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Presented by Facebook: POLITICO's must-read briefing on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. | | | | | |  | | By Nicholas Wu, Garrett Ross and Eli Okun | Presented by Facebook | For the second time in a week, President JOE BIDEN this morning ordered White House flags to half staff after Monday’s mass shooting in Boulder, Colo. Biden delivered remarks before he left for Ohio, and urged fast action on gun control. He called for an assault weapons ban — going further than the two bills the House has passed: “I don’t need to wait another minute, let alone an hour, to take common-sense steps that will save the lives in the future, and to urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to act. We can ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in this country once again. I got that done when I was a senator. It passed, it was the law for the longest time. And it brought down these mass killings. We should do it again. … “The United States Senate — I hope some are listening — should immediately pass the two House-passed bills that close loopholes in the background check system. … We should also ban assault weapons in the process.” BUT, BUT, BUT … FORBES’ @AndrewSolender: “Sen. Joe Manchin says he opposes House bills passed earlier this month expanding background checks, per Hill pool. Says commercial transactions should be background checked but ‘if I know the person, no.’” SENATE ALREADY TANGLING OVER SOLUTIONS — The Boulder shooting and last week’s shooting in Atlanta loomed large over Tuesday morning’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on gun violence prevention. The long-scheduled hearing aimed to find solutions to gun violence, but senators started off on entirely different pages about how to do so. “We won’t solve this crisis with just prosecutions after funerals,” said Chair DICK DURBIN (D-Ill.) as Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER (D-N.Y.) reiterated his pledge to bring the House-passed universal background check bill to the Senate floor. More from Marianne LeVine But ranking member CHUCK GRASSLEY (R-Iowa) said it was “not a good sign” the House legislation was passed on a “virtually party-line” vote and said gun violence could be combated in other ways like funding the police or encouraging “early intervention” to prevent attacks. More from Quint Forgey on the Washington reaction LATEST IN BOULDER — “Boulder King Soopers shooting: Police chief identifies victims, suspect,” Boulder Daily Camera: “At a Tuesday news conference at the Boulder Police Department headquarters at 1805 33rd St., [Chief Maris] Herold said Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, a 21-year-old man from Arvada, will be charged with 10 counts of murder. “Herold previously identified Boulder Officer Eric Talley, 51, as one of the ten victims. The other nine victims were identified as: Denny Strong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Teri Leiker, 51; … Suzanne Fountain, 59; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; Jodi Waters, 65. The suspect still is in the hospital for a leg wound he suffered during the shooting.” Knowing the victims: KUSA on Talley … Erika Mahoney on her father Good Tuesday 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. | | | THE ASTRAZENECA DEBACLE — “‘I was sort of stunned’: Fauci and U.S. officials say AstraZeneca released ‘outdated information’ from Covid-19 vaccine trial,” Stat: “Asked why NIAID released its unusual statement, Fauci said, ‘We just felt we could not remain silent. Because if we did remain silent, we could be understandably accused of covering something up. And we definitely didn’t want to be in that position.’ He added: ‘In my mind, it’s an unforced error by the company.’” BIDEN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN FALLS FLAT WITH GOP … HUFFPOST’S @igorbobic: “GOP pans splitting infrastructure package into two. ‘If the ploy is to lure Republicans to vote for the easy stuff and then do all the controversial stuff through reconciliation — I don’t think our guys take the bait,’ Thune says. ‘It sounds like a boondoggle,’ Cornyn adds.” 2022 WATCH — DONALD TRUMP has openly encouraged former NFL running back HERSCHEL WALKER to enter the Georgia Senate race. But a new poll shows former Rep. DOUG COLLINS leading Walker and former Sen. KELLY LOEFFLER in a hypothetical matchup. Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE lags far behind. The survey was conducted by OnMessage Inc., which isn’t working for any of the potential candidates but advises NRSC Chair RICK SCOTT (R-Fla.). The poll (h/t Alex Isenstadt) The White House announced this afternoon that VP KAMALA HARRIS will travel to New Haven, Conn., on Friday. MORE ATLANTA FALLOUT — “‘This is a wake up call’: Georgia’s Asian communities turn tragedy into political power,” by Maya King in Atlanta: “AAPI leaders are pushing for policy changes with a renewed sense of urgency. They want to change the way hate crimes are monitored. They want a national database that accurately tracks race-based violence. And they want to channel that anger to efforts to increase voter turnout, boosting AAPI political representation at the state and national level.” — “Atlanta shootings present test for Biden administration as pressure mounts to pursue hate crime charges,” WaPo: “[E]xperts said law enforcement’s handling of the killings of eight people, including six women of Asian descent, at three spas in the Atlanta area last week has demonstrated flaws in how federal and local authorities are collaborating on the investigation into whether the alleged shooter, Robert Aaron Long, 21, was motivated by race or gender or national origin.” — “Democrats confront White House over lack of AAPI Cabinet representation,” Axios: “Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), backed up by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), leveled the complaint to deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillion during a Zoom call [Monday] between the White House and the Senate Democratic Caucus.” AFTERNOON LISTEN, via NYT’s Ezra Klein: “An Unusually Optimistic Conversation with Bernie Sanders” FILIBUSTER DEATH WATCH — “Killing the filibuster becomes new ‘litmus test’ for Democratic candidates,” by Burgess Everett and James Arkin: “In three of the most competitive Senate races, Democratic candidates are already campaigning on killing the Senate’s 60-vote requirement for most bills, placing the chamber’s arcane rules at the forefront of the nascent 2022 midterms. Those reform-minded Democrats are running on voting rights legislation, a minimum wage increase and background checks for gun purchases, arguing that they’re only possible through a simple majority vote in the Senate. … “But that framing of the issue also hands Republicans a potent weapon next fall. They can argue that, in the midterms, even a single Senate seat can make the difference between a historic change to the fabric of the U.S. government and a system where the minority party still has the power to stop legislation it finds objectionable.” | | | | 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. | | | | | CLIMATE FILES — “Biden faces ‘moment of truth’ as he weighs key U.S. climate promise,” WaPo: “By April 22, when President Biden convenes world leaders for an Earth Day summit, he is expected to unveil a new, aggressive plan to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions between now and 2030. … At the same time, Biden officials are keenly aware that promising too much, too quickly could mean relying upon questionable assumptions — specifically, what Congress is willing to fund and what policies future administrations pursue. … “The upcoming national pledge will be built on the expectation that Congress adopts a recovery package with major federal funding for clean energy projects … For now, departments are looking for what steps they already have authority to take to reduce climate pollution, and at the possibilities offered by technological breakthroughs. … The scramble to find ways to cut the nation’s carbon output spans nearly every federal agency, in policies that touch nearly every corner of American society.” THE NEXT BIG BILL — “Buttigieg’s Next Job: Selling $3 Trillion Infrastructure Plan to Skeptics,” WSJ: “Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is talking like a small city mayor again as he prepares to help sell the Biden administration’s $3 trillion infrastructure plan to a bitterly divided Congress. Mr. Buttigieg, who served two terms as mayor of South Bend, Ind., said that focusing on the needs of local government will be particularly useful … “Mr. Buttigieg said he is confident that the administration can strike a deal, and isn’t above regional flattery to get conservatives on board. ‘When it comes to rail, why should Texas be inferior to China?’ he said. ‘I’m going to keep putting it that way and see if it resonates.’ Mr. Buttigieg said that in ‘offline conversations’ with Republican lawmakers, ‘you can feel there really is a desire to get things done.’” — “Drugmakers prepare for the unusual: A defeat in Washington,” by Susannah Luthi and Sarah Owermohle: “A renewed debate over whether to allow the government to negotiate drug prices, which is strongly opposed by pharma and Republican lawmakers, could become a watershed moment for an industry that’s unaccustomed to losing — and survived the Trump era largely unscathed, even as the previous president found rare common ground with Democrats in bashing high drug prices. “But those with knowledge of initial discussions told POLITICO that Democratic lawmakers appear intent on using their razor-thin congressional majorities to finally push through a drug pricing overhaul for at least one simple reason: It’s one of the few issues under consideration that would save money in a sprawling package expected to cost trillions.” THE REOPENING DEBATE — “Teachers union ‘not convinced’ social distancing can safely be cut to 3 feet,” CBS: “The nation’s second-largest teachers union sent a two-page