Mitch McConnell Archives - Page 5 of 9

When the Bill Was Obamacare, McConnell Favored Transparency, Legislative Process

June 20, 2017 Buck Banks

“This is a very important issue. You know, we shouldn’t try to do it in the dark. And whatever final bill is produced should be available to the American public and to the members of the Senate, certainly, for enough time to come to grips with it… And we are going to insist — and the American people are going to insist — that it be done in a transparent, a fair and open way.”

— Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by NBC News on October 2, 2009, nearly three months before passage of the Affordable Care Act.

McConnell: White House ‘Drama’ Deflecting GOP Agenda

May 16, 2017 Buck Banks

“I think we could do with a little less drama from the White House on a lot of things so that we can focus on the agenda.”

— Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), in an interview with Bloomberg.

Mitch McConnell Fears Elizabeth Warren

April 15, 2017 Buck Banks

“I’ve spoken to him, but he has not spoken to me. I say hello to Mitch every chance I get, and he turns his head.”

— Sen. Elizabeth Waren (D-MA), quoted by the Boston Globe, noting how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has given her the cold shoulder.

Who’s Got the Button?

February 2, 2017February 23, 2017 Buck Banks

“Go nuclear!” said the Trump to McConnell,
If his SCOTUS choice the Democrats do throttle.
With bravado and bluster —
Poof! No more filibuster!
Let’s just hope Trump doesn’t lead by example.

McConnel Offers No Comment on Presidential Election

October 13, 2016 Buck Banks

If you’re interested in the presidential election, you might as well get up and leave, because I don’t have any observations to make on that.

— Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by the Lexington Herald Leader, to an audience in his home state.

Reid Suggests that GOPers Who Support Trump Agree with His Views on Women

June 15, 2016 Buck Banks

When they get together, they can talk about their policies about being anti-woman. Since Sen. McConnell has so enthusiastically embraced Trump, we can only assume he agrees with Trump’s view that women are dogs and pigs.

— Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, quoted by Roll Call.

Cruz Maintains McConnell Lied to Him

April 15, 2016 Buck Banks

Every word I said there is true and accurate. No one disputed a word I said. The reaction in the Senate is how dare you say that out loud? They’re not upset that somebody lied to them!

— Sen. Ted Cruz, doubling down “on an accusation that Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell lied to him, all the while insisting that he would work well with congressional leadership,” NBC News reports.

Cruz Refuses to Apologize to McConnell

April 8, 2016 Buck Banks

If the Washington lobbyists want to see that happen, they can hold their breath a long, long time.

— Sen. Ted Cruz, saying that an apology for calling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a liar “ain’t gonna happen,” The Hill reports.

McConnell: There Will Be No Government Shutdown

August 7, 2015 Buck Banks

Yeah, we’ll fund the government. I can’t tell you what will finally end up in or out of a government funding bill, but I can tell you without fear of contradiction there will be no government shutdown.

Roll Call reports.

McConnell Comes Out Against Confederate Flag

June 23, 2015 Buck Banks

— Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by NBC News on October 2, 2009, nearly three months before passage of the Affordable Care Act.

“I think we could do with a little less drama from the White House on a lot of things so that we can focus on the agenda.”

— Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), in an interview with Bloomberg.

“I’ve spoken to him, but he has not spoken to me. I say hello to Mitch every chance I get, and he turns his head.”

— Sen. Elizabeth Waren (D-MA), quoted by the Boston Globe, noting how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has given her the cold shoulder.

If you’re interested in the presidential election, you might as well get up and leave, because I don’t have any observations to make on that.

— Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by the Lexington Herald Leader, to an audience in his home state.

When they get together, they can talk about their policies about being anti-woman. Since Sen. McConnell has so enthusiastically embraced Trump, we can only assume he agrees with Trump’s view that women are dogs and pigs.

— Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, quoted by Roll Call.

Every word I said there is true and accurate. No one disputed a word I said. The reaction in the Senate is how dare you say that out loud? They’re not upset that somebody lied to them!

— Sen. Ted Cruz, doubling down “on an accusation that Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell lied to him, all the while insisting that he would work well with congressional leadership,” NBC News reports.

If the Washington lobbyists want to see that happen, they can hold their breath a long, long time.

— Sen. Ted Cruz, saying that an apology for calling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a liar “ain’t gonna happen,” The Hill reports.

Yeah, we’ll fund the government. I can’t tell you what will finally end up in or out of a government funding bill, but I can tell you without fear of contradiction there will be no government shutdown.

There should be no confusion in anyone’s mind that as a people we’re united in our determination to put that part of our history behind us.

— Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by the Louisville Courier Journal, supporting efforts to take down the Confederate battle flag.

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“The man is afraid of the voice of the people and that the people understand and know what he’s doing. He’s trying to stifle the ability of journalists to let the people of America know what’s really going on with their government.”

— “Kamala Harris called President Donald Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House ‘absolutely abhorrent,’” The Wrap reports.

“Not one of them is trained in technical skills. Not one research PhD, as opposed to China, where half the cabinet is science and technology PhDs. We’re led by grifters and fools.”

— Columbia professor Jeffrey Sachs, on X, on President Trump’s 35-person cabinet.

“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far… The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”

— Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), breaking with President Trump in a direct-to-camera video.

Numerati

1,000

10%

“The unprecedented spate of mid-decade redistricting for the U.S. House has changed the congressional districts for one-tenth of Americans and significantly altered the makeup of at least one-fifth of districts, according to a new study,” the Associated Press reports.

71%

$9.5 billion

“The Trump administration last year spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government and save taxpayers money, according to a new estimate by a congressional watchdog,” CNN reports.

470

Reuters has documented at least 470 targets of retribution under Trump’s leadership – from federal employees and prosecutors to universities and media outlets. The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.