The Friday Filibuster: The one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about this week in politics.
Closing Numbers
4 - the number of Pinocchios WaPo gave President Obama for his Keystone Pipeline claims
19 - the number of Christian hostages released by ISIS.
51 percent of informed voters would choose Gov. Walker over Hillary Clinton.
55 percent of registered voters oppose President Obama's most recent executive actions on immigration.
19 percent of South Carolina Republicans would choose Jeb Bush if the S.C. Republican primary were held today.
53 percent of registered voters disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as president.
42 percent of voters doubt Obama’s patriotism.
“Sharknado 3” will feature Ann Coulter as vice president.
257 - the number of representatives in the House who voted to pass ‘clean’ legislation funding the Department of Homeland Security until the next budget year.
5 - the number of votes the Senate was short in order to pass a Keystone override.
HRC Drama
In 2007, Hilary Clinton chided Bush administration officials for using “secret White House email accounts.” But apparently she didn’t really care all that much about the law or security breaches, because not only did she use (multiple) personal email accounts to conduct official State business, but she even used a server from her family home to do so, which of course gave her additional legal protections. The irony is that Clinton’s State Department forced the resignation of the U.S. Ambassador to Kenya in part for setting up a private email system for his office. The White House is squirming on how to address this one given that it's been a common practice in the 'most transparent administration in history.' Press Secretary Josh Earnest though refused to say whether or not they trust her claims that she followed the law in choosing to use her personal email, and the White House Counsel’s Office reportedly had no idea she did this. Even the liberal media are turning their backs on her. Rep. Trey Gowdy’s Benghazi Committee will be sending out subpoenas to get a closer look at her emails, and Judicial Watch is suing. Two days after the scandal was first exposed, Hillary took a belated stab at transparency and said that she wanted people to read her email … just as soon as the State Department releases them. Apparently, however, they already had 90 percent of the emails. The controversy also didn’t stop her from basically announcing that she’s running for president. But will this be a game-changer for her presidential aspirations?
Campaigns and Elections
Little doubt remains that famed neurosurgeon Ben Carson will take the plunge and run for president. Sources also indicate that Marco Rubio is growing increasingly frustrated in the Senate and unlikely to seek a second term, which paves the way for you know what. The Scott Walker PAC meanwhile made two important hires for their leadership board. And on the congressional side of things, former Rep. Todd Akin said he will not challenge Sen. Roy Blunt in a 2016 primary. I know, you’re heartbroken. Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski is calling it quits after 2016. And taking her place may be Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who announced he will run for Senate in 2016.
Gun News
Despite the ATF, DOJ, and White House’s claims that the proposed ban on commonly used ammunition for AR-15s is necessary to protect law enforcement officers from “armor piercing” ammunition, that claim doesn’t pass the smell test. And the House Judiciary Committee Chairman said the ATF’s attempt to ban the ammunition through executive order is preposterous. Breaking news on this front happened Friday afternoon, as it was revealed the "green-tip" ammunition in question has already been reclassified as "armor piercing," meaning their comment period was just for show. In other gun news, New Yorkers are launching a new strategy to chip away at the extremely anti-gun SAFE act; the Maine legislature is considering whether to allow “constitutional carry;” and California had a record year in handgun sales. Oh, and according to a DOJ report, “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” never actually happened.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in D.C. this week for his much anticipated joint address to Congress about the threat a nuclear Iran poses to Israel and the United States. The White House claimed to be unhappy about the visit due to the elections, but Conn explains the real reason was because they knew he would make a forceful case against Obama’s upcoming nuclear deal with Iran. Unsurprisingly, many Democrats boycotted the speech, while those who did attend decried it as condescending and urged the Israeli PM to just go home. Nancy Pelosi said the horribly insulting speech made her want to cry. Predictably, he did slam the nuclear deal and insisted if Israel has to act alone, it will. (PS: This is how Obama will bypass Congress on Iranian nuclear arms deal.)
Pro-life News
Despite reasons to doubt Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s pro-life credentials, he did seem to make up for it by pledging to sign a controversial pro-life bill. There were also a couple of inspiring stories that made the rounds this week, one about a 12-year-old girl who was brutally raped but still chose life, and another about a photo that proves fetuses aren’t ‘blobs of tissue’ in early stages of pregnancy. An excellent documentary about one pastor’s heroic efforts to rescue abandoned babies in South Korea also hit screens this week.
In other news
President Obama is ‘very interested’ in raising taxes through executive action. And according to the GAO, the chance of a ‘path to citizenship’ was a ‘primary cause’ of the 2014 migration surge, but we already knew that. And in an effort to justify his executive amnesty, President Obama on Friday invoked the “spirit of Selma.”
Townhall Exclusives
Sarah Seman was busy at CPAC last week. She sat down with Guy Benson to talk about his upcoming book, “End of Discussion,” interviewed millennials to find out what the most important issue to them is, and had some fun, asking attendees which politician they’d most like to get a drink with. Also at CPAC, editors in the Townhall Media Group weighed in on whether Republicans should nominate a governor or senator in 2016.
Graphics by Townhall Graphic Designer Feven Amenu.
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