April 15, 2025

Happy Tax Day. Let’s dive in.

1. EXCLUSIVE: New Media Star: The Washington Reporter joins the White House Briefing Room for the first time

2. Heard on the Hill

3. INTERVIEW: Rep. Mike Rogers announces Senate run: "Michigan can once again become the arsenal of democracy"

4. EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump, Darrell Issa, and Lee Zeldin are working on a "lasting solution" to “one of the biggest environmental and public health crises” in America

5. SCOOP: Sen. John Thune recaps “busy” first 100 days as GOP Leader

6. EXCLUSIVE: 29 Attorneys General request backup from Trump administration on tackling deadly illegal e-cigarettes from China

7. K-STREET, 10,000 FEET: Home Depot, big name retailers could benefit from Dick Durbin’s credit card gambit

8. OPINIONATED: Rep. Kevin Hern and Matt Haller with a Tax Day tax relief message and Pete Sepp on how IRS reform can protect small businesses

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EXCLUSIVE: New Media Star: The Washington Reporter joins the White House Briefing Room for the first time

by the Washington Reporter

THE LOWDOWN:

• Tuesday saw the Washington Reporter join the White House briefing room for the first time, taking the New Media Seat.

• The Reporter’s Matthew Foldi asked White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt about the Trump administration’s plans to move federal funding from Harvard University in the wake of the once-respected school’s refusal to comply with their requests regarding on campus anti-Semitism.

• “Everyone I know — in the Trump administration, Capitol Hill, Wall Street, and K Street — is reading [the Reporter],” a person close to President Trump told the Reporter after the briefing.

• It is clear a new age of journalism has begun in the Beltway, and the Washington Reporter is at the forefront.

President Donald Trump’s Cabinet and his top allies in Congress paid extra close attention to today’s blockbuster press briefing, which featured something never seen before.

The Swamp-rustling change to the briefing room was the Washington Reporter’s Matthew Foldi bringing the heat to the New Media Seat. Following the briefing, multiple Cabinet Secretaries, congressional committee chairmen, and Trump allies reached out to the Reporter noting the success of the briefing.

Foldi asked White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt about the Trump administration’s plans to move federal funding from Harvard University in the wake of the once-respected school’s refusal to comply with their requests regarding on campus anti-Semitism.

Foldi also asked about the White House’s view on Democrat priorities after Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s (D., Md.) announced he would fly to El Salvador in regards to the deported individual there making headlines in liberal media outlets.

“The real stars of the show are Karoline and her incredible team,” Foldi told the Reporter. “They’ve given millions of Americans a reason to tune in to these briefings after the previous administration lied to them every day from behind the podium.”

“Everyone I know — in the Trump administration, Capitol Hill, Wall Street, and K Street — is reading it,” a person close to President Trump told the Reporter after the briefing. “From interviewing the President, to being in the briefing room, the Washington Reporter is a force.”

“The Washington Reporter is the go-to source for understanding what’s happening on the Hill. While D.C. is a Republican town, there is no better outlet to read to understand what will happen next — and why,” a senior congressional official said.

It is clear a new age of journalism has begun in the Beltway, and the Washington Reporter is at the forefront.

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HEARD ON THE HILL

• MAKING WAVES: The reviews are in — Republican officials LOVED the Washington Reporter taking the New Media Seat during today’s White House press conference! Check out Matthew Foldi’s expert journalism here.

• AI CAN DIG IT: The Republican Study Committee (RSC) rolled out its Emerging Technologies Task Force, which will be helmed by Rep. Kat Cammack (R., Fla.) and Rep. Jim Obernolte (R., Calif.). The duo praised NVIDIA’s announcement that it will build AI supercomputers entirely on U.S. soil for the first time, which could produce $500 billion of domestic AI infrastructure over just four years. Rep. August Pfluger (R., Texas), who chairs the RSC, added his excitement “about the ripple effects this investment will have across the Lone Star State’s thriving tech corridor, where we're already seeing unprecedented growth in high-skill jobs and innovation hubs.”

