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| Eve of US supreme court healthcare ruling – live politics coverage | Eve of US supreme court healthcare ruling – live politics coverage |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 2.10pm: Guess what? At this very moment the Romney campaign is asking the Washington Post to retract its Bain Capital outsourcing story from last week. | 2.10pm: Guess what? At this very moment the Romney campaign is asking the Washington Post to retract its Bain Capital outsourcing story from last week. |
| Politico's Dylan Byers reports: | Politico's Dylan Byers reports: |
| Mitt Romney campaign representatives will meet with The Washington Post today to seek a formal retraction of its June 21 report that Bain Capital invested in firms that specialized in outsourcing American jobs, Politico has learned. | Mitt Romney campaign representatives will meet with The Washington Post today to seek a formal retraction of its June 21 report that Bain Capital invested in firms that specialized in outsourcing American jobs, Politico has learned. |
| The representatives will meet with executive editor Marcus Brauchli and other senior Post staff at 2pm today at the Post's offices in Washington. | The representatives will meet with executive editor Marcus Brauchli and other senior Post staff at 2pm today at the Post's offices in Washington. |
| The group intends to argue that the Post's allegations against Bain Capital and the firms in question are either incomplete or inaccurate, sources familiar with the meeting say. Specifically, the group will argue that the Post misinterpreted the SEC filings it examined for its report and failed to adequately account for the support these firms gave to U.S. exports or US businesses through foreign hiring. The campaign raised similar objections to the story prior to its publication. | The group intends to argue that the Post's allegations against Bain Capital and the firms in question are either incomplete or inaccurate, sources familiar with the meeting say. Specifically, the group will argue that the Post misinterpreted the SEC filings it examined for its report and failed to adequately account for the support these firms gave to U.S. exports or US businesses through foreign hiring. The campaign raised similar objections to the story prior to its publication. |
| The report in question is "Romney's Bain Capital invested in companies that moved jobs overseas". Will Romney succeed in getting the Post to back down? Since this is the same Washington Post that gave us today's headline "Rainbow-colored Oreo a harbinger of more gay advertising," anything is possible. | |
| In other news, Richard Nixon's ghost is to ask the Washington Post to retract the Watergate investigation, on the grounds that it's now all perfectly legal after the Citizens United ruling. Well, not the break-in part. | In other news, Richard Nixon's ghost is to ask the Washington Post to retract the Watergate investigation, on the grounds that it's now all perfectly legal after the Citizens United ruling. Well, not the break-in part. |
| 2.03pm: Breaking supreme court news from Roll Call's David Drucker: | |
| Drove by the Supreme Court this afternoon. No clues. | Drove by the Supreme Court this afternoon. No clues. |
| Dammit. | Dammit. |
| 1.43pm: The Huffington Post's healthcare reporter Jeffrey Young has a pessimistic analysis of what happens after tomorrow's supreme court ruling: | 1.43pm: The Huffington Post's healthcare reporter Jeffrey Young has a pessimistic analysis of what happens after tomorrow's supreme court ruling: |
| Fully overturning the Affordable Care Act would deny about 30 million uninsured Americans access to the health benefits that would have been provided under the health care reform starting in 2014. Invalidating health care reform also would eliminate consumer protections built into the law that would prohibit health insurance companies from refusing to cover people with pre-existing conditions, charging higher rates to women, kicking sick people off the rolls and setting lifetime limits on coverage of medical bills, among other practices permitted before the law took effect two years ago. | Fully overturning the Affordable Care Act would deny about 30 million uninsured Americans access to the health benefits that would have been provided under the health care reform starting in 2014. Invalidating health care reform also would eliminate consumer protections built into the law that would prohibit health insurance companies from refusing to cover people with pre-existing conditions, charging higher rates to women, kicking sick people off the rolls and setting lifetime limits on coverage of medical bills, among other practices permitted before the law took effect two years ago. |
| 1.24pm: An overlooked detail from the Quinnipiac poll of Florida we reported earlier – it shows that the incumbent Democratic senator Bill Nelson may be in a closer race than previously realised: | 1.24pm: An overlooked detail from the Quinnipiac poll of Florida we reported earlier – it shows that the incumbent Democratic senator Bill Nelson may be in a closer race than previously realised: |
| Florida's US Senate race remains too close to call as Democratic incumbent US Senator Bill Nelson gets 41% to 40% for US Representative Connie Mack, the leading Republican challenger. | Florida's US Senate race remains too close to call as Democratic incumbent US Senator Bill Nelson gets 41% to 40% for US Representative Connie Mack, the leading Republican challenger. |