letter to the Biden administration on Tuesday questioning the decision to reduce the recommended social distancing in schools to three feet between students. … [Randi] Weingarten also questioned the scientific foundation of the social distancing studies … Finally, Weingarten questioned the timeline for implementing these recommendations.” SELLING THE VACCINE — “White House Teams With Groups on Vaccine-Hesitancy Campaign to Sway Conservatives,” WSJ: “The Biden administration is enlisting the help of groups including the Christian Broadcasting Network Inc. and Nascar to encourage more people to get the Covid-19 vaccine … “The Ad Council, a nonprofit that produces public-service announcements, and the Covid Collaborative, a coalition of leaders in education, health and economics, announced a campaign Tuesday that will run during time donated by media across TV and digital media platforms.” One of the videos — “Becerra says government must reach people where they are to surmount vaccine inequities,” WaPo | | | | 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. | | | | | 2020 POST-MORTEM — “‘A conversation that needs to happen’: Democrats agonize over ‘defund the police’ fallout,” by Holly Otterbein: “In private email exchanges and on public social media platforms, Democratic elected officials, operatives and aides continue to battle over whether the issue that has come to be known as simply ‘defund’ is so radioactive that it nearly cost the party its majority — or whether it had any impact at all on the outcome.” STATE OF STATEHOOD — Del. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON (D-D.C.) takes aim at the filibuster in an interview with GEN: “The Senate doesn’t do anything anymore, and the reason for that is the filibuster. The filibuster is on its last legs. That puts D.C. closer to statehood than we have ever any chance of believing we would have. If you move to a talking filibuster, we’re on our way there.” Would you consider a Senate run if D.C. was granted statehood? “Oh, sure. After being the one who got them statehood and struggling all these years.” FOR YOUR RADAR — “Charles Schwab leaves U.S. Chamber of Commerce as both change their political activities,” CNBC CLICKER — “Biden’s Wealthiest Cabinet Officials: Zients, Lander, Rice Top the List,” WSJ: “[Jeff] Zients … listed assets worth at least $89.3 million … [Eric] Lander … disclosed assets worth at least $45.5 million. [Susan] Rice … listed assets worth at least $37.9 million. … John Kerry, Mr. Biden’s special envoy for climate change, is likely to be among the wealthiest members of the current administration. His disclosure report hasn’t been made public.” TOP-ED — Sen. TIM SCOTT (R-S.C.) in WAPO: “Let’s set the record straight on ‘woke supremacy’ and racism”: “[M]y ideology does not match that which they prescribe based on my complexion. That is woke supremacy. It is the ‘tolerant’ left’s intolerance for dissent. It is a progressive conception of diversity that does not include diversity of thought. It is discrimination falsely marketed as inclusion. … “When you give license for one person or group of people to discriminate, you give license for everyone to discriminate. Dividing society along racial lines is everything leaders in the civil rights era fought against, yet leaders of the woke movement are attempting to codify discrimination in law.” WHAT CHAD WOLF IS UP TO — “Former Trump DHS chief Chad Wolf starts consulting firm,” by Daniel Lippman: “The new firm is called Wolf Global Advisors, and Wolf is launching it with three former other senior Trump DHS officials: former acting chief of staff Scott Erickson, former deputy chief of staff Tyler Houlton and legislative affairs director Beth Spivey.” AFTERNOON SNACK — “Merrick Garland is a former judge who brings a fresh spin to a question that’s long perplexed Justice Department insiders: What to call the attorney general?” Insider: “It’s a question that has lived on from Democratic to Republican administrations and left a trail of awkward introductions in its wake. On the menu of options for the Justice Department leader is Mr. or Mrs. Attorney General, or simply ‘general,’ a shorthand that has survived in spite of being grammatically incorrect. … “[T]he 68-year old Joe Biden appointee brings a fresh spin to the incertitude even as he provides what appears to be a safe fallback option: ‘Judge.’ Garland does not seem to care about his title, people familiar with his preferences told Insider.” FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Tricia McClaughlin is now comms director for the Ohio GOP. She most recently was chief of staff to the U.S. special presidential envoy for nuclear arms control at the State Department, and is a Treasury alum. TRANSITION — Essam Attia will be legislative assistant for veterans affairs for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). He most recently was a HillVets fellow for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii). | | | |   | | | | | | | 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 | | | | |  |
