Mediaboss Marketing

AMES, Iowa For months, former Vice President Mike Pence has been edging away from his alliance of convenience with former President Donald J. Trump.

After four years of service bordering on subservience, the increasingly emboldened Mr. Pence is seeking to reintroduce himself to Republican voters ahead of a potential presidential bid by setting himself apart from what many in the G.O.P. see as the worst impulses of Mr. Trump. Hes among a small group in his party considering a run in 2024 no matter what Mr. Trump decides.

Mr. Pence first used high-profile speeches to criticize the former presidents push to overturn the 2020 election results, stating flatly that Mr. Trump was wrong in his assertion that Mr. Pence could have blocked the Electoral College ratification on Jan. 6, 2021. Mr. Pence then unsubtly visited the Charlottesville, Va., memorial to Heather Heyer, who was killed in the 2017 white supremacist riot there that Mr. Trump sought to rationalize by faulting both sides.

Now, on Monday outside Atlanta, Mr. Pence is taking his boldest and most unambiguous step toward confronting his former political patron. On the eve of Georgias primary, the former vice president will stump with Gov. Brian Kemp, perhaps the top target of Mr. Trumps 2022 vengeance campaign against Republicans who didnt bow to his election lies.

Mr. Pence grew close with Mr. Kemp during the pandemic and 2020 campaign, and now he is lining up against Mr. Trumps handpicked candidate, former Senator David Perdue. But more than that, Mr. Pence is seeking to claim a share of credit in whats expected to be the starkest repudiation yet of Mr. Trumps attempt to consolidate power, with Mr. Kemp widely expected to prevail.

It is an emphatic break between the onetime running mates, who have not spoken for nearly a year but have also not publicly waged a proxy war until now. Mr. Pence, his aides say, knows full well what going down to Georgia represents and the symbolism alone will stand without him targeting Mr. Trump or even Mr. Perdue in his remarks.

In a statement ahead of Mr. Pences visit to Georgia, Mr. Trump belittled his vice president through a spokesman.

Mike Pence was set to lose a governors race in 2016 before he was plucked up and his political career was salvaged, said Taylor Budowich, the spokesman. Now, desperate to chase his lost relevance, Pence is parachuting into races, hoping someone is paying attention. The reality is, President Trump is already 82-3 with his endorsements, and theres nothing stopping him from saving America in 2022 and beyond.

Georgia may represent only the beginning of a new rivalry.

In an interview before a speech last month in Iowa, Mr. Pence pointedly declined to rule out running even if Mr. Trump also enters the 2024 primary. Well go where were called, Mr. Pence said, explaining that he and his wife would act on prayer. Thats the way Karen and I have always approached these things.

Recalling the gratitude he gets from resisting Mr. Trumps demands that he block Congress from affirming President Bidens victory, he said: I have been very moved traveling around the country how much people have made a point to express appreciation, it has been very humbling to me.

Yet in the same interview, he recalled spending five years in the foxhole with Mr. Trump, noting that he was incredibly proud of the record, before giving a dinner speech trumpeting the Trump-Pence administration multiple times.

His approach amounts to the first soundings of a sort of Trump-without-the-chaos strategy, a bet that Republican primary voters crave the policy record of the last administration but without the impulsiveness, norm-breaking and naked demagogy.

There may yet be a constituency for such an appeal, as this years G.O.P. primaries demonstrate how Trumpism is flourishing no matter whom its architect blesses.

However, its far from clear that the sober-minded Mr. Pence is the best vessel for that message at a time many G.O.P. voters thrill more to closed-fist Trumpian pugnacity than paeans to the power of prayer.

As of now, Mr. Trump is the clear favorite. Yet all his hints about becoming the first former president in over a century to try to reclaim the office havent stopped a host of other potential aspirants.

Whether its Mr. Pence or former Trump cabinet members or a range of other elected officials, ambitious Republicans are already visiting early nominating states like Iowa and New Hampshire, courting influential lawmakers and cultivating relationships with donors.

Even if Mr. Trump runs, many Republicans believe there will still be a hotly contested race.

I dont think it ends the primary, said Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, who is mulling a presidential campaign. My sense is youre still going to have a very robust primary here just because everyone has to earn it.

So far, Republican contenders are voting with their feet.

Among those who have beaten a path to the early nominating states: Mr. Pence; former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; the former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley; and Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Tim Scott of South Carolina and Rick Scott of Florida.

