Playbook PM: ‘Just say that the election was corrupt + leave the rest to me’

From: POLITICO Playbook - Friday Jul 30,2021 05:37 pm

Jul 30, 2021

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DEVELOPING — “Trump Pressed Justice Dept. to Declare Election Results Corrupt, Notes Show,” by NYT’s Katie Benner: “The demands were an extraordinary instance of a president interfering with an agency that is typically more independent from the White House to advance his personal agenda. … ‘Just say that the election was corrupt + leave the rest to me’ and to congressional allies, [Deputy A.G. RICHARD] DONOGHUE wrote in summarizing [then-President DONALD] TRUMP’S response.

“Mr. Trump did not name the lawmakers, but at other points during the call he mentioned Representative JIM JORDAN of Ohio … Representative SCOTT PERRY of Pennsylvania … and Senator RON JOHNSON of Wisconsin … The notes connect Mr. Trump’s allies in Congress with his campaign to pressure Justice Department officials to help undermine, or even nullify, the election results.” House Oversight Dems tweeting out the notes

IT’S THE RARE ALMOST-AUGUST FRIDAY on Capitol Hill where both chambers are in session, and Congress feels a bit like the U.S.-Netherlands women’s soccer game this morning: It all comes down to the last minute, everybody’s desperate to move on, and two evenly matched sides keep battling each other to a draw. The stakes, of course, are a little different: the nation’s infrastructure and people being kicked out of their homes vs. a semifinal berth against Canada. (On Wikipedia, meanwhile, Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN has already been replaced by USWNT goalie ALYSSA NAEHER.)

Instead of scoring on infrastructure, senators keep getting called offside. What was supposed to be an uneventful procedural vote on the BIF at 11:30 a.m. turned hectic amid confusion about the text of a draft. “Senate Minority Whip JOHN THUNE (R-S.D.) told reporters that ‘Dems are in disarray, I think, in what to put up to vote on,’” our colleagues Marianne LeVine and Burgess Everett reported. “Sen. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-N.H.), one of the Democratic negotiators, said Friday that broadband remains a problem. ‘As we’re drafting the language, some issues have come up,’ she said.”

By just after 1 p.m., the motion to begin debate had finally sailed through by a 66-28 margin — with Senate Minority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL among the ayes.

Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER predicted things could head into overtime for the infrastructure bill, with finishing touches “in a matter of days” and the chamber potentially working through the weekend.

Sarah Ferris sets the scene on the Hill: “It’s the kind of fly-out day where reporters can *literally* overhear members asking staff about the last flights out of D.C. tonight. From sitting in the press gallery.”

Happy Friday afternoon.

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MORE CONGRESS

LAST-MINUTE PUSH ON EVICTION BAN — “House Dems hustle for votes to extend eviction moratorium after eleventh-hour Biden push,” by Sarah Ferris, Heather Caygle and Katy O’Donnell: “Speaker NANCY PELOSI and her leadership team are scrambling to nail down the votes for an eleventh-hour push to extend the federal eviction moratorium — likely to be the House’s final task before the departing for its lengthy August recess.

“The Democrats’ push came as a surprise to many in the caucus, and some in leadership, after a last-minute demand from the White House … [They’re] struggling to win over a group of entrenched holdouts that includes moderates who say the extension shouldn’t go beyond Sept. 30. And several Democrats across the caucus argue there’s little point in forcing a vote when the Senate is unlikely to be able to win 10 Republican votes for the measure.”

— By midday, the latest reporting suggested House Dems were now considering extending the moratorium to mid-October instead of the end of the year. (Still no plan to get it through Senate Republicans, though.)

— THE BACKDROP: “Evictions are about to restart as tenants wait on billions in unspent rental aid,” by WaPo’s Jonathan O’Connell, Anu Narayanswamy, Rachel Siegel and Alyssa Fowers: “Six months after the aid program was approved by President Donald Trump in December, just 12 percent of the first $25 billion in funds had reached people in need due to loss of income from the pandemic.”

— AND WHAT IT’S LIKE ON THE GROUND: “A Year of Avoiding Eviction in Tennessee,” by Oliver Whang in The New Yorker

THE TIGHTROPE WALK — “Pelosi and Sanders brace for Democratic upheaval over Biden agenda,” by Burgess Everett, Sarah Ferris and Heather Caygle: “BERNIE SANDERS had an urgent plea at a meeting for Senate Democrats this week: We’re with you on this bipartisan bill, so you better be with us on our $3.5 trillion spending package … Shortly after Wednesday’s caucus meeting, Sanders called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to reinforce her position of holding back the bipartisan deal until a massive domestic bill passes the Senate …

“During the call with Pelosi, Sanders also relayed his support for her ahead of what is shaping up to be a massive pressure campaign from moderate Democrats and Republicans to drop her position. … [T]here’s growing worry the complex proposal could quickly turn into a 10-car pileup. … It’s a conflict that will test the strength of Democrats’ House and Senate relations, with slim majorities spread out across a large ideological spectrum.”

