Politics

Meadows Says Don’t Expect Much From Dems Infrastructure Meeting With White House

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Kerry Picket Political Reporter
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North Carolina Republican Rep. Mark Meadows said Monday night that he is doubtful House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will emerge from the White House Tuesday with an infrastructure deal in hand.

Meadows says the burden of subpoenas demanded and launched investigations from Democrats will likely poison the well of negotiations. The last time Trump, Pelosi, Schumer, as well as the Vice President met at the White House together, Trump invited the press into their meeting where they discussed the government shutdown and the border wall funding.

“Either they want to legislate or investigate, and, obviously, you know they can go and sing Kumbaya tomorrow in the Oval Office and, at the same time, they’re probably issuing new subpoenas to investigate other issues as it relates to the campaign and that’s not lost on me and it’s certainly not lost on the president,” Meadows said.

President Trump meets with Schumer and Pelosi at the White House in Washington

U.S. House Speaker designate Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks with Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. President Donald Trump as they meet with her and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque.

Pelosi appeared to be optimistic Monday telling reporters “Our message is: Let’s work together. The American people understand the need to build the infrastructure of our country. Let’s find a solution.”

Pelosi and Schumer, according to CNN, are reportedly expected to be joined by other House and Senate Democratic leadership members at the White House with the president including Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Patty Murray, Debbie Stabenow.

Additionally, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip James Clyburn, Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Lujan, Richard Neal, the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Peter DeFazio, the chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee are also reportedly expected to be in attendance.

Ahead of the meeting at the White House to discuss infrastructure, Schumer and Pelosi sent a letter Tuesday to the President describing some of their priorities for the infrastructure bill. (RELATED: Pelosi, Schumer Want To Turn Trump’s Infrastructure Plan Into A Climate Change Bill)

In light of our commitment to work with you to pass a comprehensive infrastructure bill, we urge you to consider the following priorities:

A big and bold infrastructure package must be comprehensive and include clean energy and resiliency priorities.  To truly be a gamechanger for the American people, we should go beyond transportation and into broadband, water, energy, schools, housing and other initiatives.  We must also invest in resiliency and risk mitigation of our current infrastructure to deal with climate change.

A big and bold infrastructure plan must have strong Buy America, labor, and women, veteran and minority-owned business protections in any package.  This bill can and should be a major jobs and ownership boost for the American people – manufacturers, labor contractors, and women, veteran and minority-owned businesses.

President Trump revealed his own $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan at the beginning last year but Democrats panned the proposal claiming it did not provide enough funding. (RELATED: Opening The Locked Door Of Infrastructure With This Hidden Key)

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 Kerry Picket is a host on SiriusXM Patriot 125