October Surprise: Jan. 6 panel subpoenas Trump

Supreme Court rejects Trump appeal on documents seized from Mar-a-Lago

Also in today’s “Regular Order” for October 14, 2022:

• Trump secretly ordered U.S. troops out of Afghanistan.

• Pelosi: “I’m going to punch him out.”

• Florida expands voting options in areas damaged by Ian.

---

TRUMP SUBPOENA. The special House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol offered up a surprise ending to a final public hearing, as the panel voted unanimously to subpoena former President Donald Trump for testimony and documents. “We are obligated to seek answers from the man who set this all in motion,” said Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY).

• REACTION. Trump responded by pressing The Big Lie. "The Unselect Committee knowingly failed to examine the massive voter fraud which took place during the 2020 Presidential Election. The reason for what took place on January 6th,” Trump wrote on his TruthSocial platform.

• TESTIMONY. Do I really expect Trump to come in and answer questions from the committee? Probably not. (But you never know.) Democrats swiftly used the committee vote to put the former President on the defensive. “Donald Trump must testify before Congress," said Senate Majority Charles Schumer.

• WHAT'S NEXT. "He must be held accountable," said Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA). "And if he refuses to comply, he must be held in Contempt of Congress." Let me interject to say I’m not sure there’s enough time for that to happen - especially if Republicans win control of the House in November.

---

INSIDE VIDEO. The committee also released video of Democratic leaders from Jan. 6, as they work the phones and plead with various federal and state officials for help. "I'm going to call up the effin' Secretary of (DOD) Defense," Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer says at 3 pm, about 40 minutes after Senators were evacuated because of the Trump mob.

• HELP. Filmed in a secure room where Congressional leaders had been taken for their safety, the video shows top Democrats calling the Governors of Virginia and Maryland, scrambling for any assistance from law enforcement or the military. Do yourself a favor. Watch this video. Watch the whole thing.

• PUNCH OUT AT MALIBU. CNN also released another video from Pelosi's office on Jan. 6, as aides told her that Trump could still try to march to the Capitol. "I hope he comes, I’m going to punch him out," Pelosi says. "I’m going to punch him out, I’m going to go to jail, and I’m going to be happy."

• REACTION. Rank and file Democrats in Congress were thrilled with what they saw of the Speaker that day. "She's got nerves of steel," Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) said of Pelosi. "We know who was being presidential on Jan. 6," added Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA).

---

WITHDRAWAL. One of more interesting items released by the Jan. 6 committee on Thursday showed that soon after the November 2020 elections - Donald Trump secretly signed an order for the complete withdrawal of U.S. military forces from both Afghanistan and Somalia. It happened on Veterans Day - November 11, 2020.

• PROCESS. The order didn't go through the National Security Council or any top-ranking White House staff. Instead, it was drafted by Trump's body man Johnny McEntee. "I personally thought it was militarily not feasible or wise," said Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley, who labeled the directive, 'potentially dangerous.'

• PULLOUT. Trump wanted the Pentagon to pull all forces from Afghanistan by no later than Jan. 15, 2021. All of that would be happening just before Joe Biden was to be sworn into office. (It was essentially the same withdrawal order that President Biden would give in the summer of 2021.)

• MESSAGE. In presenting that memo, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) said it proved that Trump knew he lost the election. "Keep in mind, the order was for an immediate withdrawal," Kinzinger said. "These are the highly consequential actions of a President who knows his term will shortly end."

• ORDERS. The other thing that struck me is that this is an example of military leaders at the Pentagon ignoring the orders of a President. That raises major questions about how the U.S. government was *not* functioning under a President who was seen by military brass as unstable.

---

REGULAR ORDER. It’s Friday, so we welcome back our weekly subscribers. You missed a heck of a lot this week in ‘Regular Order.’ Why not upgrade to a paid subscription - or give the gift of straight news to one of your friends or family.

---

TRUMP LEGAL. Just minutes before he was subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 committee, Donald Trump lost an appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court, which opted to stay out of his fight regarding classified documents seized by the FBI from Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. It was a significant legal setback for the former President.

• ORDER. Without comment, the Justices rejected Trump's appeal of a ruling by a three judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit, which said there was no reason for a Special Master to review the classified materials found at Trump's home. It also allows prosecutors to continue working with those documents.

• SCOTUS NERD NOTE. We don't know whether the Supreme Court was unanimous in their rejection. But we do know that no one issued a dissent about the case - including the three justices that Trump chose for the Court. So, Trump has nothing to hang his hat on about this matter.

• WHAT'S NEXT. Election Day is less than a month away. I don't think it's out of bounds to suggest that Trump could be indicted in November in this case. And don't forget - it was reported earlier this week that the feds believe Trump is still hiding classified materials.