| "The US Senate race between Bill Nelson and Connie Mack remains a dead heat with 17 percent of voters still undecided, an unusually large number," said Brown. | "The US Senate race between Bill Nelson and Connie Mack remains a dead heat with 17 percent of voters still undecided, an unusually large number," said Brown. |
| And this from a sample of voters who backed Obama over Romney by 45% to 41% in the presidential poll. | And this from a sample of voters who backed Obama over Romney by 45% to 41% in the presidential poll. |
| 1.04pm: Campaign financing in the age of Citizens United and super pacs is rarely a thing of beauty – until Mother Jones created this awesome interactive graphic which portrays the new galaxy: | 1.04pm: Campaign financing in the age of Citizens United and super pacs is rarely a thing of beauty – until Mother Jones created this awesome interactive graphic which portrays the new galaxy: |
| Tracking the flow and impact of money in politics has long been one of Mother Jones' main beats. Since the 2010 Citizens United decision paved the way for a new era of bottomless election spending, we've been focused on what we call "dark money" — the hundreds of millions of dollars being dropped by outside groups, much of it without full disclosure of where it's coming from. | Tracking the flow and impact of money in politics has long been one of Mother Jones' main beats. Since the 2010 Citizens United decision paved the way for a new era of bottomless election spending, we've been focused on what we call "dark money" — the hundreds of millions of dollars being dropped by outside groups, much of it without full disclosure of where it's coming from. |
| 12.40pm: Richard Posner, a federal judge on the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, unpicks Antonin Scalia's dissent from Monday's supreme court ruling on Arizona's immigration law – and finds Scalia's arguments unconvincing: | 12.40pm: Richard Posner, a federal judge on the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, unpicks Antonin Scalia's dissent from Monday's supreme court ruling on Arizona's immigration law – and finds Scalia's arguments unconvincing: |
| In his peroration, Justice Scalia says that "Arizona bears the brunt of the country's illegal immigration problem. Its citizens feel themselves under siege by large numbers of illegal immigrant who invade their property, strain their social services, and even place their lives in jeopardy." Arizona bears the brunt? Arizona is only one of the states that border Mexico, and if it succeeds in excluding illegal immigrants, these other states will bear the brunt, so it is unclear what the net gain to society would have been from Arizona's efforts, now partially invalidated by the Supreme Court. But the suggestion that illegal immigrants in Arizona are invading Americans' property, straining their social services, and even placing their lives in jeopardy is sufficiently inflammatory to call for a citation to some reputable source of such hyperbole. Justice Scalia cites nothing to support it. | In his peroration, Justice Scalia says that "Arizona bears the brunt of the country's illegal immigration problem. Its citizens feel themselves under siege by large numbers of illegal immigrant who invade their property, strain their social services, and even place their lives in jeopardy." Arizona bears the brunt? Arizona is only one of the states that border Mexico, and if it succeeds in excluding illegal immigrants, these other states will bear the brunt, so it is unclear what the net gain to society would have been from Arizona's efforts, now partially invalidated by the Supreme Court. But the suggestion that illegal immigrants in Arizona are invading Americans' property, straining their social services, and even placing their lives in jeopardy is sufficiently inflammatory to call for a citation to some reputable source of such hyperbole. Justice Scalia cites nothing to support it. |
| 12.22pm: Texas has always had a slightly different approach to immigration thanks to its history – as Rick Perry discovered to his cost during the Republican presidential primaries. Now the Texas GOP is pushing its own version of immigration reform, one more moderate than the national Republican position. | 12.22pm: Texas has always had a slightly different approach to immigration thanks to its history – as Rick Perry discovered to his cost during the Republican presidential primaries. Now the Texas GOP is pushing its own version of immigration reform, one more moderate than the national Republican position. |
| Univision's Jordan Fabian talks to one of the co-authors, who says the goal "is to take the Texas 'Solution' to Tampa Bay to the Republican National Committee platform": | Univision's Jordan Fabian talks to one of the co-authors, who says the goal "is to take the Texas 'Solution' to Tampa Bay to the Republican National Committee platform": |
| Earlier this month, Texas Republicans did something unexpected: they adopted a party platform that calls for a national guest-worker program. | Earlier this month, Texas Republicans did something unexpected: they adopted a party platform that calls for a national guest-worker program. |
