OH, IT’S ON!
DEMS RAMP UP TRUMP PROBE
WASHINGTON — The White House told Senate Republicans on Monday to “keep their powder dry” ahead of a vote to nullify President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.Mexico border, as the administration worked to limit defections on a measure rebuking the President.
The message was delivered by Zach Parkinson, White House deputy director of government communications, in a meeting Monday with Senate Republican communications staffers, according to two people who attended the meeting.
It came as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (photo) predicted the resolution to overturn Trump’s emergency declaration would pass in the Republican-led Senate — but ultimately not survive a veto.
Over the weekend, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) became the fourth Republican to announce he would vote for the resolution, ensuring its passage with unified Democratic support.
But the White House is eager to contain further defections from members of Trump’s party on his signature issue of building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The emergency declaration is aimed at getting additional money for border barriers after Congress refused to grant Trump’s funding request.
At Monday’s meeting, Parkinson cautioned GOP Senate communications aides against public criticism from their bosses over the emergency declaration, saying that if senators are planning to vote to overturn it they should contact the White House to get further information on Trump’s rationale, according to the two people who attended the meeting.
And if GOP senators don’t have anything good to say, Parkinson said, they should “keep their powder dry,” according to the two people, who requested anonymity to detail the private discussion.