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Presented by Facebook: POLITICO's must-read briefing on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. | | | | | |  | | By Rachael Bade, Tara Palmeri, Garrett Ross and Eli Okun | Presented by Facebook | THE PUSHBACK — Moderate Democrats are raising red flags this morning over their leadership’s efforts to flip Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District seat into their control. Their message is pretty simple: Don’t go there. Rep. DEAN PHILLIPS (D-Minn.), a respected front-liner from the class of 2018, wrote this while retweeting our Playbook item on the matter this morning: “Losing a House election by six votes is painful for Democrats. But overturning it in the House would be even more painful for America. Just because a majority can, does not mean a majority should.” He’s far from alone. Another Democrat in a tough seat texted us this morning with concerns that the blowback in competitive districts next year could be fierce. “Absent overwhelming evidence, it would be insane to overturn the results of the Iowa election,” the member said. “It would be wrong on principle. It would also be political malpractice. While we would gain one seat, we would lose a lot more next year.” WaPo’s PAUL KANE noted on Twitter that Speaker NANCY PELOSI and her leadership team “have a lot of work to do internally if they think they can overturn the Iowa House race.” Pelosi — whose leadership PAC has been transferring money to the DCCC’s recount fund — can lose only a couple of votes if the effort to flip the seat into Dem hands comes to the floor. Here are just a few of the Democrats who have expressed discomfort in addition to Phillips: — Rep. DAVID PRICE (D-N.C.) said on Fox News on Sunday that “I have confidence that all sides of that House Administration Committee process are well aware of how sensitive and how difficult this is.” — Rep. DAN KILDEE (D-Mich.) told the WSJ that “unless we see compelling evidence that there’s something seriously wrong, then we should defer to state and local officials.” — Rep. LOU CORREA (D-Calif.) told CNN last week, “I think these are issues that right now are probably best left at the state level.” MEDIA FEELS THE TRUMP(LESS) EFFECT — “Trump predicted news ratings would ‘tank if I’m not there.’ He wasn’t wrong,” by WaPo’s Paul Farhi: “The most deeply affected network is CNN. After surpassing rivals Fox News and MSNBC in January, the network has lost 45 percent of its prime-time audience in the past five weeks, according to Nielsen Media Research. MSNBC’s audience has dropped 26 percent in the same period. Fox News — the most Trump-friendly of the three networks in its prime-time opinion shows — has essentially regained its leading position by standing still; its ratings have fallen just 6 percent since the first weeks of the year.” Speaking of former President DONALD TRUMP, in a bizarre moment this morning, Fox News’ Harris Faulkner told Trump on air that DHS Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS had resigned. “Well I’m not surprised. Good. That’s a big victory for our country,” Trump said. Then Faulkner recanted: “Hold on, let me stop. Let me stop. Let me listen to my team one more time. Forgive me, that has not happened.” Later, Faulkner asked Trump why he had come on to discuss immigration. FAULKNER: “Most presidents, ex-presidents like yourself, do not weigh in at this level. Why did you feel like you needed to on this issue?” TRUMP: “Well, you called me, I didn’t call you, in all fairness.” — Trump also appeared this morning on the first episode of the new podcast “The Truth with Lisa Boothe.” One tidbit drawing attention: Asked about the future of the Republican Party, Trump mentioned Ron DeSantis, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kristi Noem. Listen Good Monday afternoon. | | A message from Facebook: It’s time to update internet regulations
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See how we’re making progress on key issues and why we support updated regulations to set clear rules for addressing today’s toughest challenges. | | | RealClearPolitics’ Philip Wegmann scooped that Heritage President KAY COLE JAMES and VP KIM HOLMES are stepping down. Announcement BIG MOVE — “U.S., allies announce sanctions on China over Uyghur ‘genocide,’” by Nahal Toosi: “The international, coordinated sanctions, first reported by POLITICO, drew condemnation and some immediate retaliatory sanctions from Beijing. The moves offered a trans-Atlantic show of unity against the Chinese Communist Party … “The U.S. sanctions targeted two individuals: Wang Junzheng, the secretary of the Party Committee of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and Chen Mingguo, director of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau. … It’s hard to say exactly how much financial damage the new sanctions will do, but given the coordination with Europe, Britain and Canada, it packs a symbolic punch.” — BUT KERRY PUSHING FORWARD: “U.S., China Climate Envoys to Meet Despite Frosty Alaska Talks,” WSJ: “The U.S. and China are tiptoeing toward cooperation on climate change … The U.S. climate envoy, John Kerry, will join his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, at a virtual climate conference on Tuesday. … Mr. Kerry’s decision to join the event is intended to signal that the U.S. is back at the climate table.” GOP TAKEOVER TARGET — “Dem Rep. Filemón Vela won't