Murkowski Responds To Trump Admin Threat: I'm Strong And Independent

[Stuart G]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) on Thursday downplayed a phone call she had with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke during which he reportedly threatened her over her vote on Obamacare repeal, saying that she is strong and independent.

Murkowskis office confirmed to TPM that Zinke called the senator to express that the President was not happy with her vote on Obamacare repeal. Murkowski herself told reporters on Capitol Hill that Zinke told her what she already knew, which is that President Donald Trump wasnt pleased with the vote that I had taken, according to a clip of her remarks that aired on MSNBC.

Murkowski was one of two Republican senators to vote this week against beginning debate on Obamacare repeal, and Trump singled her out for her opposition in a Wednesday morning tweet. The senator told reporters Thursday that she had also spoken to the President himself about it.

[further down in article]........

She also signaled that threats and pressure from the White House would not do much to change her mind.

Im a pretty strong and independent individual, she told reporters, according to CNBC. I listen to the input from all sides, whether it is the President, whether it is certainly the secretary of Interior where we have much, much in common, and always absolutely, the people of Alaska.


Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/murkowski-response-report-interior-threat

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This speaks for itself.......

[global1]

1. Good On Her.....

stand up to the bully. If more in government would do that maybe Trump would cower in his office and not come out and embarrass us every chance he gets.

It's the only way to combat a bully - stand up to them and put them in their place.

As long as Trump feels that his bullying tactics keep working - he will keep on bullying us.

We need to take a stand now - just like Murkowski - and not let him get the better of us by bullying.

[William Seger]

2. Zinke must resign!

[hamsterjill]

3. That's great.

Now, let's see if she follows through and doesn't cave.

[emulatorloo]

7. She owes the GOP nothing. A teabag primaried her. She won as a write-in candidate

IMHO Has more reasons to be loyal to her voters/constituents that that bullshit artist.

Interesting article here:

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/27/16030520/murkowski-republican-health-bill

Why Alaska's Lisa Murkowski isn’t afraid of Donald Trump
The unusual Alaska political coalition that’s bedeviling Republicans, explained.

[hamsterjill]

8. I sincerely hope you are right.

But she's a Republican and that means I do not trust her.

[emulatorloo]

10. The article I linked is worth reading if you get the chance.

RnC/ GOP supported the teabagger. Here's a quick description of the political coalition who got behind her and wrote her in:


Murkowski’s unique political coalition of Alaska Natives, Democrats, and centrist Republicans

Left to fend for herself, Murkowski cobbled together the votes of Alaska Democrats, centrist Republicans, and Alaska Natives. The bid for her independent write-in campaign was kicked off with an announcement featured several Alaska Natives in its backdrop.

[hamsterjill]

11. Thank you for the link. I did read it.

And as I said, I do sincerely hope you are right about her.

But I will say it again. She is a Republican and I don't trust Republicans. She may have been helped by the Alaska natives in 2010, and she may even be standing for them now. But what are her future aspirations? Just like McCain and Graham, I hear a lot of things from them and then when it comes down to it, they invariably fall in line with the party.

I would LOVE to see Murkowski be the real and true "maverick".

[emulatorloo]

12. Understood. Fingers crossed. N/t

[hamsterjill]

14. Hey, have you seen this? Maybe...just maybe...this woman knows how to play!!!!!

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10141831100

[emulatorloo]

15. Thanks for the link!

[BumRushDaShow]

22. The difficult thing that she also had to deal with as a write-in

is that based on Alaska voter law regarding write-ins, the voter MUST spell the name correctly or it doesn't count. And I remember reading the media reporting on her run and how her team had to get ads and pamphlets out emphasizing her name so that people spelled it correctly.

[IronLionZion]

5. Whenever the president is not pleased

that's when you know you're doing the right thing for your people, like their lives depend on it.

Stand strong Senator. Don't be intimidated by orange twitler.

[Leghorn21]

6. Oh, hell to the yeah, Senator Murkowski!! "...and I...WON'T...BACK....DOWN" - nt

[SergeStorms]

9. I notice...

that it's the very few Republican women who are standing up to this cheap, disgusting bully.

The "old men's club" seems quite content to kiss Trump's gigantic, pimply, shit-smeared ass, rather than risk his tweeting wrath. Although there have been a few rumblings lately from some of them, but ONLY about the terrible treatment Trump is heaping upon one of their own, Sessions. Maybe this will give them the kick in the nuts they need to start acting like men again.

[DURHAM D]

13. I wish Murkowski and Collins would have drinks one night

after work and decide to change their party affiliation to Dem. Good way to screw the guys in their own party who keep f*cking with them.

[xor]

16. I don't know much about Murkowski and her stances, but I know I would rather have the GOP with more

people like Collins instead of seeing the GOP only have heartless and nearsighted buffoons. Mostly because there is always going to be almost half the country that will vote for them regardless of what they do. I'd prefer to have some people in there to keep some balance by injecting some decency into the GOP. If she wasn't in there now, where would we be?

[DURHAM D]

17. They are absolutely ineffective within their own caucus.

If they change the balance of the Senate and caucus with us everything changes.

[obamanut2012]

18. I can see Collins as a real Independent like Jeffords

She is usually pretty spineless, but I think she is pretty decent, and is smart. Murkowski is much more conservative.

[DURHAM D]

20. But they primaried Murkowski and she lost and

then she ran as a write-in and won so I don't think she really cares for the Party. I wouldn't no matter my leanings.

[obamanut2012]

23. I totally agree -- they threw her under the bus

[Worried senior]

19. I called her office

and left a message thanking her for her vote.

Sure hope she can stay strong.

[cstanleytech]

21. Until it comes to a SCOTUS nomination. nt