December 12, 2024

In this edition

1. Interview: Manhattan Institute’s Reihan Salam makes the case for getting off the political sidelines

2. Heard on the Hill

3. Exclusive: Lawmakers urge President Donald Trump to axe “unauthorized and wasteful Direct File pilot program”

4. Scoop: Fact checking the latest attacks on Kash Patel

5. Exclusive: GOP’s $5.9 million investment in women and minority candidate pays off

6. Scoop: CFPB’s new banking data exposure rule sparks concern over digital security

7. Op-eds: Auditor Shad White on the Mississippi’s model for DOGE, Joe Mitchell on President Trump’s pick to lead HUD, Superintendent Kirsten Baesler on how President Trump’s Department of Education can foster workforce readiness, Orlando Sonza on why President Trump’s immigration plans are what we need, and Nick Raineri on how to counter China in Latin America

8. What we’re reading

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In our latest edition, we spoke with the Manhattan Institute's Reihan Salam about the GOP's future in cities, a fact check about Kash Patel, a lesson for DOGE from Mississippi, and much more!

Interview: Manhattan Institute’s Reihan Salam makes the case for getting off the political sidelines

by Matthew Foldi

Led by Reihan Salam, the Manhattan Institute (MI) has for decades laid the groundwork for conservatives to recapture big cities like New York and Chicago that once elected Republican mayors.

One of Salam’s top takeaways of the 2024 election is that regular people got off the sidelines and rejected the progressive left’s vision for America.

“The backlash is coming from a whole range of communities that want accountability and competent leadership that reject extremist ideology, that reject the activist left,” he told the Washington Reporter in an interview. “But these are communities that are oftentimes not the most important politically within the cities.”

“Think about immigrants, for example, who, in some cases, aren't even naturalized immigrants,” he said. “These are people who've been on the political sidelines for a very long time, until in San Francisco, they got off the sidelines. Or you're looking at working class, lower middle class, people who do not belong to unions and who do not work for government. These are also people who do not show up for every single election, but they're the people who, if someone were to tell them, ‘hey, did you know that they are literally people in elected office who decided that it is bad and racist to put people in prison who are repeat, chronic, violent offenders,’ they would find that totally insane.”

FINISH reading

Heard on the Hill

• Party with us tonight! By now, you read our interview with Manhattan Institute president Reihan Salam; join him and us at our Christmas party that we are cohosting tonight. Sign up HERE immediately; this has sold out five times already and we have reserved as much space at Mission as we can.

• NLRB loss for Biden and win for Trump: The Washington Reporter previously warned about the Democrats’ last-minute attempt to prevent President Donald Trump from getting to pick the chair of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) until 2026. Fortunately, the Democrats’ attempt to install their own chair was defeated this week.

• You heard it here first: We covered the collapse in the year-end health care package that was nixed by House GOP leadership before anyone else did. Stay tuned for more in this space…

• Vance flexing his muscles: JD Vance has flexed his muscles in the transition when it comes to big tech issues. Sources tell the Reporter that he was critical in getting more populist thinkers in key positions, including FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, FTC nominee Mark Meador, and head of the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, Gail Slater, who is his current Economic Policy Advisor.

• Real intelligence working on artificial intelligence: House GOP Leaders have been in contact with David Sacks, the incoming crypto and artificial intelligence czar for President Trump. They’ve been discussing a framework on AI.

• Big problems for big tech? Sources tell the Reporter that concerns are growing among Trump allies about the possible appointment of Vishal Amin as the head of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). The populist wing of the Republican Party has pointed out how Amin would be a “shill for Big Tech and weak on patents,” according to a source familiar with the discussions.

• Tech bros unite: Elon Musk, David Sacks, and Shaun Maguire have been spotted at Mar-a-Lago interviewing key people for top administration roles for tech, financial, and defense policy.

• Play ball: Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) held his Christmas Part at Nationals Park last night. Among those spotted were Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R., La.) and Whip Tom Emmer (R., Minn.). The event had access to the dugout and batting cages.

• Congratulations 1.0: President Donald Trump picked Kari Lake to helm the Voice of America; we spoke with Lake a few months ago. Get to know her better by reading our story here.

• Congratulations 2.0: President Trump picked Andrew Ferguson to helm the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Ferguson, a current FTC commissioner, spoke with us over the summer about his career and goals at the commission. Read that story here.

