View Online

Evening Report

Thursday, December 21

The Hill illustration

DNC, RNC spar over latest finance reports

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) says it has the most money on hand — $20 million — it's ever had heading into an election year, reporting double the Republican National Committee's (RNC) $10 million.

DNC national press secretary Sarafina Chitika said Republicans are "setting themselves up for another painful election year thirsty for cash while the DNC builds a record-setting war chest to elect Democrats up and down the ballot."

Chitika said the GOP is lighting "money on fire fighting among themselves," whereas "Democrats are unified and making the early investments" for a Biden victory.

RNC spokesperson Anna Kelly told The Hill, as Julia Mueller reported, that Democrats are "lighting money on fire with tone-deaf ads that are failing to cover for Biden's record of failure or boost his abysmal approval ratings."

Kelly said the RNC is "investing early to staff up in House, Senate, and presidential battlegrounds, file over 70 election integrity lawsuits in 20 states, and open minority community centers across the country."

The latest Federal Election Commission filings, which were due Wednesday, show finance figures through Nov. 30.

The DNC brought in roughly $12 million in November, including direct fundraising and transfers from joint fundraising and affiliated committees, compared to the RNC's $8 million.
For the first 11 months of the year, the DNC reported $105 million in receipts to the RNC's $82 million.

Year-end reports for 2023 are due Jan. 31, 2024.

Welcome to Evening Report! I'm Amee LaTour, catching you up from the afternoon and what's coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here.

CATCH UP QUICK

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is expanding the investigation into special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing two prosecutions of former President Trump. Jordan requested that Smith turn over all documents related to the prosecutions.
Smith again urged the Supreme Court to quickly review Trump's immunity defense in the federal 2020 election interference case, a day after Trump's team argued the high court should hold off pending a lower appellate court's ruling.
The House Education Committee is investigating Harvard's handling of plagiarism allegations against President Claudine Gay on the heels of a hearing on antisemitism that included testimony from Gay and other university heads.

NEW THIS AFTERNOON

Buttigieg gives holiday air travel tips

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg posted a video with tips for those traveling by plane during the busy holiday time, pointing travelers to the flightrights.gov website outlining passengers' rights.

Buttigieg noted air travelers are entitled to a full cash refund if a flight is cancelled and that the 10 largest airlines will cover certain expenses associated with delays or cancellations that are the airlines' responsibility.

The Transportation Security Administration expects Thursday, next Friday and New Year's Day to be the busiest air travel days coming up.

court battles

Trump denies 'insurrectionist' label

Former President Trump on Thursday responded to the Colorado Supreme Court ruling barring him from the state ballot by saying he's "not an Insurrectionist" and pointing to comments he made on Jan. 6, 2021, encouraging supporters to march to the Capitol "peacefully and patriotically."

The state court ruled Trump engaged in insurrection and as a result is prohibited from a second White House term under the 14th Amendment. Trump's legal team said it'll appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

President Biden said Wednesday, "Whether the 14th Amendment applies or not, we'll let the court make that decision. ... But he certainly supported an insurrection."

As we noted Wednesday, Trump may still have a path to Colorado's primary ballot.

IN OTHER NEWS

Giuliani files for bankruptcy after Georgia ruling

Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor and ex-lawyer to former President Trump's campaign, filed for bankruptcy after a jury ordered he pay around $148 million to former Georgia election workers he had baselessly accused of committing fraud related to the 2020 election.

NYC council bans solitary confinement

The New York City Council voted this week to ban solitary confinement in city jails. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams (D), who sponsored the bill to ban the practice, said, "Committing an infraction in jail can cause you to lose privileges, not basic human rights."