Friday, March 14 | By Jonathan Easley |
Senate clears path to avoid shutdown; Dems rage at Schumer
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SENATE MINORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER (D-N.Y.) is facing an outpouring of anger from Democrats across the ideological spectrum for backing the GOP’s bill to avert a shutdown tonight at midnight. Heading into the evening, the fate of the funding measure to keep the lights on in Washington for another six months lied in the hands of roughly a dozen Democrats, with Schumer leading the charge to avoid the shutdown.
Eight Democrats needed to vote to end debate to advance the House-passed bill. In the end, Schumer was joined by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.M.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Angus King (I-Maine), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).
Those Democrats helped deliver the at least 60 votes needed to proceed.
A final vote on the continuing resolution (CR) is expected later Friday night, with the bill on a glidepath to passing the Senate.
Dozens of Senate Democrats came out in fiery opposition to the CR and pressured their colleagues not to fold ahead of the procedural vote.
Schumer justified his intention of voting to advance the CR despite his disgust with it, arguing a shutdown would be terrible for the economy and allow President Trump and Elon Musk to further gut the federal workforce. |
FIRESTORM ENGULFS SCHUMER |
Schumer is locked in a firestorm of Democratic anger that has badly damaged his standing within the party. House Democratic leaders are apoplectic after they largely stuck together to oppose the CR earlier this week. All House Democrats except for one, including many who represent districts Trump carried in 2024, opposed it. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) refused to back Schumer when asked Friday if he should continue in his leadership role.
“Next question,” Jeffries said. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) released a blistering statement calling on Democrats to “not buy into this false choice” and to “fight back for a better way.”
Pelosi pointed to opposition from Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) and Rep. Rose DeLauro (Conn.), the top Democrats on congresional Appropriations committees, in urging Schumer to “listen to the women.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called Schumer's support for the six-month CR a “huge slap in the face” to House Democrats who “stuck their neck out” in opposition. CNN reports that some members are quietly urging Ocasio-Cortez to launch a primary challenge against Schumer. Trump on Friday congratulated Schumer for doing the “right thing,” further inciting anger from the left. Liberal grassroots groups are calling on Schumer to resign.
The group Pass the Torch, which called for President Biden to drop out of the presidential race, said Schumer “is unwilling and unable to meet the moment” and must resign. Nearly a dozen protesters with the progressive Sunrise Movement were arrested outside of Schumer’s office on Friday. |
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents searched two dorm rooms at Columbia University after the federal arrest of former grad student Mahmoud Khalil, who has become the face of the debate around the Trump administration’s policies on speech and immigration. DHS also revoked the visa of a second Columbia University student and arrested another, escalating its crackdown on students engaged in protests over the conflict in Gaza. A mega-storm bringing blizzards, high winds, tornadoes and flooding will hit large swaths of the U.S. this weekend. Former Sen. Alan Simpson, a moderate conservative appointed to lead a commission on deficit reduction by former President Obama, died Friday at the age of 93.
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Trump takes victory lap at DOJ
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President Trump took a victory lap at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday, highlighting his administration's crackdown on crime and illegal immigration while saying his administration had ended the "weaponization" of the justice system. "We begin a proud new chapter in the chronicles of American justice," Trump said. "We’re turning the page on four long years of corruption, weaponization and surrender to violent criminals. We’re restoring fair, equal and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law." Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel were on hand for the speech, as were families who lost loved ones to drug overdoses and crime. Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced new investigations of their own.
Patel said the FBI is investigating a spate of fake swatting calls against conservative media figures.
Gabbard said the Trump administration is “aggressively pursuing” people within the intelligence community who leak sensitive information to reporters. Trump’s border czar Tom Homan has accused government insiders of leaking planned immigration raids to foil the administration’s deportation efforts.
“Politically motivated leaks undermine our national security and the trust of the American people, and will not be tolerated,” Gabbard posted on X. “Unfortunately, such leaks have become commonplace with no investigation or accountability. That ends now." Elsewhere, the Education Department is investigating more than 50 colleges and universities over “racial preferences” in academics or scholarships, as the Trump administration moves to crack down on on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.
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MEANWHILE… Trump this week held private meetings with two Democratic governors — Kathy Hochul of New York and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.
Trump met with Hochul this morning to discuss plans for an energy pipeline in New York.
He met with Whitmer on Thursday to discuss jobs, as the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index plunged to its lowest point since 2022 amid concerns over Trump’s trade wars.
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💡Perspectives:
• The Hill: Trump-onomics is working.
• The Hill: Trump must level with the public about the coming pain.
• RealClearPolitics: Opportunity and risk in the Trump economy.
• The New Yorker: Uncertainty is Trump’s brand.
• The Hill: The MAGA revolution is playing with fire. |
Roundup: Trump teases Russia-Ukraine ceasefire
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President Trump said Friday the U.S. and Russia have held “good and productive” talks about a ceasefire with Ukraine. “There is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end,” Trump posted on Truth Social. Trump also pleaded with Russian President Vladimir Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region he said are surrounded and out-manned.
“AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION,” he continued. “I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!”
Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz said any long-term peace deal would likely require Ukraine to cede some of its Donbas region to Russia.
• Mark Carney has been sworn in as Canada’s new prime minister replacing Justin Trudeau, as tensions between the U.S. and Canada boil over due to the trade war and Trump’s musings about annexing the country.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Quebec on Friday, where he faced pointed questions from Canadian journalists over Trump’s tariffs and calls for Canada to become the 51st state.
• Hamas says it will release American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander and the bodies of four other Americans, as mediators resume negotiations with Israel over a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff presented the proposal to Hamas, which would also require Israel to lift its blockade on humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
• The White House will appeal the federal court rulings requiring the Trump administration to reinstate probationary government employees after two federal judges said the workers were fired unlawfully and must be reinstated.
• The United States Postal Service signed a deal with the Department of Government Efficiency to cut costs at the agency. |
💡Perspectives:
• CNN: Putin’s stalling looks like an attempt to play Trump.
• The Wall Street Journal: The Ukraine minerals deal is fair.
• The Hill: Trump, Rubio and Zelensky have boxed Putin in.
• New York: Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest will backfire on Trump.
• Los Angeles Times: Mahmoud Khalil's deportation wouldn’t be unlawful. |
Here's who's talking...
NewsNation's "The Hill Sunday”: Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins; FIRE special counsel Robert Shibley.
NBC's "Meet the Press": Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent; Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
CNN's "State of the Union": Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.); Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas).
Fox News "Sunday": National security adviser Mike Waltz; Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio); Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.). ABC's "This Week": Waltz. |
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