate test of whether the Republican Party can survive as the nation’s bastion of revanchism — the party of racial reaction. The very fact that he is still afloat suggests that his backward-looking, white-dependent strategy may be more viable than those on the left, not to mention those on the traditional establishment right, believe.” [New York Times, 5/18/16<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/opinion/campaign-stops/does-democratic-weakness-create-republican-opportunity.html>]

Misc. Social Media

Newt Gingrich: “TSA pre worked perfectly at Reagan this morning.took less than five minutes. On to Atlanta.” [@newtgingrich, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/732880565632913408>]

Newt Gingrich: “I Have A Day Trip To Atlanta Tomorrow And Just Received Delta Warning Tsa Could Take 2-3 Hours.Sanders Socialist Bureaucracy Fails Again.” [@newtgingrich, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/732759771154120706>]

Newt Gingrich: “A Few Of The Great Photos Taken By @Callygingrich For Our Book Rediscovering God In America http://amzn.to/1TiVYzq” [@newtgingrich, Twitter, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/732712942718722048>]

JIM JORDAN

Congressional Misc.

Jim Jordan Was Among Over 100 Republican Lawmakers To Oppose Changes In Federal Overtime Rules. “Vice President Joe Biden will fly into Columbus on Wednesday to tell U.S. workers that more of them will soon be eligible for overtime pay. At an appearance at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream’s headquarters Downtown, Biden will announce changes to federal overtime rules that the Obama administration says will allow about 4.2 million salaried workers to become eligible for overtime pay… In February, six Ohio Republicans joined some 100 other lawmakers in a letter to Labor Secretary Thomas Perez opposing the move. Reps. Jim Renacci, R-Wadsworth, Steve Chabot, R-Cincinnati, Brad Wenstrup, R-Cincinnati, Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, Steve Stivers, R-Upper Arlington, and Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, signed the letter. ‘Many small businesses, which operate on thin margins yet still pay competitive salaries, provide great benefits and positive workplace environments, simply cannot afford to increase their workers’ salaries to the new salary threshold that has been proposed,’ the letter read.” [Columbus Dispatch, 5/18/16<http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/05/17/joe-biden-to-make-announcement-at-jenis-in-columbus.html>]

Jim Jordan Compared Jonathan Gruber To Ben Rhodes During A Hearing On Iranian Nuclear Deal To Argue That The Obama Administration Has Been Deceptive Towards The American People. “During the House Oversight Committee hearing examining the White House narratives on the Iranian nuclear deal, Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH) compared the administration's deceptive approach to selling the unpopular deal with the deceptive approach it took to selling Obamacare. He began by asking the panel -- comprised of Michael Rubin (AEI), Michael Doran (Hudson Inst.) and John Hannah (Foundation for Defense of Democracies) -- if they had ever heard of Jonathan Gruber. Jordan reminded them that Gruber was the ‘Obamacare architect’ who had gained ‘some notoriety in the press’ a few years ago and was subsequently called to testify before Congress to explain himself. ‘He was deceptive,’ Jordan noted. ‘He talked about the stupidity of the American voter’ and how a ‘lack of transparency is a political advantage.’ ‘That's a nice way of saying, “if you deceive people, you might get your way. It might help your case,”’ Jordan explained. ‘So here is Jonathan Gruber -- architect of Obamacare -- talking about deception. Things like: if you like your plan you can keep it, if you like your doctor you can keep him, premiums will go down, website's gonna work, website's safe....everything turned out to be false.’ He continued, ‘and now we hear about another person in the Obama administration -- Mr. Rhodes -- and he is given the title, according to the The New York Times, of the “single most influential voice shaping American foreign policy.”’ ‘Wow, things are starting to sound familiar,’ Jordan exclaimed. ‘He creates a false narrative as well. He talks about this echo chamber and deceiving the press. His derision for the press is kind of like Mr. Gruber's derision for the American voter." After all, Rhodes had said, "they literally know nothing.’ The purpose of Jordan's Gruber/Rhodes comparison was to bring attention to the Obama administration's history of deceiving the American people on important policy issues. Jordan went on to say that the Iranian nuke deception wasn't the first time Rhodes had deceived the public on an important foreign policy issue.” [PJ Media, 5/17/16<https://pjmedia.com/trending/2016/05/17/rep-jim-jordan-compares-ben-rhodes-to-jonathan-gruber/>]