SINEMA’S HOMETOWN PAPER CLAPS BACK AT CRITICS — “Editorial: Progressives can vilify Sinema all they want, but her work strives toward a national consensus,” by the Arizona Republic’s editorial board: “Perhaps it’s time for the fire-breathers to reconsider that maybe the first Democrat to win a U.S. Senate seat in Arizona in 30 years actually knows what she is doing.”

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT! — ABC’s @bensiegel: “[House Majority Whip JIM] CLYBURN says a rewrite of HR4 will be introduced next week that will ‘meet the test’ in the Senate and attract some GOP support. (Unclear how much - need 10 R’s to pass). Aug. 6 is the 56th anniversary of the day the Voting Rights Act was signed into law by President Johnson.” More from Nicholas Wu and Zach Montellaro

FUN FRIDAY READ — “In Spite of Defeat, AOC Says Vote on Her Psychedelic Bill ‘A Leap’ Forward,” by The News Station’s Matt Laslo

INFRASTRUCTURE YEAR

THE VIEW FROM KENTUCKY — “What’s in it for McConnell? Why the ‘grim reaper’ is backing a Biden priority,” by NBC’s Sahil Kapur and Benjy Sarlin: “McConnell’s incentives are more complicated than the ‘Dr. No’ image he has cultivated over a decade and a half as the Senate Republican leader … By acquiescing to a deal, he can reward Republican allies, head off Democratic efforts to end the filibuster and even score some popular goodies for his state. …

“Democrats were likely to advance an infrastructure bill with or without Republicans. If McConnell had stopped a bipartisan deal, he might have denied Republicans a seat at the table to make sure their priorities were addressed and pare the total cost. … The issue also has unique appeal to McConnell, who showcases federally funded projects he has secured for Kentucky whenever he’s up for re-election.”

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POLITICS ROUNDUP

2022 WATCH — “GOP to Herschel Walker: Consider staying on the bench,” by Marianne LeVine and Burgess Everett: “Senate Republicans are raising concerns about [HERSCHEL WALKER’s] past in a state widely viewed as their best pickup opportunity next year. ‘Some of it’s pretty bad, obviously: physical abuse and pulling a gun on his wife, if that’s true,’ said Sen. JOHN CORNYN … Walker’s potential candidacy offers another test case for the former president's influence over the GOP …

“As Senate Minority Whip JOHN THUNE (R-S.D.) put it: ‘He’s got the wow factor, the celebrity factor … But some of these issues he’s going to have to figure out how to answer.’ … Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.), a Trump ally, is encouraging the former running back to go for the Senate seat, describing the reports as ‘bullshit.’”

WHAT DEMOCRATS WANT — “AP-NORC poll: Democrats optimistic but divided on compromise,” by Bill Barrow and Emily Swanson: “[T]he party is divided over the best strategy for accomplishing its agenda. About half say Democrats should compromise with Republicans, even if it means giving up things they want. The other half say Democrats should stick to their positions no matter what, even if it means they would have to find a way to pass laws without Republican support.”

PANDEMIC

POLL OF THE DAY — The White House has been tripping over themselves for months to emphasize that they have no plans to create vaccine mandates, with an eye on the conservative media outlets that have been trying to stir up fear about the prospect. But it turns out … that’s actually what Americans want. Axios’ Caitlin Owens has the latest polling data: “Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they’d support federal, state or local governments requiring everyone to get a coronavirus vaccine, according to a new survey conducted by The COVID States Project. …

“45% of Republicans said they approve of such mandates. A majority of respondents in all but three states — Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota — said they support requirements that everyone be vaccinated.” The survey

ANOTHER READ ON POLLS — “Partisanship Isn’t The Only Reason Why So Many Americans Remain Unvaccinated,” by FiveThirtyEight’s Geoffrey Skelley

THE LATEST NUMBERS — @cyrusshahpar46: “Big Friday just in: +857K doses reported administered over yesterday’s total (vs. 600K last Friday)! This includes 563K newly vaccinated, highest since July 1. Over 190M Americans with at least one dose. 69.6% of adults with at least one dose. Let’s do this!”

THE 30,000-FOOT VIEW — “‘Covid With a Vengeance’ Consumes U.S. Politics,” by NYT’s Alexander Burns: “The American political system has come down with a case of long Covid. … The resurgence of the disease, driven by the fast-spreading Delta variant, threatens to halt plans by both parties to shift their attention to other matters … A drawn-out plague disproportionately afflicting red-state America could become an embarrassment for the G.O.P. even as anti-government language on matters of public health becomes an increasingly central strain of Republican messaging. …

“[For Democrats,] it may be difficult to mount a campaign of mass communication on issues that are not tightly bound up with the ongoing public health crisis, including subjects like voting rights and immigration that are high priorities for Mr. Biden’s party.”

