Dean Phillips on timing of Biden’s cancer news: ‘I don’t think it’s coincidental’

Dean Phillips on timing of Biden's cancer news: 'I don't think it's coincidental'

Former Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who challenged former President Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination last year, suggested in a new interview that Biden timed his cancer diagnosis announcement to deflect from renewed scrutiny of his time in the White House. "I don't think it's coincidental that this was announced this week," Phillipstold the New York Times in an interviewpublished Monday. "It's hard to comport otherwise," he added. The interview comes as new reporting from CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios's Alex Thompson about the extent to which members of Biden's inner circle took to shield the American public from signs of Biden's cognitive decline, toward the end of his term. Phillips — who faced intense blowback from Democrats when he voiced concern last year about Biden's age on the campaign trail — said these efforts from Trump allies are, in some ways, worse than what he described as President Trump's "corruption." "Donald Trump isn't shy about his corruption," Phillips told the Times in the interview. "What's so troubling is that what the people around Joe Biden clearly were doing was in some ways more egregious." Biden's personal office announced this weekend that the former president was diagnosed on Friday with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. The announcement was met with a bipartisan outpouring of support, though some have raised questions about how the cancer was not detected earlier. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 19, 2025

Dean Phillips on timing of Biden’s cancer news: ‘I don’t think it’s coincidental’

Dean Phillips on timing of Biden's cancer news: 'I don't think it's coincidental' Former Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), w...

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Freedom Caucus chair predicts ‘big beautiful bill’ lacks support to pass this week

Freedom Caucus chair predicts 'big beautiful bill' lacks support to pass this week

Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, is predicting that the legislative package at the heart of President Trump's domestic agenda doesn't have the support to pass through the House this week. "I think it's pretty obvious that they're going to need more time," Harris told reporters Monday evening outside the Capitol. "These are complicated discussions. These are complicated issues. These are trillions of dollars," he added. "We've got to do this thing right." Harris's timeline contradicts that of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and his leadership team, who are racing to unite their disparate conference behind the massive package of tax cuts, health policy changes, tougher immigration rules and a shift away from green energy. Johnson said Monday that he's confident the bill can pass through the lower chamber this week. Among the remaining sticking points, conservatives are staging an 11th-hour push to slash Medicaid payments for adults newly eligible for the program under ObamaCare — an idea opposed by many moderate Republicans. Harris acknowledged the difficulty of the issue and said the negotiation surrounding it "is going to have to go on for a while." "The federal government spends more on healthy people than they do on the traditional Medicaid population," Harris said. A short time later, Johnson said leaders are not considering changes to the Medicaid payment formula — known as the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) — as they seek more budget savings. "FMAP has not been on the table, no," Johnson told reporters Monday night. "It's been off the table for quite some time." Harris also denounced the increase in deficit spending under the bill — a figure he put at $1 trillion over the next five years — saying the deficit impact alone will prompt enough conservative opposition to sink the legislation unless leadership alters the bill to bring that figure down. The sides are far enough apart, he said, to require negotiations through next week's Memorial Day recess. "I think it can be hammered out over the Memorial Day break. That's enough time," Harris said. "I think we made some progress in the last few days, and gauging the speed of that progress, I think in 10 days we could have [it done]." In the meantime, he added, he's opposed to the package. A wildcard in the debate remains Trump, who has stood largely on the sidelines throughout the early stages of the internal GOP debate, but is diving in head-first on Tuesday morning when hevisits the Capitolto huddle with the House GOP conference. Trump, who retains enormous popularity among the Republican base, has held enormous sway in debates of the past. Harris, however, said he's ready to stand firm against the current legislation, even if the president presses him to get on board. "He has said he wants to solve the budget deficit. I would make the case that this big beautiful bill could get more beautiful with a little more work," Harris said. "I'm glad he's coming to talk to the conference. I always welcome the president," he continued. "But I'm not sure there's anything that he can say tomorrow that's going to change the minds of people who do believe that this bill needs more work." Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), another conservative holdout, piled on, saying Johnson's self-imposed Memorial Day deadline is not real at all, since there are no actually policy repercussions if it's missed. "It's arbitrary and it's pressure and it's just like Christmas and Easter," Roy said. "But it's the way this town works." Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 19, 2025

Freedom Caucus chair predicts ‘big beautiful bill’ lacks support to pass this week

Freedom Caucus chair predicts 'big beautiful bill' lacks support to pass this week Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), the chair of the House ...