Should Mr. Trump run, he would most likely sideline some Republicans who would either find him difficult to beat or just as soon wait it out. A smaller group of contenders, however, may find the less crowded field more appealing.

Those ranks include former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, who was one of Mr. Trumps earliest and most prominent supporters in 2016, but who has broken with him since the 2020 election.

Given the problems the country is facing at home and abroad, if you only feel up for it if somebody else doesnt run, well, then you better not run, Mr. Christie said. Everybody who is considering running for president in 24 should have a moral obligation to make that decision regardless of who else runs.

As for his own plans, he said: Sure, Im thinking about it.

Mr. Trumps populist and pugilist imprint on the party has been cemented, whether he runs or not. Thats why Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is being so closely watched by conservative voters, donors and activists.

Seizing on every chance to confront the left and the news media, and to draw coverage on right-wing media for both, Mr. DeSantis has risen to second place behind Mr. Trump in a series of way-too-early polls of Republican voters.

But hes steadfastly refused to visit Iowa and New Hampshire as a would-be White House candidate, leaving Florida mostly just to stockpile more money for his re-election. Thats not to say hes not keeping his eye on national politics he reached out to Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa to wish her well before her response to President Bidens State of the Union address this year.

Why are these midterms so important? This years races could tip the balance of power in Congress to Republicans, hobbling President Bidens agenda for the second half of his term. They will also test former President Donald J. Trumps role as a G.O.P. kingmaker. Heres what to know:

What are the midterm elections? Midterms take place two years after a presidential election, at the midpoint of a presidential term hence the name. This year, a lot of seats are up for grabs, including all 435 House seats, 35 of the 100 Senate seats and 36 of 50 governorships.

What do the midterms mean for Biden? With slim majorities in Congress, Democrats have struggled to pass Mr. Bidens agenda. Republican control of the House or Senate would make the presidents legislative goals a near-impossibility.

What are the races to watch? Only a handful of seats will determine if Democrats maintain control of the House over Republicans, and a single state could shift power in the 50-50 Senate. Here are 10 races to watch in the Houseand Senate, as well as several key governors contests.

When are the key races taking place? The primary gauntletis already underway. Closely watched racesin Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia will be held in May, with more taking place through the summer. Primaries run until September before the general election on Nov. 8.

Go deeper. What is redistrictingand how does it affect the midterm elections? How does polling work? How do you register to vote? Weve got more answers to your pressing midterm questions here.

Mr. DeSantis, though, is hardly beloved among his fellow Republican governors, a group thats unlikely to rally around him in the same fashion they did George W. Bush, then the Texas governor, in 2000.

I know theres a lot of talk on Fox News and stuff like that on the national level or in Florida but theres really not talk about him here in New Hampshire, Mr. Sununu said of Mr. DeSantis.

What there is there, said the longtime Republican strategist Jim Merrill, is a quiet but persistent appetite among many in the rank-and-file to turn the page on Mr. Trump, at least as the partys nominee.

There is a desire to move on here and its not just among the John Kasich and Bill Weld crowd, said Mr. Merrill, alluding to two former Republican governors who ran as anti-Trump moderates in the states primary.

Yet if Mr. Trump faces a divided Republican field as he did in the first wave of caucuses and primaries in 2016, he could again claim the nomination with a plurality rather than a majority in many states because of his seemingly unshakable hold on a third of his partys electorate.

At a county G.O.P. dinner in Ames a college community thats more upscale, and decidedly less Trump oriented, than much of Iowa it was not difficult to find Republicans eager to find a fresh nominee, even if they edged into saying as much with Midwest Nice euphemisms.

Hes calm and predictable so thats a good thing, Eric Weber said of Mr. Pence.

Mr. Trump was too divisive even though what he did is great, Mr. Weber said as his wife, Carol, suggested another Trump bid may divide people.

Yet they werent ready to sign up with Mr. Pence, as both noted their affection for Mr. Cotton and Mr. DeSantis.

Mr. Pences speech was received well if not overwhelmingly so. It had all the bearings of a Republican in Iowa leaning toward a presidential bid knowing references to local politicians, Midwest totems like John Deere and attacks on the Democrats in power in Washington.

Yet it also had the distinct air of a pre-Trump brand of Republicanism, with only the slightest criticism of the news media (and that was even gloved with all due respect), references to becoming a grandfather and G-rated jokes that could have just as easily been delivered by Mitt Romney (it involved Washington, D.C., and hot air).

