Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof



McCain, Collins Slam GOP Colleagues On the Budget - In the latest expression of Republican frustration with conservative GOP colleagues, Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) excoriated Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rand Paul (R-KY) for persistently refusing to initiate House-Senate budget negotiations.
 
Their comments on the Senate floor Tuesday reflect a growing Republican schism over how to approach the tax and spending fights that have hamstrung Congress for years and dragged its approval ratings to historic lows.

“For four years, four years, we complained about the fact that the majority leader … would refuse to bring a budget to the floor of the United States Senate,” McCain said. “What [do] we on my side of the aisle keep doing? We don’t want a budget unless — unless — we put requirements on the conferees that are absolutely out of line and unprecedented.”  You can read more here.
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Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Immigration Bill - A sweeping bill to overhaul the nation's immigration system cleared its first major hurdle late Tuesday night, with the 18-member committee charged with completing a first round of legislative edits voting to advance the amended bill to the full Senate.
 
The vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee was 13-5.
 
Three Republicans - Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Orrin Hatch of Utah -- joined the panel's 10 Democrats to vote in favor of the bill. NBC News has more here.

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Obama announces members of new commission on elections - President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced 10 individuals who will serve upon his newly created Presidential Commission on Election Administration, as promised earlier this year.

“The right to vote is one of the most essential rights provided by the Constitution," Obama said in a statement.

As I said in my State of the Union Address, when any American, no matter where they live or what their party, is denied that right simply because too many obstacles stand in their way, we are betraying our ideals. We have an obligation to ensure that all eligible voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots without unwarranted obstructions or unnecessary delay."

According to the White House, the commission will work shorten lines at polling places, promote the efficient conduct of elections, and broaden access to the polls for all Americans. TPM.com has the list of appointees here.

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Weiner Announces New York City Mayoral Bid - Former Rep. Anthony Weinter (D-N.Y.), who resigned from Congress in disgrace two years ago after posting sending lewd tweets to young women, is running for mayor of New York City.

Weiner made his bid official late Tuesday in a campaign video on YouTube, appealing for a “second chance” to serve.

“Look, I made some big mistakes, and I know I let a lot of people down,” Weiner says in the video. “But I’ve also learned some tough lessons.”  TheHill.com has more here.

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Garcetti Elected Los Angeles Mayor - City Councilman Eric Garcetti won his bid to become the mayor of Los Angeles on Wednesday, bringing to a close a nearly two-year race that pitted him against another moderate Democrat with years of experience at City Hall.

As the results trickled in, Mr. Garcetti confidently told hundreds of supporters gathered at a Hollywood nightclub Tuesday night that the city had entrusted him with its leadership, and he would not let Los Angeles residents down.

“Los Angeles is ready to put the recession in the rearview mirror and become the city of opportunity that I grew up in once again,” he said. “It’s time for Los Angeles not just to be a big city, but a great city once again. Whether you’re down and out, or whether you’re at the top, we all believe one thing, that L.A. is worth fighting for.” The NY Times has more here.

 

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