• DUOPOLY MONEY: Former House Financial Services Committee and House GOP Conference chair Jeb Hensarling (R., Texas) is out this morning with a new piece in Bloomberg warning of the threat and undue influence of the proxy advisory duopoly. The piece comes on the heels of a House Judiciary Committee antitrust probe of the two big proxy advisors, ISS and Glass Lewis, and the confirmation of SEC chair Paul Atkins, who has previously expressed concerns about proxy advisors.

• SHOTS FIRED: Meta is raising eyebrows within the Trump administration for their attacks on FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson. Sources point out that Trump is still skeptical of Meta because of their censorship around the 2020 election and January 6th.

• MORE MONEY, FEWER PROBLEMS: Polling conducted in support of the Senate Republican Conference shows that the majority of Americans are in favor of making the Trump 2017 tax cuts permanent, countering a Democratic argument that the tax cuts are only supported by wealthy Americans and corporations.

• TAX DAY AND TCJA: The Republican Study Committee (RSC) is making the most of Tax Day, to stress the importance of making “President Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent.” Rep. August Pfluger (R., Texas) warned that “should Democrats succeed in allowing these tax cuts to expire, Americans will face massive tax increases and risk losing hundreds of thousands of jobs,” and Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R., Texas), the RSC’s Budget Task Force Chair, added that Trump’s tax cuts “will work alongside our efforts to slash federal regulations and bureaucracy to empower economic expansion and financial security for the American people and our job creators.”

• TCJA BACKUP: Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is also leveraging Tax Day to continue what it calls its “largest commitment by any group to support President Trump’s pro-growth tax cuts.” AFP’s managing director Kent Strang noted that “after four years of Bidenomics reckless spending that drove inflation to 40-year highs, raising prices more

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Medicaid helps provide security to our friends and neighbors, providing high-quality care for more than 72 million Americans, including children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.

Congress should vote against efforts to reduce Medicaid funding and instead focus on policies that strengthen access to 24/7 care.

INTERVIEW: Rep. Mike Rogers announces Senate run: "Michigan can once again become the arsenal of democracy"

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Rep. Mike Rogers (R., Mich.) spoke with the Washington Reporter minutes after announcing his Senate campaign to finish what he started in 2024.

• Rogers, who won more votes than any Republican statewide candidate in Michigan history last cycle, received quick endorsements from both Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) and Senator Tim Scott, (R. S.C.), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).

• Rogers noted that the Michigan Democrats are “going to have a contentious primary” for the Senate seat after current Senator Gary Peters, a Democrat, announced he would not be seeking a third term.

• President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance won Michigan in the 2024 election.

Minutes after former Rep. Mike Rogers (R., Mich.) announced his campaign for Senate, he spoke with the Washington Reporter about how he plans to finish what he started in 2024 and flip the state’s open seat for Republicans.

Rogers, who won more votes than any Republican statewide candidate in Michigan history last cycle, received quick endorsements from both Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) and Senator Tim Scott, (R. S.C.), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), upon his announcement.

But Rogers told the Reporter that back at home “the grassroots’ reaction has been very, very positive, more so than we anticipated, honestly.

“And then the donor community across Michigan has been very, very positive,” Rogers said.

During the 2024 cycle, Rogers jumped in late — a marked contrast with this time around, where his early entry will allow him to build out his operation, such as establishing a finance committee.

“We're going to release our finance committee this week of about 30 people who are going to help us raise money for this,” “Rogers said.

Rogers noted that the Michigan Democrats are “going to have a contentious primary” for the Senate seat after current Senator Gary Peters, a Democrat, announced he would not be seeking a third term.

“And good for them,” Rogers said.

One invaluable asset from Rogers’s 2024 bid is that he can “start focusing on getting people to the polls who already voted for us.”

“I don't have to convince somebody who voted against me to get to the polls,” Rogers said. “And what that allows us to do is focus on them, and we're also going to go after independents and disaffected Democrats.”

