View this post on the web at [link removed]

October 24th, 2025
Let’s dive in.
INTERVIEW: How RNC Chair Joe Gruters plans to turn Trump’s energy into GOP wins
Heard on the Hill
EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans want FBI investigation on the Biden corruption cover-up that came straight from the top
EXCLUSIVE: Bilingual reinforcements heading to New Jersey via the RSLC’s latest ad campaign
EXCLUSIVE: House Democrats flee when asked about Schumer Shutdown
SCOOP: “You’re doing a fantastic job”: Friendship between Trump and Thune is critical to Senate GOP’s unity during Schumer Shutdown
EXCLUSIVE: Controversial former senator donating thousands to House Democrat’s campaign
OPINIONATED: Rep. Mike Simpson explains why the GOP shouldn’t cave to Chuck Schumer, Brigadier General Ronald Johnson on how to strengthen America’s arsenal, former DEA Administrator Derek Maltz on how to tackle illicit vapes from China, and Gerard Scimena on how proven science can complement the MAHA movement
A message from our sponsor.
President Trump promised to protect Medicare for seniors — but the No UPCODE Act would cut Medicare Advantage by billions of dollars. This after cuts from the previous administration have already reduced benefits and increased costs for millions of beneficiaries. Protect seniors. Stop the No UPCODE Act.
If you have a tip you would like to anonymously submit, please use our tip form [ [link removed] ] — your anonymity is guaranteed!
INTERVIEW: How RNC Chair Joe Gruters plans to turn Trump’s energy into GOP wins
by Matthew Foldi
Joe Gruters, the new Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), is no stranger to serving as the Chairman of GOP entities — he’s been doing it for two decades. But after President Donald Trump tapped then-RNC Chairman Michael Whatley to run for Senate in North Carolina, Gruters made his way to the biggest stage yet.
Days before the 2025 elections, the Washington Reporter interviewed Gruters in his office about what he’s expecting in November, and how the RNC has worked for months to meet the moment of this November’s elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and across the country.
While the off-year elections are often rough for a president’s party, Gruters likes the hand he was dealt. Trump, he said, is “literally on fire…He’s probably the best president ever to live in my eyes.”
Heard on the Hill
NOVEMBER OPEN?: Senator Eric Schmitt (R., Mo.) made some news at the Washington Reporter’s book party for his bestseller, The Last Line of Defense [ [link removed] ]. Schmitt predicted the government would open on November 1st, citing the rollout of 2026 price notices for Affordable Care Act plans on the individual market.
NOT SO GOLDEN: While Graham Platner’s Nazi tattoo is dominating coverage of Maine politics right now, don’t sleep on Rep. Jared Golden’s (D., Maine) free-falling popularity. Following multiple ad campaigns totaling almost $2 million by the American Action Network (AAN), Golden’s image has cratered to as little as 16 percent approval in some polls. Former Gov. Paul LePage (R., Maine) appears well-positioned to finally oust Golden next year.
ON REPEAT: Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) is capitalizing on the latest gaffe by a House Democrat in leadership. Johnson’s digital director, Meredith Turton, noted that the video of Rep. Katherine Clark (D., Mass.) claiming that the shutdown is “political leverage” for Democrats is now playing on repeat outside of Johnson’s office. Clark’s son was arrested two years ago during a Boston Antifa rally for assaulting a police officer.
CASH IS KING: The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has outraised its Democratic counterpart yet again. “For the first time in a decade, the NRCC has outraised the DCCC in the first three quarters of an election cycle,” the NRCC’s Mike Marinella noted. “House Republicans have unstoppable momentum while Democrats are broke, divided, and out of gas.”
ROLL THE TAPE: The Republican Study Committee (RSC) rolled out a highlight reel of House Democrats’ gaffes during the Schumer Shutdown, focusing on remarks from former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.), Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D., Mass.), and more.
END OF CATFISHING: Tinder announced the roll out of Face Check, a new program to combat catfishing in online dating. “Seven countries and the state of California, and will roll out to additional U.S. states in the coming months as part of Tinder’s next phase of safety innovation, aimed at building greater trust, reducing impersonation, and redefining authenticity in dating.”
A message from our sponsor.
Big banks shouldn’t decide who gets access to the financial system. The open banking rule protects Americans from being debanked—keeping your data secure, your choices open, and your money under your control. Stand for a system that serves the people, not big Wall Street banks. Learn more [ [link removed] ].
EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans want FBI investigation on the Biden corruption cover-up that came straight from the top
by Matthew Foldi
A top Republican on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence wants FBI Director Kash Patel to open an investigation into “members of the Obama Administration involved in the earlier-mentioned intelligence cover-up and all other abuse of office that may have occurred during their tenure,” according to a letter obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter.
