MAGA Republicans stooped to new lows this week with their extremism, hypocrisy, chaos, and — as President Biden would call it — malarkey. In case you missed it: Donald Trump is trying to run from his extreme anti-abortion record, cheering for a government shutdown to advance his own political agenda, and attempting to rewrite his record of being one of the most anti-worker presidents in history. Also this week, Tim Scott, Ron DeSantis, and Mike Pence doubled down on their support for Tommy Tuberville’s military blockade.

On top of all this, DeSantis, Scott, Pence, and Nikki Haley all renewed their commitments to supporting a national abortion ban; DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy denied the climate crisis; and House Republicans devolved into chaos. 

After paving the way for abortion bans across the country, Trump is trying to rewrite his record, but in his own words, “nobody has ever done more” for the anti-choice movement than Donald Trump.

The Atlantic: “The person most responsible for what might be the greatest assault on individual freedom since the mid-20th century is Donald Trump, who appointed fully one-third of the justices on the Supreme Court, hard-core right-wing ideologues who overturned Roe just as he promised they would.”

Trump isn’t even pretending he’s above using MAGA House Republicans to advance his own political agenda — even if it means shutting down the government in a devastating blow to America’s hardworking families. 

Welker: “Do you think Republican hardliners should abandon their threat to shut down the government over their spending priorities now that there is this impeachment inquiry?”

Trump: “No, I think if they don’t get a fair deal – we have to save our country. We’re $35 trillion in debt. We have to save our country.”

Welker: “You would shut down the government? You’d support that?”

Trump: “I’d shut down the government if they can’t make an appropriate deal. Absolutely.”

Trump’s attempt to spin his record as the one of the most anti-union presidents in history isn’t working — take it from the UAW president himself. 

Fain: “I’ll be real about that person. I’ll never forget in the ‘16 race when he spoke about workers in Michigan, union jobs and the Midwest — and said that ‘we need to do a rotation in this country, we need to move those jobs to other places that pay less money. And then those people will be begging for their jobs back for anything.’ That’s not – that’s not a person I want as my president. You know, and recently he made the comment about, you know, telling people to stop paying their dues. That’s not someone that represents working class people. He’s part of the billionaire class. We need to not forget that. And that’s what our members need to think about when they go to vote.”

CNBC: “Fain has said he believes another Trump presidency ‘would be a disaster,’ citing the need for the union to ‘get our members organized behind a pro-worker, pro-climate, and pro-democracy political program that can deliver for the working class.’

“Fain criticized recent comments by the former presidential billionaire Wednesday night, reiterating he does not support Trump.”

2024 Republicans doubled down in their support for abortion extremist Tommy Tuberville, whose military blockade is holding up hundreds of military promotions and undermining America’s readiness.  

HuffPost: “Scott replied that it may actually be a good thing that Tuberville is singlehandedly preventing hundreds of U.S. military posts from being filled.

“‘Under President Biden, holding up promotions is not necessarily a bad thing,’ said the South Carolina Republican.”

The Hill: “2024 GOP presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reiterated his support Saturday for Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) hold on military promotions. … Tuberville’s months-long hold of more than 300 military promotions is in protest against a Pentagon policy reimbursing expenses for service members traveling across state lines for abortions.”

The Hill: “Former Vice President Pence backed Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) holds on senior military promotions, supporting his protest over military abortion policy.

“‘On day one, I’ll direct the Department of Defense to to stop using taxpayer dollars to undermine pro-life laws in states around the country,’ Pence said in a speech Friday. ‘Sen Tommy Tuberville is right, and the Pentagon is wrong.’”

Scott, DeSantis, Haley, and Pence all doubled down on their support for banning abortion nationwide.  

Scott: “That’s what I’m sponsoring in a week. I’m thankful that Mike has joined us. He’s a good man fighting for a very similar position on a similar — on a really important issue. I think we should celebrate those of us who want to create a culture of life from sea to shining sea within this country — that requires leadership. We have to fight for that. Every single day of my presidency, I’ll be fighting to preserve life and to stop crazy states from doing immoral things.”