Few at the gathering liked Mr. Pence as much as Kevin and Linda Lauver.

Their phones blaring with tornado warnings, the Lauvers took shelter in the Ames Country Club basement ahead of the April G.O.P. dinner. And they bumped into the evenings keynote speaker.

We want somebody from the Midwest, Ms. Lauver told Mr. Pence, nudging him to run for president in 2024. I like Mike, Mr. Lauver chimed in.

Mr. Pence earnestly patted his heart and offered his thanks.

As Mr. Lauver headed back upstairs after the tornado false alarm, he wanted to be clear that he liked Mr. Trump.

He did what he said what he was going to do, said Mr. Lauver, before adding in Iowa deadpan: When he said the least it was the best.

Now, he continued, We need him to say, OK, Ill step aside. Then Mr. Lauver paused.

I dont know if hell do that.

Read the original:
Pence, Tiptoeing Away From Trump, Lays Groundwork for 24 Run - The New York Times

The battle for the Republican Party is entering a new phase, and Rep. Liz Cheney sounded the first shot of it on Sunday evening.

We face a threat we have never faced before: a former president attempting to unravel our constitutional republic. At this moment we must all summon the courage to stand against that, Cheney, a Wyoming Republican and Donald Trumps chief antagonist in the GOP, said in a speech Sunday night.

Cheney delivered the remarks at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library after the institution presented her with a Profile in Courage award. She was one of five people given the award, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and three other American officials from both parties who came under intense attack by Trump and his supporters after the 2020 election.

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., speaks at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston on Sunday. (Josh Reynolds/AP)

Cheneys direct shot at Trump referring to him as a current and ongoing threat to the republics survival kicks off a week full of drama within the GOP.

Trumps former vice president, Mike Pence, will rally with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday evening, the night before Republican voters go to the polls in the Peach State. Trump made Kemp his No. 1 target for removal after the 2020 election, because Kemp, a conservative Republican, refused to go along with Trumps efforts to overturn the results.

Kemp appears poised to defeat Trumps handpicked candidate for governor, former U.S. Sen. David Perdue. Polling has consistently shown Kemp above 50%, ahead of Perdue by enough to avoid a runoff election and win the GOP nomination outright on Tuesday.

Pences appearance with Kemp is the former vice presidents boldest move yet in his ongoing divorce from Trump. Pence has walked a careful line for months, at once seeking to rebut Trumps lies about the election while still celebrating their administrations policy accomplishments.

Gov. Brian Kemp and then-Vice President Mike Pence after a roundtable discussion with small business owners in May 2020. (Brynn Anderson/AP)

Close observers of Pence have noticed a pattern of steady and gradual escalation of his willingness to rebuke Trump. But the Georgia rally is the clearest sign so far that he is willing to do more than just poke at Trump ahead of the 2024 Republican primaries, which is increasingly likely to pit the two men against each other.

Story continues

Having reportedly concluded that Georgia is a lost cause, Trump is launching a new offensive out west against Cheney. On Saturday, he will travel to Wyoming to campaign against her and for her primary opponent, Harriet Hageman.

Trump has had a mixed record this year in contested primaries where he has tried to oust Republicans he deems insufficiently loyal to him. But defeating Cheney, the most outspoken Trump critic inside the GOP, in Wyomings Aug. 16 primary is now a top priority for him. Conversely, Republicans who hope to move the Republican Party past Trump have coalesced around Cheney, fundraising for her as she attempts to stave off the former presidents assault.

Then-President Donald Trump before speaking at a rally in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

All of this will set up a series of public hearings held by the congressional committee investigating the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The committee believes it can demonstrate to the public that Trump sought to overturn the election results through various means, in a way that has not yet been fully revealed, and that he intentionally did nothing during the insurrection, one source told Yahoo News.

Cheney is the vice chair of that committee and will play a leading role in those hearings, which will begin on June 9. Her speech at the Kennedy Library on Sunday served as a preview for how she will contextualize the events of Jan. 6.

Cheney is Republican royalty; she is the daughter of Dick Cheney, the former Wyoming congressman and secretary of defense who became George W. Bushs vice president. But on Sunday she talked about her great-great-grandfather, Samuel Fletcher Cheney, who fought for the Union in the Civil War. She portrayed the current crisis of democracy in the context of Americas bloodiest conflict.

I have found myself, especially since Jan. 6, thinking often of my great-great-grandfather and of the Union he fought to defend. And this was never more true than on the night of Jan. 6 itself, she said.

