Bowman booted, Boebert survives
Republicans retain House seat in Colorado
Also in today’s edition of ‘Regular Order’ for June 26, 2024:
Supreme Court starts first of three days of decisions.
House GOP presses big cuts to FBI, DOJ.
Dems offer new ethics plan for Justices.
BOWMAN. The Democratic Establishment flexed its muscles on Tuesday in New York, easily defeating one of the louder progressive voices in Congress, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY). It was the first time a member of the 'Squad' on Capitol Hill had lost a reelection bid - but it might not be the last in this 2024 primary season.
NEW YORK. Bowman was easily dispatched by Democrat George Latimer, the Westchester County Executive, who led Bowman by over 11 points in New York's 16th District. In the campaign, Latimer attacked Bowman for being a show horse, pledging to deliver 'real results' and 'not rhetoric.'
ROADS. There were several reasons why Bowman lost - a newly-drawn district, and his dumb move to pull a fire alarm on Capitol Hill will be cited by many. But it may have also been his vote against the infrastructure bill, one of six more liberal lawmakers who refused to back it.
NUMBERS. Bowman is just the second House incumbent to lose so far this year (we could call him the third, but Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) is still contesting his apparent defeat last week). Rep. Jerry Carl (R-AL) lost earlier this year in a member versus member GOP primary in Alabama. As of now, there will be at least 47 new House members in 2025.
SQUAD. I mentioned above that Bowman’s primary loss might not be the last for a member of the ‘Squad’ on Capitol Hill this year. The other big name incumbent Democrat in trouble is Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri. She faces a primary test in early August, in a race which features very similar lines to that of Bowman.
AOC. If you're asking, well if Bowman lost, what about another Squad member - Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)? Some members of Congress learn how to navigate the political landscape. AOC has done that - Bowman clearly did not. That's why Ocasio-Cortez won her primary last night with 82 percent of the vote.
CENTENNIAL. While Bowman was sent packing, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) celebrated an easy victory last night, after switching districts in order to stay in Congress. "This victory belongs to the faithful voters of Colorado’s 4th district," Boebert said, as she won 43 percent of the vote in a 6-candidate GOP primary.
COLORADO SPECIAL. While Boebert easily won that primary, voters in that same district also elected a new member of Congress last night. Republican Greg Lopez will now serve out the remainder of the House term of ex-Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO). Lopez knows he's a short-timer, as Boebert will be on the ballot for his seat in November.
GOP CHAIR. The chair of Colorado's Republican Party suffered an embarrassing defeat in his bid for Congress. Dave Williams was easily defeated in CO-5, getting just about one-third of the vote. Williams recently called for the burning of Pride flags, as he has dragged the Colorado GOP way off to the right, with little success.
PALMETTO. There was a surprise in a GOP runoff in South Carolina last night, as Donald Trump's candidate, pastor Mark Burns, was defeated by Sheri Biggs, who won a 51-49 percent victory. Biggs had the backing of Gov. Henry McMaster, and will be the strong favorite in November to replace Rep. John Duncan (R-SC).
UTAH. Trump also had a high profile loss in Utah, where Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) easily won the GOP nomination to replace Sen. Mitt Romney. Trump had endorsed Republican Trent Staggs - who was the clear MAGA candidate. But the Trump endorsement didn't help, as Curtis won easily with over 51 percent. Staggs had only 28 percent.
MITT. "John Curtis is a man of honor and integrity who cares deeply about our fellow citizens and the future of our country," Romney said last night. "We need more leaders like him." (Curtis is definitely closer to Romney than the MAGA wing of the Republican Party.)
MALOY. It appears that Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT) may have staved off a primary defeat in Utah's 2nd District. Maloy was leading Colby Jenkins 52-48 percent with about 85 percent of the vote reporting. Trump had endorsed Maloy over Jenkins, who was backed by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT).
SUPREME COURT. If there is big news to be made in Washington today, it could well happen over at the U.S. Supreme Court. The Justices have 15 cases left in the 2023-24 term, as they have whittled things down to the biggest rulings left on the docket. The Court convenes at 10 am today and will also be releasing rulings on Thursday and Friday.
TRUMP IMMUNITY. Again, I ask the simple question. If you were Chief Justice John Roberts, would it make any difference whether you rule on the Trump-immunity case:
Today, the day before the Trump-Biden debate,
Thursday, a few hours before the Trump-Biden debate,
Friday, the day after the Trump-Biden debate,
Or maybe just wait until next week?
TIMING. The decision will be major news - no matter when it happens. If you were Chief Justice, which would you pick? We’ll know soon after 10 am whether the answer is today.