seek reelection under new Texas map,” by Ally Mutnick: “Vela, whose majority Latino district which spans from the eastern Rio Grande Valley up north toward San Antonio, had been identified as a potential GOP target in 2022 — after former President Donald Trump had a strong showing in the region, and Vela saw his victory margin tighten. “The precise district lines for the next election won’t be known for months due to redistricting. But Republicans have total control over the new maps in Texas, and Democrats there say they are bracing for tougher seats overall next cycle.” SCOTUS WATCH — “Supreme Court to consider reinstating Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s death sentence,” Boston Globe: “The US Supreme Court Monday agreed to review the prosecution of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev whose death sentence for setting off two bombs that killed three people at the site and wounded hundreds more was overturned on appeal. “The court has been asked to consider reinstating the death sentence that the First Circuit Court of Appeals concluded could not stand because the trial judge failed to ensure jurors were free of bias … The Trump administration had asked the nation’s highest court to uphold the death sentence.” BIDEN’S OMB-SHAPED HOLE — “Field narrows for possible Biden budget directors,” WaPo: “Ann O’Leary, a prominent Democratic policy expert, has withdrawn from contention to be President Biden’s budget director, according to people familiar with the matter, refocusing attention on whether the White House will pick Shalanda Young, who has widespread support on Capitol Hill. “O’Leary, a longtime Hillary Clinton adviser who recently finished a stint as California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s chief of staff, is expected to announce Monday that she is staying in California to join a law firm and teach at Stanford Law School.” | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TO JOIN AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION : Power dynamics are shifting in Washington and across the country, and more people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. "The Recast" is a new twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy, and power in America. Get fresh insights, scoops, and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country, and hear from new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out on this new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | IMMIGRATION FILES — “Scoop: Inside a crowded border patrol tent in Donna, Texas,” Axios: “Each of eight ‘pods’ in the so-called soft-sided facility has a 260-person occupancy, said Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who provided the photos to Axios to raise awareness about the situation. But as of Sunday, he said, one pod held more than 400 unaccompanied male minors. “Because the Biden administration has restricted media coverage at housing facilities, images like these offer a rare window into conditions. … Cuellar described the setting as ‘terrible conditions for the children’ and said they need to be moved more rapidly into the care of the Department of Health and Human Services.” — Sens. KYRSTEN SINEMA (D-Ariz.) and JOHN CORNYN (R-Texas) sent a letter today to Biden urging him “to use your full authorities to effectively respond to and successfully manage the ongoing crisis at our Southwest Border.” The letter — The NSC announced that White House officials Roberta Jacobson and Juan Gonzalez are traveling to Mexico today to talk with officials about managing migration, with Gonzalez continuing on to Guatemala to discuss addressing its root causes. And they’ll be joined by Ricardo Zúñiga, whom the State Department today named special envoy for the Northern Triangle. More from Bloomberg — Press secretary JEN PSAKI said at the briefing today that the Biden administration’s efforts to discourage migration have included more than 17,000 radio ads in several Latin American countries and almost 600 targeted ad messages on Facebook and Instagram, reaching tens of millions of people. THE TAX MAN COMETH — “Biden Determined to Tax Rich After Windfalls From Covid Crisis,” Bloomberg: “Interviews with senior officials show there’s rising confidence at the White House that evidence of widening inequality will translate into broad popular support for a tax-the-wealthy strategy. Biden himself has become convinced of the need, saying last week that those earning over $400,000 can expect to pay more in tax. … “Behind the scenes, aides have been working on a proposal to pay for some of the longer-term Biden agenda. Boosting income and capital-gains tax rates on top earners, along with levies on companies and an expansion of the estate tax, would help fund priorities such as infrastructure, climate change, and assistance for child care and home health care.” CHILD POVERTY TICK-TOCK — “How Biden quietly created a huge social program,” WaPo: “Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.) tapped out the longest text messages he’d ever written one night in January, urging Susan Rice, a top Biden aide and a friend, to include a full-scale anti-child poverty measure … Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn.) was making the same case to a different senior Biden official, using language that the official later described as ‘somewhat juicy.’ And Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) tried flattery, urging Biden staffers to adopt what he told them would be a ‘legacy’ program earning them a place in history. “An unlikely coalition of Democrats across the ideological spectrum mounted an 11th-hour push in the final weekend before the American Rescue Plan for President Biden to go big on tackling child poverty. They prevailed over what one person involved in the process called the ‘cost police’ in Biden’s inner circle.” DISTRIBUTION STUMBLE — “Vaccine mystery: Why J&J’s shots aren’t reaching more arms,” by Erin Banco and Rachel Roubein: “Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot Covid vaccine was supposed to be the catalyst for the country’s return to normal. Instead, it’s sparking confusion and finger-pointing between the states and the Biden administration over why millions of doses are sitting unused.” STAFFING UP — “Biden Eyes Former Top U.N. Official for Horn of Africa Envoy,” Foreign Policy: “Jeffrey Feltman, the former top political advisor to the U.N. secretary-general, has been offered the newly created post.” | | | | TUNE IN TO GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS: Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded over the past year amid a global pandemic. This podcast helps to identify and understand the impediments to smart policymaking. Subscribe and start listening today. | | | | | TOP-ED — Senate Minority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL swipes at a fellow Kentuckian in the LOUISVILLE COURIER JOURNAL: “McConnell: The filibuster is Kentucky’s veto. It stops radical ambitions like Yarmuth’s”: “Congressman John Yarmuth likes to pretend he knows me. He talks to reporters and writes in these pages as if he’s some sort of ‘McConnell-whisperer.’ That’s a full day’s drive from reality. He doesn’t seem to know Kentucky, either. His stated priorities include defending sanctuary cities and statehood for the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.” HOT ON THE LEFT — “Exclusive: Ohio’s Nina Turner picks up Ocasio-Cortez endorsement in U.S. House race,” 19th News MEDIAWATCH — Meredith Bennett-Smith is the new managing editor for MSNBC Digital. She most recently has been senior opinion editor for NBC News and MSNBC, overseeing the THINK section. — Aviva Shen is now a senior editor at Type Investigations. She previously was a senior editor at Slate, where she oversaw legal coverage. — GAYLE KING interviews ABBY PHILLIP for THE CUT: “Abby Phillip Asks the Right Questions”: “‘We have people who coach us on television performance, but I struggled with how you’re supposed to talk in the news. It just wasn’t comfortable for me. I don’t have a TV background, I never did local news, I don’t have a TV voice. It was not working for me to try to sound like other people.’ “‘So I started speaking in the same way I would if I were talking to a friend or a neighbor — I think people do want their news from authoritative sources, but they also want to understand you. They want you to speak in a way that feels familiar to them. I try as much as possible to be my authentic self, and I think that is what has always resonated. I don’t try to be anything that I’m not, and I try to meet people where they are. … I should tell you also that we are now expecting our first child, a little girl this summer.’” — BEN SMITH’S NYT COLUMN: “He Redefined ‘Racist.’ Now He’s Trying to Build a Newsroom: The author Ibram Kendi and The Boston Globe are teaming up to cover racism, inspired by Boston’s 19th-century abolitionist newspapers.” TRUMP ALUMNI — Victoria Coates and Rob Greenway have launched Vie et Arte Solutions, a consulting firm that supports economic interaction that will further the Abraham Accords. Coates, also a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy, is the former deputy national security adviser and is a DOE alum. Greenway, an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute, most recently was deputy assistant to the president and senior director for Middle Eastern and North African affairs at the NSC. TRANSITIONS — Matt Hayden is now VP and deputy lead of govtech solutions for Exiger, a supply chain risk solution provider. He most recently was assistant secretary of Homeland Security for cyber, infrastructure, risk and resilience. … Jennifer Santos is joining Draper as principal director for strategic initiatives for national security and space. She most recently was naval research and development investment executive for the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition and deputy assistant secretary of Defense for industrial policy. … … Tibor Nagy is now senior adviser for Africa for the Transnational Strategy Group, a consulting firm that helps private sector and sovereign government clients. He also will teach at Texas Tech University. He most recently was assistant secretary of State for Africa. … Mollie Gelburd is now senior director of delivery system and payment transformation at America's Health Insurance Plans. She previously was associate director of government affairs at the Medical Group Management Association. … Lehotsky Keller is adding Jonathan Urick as a partner in D.C. He previously was senior litigation counsel for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It’s also adding Todd Disher as a partner in a new Austin, Texas, office. He’s joining from the Texas Attorney General’s Office. BONUS BIRTHDAY: Charles T. Burton | | | |   | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