| The plan has attracted praise as an example of moderate Republican immigration policy at a time when the national party has come under fire for its focus on tough immigration enforcement measures. That stance has served as a major reason why Latinos have shied away from supporting GOP candidates in many areas of the country. | The plan has attracted praise as an example of moderate Republican immigration policy at a time when the national party has come under fire for its focus on tough immigration enforcement measures. That stance has served as a major reason why Latinos have shied away from supporting GOP candidates in many areas of the country. |
| Still, the plan, which is nonbinding, has its critics who say it's an empty political ploy that panders to Latinos, who are by far the fastest-growing population group in Texas and could sway elections in the coming years. They also point out that the platform isn't all moderate. For example, it calls on the federal government to eliminate birthright citizenship and confine it only to the children of US citizens. It would call on rolling back Texas' law that makes undocumented immigrants eligible for in-state college tuition. | Still, the plan, which is nonbinding, has its critics who say it's an empty political ploy that panders to Latinos, who are by far the fastest-growing population group in Texas and could sway elections in the coming years. They also point out that the platform isn't all moderate. For example, it calls on the federal government to eliminate birthright citizenship and confine it only to the children of US citizens. It would call on rolling back Texas' law that makes undocumented immigrants eligible for in-state college tuition. |
| 12pm: As they say on the internet, ICYMI – here's Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren's ringing assault on Mitt Romney the other night: | 12pm: As they say on the internet, ICYMI – here's Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren's ringing assault on Mitt Romney the other night: |
| Mitt Romney tells us in his own words, 'I think corporations are people.' No, Mitt, corporations are not people. People have hearts, they have kids, they get jobs. Learn the difference. And Mitt, learn this. We don't run this country for corporations, we run it for people. | Mitt Romney tells us in his own words, 'I think corporations are people.' No, Mitt, corporations are not people. People have hearts, they have kids, they get jobs. Learn the difference. And Mitt, learn this. We don't run this country for corporations, we run it for people. |
| Expect to see that or something recycled by the Obama campaign later this year. | Expect to see that or something recycled by the Obama campaign later this year. |
| 11.35am: Normally when politicians fiddle with voter identification laws in order to help their party, they keep it quiet. But not straight-talking Pennsylvania house majority leader Mike Turzai, speaking to his friends at a Republican state committee meeting at the weekend: | 11.35am: Normally when politicians fiddle with voter identification laws in order to help their party, they keep it quiet. But not straight-talking Pennsylvania house majority leader Mike Turzai, speaking to his friends at a Republican state committee meeting at the weekend: |
| Turzai reels off his party's recent accomplishments: "Pro-Second Amendment? The Castle Doctrine, it's done. First pro-life legislation – abortion facility regulations – in 22 years, done," he says. Yes, yes. "Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done." Hello? | Turzai reels off his party's recent accomplishments: "Pro-Second Amendment? The Castle Doctrine, it's done. First pro-life legislation – abortion facility regulations – in 22 years, done," he says. Yes, yes. "Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done." Hello? |
| Pennsylvania is a crucial state for the Democratic party's presidential hopes, to be sure, but a tough one for Republicans in any case, notes Politics PA: | Pennsylvania is a crucial state for the Democratic party's presidential hopes, to be sure, but a tough one for Republicans in any case, notes Politics PA: |
| Will Voter ID actually make a difference for Romney? It's highly unlikely. The closest any Republican has come to winning PA since 1988 was George W Bush in 2004; he lost by 2.5% and 144,248 votes. That's at least 144,000 higher than the number of voter fraud convictions in PA since 1988. | Will Voter ID actually make a difference for Romney? It's highly unlikely. The closest any Republican has come to winning PA since 1988 was George W Bush in 2004; he lost by 2.5% and 144,248 votes. That's at least 144,000 higher than the number of voter fraud convictions in PA since 1988. |
| And a nice rejoinder from Democratic state senator Daylin Leach: "If you have to stop people voting to win elections, your ideas suck." | And a nice rejoinder from Democratic state senator Daylin Leach: "If you have to stop people voting to win elections, your ideas suck." |
| 11.17am: In a sign of the difficult economic conditions facing local government, Stockton, California, became the latest high profile bankruptcy by a municipality, after the city failed to come to a deal with its creditors last night. | 11.17am: In a sign of the difficult economic conditions facing local government, Stockton, California, became the latest high profile bankruptcy by a municipality, after the city failed to come to a deal with its creditors last night. |
| Stockton is a city of 290,000 in California's Central Valley and faces a $26m budget deficit this year, having amassed a $90m deficit since the collapse of the housing boom three years ago. It will enter what is known as Chapter 9 bankruptcy. | Stockton is a city of 290,000 in California's Central Valley and faces a $26m budget deficit this year, having amassed a $90m deficit since the collapse of the housing boom three years ago. It will enter what is known as Chapter 9 bankruptcy. |