Cheney then spoke in vivid detail about walking through the Capitol after pro-Trump rioters, who had sought to stop the certification of the 2020 election, had been expelled and defeated by law enforcement.

Police clash with Trump supporters who breached security and entered the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Cheney described the House chamber still strewn with broken glass and furniture piled against the walls in an effort to barricade against rioters. She narrated her walk through Statuary Hall, where Abraham Lincoln once served in Congress, and talked about seeing police in tactical gear resting against statues, surrounded by empty water bottles scattered across the floor, exhausted from the brutal hand-to-hand combat in which they had been engaged for hours.

And she talked about walking to the Capitol Rotunda, the majestic vaulted room at the center of the nations symbol of representative democracy, where late former presidents have lain in state. Cheney referred to the rotunda as the most sacred space in our republic. There too, police had battled Trumps rioters.

Cheney spoke of looking at John Trumbulls painting of George Washington resigning his commission as commander in chief of the Continental Army at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War in 1783.

John Trumbulls painting of George Washington that hangs in the Capital Rotunda. (aoc.gov)

With this noble act, George Washington set the indispensable example of the peaceful transfer of power in our country. This is what President Reagan called nothing short of a miracle. This is what President Kennedy called, in his inaugural address, a celebration of freedom, Cheney said. And this sacred obligation to defend the peaceful transfer of power has been honored by every American president, except one.

Cheney quoted Kennedy from his inaugural speech in 1961: In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger.

Cheney concluded: Today that role is ours. The question for every one of us is, in this time of testing, will we do our duty? Will we defend our Constitution? Will we stand for truth? Will we put duty to our oath above partisan politics? Or will we look away from danger, ignore the threat, embrace the lies and enable the liar?

It was as robust and forceful a speech against Trump, and Trumpism, as any politician has given, and foreshadowed the case Cheney will make against the former president in the weeks to come.

Cover thumbnail photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Meg Kinnard/AP, AP, Josh Reynolds/AP

Go here to read the rest:
Cheney and Pence take the fight to Trump, from Georgia to Wyoming - Yahoo News

The MT Lowdown is a weekly digest that showcases a more personal side of Montana Free Press high-quality reporting while keeping you up to speed on the biggest news impacting Montanans. Want to see the MT Lowdown in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here.

When I was assigned a story about the race forMontanas newly created Western Congressional Districta few months back, I immediately began procrastinating.

In my defense, it seemed overwhelming. Five Republicans, three Democrats and one Libertarian are running primary campaigns for one U.S. House seat in a district that has never before existed. With this inaugural June 7 primary, the Western District encompassing Glacier County, the Flathead Valley, Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley, Butte and Gallatin County will begin to sketch out its own political contours. And few people, candidates included, know what to expect when the results roll in.

As if that wasnt enough, the political range of candidates on the June 7 ballot is significant, a factor that resonated more after I attended a candidate forum in Butte earlier this month. The event was open to all candidates, though only four showed up: Republicans Mitch Heuer and Matt Jette and Democrats Monica Tranel and Tom Winter. Audience members I spoke with afterward told me they hadnt known it was an all-party event.

If I had known Republicans would be here, I probably wouldnt have come, one man said. But I actually liked a lot of what they had to say.

As I was leaving, I mentioned that sentiment to the event organizers from Forward Montana, a nonprofit voter engagement organization. The executive director, Kiersten Iwai, nodded appreciatively, indicating that inviting all candidates was the obvious choice.After all, she noted, Montana is one of the only states with an open primary system.

Being able to vote for any candidate in the primary, regardless of the voters or candidates party affiliation, is an electoral system well-suited to this field of Western District candidates. The Republicans (including one who is pro-choice) represent many shades of red. At least two have campaigned aggressively to challenge presumptive frontrunner Ryan Zinke from the right. The Democrats are also eclectic: One has previously campaigned as a Republican. Two have never held political office. Only one identifies as progressive.

If eligible Montanans register to vote (before primary day, as ofthis weeks Supreme Court ruling) and actually cast their ballots, the Western District may begin to reveal its true colors.

I hopemy story on the Western District race this weekcaptured the questions facing both voters and candidates. And I cant wait to watch the map light up with answers on June 7.