Jim Jordan Claimed That Ben Rhodes And The Obama Administration Habitually Used Deception In Order To Pass Unpopular Policy Initiatives. “The purpose of Jordan's Gruber/Rhodes comparison was to bring attention to the Obama administration's history of deceiving the American people on important policy issues. Jordan went on to say that the Iranian nuke deception wasn't the first time Rhodes had deceived the public on an important foreign policy issue. ‘I think he did it on the Benghazi issue as well,’ Jordan said. In the famous Benghazi talking points (which he noted were the catalyst for the formation of the Benghazi committee), Rhodes said, ‘it's not a failure of policy, it's rooted in a video.’ The use of deception to sell unpopular policy initiatives appears to be a pattern with the Obama administration and a pattern with Mr. Rhodes himself, Jordan concluded. ‘And then when he is asked to come testify, he doesn't even have the courtesy to show up.’” [PJ Media, 5/17/16<https://pjmedia.com/trending/2016/05/17/rep-jim-jordan-compares-ben-rhodes-to-jonathan-gruber/>]

Potential Impeachment Of IRS Commissioner

Jim Jordan And Mark Meadows Pressured Paul Ryan Into Supporting An Impeachment Hearing For The IRS Commissioner In The Judiciary Committee. “Two weeks ago, in a closed-door meeting with Paul Ryan, Reps. Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows gave the speaker an ultimatum: They would force a House vote to impeach the IRS commissioner — unless he allowed the Judiciary Committee to take action against John Koskinen instead. The two founding members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus had been working behind the scenes for well over a year to take down Koskinen for accusations that he obstructed a congressional investigation. GOP leaders and senior republicans, however, had never been keen on the idea, fearing it was ultimately futile and that the spectacle would backfire on Republicans. But after getting nowhere in the plea for action — and with their impeachment resolution stuck in limbo in the House Judiciary Committee for seven months — Jordan and Meadows took matters into their own hands, threatening to use an obscure House procedure to push the measure to the floor. They got their hearing announcement less than a week later.” [Politico, 5/18/16<http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/paul-ryan-irs-freedom-caucus-223324>]

Jim Jordan’s Move To Force Action Against The IRS Commissioner Showed A Continuation Of Tensions Between Republican Leadership And The Freedom Caucus. “Jordan and Meadows' move to force action against Koskinen, who they say lied to Congress and failed to comply with a subpoena, signifies a continuation of the standoff between Republican leadership and the Freedom Caucus that led to Boehner's departure. Oversight Committee Republicans, led by House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and subcommittee chairman Jim Jordan, have had their sights set on Koskinen for a while. Just months after taking the helm of the agency in late 2013, Koskinen told Congressional investigators that documents they requested in an investigation of the IRS’s treatment of conservative nonprofits had been erased. The IRS’s internal watchdog later found they were fully intact, and the IRS actually erased them well after Congress demanded they be turned over.” [Politico, 5/18/16<http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/paul-ryan-irs-freedom-caucus-223324>]

Jim Jordan Had Constituents Who Were Members Of The Conservative Groups That Never Received Tax Exemptions After Being Targeted By The IRS. “Jordan and Meadows, both on the oversight panel, believe Koskinen knew more than he let on. And in October 2015, they joined with Chaffetz to roll out a highly-publicized resolution to impeach Koskinen. Jordan had constituents from his district who were among the members of hundreds of right-leaning groups that never received tax exemptions. And he made the issue a top priority for the Freedom Caucus. He and Meadows spoke to Ryan about it during a meeting with him in January, then again several times after. But after the resolution sat in the Judiciary Committee for seven months without action, Jordan called a Freedom Caucus meeting to brainstorm how to deal with the hold. They decided to take action themselves. Under House rules, impeachment votes are considered ‘privileged’ and can therefore be brought to the floor by any member rather than having to be approved by leadership. Jordan and Meadows scheduled a sit-down with Ryan to alert him of their plans. But they came with an olive branch of sorts: a offer to stop the vote if Ryan got Goodlatte to hold hearings. Ryan circled back with them a week later, bringing in Jordan, Meadows and Goodlatte to discuss hearings on the issue.” [Politico, 5/18/16<http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/paul-ryan-irs-freedom-caucus-223324>]