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EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump, Darrell Issa, and Lee Zeldin are working on a "lasting solution" to “one of the biggest environmental and public health crises” in America

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• For almost a week, Mexico has been “discharging approximately 5 million gallons a day (MGD) of wastewater into the Tijuana River,” according to an IBWC email obtained by the Washington Reporter.

• Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) has been investigating IBWC’s “failure” in oversight of the facility for years.

• Lee Zeldin, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced that he’ll “be visiting the California-Mexico border in the coming weeks where disgusting Mexican sewage is harming our precious environment in the United States.”

• In the wake of the latest report from IBWC, Issa thinks the Trump administration can finally push for a “lasting solution,” he told the Reporter.

For almost a week, Mexico has been “discharging approximately 5 million gallons a day (MGD) of wastewater into the Tijuana River…as they repair a critical junction box that is part of the International Collector project,” according to an email obtained by the Washington Reporter sent by the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC).

For years, Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) has investigated what he’s called “IBWC’s failure to oversee the proper maintenance and management of this facility and its unsupported requests for hundreds of millions of dollars in additional funding with no end in sight.” His office noted that Issa has been working on this issue for 20 years.

Following years of oversight by lawmakers like Issa, the Trump administration is taking notice. Lee Zeldin, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced that he’ll “be visiting the California-Mexico border in the coming weeks where disgusting Mexican sewage is harming our precious environment in the United States.”

“Permanent solutions must be urgently implemented by Mexico to end decades of their filthy sewage flowing into the U.S.,” Zeldin said.

In the wake of the latest report from IBWC, Issa thinks the Trump administration can finally push for a “lasting solution,” he told the Reporter.

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SCOOP: Sen. John Thune recaps “busy” first 100 days as GOP Leader

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) is marking his hundredth day as Senate GOP leader — and he’s already rolled out a series of accomplishments.

• Under Thune’s leadership, the Senate took its 200th vote last week — “That’s more votes at this point in a new Congress since at least the Reagan era,” he noted.

• Additionally, the Senate, House, and White House are currently working on delivering on several of Trump’s top priorities via budget reconciliation.

• To that end, Thune recently noted that “we passed a budget resolution that sets us up to do the things that we have on our agenda, along with President Trump.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) is marking his hundredth day as Senate GOP leader — and he’s already rolled out a series of accomplishments.

Two of Thune’s most impressive accomplishments since taking the reins from former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) was the longest continuous in-session work period in 15 years and his historically fast confirmation process at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.

“It’s been a busy 100 days in the United States Senate,” Thune said. “And I’m looking forward to many more.”

Under Thune’s leadership, the Senate took its 200th vote last week — “That’s more votes at this point in a new Congress since at least the Reagan era,” he noted.

To the chagrin of some, the Senate has also been working overtime, including many late night sessions. During Thune’s tenure as majority leader, the Senate has been in session and voted during 13 of his 14 weeks at the helm.

Among Thune’s accomplishments are passing the bipartisan Laken Riley Act, which President Donald Trump quickly signed into law; the bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl (HALT Fentanyl) Act; and a series of rollbacks of Biden regulations through the Congressional Review Act.

Additionally, the Senate, House, and White House are currently working on delivering on several of Trump’s top priorities via budget reconciliation.

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EXCLUSIVE: 29 Attorneys General request backup from Trump administration on tackling deadly illegal e-cigarettes from China

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Republican Attorneys General from across America want the Trump administration’s “help in combating the flood of illegal Chinese products— including illegal Chinese e-cigarettes marketed to minors—coming into the United States.”

• While the attorneys general noted that they are “doing our best to fight the problem in the States, its nature and scope are international.”

• Due to the national, and international, nature of the problems posed by flavored Chinese e-cigarettes, the officials need agencies like the FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to help undo the damage of the Biden administration.