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Exclusive: Lawmakers urge President Donald Trump to axe “unauthorized and wasteful Direct File pilot program”

by Matthew Foldi

Top House Republicans urged President Donald Trump to repeal the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) controversial and much-maligned “Direct File” system for processing tax returns, in a letter sent on Tuesday and exclusively obtained by the Washington Reporter.

Reps. Adrian Smith (R., Neb.) and Chuck Edwards (R., N.C.) led the letter to President Trump asking him “to take immediate action, including a day-one executive order, to end the [IRS’s] unauthorized and wasteful Direct File pilot program. The program’s creation and ongoing expansion pose a threat to taxpayers’ freedom from government overreach, and its shaky rollout and structural flaws have already come at a steep price.”

“It is highly inappropriate for the IRS to serve as a tax preparer for taxpayers while also being the final enforcer of tax violations,” the lawmakers wrote. Their letter was also sent to Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the co-leaders of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Russ Vought, the incoming Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Scott Bessent, Trump’s nominee to helm the Treasury Department.

FINISH reading

Scoop: Fact checking the latest attacks on Kash Patel

by Matthew Foldi

John Bolton, who served as President Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor, raised some eyebrows when he claimed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), “was [not] in charge of a directorate during my tenure as national security adviser or thereafter, as he contends in his memoir and elsewhere.”

This is a sensational claim — but it has been repeatedly discredited by both Patel’s fellow Trump administration alumni and his still-active biography listed on the Biden administration’s Department of Defense (DOD) website.

FINISH reading

A message from our sponsor.

Both sides agree: NOW is the time to pass real PBM reform.

Rein in the middlemen pharmacy benefit managers and require them to increase transparency, share discounts with seniors, and delink PBM profits from the cost of medicines in Medicare.

Pass S. 2973 and S. 3430 today. Help America's seniors.

Exclusive: GOP’s $5.9 million investment in women and minority candidate pays off

By Matthew Foldi

Amidst an already historic 2024 election cycle, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is touting the success of its Right Leaders Network (RLN) effort to elect more women and minority candidates to state offices.

The program saw nearly $6 million in investment from the RLSC into GOP candidates from across the country, including in high-profile races in New York, Texas, and South Dakota.

“In what has been a historic year for State Republicans, the RSLC’s ‘Right Leaders Network’ played a major role in electing women and diverse candidates who were crucial in expanding our majorities and flipping legislative chambers in states like Michigan,” RSLC’s president, Dee Duncan, said of the efforts. “We are proud to have invested nearly $6 million this cycle on recruitment, training and supporting our diverse candidates to build the future of the Republican Party and look forward to further expanding our program to deliver strong results in the future.”

FINISH reading

Scoop: CFPB’s new banking data exposure rule sparks concern over digital security

by Matthew Foldi

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) new ”open banking” rule, which aims to increase consumer control over financial data, potentially exposes online banking customers to grave cybersecurity risks, experts tell the Washington Reporter.

The Banking Data Exposure Rule, which was recently finalized under Section 1033 of the Dodd Frank Act, was enacted to enhance transparency and innovation in the financial sector. Its critics, however, argue that the rule’s failure to ban harmful data-sharing practices, particularly screen scraping, leaves customers vulnerable to exploitation by third-party actors like cybercriminals and foreign adversaries.

FINISH reading

Op-Ed: Auditor Shad White: Mississippi’s roadmap for DOGE

by Shad White

President Donald Trump’s historic victory came just in time. After four years of watching the Biden administration throw trillions of taxpayer dollars down the drain, the American people are hungry for some common-sense reforms. These changes are coming in the form of an idea from President Trump that I’m very excited about: the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Musk and Ramaswamy are the perfect duo to lead this effort. Plenty of people will throw ideas at them for how to cut fat from the federal government, and here’s my humble addition to that suggestion box: look at states that have done cost-cutting projects.

My team here at the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor recently released our own DOGE (albeit much smaller): Project Momentum.

FINISH reading

Op-Ed: Joe Mitchell: Donald Trump and Scott Turner will Make Housing Great Again

by Joe Mitchell

From the night President Donald Trump made his acceptance speech following his landslide victory, the president and his team have proven why voters chose a new way forward in 2024.

