Hogan warns Biden on COVID bill 'loaded up like a Christmas tree' with liberal goodies: 'Get rid of all that'
Hogan visited the White House Friday to talk about the pandemic with President Biden and other state and local officials.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is continuing his pressure campaign on President Biden and Republicans in Congress to make significant concessions in pursuit of a coronavirus stimulus deal that can be passed on a bipartisan basis, which includes the release of a new ad on Tuesday.
The ad titled "Real Bipartisan Action," first obtained by Fox News, touts the fact Hogan and Maryland's overwhelmingly Democratic general assembly managed to nearly unanimously pass a state-level stimulus bill, which Hogan signed into law on Monday.
Hogan's new ad follows a visit he made to the White House on Friday to discuss Biden's stimulus plan. Also visiting the White House was a bipartisan group of mayors and governors including Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Democratic Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and others.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan holds his hand up during a news conference in Annapolis, Md., on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. Hogan visited the White House Friday to discuss coronavirus relief with President Biden. (AP Photo/Brian Witte)
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"I pressed really hard on a couple of points. I thought it was critically important that they should find a compromise position and work on a bipartisan solution to the next relief bill," Hogan said in an interview with Fox News Monday.
"There are certain things we've got to come together on. Republicans agree that we need to get some relief out there," Hogan continued. "But this Democratic bill and take it or leave it -- loading this thing up like a Christmas tree with all kinds of extras that have nothing to do with the pandemic, like $15 minimum wage and taking care of special interest groups. They need to get rid of all that and find a way to work with Republicans."
Hogan's ad draws a contrast between "Washington once again retreating to its partisan corners" and the successful bipartisan stimulus in Maryland.
"We have a governor who sees that we all represent the same people," Maryland House Speaker Del. Adrienne Jones says in a clip used in the new Hogan ad, which is published by "An America United," Hogan' 501(c)4 group.
"Washington, take a page from your neighbor and take Hogan's lead," the ad says.
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Meanwhile, Democrats in Congress and the Biden administration are lamenting Republicans' alleged unwillingness to support a large enough coronavirus relief plan. Biden's plan, which Democrats are in the process of pushing through the House and Senate via budget reconciliation, allowing them to avoid a Republican filibuster, costs $1.9 trillion, raises the minimum wage to $15 per hour, doles out $1,400 stimulus checks, and much more.
President-elect Joe Biden speaks at the Major Joseph R. "Beau" Biden III National Guard/Reserve Center, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in New Castle, Del. Biden has so far refused to compromise on his coronavirus relief deal in negotiations with congressional Republicans. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
After Biden met with a moderate group of Republican senators led by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, ostensibly to see where compromise could be had on coronavirus relief, no progress seemed to be made. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden "will not slow down" for Republicans and "will not settle for a package that fails to meet the moment." The consensus among Democrats was that the proposal made by the Collins group during that meeting was much too small.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., meanwhile warned that "The cost of inaction is high and growing ... We are hopeful that Republicans will work in a bipartisan manner to support assistance for their communities, but the American people cannot afford any more delays and the Congress must act to prevent more needless suffering."
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Hogan, however, is warning that if Biden moves forward with a massive spending bill without making some concessions to Republicans, he risks poisoning the well for the rest of his term.
"I said if we get a bipartisan bill and you start off on the right foot by working with Republicans on this relief package, that it would make it easier to get along and get more things done on other issues. It seemed as if he was somewhat receptive to that idea" Hogan told Fox News.
"I said just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. And you might have the vote to cram it through with just Democrats, but I think it'd be a really bad idea," Hogan said. "You can't ever reach a compromise unless both sides are willing to give something up."
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