Mara Silvers, Reporter

Credit: Alex Sakariassen/MTFP

Last December, Quinlan Roe, pictured above, was among the first 10 graduates fromMissoula Colleges new paramedic program, and he quickly landed a job at Missoula Emergency Services, Inc. During a brief lull in a 24-hour ambulance shift this week, Roe chatted with Montana Free Press about his experience joining a professionplagued by an ongoing worker shortage, including how his first shift as a licensed paramedic compared with his past experience as a volunteer EMT.

It was weird being on the rig by yourself and you being the highest level of care, Roe said. Thats what was kind of mind-boggling. OK, Ive got to make the right decisions, because everyones going to be looking at you when you show up on the scene, like, Whats our next step here?

Alex Sakariassen, Reporter

I just want to talk to you for a few minutes about a critical primary election taking place in your state on Tuesday, June 7. Thats coming up right around the corner. And absentee voting is already underway. Im not a big fan of absentee voting, as you know, because weve seen a lot of bad things happen. A lot of rigged elections. I mean rigged more than anybody ever thought. Go watch that movie 2000 Mules. Youll see some things that nobody would even think possible. But absentee voting is already underway and the big day is June 7 and its very important. Id like to ask each of you to get out and vote for Ryan. Hes a great friend of mine, hes a great person, great family, great everything.

Former President Donald Trump speaking on a campaign call-in Monday, May 13, for Western District Republican congressional candidate and former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

Late last month, a reader in the Bitterroot Valley reached out via email with concerns about an endorsement in a nearby Republican legislative primary. The situation involved a letter sent to voters bystate Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Stevensville, offeringfull-throated supportfor House candidate Alan Lackey in his primary contest against Wayne Rusk. The endorsement, which attracteda public rebuke from former state Rep. Ed Greef, was penned on Manzellas legislative letterhead, and according to our readers query it arrived in the mailboxes of several Rusk donors, prompting the reader to question whether Manzella had used her elected position and, potentially, taxpayer-funded resources in an unethical manner.

So we did some digging. No complaint was filed with the Commissioner of Political Practices, so we spoke with Commissioner Jeff Mangan about the situation. He explained that the rules and laws governing the conduct of elected officials differ depending on which branch of government is involved. Statewide elected officials and state employees, Mangan said, are held to an ethical code overseen and enforced by his office. Thats why Mangan was the enforcer who weighed in whenformer Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney faced an ethics complaintfor conducting gubernatorial campaign business from his office in 2020. Mangan ruled that Cooney hadimproperly used state facilities for campaign purposesand fined him $1,000.

But when it comes to legislators, oversight primarily rests with the Legislature itself. Todd Everts, the legal director at Legislative Services, emailed MTFP half a dozen documents detailing the rules that apply to lawmakers. Theres a wealth of material, but it boils down to two points: First, questions and complaints about individual legislators ethical conduct are reviewed and resolved by the Legislatures Ethics Committee, which is only active during legislative sessions.Sen. John Esp, R-Big Timber, has been on that committee a handful of times during his eight-session tenure in the House and Senate. He told MTFP that, in his experience, the committee rarely meets, and even when it does, the question at hand typically centers on potential conflicts of interest regarding bills.

Second, the broader rules regarding legislator activity during interims dont really speak to the specifics of Manzellas endorsement letter. Mangan said he discussed the situation with Manzella, and MTFP contacted Manzella directly. She said she isunaware of any rules or statutes prohibiting her actions, adding that the letterhead she used, while stamped with the state seal and her official Senate title, was paid for personally, as was the postage.

This isnt her first dance with ethics-centric suspicion, either. In 2017, a Darby resident complained to Legislative Services after receiving a letter on Manzellas legislative stationery thanking the complainant for attending a fundraiser for an injured rancher. The House Rules Committeeabsolved Manzella of any ethical breach, with then-Chair Rep. Bill Harris writing that use of legislative stationery for constituent communication was not prohibited.

The bottom line is that when it comes to ethical conduct, the Legislature polices its own. Though his jurisdiction over such matters is limited, Mangan did say that when discussing ethical conduct with people under his offices purview, he makes a point to refer to rules and laws as the bare-minimum standards and encourages elected officials torise above that standard.

Alex Sakariassen, Reporter

One of the30-plus litigation threadsspooling out of the 2021 Montana Legislature

has come to an apparent close, with a May 11 court filing from Montanas attorney general indicating the office doesnt plan to appeal aFebruary rulingthat found lawmakers had broken a constitutional requirement limiting bills to a single topic.

