Playbook PM: Inside Meadows' phone on Jan. 6

From: POLITICO Playbook - Monday Apr 25,2022 05:10 pm

Apr 25, 2022

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It stands to reason that one of the best windows into DONALD TRUMP’s White House during the Jan. 6 Capitol attack would be through his then-COS MARK MEADOWS. While it’s probably impossible to peek into the mind of Meadows, the next best thing might be his cellphone.

CNN’s Jamie Gangel, Jeremy Herb and Elizabeth Stuart landed another bombshell today, detailing 2,319 text messages that Meadows sent and received between Election Day and the insurrection, offering “the most revealing picture to date of how Trump's inner circle, supporters and Republican lawmakers worked behind the scenes to try to overturn the election results and then reacted to the violence that effort unleashed at the U.S. Capitol,” the trio writes.

“The logs, which Meadows selectively provided to the House committee investigating the January 6 attack, show how the former chief of staff was at the nexus of sprawling conspiracy theories baselessly claiming the election had been stolen. They also demonstrate how he played a key role in the attempts to stop Biden's certification on January 6.” The full selection of texts

The roll call is a who’s-who of the Trump-era GOP, including: IVANKA TRUMP, JARED KUSHNER, DONALD TRUMP JR., RUDY GIULIANI, MIKE LINDELL, SEAN HANNITY, Sen. TED CRUZ (R-Texas), Reps. JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio), MO BROOKS (R-Ala.) and MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.).

Here’s a sampling of the incoming messages Meadows received on Jan. 6:

“Mark I was just told there is an active shooter on the first floor of the Capitol Please tell the President to calm people This isn't the way to solve anything,” — Marjorie Taylor Greene
“Mark: he needs to stop this, now. Can I do anything to help?” — MICK MULVANEY
“It’s really bad up here on the hill. They have breached the Capitol.” — Rep. BARRY LOUDERMILK (R-Ga.)
“The president needs to stop this ASAP.” — Rep. WILLIAM TIMMONS (R-S.C.)
“This his [sic.] one you go to the mattresses on. They will try to fuck his entire legacy on this if it gets worse.” — Donald Trump Jr.
“TELL THEM TO GO HOME !!!” — REINCE PRIEBUS

One of the last messages included in the log is from Greene to Meadows on Jan. 17, 2021: “In our private chat with only Members, several are saying the only way to save our Republic is for Trump to call for Marshall [sic.] law. I don't know on those things. I just wanted you to tell him. They stole this election. We all know. They will destroy our country next. Please tell him to declassify as much as possible so we can go after Biden and anyone else!”

— Our colleague Kyle Cheney notes: “Greene said last week she could not recall whether she advocated this position with Trump, Meadows or anyone else. Text shows she encouraged Meadows to communicate the position of colleagues to Trump but appears here to have it both ways by saying she wasn't sure.”

The entire story is a rich text (no pun intended) of the inner-workings of the Trump administration during the fraught period, and is well worth your time and attention.

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CONGRESS

WHAT MANCHIN WANTS — With Congress back in session, one of the next efforts to watch will be Dems’ push for climate-focused legislation and what gets kicked to the White House for executive actions. The linchpin, as ever, will be what provisions Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) can stomach. “Mr. Manchin’s interests include getting financial and permitting help for natural-gas exports and oil and gas pipelines, as well as policies to make it easier for companies to drill more on federal territory, according to lobbyists and congressional aides familiar with the situation,” reports WSJ’s Timothy Puko.

HUNTING HUNTER — If Republicans take back the House in November, you can expect one person to be the subject of intense focus next year: HUNTER BIDEN. AP’s Nomaan Merchant, Farnoush Amiri and Eric Tucker have the deets on the GOP’s preparations: “Intelligence officials had gathered to brief select members of Congress on future threats to U.S. elections when a key lawmaker in the room, No. 3 House Republican ELISE STEFANIK of New York, tried to move the discussion to a new topic: Hunter Biden’s laptop.

“Stefanik, who serves on the House Intelligence Committee, asked the officials during the April 1 briefing whether they had any evidence of Russian involvement in the release of Biden’s laptop to the news media in the fall of 2020 — a possibility floated by high-ranking former government officials in the weeks before the presidential election. Intelligence officials told Stefanik the question would be better answered by law enforcement. …

“Republican lawmakers and staff have discussed analyzing specific messages and financial transactions found on the laptop and have also discussed issuing congressional subpoenas to foreign entities involved in paying Hunter Biden, according to people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The conversations have been in the early stages but have included talks of bringing on Republican lawyers and former Justice Department officials to help lead the investigations, the people said.”

