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The Tap: Monday, October 17, 2016

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The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.

Review of the day

The excerpts below were compiled from issue #39 of The Tap, which was published on October 22, 2016. READ THE FULL VERSION HERE.

Federal

  • According to interview notes released by the FBI regarding its investigation of Hillary Clinton's private email server, Undersecretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy attempted to have one of the emails declassified as part of a "quid pro quo" arrangement with an FBI official interested in increasing aid to station FBI agents overseas in sensitive areas. Another interview, however, indicated that it was an FBI employee who suggested he would "look into the email matter" if Kennedy "would provide authority concerning the FBI's request to increase its personnel in Iraq." Both the FBI and the State Department denied that there was a "quid pro quo" arrangement.
  • An FBI agent who worked for both Secretaries of State Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton said that Clinton “blatantly” disregarded security protocols in an interview conducted during the FBI’s investigation of Clinton’s private email server. According to the FBI’s interview notes, the agent indicated that Clinton would arrive at diplomatic functions with her top adviser, Huma Abedin, rather than ambassadors "who were insulted and embarrassed by this breach of protocol.” The FBI notes also revealed that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich connected a Senate staffer and third party with Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, on a project to determine if Clinton's email server had been hacked. Ultimately, Judicial Watch spent $32,000 searching for evidence online, eventually turning over materials found in the private investigation to the FBI.
  • Donald Trump’s campaign announced a $2 million ad buy in Virginia as well as a new leadership team in the state. Last week, NBC News reported that the campaign was pulling ground staff from Virginia and shifting its focus to Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, and Florida. Also last week, Trump’s Virginia campaign co-chairman, Corey Stewart, was fired after staging a protest outside the headquarters of the Republican National Committee. Trump’s state operations are now overseen by Mike Rubino, and the campaign added Mark Kevin Lloyd as state director after Thomas Midanek was relocated to another state. Recent polling in Virginia has shown Hillary Clinton with leads ranging from 3 to 15 points. An average of polls in the state from September 15 to October 14 shows Clinton leading by 7.7 points. Barack Obama won the state in 2012 by 4 points.
  • USA Today reported that at least a dozen companies that contributed to Clinton family foundations also lobbied the State Department using lobbyists who were Clinton campaign fundraisers. These companies, which include Microsoft, Pfizer, ExxonMobil, Northeast Maglev, and Azteca, donated $16 million to Clinton charities. Karen Hobert Flynn, the president of the watchdog group Common Cause, said, “When you couple all of these activities together, it gives an unseemly appearance that this was another way for Clinton foundation donors to try to get what they wanted." She continued, "I don’t see any quid pro quos. But I do think these are sophisticated lobbying operations by Clinton foundation donors trying to leverage Department of State support for whatever their pet projects are.”
  • At a campaign event in Wisconsin, Trump unveiled a five-point plan for government ethics reform. The plan includes a five-year ban on lobbying for all executive branch officials and former members of Congress and their staffs. The plan also expands the definition of “lobbyist,” permanently bans senior executive branch officials from lobbying on behalf of a foreign government, and seeks to prohibit registered foreign lobbyists from “raising money in American elections.” According to prepared remarks, Trump introduced the plan by saying, “If we let the Clinton Cartel run this government, history will record that 2017 was the year America lost its independence. We will not let that happen. It is time to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. That is why I am proposing a package of ethics reforms to make our government honest once again.”
  • In Virginia, Gary Johnson discussed what kind of justice he would appoint to the Supreme Court if elected president. He said, “With regard to Supreme Court justices, it would be an issue of justices ruling on the basis of original intent of the Constitution. I think that Judge [Clarence] Thomas has probably been at the forefront of the kind of a judge that I would like to appoint.”
  • Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook announced that the campaign planned to spend $9 million on House and Senate races in 10 battleground states to bolster the Democratic Party's chances of victory. Mook said that $2 million would be invested in Arizona, $1 million in Indiana and Missouri, and $6 million across Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Nevada, North Carolina, Iowa, and New Hampshire.
  • A CNN/ORC poll of North Carolina’s Senate race showed incumbent Richard Burr (R) leading challenger Deborah Ross (D) 48-47. The state’s Senate race is one of the closest Senate battlegrounds in the country. The same poll showed Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump 50-48 in a head-to-head race.
