From Former Quigley Supportr:

6th and 14th Congressional Districts Updates 7/16/19

Fallout from President Trump’s Tweets on Sunday — Both Hopeful and Disappointing

Yesterday (Monday 7/15) on Fox News, Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said the following, as reported in the New York Post:
“Sen. Lindsey Grahm on Monday suggested President Trump ‘knock it down a notch’ when it comes to tweeting about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [AOC] and her progressive colleagues in the House moments before he launched into a full-scale attack on the group.”Everything else Senator Graham said on the Fox News appearance, was tweeted by the President:

What Senator Graham said is not completely untrue.  Per Friday’s print edition of The Wall Street Journal in the editorial “Pelosi’s House Discipline” concerning the Squad:

“The four–in addition to trumpeting socialist measures, flirting with anti-Semitism and using Twitter to criticize moderates in their own party–voted against last month’s emergency spending bill for the southern border.  They did so even though three of them have compared what’s happening at the border to the Holocaust.”

Given the entire progressive Squad began stirring up trouble as a result of the last week of June and Congress’, both House and Senate, actions on H.R. 3401, the emergency spending bill cited by the Journal, it would be worth examining what happened on that legislation with representations of the congressional votes done by the California Target Book. 

While the names on the House votes could be difficult to read, the red-blue coloring representing the political parties is easily understood. 

The initial House vote on June 25 is below, which passed 230-195 on a nearly straight-party vote, and note the Squad are the only Democrats to vote “No”:

The legislation went to the Senate and on the next day, the Senate wisely did a gut-and-replace amendment removing all of the unreasonable controls the House’s legislation attempted to attach to the funding bill, and voted to approve the amended H.R. 3401 by an 84-8  bipartisan vote:

Back to the House. 

Here is where Speaker Pelosi wisely listened to Democrats in the Problem Solvers Caucus as well as the Blue Dog Coalition to approve the Senate-amended legislation. 

This was when progressives other than the Squad tweeted things like “…since when did the Problem Solvers Caucus become the Child Abuse Caucus.” 

Cooler heads prevailed, and on June 27, the House approved the Senate-amended H.R. 3401 by a 305-102 bipartisan vote. 

The Squad again voted against the bill, but took many Democrats, 95 in all primarily progressives, who followed their example:

So examining the two House vote graphics, the initial 6/25 vote had the No votes primarily from Republicans, along with the Squad.  On the final House vote, all but 7 Republicans voted in the majority, and predominately blue coloring representing Democrats’ opposition on the final bill.  Both Congressman Casten and Congresswoman Underwood voted in the majority on both votes.

With the background of where all of this started in the past 3 weeks, reactions to President Trump’s tweet on Sunday continued from Republicans, including the other Senator from South Carolina, Republican Tim Scott:

Wiser words could not have been spoken.  Illinois’ Adam Kinzinger tweeted yesterday:

The last 2 paragraphs in Kinzinger’s tweet refers to something at least one media outlet, WCIA TV, threatened to do after demanding Illinois Republican congressional representatives’ reactions but seeing none. 

I know I wrote in an update posted yesterday (7/15) that I wanted to hear from candidates who want to replace Congressman Casten and Congresswoman Underwood, especially since both incumbents had tweeted their reactions to President Trump’s Sunday morning tweet.
But sadly, some disappointing tweets went out yesterday, too, particularly from Congressman Casten:

Maybe Congressman Casten ought to call out the racism some of his Democratic colleagues have faced recently from the Squad’s AOC’s chief-of-staff, especially on the New Democrats Caucus in the House:

“Instead of ‘fiscally conservative but socially liberal,’ let’s call the New Democrats and Blue Dog Caucus the ‘New Southern Democrats.’   They certainly seem hell bent to do to black and brown people today what the old Southern Democrats did in the 40s.”

But now, as I write this article, the House presiding chairman, Emanuel Cleaver (D, MO) has just “abandoned the chair” while slamming the gavel on the dais over frustrations within the House. 

And why the frustration? 

Because the Democrats put forth 2 House resolutions against President Trump yesterday, and the House was discussing them today. 