• The law enforcement officials, led by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, wrote to top Trump officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, FBI Director Kash Patel, and several others.

Republican Attorneys General from across America want the Trump administration’s “help in combating the flood of illegal Chinese products— including illegal Chinese e-cigarettes marketed to minors—coming into the United States,” according to a letter obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter.

The law enforcement officials, led by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, wrote to top Trump officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, FBI Director Kash Patel, and several others. Their request comes amidst a broader escalation in tensions between the United States and China — and sends a message that elected officials in Trump’s orbit have a high threshold for willingness to combat Chinese communists.

“Chinese manufacturers and their distributors do not even attempt to comply with the law by submitting applications for FDA review before starting to sell their products in the United States,” they wrote.

While the attorneys general noted that they are “doing our best to fight the problem in the States, its nature and scope are international.” They need help, they wrote. “Only a coordinated national effort—involving the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and others—will succeed in stopping the flow of dangerous illegal products from China.”

Due to the national, and international, nature of the problems posed by flavored Chinese e-cigarettes, the officials need agencies like the FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to help undo the damage of the Biden administration.

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K-STREET, 10,000 FEET:

Home Depot, big name retailers could benefit from Dick Durbin’s credit card gambit

by the Washington Reporter

THE LOWDOWN:

• When it comes to Americans’ credit card usage, keeping the market open is of the utmost importance. Sadly, some lawmakers in Congress want to see that market changed, and big box retailers are the ones who will benefit the most.

• Big name retailers like the Home Depot are poised to get serious benefits from the controversial credit card bill introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA).

• A source told the Reporter that the “unintended consequences” of Sen. Durbin’s proposal are well-known and the proposed government mandates amount to “giveaways to the nation’s largest corporate megastores.”

• Additionally, the source decried the lawmakers pushing the CCCA as “the recipients of [mega-store’s] largest campaign contributions.”

When it comes to Americans’ credit card usage, keeping the market open is of the utmost importance. Sadly, some lawmakers in Congress want to see that market changed, and big box retailers are the ones who will benefit the most.

Big name retailers like the Home Depot, whose founder Ken Langone recently said President Trump’s pro-American tariffs were ‘bullsh**,” are poised to get serious benefits from the controversial credit card bill introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA).

As previously reported by the Washington Reporter, the bill would require the Federal Reserve Board of Governors to regulate network competition in credit card transactions. However, this bill has potential downsides of slowing down the economy, resulting in a potential $227 billion economic activity loss and approximately 156,000 jobs lost, according to a 2025 study from top global economic forecaster Oxford Economics Research.

A source told the Reporter no one could say this bill has “unintended consequences” because the harmful effects of these proposed mandates are well-documented.

The source noted that Durbin’s proposed legislation puts similar mandates on credit cards as he did with debit cards more than a decade ago, which killed debit card reward programs, reduced the availability of free checking, and led to more Americans becoming underbanked.

Additionally, the source decried the mega-stores pushing the CCCA as “turning to the recipients of their largest campaign contributions to push for a government takeover of your credit card.”

A person close to President Donald Trump told the Washington Reporter in March that “Dick Durbin opposed all of Trump’s nominees” and that the Illinois Democrat “is now opposing his pro-American growth agenda by introducing a Big Retail/woke credit card act.”

“Republicans should oppose it,” the person said.

Durbin’s home state of Illinois recently passed a similar bill, providing corporate megastores with a massive financial windfall while mom and pop shops and other small businesses were left out to dry. On top of that, consumers in Illinois were left footing the bill

The Illinois law would prohibit credit card companies from imposing interchange tax fees on tips and sales taxes associated with commerce in the state. It’s projected that ten large retailers will absorb over 21 percent of the estimated $118 million reduction in the fees.