The Trump-Vance transition team immediately rolled out the all-star cast of cabinet nominees. Between Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.), Pete Hegseth, Gov. Doug Burgum (R., N.D.), Pam Bondi, and many more America First rock stars, it is clear that President Trump has put together the greatest lineup of cabinet nominees in American history.

One of those names that the president has not been given enough credit for is his pick for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Scott Turner. While the headlines for the Attorney General, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Commerce, and others seem to be dominating the media hits, President Trump’s pick for HUD is one who will have a positive impact for millions of Americans across the country.

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Op-Ed: Superintendent Kirsten Baesler: President Donald Trump and Linda McMahon can foster a work-ready boom

by Kirsten Baesler

As the longest-serving chief state school officer in America, I was thrilled to read President Donald Trump’s statement announcing his excellent selection of Linda McMahon to oversee the Department of Education:

“Linda will use her decades of Leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers, and make America Number One in Education in the World. We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES.”

A distinguished executive focused on reform and localization? Music to my ears. Then I came across remarks from Secretary-designate McMahon on the role of education in meeting the demands of the workforce and was even more inspired: “The country is facing a historic labor shortage, and a multi-year degree program is not necessary for many Americans to obtain high-paying, fulfilling careers.” President Trump and Linda McMahon’s philosophy and vision is exactly what is needed to reshape education in America for the future.

FINISH reading

Op-Ed: Orlando Sonza: President Donald Trump’s plan to fix immigration is what we need

by Orlando Sonza

Illegal immigration poses one of the most pressing challenges to the United States, undermining national security, straining public resources, and limiting opportunities for citizens and for lawful immigrants. Opponents of illegal immigration are often mischaracterized as anti-immigrant, ignoring President Donald Trump’s strong support for legal immigration, which he views as a cornerstone of American strength.

As someone who came to this country through legal immigration, I know firsthand the contributions immigrants make when they follow the rules. Enforcing immigration laws ensures fairness for those who respect the system, protects taxpayers, and preserves opportunities for lawful immigrants.

The results of the November 5th election reaffirm that Americans want decisive action on illegal immigration. President Trump’s plan, which targets high-priority offenders, empowers local law enforcement, and enforces existing laws, offers a comprehensive solution to secure our borders and safeguard America’s future.

FINISH reading

Op-Ed: Nick Raineri: How the Trump administration can counter China and revitalize Honduras through strategic investment

by Nick Raineri

Honduras has emerged as a frontline in the geopolitical contest between the United States and China.

President Xiomara Castro’s recent decision to recognize China over Taiwan signals a troubling shift, opening the door for Beijing’s expanding influence in Latin America. Left unchallenged, this development threatens U.S. national security and economic interests in the region.

The incoming Trump administration must respond decisively by prioritizing strategic investments in Honduras that both counter Chinese influence and foster sustainable economic growth. The U.S. can no longer afford to rely on ineffective aid models; it must pivot to catalyzing private sector engagement and supporting national security-critical projects.

FINISH reading

What we’re reading

• City Journal: IRA, Meet DOGE, by Mark Mills.

• Fox Baltimore: Meet the liberal megadonors funding Baltimore non-profits through fiscal sponsors, by Patrick Hauf.

• Washington Free Beacon: Anti-Semitism, DEI, and Skyrocketing Costs: The Challenges Facing Incoming Education Secretary Linda McMahon, by Jessica Costescu.

• Parents Defending Education: Exposing $1 Billion in Department of Education grant funding that has entrenched far-left ideologies in education, by Parents Defending Education.

• National Review: Antony Blinken Claims Disastrous Afghanistan Withdrawal Strengthened U.S. on World Stage, by James Lynch.

• Commentary Magazine: Ireland Says the Quiet Part Out Loud about International Law, by Seth Mandel.

• Washington Examiner: Arabella Advisors dark money group behind black Communist ‘solidarity’ magazine boosting Hamas, by Gabe Kaminsky.

• Fox News: Al Sharpton pocketed nearly $1 million in bonuses from his National Action Network nonprofit, by Joseph Wulfsohn.

• Washington Free Beacon: Ex-CCP Officials Funneled Millions to US Universities, Nonprofits To Promote Green Energy, Tax Forms Show, by Thomas Catenacci.