FUNDING. House Republicans unveiled a government funding bill on Tuesday which takes a big chunk out of the FBI and the Justice Department. But it doesn't follow through on the demands of many GOP lawmakers to block money for federal investigations and prosecutions of former President Donald Trump.
JUSTICE. The funding bill would cut $368 million from current funding levels for the FBI, and not fund plans for a new FBI headquarters. The overall funding level proposed by the GOP for the Justice Department is a cut of almost $1 billion. (These figures are not smaller increases, but actual cuts.)
DEFUND THE POLICE. "These cuts will force the FBI to reduce its workforce by thousands," said Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA), as Democrats accused the GOP of moving to 'defund law enforcement." Let's face it - if Democrats submitted a bill like this, Republicans would have accused them of exactly that.
SPECIAL COUNSEL. As I mentioned above, this GOP bill does not take aim at the Special Counsel investigating Donald Trump. That could still be added by the House Appropriations Committee, which begins work on the Commerce, Justice, Science bill this morning. A House vote is planned in July.
FUNDING. It’s a very busy time for the Appropriations Committee. The House is ready to start floor debate today on three government funding bills for 2025. The Rules Committee last night approved a plan allowing members to offer over 300 amendments to bills dealing with funding for the Pentagon, State Department, and Homeland Security.
FOREIGN AID. Some of the more interesting amendments are on the State Department bill. There will be a vote to block any money from paying the salary of the Secretary of State. The House will also vote on whether to block aid to Ukraine, and to prohibit funding for the United Nations.
HOMELAND. There are similar themes on the border, as the House will vote on whether to block money for the salary of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, or whether to reduce his salary to $1.
EARMARKS. There won't be a House floor vote on a plan from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) to eliminate $221 million in home state projects from the Homeland Security bill. The Rules Committee refused to make that amendment in order this week. (Lawmakers can dummy up their press releases without fear!)
VETO BAIT. All three of these GOP funding bills are already under veto threats from the White House. "They've been loaded up with all kinds of culture war matters that don't belong in these bills," said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA). But the GOP goal isn’t perfection - it’s getting the 12 funding bills done by August 1.
ETHICS. Usually, the House Ethics Committee likes to issue statements about investigations when lawmakers have left town late in the week, or while members are on recess. But this week, the resumption of legislative business has produced a trio of new statements from the panel, a somewhat unwelcome greeting for three members.
CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK. The panel on Tuesday announced that it was expanding an investigation against Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL). This deals with allegations revolving around local funding project requests, misuse of official funds, and violating campaign finance laws.
JACKSON. Two Republicans from Texas also remain under investigation. The Ethics Committee released a report on Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), stating that "there is substantial reason to believe" that Jackson converted campaign funds 'to personal use.'
HUNT. The Ethics Committee also will make further inquiry into actions by Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX), as investigators found 'campaign disbursements that may not be legitimate' - also raising questions about whether campaign donations were converted to personal use.
COURT ETHICS. Two Democrats in Congress have unveiled a bill to place limits on the amount of gifts which a Supreme Court Justice can accept. The bill from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) would bar Justices from taking gifts valued at more than $50 - the exact same gift limit placed on members of Congress.
RULES. "The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land but has the lowest ethical standards," said Raskin. "This is not about politics—it's about safeguarding the strength and integrity of our democracy," added Ocasio-Cortez.
ENCORE. I'm going to say this again and again. The nine Justices of the Supreme Court have the weakest ethics rules of any top officials of the federal government. It's not even close. There is no member of Congress who could have accepted the over $4 million in gifts that Justice Clarence Thomas has taken.
RAP SHEET. It took over three years, but South Dakota finally has had a state resident arrested for actions on Jan. 6. William Knight has been charged with assaulting police outside the U.S. Capitol. Knightcu joined with other rioters to repeatedly charge and overwhelm bike rack barricades manned by officers.
MUSE OF HISTORY. June 26, 1850. Business was backing up on this date in the U.S. House. "I desire again to invite the attention of the House to the accumulation of bills from the Senate on the Speaker's table," said Rep. James Bowlin of Missouri. Bowlin wanted the bills referred to various House committees, but his request was blocked. Why was Bowlin so focused on that? Part of it may have been a past job, where he was Chief Clerk in the Missouri state House.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:
The House meets at 9 am.
The Senate is back for votes on July 8.
Check President Biden’s schedule.
Follow me on Twitter @jamiedupree.
Email me at jamiedupree@substack.com
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I didn't realize there were liberal votes against the infrastructure bill. Interesting.
If I was Chief I'd release the rulings as soon as they're complete. But I would have always been doing that so it would be expected. That's also why I'd never be made Chief Justice. Well, that and the fact that I'm neither a lawyer nor a judge.