| It plans to default on $10m in debt payments while cutting back on services and staff costs, and most likely will make deep cuts into pension payments for retired staff. | It plans to default on $10m in debt payments while cutting back on services and staff costs, and most likely will make deep cuts into pension payments for retired staff. |
| While Stockton is technically the largest US city to enter bankruptcy, its population size and debts are far outweighed by unfortunate Jefferson County, part of Birmingham, Alabama. With a population of 650,000, Jefferson County entered bankruptcy last year with debts of $4bn, largely the result of a disastrous deal over a sewage disposal plant. | While Stockton is technically the largest US city to enter bankruptcy, its population size and debts are far outweighed by unfortunate Jefferson County, part of Birmingham, Alabama. With a population of 650,000, Jefferson County entered bankruptcy last year with debts of $4bn, largely the result of a disastrous deal over a sewage disposal plant. |
| 10.52am: The NRA's animus against the Obama administration and Eric Holder goes back a long way, despite the lack of any evidence or serious efforts in favour of gun control from either since taking office in 2009. | 10.52am: The NRA's animus against the Obama administration and Eric Holder goes back a long way, despite the lack of any evidence or serious efforts in favour of gun control from either since taking office in 2009. |
| Salon's Steve Kornacki explains: | Salon's Steve Kornacki explains: |
| The question is why the NRA has decided to emphasize the Holder vote. The group's official explanation, believe it or not, involves conspiracy theory – the idea that the Fast and Furious gun-walking program that led to the death of a border patrol agent in 2010 was actually "a political attack on the 2nd Amendment and that the Justice Department facilitated a crime to further their gun control political agenda." | The question is why the NRA has decided to emphasize the Holder vote. The group's official explanation, believe it or not, involves conspiracy theory – the idea that the Fast and Furious gun-walking program that led to the death of a border patrol agent in 2010 was actually "a political attack on the 2nd Amendment and that the Justice Department facilitated a crime to further their gun control political agenda." |
| That was NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre's assertion, and it's been echoed by several Republicans in Congress, including Darrell Issa, the Oversight Committee chairman who has been leading the contempt push. | That was NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre's assertion, and it's been echoed by several Republicans in Congress, including Darrell Issa, the Oversight Committee chairman who has been leading the contempt push. |
| Reuters notes: | Reuters notes: |
| The NRA, one of America's most powerful interest groups, with four million members, has by now invested a year-and-a-half of energy and undetermined sums advancing the congressional investigation of Fast and Furious. | The NRA, one of America's most powerful interest groups, with four million members, has by now invested a year-and-a-half of energy and undetermined sums advancing the congressional investigation of Fast and Furious. |
| The NRA theory remains only a theory – without proof, and dismissed by an administration spokesman on Tuesday as "absurd." But the NRA's efforts have borne considerable fruit, including the ATF's reassignment of a half dozen or more officials involved in Fast and Furious. | The NRA theory remains only a theory – without proof, and dismissed by an administration spokesman on Tuesday as "absurd." But the NRA's efforts have borne considerable fruit, including the ATF's reassignment of a half dozen or more officials involved in Fast and Furious. |
| 10.30am: The healthcare decision isn't the only big political event tomorrow. The House of Representatives is to vote on whether to hold US attorney general Eric Holder in contempt over the Fast and Furious investigation – and the National Rifle Association is aiming to turn it into a battle over gun rights. | 10.30am: The healthcare decision isn't the only big political event tomorrow. The House of Representatives is to vote on whether to hold US attorney general Eric Holder in contempt over the Fast and Furious investigation – and the National Rifle Association is aiming to turn it into a battle over gun rights. |
| The NRA – the powerful and feared arm of America's gun lobbyists – has told members of Congress that it will take their vote on Holder's contempt citation into account when compiling its ratings on political candidates, blaming "an anti-gun agenda" by the government and claiming that the White House is using the failed gun-running sting as a vehicle to impose limits on gun sales. | The NRA – the powerful and feared arm of America's gun lobbyists – has told members of Congress that it will take their vote on Holder's contempt citation into account when compiling its ratings on political candidates, blaming "an anti-gun agenda" by the government and claiming that the White House is using the failed gun-running sting as a vehicle to impose limits on gun sales. |
