October 14, 2013 – Page 2 of 2

I looked up the word “desperate” in the dictionary, and this move by top New York Republicans to get Donald Trump to run for Governor against Gov Cuomo, perfectly defines the word.

They’re seeking to make the case that while Trump is only an apprentice politician, he’s the only Republican on the horizon who has the name recognition, guts and money to tell Cuomo, “You’re fired!”

They’re also arguing that Trump could launch a 2016 presidential run — which he has clearly been eyeing with his criticisms of President Obama and Washington — by first winning the election for governor.

So far, Trump, who only recently learned of the effort, which is backed by state GOP Chairman Ed Cox and other party leaders, hasn’t said a flat “no.’’
Asked for comment by The Post, Trump left open the possibility of entering the race and blasted Cuomo, and even Cuomo’s dad, ex-Gov. Mario Cuomo, for their records in office.

He initially said he was “very flattered’’ that top Republicans were promoting his potential candidacy for governor but noted that running for the office was “not something that I’ve ever even thought about.’’

A few hours later, however, Trump followed up with a scathing attack on Gov. Cuomo — for high taxes and his failure to approve fracking for natural gas — as well as on three-term Gov. Mario Cuomo.

GOP Leader Eric Cantor Could Make a Profit if United States Default

House Democrats are circulating a resolution accusing House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) of having a conflict of interest in the debt ceiling debate, a move that could provide an awkward C-SPAN moment for one of the lead Republicans in the budget negotiations.

The resolution goes after Cantor’s investment in ProShares Trust Ultrashort 20+ Year Treasury ETF, a fund that “takes a short position in long-dated government bonds.”

The fund is essentially a bet against U.S. government bonds. If the debt ceiling is not raised and the United States defaults on its debts, the value of Cantor’s fund would likely increase.

The Democratic resolution, obtained by The Huffington Post from a Democratic source on the Hill, argues that Cantor “stands to profit from U.S. treasury default, which thereby raises the appearance of a conflict of interest,” and that he “may be sabotaging [debt ceiling] negotiations for his own personal gain.” It’s not clear how widely the measure was being circulated, with a House Democratic aide saying they hadn’t seen the resolution or heard it being discussed.

“Majority Leader Cantor has compromised the dignity and integrity of the Members of the House by raising the appearance of a conflict of interest in negotiations with the executive branch over raising the debt ceiling,” adds the measure.