One House resolution condemns the Tweets, the other one is a censure resolution. 

As I type this, the House in open session is in discussion of House resolution 489, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s floor speech is being reviewed to be taken down, struck, from the record for personal attacks against President Trump.

Fortunately, both Casten and Underwood have not co-sponsored these 2 House resolutions.

But Casten wasn’t done there.  Today, he sent two separate tweets this morning, challenging Senator Graham’s comments from Monday:

Everyone, please refer to how the New Democrats Caucus, Blue Dog Coalition and Problem Solvers Caucus have been characterized by progressives in the past three weeks. 

Ideologically diverse, no question.  Consistently respectful of members within the Democratic caucus, particularly between progressives and non-progressives?  Congressman Casten should speak to that.    

President Trump tweeted this morning, after Casten’s tweets:

And mid-afternoon, Casten tweeted this:

And now, the House has just passed House Resolution 489, by a 240-187 vote, mostly along party lines, with 4 Republicans voting with the Democrats.  I am getting visions of President Trump acting like Martin Luther, when Pope Leo X issued the papal bull officially excommunicating Luther.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the President burns a copy of the resolution.  May God help our nation.

New York Post Link:  https://nypost.com/2019/07/15/lindsey-graham-tells-trump-to-knock-it-down-a-notch-on-twitter
WCIA TV Link:  https://www.wcia.com/news/capitol-news/ilgop-congressional-delegation-silent-after-trumps-tweet-called-racist-and-disgustingMcHenry County Blog Saturday Congressional Update:  http://159.89.184.83/2019/07/13/129531House Resolution Condemning President Trump:   https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/489/textHouse Resolution Censuring President Trump:  https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/490/textRoll Call “I abandon the chair” Link:  http://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/abandon-chair-house-floor-chaos-pelosi-speech-trump-tweets

Casten Challenger Evelyn Sanguinetti Disappoints, Too
Yesterday’s Capitol Fax had an article concerning Evelyn Sanguinetti (link below) releasing more endorsements.  The excerpt from Crain’s Chicago Busienss included a request for comment for President Trump’s wrongful tweets from Sunday morning.  Sanguinetti’s spokesperson said Ms. Sanguinetti had no comment.  
ANALYSIS  Ms. Sanguinetti you, like me, are a person of color.  This was a time for you to lead, to agree that the President’s tweets were wrong.  This was the time to say so, but you chose not to.  As one American who happens to of Latino heritage to another, you disappoint me.  
Capitol Fax Sanguinetti Link:  https://capitolfax.com/2019/07/15/ives-could-kick-off-congressional-bid-soon-as-sanguinetti-announces-lots-of-establishment-endorsement

Congresswoman Underwood:  The Bright Spot With Her Tweet
Yesterday, Congresswoman Underwood tweeted the following, from her congressional Twitter account:

While the New York Times story she is calling out was published on July 10, the day of the House Democratic caucus’ closed-door meeting when Speaker Pelosi laid-down the law concerning progressives’ tweets, it was reassuring to see Congresswoman Underwood moving forward, and remembering President Trump is still the President, finding common ground on issues in order to resolve the challenges facing our country.  Reactions from Underwood’s Trump-applauding tweet were mixed, including several “too soon” and “not today” but also supportive tweets, too.  Congressman Casten would do well to learn from Congresswoman Underwood.  Casten’s tweets make him look like someone with an ax to grind.  Underwood is showing encouragement and a ready-to-move-on attitude.

As was written in Saturday’s update (link below), Underwood has been showing some genuine positive changes in the past 3 weeks, which was noticed with her vote on HR 3401 on June 27.  I have been praying for Underwood to rise above the polarizing partisanship that we are seeing, as evidenced by Congressman Cleaver’s “abandoning the chair” which is documented in the Roll Call link below.  In faith, I believe the prayers have been answered, and continue to be answered.  I thank God for answered prayers.

• McHenry County Blog Saturday Congressional Update:  http://159.89.184.83/2019/07/13/129531
• Roll Call “I abandon the chair” Link:  http://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/abandon-chair-house-floor-chaos-pelosi-speech-trump-tweets