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Justice Department to investigate Chicago after mayor's remarks about hiring Black officials

Justice Department to investigate Chicago after mayor's remarks about hiring Black officials

TheJustice Department's Civil Rights Division said Monday that it was opening an investigation into the city of Chicago after Mayor Brandon Johnson's comments Sunday highlighting prominentBlack officialsin his administration. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillonwrote in a letter to Johnsonposted on X that she had "authorized an investigation" into whether Chicago is "engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination" following Johnson's remarks at a church Sunday. "If these kind of hiring decisions are being made for top-level positions in your administration, then it begs the question of whether such decisions are also being made for lower-level positions," Dhillon wrote. Follow live politics coverage here Johnson said in remarks at Apostolic Church of God that the deputy mayor, the chief operations officer, the budget director and others are all Black people. Johnson said some of his detractors criticize him by saying the only thing he talks about "is the hiring of Black people." "No, what I'm saying is when you hire our people, we always look out for everybody else," he said. "Having people in my administration that will look out for the interest of everyone, and everyone means you have to look out for the interests of Black folks, because that hasn't happened. That's how we ensure long-term sustainable growth," he added. Johnson had also criticized the Trump administration's efforts to "wipe us out of history." "Black folks will be here in this city and in cities across America, protecting this democracy, protecting humanity, because that's what Black people have always done," he said. The mayor's office said in a statement that Johnson "is proud to have the most diverse administration in the history of our city." "Our administration reflects the diversity and values of Chicago. Unfortunately, the current federal administration does not reflect either," the mayor's press office said. Shortly after his second inauguration, President Donald Trumpsigned an executive ordertoend what he referred to as "radical and wasteful" diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programsin federal agencies. He also has ordered investigations into hiring practices that he has said may favor candidates based on their race or gender. According to the mayor's office, white and Black employees are a majority of staff members, with 30.5% of employees identifying as white and 34.3% identifying as Black. Johnson's office said that it was aware the Justice Department had issued a letter and that it was waiting for official receipt and that its corporation counsel would then review it. The Civil Rights Division has undergonea major transformationsince Dhillon took over during Trump's second term, with one official calling an onslaught of departures "a complete bloodbath." More broadly, the Justice Department hastargeted Trump's perceived political foessince he returned to office for a second term. In January, the Justice Department said it hadterminated several attorneysfrom former special counsel Jack Smith's office who played roles in Trump's prosecution over his handling of classified documents and his conduct tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Trump has issued executive orders going aftermajor law firmsthat have been involved in suing him or his administration. He also authorized Attorney General Pam Bondi to recommend rescinding attorneys' security clearances or ending federal contracts with law firms if she found their lawsuits against the administration "unreasonable" or "vexatious."

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 19, 2025

Justice Department to investigate Chicago after mayor's remarks about hiring Black officials

Justice Department to investigate Chicago after mayor's remarks about hiring Black officials TheJustice Department's Civil Rights Di...

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DOJ charges congresswoman with assault in incident at ICE facility, drops case against Newark mayor

DOJ charges congresswoman with assault in incident at ICE facility, drops case against Newark mayor