Misc. Social Media

Jim Jordan: “Gowdy, Defending Sen. Cotton, Questions Ben Rhodes’ Qualifications” [@Jim_Jordan, Twitter, 5/18/16<https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/732942178897547264>]

Jim Jordan: “A Pattern Of Deception From Obama Administration - Evident In @GopOversight Hearing Today On Iran Nuclear Deal: [VIDEO]” [@Jim_Jordan, Twitter, 5/18/16<https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/732642232193409024>]

JEFF SESSIONS

Criminal Justice Reform

Jeff Sessions: Criminal Justice Reform Could Mean “Signing Death Warrants For Thousands Of American Innocent Citizens.” “When you have 20, 30, 40 percent increases in crime, you're talking about doubling the crime rate, the murder rate in America in two or three years, after we spent 20 years bringing it down by half. We've got to be sure what we are doing here, colleagues, is smart and we're not signing death warrants for thousands of American innocent citizens.” [Press Release, Office of Senator Jeff Sessions, 5/18/16]

Jeff Sessions: "When You Have 20, 30, 40 Percent Increases In Crime, You're Talking About Doubling The Crime Rate, The Murder Rate In America In Two Or Three Years, After We Spent 20 Years Bringing It Down By Half.” “When you have 20, 30, 40 percent increases in crime, you're talking about doubling the crime rate, the murder rate in America in two or three years, after we spent 20 years bringing it down by half. We've got to be sure what we are doing here, colleagues, is smart and we're not signing death warrants for thousands of American innocent citizens.” [Press Release, Office of Senator Jeff Sessions, 5/18/16]

Office of Senator Jeff Sessions: “VIDEO: Sessions Warns: Changes To Sentencing Law Must Not Endanger Innocent Citizens: bit.ly/24XvveL” [@SenatorSessions, 5/17/16<https://twitter.com/SenatorSessions/status/732626199864840193>]

Sessions Talking DPRK on The Situation Room

Politico: Jeff Sessions Supported Donald Trump’s Plan To Engage With North Korea, But Said, “It's Unlikely’ Anything Good Would Come Of It.” “Donald Trump might be willing to hold negotiations with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, as he expressed in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, but the presumptive Republican nominee's first Senate endorser said that while he would support such a diplomatic maneuver, ‘it's unlikely’ anything good would come of it.” [Politico, 5/17/16<http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/trump-sessions-north-korea-223287>]

Jeff Sessions On Donald Trump Negotiating With North Korea: “Well You Just Have To Be Very Careful About That. If He Means Actually Opening Up A Possibility Of A Discussion To See If It's Fruitful, That's One Thing.” “Donald Trump might be willing to hold negotiations with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, as he expressed in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, but the presumptive Republican nominee's first Senate endorser said that while he would support such a diplomatic maneuver, ‘it's unlikely’ anything good would come of it. ‘Well you just have to be very careful about that. If he means actually opening up a possibility of a discussion to see if it's fruitful, that's one thing,’ Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.’” [Politico, 5/17/16<http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/trump-sessions-north-korea-223287>]

Politico: Jeff Sessions Said Of Donald Trump That, “Nobody Has Run For President ‘In Years Who Understands How To Negotiate More Effectively Than Donald Trump.’” “‘Well you just have to be very careful about that. If he means actually opening up a possibility of a discussion to see if it's fruitful, that's one thing,’ Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. Sessions then remarked that nobody has run for president ‘in years who understands how to negotiate more effectively than Donald Trump.’” [Politico, 5/17/16<http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/trump-sessions-north-korea-223287>]

JEFF SESSIONS CLAIMED DONALD TRUMP WOULD BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE EFFECTIVELY WITH NORTH KOREA, BUT SESSIONS COULD NOT CORRECTLY NAME THE COUNTRY’S CURRENT LEADER

Jeff Sessions: “And I Do Believe [Donald Trump] Will Not Be Disadvantaged By Kim Jong-Il [Sic] Or Anybody In North Korea.” “Sessions then remarked that nobody has run for president ‘in years who understands how to negotiate more effectively than Donald Trump.’ ‘And I do believe he will not be disadvantaged by Kim Jong-Il [sic] or anybody in North Korea,’ Sessions said. (Blitzer later corrected him to clarify that he was referring to the current leader and not his father, who died in 2011.)” [Politico, 5/17/16<http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/trump-sessions-north-korea-223287>]

Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act

Morning Consult: “The Senate On Tuesday Unanimously Passed Legislation President Obama Opposes That Would Allow Victims Of The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks Sue Saudi Arabia…Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) Last Month Placed A Hold On The Legislation Over Concerns To Modifications Made By Sen. Jeff Sessions.” “The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed legislation President Obama opposes that would allow victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks sue Saudi Arabia. The bill, S. 2040, was introduced by Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) and passed by voice vote after changes were made to the bill. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) last month placed a hold on the legislation over concerns to modifications made by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) ‘We’ve worked with a number of senators, including the senator from Alabama and the senator from South Carolina, who expressed concerns about earlier versions of the legislation, and I appreciate their willingness to work with us to deal with their concerns in a way that now has gained their support,’ Cornyn said Tuesday on the Senate floor.” [Morning Consult, 5/18/16<https://morningconsult.com/alert/senate-passes-bill-allowing-victims-911-attacks-sue-saudi-arabia/>]

Terrorism

Mineral Daily News-Tribune: Jeff Sessions And Joe Manchin Both Co-Sponsored The “European Security Initiative… A Sense Of Senate That NATO And Our European Partners Are Important To Address Global Security Challenges.” “European Security Initiative - This amendment that Senator Manchin co-sponsored with Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) is a Sense of Senate that NATO and our European partners are important to address global security challenges. The amendment also requires the Secretary of Defense to submit an accounting of European investments in security capabilities, including current planned efforts to contribute to global security operations (Afghanistan, ISIL, Russia, etc.)” [Mineral Daily News-Tribune, 5/17/16]

Trump

Tucker Carlson: People Are “Voting For Because [Donald Trump] They Agree With Him On A Couple Of Key Issues, Immigration And Trade At The Top On The List. Who Is A Better Or More Articulate Spokesman For Those Views That Jeff Sessions Of Alabama.” TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS HOST: “The Republicans, why are people voting for Trump? They are voting for him because they agree with him on a couple of key issues, immigration and trade at the top on the list. Who is a better or more articulate spokesman for those views that Jeff Sessions of Alabama. He's not the most charismatic but certainly I think is the smartest guy, one of the smartest people in the Senate anyway. That probably would be a solid choice.” [Hannity, Fox News, 5/17/16]

TIM SCOTT

Zika Virus Funding

The Post And Courier: Tim Scott Said He Would Have “His Sympathies” With A Zika Funding Bill That Included Spending Offsets. “In the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, lawmakers were confronted with three alternatives to combat the virus, which can cause serious birth defects in pregnant women. The first proposal mirrored the Obama administration’s $1.9 billion request from February, which contains no offsets in recognition of a growing ‘emergency’ public health crisis. The second idea would have provided $1.1 billion to fight the spread of the virus and paid for through corresponding cuts to public health programs. The third offering, which prevailed, would appropriate $1.1 billion, with no spending offsets, to stem the Zika tide. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., voted for the second and the third options, while South Carolina junior U.S. senator, Republican Tim Scott, only voted for the second proposal. Scott had told The Post and Courier earlier this week he was still weighing his options but suggested his sympathies lay with legislation that had offsets.” [The Post And Courier, 5/17/16<http://www.postandcourier.com/20160517/160519456/sc-members-of-congress-vote-to-fund-the-fight-against-the-zika-virus-as-mosquito-season-looms>]

Office Of Senator Tim Scott: “The Measure I Supported Today Was Fully Paid For, And Will Ensure Health Care Professionals Have The Resources They Need While Allowing State And Local Officials To Take Necessary Steps To Eradicate Mosquitoes That May Carry The Zika Virus." “’Since we first learned about the potential impact of Zika on the America people, I have supported the need for the administration and Congress to find a way to address this impending issue and do so in the most fiscally responsible manner possible,’ said Senator Scott. ‘The measure I supported today was fully paid for, and will ensure health care professionals have the resources they need while allowing state and local officials to take necessary steps to eradicate mosquitoes that may carry the Zika virus.’” [Press Release, Office OF Senator Tim Scott, 5/17/16]