  • Siamak Namazi, an Iranian-American business consultant, and Baquer Namazi, Siamak’s 80-year-old father, “were sentenced to 10 years in prison for unspecified charges related to collaborating with hostile governments,” in Iran, according to Foreign Policy. After the U.S. and five world powers signed the nuclear deal with Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, warned against allowing Westerners to “infiltrate” Iranian culture and business. According to Foreign Policy, “The stiff punishment for the Namazis seems to indicate that Iran’s hardliners, unhappy with steps to open up to Western business, may be cracking down on Iranians with ties to the West to express their displeasure, and perhaps to use as leverage for a new prisoner swap or to extract more economic benefits from the United States.” The State Department has called for their release.
    • Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) criticized the Obama administration’s handling of the Iran nuclear deal and the imprisonment of the Namazis, saying, “Such increasingly belligerent behavior towards the United States is hardly surprising, given the Obama administration’s countless concessions to Iran made in pursuit of its dangerous deal.”
  • Radio personality Howard Stern spoke out about Donald Trump’s appearances on his show in the last two decades. Stern stated that the decision to have Trump as a guest was made because Trump brought entertainment value to his audience. On his show, Stern said, “Donald Trump did the show in an effort to be entertaining and have fun with us. … I fully knew what I was doing when I interviewed Trump. I knew I had a guy who loved to talk about sex.… I had a guy who loved to evaluate women on a scale of 1 to 10. These are avenues I went down because I knew it would entertain the audience.”
  • The Democratic Coalition Against Trump, part of the anti-Donald Trump super PAC Keep America Great PAC, officially filed a treason complaint against Trump ally Roger Stone. The group alleged that Stone had advance knowledge of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta’s email hack and that he “and the campaign have been working with a foreign government to influence an American election.” In August, Stone announced that he had been in contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and promised an “October surprise,” saying, “Well, it could be any number of things. I actually have communicated with Assange. … I believe the next tranche of his documents pertain to the Clinton Foundation but there's no telling what the October surprise may be.”
    • Podesta himself accused Stone of having advance warning of the hack on October 15, saying, “I think it’s a reasonable assumption to — or at least a reasonable conclusion — that Mr. Stone had advance warning and the Trump campaign had advance warning about what [WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange] was going to do … I think there’s at least a reasonable belief that Mr. Assange may have passed this information onto Mr. Stone.”
    • In an interview with Politico last Friday, Stone said he would be “happy to cooperate” with the FBI “if they decided to call me.” He further defended himself on Wednesday in an opinion piece for Breitbart News, writing, “I had no advance notice of Wikileaks’ hacking of Podesta’s e-mails. I didn’t need it to know what Podesta has been up to. I do not work for any Russian interest. I have no Russian clients. I have never received a penny from any public or private entity or individual and that includes Russian intelligence. None. Nada. Zilch."
  • The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that 408,870 people were apprehended by the Border Patrol along the country’s southwest border, between ports of entry, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, an increase over FY15. According to DHS, “Apprehensions are an indicator of total attempts to cross the border illegally. Meanwhile, the demographics of illegal migration on our southern border has changed significantly over the last 15 years – far fewer Mexicans and single adults are attempting to cross the border without authorization, but more families and unaccompanied children are fleeing poverty and violence in Central America. In 2014, Central Americans apprehended on the southern border outnumbered Mexicans for the first time. In 2016, it happened again.” DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson called for improvements in border security and comprehensive immigration reform. He wrote, “For one thing, we must reckon with the millions of undocumented immigrants who live in the shadows in this country, who’ve been here for years, and who should be given the opportunity to come forward and get right with the law. It is my profound hope that the next Congress will finally address this and other issues, and enact comprehensive immigration reform.”
  • The U.S. Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan and independent agency supervised by the U.S. Congress, released a report concluding that several cities in the United States face financial problems that could lead to drinking water situations similar to the crisis that affected Flint, Michigan, in 2016. The report found that approximately 15 percent of U.S. midsize and large cities have declined in population in the last 30 years; these cities often have higher poverty rates and less economic stability, which may reduce city revenues and require higher water rates to fund infrastructure, a situation similar to what occurred in Flint before the city’s drinking water crisis. The report emerges in the midst of a political debate over the federal government’s role in maintaining drinking water quality and water infrastructure, which are commonly state and local responsibilities. In September 2016, the U.S. House and Senate passed their versions of the Water Resources Development Act, which would direct approximately $5 billion to water infrastructure programs, including $170 million in aid to Flint, though Congress is not expected to reconcile the two bills until after the November 8, 2016, election.

