Newt Gingrich told NPR his GOP colleagues should worry "about the risk of appearing to be too eager as they dig into the scandals now dogging the Obama administration." Said Gingrich: "I think we overreached in '98 -- how's that for a quote you can use?" He added: "They need to be calm and factual. Show More Summary
The Federal Election Commission has fined former Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) and his parents $54,000 for improper severance payments to Cindy Hampton, a former campaign aide who had an extramarital affair with the Nevada Republican, Politico...Show More Summary
Former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel (R) announced her campaign for U.S. Senate, Roll Call reports. "Handel is the fourth Republican to enter the race for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss. Notably, she is also the first woman and first candidate who is not a member of Congress. Show More Summary
New York Times: "The most pressing question for Congressional Republicans is no longer how to finesse changes to immigration law or gun control, but how far they can push their cases against President Obama without inciting a backlash...Show More Summary
Politico: "Republicans are worried one thing could screw up the political gift of three Obama administration controversies at once: fellow Republicans. Top GOP leaders are privately warning members to put a sock in it when it comes to silly calls for impeachment or over-the-top comparisons to Watergate. Show More Summary
Josh Marshall notes that during a CBS News report on the Benghazi talking points, Major Garrett "did something I don't feel like I've seen in a really long time or maybe ever on a network news cast. He basically said straight out: Republicans told us these were the quotes, that wasn't true."Said Garrett: "There is no evidence... Show More Summary
David Hawkings: "The day's most consequential roll call was at Senate Judiciary, where all eight Republicans joined the 10 Democrats in endorsing Sri Srinivasan for a seat on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals." "Such unanimity is anShow More Summary
Roll Call: "A video posted on the Politico website featuring Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's chief of staff has been taken down after the Kentucky Republican's office objected to its placement on a page designed to solicit advertisers." The...Show More Summary
"An attempt by the National Republican Congressional Committee to embarrass Democrats went awry on Thursday, when the group published a blog post riddled with errors," the Huffington Post reports.
First Read points out there a danger for Republicans in pushing the IRS scandal too hard. "Already, the Benghazi talking-point emails don't reveal the political conspiracy that many Republicans and conservatives had openly theorized,...Show More Summary
"I'm not advocating everyone go out and run around with no clothes on and smoke pot. I'm not a libertarian. I'm a libertarian Republican. I'm a constitutional conservative." -- Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), quoted by the Daily Beast, while speaking to a group of social conservatives.
All 45 Republican senators signed a letter to President Obama calling for his full cooperation in a congressional investigation into IRS targeting of conservative political groups. From the letter: "This type of purely political scrutiny...Show More Summary
Charles Krauthammer: "But the one advice I give to Republicans is stop calling it a huge scandal. Stop saying it's a Watergate. Stop saying it's Iran Contra. Let the facts speak for themselves. Have a special committee, a select committee. Show More Summary
"The 37th time won't be the charm. But House Republicans are charging forward anyway this week on a vote to repeal President Obama's signature health care overhaul, which will put the number of times they have tried to eliminate, defund...Show More Summary
Pablo Pantoja, who was most recently the State Director of Florida Hispanic Outreach for the Republican National Committee, changed his voter registration to become a Democrat, according to Florida Nation. Writes Pantoia: "It doesn't take much to see the culture of intolerance surrounding the Republican Party today. Show More Summary
A new Public Policy Polling survey finds that Republicans aren't getting much traction with their focus on Benghazi over the last week. Voters trust Hillary Clinton over House Republicans on the issue of Benghazi by a 49% to 39% margin and Clinton's 52% to 44% favorability rating is identical to what it was in late March.
A new Harper Polling survey in Alaska finds Sarah Palin (R) leads a possible Republican U.S. Senate primary with 32%, followed by Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell (R) at 30% and 2010 GOP Senate nominee Joe Miller (R) at 14%.
New York Times: "Since last year's elections, Republicans in Congress have struggled for traction on their legislative efforts, torn between conservatives who drove the agenda after their 2010 landslide and new voices counseling a shift...Show More Summary
The Chicago Sun Times reports that controversial former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) is on the short list to replace former Illinois GOP chairman Pat Brady. "The Republican State Central Committee held an hour-long conference call last night and came back with these names as finalists. Show More Summary
"I'm a damn good Republican and a good conservative Republican who believes in things that I believe in. But that does not mean that I would ever put party before my state or party before my country."-- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), in a forthcoming interview on NBC News.