The Department of Justice charged Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver with assaulting federal law enforcement during achaotic meleethat erupted outside of an ICE detention facility in her home state of New Jersey, acting US Attorney Alina Habba said Monday. Prosecutors will, however, drop the federal trespassing charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was arrested during the confrontation, Habba said in a news release. The scuffle outside the detention facility as protesters, lawmakers and Homeland Security officers pushed against each other, thrust the political battle between the administration and Democratic lawmakers over President Donald Trump's hardlineimmigrationpolicy agenda into a new stage – charging a federal lawmaker with criminal wrongdoing. "No one is above the law — politicians or otherwise,"Habbasaid, accusing McIver of assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement. "It is the job of this office to uphold justice impartially, regardless of who you are." McIver said in a statement that the charges against her "are purely political-they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight." The DOJ and McIver had attempted to negotiate a plea deal that would have averted charges, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Habba said in her statement Monday that McIver "declined" the department's attempts to "come to a resolution." It is unclear whether the Justice Department will charge the two other members of Congress who were with McIver at the detention facility, Democratic Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman and Robert Menendez Jr. The incident, which took place on May 9, began as the three members of Congress visited the ICE detention facility in Newark, which they claimed was not up to date on necessary permits. Once the visit at the facility concluded, Baraka tried to join lawmakers and went inside the gate to the facility. Baraka complied with federal agents who told him to leave but was arrested as soon as he left the facility's fenced-in area. McIver and other protesters surrounded Baraka as federal agents forced their way through the group to make the arrest. Habba said Monday that she is dropping the charge against Baraka "for the sake of moving forward" and said she invited the mayor to visit the detention center with her. "I am glad that the U.S. Attorney has agreed that this case should be dismissed," Baraka said in astatement, saying he would look for areas of possible cooperation on issues with Habba, while vowing to continue to push the ICE facility to ensure compliance with city regulations. Later Monday, the mayor told CNN's Abby Phillip that he believed McIver will be vindicated in court. "I didn't see any of those things happen," Baraka said on "NewsNight" of the assault allegations. "So I think that the congresswoman will be vindicated." Video taken during the scrum appears to show McIver using her body to push past federal agents and get to Baraka as he was being taken away in handcuffs. It also shows McIver using her arms to push agents. DHS officials including Secretary Kristi Noem have alleged McIver assaulted law enforcement, with the secretary saying on Capitol Hill Wednesday that the lawmakers' behavior was "lawlessness" and "beneath this body." McIver previously rejected allegations that she assaulted the federal officers,telling CNN's Dana Bashon "State of the Union" Sunday that "I honestly do not know how to body slam anyone, and there's no video that supports me body slamming anyone." Paul Fishman, an attorney for McIver, said the charges were an attempt to shift blame for the clash from immigration officers. "As a member of Congress, she has the right and responsibility to see how ICE is treating detainees," Fishman said. "Rather than facilitating that inspection, ICE agents chose to escalate what should have been a peaceful situation into chaos." House Democratic leadership quickly condemned the prosecution of McIver as "extreme, morally bankrupt" and lacking "any basis in law or fact." "The proceeding initiated by the so-called U.S. Attorney in New Jersey is a blatant attempt by the Trump administration to intimidate Congress and interfere with our ability to serve as a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and several other members of the caucus' leadership said in a statement. "Everyone responsible for this illegitimate abuse of power is going to be held accountable for their actions." This story has been updated with additional details. CNN's Piper Hudspeth Blackburn contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 19, 2025

DOJ charges congresswoman with assault in incident at ICE facility, drops case against Newark mayor

DOJ charges congresswoman with assault in incident at ICE facility, drops case against Newark mayor The Department of Justice charged Democr...

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A Brand-New Brand: Trump Lemonade