Montanas 1972 state Constitution requires most bills passed by the Legislature toaddress a single subjectdescribed by a formal bill title, with exceptions for budget bills. It also specifies that lawmakers arent allowed to amend a bill so extensively as to change its original purpose. The single subject rule is intended to keep Montana lawmaking more straightforward than the federal system, where proposals on different topics are routinely stitched into complex omnibus packages.

The bill at issue in the lawsuit,Senate Bill 319, titled Generally revise campaign finance laws, began life as a measure allowing for joint fundraising committees. Butlate in last years legislative session, after slightly different versions of the bill had passed both the Montana House and Senate, a small committee of lawmakers appointed to reconcile the bills differences added several significant amendments to its text. Among them: a provision banning dining hall voter registration drives and some other university campus political activity and another requiring judges to recuse themselves in cases where attorneys or litigants had made campaign donations for or against the judges election campaign.

Plaintiffsfiled suit last yearchallenging both those provisions by arguing that the amendments stretched the single subject rule past its breaking point. District Court Judge Mike Menahan agreed, finding that the first provision dealt with campaign activities and that the second dealt with judicial recusal rather than the campaign finance issue specified in the bills title. Menahan also ruled that the amendments had altered the bills purpose sufficiently to violate the state Constitution.

It wasnt clear immediately after Menahans lower court ruling was issued whether the attorney generals office would fight it up to the Montana Supreme Court on behalf of the Republican-controlled state Legislature. This months filing by the AG, however, puts that possibility to rest.

Eric Dietrich, Reporter

Number of local emergency mental health crisis beds that are open and operating in all of Montana for people who are involuntarily committed, according to a May presentation by the state Department of Public Health and Human Services. The two beds are operated by Western Montana Mental Health Center in Hamilton. Ten others in Bozeman, Butte, Missoula, Polson, and Helena have been temporarily or permanently closed since 2020. The state plans to reissue a request for proposals from health organizations that can operate additional crisis beds contracts that would take effect in July 2023.

Mara Silvers, Reporter

Last Friday, Gov. Greg Gianfortes official Twitter account posted a photo of the governor shaking hands with former Vice President Mike Pence in the governors reception room in Helena. Im proud and honored to welcome Vice President@Mike_Penceto the State Capitol today, the caption read.

For most people whose job it is to report whats happening inside the state Capitol building, Gianfortes tweet was the first announcement of Pences visit. Anyone know this was happening?tweetedLee newspapers Statehouse Bureau Chief Holly Michels.

Typically, the governors staff sends out a daily public schedule for the states highest elected official. That happened on May 13 but the only item on the governors public agenda was a meeting with members of his cabinet.

In a statement to MTFP, the governors press secretary, Brooke Stroyke, said Pence did not discuss official state business when he met with Gianforte, addressed the governors staff and cabinet, and toured the Capitol building. The meeting was not publicly noticed, Stroyke said, because it was private and not an open press event.Lee newspapersreported, and Stroyke confirmed, that Gianforte also helped Pence travel from Billings, where the former vice president had been invited to speak to a Christian ministry group, to Helena. The two flew via the governors private plane.

Mara Silvers, Reporter

Mara Silvers One of the most valuable parts of campaign season is getting to hear candidates answer tough questions about their resumes and policy stances. For voters in the Western district (including Kalispell, Missoula, Butte and Bozeman), I highly recommend thecandidate interviewsput together by the team at Montana Public Radio. Youll learn a lot about the politics and personalities of the people on your ballot.

Amanda Eggert This story in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle about thecountrys first federally inspected nonprofit meat processing facilitybrightened my day. Livingstons Producer Partnership will help supply food banks across the state with Montana-raised meat donated by ranchers.

Alex Sakariassen After last Fridays curiosity-piquing Twitter buzz about Mike Pences visit with Gov. Greg Gianforte, I caught some illuminating background this week in a Politico piecedissecting the former vice presidents recent appearancesacross the country a tightly scripted comeback, Politico wrote, thats brought Pence back from the political dead.

Eric Dietrich Ive never read anything quite likethis difficult story from Business Insider reporter Matt Drange, who spent years investigating misconduct at his old high school, only to realize that the beloved teacher who first taught him the fundamentals of journalism had repeatedly groomed underage students for sex.

*Some articles may be behind a paywall.

