Press corps knew of Conyers … Rep. Grijalva quieted complaint against him … the CFPB not so independent … Senator who? … and demagoguing the tax bill

 Here are my observations on items in the news.

Cokie Roberts failed to talk about Conyers when she knew of his inappropriate actions. (abc.go.com)

WHAT IF HE WAS A REPUBLICAN, COKIE? – Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Cokie Roberts made a startling admission that “every female in the press corps knew” to avoid being in an elevator with Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), and has apparently known about this “for years.”

“Don’t get in the elevator with him, you know, and the whole every (sic) female in the press knew that, right, don’t get in elevator with him,” Roberts said in discussing the charges against Conyers with colleague and Martha Raddatz and Anna Palmer. All this while Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was calling Conyers “an Icon” on another network. Days later she decided that the icon needed to step down. As I write this, Conyers is being treated for “stress” in Detroit.

Roberts admitted that ignoring Conyers’ advances has been status quo for decades. I doubt that the same practice would be adhered to if the individual was a Republican.

Rep. Grijalva paid-off staffer who complained about his being under the influence in his office. (Washington Times)

ANOTHER DEMOCRAT DIPS INTO “SHUSH” FUND – By now you’ve probably heard that Rep. Raul M. Grijalva of Arizona, like Conyers, quietly arranged a “severance package” in 2015 for one of his top staffers, who threatened a lawsuit against him, according to the Washington Times. However, this wasn’t a sexual harassment case. The female staffer claimed that he was frequently drunk and created a hostile workplace environment. Grijalva used the House Employment Counsel to negotiate a deal for taxpayers to give $48,395 – five months s’ salary – to settle the issue as she left the job in Grijalva’s office.

AN “INDEPENDENT” AGENCY THEY SAY – Thanks to President Trump’s naming of Rick Mulvaney to take the reigns of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, we will witness further draining of the Washington DC “swamp.” Many people have learned of the extreme partisan and ideological tilt of this brainchild of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, which was an outgrowth of the flawed Dodd-Frank Act.

As more information is revealed about the CFPB, we learn that “consumer protection” was far from its goal. In the last presidential election, 594 political contributions were made to Democrats, and just one to the GOP. Hillary Clinton received $46,611, Warren, $13,190, and just $1,129 to Bernie Sanders. Democrat campaign committees received $19,075.

Considering the infiltration of the Obama deep state in the CFPB, Mulvaney has his work cut out for him, but there was no better choice; Mulvaney has long had their number.

I regret that space will not allow me to provide you with in-depth information on the CFPB. If you are curious about the unconstitutionality of the agency, I invite you to read Ned Ryan’s piece, “Don’t Reform the CFPB: Burn It Down, Salt the Earth,” in American Greatness. Simply click here.

EVER HEAR ABOUT SENATOR DAINES? Me neither. Move over Senators John McCain and Susan Collins – Steve Daines, the junior senator from the state of Montana, was given his 15-minutes of fame in the media this week as he joined a handful of Republicans, who sought changes to the tax reform/cut legislation. Too bad the state’s senior senator, Democrat John Tester, chooses to ignore his constituents, who voted overwhelmingly (by 20.2 percent) for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton.

I CAUTIONED YOU MONTHS AGO that the Republican tax reform/cut plan would be demagogued by the left, with the familiar “for the rich” focus. The Faith in Public Life Action Fund purchased a second full-page ad in the Arizona Republic, asking Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake not to vote for the tax reform/cut bill. In the organization’s first ad, they said to vote for it would be “morally wrong.” Today, the Washington-based group – without the knowledge of the bill’s final content – asks the pair not to “break faith Arizona,” stating that it would have “a devastating impact on seniors, middle class and poor families.”

Further, the ad states that 500 faith leaders (not listed) are calling on the senators to “do the right thing by listening to God’s call at this pivotal moment.”

As I post this, I should point out that Senator McCain has indicated that he will vote in favor of the tax legislation.

The leftist Fund considers itself a civil rights and social justice advocacy group. It has received financial support from George Soros’ Open Society Foundation

WHILE PRESIDENT TRUMP FELT THE NEED to stray from his script while honoring the Navajo code talkers to take a swipe at Sen. Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren, the names “squaw” and “Pocahontas” are not generally considered to be derogatory or racial slurs … unless, of course, you work for CNN or MSNBC.