Rep. Fossella to resign within next 72 hours.
WNBC reports that Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY) is expected to announce his resignation “within the next 72 hours — if not late Friday then certainly by Monday.” On May 1, Fossella was arrested in Alexandria, VA, and charged with driving while intoxicated. Yesterday, he issued a statement admitting that he had an “extramarital affair with Laura Fay, a former Air Force lieutenant colonel, and that the two of them have a 3-year-old daughter together.”
Republicans vote against Mother’s Day.
On Wednesday, the House took up the seemingly uncontroversial H. Res. 1113, “Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother’s Day.” The resolution initially passed 412 to 0, until Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) rose in protest:
Mr. Speaker, I ask for a recorded vote because I’m sure every member wants their mother to know that they have supported the goals of Mother’s Day.
Tiahrt’s mother, however, may be disappointed to know that her son did not support Mother’s Day. He and 177 other Republicans decided to cast their vote against mothers. Watch it:
When asked why the GOP switched their votes, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said, “Oh, we just wanted to make sure that everyone was on record in support of Mother’s Day.” (Even though he also was actually on record against Mother’s Day.) The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank reports that this move was a procedural tactic to “bring the House to a standstill.”
Zirkle ’soundly defeated’ in Indiana GOP primary.
Zirkle ’soundly defeated’ in Indiana GOP primary.
Tony Zirkle, Republican candidate for Indiana’s 2nd congressional district, was “soundly defeated” in yesterday’s primary election, coming in a distant last. Zirkle recently delivered a speech to the American National Socialist Workers Party (ANSWP) on the 119th anniversary of Adolf Hitler’s birth, flanked by a large flag with a swastika, a giant photo of Hitler, and men in Nazi uniforms. Zirkle responded to criticism of his speech by railing against the “great porn dragon” and its influence over Jews. The Washington Post’s Al Kamen asks: “Maybe the birthday gambit reduced his vote total?” Perhaps.
Ukrainian candidate hires Giuliani to help ‘root out corruption.’
Ukrainian candidate hires Giuliani to help ‘root out corruption.’
The Wall Street Journal reports that former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani “is now trying to get his newest client, a heavyweight boxing champion, elected mayor of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.” Giuliani’s consulting firm, Giuliani Partners LLC, has signed a contract with the candidate:
Wednesday, the former New York mayor will announce a contract for strategies to root out corruption with Vitali Klitschko, the retired boxer known as “Dr. Iron Fist” because of his doctorate in sports science from Kiev University. […]
The announcement at Nasdaq in Times Square is meant to highlight Mr. Klitschko’s commitment to bringing U.S. businesses to Kiev, a goal that drove him to hire Giuliani Partners to root out corruption.
Schwarzenegger: People from ‘little towns’ should see worldly things like ‘an airport.’
Schwarzenegger: People from ‘little towns’ should see worldly things like ‘an airport.’
Speaking at “an infrastructure conference” hosted by a billionaire yesterday, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) said “it’s good for state legislators from ‘little towns’” to see “worldly things”:
“And that’s why I always encourage the legislators in Sacramento, because some of them come from those little towns,” Schwarzenegger said. “You know what I’m saying? They come from those little towns, and they don’t have that vision yet of an airport or of a highway that maybe has 10 lanes. Or of putting a highway on top of a highway. They look at you and say, ‘Well, we don’t have that in my town, what are you talking about?’ So they are kind of shocked when you say certain things.”
Schwarzenegger’s comments, which “drew laughs and applause” from the audience, were called “insulting” by State Sen. Dean Florez, (D), whose “hometown has only about 14,000 residents.”
Jenna Bush: ‘I don’t know’ if I’ll vote for McCain.
Jenna Bush: ‘I don’t know’ if I’ll vote for McCain.
Yesterday, CNN’s Larry King asked First Lady Laura Bush whether she has a “favorite” between Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Barack Obama (D-IL) in the presidential race. Laura replied, “My favorite is the Republican.” King then turned to her daughter, Jenna, who said she wasn’t sure if she would vote for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): “I don’t know.” Watch it:
Laura also said that it has been “demoralizing” to hear the Democrats criticize her husband. Bush “takes a huge pounding from the other candidates, not all of them, not my candidate, John McCain,” said Laura.
Clinton projected to win PA primary.
Fox News is reporting that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) has won the Pennsylvania primary election. Neither CNN nor MSNBC have declared the contest yet.
Student calls McCain out for political motivations of school appearance.
Student calls McCain out for political motivations of school appearance.
Today Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) stopped at his alma mater, Episcopal High School in Virginia, to lecture on the importance of teaching and the honor code. McCain’s toughest question came from student Katelyn Halldorson, who called the senator out for the political motivations of his appearance:
“I think judging by the amount of press representatives here and also by the integration of your previous political endorsements in your earlier personal narrative, we can see that this isn’t completely absent – er political motivation isn’t completely absent,” she said. “Yet we were told that this isn’t a political event. So what exactly is your purpose in being here – not that I don’t appreciate the opportunity, but I’d just like some clarification.”
“I knew I should have cut this thing off. This meeting is over,” McCain joked, before launching into a long description of his biography tour…
McCain concluded the visit by saying, “I hope that attendance here was not compulsory…I apologize if you were unwillingly in attendance here.”
According to one EHS staff member, attendance was required.
McCain doesn’t seem to know how to handle his youngest critics. Earlier in the campaign, a student chastised him for his refusal to support gay marriage. McCain called another student asking about the senator’s age “a little jerk,” adding, “You’re drafted.”
GOP: Bush is a fundraising liability for ‘08 election.
GOP: Bush is a fundraising liability for ‘08 election.
In a new New York Times Magazine article, National Republican Congressional Committee chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) admits that President Bush may not be welcome at GOP campaign events all across the country:
Cole mentioned Bush, but everyone thought that would be a mistake. “I think this cycle he and the vice president are going to be doing a lot of fund-raisers in the South and the Plains,” he said, and everyone guffawed in agreement. Even for an audience of Republican donors, in politically contested parts of the country, the president provokes complicated feelings. On another occasion Cole said to me, “I love the president, but his appeal isn’t universal.”
Rice considering VP run?
Steve Clemons reports that this morning, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended Grover Norquist’s weekly conservative “powerhouse gathering” at Americans for Tax Reform. Although Rice denied running for office was part of her “political future,” one GOP operative was skeptical, noting that the only reason high-ranking officials go to the right-wing meeting is to “secure” their political positions:
Someone like Condi Rice doesn’t go to Grover Norquist’s den to talk about the Annapolis Middle East peace process. She’s going to secure her future in Republican politics and to position herself as a ‘potential’ VP candidate on the McCain ticket.