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Dan Pfeiffer served in the Obama White House until 2015, first as the White House communications director and then as a senior adviser to former President Barack Obama, so he knows a thing or two about how politics in Washington works.

But when the former White House staffer tried to offer legislative wisdom on Twitter Saturday, things didnt quite go as planned.

General rule of politics: If you have to rush to pass your bill before people find out what is in it, you will regret passing that bill, Pfeiffer tweeted.

But as history goes, Democrats broke that rule in one of the most infamous and contentious legislative battles in American history: when they passed the Affordable Care Act otherwise known as Obamacare without a single Republican vote.

Not only was the passage of Obamacare partisan and rushed, but then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) wanted it to be passed before it was read.

We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, Pelosi infamously said during a conference in 2010.

Indeed, more than seven years after the law was finalized by a divided Congress, Americans continues to feel the effects of the failed law. Premiums have skyrocketed, health insurance providers have left marketplaces often leaving consumers with just one or two insurance options, people lost their doctors, many are stuck on Medicaid, others have been burdened with a tax for going uninsured, while many others are stuck with unaffordable plans that are often usable due to extremely high deductibles.

It leaves many to question whether the law would have passed if it would have been read by the lawmakers who voted for it, given the extreme consequences it has had on the American marketplace.

Needless to say, Twitter slammed Pfeiffer for missing the irony of his tweet:

I can't stand this hypocrisy & selective memory. Pelosi actually SAID that "we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what's in it." https://t.co/JuyAXsSD43

— Sarah Quinlan ??????? (@sarahmquinlan) July 15, 2017

Continued here:
Former top Obama adviser aims for GOP in tweet delivers knockout blow to Obama & Pelosi instead - TheBlaze.com

Former President Barack Obama once called Wall Street bankers "fat cats." Now his organization is accepting donations from them.

A list released Friday by the Obama Foundation, a nonprofit currently working on the presidential library ahead of its debut in Chicago in 2021, detailed recent contributors to the project. Some big names are among them, like John Doerr, who is a venture capitalist; Reid Hoffman, who founded LinkedIn; and Tom Campion, who cofounded Zumiez. Also included arethe Microsoft Corporation and Exelon.

Then-President Barack Obama winks as he tells a joke about his place of birth during the White House Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington, D.C., April 28, 2012. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty

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They're reaching deep in their metaphoricalpockets, as well: Eight donors gave upwards of $1 million to the Obama Foundation. On the other end of the spectrum, about two dozen people or entities gave between $10,000 to $100,000.

The sources of the money, not the cash itself, werelikely to draw attention given Obama's previously held stances on forming ties with corporations during his eight years as president. In 2008, he forbid the Democratic National Committee from getting contributions from political action committees and lobbyists. And when he was first inaugurated, his committee refused donations from lobbyists and big companies, CBS News reported(though that changed by his second term).

"The president has always believed that special interests have undue influence over the policymaking process, and the mission of this organization is to rebalance the power structure," former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina wrote for CNN in 2013.

The former commander-in-chief seems to have relaxed his standards a bitnow that he's no longer in office. Obama hasagreed to give a speech to Cantor Fitzgerald investment banks this September in exchange for $400,000, according to BBC News. The foundation, meanwhile, broke away from the National Archives in May in order to privately fund its library.

Other donors included in the foundation's list includedFred Eychaner, the chairman of Newsweb; Mark Pincus, the co-founder of Zynga; and Avram Glazer, whose family owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

See the updated donor data here.

Read more from the original source:
The Obama Foundation is Accepting Millions in Corporate Donations, Even Though the President Spent Years ... - Newsweek

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And one couple wantsBarack and Michelle Obama to know just howmuch they aremissed.

Newly engaged Cassi and Adam wanted to pay homage to the former President and First Lady for their engagement photo shoot. With the help of Cleveland-basedphotographerNatasha Herber, they did exactly just that.

Herber recently shared some outtakes of the couples shoot on Instagram, comparing their photo with a photo of the former First Couplefound in the October 2016 Essence issue. Looks pretty similar, huh?

