Alas, politics in Washington, D.C., continues.
The federal government is bracing for a shutdown, driven by Democrats in Congress itching for a fight with President Donald Trump, ostensibly over health care policy (and spending). Trump is itching for a fight with, well, everybody. In the past week, Trump demanded Attorney General Pam Bondi fire the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia—that he himself appointed—because said attorney concluded there was insufficient evidence to indict one of the president’s political opponents, New York Attorney General Leticia James, a Democrat, on allegations of mortgage fraud. The federal prosecutor in question, Erik Siebert, ultimately resigned and was replaced by a Trump loyalist, Mary Cleary.
Congressional Republicans, meanwhile, are itching to avoid a fight over the saga of convicted sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein. House GOP leaders are hoping to persuade members of their party to oppose Democratic efforts to bring more evidence to light via parliamentary tactics that allow members to force a floor vote over the objections of the majority party’s leadership, specifically, the speaker.
Enjoying our Dispatch Politics Roundup? Consider forwarding this article to someone you know who likes independent, fact-based journalism.