Rep. Pat Fallon (R., Texas) was joined by 20 of his colleagues in writing to Patel and to Attorney General Pam Bondi following a recent CIA declassification of “documents pertaining to then-Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine in 2015,” the lawmakers wrote.
“The evidence uncovered about the weaponization of the USG under the Obama Administration aligns with a clear pattern of Democrats using the IC and administrative state to advance their own partisan agenda, shield themselves from scrutiny, and work to delegitimize their political opponents,” the lawmakers wrote. “This calculated affront to the rule of law and gross misuse of our national security apparatus cannot be left unchecked. We urge the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to launch an investigation into members of the Obama Administration involved in the earlier-mentioned intelligence cover-up and all other abuse of office that may have occurred during their tenure.”
EXCLUSIVE: Bilingual reinforcements heading to New Jersey via the RSLC’s latest ad campaign
by Matthew Foldi
Help is on the way for New Jersey Republicans in the form of another tranche of ads from the Republican State Leadership Committee’s (RSLC) New Jersey PAC that comes as races up and down the ballot continue to tighten in the Garden State.
The RSLC’s latest ad campaign is six figures and features one in Spanish as Republicans seek to capitalize on corruption from New Jersey Democrats like disgraced Sen. Bob Menendez, scandals involving Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D., N.J.), and skyrocketing cost of living.
“New Jersey families are working harder than ever, but Garden State Democrat politicians like Mikie Sherrill are too busy navigating their self-inflicted scandals and pushing policies that make life more expensive,” the RSLC’s president, Edith Jorge-Tuñón, told the Reporter. “This ad campaign makes it clear: state Republicans are fighting to restore trust, lower costs, and deliver real leadership for the Garden State.”
The RSLC’s Spanish ad, called “Basta Ya!” emphasizes how working families are “getting left behind, while politicians get ahead. So many years of bad policies and we’re the ones paying for it. Something needs to change.”
EXCLUSIVE: House Democrats flee when asked about Schumer Shutdown
by Matthew Foldi
The Washington Reporter previously caught [ [link removed] ] Democratic Party staffers partying on the roof of the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters amidst the Schumer Shutdown — as it turns out, several Democratic lawmakers seemed to join for the festivities, but fled when asked about their votes to shut the government down.
In videos obtained exclusively by the Reporter, lawmakers like Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.) and Steven Horsford (D., Nev.) shuffled into the DNC when pressed about why they voted against the Biden-era continuing resolution that most elected Democrats have voted for plenty of times.
Jeffries flashed a smile while asked “why did you close down the government.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) remarked that Jeffries’s behavior was “actually shameful.”
SCOOP: “You’re doing a fantastic job”: Friendship between Trump and Thune is critical to Senate GOP’s unity during Schumer Shutdown
by Matthew Foldi
As America careens towards the second month of the Schumer Shutdown, the Washington Reporter’s sources on the Hill have been remarking about the strength of the relationship between President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) — which was recently put on full display when the White House invited Thune and Senate Republicans over for lunch.
With the exception of Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.), every Senate Republican has stood with Thune and Trump in the midst of unprecedented Democratic Party obstruction.
During the Rose Club festivities, Trump praised Thune’s leadership, friendship, and stewardship of the Senate.
“I want to thank the outstanding leadership team,” Trump told the assembled senators, “and you really do have that. Majority Leader John Thune, who’s been my friend. He really has done an amazing job. Thank you, John. Thank you…I didn’t get to know John as well in the first term, and I’ve gotten to know him very well over the last nine months, John, and you’re doing a fantastic job.”
EXCLUSIVE: Disgraced former senator donating thousands to House Democrat’s campaign
by Matthew Foldi
Rep. Josh Riley (D., N.Y.) cashed a $5,000 check from his former boss’s PAC, according to campaign finance reports reviewed by the Washington Reporter. While support from a former boss is rarely news, it is when that boss resigned in disgrace amidst pressure from New York’s two Democratic senators.
Both Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.) and Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) demanded the ouster of then-Sen. Al Franken (D., Minn.) amidst a wake of sexual misconduct scandals. Riley served as Franken’s General Counsel in the Senate, and has repeatedly leaned on his former boss for campaign donations; he most recently took $5,000 from Franken’s Midwest Values PAC in the past quarter.
Riley did not respond to request for comment about whether he agrees with Schumer and Gillibrand that Franken resigning was the correct move.