A Brand-New Brand: Trump Lemonade

Donald Trump likes to put his name on everything he builds, touches, or sells. Id like to suggest a new addition to the brand line: Trump Lemonade. If anyone has ever mastered the art of turning lemons into lemonade, it is President Trump. Probably the greatest instance of such was when he took a bullet to the ear in Butler, Pennsylvania, and turned an attempted assassination into an unbeatable campaign slogan - "Fight! Fight! Fight!" You could also argue that his election loss to Joe Biden in 2020 would have soured a lesser man on politics forever, but Trump took a humiliating defeat and turned it into the launch pad of the greatest comeback in U.S. history. Or as I like to think of it, political lemonade. Even earlier than that, Trump saved his bid for the presidency in 2016 by overcoming the devastating Access Hollywood tape that painted him as a sexual predator. That was a pretty big lemon, but Trump entered a crucial debate against Hillary Clinton two days later by hosting a press conference featuring three women who had charged former President Bill Clinton with sexual misconduct. Even the anti-Trump press was drinking lemonade out of Trumps hand, thanks to that stunt. But if you wanted a prime example of Trumps recipe for success to anchor a doctoral dissertation, you could do no better than the rise and fall and rise of Ed Martin, Trumps original choice to be U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia in this second term. Martin had served in the position on an interim basis since Jan. 20, the date of Trumps inauguration, and was expected to get confirmed for a full term by May 20, when his interim appointment would expire. Instead, RepublicanSen. Thom Tillisof North Carolina on May 6 announced he would not support Martin because of the attorneys role in vociferously representing Jan. 6 defendants. Although MAGA world was prepared to fight for the nomination, just as they successfully fought to save Pete Hegseths nomination as defense secretary, Trump unexpectedly pulled the plug on Martin two days later. The reaction from Democrats and much of the media was celebratory, claiming that they had earned a rare scalp in their war against Trump. The exuberance on the left was typified by McClatchy opinion writer David Mastios column that bore the headline,"Trumps power may never be the same after Ed Martins Senate defeat." Mastio seized on Martins role in the Stop the Steal movement following the 2020 presidential election, and like Tillis, saw the withdrawal of his nomination as vindication for the establishment view that the election was"the most secure in American history." On Thursday, for the first time, one of Trumps first-day priorities has been undone, not by activist judges or carping Democrats, but by Republican Senate opposition that took direct aim at one of Trumps most dearly held illusions - his ridiculous claim that the 2020 election was stolen. But upon reading the rest of Mastios column, it becomes clear that his headline was based on wishful thinking, not on facts - or even conjecture. Indeed, Mastio seems to be making the opposite point: With 18 months to go before midterm elections allow the public to deliver a verdict on Trumps second, even more populist term,the president remains incredibly powerful.He could take action to make the handful of Republican senators who undid Martins nomination pay for their disloyalty in an effort to reassert his hold on the party. (Emphasis mine.) In the next paragraph, Mastio admits that Trump can easily find someone to replace Martin, but holds on to the hope that Tillis rebellion is "perhaps … a sign that Trumps iron grip on the party is starting to loosen as his standing in the polls weaken[s] and his court defeats grow more serious." But even in the throes of Trump Derangement Syndrome, Mastio doesnt quite believe that. His conclusion? "If Trumps opponents have learned anything in recent months, it is to never count the president out." Bingo. And as if to prove the point, President Trump named a replacement for Ed Martins nomination later that afternoon that drove his critics crazy. Going to the Fox News well one more time,Trump tapped Jeanine Pirro, co-host of the popular conservative panel show "The Five." Earlier in her career, Pirro was a judge and long-time district attorney in Westchester County, New York. But in a delightful twist of the knife, what Pirro is best known for these days is being a hardline MAGA supporter who used her primetime Fox News show to advance the argument that the 2020 election was stolen. She did such a good job at it that she is currently being sued by the Smartmatic voting machine company for defamation. In other words, she is Ed Martin in a skirt. But President Trump wasnt satisfied with merely replacing Martin with another advocate for the Jan. 6 defendants, and thus tweaking Sen. Tillis for his disloyal opposition. Instead, he announced that Martin wasnt leaving in disgrace, but would instead be hired by the Department of Justice as the director of the Weaponization Working Group, associate deputy attorney general, and pardon attorney. In other words, hell get right to work investigating whether the Biden Justice Department used those hundreds of Jan. 6 prosecutions as malicious political weapons. Lets see what Thom Tillis thinks about that. MSNBC was typical of the far-left media when they lamented that"Despite his radicalism, Ed Martin lands on his feet with new Justice Department job."Or, as David Mastio wrote the day before, "never count the president out." Damn right. Trumps already won, six ways from Sunday, and you can bet that Tillis, MSNBC, and Mastio are all puckered up as they down this latest sour batch of Trump Lemonade. Enjoy! Frank Miele, retired editor of the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell, Mont., is a columnist for RealClearPolitics. His book"The Media Matrix: What If Everything You Know Is Fake"is available from his Amazon author page. Visit him atHeartlandDiaryUSA.comor follow him on Facebook @HeartlandDiaryUSA and on X/Gettr @HeartlandDiary.

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 19, 2025

A Brand-New Brand: Trump Lemonade

A Brand-New Brand: Trump Lemonade Donald Trump likes to put his name on everything he builds, touches, or sells. Id like to suggest a new ad...

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