News from the note…
A round up of the day’s news that might be of interest to you.
Consider this an OPEN THREAD, folks. Chat about any of the stories listed, share links to stories that caught your eye today, and generally have a good time discussing whatever you want.
Just how big is the Democratic wave going to be this fall?
From CNN
Judging by what happened in an Arizona special election on Tuesday night, the “large” wave option now looks to be very much in play.“If the only data point you had to go on was last night’s #AZ08 result, you’d think a 30-40 seat Dem House gain in Nov. would be way low,” tweeted David Wasserman, the House editor of the non-partisan Cook Political Report.
Trump’s election nightmare: losing the Senate
From Axios
Top Republicans have conceded for months that they’re likely lose the House in November’s midterms. But some well-wired operatives now tell Axios that President Trump may face his real nightmare: losing the Senate, giving Democrats both ends of the Capitol, and one-third of the government.
The Latest: Cosby jury begins deliberating
From AP
A jury has started deliberating the fate of Bill Cosby in his sexual assault retrial.
The jurors began their work late Wednesday morning after getting instructions from the judge.
Cosby is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Congressional Republicans return to baseball practice months after shooting
From CNN
Congressional Republicans hit the dugout before dawn Wednesday morning for their first baseball practice of the season, returning to Simpson Field together for the first time since the tragic June shooting that left six people hospitalized, including House majority whip Steve Scalise.
GOP senator: Firing Mueller could trigger impeachment
From The Hill
GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) warned on Wednesday that a “crisis” could be triggered if President Trump fires special counsel Robert Mueller, potentially including impeachment.
“Firing Mr. Mueller would be a grave error. It would trigger a crisis, possibly even impeachment,” Hatch, a former chairman and current member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
Blankenship says McConnell has conflicts of interest because father-in-law is ‘wealthy Chinaperson’
From CNN
Don Blankenship, the coal executive recently released from federal prison and now running for US Senate in West Virginia, this week accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of having conflicts of interest in foreign relations because his father-in-law is “a wealthy Chinaperson.”
How Trump botched the Ronny Jackson nomination
From Politico
President Donald Trump could have avoided the firestorm over Ronny Jackson’s nomination if he’d taken Johnny Isakson’s advice to begin with.
In a private conversation with Trump last month, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs chairman mounted a strong defense of then-VA Secretary David Shulkin. But despite Isakson’s guidance, Shulkin was canned a few days later, and Jackson, the White House physician, was quickly nominated to take his place.
Dems flip New York state seat that Republicans have held for nearly four decades
From The Hill
Democrats in New York flipped a New York Assembly seat on Tuesday, winning a seat that has been in GOP hands for nearly four decades.
Democrat Steve Stern, a former Suffolk County legislator, beat out Republican Janet Smitelli in the 10th Assembly District, a Long Island seat, with 59 percent of the vote, according to Daily Kos.
The district has been represented by a Republican since 1978.
Poll: Most voters say they haven’t seen pay boost from tax law
From Politico
More than half of registered voters say they haven’t noticed an increase in their paychecks as a result of the new tax law, and support for the law overall remains tepid, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll.
The April 19-23 survey suggests that Republicans’ message about the benefits of the tax cuts, which they are counting on to buoy their election fortunes in November, hasn’t broken through. At the same time, those who said they have seen a pay increase were more likely to support Republicans in Congress who voted for the tax overhaul than Democrats who opposed it.
4 Trump jabs in Macron’s address to Congress
From Axios
Following days of friendly handshakes and photo ops with President Trump during his state visit to the U.S., French President Emmanuel Macron shifted his tone during his address to a joint session of Congress Wednesday, taking jabs at Trump in four different areas.
Macron’s focus: Trade wars, isolationism, the potential collapse of the Iran nuclear deal, and Trump’s decision to exit the Paris climate accord.
And a bonus note from the “why not?” category…
Sean Spicer will be unveiling new interactive Melania Trump exhibit at Madame Tussauds
From Washington Examiner
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer will be stepping back into the Trump orbit on Wednesday to unveil first lady Melania Trump’s wax figure at Madame Tussauds in New York City.
TMZ is reporting that Spicer will be launching the “Give Melania a Voice” installation at the famous wax museum on Wednesday. The exhibit will allow be interactive and allow visitors to tweet on behalf of the first lady.
