Gallagher Named Chair of Task Force Denying Terrorists Entry

Governor Scott Walker

Gov. Walker had some advice for the GOP on Feb. 24: put up or shut up. The words from Walker followed remarks made by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to CNBC regarding tax reform and his “aggressive” August timeline. When asked how the Republicans could avoid any potential problems, Walker told CNBC’s Squawk Box they had to deliver on their campaign promises. “The biggest thing I would say is what I said six years ago after we went from all-Democrat to all-Republican control in our state. I said it’s put up or shut up time – meaning the voters wanted a change. They spoke loud and clear, and if we just nibbled around the edges, I told the new Republican majorities that time in our state legislature, they’d be right to throw us out two years later,” Walker said.

Source: CNBC

Congressman Mike Gallagher

Rep. Gallagher announced that he has been named chair of the Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry into the United States by Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX). This bipartisan effort, comprised of five Republican and three Democratic committee members, will examine all current and potential pathways by which extremists are infiltrating the United States and will work to fill existing and potential gaps in the government’s information and vetting procedures. “We live in increasingly dangerous and uncertain times, and now more than ever we must aggressively strengthen our defenses, secure our borders, and improve our infrastructure to protect our nation from the threat of terrorism,” Gallagher said. “The first and foremost function of the federal government is to protect our nation, and I’m honored to have been selected as chair of the task force, where I will work tirelessly with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to keep our citizens in Northeast Wisconsin and across the country safe.” The task force will begin its work in March and will provide a final findings report later this year.

Source: Gallagher press release

Senator Tammy Baldwin

Following news that the Chinese government awarded the Trump Organization a trademark that may be worth billions of dollars – one of many foreign favors President Trump may have accepted since taking office – Sen. Baldwin joined a group of senators, led by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), in calling on President Trump to take immediate action to resolve conflicts of interest that are putting him in violation of the U.S. Constitution. “A President must not have two masters. You have committed to serving the American people. It is a small price to pay for the unparalleled honor and gravity of your post that you not attempt to capitalize financially on the presidency. The Emoluments Clause provides a clear and compulsory procedure for ensuring that your allegiances are entirely to the American people,” the senators wrote. “If you continue to refuse to request and receive Congressional approval before accepting favors from foreign governments, we will be unable to serve our Constitutional role. Such a situation is unacceptable.” Shortly after President Trump spoke with President Xi Jinping and affirmed the continuation of the United States’ One-China policy, the Trump Organization was awarded a trademark to market the Trump name for profit in China. President Trump had sought this designation for years to no avail, and it was only after winning the presidency that he was able to secure the lucrative trademark.

Source: Baldwin press release

Senator Ron Johnson

After protesters called out Sen. Johnson for not holding town hall meetings, the senator took to Twitter to let people know he is available for questions. Last week protesters set up outside Sen. Johnson’s office, upset that he is not holding town halls with constituents while the senate is not in session. “Senators, like Johnson, are back in district and many of them are not holding town halls,” said Kevin Kane, an organizer for Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “They’re not hearing from constituents that are very worried, about their preexisting condition, about the coverage they have now that could be ripped from them.” Sen. Johnson tweeted out that 600,000 Wisconsinites have participated in his telephone town halls. And he posted a recording from the latest one, held on Feb. 16, where he took questions, including several about the affordable care act. “To date, by the way this is just amazing technology, we’ve dialed up to more than 3 million people doing these telephone town halls, more than 6,000 people have participated in the town halls,” he said during the telephone town hall. “I’ve answered so far 821 questions.”

Source: CBS58.com

President Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s election has been a boon for comedians ready and willing to mock an administration disdainful of the media. From Saturday Night Live to HBO’s Bill Maher, comedy shows are attracting viewers in numbers not seen in years. Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries, with ratings for his Comedy Central show up nine percent from a year ago as young viewers tune in for his nightly takedowns of the president and his cabinet. “When politics is at its worst, it’s the best condition for comedy in general and late night hosts in particular,” Kent Alterman, president of Viacom Inc.’s Comedy Central, said in an interview. “Good comedy is always reacting to and reflecting the world we live in. When things become more extreme, as they have in our country, there is something therapeutic about comedy.’’ Like Noah, Stephen Colbert struggled in his 2015 transition to The Late Show on CBS from Comedy Central. But he has garnered acclaim – along with new viewers – with his recent political commentary and has surpassed The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as the most-watched late-night program three weeks in a row, thanks to a six-percent ratings jump this year and a 17-percent drop for his rival on Comcast Corp.’s NBC network. Former Daily Show correspondent Samantha Bee has more than doubled her audience in a second season of Full Frontal on Time Warner Inc.’s TBS. HBO’s Maher has thrived as well, garnering 5.5 million viewers per episode – the biggest audience since 2003, his first year on HBO.

Source: Bloomberg.com