| For representatives desperate to maintain a high rating from the NRA, the NRA's move is an attempt to push them to vote for Holder to be held in contempt. Already, Democratic representative Jim Matheson, running for re-election in Utah in a mostly Republican district, has said he will vote for the contempt motion. | For representatives desperate to maintain a high rating from the NRA, the NRA's move is an attempt to push them to vote for Holder to be held in contempt. Already, Democratic representative Jim Matheson, running for re-election in Utah in a mostly Republican district, has said he will vote for the contempt motion. |
| The Republican majority in the House meant that Holder was going to be vulnerable but Matheson's decision gives Republicans the opportunity to claim the vote has bipartisan support. | The Republican majority in the House meant that Holder was going to be vulnerable but Matheson's decision gives Republicans the opportunity to claim the vote has bipartisan support. |
| Here's a copy of the NRA's letter sent to Congress [pdf]: | Here's a copy of the NRA's letter sent to Congress [pdf]: |
| Heightening the NRA's concerns – and requiring our involvement – is the White House's use of this program [Fast and Furious] to advance its gun control agenda. The White House actively sought information from the operation to support its plan to demand reporting of multiple rifle sales by the nearly 9,000 federally licensed firearm dealers in border states. | Heightening the NRA's concerns – and requiring our involvement – is the White House's use of this program [Fast and Furious] to advance its gun control agenda. The White House actively sought information from the operation to support its plan to demand reporting of multiple rifle sales by the nearly 9,000 federally licensed firearm dealers in border states. |
| 10.15am: It's the eve of what promises to be the biggest day in US politics since 2008 as the supreme court delivers its verdict on President Obama's health care reforms. Whichever way the justices fall, it's going to be a big day. | 10.15am: It's the eve of what promises to be the biggest day in US politics since 2008 as the supreme court delivers its verdict on President Obama's health care reforms. Whichever way the justices fall, it's going to be a big day. |
| Meanwhile here's a summary of today's political news from Ryan Devereaux. | Meanwhile here's a summary of today's political news from Ryan Devereaux. |
| A new three-state poll from Quinnipiac University has president Obama slightly ahead of Mitt Romney. In Florida he leads 45% to 41%, Ohio 47% to 38% and Pennsylvania 45% to 39%. On Tuesday a poll from NBC and the Wall Street Journal had registered voters at 47% for Obama and 44% for Romney. | A new three-state poll from Quinnipiac University has president Obama slightly ahead of Mitt Romney. In Florida he leads 45% to 41%, Ohio 47% to 38% and Pennsylvania 45% to 39%. On Tuesday a poll from NBC and the Wall Street Journal had registered voters at 47% for Obama and 44% for Romney. |
| • President Obama will embark on a two-day bus trip through Pennsylvania and Ohio next week, his first of the 2012 election. Road tripping through the two swing states will offer the president an opportunity to meet and greet with supporters who cannot afford to attend the high-dollar fundraisers he's been appearing at lately. | • President Obama will embark on a two-day bus trip through Pennsylvania and Ohio next week, his first of the 2012 election. Road tripping through the two swing states will offer the president an opportunity to meet and greet with supporters who cannot afford to attend the high-dollar fundraisers he's been appearing at lately. |
| • Rick Santorum will be heading back to Iowa next month to hold a pair of "thank you" events. Iowa was key to launching Santorum's bid for president. The events will be sponsored by the Super Pac that supported him, the Red, White and Blue Fund. | • Rick Santorum will be heading back to Iowa next month to hold a pair of "thank you" events. Iowa was key to launching Santorum's bid for president. The events will be sponsored by the Super Pac that supported him, the Red, White and Blue Fund. |
| • New York assembly member Grace Meng won the Democratic nomination for outgoing Representative Gary Ackerman's district last night. The victory puts Meng on track to become New York City's first ever Asian-American member of Congress. In other results, long-time New York congressman Charlie Rangel held onto his seat in Tuesday's primaries, while city councilman Hakeem Jeffries handily defeated the controversial Charles Barron by nearly 42 percentage points to be the Democratic nominee for New York's eighth district. In Utah's GOP run-off primary, Senator Orrin Hatch easily defeated Tea Party challenger Dan Liljenquist by 33 points. Meanwhile in Colorado, Doug Lamborn defeated Robert Blaha, 62% to 38%. | • New York assembly member Grace Meng won the Democratic nomination for outgoing Representative Gary Ackerman's district last night. The victory puts Meng on track to become New York City's first ever Asian-American member of Congress. In other results, long-time New York congressman Charlie Rangel held onto his seat in Tuesday's primaries, while city councilman Hakeem Jeffries handily defeated the controversial Charles Barron by nearly 42 percentage points to be the Democratic nominee for New York's eighth district. In Utah's GOP run-off primary, Senator Orrin Hatch easily defeated Tea Party challenger Dan Liljenquist by 33 points. Meanwhile in Colorado, Doug Lamborn defeated Robert Blaha, 62% to 38%. |