covering the American South for
@nytimes
| Florida woman, recovering Hill reporter, now in Nashville | tweets/cat photos mine | emily.cochrane
@nytimes
.com I
now that I'm settled in Nashville (!) and in my new job, here's a cool thing -- an open question about what people want to read about from the South, so it can inform what I'm writing about and how I'm thinking about our coverage.
send me your thoughts!
I asked President Trump what evidence he had that “hardened criminals” are trying to enter the country. “Oh please, please, don’t be a baby,” was his response.
the fact that
@erinschaff
experienced THIS and still filed photos and wrote about makes me want to cry all over again because she is such a pro and was just doing her damn job in THE NATION’S CAPITOL.
Republicans are VERY angry about Schiff’s decision to reference that CBS “head on a pike” report. Murkowski says “that’s where he lost me.” Barrasso says “whatever gains he may have made, he lost all of it — plus some — tonight.”
Rep. John Lewis, a Civil Rights icon, says he has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. "I have decided to do what I know to do and do what I have always done: I am going to fight it and keep fighting for the Beloved Community. We still have many bridges to cross."
Chris Murphy pushes back: “it's just ridiculous to think that these republicans are going to make a decision on impeachment based upon anybody saying something which they feel to be mean.”
“Total, total shit show,” Joni Ernst says when I asked about her reaction to this, calling it “a tool of revenge” against Trump. Adds: “if they want to drag this out, we’ll drag it out. They won’t get their noms, they won’t get anything.”
Mitt Romney to DeJoy just now: "Let me note, you contributed to President Trump's campaign. I’d note you also generously contributed to my campaign. Some would say you’ve contributed to both sides."
Now Schumer on MSNBC weighs in, calling it “a diversion.”
"They can't argue on the merits, and so the typical Republican thing to do, and now more than ever with all the pressure on them -we all know there's pressure on them - is to find diversions.”
Nice gesture — Murkowski, Sullivan and Democrats from several states flank Peltola on the House floor since she doesn't have a delegation to stand with her.
It’s about to be a dark carnival of distractions, accusations, misdirections, outright lies, and fake outrages. Worse than usual. Keep your eye on two things. 1) what did the President do? 2) how did the Senators vote?
For all of our observations about shuffling, leaving and restlessness— I think that was the most reaction we’ve seen from Republicans toward any of the remarks from the managers.
Sara Gideon giving her acceptance speech via livestream because pandemic: "Senator Collins has changed, and Mainers deserve better. Mainers deserve a senator who will bring people together to overcome the challenges we face."
Several senators in the room shook their heads, audibly said “that’s not true.” Ernst and McSally — two of those swing states Schiff has been talking about! — were visibly upset as they whispered about it after.
INBOX: Ted Cruz will extend his self-quarantine until March 17 out of an abundance of caution.
“Unfortunately, last night I was informed I had a second interaction with an individual who yesterday tested positive for COVID-19.”
also a surreal aspect of this is before writing this piece I didn’t fully understand what
@npfandos
and
@erinschaff
experienced because we were all in our own bubbles, floating through the same chaos. being scattered thru Cap Hill meant connected but separate experiences
A third member, Brad Schneider, has now tested positive. He also directly blames maskless Republicans in the secure location, and calls for "those who flout public health guidance" to be "sanctioned and immediately removed from the House floor."
Schumer: "This president should not hold office one day longer....if the Vice President and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president.”
Zoe Lofgren is the first woman to speak on the Senate floor as an impeachment manager. All the impeachment managers in Clinton/Johnson trials were men.
Ben Sasse becomes the first Republican (to my knowledge) to criticize Trump’s executive actions: “The pen-and-phone theory of executive lawmaking is unconstitutional slop.”
As the Senate locks in at least 18 more votes, much respect/gratitude to the staff, clerks, janitors, cafeteria staff keeping this overnight exercise going….
New statement from Pelosi:
“It is the hope of Members that the President will immediately resign. But if he does not, I have instructed the Rules Committee to be prepared to move forward with Congressman Jamie Raskin’s 25th Amendment legislation and a motion for impeachment."
if you liked the photos may I recommend reading the words I wrote since writing is in theory my actual job and
@erinschaff
and
@AnnaMoneymaker
take better photos
"Right now, this country is asking you to be better." Ruben Gallego is pleading with Republicans. "Your soul will stay with you for the rest of your life....preserve our democracy."
Friday night news from DiFi: “Ideally the Senate can reach bipartisan agreement....But if that proves impossible and Republicans continue to abuse the filibuster by requiring cloture votes, I’m open to changing the way the Senate filibuster rules are used.”
Confirmed: the WH has directed the Army Corps to examine supplemental funding — including disaster relief for Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas, California, etc. — to see what money could go to a border wall in case of a national emergency declaration.
"I'm running for Senate today because I know we can take on our toughest issues and work together to ensure that everyone has access to health care that is excellent and affordable, to build an economy that truly works for every person."