Radio Iowa: “On Saturday at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition event, you said as president, you would support abortion restrictions at the state and the federal level. Would you sign the nationwide 15-week ban that the Faith and Freedom Coalition supports? 

DeSantis: “So I’ve said from the beginning of this, as president, you put pro-life legislation on my desk, I’m going to look favorably and support the legislation.”

DeSantis: “As president, I’m going to welcome pro-life policies across the board at both [state and federal] levels.”

DeSantis: “We’ve also in Florida not just given lip service, but we put our money where our mouth is when it comes to promoting a culture of life. We signed the Heartbeat Protection Act in the state of Florida, the strongest protections for right to life in the modern history of the state of Florida.”

Haley: “Whatever we can get 60 Senate votes on, isn’t that better than what we have now? And if it’s six weeks, that’s great. If it’s 15 weeks, that’s great.”

Pence’s agenda: “Mike Pence supports using every tool available to protect our Nation’s children. The fight to restore and protect the right to life did not end when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Mike Pence will work with Congress to pass a 15-week abortion ban to protect unborn children nationwide. This minimum standard is essential to ensure that the lives of unborn children are protected in every state. President Pence will also support the adoption of a constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to life in our Nation’s Constitution.”

Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy ramped up their climate denialism in an effort to out-MAGA their GOP opponents who have refused to face the reality of climate change.

Politico: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that humans are ‘safer than ever’ from the effects of climate change, less than a month after a hurricane pounded Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. … DeSantis’ remarks come less than a year after Hurricane Ian — the second-deadliest storm the continental U.S. has seen in decades, after Hurricane Katrina — devastated his home state, leaving more than 100 people dead and destroying homes and businesses. Last month, Florida grappled with the fallout from another storm, Hurricane Idalia, which pummeled the state and left more than 245,000 customers without electricity as trees snapped by strong winds brought down power lines. Four people died in the hurricane.”

New York Times: “But asked Wednesday if he believed that fossil fuels contributed to climate change, Mr. DeSantis deflected — which he has done repeatedly, most notably on the Republican debate stage last month.”

CNN: “[DeSantis’s] comments Wednesday were among the most forceful to date in rejecting the scientific consensus surrounding man-made global warming.”

Linsey Davis: “Do you believe in climate change?”

Ramaswamy: “Well, I think that with due respect, I’ve talked about this in other forums, ‘Do you believe in climate change?’ is not really a meaningful question, because climate change has existed as long as the Earth has existed. Do I believe it is a fact that global surface temperatures are rising over the course of the last century and the last half century? Yes, I think that that is an established trend–”

Davis: “As president, would you do anything to try to buck that trend?”

Ramaswamy: “No is the answer.”

And Speaker-in-name-only Kevin McCarthy’s conference is devolving into chaos. 

Jake Sherman, Punchbowl News: “🕛 Midday: Can House Republicans govern? At this moment, House Republicans can’t govern. This isn’t just an opinion, at this point. It’s a fact that’s been borne out in the Capitol all week. House Republicans are struggling with the building blocks of governing eight months into their majority.”

NBC News: “Deflated House Republicans leave town with no solution for government shutdown” 

Jordain Carney, Politico: “Tony Gonzales in a tele-townhall: ‘we are on track to have a government shutdown’

Says the House isn’t ‘debating … real things’ and not offering ‘real solutions’ 

‘None of these ideas have any chance of being taken up in the Senate and signed into law’

Doesn’t support CR”

Jake Sherman, Punchbowl News: “‘F–king chaos’ … ‘a total sh–t show’ Two texts I’ve gotten from inside the House Republican leadership in the last few minutes.”

Olivia Beavers, Politico: “House Rs telling me some members have already caught flights out of DC today”

Jordain Carney, Politico: “House vibe check:

Me: Do you know what your schedule is for the next few days?

Clay Higgins: ‘if you find out what my schedule is will you please advise me? Because I would like to know’”

Fox News: “House descends into chaos as GOP rebels again sink key defense vote a second time this week”