Intelligence insurrection
House Speaker Mike Johnson just named an election denier and an alleged bully to the House Intelligence Committee, all without informing the committee’s actual chair ahead of time. Maybe Johnson was trying to satisfy the MAGA wing of his party, or maybe he just doesn’t care about who has access to key intelligence. But whatever his motivation, the appointments of Reps. Scott Perry, R-Pa., and Ronny Jackson, R-Texas could have some significant implications.
The House Intelligence Committee, chaired by Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, handles highly sensitive classified information and works with foreign governments and domestic intelligence officials at the CIA, FBI and other organizations. Now, The New York Times is reporting Johnson’s decision has “prompted fears that the intelligence community might pull back on the sensitive national security information it shares with Congress.”
It is hard to imagine these two are going to sail through a security clearance process.
Jackson, a former White House physician and member of the U.S. Navy, was demoted from a retired admiral to retired captain following an internal investigation that revealed Jackson had made “sexual and denigrating” comments about a female colleague and abused prescription medication. (In the vein of Donald Trump, Jackson has denied these allegations and called them politically motivated).
Perry, a former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, played a prominent role in Trump’s attempts to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election. The FBI, which Perry will now help oversee, confiscated his phone as a part of its probe into the Jan. 6 insurrection.
These appointments have significant implications for our democracy. Security officials are warning that Russia, China and Iran are looking to meddle in the 2024 election. Far-right groups here at home are stoking unhinged conspiracy theories about non-citizens voting. The stakes are high. By appointing Trump acolytes, Johnson is signaling that he’s more interested in appeasing Trump than in shoring up the committee’s crucial work in an election year.
A story you should be following: The whims of the 'double haters'
When it comes to Trump’s legal woes it feels like absolutely nothing that can change voters' minds. But for at least some Americans, Trump’s guilty verdict in a New York court may have been the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back.
According to many pollsters, “double haters” — that is, voters who dislike both Trump and President Joe Biden and are struggling to make a choice — constitute as much as 16 to 20% of the electorate. However, a recent focus group organized by The Atlantic found that even among “double haters” who supported Trump in the past, the former president’s lack of remorse and disrespect for institutions may have crossed a line.
And according to a recent poll by Siena College and The New York Times, Biden enjoyed a two-point bump when surveyed this week, with double haters “especially likely to defect” from Trump. So while they represent a small sliver of the electorate, it’s possible they could sway the outcome of the election.
Someone you should know: Rep. Tara Peters
Republican state legislatures have gotten a lot of medical facts wrong recently. Now, we can add another one to the list. Contrary to what Missouri lawmakers may believe, birth control pills do not “cause abortions.”
In the Missouri House, GOP state Rep. Tara Peters recently co-sponsored a bill aimed at broadening access to birth control pills. She unfortunately faced tragic but not uncommon opposition from fellow Republicans who falsely accused the bill of facilitating access to abortion drugs. Despite Peters’ efforts to educate her colleagues on the distinction between birth control and abortion, the bill ultimately failed to pass.
Medical misinformation can have serious consequences, making voices like Peters’ in state legislatures more crucial than ever.
Dan Pfeiffer’s weekend routine
What show are you bingeing right now?
“Hacks” on HBO Max.
What’s the last book you read?
“The Hunter,” by Tana French
What time do you wake up on the weekends?
I have automatically woken up at 5 a.m. every day without an alarm for the last 15 years, no matter what I do.
How do you take your coffee?
I gave up coffee six months ago to try to address the waking up at 5 a.m. problem. (It didn’t work.)