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POLICY CORNER

WHAT MICHAEL REGAN IS UP TO — “EPA outlines plan to expand wetland protections,” by E&E News’ Hannah Northey: “The Biden administration laid out plans today for scrapping and replacing a contentious Trump-era Clean Water Act rule that pulled back federal protections for millions of streams and wetlands. … The rule’s fate and how quickly it can be rewritten are politically explosive for President Biden. It has pitted environmental groups against developers and farmers for decades and sparked partisan fights on Capitol Hill.”

IMMIGRATION FILES — “‘Something has to change’: GOP Sen. Graham and Democratic Rep. Cuellar urge Biden to tap Jeh Johnson or someone similar for border czar,” by WaPo’s Sean Sullivan: “The border-district Democrat from Texas and the outspoken Republican from South Carolina are making their call in a letter Friday, a move that reflects the turbulent politics of immigration and its political challenge for Biden. The surge in illegal crossings to the U.S. shows no sign of slowing despite the administration’s early predictions that it would fade as summer temperatures climb.”

AMERICA AND THE WORLD

PULLOUT FALLOUT — “As Afghan interpreters arrive in the U.S., State eyes more flights in August,” by Lara Seligman: “The group, which will be flown to countries outside of the U.S., will include roughly 4,000 applicants for the State Department’s special immigrant visa program and their family members. The total number of people in this second group to be evacuated and eventually brought to the U.S. could reach up to 20,000 …

“The news comes as the first applicants began arriving in the U.S. early Friday morning. Just over 200 Afghans, including applicants and their family members, began the long flight from Kabul on Thursday and were expected to be transported to Fort Lee.”

BEYOND THE BELTWAY

WAPO’S LATEST INVESTIGATION — “Police shootings continue daily, despite a pandemic, protests and pushes for reform,” by Mark Berman, Julie Tate and Jennifer Jenkins: “The yearly toll even reached a new high of 1,021 fatal shootings in 2020. Midway through this year, fatal police shootings are down compared with the same period last year. …

“Most police departments still do not use body cameras. Experts in law enforcement and criminal justice say there have not been the large-scale policy or legal shifts that might reduce uses of force. And sending mental health teams in response to people in crisis, alongside or instead of armed officers, remains the exception.”

HOW THE DEBATE PLAYS OUT — “A Liberal Michigan Town Struggles to Move Past ‘Defund the Police,’” by Lynette Clemetson in Ann Arbor for POLITICO Magazine: “[W]ithin that debate there is another reform movement that aims to disentangle people with mental illness from the criminal legal system by replacing or supplementing police response with community clinicians trained to recognize and respond to mental health crises.

“In Washtenaw County, one of the most liberal counties in Michigan and home to the state’s flagship university, officials have struggled to balance the urge for dramatic reform and achievable, long-term solutions.”

JAN. 6 AND ITS AFTERMATH

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS — “How Ashli Babbitt went from Capitol rioter to Trump-embraced ‘martyr,’” by WaPo’s Paul Schwartzman and Josh Dawsey: “When Trump invoked [ ASHLI BABBITT’s] name, right-wing organizers said it became easier to generate public interest for those arrested in the Jan. 6 riot. … ‘It didn’t make me feel more emboldened, but it made other people feel emboldened, which helps me,’ said CARA CASTRONUOVA of Citizens Against Political Persecution, a New York-based group that has hosted rallies. ‘They feel if Trump said it, he’s the leader of the United States, so it’s okay to say it.’”

TRUMP CARDS

BREAKING — BuzzFeed’s @ZoeTillman: “There’s a new DOJ memo that says the Treasury Dept. can turn over Trump’s tax returns to a House committee. But, per ongoing litigation over this, Trump is supposed to get 72-hour notice before it actually happens (aka a window to try to stop it).” The OLC opinion

FOLLOWING THE MONEY — “Did Trump follow his pledge to donate the last 6 months of his presidential pay? It’s a mystery,” by WaPo’s David Fahrenthold

PLAYBOOKERS

WHITE HOUSE ARRIVAL LOUNGE — Erica Kimmerling is now a senior policy adviser for public engagement in science for the Office of Science and Technology Policy. She previously was a senior adviser and civic science fellow at the Association of Science and Technology Centers.

MEDIA MOVE — Amy Walter is taking over as editor and publisher of the Cook Political Report, which will now be called the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Charlie Cook is retiring but will remain a contributor. Announcement

TRANSITION — Ngoc Nguyen will be legislative director for Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.). She currently is senior legislative assistant for Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.).