|
Presented by PhRMA: POLITICO's must-read briefing on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. | | | | |  | | By Eli Okun | | | |  Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said Pat Cipollone backed up almost everything other witnesses have told the Jan. 6 committee. | Alex Wong/Getty Images | The Jan. 6 committee’s next public hearing kicks off shortly at 1 p.m. We previewed what to expect in this morning’s Playbook, but some drips of information have continued to emerge since then. The hearing now is expected to include fresh evidence of “encrypted messages between Trump allies and members of extremist groups,” per CNN’s Manu Raju. It will also feature video of former White House counsel PAT CIPOLLONE testifying last week about the December 2020 meeting where Trump world figures talked about subverting the election. Speaking of Cipollone, Rep. JAMIE RASKIN (D-Md.) told NBC’s Ali Vitali, Haley Talbot and Kyle Stewart that he backed up almost everything CASSIDY HUTCHINSON and other witnesses testified when he met with the committee. “I certainly did not hear him contradict Cassidy Hutchinson,” Raskin said. “He had the opportunity to say whatever he wanted to say, so I didn’t see any contradiction there.” Of course, that doesn’t mean Cipllone confirmed what Hutchinson said — Rep. ZOE LOFGREN (D-Calif.) did a similar rhetorical dance last week. In related news, after a judge ordered him to comply with a subpoena, Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.) told Raju he would fight it in court , resisting the Fulton County, Ga., D.A.’s effort to interview him in the office’s probe of Trump world’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. How are the Jan. 6 hearings affecting the electorate — and specifically the Republican base’s willingness to renominate DONALD TRUMP in 2024? Two polls provide some conflicting answers: — Trump leads Florida Gov. RON DESANTIS 49%-25% in a new NYT/Siena College survey of 2024 Republican primary voters, Michael Bender reports. (Nobody else cracks double digits.) There are multiple ways to look at the poll’s data: Bender frames it as Trump losing steam among the GOP electorate, as voters under 35 and/or with college degrees in particular seek an alternative to renominating the former president. That includes about one-fifth of Republicans who think Trump’s Jan. 6 actions threatened American democracy. And 16% wouldn’t commit to voting for Trump in a rematch against President JOE BIDEN. But, but, but: A 24-point margin is still a 24-point margin. And if the field facing Trump remains crowded, he could triumph much like he did in 2016, when he won just 45% of the primary vote. — Morning Consult’s Eli Yokley has a more upbeat take for Trump (and more downbeat for the committee) from the latest polling with POLITICO: Only about a third of voters have taken in “a lot” of information about the shocking Hutchinson testimony, and “the panel’s recent hearings have done little to shift public opinion about Trump’s culpability.” This poll finds a slightly higher percentage of the GOP — 54% — supporting Trump in a 2024 primary. And Trump comes out well ahead of Biden in the percentage of each man’s own party who thinks he should run in 2024, 66% of Republicans vs. 51% of Democrats. Today, Trump himself will likely be golfing, not watching the hearing, reports NYT’s Maggie Haberman. Relevant big read on DeSantis, via Haberman, Patricia Mazzei and Bender : The Florida governor is facing a difficult balancing act on abortion, as Republicans push him to go further even as doing so might risk his reelection, 2024 and business recruitment efforts. “That leaves Mr. DeSantis in an unfamiliar position: on the sidelines on a major cultural-political issue.”
| | | | A message from PhRMA: Inflation is causing pain for people across the country. As policymakers search for ways to help provide relief, some are erroneously tying inflation to prescription medicines. To make matters worse, this false premise is being used to build support for harmful policies.
It’s important to make medicines affordable for patients, but let’s get a few facts straight – starting with the fact that prescription drugs are not fueling inflation. | | | Good Tuesday afternoon. The Library of Congress today named ADA LIMÓN the country’s 24th poet laureate. “Right now, so often we are going numb to grief and numb to tragedy and numb to crisis,” she tells NYT’s Elizabeth Harris . “Poetry is a way back in, to recognizing that we are feeling human beings.” Even when silvery fish after fish
comes back belly up, and the country plummets
into a crepitating crater of hatred, isn’t there still
something singing? The truth is: I don’t know.