See the article here:
What were Trump and Pence doing in Montana? - Montana Free Press

Biden, inTokyo, saysUS would send military if China were to invade Taiwan

President Joe Biden on Monday said the United States would come to Taiwans defense militarily if China invades and tries to take over the self-ruled island by force. "That's thecommitment we made," Biden said during a news conference in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Both leaders said they still support the "One China" policy that recognizes there is only one Chinese government. China views Taiwan as part of its territory while Taiwan sees itself as an independent, sovereign nation.The U.S. has long tried to navigate a fraught middle ground that aims to supportTaiwan without infuriating China.Biden, who is on afive-day trip to Asia, announcedMonday the dozen foundingpartners forhisIndo-Pacific Economic Framework,an attempt to deepen economic engagement and cooperation in the region andhelp counter Chinas growing economic and military influence.Were writing the new rules for the 21st century economy," Biden said.

Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 Thingspodcast:

Former Vice President Mike Pence will headline a rally for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday,the eve of the state's contested Republican primary.Pence's appearance puts him atodds with former President Donald Trump, who is fighting to defeat the GOP incumbent governor.Kemp infuriated the former president when he refused to overturn Georgia's2020 presidential election resultin favor of Trump.Trump endorsed Kemp's opponent,Republican Sen. David Perdue, in February. In April, Trump's Save America PAC gave $500,000 to a super PAC devoted to preventing Kemp's reelection,Politico reported.

Pence: Trump 'wrong' about overturning election

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday directly rebutted Donald Trump's false claims that Pence somehow could have overturned the results of the 2020 election, saying that the former president was simply "wrong.". (Feb. 4)

AP

The first trial of a Russian soldier for war crimes in Ukraine since the invasion concluded Monday with Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, a 21-year-old from Siberia, sentenced to life in prison forpremeditated murder and violating international laws for war. The three-judge panel determined that Shishimarin, a captured Russian tank-unit sergeant, fatally shot Oleksandr Shelipov, a 62-year-old civilian man in the head in late February. Shishimarin's defense had argued hewas carrying out what he perceived to be a direct order that he initially disobeyed.He had pleaded guilty and asked Shelipov's widow for forgiveness. Having captured the strategic southern city of Mariupol, its first major victory of the war in Ukraine, the Russian military isfocusing its efforts on the Donbas region to its north with the aim of expanding the territory Moscow-backed separatists have held since 2014. Russia has made incremental gains in the areaand is trying to conquer Sievierodonetsk, the main city under Ukrainian control in Luhansk province, part of the Donbas along with Donetsk province.

Russian soldier pleads guilty during Ukraine's first war crimes trial

Russian Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, 21, is facing life in prison after pleading guilty to shooting a Ukrainian man in the head.

Damien Henderson, Associated Press

The inaugural NFL Coach and Front Office Accelerator Program will take place Monday and Tuesday during the spring league meetings in Atlanta. Each teamnominated rising prospects from their coaching staffs and front offices and will send them to the program. Leadership and development sessions will be offered, as well as windows of opportunity for the aspiring head coaches and general managers to have face-to-face meetings with the team officials with hiring power.The program arrives as the league continues to struggle with its diversityhiring practices.The last two hiring cycles have seen improvement when it comes to general managers as the number of lead talent evaluators increased to seven following the hiring ofKwesi Adofo-Mensah in MinnesotaandRyan Poles in Chicago.However, the number of minority head coaches remains at five in a league whose player body is roughly 75% Black.

Brian Flores exposed the NFLs Rooney Rule for what it is: A sham

Mike Jones and Andy Nesbitt react to the Brian Flores lawsuit against the NFL and what it finally brought to light: The Rooney Rule was always lip service and a sham.

Sports Seriously, USA TODAY

Nearly 50 years after an alleged encounter at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, Judy Huth's civil lawsuit against Bill Cosby accusing him of groping her when she was a teen is going forward to trial this week. Jury selection will begin Monday at the Santa Monica courthouse forHuth v.Cosby, with the trial starting as soon as a jury is picked. Huth, 64, is suing Cosby for sexual battery. She filed the suit in 2014 alleging she was groped by the comedian/TV star in 1974 when she was 15 and visiting the Playboy Mansion, where Cosby was a frequent visitor. Cosby has denied her allegations.Huth filed the lawsuit soon after Cosby became the target of five dozen allegations from women who accused him of drugging and raping them in encounters dating back to the mid-1960s.

'We Need To Talk About Cosby' reckons with the comedian's tarnished legacy

Comedians, scholars and cultural critics weigh the legacy of comedian Bill Cosby in the wake of sex-assault conviction (since overturned) in new doc.