Additionally, 1.3 million small businesses in Durbin’s home state would only expect to save only $56 on average — each — and the same businesses would have to pay more money to upgrade their payment systems

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OPINIONATED

Op-Ed: Rep. Kevin Hern and Matt Haller: This Tax Day, Congress can offer tax relief for small businesses

by Rep. Kevin Hern and Matt Haller

The April 15 tax deadline is never a fun day for small business owners, but this year, the date collides with ongoing global economic uncertainty. Entrepreneurs crave predictability, and while the macro situation remains fluid, there is one thing Congress can do right now to provide stability: extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).

Passed during President Donald Trump’s first term, the TCJA contains a full slate of provisions that have provided widespread and sweeping benefits, especially for small business owners in the franchise community.

Franchising is deeply personal for both of us. Before public service, one of us sold a hog farm to buy a McDonald’s restaurant, starting an entrepreneurial journey that led to owning 24 restaurants throughout the Tulsa area. One of us runs the International Franchise Association (IFA), the world’s oldest and official organization for franchising, which is responsible for nearly 9 million jobs in this country.

We both know how small businesses have been impacted by politicians and bureaucrats who have never run a business themselves. In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) revolutionized the system, giving small businesses, including franchises, the lifeline they desperately needed.

Every major corporation — Facebook, Google, Microsoft, etc. — started as a small business in someone’s garage or dorm room. McDonald’s, now one of the largest and most recognized brands in the world, started with just one location in California. These success stories are because of the opportunity that exists in the United States of America. Someone can take a good idea, apply a little elbow grease, and create a business.

Franchising gives that same opportunity to aspiring entrepreneurs. You take the same risk as the small business down the street, you have the same opportunity for success or failure. We know better than anyone how the franchise model of small business has helped countless Americans realize the American Dream.

In recent decades, the government has encroached further and further into small businesses’ operations, levying unfair taxes and burdensome regulations.

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Op-Ed: Pete Sepp: IRS reform can start with protecting small businesses and their vital financial tools

by Pete Sepp

When it comes to harsh tax law enforcement, small businesses often find themselves in the worst possible position. On top of that, we’ve entered the spring weather season with strong storms and tornadoes impacting small businesses in the Great Plains and Midwest. Major damage claims, and affordability problems with future coverage are sure to follow.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is not making it any easier by continuing to scrutinize a vital insurance tool used by small businesses, most recently with poorly-crafted regulations issued on January 14 of this year.

It’s not difficult to understand why: the IRS can collect more dollars from these taxpayers than it can from everyday wage earners, and small businesses rarely have the resources to fight back against the government. No wonder that small business owners often feel abused by the system.

But now, with a new administration and IRS commissioner nominee, there’s hope for a change of direction.

If there’s any organization in America that would know what taxpayer abuse looks like, it’s the National Taxpayers Union (NTU). Since 1969, we’ve been at the forefront of every major taxpayer battle, such as helping to pass President Ronald Reagan’s reform of the Tax Code in 1986 and winning five separate packages of taxpayer rights legislation between 1988 and today. This includes the Taxpayer First Act of 2019, which was intended to provide taxpayers with new, critical safeguards and protections against governmental overreach.

However, as protections are created for taxpayers, new threats arise. The reality is that our government is dead broke, and rather than reining in excessive spending, politicians have instead decided to target the groups already paying a disproportionately higher percentage of the taxes collected each year. For example, under President Joe Biden’s administration, instead of prioritizing urgently needed taxpayer service or modernization needs, tens of billions of dollars were allocated to enforcement efforts through the tragically misnamed Inflation Reduction Act of 2021.

With the 2025 transition of power in full swing, now is the time to chart a new course at the IRS. NTU’s research arm has identified 10 key reforms that the incoming IRS commissioner must focus on, including: creating a detailed “punch list” for specific technology modernization, strengthening the Independent Office of Appeals and the National Taxpayer Advocate, and starting from scratch on unworkable rules like those about to be implemented for crypto transactions.

A more specific example of where change is needed is in the area of micro-captive insurance. The IRS is aggressively pursuing small business owners with audits and scare tactics rather than creating common sense guidance and direction on well-established law.

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