✨🎄🎶 On the fifth day of a CR, Congress gave to me:
- FIVE DAYS OF NEGOTIATING
- Four corners haggling
- Three private calls
- Two more days to procrastinate
🎶🎶 yet they swear they’re going to have a deal 🎶🎶
I'm in Houston marching in solidarity with George Floyd's family. We are showing you can be outraged by a black man getting murdered in police custody, thankful for our First Amendment rights and angered that people are looting and rioting, which goes against our American values.
New COLLINS stmt on Schiff mentioning “head on a pike” report: “Not only have I never heard the ‘head on the pike’ line but also I know of no Republican Senator who has been threatened in any way by anyone in the Administration.”
"We're not tired, we're just getting started." "Happy anniversary, Mr. President." Organizers speaking to kick off Washington's Women's March, one year later.
Some of Pelosi guests for SOTU tonight: Chef José Andrés, DNC Chair Tom Perez, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was killed in the Parkland shooting
George W. Bush holding back tears as he describes his final phone call with his father and his last words: "I love you too." But then laughter, because he began listing his dad's faults. ("The man couldn't stomach vegetables. Especially broccoli.")
How Speaker Pelosi described her talks with past Republican admins: “We have a true negotiation, not, ’I’m going to run back and ask Daddy — what I can do about this?’ That’s unfortunately the situation that Mnuchin was in.” Read more from the interview >
Stmt from Rep. Bacon, when asked about these comments > "I stand by what I said. The President’s Secretary of Treasury helped negotiate this bill and encouraged us to support it. Furthermore, the President was updated on this bill every step of the way by GOP Leadership..."
Per person in the room: Fauci told lawmakers that he "was not muzzled" by the VP's office, but that he needed to again secure clearance for 4-6 TV appearances that had been scheduled.
briefly stepped back into the House chamber to grab some things while they clean. It's surreal. open laptops left in the press gallery, binders and papers left all over the place on the desks, discarded bags that held those gas masks they handed out.
As McCarthy unveils the "Commitment to America" agenda, he says their first bill in the majority will be repealing the IRS funding in the Inflation Reduction Act — that funding is supposed to help hire 87,000 new employees over the next decade >>
Pelosi statement on the coronavirus supplemental: “Weeks after the Trump Budget called for slashing the CDC budget during this coronavirus epidemic, this undersized funding request shows an ongoing failure to understand urgent public health needs.”
latest Capitol Police alert: "The USCP is preparing to disrupt a Suspicious Vehicle in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building.
A loud bang may be heard in the area. There is no cause for alarm, and no action needs to be taken by Congressional Staff."
The four speakers whose portraits will be removed, per Pelosi:
- Robert Hunter of Virginia (1839- 1841)
- Howell Cobb of Georgia (1849-1851)
- James Orr of South Carolina (1857-1859)
- Charles Crisp of Georgia (1891-1895)
"Before Jan. 6, the Capitol seemed almost impenetrable, its pristine dome the physical embodiment of a secure and stable democracy. For many, it is now tinged with an unshakable sense of hypervigilance, trauma, anger and sadness."
five months later:
Lengthy Toomey statement just now congratulates Biden. Concludes — “To ensure that he is remembered for these outstanding accomplishments, and to help unify our country, President Trump should accept the outcome of the election and facilitate the presidential transition process.”
Trump says he never promised Warren a $1 million charitable donation if she proved her Native American heritage. Here's my story from July where....he did just that:
NEW:
@SenWarren
releases DNA test proving Native American ancestry.
It's the latest, most aggressive step in her months-long PR campaign to inoculate self ahead of now all but certain presidential bid >>
Lisa Murkowski tells me she believes Judge Barrett will uphold Roe v. Wade: "I don't see her overturning the decision in Roe v. Wade based on the weighting of the reliance factor......I believe that she will not vote to overturn Roe v. Wade."
Nancy Pelosi, speaking to women's marchers in front of the Lincoln Memorial: "Wouldn't you love to see this group serve in the Majority?
We have to turn out at the polls to make the difference."
Some news! Today is my last day on the Hill before moving to Nashville to help cover the South. It was a bittersweet decision to leave DC and the Hill, but I’m so excited and grateful for the chance at this new beat.
We’re thrilled to announce
@ESCochrane
and
@campbellnyt
are taking on new roles on the National desk, covering the South and Mid-Atlantic respectively.
New: today in the Senate lunch, Tim Scott played voicemails his office and staff have received, with vicious threats and racist slurs against him, his family and some of his colleagues.
“The department officials, convened on a conference call, then asked each other: What will you do if Mr. Rosen is dismissed? The answer was unanimous. They would resign.”
@ktbenner
“The time has now caught up to the legislation, and I’m really thrilled about that,” —
@AOC
. Progressives lay another policy marker w/ reintroduction of GND for Public Housing, working to shape the fine details of Biden's infrastructure plan.