From critic to ally - Rep. Luna embraces Biden after hurricanes hit Florida
Trump suggests using military against 'radical left' on Election Day
Also in today’s edition of “Regular Order” for October 14, 2024:
Harris hit by false charges on Hurricane Helene aid.
Trump again threatens to withhold disaster aid from California.
Conspiracy theory website settles lawsuit over false 2020 election claims.
THIS WEEK. The pace quickens on the campaign trail. Congress waits on hurricane disaster aid estimates. More legal wrangling over Trump's Jan. 6 probe.
LUNA. One of the more intriguing political stories of Election 2024 has come courtesy of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), an outspoken freshman GOP lawmaker from Florida. In a dizzying turn just weeks before Election Day, Luna has gone from calling for President Biden's resignation and repeatedly questioning his mental state - to eagerly sending out pictures of herself with Biden and lavishing praise on his handling of federal disaster relief in the Sunshine State.
LUNA TICK TOCK. When President Biden stunned his party in July by announcing he would not run for reelection - Luna said he was not mentally capable of doing the job. "Biden needs to resign," she said, calling on Biden to be forced from office under the 25th Amendment. "Our national security depends on it.”
BIPARTISAN. But things have changed. In a difficult race for reelection, Luna has used hurricane recovery work to suddenly emphasize bipartisanship - and her contacts with the President. " I will continue to work with anyone willing to assist in recovery efforts," Luna said Sunday. (She's in the black baseball cap and glasses with Biden in the pictures below.)
CHANGE OF HEART. In a vacuum, Luna would be one of the least likely GOP lawmakers to say anything nice about Biden. She’s constantly attacked Hunter Biden. She calls them the ‘Biden Crime Family.’ Just ten days ago, Luna joined Donald Trump in falsely accusing the feds of diverting FEMA disaster aid to illegal immigrants. Now, she posts pictures of herself waiting on the President's helicopter. "We are all working together to make sure our people are cared for," Luna said Sunday.
CAMPAIGN. The Democrat running against Luna in November has been hammering Luna about hurricane aid. "Anna Paulina Luna uses lies and disinformation to distract from the fact that she voted against FEMA aid right before Hurricanes Helene and Milton," said Democrat Whitney Fox. (Luna was one of 82 Republicans who voted against a stop gap funding plan last month, which included $20 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund.)
SCOTT. You might have also noticed another familiar figure with Biden in the photo above left - that is Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL). Scott has also been publicly touting his phone calls with the President about disaster relief. What do Scott and Luna have in common? They might be the two most vulnerable Republicans in Congress from the Sunshine State in November.
DISASTER AID. Donald Trump has spent the last few weeks denouncing the federal aid effort to victims of Hurricane Helene. Once again this weekend, Trump reminded everyone that when he was President, he actively denied disaster aid to certain areas - all because of politics. And he made clear at a rally on Saturday in California that he would do it again.
GOLDEN STATE. Trump once more threatened to withhold federal aid for California to deal with wildfires - unless Democrats and Gov. Gavin Newsom accept his policies on water usage in the state. "We'll force it down his throat," Trump said. "We'll say, 'Gavin, if you don't do it, we're not giving you any of that fire money we send you.'"
REACTION. Democrats again expressed outrage. "Trump shows us exactly who he is - threatening lifesaving disaster aid to achieve his political goals," Newsom said. "If Trump is willing to extort CA during a crisis, you can bet he wouldn’t think twice about doing the same for PA, NC, or any other state," tweeted Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA).
PUERTO RICO. Most people have probably forgotten how Trump treated Puerto Rico when he was President. At one point, his administration withheld billions in hurricane aid approved by Congress for the island, as Trump even publicly disputed the death toll there from Hurricane Maria in 2017.
HARRIS. Vice President Kamala Harris sent a much different message than Trump about the recovery from Hurricane Helene as she spent the weekend in North Carolina, "I have spoken to both state and local officials, both Republican and Democrat, to let them know we will be with you every step of the way," Harris said. "In times like this, we stand together as one nation. That is who we are."