OPINIONATED
Op-Ed: Rep. Mike Simpson: Republicans shouldn’t cave to Democrats’ shutdown demands, and here’s why
by Rep. Mike Simpson
Sunday marked one month since House Republicans did our job and passed a clean funding extension to keep the government open through November 21st. House Republicans voted to keep the government serving the American people, while Democrats voted nearly unanimously to shut it down.
Last week, I hosted a telephone town hall with Idahoans from across my district. From why the government is shut down, to Democrats’ radical spending demands, to taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants, one point stood out: Idahoans urged me, “don’t cave. Stay strong in the fight.”
Why shouldn’t Republicans cave? Because we already gave Democrats exactly what they asked for: a clean funding extension, no policy riders, no gimmicks, and a limited timeframe. Democrats demanded this very bill, then, in a stunning reversal, voted to shut the government down.
What’s most shocking is that the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) is the same short-term funding extension that virtually all Democrats supported thirteen times under President Joe Biden. Again, this is a clean funding measure just to keep the lights on and allow us to continue negotiating appropriations bills — nothing more, nothing less. How can they defend voting against something they’ve supported so many times before?
Op-Ed: Brig. Gen. Ronald J. Johnson: Strengthening America’s arsenal is an immediate national security imperative
by Brig. Gen. Ronald J. Johnson
As a former Marine Corps brigadier general who has led Marines into harm’s way, I have seen firsthand that decisive leadership and a clear strategic focus make the difference between victory and costly failure. President Donald Trump’s commitment to “peace through strength” has refocused our armed forces on what matters most: lethality, readiness, and the industrial backbone that sustains combat operations. Those reforms, cutting wasteful programs, prioritizing combat capability, and restoring morale, have produced measurable improvements in recruitment and readiness after a period of decline.
Strength deters chaos. The reforms we have implemented are restoring the fighting spirit and operational edge of the U.S. military. At the same time, strategic threats are evolving. America now faces a long-term peer competitor in the Chinese Communist Party whose industrial capacity and munitions output dwarf our current production. This is not a distant hypothetical, it is a material vulnerability that demands urgent policy and industrial response.
President Trump and Vice President JD Vance have correctly called attention to a grave shortfall in our munitions stockpiles. Continued support to partners such as Ukraine, while morally and strategically justified, has further strained prepositioned reserves and exposed gaps in our surge capacity. Pentagon war games repeatedly show that in a high-end fight — for example, defending Taiwan — we could exhaust precision munitions in a matter of days. That is an unacceptable risk.
Op-Ed: Derek Maltz: Here’s what President Trump must do next to win the fight against illicit Chinese vapes
by Derek Maltz
President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi recently struck back against the scourge of illicit Chinese vapes by raiding the manufacturers and distributors pushing these products on Americans. This leadership has been badly needed, and it’s a huge win for every American family, for the administration, and for the Congressional leaders, like Sens. Ashley Moody (R., Fla.), Tom Cotton (R., Ark.), and Katie Britt (R., Ala.) who have called for this action.
Here’s how we got to this point, and what we need to do next to make sure no Americans are harmed by illegal vapes and synthetic drugs from China. The crisis we face today with illicit vapor products is not an isolated issue; it’s the latest chapter in a long and dangerous playbook from criminal networks in China.
For years, we’ve witnessed a pattern of chemical weaponization targeting American communities, especially our youth. What began as the export of precursor chemicals for methamphetamine production into Mexico has evolved into a transnational assault on public health and national security.
Op-Ed: Gerard Scimeca: Trump’s innovation agenda can combat obesity with proven science
by Gerard Scimeca
If there is one consistent strain in President Donald Trump’s policy initiatives, it is the steadfast embrace of new technology, both to make government more efficient and cost-effective, and to keep America the global leader in innovation throughout each sector of our economy. Early examples include the crypto-friendly GENIUS Act and the rollout of the federal government’s first artificial intelligence (AI) framework, already being implemented to help reform Medicaid.
On the medical front, the arrival of GLP-1 medications, themselves heralded as the “Scientific Breakthrough of the Year” in 2023, presents the next opportunity to continue this trend. By expanding access to medications like Wegovy and Zepbound, the United States could save trillions of dollars in long-term healthcare costs while transforming the way we deliver care.
More than any administration since JFK, the Trump White House is making health a national priority, symbolized by Kennedy’s nephew, RFK Jr., leading the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission. With it well-known that America is in the midst of a rising obesity epidemic, itself a significant contributor to higher healthcare expenditures, new tools and strategies are essential to achieving President Trump’s goal of a healthier nation.

Unsubscribe [link removed]?