Anthony Weiner

Anthony Weiner Resigns Over Twitter Scandal

Benjy Sarlin & Eric Lach | June 16, 2011, 2:30PM

Anthony Weiner

Congressman Anthony Weiner announced his resignation from Congress on Thursday, over a series of lewd photos he sent to women online.

"I had hoped to be able to continue the work that the citizens of my district elected me to do, to fight for the middle class and those struggling to make it," he said. "Unfortunately the distraction I have created has made that impossible, so today I am announcing my resignation from Congress so my colleagues can get back to work."

The last few weeks were an embarrassing circus for the Congressman as more and more salacious details about his personal life emerged, from purported naked photos to alleged racy chat logs, and the lawmaker was besieged by reporters. His final press conference at a senior center in Brooklyn, was no different, featuring a mix of boos and cheers as he announced his decision and a prankster from the Howard Stern show screaming questions about his sexual prowess throughout.

Weiner's decision followed an intense and highly public campaign among Democratic officials -- from the White House down -- to force his departure in the wake of the scandal. House caucus members had planned to discuss stripping of his committee assignments on Thursday before word of his resignation broke in the morning. Republicans, including Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), had also called on him to leave office and pressured Democrats to return his campaign donations.

Weiner had few prominent defenders by the end. President Obama told NBC that he would resign were he in Weiner's shoes. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) repeatedly demanded he step down, dismissing attempts by Weiner to buy time with a leave of absence in which to seek treatment. Members frequently expressed frustration that Weiner's ongoing scandal distracted from their policy agenda. The timing was particularly unfortunate as Democrats were finally gaining significant traction on their Medicare message, winning an upset race in New York's 26th district with a campaign focused on the issue. In an illustration of how the issue dominated coverage, several TV networks cut away from a Nancy Pelosi press conference on jobs Thursday immediately after she said she would not address Weiner's reported departure.

Read more »

Abortion

GOP Backs Massive Tax Increase To Phase Out Abortion Coverage By Private Insurers

Brian Beutler | February 9, 2011, 8:35AM

Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and John Boehner (R-OH)

The House GOP continues to place its heaviest emphasis on fighting abortion rights, and they've taken a lot of heat for it. Progressives, Democrats, pro-choice groups, and others have spared little criticism, but they've focused most heavily on three distinct lines: the fact that Republicans are ignoring job-creation as a priority; the fact that one of their pieces of legislation would allow hospitals to refuse to perform an abortion on a dying woman; and the fact that, until recently at least, the GOP wanted to limit tax-payer support for abortion to exclude incidences of non-forcible rape.

Here's another one: The GOP's plan to ban tax-payer money from funding abortions includes giant tax hikes for businesses.

More specifically, it would eliminate tax incentives on employer-provided health care benefits if those benefits cover abortion as a medical procedure.

Read more »

Earmarks

Oops! Republican Asks Scalia About Constitutionality Of Earmarks

Brian Beutler | January 25, 2011, 8:59AM

At a tea party in Washington, D.C. in 2009.

The latest in a recent string of Constitution gaffes might make Republicans think twice about their earmark moratorium.

On Monday, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) hosted a seminar for (mostly Republican) House members on the Constitution. Her special guest was Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who presided over what was reportedly a fairly dry, straightforward discussion of his legal doctrine, and answered a handful of other Constitutional questions.

At least one of these, it turned out, was embarrassingly rudimentary.

Read more »

Antonin Scalia

Dem Reps. Back Scalia's Attendance At Tea Party Constitution Event

Brian Beutler | January 25, 2011, 8:55AM

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

Critics of conservative Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia were quick to raise red flags Monday after he emceed a member seminar on the Constitution at the behest of Tea Party caucus leader Michele Bachmann. MSNBC hosts Lawrence O'Donnell and Rachel Maddow, in particular, suggested his visit was a symptom of the increasing politicization of the Court -- particularly among its conservative members.

But Monday evening, two progressive members who attended the seminar vouched for Scalia and the event, and dispelled the notion that anything untoward happened.

According to Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), who addressed reporters just outside the forum, the event was "incredibly useful, partly just to get the sense of Justice Scalia as an individual."