MISINFORMATION. Harris had to deal with a false charge about hurricane relief that spread across social media like wildfire this weekend. The fake story claimed that Harris had staged a photo-op in front of a military cargo jet being loaded with aid supplies. Supposedly, it was all a fake - as critics claimed the aid was never flown to North Carolina.
PAUL HARVEY. But now for the rest of the story. Yes, that C-17 plane did not take the aid to North Carolina - but it was because of a mechanical problem. So, the supplies were loaded onto another plane, and the aid was flown out. The conservative podcaster who made the original charge realized he had been duped, and actually admitted his initial bombshell report was incorrect.
DAMAGES. If you're looking for candidates for possible federal aid after Hurricane Milton, the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport could certainly be one of those recipients. The airport remains closed, and won't reopen until later this week for commercial air service, because of severe damage suffered during Hurricane Milton.
SRQ AIRPORT. "Due to extensive repairs needed to the terminal prior to resuming safe operations, the airport will remain closed to airline flights and passengers," the airport announced - as Milton's winds tore the roof off of one concourse which serves 13 different airline gates.
NORTH CAROLINA. The Washington Post reported on Sunday that some federal aid workers had to leave one area in Rutherford County, North Carolina on Saturday - because of militia threats. You read that right. The story also told of federal workers being harassed. (Remember - these people are there to provide aid and assistance!)
TRUMP. Former President Donald Trump has regularly praised dictators around the world. On Sunday, he sort of sounded like one in an interview on Fox Business. Asked if he was expecting chaos on Election Day from foreign sources, Trump said the biggest threat was from 'the enemy within' - as he clearly suggested using the military against his political enemies.
QUESTION. Asked if he was expecting 'chaos' on Election Day, Trump said, "Not from the side that votes for Trump." He then said the military should deal with the 'radical left.' "We have some sick people, radical left lunatics," Trump said. "And I think they're the - and it should be very easily handled by - if necessary - by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military."
MILITARY. Sorry, but I guess I'm sort of an old style kind of American. There is absolutely no reason anyone should be mentioning the use of the military on Election Day - especially when it has to do with your political opposition.
MILLEY. The remarks came after the General who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs under Trump - retired Gen. Mark Milley - blasted Trump in Bob Woodward's new book, calling Trump, 'fascist to the core,' and the 'most dangerous person to this country.' "Don't sleepwalk into dictatorship," said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA). "This is not a drill."
CAR LOANS. Last week during a visit to Detroit (where he trashed the Motor City), Donald Trump proposed a plan to let taxpayers deduct the interest they pay on car loans. Budget watchdog groups got right to work to figure out how much it would cost and who it would help. The results are definitely skewed towards the wealthy.
DEDUCTION. One important caveat is how this tax break would be offered. Could all Americans just deduct the interest paid on a car loan - or, would it only be available to taxpayers who itemize their deductions? That's a big deal, because if you are itemizing, you are probably making more money.
BUDGET LAB. The folks at the Yale Budget Lab ran the numbers and their forecast found this new Trump tax break would cost $173 billion over 10 years if offered to all taxpayers, or $71 billion for those who itemize. The Yale study found the wealthy would do best with this tax break. "The average benefit for those in the top 1% would be closer to $1,500."
FAKE NEWS. I have talked a lot about all the false claims made by Republicans about the 2020 election. Last week brought consequences for Gateway Pundit, the far-right conspiracy theory website, which pushed falsehoods against two women poll workers in Georgia. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
TRUTH BOMB. In a statement posted on its website, Gateway Pundit admitted there was no fraud associated with the 2020 vote count in Georgia, and that "Ruby Freeman and Wandrea ‘Shaye’ Moss did not engage in ballot fraud or criminal misconduct while working at State Farm Arena on election night."