State

  • Politico reported that billionaire and Democrat Tom Steyer scheduled a series of meetings with union leaders across California and is funding a $13 million voter registration drive, fueling speculation that he may make a bid for the governorship in 2018. Governor Jerry Brown (D), elected in 2010, will be prevented by term limits from running for re-election. In 2016, Steyer has invested $25 million in a millennial voter registration initiative in battleground states that is also supported by the AFL-CIO and the American Federation of Teachers. He has also been a key backer to certain California ballot measures this year—most notably in support of Proposition 56, which would raise the state's cigarette tax. Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and State Treasurer John Chiang (D) have officially declared their candidacies for the Democratic nomination; other potential candidates include former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D), current Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D), and former Controller Steve Westly (D). California is one of seven Democratic trifectas.
  • Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (R) signed a bill approving the construction of a stadium intended to be the future home of the Oakland Raiders and the University of Nevada Las Vegas football teams. The bill was approved over the weekend during a special legislative session. After this approval, other groups, such as developers and NFL officials, will debate whether to approve the move, as well as select the final location for the stadium.
  • The American Civil Liberties Union filed a suit in federal court against the state of Georgia. The ACLU argued that state officials should reopen voter registration in seven counties affected by Hurricane Matthew: Chatham, Bryan, Camden, Glynn, Liberty, and McIntosh counties. The original voter registration deadline was October 11, 2016. Kathleen Burch, interim counsel for the ACLU, said, "The state’s failure to extend the voter registration deadline, despite the massive disruptions caused by Hurricane Matthew, means that thousands of Georgians will be prevented from participating in the November election. This is unethical and illegal." In response, Secretary of State Brian Kemp (R) dismissed the ACLU suit as a partisan effort: "This is a nakedly political stunt to manipulate the system and squander state and county resources days before the election. In a desperate, last-minute attempt at relevance, the ACLU is spoon-feeding the liberal media exactly what it wants and forcing their agenda on the American people."
  • The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia ruled against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in favor of Murray Energy Corp., a coal mining company, in a case involving potential job losses in the coal industry as a result of EPA regulations. Judge John Preston Bailey, appointed by former President George W. Bush (R), sided with Murray Energy Corp., which argued that the EPA did not provide an estimate of the potential job losses caused by the agency’s regulations as required by the Clean Air Act. Judge Bailey ordered the EPA to file a plan and a schedule that would show how and when the EPA would evaluate the impacts of its regulations. Judge Bailey wrote that the Clean Air Act gives the EPA “a non-discretionary duty” to track job losses and shifts in employment “continually” as the agency writes and implements Clean Air Act regulations. Bailey criticized EPA officials for arguing that its duty was discretionary rather than mandatory. According to Politico, the ruling is not expected to alter existing regulations. Bob Murray, the company’s president, praised the ruling, saying the decision was “a great day for coal miners” and citizens who “rely on low-cost electricity in America.” The Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group, argued the lawsuit was a distraction from “the real reasons” behind the coal industry’s decline, such as “bad business decisions and increased competition from cleaner, more affordable energy sources.”

Local

  • In New Orleans, an increase in the number of traffic cameras is expected to fund $5 million of a $614 million budget in 2017. Mayor Mitch Landrieu (D) unveiled a plan to expand the number of traffic cameras in the city from 66 to 121. The majority of these new cameras, roughly 68 percent, will be installed in school zones that already have flashing lights on major roads. Landrieu also plans to enforce a .40-cent per gallon tax on hard liquor, bringing in an estimated $1.5 million in revenue. Other sources of revenue for the city’s budget include increased property taxes, fees for permits, and a new sales tax at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The city council is expected to tweak the 2017 budget through November. New Orleans is the largest city in Louisiana and the 51st-largest city in the U.S. by population.

Preview of the day

The excerpts below were compiled from issue #38 of The Tap, which was published on October 15, 2016. READ THE FULL VERSION HERE.

Federal




The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.
March: 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
April: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30
May: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
June: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30
July: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
August: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
September: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30
October: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7• 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
November: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30
December: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 31
January: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
February: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17
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