ALL POLITICS

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — North Carolina state Sen. CHUCK EDWARDS — who is running against Rep. MADISON CAWTHORN in the GOP primary — is up with a new ad hitting Cawthorn over his use of Instagram. “They call it ‘Instagram famous.’ … They show us their workout, what they eat, where they go. But they accomplish nothing,” Edwards says at the beginning of the 30-second spot, as images from Cawthorn’s Instagram page are shown. He closes: “I’ll take the fight to Congress, and leave social media to the other guys.”

Edwards is seen as one of the only real challengers to Cawthorn in the primary, and he has the backing of Sens. THOM TILLIS and RICHARDBURR, as well as many state party leaders. The ad comes on the heels of photos that surfaced showing Cawthorn partying on a cruise ship in lingerie before he was elected. Watch the ad

ANYBODY SEEN A MIDTERMS STRATEGY? — WaPo’s Tyler Pager reports that there are growing signs that “Biden is beginning to put the pieces together for an aggressive campaign to help limit Democratic losses in November. But it’s an effort some in the party say is long overdue, and despite Biden’s ramped-up efforts, there is no finalized, comprehensive strategy for the midterms inside the White House. There’s no overarching document that outlines the president’s involvement in key races, nor a set message that will carry the party through November, according to multiple people familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly.”

HAWLEY JUMPS IN TO AZ PRIMARY — Sen. JOSH HAWLEY (R-Mo.) threw his endorsement into the Arizona Senate GOP primary today, backing BLAKE MASTERS and, in doing so, “flexing his muscle in a high-profile Republican primary and cementing a new ideological alliance shaping the midterm election,” Alex Isenstadt reports . “Hawley — who is widely regarded as a prospective 2024 presidential contender — has now thrown his support to two of the most outspoken Republican populists running for Senate this year: Masters and Ohio Republican J.D. VANCE. … Hawley, Masters, and Vance share deep ties — including a common benefactor: tech billionaire PETER THIEL.”

JOIN US ON 4/29 FOR A WOMEN RULE DISCUSSION ON WOMEN IN TECH : Women, particularly women of color and women from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, have historically been locked out of the tech world. But this new tech revolution could be an opportunity for women to get in on the ground floor of a new chapter. Join POLITICO for an in-depth panel discussion on the future of women in tech and how to make sure women are both participating in this fast-moving era and have access to all it offers. REGISTER HERE.

WAR IN UKRAINE

— Biden announced he will nominate BRIDGET BRINK as ambassador to Ukraine, one of the deliverables that Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN and Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN shared with Ukrainian President VOLODYMR ZELENSKYY in Kyiv on Sunday. WaPo’s María Luisa Paúl has more on Brink’s backstory

— On the ground: “Russia unleashed a string of attacks against Ukrainian rail and fuel facilities Monday, striking crucial infrastructure far from the front line of its eastern offensive. Meanwhile, two fires were reported at oil facilities in western Russia, not far from the Ukrainian border. It was not clear what caused the blazes,” AP’s David Keyton reports.

— The latest on support entering Ukraine: “Western countries are rushing heavy weaponry to Ukraine as the war enters what promises to be a deadly, and potentially protracted, new phase,” Christopher Miller and Paul McLeary write.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

GARLAND GETS GOING — NYT’s Katie Benner has a big look at A.G. MERRICK GARLAND’s first year at DOJ: “By most accounts, becoming attorney general was a tough adjustment for a former appeals judge who had last worked at the Justice Department in the late 1990s. But more than a year into his tenure, colleagues say that a cautious leader has found some footing, more a prosecutor now than a deliberator.

“In interviews, a dozen administration officials and federal prosecutors, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions, said Mr. Garland, 69, initially ran his office like a judge’s chambers, peppering even Deputy Attorney General LISA O. MONACO and Associate Attorney General VANITA GUPTA with the kind of granular questions that clerks might expect while writing his opinions. But the slow pace that characterized Mr. Garland’s early months has somewhat quickened. Decisions that took weeks at the outset can now take a day. And with more top officials confirmed, he can be less directly involved in the department’s day-to-day work.”