With the help of Herbert and event plannerCovesa Gragg, the couple was able to pull off this incredible feat.

When our Bride and Groom said Can we try and duplicate one of their famous shots for our engagement pics? I was like lets do an entire shoot- we can do this and this and THIS! Graggtold Essence.

In addition to this particular iconicmoment, Cassi and Adams shoot also includedon-point recreations of Barack and Michelle embracing before the March 2009 National Newspaper Publishers Association reception and the two snuggling at the 2015 World Expo in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room.

We absolutely love this!

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Read more:
#BlackLove: Newly Engaged Couple Mimics Barack And Michelle Obama In Photo Shoot - HelloBeautiful

A member of the House Oversight Committee said Saturday that he wants former senior Obama administration official Ben Rhodes to testify on Capitol Hill.

Speaking to conservativeradio host Hugh Hewitt on MSNBC, Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) addressed the leaks that have doggedthe Trump administration since January.

"Ifyou look at some of the leaks that have come out, for example, when the presidents having a conversation with a foreign leader, there may be a memo thats created, distributed to the National Security Council. The next thing you know, its on the front page of the paper," DeSantis said.

"Look, theres only so many places that would come from. And the Obama holdover working with Rhodes, thats a place weve been encouraged to look," addedDeSantis, who chairs the panel'snational security subcommittee.

DeSantis said he would defer to Oversightchairman Rep. Trey GowdyTrey GowdyGOP lawmaker wants former Obama aide to testify Overnight Cybersecurity: FBI pick says Russia probe not a 'witch hunt' | Massive Verizon data leak | Agencies restricted from using Russian security software GOP Rep. Gowdy slams Trump team for 'amnesia' on Russia meetings MORE (R-S.C.), who is also a member of the House Intelligence Committee, on whether Rhodes would be asked to testify, but said he hoped the former deputy national security adviserdid appear.

"I would like to bring him in to talk to him about it, because I want to figure out how all this information was getting out from the FISA intercept," DeSantis said, referring to information obtained under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

DeSantis said that the intelligence panel has "brought in some pretty big names" as part of its investigation into alleged leaks surrounding the Trump administration, but declined to offer details.

The GOP lawmaker also addressed former FBI Director James Comey authorizing a friend to share with The New York Times details from a memo he wrote about his interactions with President Trump that he said bothered him.

"Do you think theres a crime involved in the leaking of those memos?" Hewitt asked.

"I dont know, yet. I think that it was certainly improper to do it if its a government record," DeSantis responded.

"I dont know that it violates a federal statute. If there was classified information contained within that, then I think that probably is a violation of federal law."

Continue reading here:
GOP lawmaker wants former Obama aide to testify - The Hill

Rand Paul, who opposes the legislation, said a narrower repeal bill could still muster enough Republican votes to clear the Senate. | Getty

Sen. Rand Paul on Sunday said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell likely lacks the support to pass legislation that would repeal and replace Obamacare, after McConnell delayed a vote because of Sen. John McCain's absence following surgery.

In an interview on Fox News Sunday, Paul, who opposes the legislation, said a narrower repeal bill could still muster enough Republican votes to clear the Senate.

Story Continued Below

"I still think the entire 52 of us can get together on a more narrow, clean repeal," the Kentucky Republican said.

Another holdout, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), said in an interview on ABC's "This Week" that she didn't know if the Senate could pass the revised bill and that a vote would be "extremely close." She said there are around eight to 10 Republican senators who have "deep concerns."

"But how this would all translate out, I'm not certain, and I never underestimate Leader McConnell's skills," she said.

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In the Fox interview, Paul criticized an amendment from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that would allow insurers to sell skinnier health plans if they also sell plans compliant with Obamacare.

"The Cruz amendment will still be in the context of having the fundamental flaw of Obamacare, which are all these mandates," he said.

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Originally posted here:
Rand Paul: McConnell doesn't have votes for health care bill - Politico