Read more »

Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | December 10, 2010, 5:29PM

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:

• ABC, This Week: Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Israeli Opposition Leader Tzipi Livni.

• CBS, Face The Nation: Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, former DNC Chairman Howard Dean, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY).

• CNN, State Of The Union: Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA).

• Fox News Sunday: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

• NBC, Meet The Press: New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I).

James Clyburn

Pelosi Quiet As Hoyer And Clyburn Battle It Out For Minority Whip

Brian Beutler | November 8, 2010, 10:44AM

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Speaker Of The House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Top Democrats in Washington wish their big electoral defeat Tuesday hadn't been followed by a divisive leadership fight in the House. But that's what happened Friday when, minutes after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she would run to be the Dems' Minority Leader, her vote-counter James Clyburn announced he would run for Minority Whip, touching off a leadership race between himself and Steny Hoyer.

Over the weekend, both men and their allies worked the phones relentlessly to shore up support. But publicly, the two camps picked very different strategies for managing public expectations of the outcome. Team Hoyer has been working the media, rolling out ever-longer lists of members who've publicly committed to backing their guy.

"Hoyer's going to win," one source close to Hoyer told TPM.

Read more »

House Democratic Whip Race

High Profile Dems Back Hoyer In Whip Race

Brian Beutler | November 7, 2010, 4:52PM

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD)

Thirty House Democrats from across the political spectrum have signed on to a letter supporting Steny Hoyer in his race against Jim Clyburn to be Minority Whip next Congress.

We are writing to encourage you to join us in supporting Steny Hoyer as our next House Democratic Whip. We know that this is a trying time for our country and our party-but the first step in standing up for the middle-class and winning back the House majority is electing a strong leadership team to unify our Caucus. Majority Leader Hoyer has been an essential part of our Caucus's leadership in the 111th Congress, and we need his leadership in the days ahead.

You can read the entire letter below. Included among its signatories are John Dingell -- the "Dean" of the House -- respected progressive Jerrold Nadler, Blue Dogs like Larry Kissell and Jason Altmire, and Silvestre Reyes, an influential member of the Hispanic caucus.

Read more »

Cordoba House

The Dems Who Have Spoken For Cordoba House

Eric Kleefeld | August 24, 2010, 8:45AM

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)

With all the attention we've given to politicians who have attacked the Muslim community center set to be built near Ground Zero in New York, let's take a different look at the story: A list of the Democratic politicians who have stood up in support of it.

Opposition to the project has been brewing for weeks, and the issue came to a head a week and a half ago, when President Obama voiced his support for the right of organizers to build it.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Hundreds Protest Islamic Center In Downtown Manhattan]

Since, some Dems have come out and said that the project should be moved -- most notably Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), who nevertheless affirmed the right of Muslims to build it. So let's look at the other side of the equation: Dems who have spoken out on the project's behalf, both before and after Obama's remarks.

Read more »

Democrats

Where Do NY Dems Stand On The 'Ground Zero Mosque'?

Jillian Rayfield | August 5, 2010, 11:51AM

Clock wise from top left: NY Democratic Senators Kristen Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, NY Democratic Reps. Anthony Weiner and Carolyn Maloney.

A lot of attention has been paid to what Republicans are saying about plans to build a Muslim community center near Ground Zero in New York City, but many New York Democrats have been relatively silent on the issue.

Here's a round-up of what some prominent New York Democrats are saying -- or not saying -- about the Cordoba House plans, which won a key legislative approval earlier this week.

Read more »

Ethics

Rep. Nadler Tells TPMDC Massa Allegations Came 'Out Of The Blue'

Brian Beutler | March 4, 2010, 11:24AM

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)

Rep. Jerrod Nadler (D-NY), told TPMDC today that accusations that he was taken by surprise by allegations that his New York co-delegate, Rep. Eric Massa, harassed a male staffer. He also said Massa's decision not to seek reelection came "out of the blue."

In an interview with me, Nadler (D-NY) said it came to his attention for the first time yesterday, but cautioned that the facts of the situation--which are still not publicly known--would affect how Congress should react.

