Seth McLaughlin
Articles by Seth McLaughlin
‘Saturday Night Live’ chief: Dems take jokes mores personally than GOP
Republicans are easier to make fun of than Democrats. That is what "Saturday Night Live" executive producer Lorne Michaels told Vulture.com. Published February 3, 2014
You lost the Super Bowl, so pay up Colorado lawmakers!
Rep. Cory Gardner is down with some Rocky Mountain oysters. Published February 3, 2014
Liz Cheney may run again: report
Liz Cheney might not be done running for elected office. Published February 3, 2014
Team Obama inspires Florida Republicans
The head of the Florida GOP says he is confident that Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, will win re-election this fall in part because of the moves they have made to strengthen their ground game. Published February 2, 2014
Sessions: A tea partyer before the tea party was cool
Long before there was a Sen. Ted Cruz filibustering Obamacare on the Senate floor or a Sen. Rand Paul demanding answers on government drone policy, Sen. Jeff Sessions was holding the Senate floor for hours on end, espousing classic tea party stances against higher spending and expanding presidential powers. Published February 2, 2014
Chris Christie knew about lane closures, ex-official claims
The attorney for the former Port Authority official at the center of the George Washington Bridge scandal said there is evidence showing that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was aware of the lane closures when they happened. Published January 31, 2014
Club for Growth hires firm blacklisted by Senate Republicans
The Club for Growth announced on Friday it had hired a prominent advertising firm that had been blacklisted by the campaign arm of Senate Republicans because some of its work went toward defeating incumbent GOP lawmakers in primary contests. Published January 31, 2014
IRS rules change seen as limiting free speech for nonprofit organizations
Conservative groups are mounting a major resistance effort against the Internal Revenue Service's post-tea party targeting scandal rules, which are designed to clamp down on outside groups' ability to organize as nonprofits and still play a role in political conversations. Published January 30, 2014
Republicans eyeing a presidential run in 2016 start to open up to legalization of marijuana
Republicans eyeing the White House in 2016 are pushing their party to change its stance and accept a softening of federal marijuana laws — a dramatic shift from the GOP's most recent contenders. Published January 29, 2014
Sen. Cruz rips Putin’s Human Rights record, demands more U.S. leadership
Sen. Ted Cruz said Tuesday that on President Obama's watch the United States has abandoned the leadership role it has traditionally played abroad, opening the door for Russia President Vladimir Putin to become a bigger player in international affairs Published January 28, 2014
Republicans weigh gamble on Las Vegas for 2016 convention
Republican officials are grappling with whether they can stomach holding their 2016 nominating convention in Las Vegas, which for many represents pretty much everything that a family values party should be trying to avoid. Published January 27, 2014
Looking to 2016, RNC shortens presidential primary calendar
The Republican National Committee voted Friday to condense its presidential nomination contest, in the hopes of avoiding another drawn-out and destructive primary battle that could hinder their chances of winning back the White House in 2016. Published January 24, 2014
Republicans look at past mistakes to map out a more successful future
Republicans are moving this week to confront some of their biggest problems from 2012, including changing their primary and convention schedules to gain a fundraising advantage and highlighting rising women within their party — a demographic they struggled with in the last presidential election. Published January 23, 2014
Christie and McDonnell: Mighty Republicans have fallen
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell stormed the national stage in 2009 as symbols of the GOP's anti-Obama momentum, but with both now under federal investigation, Republicans' unity is shattered and strategists and fellow officeholders struggle to contain the damage. Published January 22, 2014
Amid scandals, N.J. Gov. Christie touts bipartisanship and compromise
In a sign that he still aspires to unite the Republican Party in 2016, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie began his second term by saying his bipartisan approach is the antidote to the us-versus-them message he said dominates Washington. Published January 21, 2014
Billionaires brawl over the future of online gambling
Sheldon Adelson, the Las Vegas casino magnate and GOP megadonor, is raising the stakes in the battle over online gambling by throwing his financial muscle behind a national campaign to end Internet gambling altogether. That puts him at odds with a number of fellow billionaires. Published January 19, 2014
Defiant Christie taunts critics: Scandal won’t hijack agenda
Looking to minimize the damage from two scandals, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie led off his State of the State Address Tuesday by taking responsibility for any mistakes, but also saying he won't allow those — or Democrats in the state legislature — to use the scandals as an excuse to avoid the rest of his agenda. Published January 14, 2014
Cruz hires ousted Republican Study Committee director
Sen. Ted Cruz has hired the former executive director of Republican Study Committee to be a member of his inner circle months after he was ousted for allegedly undermining lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Published January 13, 2014
Republicans praise handling of ‘Bridgegate’ scandal by N.J. governor Chris Christie
Leading Republicans on Sunday rushed to the defense of embattled New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as he contends with the so-called Bridgegate scandal that threatens to undermine his 2016 White House hopes. Published January 12, 2014
Sen. John Cornyn wallops Obama administration in campaign ad
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas released a new campaign commercial that plays up his conservative credentials and accuses the Obama administration of trying to ram his liberal agenda down the nation's throat. Published January 10, 2014