On Obama Administration Overtime Rules

Tim Scott Introduced A Bill To Have The Obama Administration Do Additional Analysis On Proposed Overtime Rules. “US secretary of labor Tom Perez said the current salary threshold is ‘woefully out of date’ and that had it kept up with inflation, it would have been close to $57,000 a year by now. The rule was last updated 12 years ago.  In future, the threshold will updated every three years. The labor department expects that due to such adjustments the threshold will grow to more than $51,000 by January 2020…Not everyone, however, believes that the new rule will help US economy move forward.  In an attempt to block the new overtime rule from taking effect, Republicans in Congress led by South Carolina senator Tim Scott and Michigan congressman Tim Walberg have proposed a new bill that would require US labor secretary Tom Perez to carry out additional analysis on how the new rule would affect small businesses and their employees. ‘The Obama administration's decision to drastically redefine overtime will hurt our workforce and our employers. It will lead to reduced hours, confusion for job creators, and will limit growth opportunities for employees,’ Scott said in March, when he introduced the bill in Congress.” [The Guardian, 5/18/16]

Office Of Senator Tim Scott: “The Obama Administration’s New Overtime Rule Will Have Swift And Damaging Impacts On Hard Working American Families, As Well As Small Businesses, Non-Profits And Colleges And Universities,” “U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), author of the Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act, released the following statement following the Obama administration’s publication of a final rule radically changing who is eligible for overtime pay.  The Department of Labor's rule more than doubled the salary threshold for whom is eligible, which promises to have a host of unintended consequences for the very workers they are trying to help. ‘The Obama Administration’s new overtime rule will have swift and damaging impacts on hard working American families, as well as small businesses, non-profits and colleges and universities,’ said Senator Tim Scott, a member of the Senate Labor Committee.  ‘This president and his administration continue to disregard the full economic realities of their policies, and their lack of foresight is clearly evident in the final overtime rule. Our nation’s economy, which is still struggling to recover, simply cannot afford to have the Obama administration continue to implement more damaging rules and regulations. Bureaucrats in Washington cannot create jobs, but they certainly can destroy them.’” [Press Release, Office Of Senator Tim Scott, 5/18/16<https://www.scott.senate.gov/press-release/scott-statement-obama-administration%E2%80%99s-final-overtime-rule>]

Office Of Senator Tim Scott: Senator Scott’s Protecting Workplace Advancement And Opportunity Act…Would Nullify The Rule. “Senator Scott’s Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act, which he introduced in March with Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Representatives Tim Walberg (R-MI) and John Kline (R-MN), would nullify the rule.  The bill would require the department to conduct a comprehensive economic analysis on the impact of mandatory overtime expansion to small businesses, nonprofits, and public employers before issuing any subsequent rule.  It would also ensure future changes to the salary threshold accurately reflect the economic realities facing workers and employers by making clear automatic increases without notice and comment are not allowed under current law. A broad coalition of associations, higher education institutions, businesses, nonprofits and other stakeholders have come out against the rule and asked the Obama administration to withdraw the proposal and perform a new analysis on the impact of the rule to better account for differences in local economic conditions. Last week, during a Small Business Committee hearing, Senator Scott questioned witnesses on the overtime rule that will hurt our workforce and employers.  Video from that hearing is available HERE.” [Press Release, Office Of Senator Tim Scott, 5/18/16<https://www.scott.senate.gov/press-release/scott-statement-obama-administration%E2%80%99s-final-overtime-rule>]

Tim Scott: “My  Protecting Workplace Advancement And Opportunity Act Would Nullify The Administration’s New Overtime Rule. https://www.scott.senate.gov/press-release/senate-house-members-introduce-legislation-ensure-responsible-update-federal-overtime …” [@SenatorTimScott, Twitter, 5/18/16<https://twitter.com/SenatorTimScott/status/732942647912980480>]

Tim Scott: “The New Overtime Rule From @WhiteHouse Will Hurt The Very Workers It Is Seeking To Help. https://www.scott.senate.gov/press-release/scott-statement-obama-administration%E2%80%99s-final-overtime-rule …” [@SenatorTimScott, Twitter, 5/18/16<https://twitter.com/SenatorTimScott/status/732940212448468993>]