---

INFLATION. The latest numbers on inflation handed Republicans yet another easy attack on Democrats and President Biden over rising consumer prices. "I'd like to speak with the 17 Nobel Prize-winning economists who said Biden's agenda would lower inflation," said Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX).

• NUMBERS. The latest report showed consumer prices were up 8.2 percent in September compared to one year ago. "Remember when President Biden said inflation was transitory?" asked Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE). "That was a year and a half ago."

• REPORTS. There are only a couple of big economic reports left before Election Day. Later this month, there will be a new estimate released on economic growth (GDP). And Friday, November 4 will bring one last pre-election jobs report.

---

DEBATES. As I mentioned the other day, most debates for the U.S. House and Senate - and President for that matter - quickly fade away. But sometimes there are what I call magic moments, which might get remembered. Did we have one of those last night in the race for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin?

• BADGER STATE. The candidates were asked to say something nice about each other. Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes called Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) a 'family man.' Johnson basically repeated that - but kept going. "Why has he turned against America?" Johnson said, as the crowd began jeering and booing. Watch it here.

• GEORGIA. Tonight is debate night in Georgia, as Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and his GOP challenger Herschel Walker will meet for their only debate. Look for Walker to try to tie Warnock to President Biden at every turn. Does this debate get feisty? Will it change this race? Stay tuned.

---

FLORIDA VOTING. With the Sunshine State suffering major damage from Hurricane Ian, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has issued a series of changes to make it easier for voters in three hard-hit counties to cast their ballot in the upcoming November elections.

• VOTING DAYS. Voters in Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota counties will get extra days for in-person voting, as well as extra polling locations. Early voting can start by October 24 - five days earlier than the other 64 counties in Florida - and run all the way through Election Day, instead of stopping three days before then.

• FORT MYERS. Elections officials in Lee County - home to Fort Myers and some of the most heavily damaged areas - are still figuring out the details. “Our office will provide updates on how this will take effect,” the office said on Twitter - as the county is still figuring out where polling places will go.

• VOTE BY MAIL. Another change instituted by DeSantis allows voters in Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota counties to ask - by telephone - to have their mail ballots sent to a different address than what's on file with local elections officials.

• VOTING. Lee County is the largest of those three counties to get extra voting time. As of Thursday night, 10,236 mail ballots had been returned there. Over 220,000 votes were cast by mail in Lee County in 2020 - and if you’re wondering, all three of these counties voted for Donald Trump.

---

DEFENSE. We found out last week that the national debt of the United States had gone over $31 trillion. You can't blame that just on spending for social programs, as the defense budget will be over $800 billion in 2023 - and that has the strong support of both parties in Congress, no matter the amount of red ink involved. That's my column this week for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

---

NDAA CHANGES. Speaking of defense, I told you yesterday about all of the non-defense items added to a major defense policy bill this week by Senators . One plan is on judicial security, which will help keep private information of federal judges off the internet. It was spurred by the murder of a federal judge's son in New Jersey.

• DANIEL ANDERL. "No judge in America should have to fear for their lives and the safety of their family," said Senators Booker, Menendez, and Durbin, who sponsored the plan. Read more about it at this link.

WATER PROJECTS. One of the most popular legislative items stuffed into the defense bill this week is the bipartisan plan known as the Water Resources Development Act - it's basically a road map for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, when it comes to planning and construction of water projects.

• ARMY CORPS. The plans deal with everything from flood control to shoreline protection, inland waterway projects, rivers, locks, dams, levees - you name it. If you want to look at some of the projects authorized by this plan - it's in the Congressional Record at this link.

• ONE NOTE. Remember - this doesn't spend any money. It simply 'authorizes' these projects, which are then funded in a separate bill. This is a *very* bipartisan issue - because lawmakers in every state like this kind of federal aid.

---

MUSE OF HISTORY.  October 14, 1837.  On the penultimate day of the First Session of the 25th Congress, things were messy on the House floor.  The hour was late on a Saturday night, as lawmakers wrestled over a major bank deposits bill and tried to set up a final day of work.  Rep. Elisha Whittlesey of Ohio asked that the House meet at 7 am.  The Congressional Globe noted there were 'cries of 'No! No!' from all sides,' as lawmakers finally settled on an 8 am time to convene.  After multiple motions to adjourn, it was now 1:30 am.  "Mr. Haynes said he was convinced nothing could be done that night."  And so, the House adjourned.

---

LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:

The House next has votes on November 14.

The Senate will have votes on November 14.

President Biden’s daily schedule link.

Follow me on Twitter @jamiedupree. Email me at jamiedupree@substack.com