But sometimes, I swear I hear it, the wound closing
like a rusted-over garage door, and I can still move
my living limbs into the world without too much
pain … (the full poem “The Leash”) OTHERWORLDLY — NASA continued to roll out the latest dazzling images of the universe from the Webb Telescope. Check them all out here AMERICA AND THE WORLD WAR REPORT — Quite the Middle East welcome for Biden: The U.S. killed MAHER AL-AGAL, the Islamic State’s head in Syria, and injured a second official in a drone strike today, U.S. Central Command said. Al-Agal was one of the terrorist group’s senior-most officials in the region. More from Defense One ANNALS OF DIPLOMACY — At this morning’s bilateral with Mexican President ANDRÉS MANUEL LÓPEZ OBRADOR, Biden offered a few remarks before listening to AMLO monologue for 31 minutes about the countries’ historical and future ties. “You’ve had a lot of important things to say,” Biden responded. “Most awkward part was when AMLO told Biden Mexico is letting Americans cross the border to buy gas because it’s $1 cheaper per gallon,” notes the L.A. Times’ Eli Stokols. “Biden … reminded him that the US economic growth is leading the world.” DANCE OF THE SUPERPOWERS — The U.S. is readying a push to deepen its engagement with Pacific nations amid an ongoing competition with China for influence in the region, WSJ’s Rhiannon Hoyle reports from Adelaide, Australia. Among the potential plans: adding embassies in Kiribati and Tonga, bringing the Peace Corps back to the Pacific, bumping up economic development aid perhaps threefold and creating an inaugural, specific Pacific Islands strategy. VP KAMALA HARRIS will announce the moves in a virtual speech to the region today.
| | | | HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ROE BEING OVERTURNED? JOIN WOMEN RULE ON 7/21: Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade , abortion policy is in the hands of the states and, ultimately, voters. Join POLITICO national political correspondent Elena Schneider for a Women Rule “ask me anything” conversation featuring a panel of reporters from our politics and health care teams who will answer your questions about how the court’s decision could play out in different states, its impact on the midterms and what it means for reproductive rights in the U.S. going forward. SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS AND REGISTER HERE. | | | | | ALL POLITICS CASH DASH — WinRed, the widely used GOP online fundraising platform, announced that it processed $155.8 million in contributions in Q2, making for nearly $326 million overall this year so far. That’s a 28% jump from the first half of 2021. — Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. JOHN FETTERMAN has raised $8.3 million for his Senate campaign between his Democratic primary win and the end of June, The Philly Inquirer’s Jonathan Tamari scoops. — Rep. VAL DEMINGS’ Democratic Senate campaign in Florida pulled in $12.2 million in the second quarter, per NBC’s Marc Caputo. CONGRESS LOOK WHO’S BACK — Former VP MIKE PENCE will gather with the Republican Study Committee next week, per CNN’s Mel Zanona. The conservative group is also hosting JORDAN PETERSON at a lunch Wednesday. THE PANDEMIC THE NEW WAVE — The Biden administration today unveiled its strategy for tackling the BA.5 coronavirus subvariant now sweeping the nation, urging Americans to get more cautious amid rising risk of reinfection. This morning, public health officials held their first Covid-19 briefing in almost three weeks to roll out the plan and sound the alarm. ICYMI, WaPo’s Dan Diamond, Laurie McGinley and Lena Sun scooped Monday night that a second Covid-19 vaccine booster shot could be in the works soon for all American adults. But “[b]eyond that, the plans do not sound very different than those to combat previous Omicron subvariants,” writes NYT’s Sheryl Gay Stolberg. Paging the Senate GOP: The next, Omicron-specific booster shot “may not become available until October, [ASHISH] JHA said. And even then, the administration may not have enough booster shots for every American who wants one, because Congress has refused to allocate any additional pandemic aid.” OH, AWESOME — “Pandemic fueled surge in superbug infections and deaths, CDC says,” by WaPo’s Lena Sun: A new CDC analysis showed the pandemic “reversing years of progress fighting one of the gravest public health challenges in modern medicine.”