USA TODAY

Read more:
Bill Cosby, Brian Kemp rally and Donbas region : 5 things to know Monday - USA TODAY

1. MAGA Nation

Prepare to hear a lot this week about the Glenn Youngkin Model after Georgia Governor Brian Kemp crushes Sad David Perdue. Trumps influence is waning! This is the future of the GOP! The page is being turned!

You may hear somewhat less about Charlie Baker.

Baker is the extremely popular Republican governor of Massachusettsdude has a 74 percent approval rating. Highest in America.

Also: Baker is not running for reelection because he could not win his own partys nomination.

So Baker is stepping away and the Massachusetts Republican party met this weekend to choose its nominee. Surprise! They picked an election conspiracy theorist who wants to send Bay State National Guard troops to the Mexican border.

Heres a summary of the totally normal Republican convention from the Globe:

Republican activists Saturday overwhelmingly endorsed a Donald Trump-backed conservative for governor at the Massachusetts GOP convention, where speakers leaned heavily into national themes and culture war debates, railing against abortion, characterizing Democrats as evil, and issuing vague yet vulgar warnings about the state of education. . . .

Geoff Diehl, a former Whitman state lawmaker whos trumpeted Trumps false claims the 2020 election was rigged, received 71 percent of the 1,194 votes cast by party delegates, winning the partys backing for governor. . . .

Diehl pitched himself as progressive Democrats worst nightmare, promising to hire back state workers fired by the Baker administration because they refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and dispatch members of the National Guard to the southern border to stop the lawlessness. . . .

Diehl and other statewide Republican candidates leaned into the idea that a one-party state could spur indoctrination of their children and schools. They promised to be bulwarks against what he called the threat of critical race theory. . . .

Rayla Campbell, the partys candidate for secretary of state, urged Republicans not to sit back and say, Maybe somebody else will take care of it. Thats not so nice.

I dont think its nice when theyre telling your 5-year-old that he can [perform a sex act on] another 5-year-old, she said, drawing gasps from the audience. Do you?

Because thats whats happening in your schools! she added. If this makes you uncomfortable, it should. . . .

Pressed by a Globe reporter, Campbell did not provide evidence of this . . .

But wait! Theres more!

That 74 percent approval rating that Gov. Baker has . . . who could possibly not like that guy?

Oh, his own party. The Republicans. They hate him.

Baker, the partys nominee each of the last three cycles, is not seeking reelection, and in a sign of intense friction between Baker and the partys conservative leadership, neither he nor Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito attended Saturdays convention.

There was no mention of Baker on Saturday from the stage, though he was the target of veiled shots, with some Republicans slamming his administrations early COVID-19 policies. Outside the MassMutual Center, a delegate handed out packages of candy with the phrase Adios Chuckles and a caricature of Baker wearing a red clown nose.

Theres more. So much more:

Thomas Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement who Trump named his border czar in 2019, spoke for more than an hour, leading the crowd in a Trump! Trump! Trump! chant after he finished.

Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who is serving as an adviser to Diehl, weaved through the delegates throughout the day, occasionally getting stopped for a handshake or a selfie.

And all of this insurrection stuff isnt just backward-looking. Its the future these Republicans want:

Campbell, vying to be the states chief elections official, also charged that Republicans watched our elections be stolen . . .

We are going to crush and destroy these rotten devils that call themselves Democrats! she thundered into the microphone. This is a battle of good versus evil.

But hey, how about that Glenn Youngkin! And Brian Kemp! Everything is fine! Dont go asking Republicans to do anything crazy like fully repudiate Trump and devote themselves to protecting democracy, even if it means temporarily supporting a . . . [gasp] . . . Democrat.

Thats just West Wing-style fantasy politics.

I am only half (or maybe three-fifths) kidding when I say that Democrats ought to be embracing Mike Pence as the man who saved democracy by standing up to Donald Trump.

Pence refused to violate the Constitution when ordered to by the POTUS. And since January 6, Pence has:

Ive said it before and Ill say it again: Pelosi and Schumer ought to introduce resolutions praising Pence for saving the Republic and being a great American and then watch how many Republicans vote against them.

Hell, they ought to propose putting a plaque somewhere in the Capitol commemorating Pences stand.

Because heres a pretty likely scenario for where we could be two years from now:

Visit link:
Welcome to MAGA Nation - by Jonathan V. Last - The Triad - The Bulwark