’Bama’s Jones warms to GOP
ALABAMA Sen.-elect Doug Jones will “of course” consider voting with Republicans on some issues, he said Sunday.
The Democrat scored an upset victory over Roy Moore last week in heavily Republican Alabama, in a race roiled by allegations Moore had sexual contact with multiple teenage girls.
In an appearance on CNN “State of the Union” Sunday, Jones also said he doesn’t think President Trump should resign over sexual assault allegations against him.
Asked whether he would have to consider voting with Republicans on some issues to represent his conservative state, Jones said, “Of course I do.”
“One of the problems in American politics right now … is that everybody thinks because you’re a member of one party or another, you’re going to vote a certain way,” he said. “And that should not be the case.” HOW CONVENIENT.
Sen. Bob Corker said his sudden switch from a no vote to a yes vote on the GOP tax bill had nothing to do with a last-minute provision that could benefit his real estate empire.
Just days ago, the Tennessee Republican was the only senator in his party to vote against the bill when it passed in a 2 a.m. session in early December.
But Corker says he has since seen the light.
“I know every bill we consider is imperfect, and the question becomes is our country better off with or without this piece of legislation,” Corker said in his statement. “I think we are better off with it. I realize this is a bet on our country’s enterprising spirit, and that is a bet I am willing to make.”
Corker also insisted his bet is not based on a provision that would put more money in his pocket by cutting taxes on income from real estate-affiliated limited liability corporations.
Corker made $7 million from such companies in 2016, according to records obtained by the International Business Times.
President Trump made between $41 million and $68 million of the same kind of income, the report said.
But the senator denied any knowledge of the so-called “Corker kickback.”
Corker said he hadn’t even read most of the bill.
“I had like a two-page summary I went through with leadership,” Corker told the International Business Times. “I never saw the actual text.”
“I don’t really know what the provision does, to be honest,” Corker told the publication. “I would need an accountant to explain it. I had no knowledge of this.”
Corker’s office said he “requested no specific tax provisions throughout the monthslong debate and had no knowledge of the pass-through provision in question.”
On Sunday, Corker wrote Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, asking him to explain how the provision ended up in the final version of the bill.
“Because this issue has raised concerns, I would ask that you provide an explanation of the evolution of this provision and how it made it into the final conference report,” Corker wrote the Utah Republican. “I think that because of many sensitivities, clarity on this issue is very important.”
Several Democratic senators slammed the new provision.
“This new real estate carve out was airdropped in at K Street’s bidding, widens the proposed pass-through loophole and gives away an even bigger tax cut to Trump and his wealthy friends,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Tax experts said the cuts will add close to $1.5 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade despite promises from GOP leaders that it will help the economy.
Trump hopes to have the bill passed by Christmas. Congress is likely to go into recess by Friday.
Corker has said he will not run for reelection in 2018. TOP REPUBLICANS said a massive tax plan is sure to pass Congress this week, with a vote as soon as Tuesday. The Senate’s No. 2 Republican said Sunday the $1.5 trillion bill is a done deal. “I’m confident we’ll pass this bill, probably on Tuesday,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) said on ABC’s “This Week.” A final version of the tax bill, agreed to by both House and Senate leaders, was released on Friday — centering around a huge cut to the corporate tax rate, which would go from 35% to 21%. The bill adds a last-minute provision that would lower taxes on income earned through real estate — a break it is believed would financially benefit real estate honchos President Trump and Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, a Republican who voted against the bill in the Senate but now says will support the final version. Republicans appear to have the votes to pass the tax package — but were still working Sunday to sell it to American voters, who polls show overwhelmingly oppose it. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) called the bill “a total betrayal of President Trump’s economic populist message on the campaign trail.” “It’s a huge giveaway to big corporations,” he said on “This Week.” The Joint Committee on Taxation projects the deal will increase the deficit by $1.46 trillion.