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Presented by Facebook: POLITICO's must-read briefing on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. | | | | | |  | | By Rachael Bade, Eli Okun and Garrett Ross | Presented by Facebook | SEAN PATRICK MALONEY’S job as DCCC chair is to fight to keep the House in Democratic control. It’s a difficult task even when your party isn’t facing the structural headwinds Democrats see right now. But it’s even harder when you seem to mistake the media — not Republicans — for your opponents. This morning, SPM had a heated encounter with MSNBC’s JOE SCARBOROUGH, who was pressing him on how Dems will counter GOP messaging about “socialism” and “defunding the police” — attacks shown to resonate with swing voters. SPM — as he did in an interview with Playbook earlier this year — accused Scarborough of “repeating a Republican talking point” when, in fact, he’d asked a totally fair question. Scarborough wasn’t having it — and fired back in an exchange making the rounds on social media this morning. “You all did such a damn poor job of answering that, such a poor job of answering ‘socialism’ questions, such a poor job of answering ‘cancel culture’ questions,” Scarborough said, visibly angry at the accusation that he was doing Republicans’ bidding. “That’s why I’m repeating it, because if you believe KEVIN MCCARTHY should be speaker of the House, keep pretending that none of that happened, and keep saying that the House did a good job in 2020 because they did not; House Democrats did a poor job. So my question is, are you going into 2022 with eyes wide open?” Dang. Here’s the reality: Whether SPM says they’re fair or not, the GOP attacks on Democrats over “socialism” and “defund the police” work. They’re why Democrats lost double-digits seats last year — after predicting they’d pick up that many — highlighting the party’s obliviousness to how persuasive these accusations are with independents. It’s entirely reasonable for a reporter (or in this case, a TV host) to ask the head of the Democrats’ campaign arm: How do you handle this? Just because you don’t like the question — or are frustrated that reporters won’t take your spin as law — doesn’t mean they’re for the other side. For years, Democrats cheered on the press as they asked tough questions of Trump’s administration. Now that they’re in the hot seat, some aren’t so happy that they’re getting the same treatment. Watch the Maloney/Scarborough exchange: | 
| PROMISE BROKEN — “Biden speeds refugees admissions, but doesn’t lift Trump cap,” AP: “Biden, instead, is adjusting the allocation limits set by former President Donald Trump, which officials said have been the driving factor in limiting refugee admissions. The new allocations provide more slots for refugees from Africa, the Middle East and Central America, and lift Trump’s restrictions on resettlements from Somalia, Syria and Yemen. … “[A] senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, said Biden would raise the current year cap if needed, but that the priority was moving to adjust from which areas refugees would be admitted.” — More from the NYT: “An administration official said the change would allow the Biden administration to fill the cap of 15,000, although it would also leave thousands of additional refugees cleared to fly to the United States stranded in camps.” | | 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. | | | TRAGEDY IN INDIANA — “Police say gunman was dead when officers got to ‘chaotic and active’ scene,” IndyStar: “Eight people were killed and several more were injured in a mass shooting at the FedEx Ground Plainfield Operations Center late Thursday. … “When officers arrived, they found a ‘chaotic and active crime scene,’ said IMPD Deputy Chief Craig McCartt, with several injured and several dead. The suspected shooter was found to have a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was dead by the time he was found by officers. McCartt said the investigation was in its infancy, but it appears the shooter arrived at the facility and began shooting randomly in the parking lot before entering the building and continuing his rampage.” — “Too many Americans are dying every single day from gun violence,” President JOE BIDEN said in a statement this afternoon. “It stains our character and pierces the very soul of our nation. We can, and must, do more to act and to save lives.” — Biden’s “determination to act has been redoubled” by mass shootings like this and the constant daily toll of gun violence, press secretary JEN PSAKI said at today’s briefing. She added that “the politics are perplexing,” since Republican lawmakers oppose gun violence measures that have overwhelming public support. Good Friday afternoon. THE NEXT PHASE — “Biden administration investing $1.7B to better track Covid-19 variants,” by David Lim: “The money, from the last pandemic relief package, will go toward sequencing the genomes of coronavirus samples, creating six new new genomic epidemiology centers and building a national bioinformatics infrastructure to unify how sequencing data is shared and analyzed. “The first tranche of money — $240 million — will go to boost states’ genomic sequencing of virus samples with the aim of better understanding of how Covid-19 variants are circulating