"And by the way, I don't know the nature of the accusation. Was this an adult or a kid? Remember the situation we had a couple years ago with Foley was an intern--a page. Is the accusation--if it's a consensual sexual relationship with an adult, I'm not sure it's any of our business," Nadler said.

Read more »

Democrats

Determined or Delusional? House Leadership Sounds Optimistic on HCR

Brian Beutler | January 19, 2010, 10:11PM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

In the hours and minutes before Republican Scott Brown won Ted Kennedy's Senate seat, House Democratic leadership sounded resilient, even optimistic notes about the possibility of passing health care reform anyhow. But that puts them at odds with their rank and file members, particularly progressives, who, based on press reports and interviews conducted as returns were coming in, but before the race was called, now have a hard time seeing an endgame.

A number of progressives say that they still can not vote to pass the Senate bill in the House, even though that would wrap up the reform project once and for all. But with at least one Democratic member of the Senate pre-emptively saying there should be no more Senate votes on health care before Brown is seated, that increasingly appears to be their only avenue. The question is, is that road blocked?

"If it comes down to that Senate bill or nothing, I think we're going to end up with nothing, because I don't hear a lot of support on our side for that bill," said Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA). "I've lost my faith in anything happening quickly that requires Senate action.

"If she loses, it's over," Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) said this evening in New York.

Two high-profile progressives--Reps. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)--said the only way they could sign on to the Senate bill is if it was accompanied immediately, or even preceded by, a separate bill, making a number of major preemptive changes to what they regard as an inferior package.

Read more »

Harold Ford

Nadler: Go Home, Harold Ford!

Brian Beutler | January 14, 2010, 1:39PM

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D)

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), a long serving member of the New York Congressional delegation wants Harold Ford, Jr., who's been contemplating a primary challenge against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), to take a hike.

"I would not encourage him to run in New York," Nadler told me. "As far as I'm concerned he has no connection to New York. And more importantly he's far too conservative--too wrong on too many major issues--to be the Democratic nominee."

Nadler is one of a number of Democrats who have lambasted Ford for meddling in New York politics.

"If he thinks that its an appealing argument to position yourself as being somebody who will stand up to Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer, well I don't think we need another Joe Lieberman," said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY). "Maybe when his helicopter lands in Queens next I can ask him."

Health Care

House Dems To Coakley: Don't Lose If You Want Health Care Reform

Brian Beutler | January 14, 2010, 12:39PM

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

Leading House progressives say that if Democrat Martha Coakley loses her bid for Senate in Massachusetts next week, that may well be it for health care reform.

"I believe that to be true," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), House progressives' point person on health care reform. "I think there are enough people who see such severe problem with the [Senate] legislation," that they can't vote for it under any circumstances.

In a brief interview with TPM, I asked Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) whether he could be persuaded to vote for the Senate bill if it became clear that that was the only way to pass reform. "I would not vote for the Senate bill as it is, period," he told me.

The other option would be to squeeze a series of votes in the House and Senate through a narrow window between election day next Tuesday, and the day Scott Brown (hypothetically) is sworn in.

As I noted earlier this week, if Coakley loses her election next week, leaving Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid one shy of the 60 votes he needs to pass a revised, final health care bill, Democrats could still advance reform by passing the Senate bill in the House word for word. But that option may exist only in theory.

Health Care

Democrats Optimistic, Progressives Coming To Terms, On Health Care Bill

Brian Beutler | October 29, 2009, 12:22PM

Before House Democrats unveiled their health care bill, the caucus huddled in the basement of the Capitol to get fired up. As the meeting broke, Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) darted down the hall and a reporter asked him how many votes he had.

"All we need," Clyburn shouted back, cheekily.

Inside the caucus room, members broke into applause.

Unsurprisingly, optimism was the theme of the morning among House Democrats, though some progressives aren't completely pleased with the outcome.

Rep Lynne Woolsey (D-CA)--co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus--said, emphatically, that when she and other liberal leaders meet with the President tonight, she wants to hear him say "that he supports a strong public option and he will take that over to the Senate." As for whether she can support the bill in the House with a somewhat weakened public option, Woolsey told me she needs to learn more.

"We're looking at what they've put in the bill to make up for it not being Medicare-plus-five, to see if it covers...our same goals," she said.

Read more »