FALSE CLAIMS. Freeman and Moss had sued Gateway Pundit for repeatedly publishing 'a campaign of lies' which accused them of pulling out suitcases of fake ballots and counting them on Election Night. No evidence has ever been put forward to back that up. If it sounds like a familiar chain of legal events, it is.
Fox News $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting over false vote fraud claims from 2020.
Newsmax settlement with Smartmatic voting over false vote fraud claims from 2020.
OAN settlement with Smartmatic voting over false vote fraud claims from 2020.
Rudy Giuliani ordered to pay two Georgia women $148 million over false vote fraud claims from 2020.
Gateway Pundit settlement with same two Georgia women over false vote fraud claims from 2020.
Salem Media settles lawsuit with Georgia man depicted in '2000 Mules' movie for false vote fraud claims in 2020.
TRUMP LEGAL. We could see the release of more materials from the Trump Jan. 6 investigation later this week. Or we could see more legal wrangling. A federal judge set a deadline of this Thursday on a large evidence 'Appendix' about the Jan. 6 probe involving Trump's effort to overturn his 2020 election loss and stay in power.
BRIEF. Lawyers for Trump could well appeal the order of Judge Tanya Chutkan to release that information. They denounced the judge for releasing a 165-page submission from Special Counsel Jack Smith, which further detailed the Jan. 6 case against the former President. Stay tuned.
RAP SHEET. A Virginia man who went to the Stop the Steal rally with his brother and father has been arrested on Jan. 6 charges. John Bordeaux grappled with officers outside the Capitol as rioters pushed through police lines. At one point, he repeatedly punched police riot shields and helped rioters climb higher on the inaugural platform at the Capitol.
MUSE OF HISTORY. October 14, 1881. On this date, Senators met with the French and German descendants of the Marquis de Lafayette and Baron von Steuben, two heroes of the American Revolution. "I know that I speak the sentiment of every member of the American Senate when I say they are most welcome," said Sen. Thomas Bayard of Delaware, 100 years after critical battles at Yorktown had secured our nation’s independence from the British.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:
The House next has votes on November 12.
The Senate comes back for votes on November 12.
Follow me on Twitter @jamiedupree.
Email me at jamiedupree@substack.com
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It appears the “let Trump be Trump” faction has taken control of his re-election campaign. He certainly doesn’t sound like a candidate who wants to appeal to anyone outside of his cult.
Still, he’s appealing to young white men (per an NBC News piece Sunday night) and misogynistic Black men who don’t believe a woman should be president.
In other words, it will likely be up to progressive American women this Nov if we avoid 45 becoming 47.
Heather Cox Richardson gets it:
“Trump’s behavior is Authoritarianism 101. In a 1951 book called The True Believer, political philosopher Eric Hoffer noted that demagogues appeal to a disaffected population whose members feel they have lost the power they previously held, that they have been displaced either religiously, economically, culturally, or politically. Such people are willing to follow a leader who promises to return them to their former positions of prominence and thus to make the nation great again.
But to cement their loyalty, the leader has to give them someone to hate. Who that is doesn't really matter: the group simply has to be blamed for all the troubles the leader’s supporters are suffering. Trump has kept his base firmly behind him by demonizing immigrants, the media, and, increasingly, Democrats, deflecting his own shortcomings by blaming these groups for undermining him.
According to Hoffer, there’s a psychological trick to the way this rhetoric works that makes loyalty to such a leader get stronger as that leader's behavior deteriorates. People who sign on to the idea that they are standing with their leader against an enemy begin to attack their opponents, and in order to justify their attacks, they have to convince themselves that that enemy is not good-intentioned, as they are, but evil. And the worse they behave, the more they have to believe their enemies deserve to be treated badly.
According to Hoffer, so long as they are unified against an enemy, true believers will support their leader no matter how outrageous his behavior gets. Indeed, their loyalty will only grow stronger as his behavior becomes more and more extreme. Turning against him would force them to own their own part in his attacks on those former enemies they would now have to recognize as ordinary human beings like themselves.”