| | | | A message from PhRMA:   What’s fueling inflation? Not prescription drugs. The administration’s own economic data proves it. | | | THE WHITE HOUSE INFLATION NATION — In the latest bit of pre-spinning, the NEC today laid out its anticipated response to Wednesday’s consumer price index report, which is expected to show painfully high inflation. Among the talking points: blame the war in Ukraine; gas prices have already fallen since the June period this report will cover; and the labor market remains strong. HOT ON THE LEFT — After a liberal backlash over a Biden administration deal to tap conservative CHAD MEREDITH for a Kentucky judgeship, the admin is nonetheless moving forward with plans for the nomination, HuffPost’s Jennifer Bendery reports. “None of this is set in stone. It’s not clear what Biden may be hoping to get in return for nominating Meredith. It’s also not clear when such a package of nominees might be announced, if it is at all.” PLAYING CLEANUP — Following criticism for her comments comparing the diversity of the Latino community to breakfast tacos, first lady JILL BIDEN’s office apologized today “that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community.” BIDEN VS. SPICER — A judge today tossed out SEAN SPICER and RUSSELL VOUGHT’s lawsuit over their dismissal from a U.S. Naval Academy board under the Biden administration, saying the White House had the right to fire them. More from Bloomberg WAR IN UKRAINE THE VIEW FROM WASHINGTON — The U.S. and Western allies are grappling with how much to satisfy Ukrainian pleas for more and faster military aid, NYT’s Eric Schmitt and Julian Barnes report . While the Pentagon plans more shipments, the U.S. is also concerned about making sure that Ukrainians are trained enough to use the weaponry — and about drawing down stockpiles too quickly, potentially harming the U.S. military. “Ukraine could mount a counterattack … But some officials are concerned that pulling too many Ukrainian artillery specialists off the front lines for weeks of training on the new weapons could weaken Ukrainian defenses, accelerate Russian gains and make any future counterattacks more difficult.” MAKING MOVES — The Kremlin announced that Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN will visit Iran next week. More from the AP MEDIAWATCH TURNED OFF, TUNED OUT — News consumption and engagement are plummeting in a weary America, by some metrics falling lower than pre-pandemic numbers, Axios’ Neal Rothschild and Sara Fischer report. Compared to the first half of 2021, CNN’s viewership plunged 47% and MSNBC’s 33%. (Fox News is up, on the other hand.) Social media engagement with the news fell by half, likely due in part to Facebook’s algorithmic changes. A significant culprit is “what feels like a never-ending cycle of bad news.”
| | | | INTRODUCING POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS IN MEMORIAM — “Gerald McEntee, longtime president of AFSCME labor union, dies at 87,” by WaPo’s Emily Langer: “Mr. McEntee led AFSCME, the largest union of state and local government employees in the United States, from his election in 1981 until he stepped down in 2012. … By delivering one of the first major union endorsements to Bill Clinton in 1992, Mr. McEntee was credited with helping the Arkansas governor win the Democratic nomination and ultimately the presidency.” OUT AND ABOUT — Everytown, Moms Demand Action, Giffords, Brady, the Community Justice Action Fund and March For Our Lives co-hosted an event at Succotash on Monday night to celebrate federal progress on preventing gun violence. SPOTTED: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Reps. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Lucy McBath (D-Ga.). — The new documentary “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down” had its D.C. premiere at the U.S. Navy Memorial Burke Theater on Monday night. SPOTTED: Gabby Giffords, Julie Cohen, Betsy West, Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), Tom O’Halleran (D-Ariz.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) — Targeted Victory held a happy hour for the launch of its crypto practice at Sazerac House on Monday night. SPOTTED: Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Zac Moffatt, Josh Arnold, Tiffany Angulo, Evan Yost, Landon Zinda, Chris Land, Janessa Lopez, Eliora Katz, Matt Hoekstra, Dave Grimaldi, Zach Graves, Alexandra Gaiser and Sheila Warren. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Melanie Fontes Rainer will be acting director of HHS’ Office for Civil Rights, taking over from Lisa Pino , who is leaving the agency. Rainer previously was counselor to Secretary Xavier Becerra for health care. TRANSITIONS — Stewart Jeffries has launched the government affairs firm Jeffries Strategies. He previously oversaw Google’s House and Senate GOP outreach, and is a House Judiciary alum. … Stephanie Addison is joining the American Securities Association as VP of public affairs. She previously was senior comms director for the Farm Credit Council, and is a Hill GOP alum. … Andy Lock is now a principal at Monument Advocacy. He previously was a senior policy staffer for the House Homeland Security Committee. WEEKEND WEDDING — Lily Adams, assistant Treasury secretary for public affairs, and Corey Ciorciari, partner at Evergreen Strategy Group, got married on Cushing Island, Maine. Shamina Singh, a close Adams family friend, officiated in an outdoor ceremony surrounded by friends and family and overlooking the ocean. The couple’s first dance was to the band playing “Cover Me Up” by Jason Isbell. Pic … SPOTTED: Rebecca Chalif, Ian Sams, Jesse Lehrich, Miryam Lipper, Lizzy Chan, Kirsten Allen, Ammar Moussa, Pat Burgwinkle and Kate Waters, Sarah Peck, Nate Evans, Nick Merrill and Valery Galasso, Dan Schwerin and YJ Fischer, Michael Halle and Tara McGowan, Mackenzie Long and Sam Read, Beth Foster Gayle, Brian Fallon, Glen and Dahlia Caplin, Matt Paul, Adrienne Elrod, Alex Hornbrook and Joe Armstrong. BIRTHWEEK (was Monday): Valery Galasso, who celebrated by going to hot new Hudson Valley restaurant Stissing House
| | | | Sponsored Survey WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Please take a 1-minute survey about one of our advertising partners | | | | | | | 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 | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