DON'T MISS ANYTHING FROM THE 2022 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO is excited to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage and insights from the 25th annual Global Conference. This year's event, May 1-4, brings together more than 3,000 of the world’s most influential leaders, including 700+ speakers representing more than 80 countries. "Celebrating the Power of Connection" is this year's theme, setting the stage to connect influencers with the resources to change the world with leading experts and thinkers whose insight and creativity can implement that change. Whether you're attending in person or following along from somewhere else in the world, keep up with this year's conference with POLITICO’s special edition “Global Insider” so you don't miss a beat. Subscribe today.

POLICY CORNER

HOW IT’S PLAYING — In the Pacific Northwest, Democrats are torn between two competing views of trade policy. “Oregon, in particular, embodies the tension: The state’s economy is highly dependent on free trade and yet its progressive-leaning voters are typically skeptical of its benefits,” Steven Overly writes from Portland. “That tug-of-war is vexing both parties as lawmakers weigh how much to push for more foreign market access for U.S. companies and investors despite the potential for political backlash.”

TRUMP CARDS

HEADS UP — As Trump faces investigations in New York, the former president “must pay a $10,000 fine every day until he turns over evidence to New York’s attorney general, after a state judge on Monday ran out of patience with Trump’s persistent refusal to abide by the law,” The Daily Beast’s Jose Pagliery writes.

PLAYBOOKERS

SPOTTED: Johnny Depp visiting Ford’s Theatre on Sunday. (Depp is in the area for the defamation trial against his ex-wife, Amber Heard.)

WHCA NEWS — The White House Correspondents Association announced today that it is introducing the organization’s first-ever lifetime career achievement award this weekend, named after Alice Dunnigan and Ethel Payne , the first two African American women to serve as members of the White House press corps. “From here on, the Dunnigan-Payne Prize for Lifetime Career Achievement will be awarded on an occasional basis at the discretion of the WHCA board to recognize meritorious service throughout an individual’s career as a White House correspondent,” the WHCA said in a release. CBS’ Gayle King will present the award on Saturday.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK — The eighth annual African American Mayors Association conference will bring hundreds of Black mayors to D.C. around the theme “The Time for Transformation in Our Cities.” Several Cabinet members and congressional leaders are expected to attend.

MEDIA MOVE — Kevin Yamamura is joining the NYT as a California-based editor for the National desk. He previously was a deputy managing editor in California for POLITICO. The announcement

TRANSITIONS — Kate Smith is joining Planned Parenthood Federation of America as its first ever senior director of news content. She previously was a reporter and correspondent for CBS News and is a Bloomberg, Financial Times and Baltimore Sun alum. … Sharita Gruberg is now VP for economic justice at the National Partnership for Women and Families. She previously was VP of the LGBTQI+ research and communications project at the Center for American Progress. …

… Karen Keller is joining Airlines for America as chief of staff. She previously was COO at Plus Communications and is a George W. Bush White House alum. … Kayla Williams is joining Rep. Gregory Meeks’ (D-N.Y.) office as chief of staff. She previously was deputy chief of staff for Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).

WEEKEND WEDDINGS — Cole Rojewski, who recently left Rep. Kay Granger’s (R-Texas) office as chief of staff, and Kristina Dunklin, an SVP at Forbes Tate Partners, got married in Fresno/Clovis, Calif., on Saturday. The two met while working together in Rep. David Valadao’s (R-Calif.) office. SPOTTED: Valadao, David Bernhardt,Jeff Denham,Connie Conway, Chris Salotti, Rob Howarth, Rocco DiCicco, Johnny Amaral, Anthony Ratekin, Andrew Renteria, Amanda Hall, Jacob Dunklin, Alex DiCicco, Caitlin Shannon, Todd Willens, John Sobel, Sara and Ron Bonjean, James Carstensen, Tal Eslick, Kenny and Madeline Hodge, Brandon Waters, Jeff Norwood, David and Lisa Krause, and Faith Leander.

— Alex Gangitano, White House correspondent at The Hill, and Bryan Petrich, a consultant at Capco, got married at the Rehoboth Beach Country Club on Saturday. The ceremony at St. Edmond’s Catholic Church was officiated by Catholic Charities’ CEO, Monsignor John Enzler. The couple met at Villanova but didn’t start dating until after college. Pic … SPOTTED:Bob Cusack, Garrett Haake, Allison Harris, John Delaney and April McClain-Delaney, Julia Manchester, Morgan Chalfant, Raffi Williams, Patrick Wilson, Jerry Hagstrom, Mary and John Kane,Steve and Ellen Conley, Aansh Mehta, Margaret Crilley and Colin Fay.