in communities.” — The White House also said this morning it will invest “more than $4 billion to combat COVID-19 in Indian Country.” And it announced a new mass vaccination site in Bessemer, Ala. THE WEEK AHEAD: Biden will meet with members of Congress from both parties Monday to discuss the infrastructure/jobs plan. On Tuesday, he’ll meet with Congressional Hispanic Caucus leaders. Later in the week, he’ll speak about the pandemic response and vaccination effort. The virtual Climate Leaders Summit will commence Thursday, the same day GRETA THUNBERG testifies before Congress and D.C. statehood will be up for a vote on the House floor. NEW FROM DOJ — AP/Washington: “AG Garland rescinds Trump-era memo that curtailed use of consent decrees used in investigations of police departments.” SELF-CARE AT MAR-A-LAGO — “Donald Trump is ditching the spray tan, M&Ms, and even some extra pounds at home in Florida. Insiders say losing 20 pounds might convince him to run for president again,” Insider: “The bleached highlights are out, and the gray is growing in. Some of former President Donald Trump’s extra weight is off, too, thanks to better eating habits and a near-religious regimen of daily golf in the Florida sunshine. “‘He has lost 15 pounds since he left the White House,’ said one Trump adviser … Advisers also say Trump’s forced departure from Twitter and Facebook, immediately after the January 6 attack on the Capitol, has eased his mind and curbed his middle-of-the-night tweet rages.” The best/most ridiculous quote from the piece: “‘I think there’s an extra 10% to 15% chance he runs if he lost 20 pounds,’ one veteran Republican strategist told Insider.” VALLEY TALK — “Facebook oversight board delays decision on Trump ban to ‘the coming weeks,’” by Cristiano Lima: “[T]he board said Friday it needed to push back the deadline due to the immense public interest in the case.” FALWELL FALLOUT — “Liberty University sues former President Jerry Falwell Jr. for $10 million, citing conspiracy, breach of contract,” Religion News Service | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TO JOIN AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION: Power is changing, in Washington and across the country. 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Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | FILIBUSTER WATCH — “Democrats hand their foes a weapon as they weigh a filibuster loophole,” by Jennifer Scholtes and Caitlin Emma: “Faced with a 50-50 Senate that limits his ability to maneuver on major priorities, [Majority Leader Chuck Schumer] has sought to double up on opportunities for using the annual budget to pass legislation with just 51 votes, sidestepping a GOP filibuster. … If [he] doesn’t use his new arrow, the next majority leader could make it happen thanks to his reconnaissance. … “‘[T]hey’ve sort of laid down a road map for us,’ Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a close ally of GOP leader Mitch McConnell, said this week.” EARMARK HUSTLE — “Senate Republicans at war over earmarks,” by Burgess Everett and Caitlin Emma: “The battle is pitting a group of prominent earmark-hating Republicans, many of whom are weighing a presidential run, against supporters of a return to the past. GOP fans of such congressional directed spending count an influential supporter in the former president still trying to control their party. … “[S]everal senators said privately it was unclear where the majority of the conference will be next Wednesday when the party casts its deciding votes on earmarks. Moreover, the ballots may be cast secretly, making a return to earmarks more likely to pass. [Sen. Ted] Cruz will offer an amendment to make the vote recorded, rather than secret ballot, and also will seek to bar earmarks related to family, staff and political organizations, according to a list of proposals provided by a GOP source.” The full list of proposals FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE — “Russia to expel 10 U.S. diplomats in response to Washington,” AP: “Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also said Moscow will add eight U.S. officials to its sanctions list and move to restrict and stop the activities of U.S. nongovernment organizations from interfering in Russia’s politics. … Lavrov noted that while Russia could take ‘painful measures’ against American business interests in Russia, it wouldn’t immediately move to do that.” JAN. 6 AND ITS AFTERMATH — “Founding member of Oath Keepers set to enter first guilty plea in Jan. 6 Capitol breach,” WaPo — One hundred days after the ransacking of the Capitol, NBC’s Frank Thorp has published a photo essay featuring interviews and portraits from members of Congress, journalists, Capitol Police and staffers who were in the building that day. The photographs were shot by Thorp using a “1950s large format Speed Graphic film camera (with a WWII aerial reconnaissance lens called a Kodak Aero Ektar) on black and white film that he developed on his own in his house,” according to NBC. The essay — “The siege of the Capitol still haunts me. I’m trying to keep the faith,” by NBC’s Kasie Hunt IT’S ALWAYS THE FACEBOOK GROUPS — “In secret Facebook groups, America’s best warriors share racist jabs, lies about 2020, even QAnon theories,” NBC: “[T]he private Facebook groups reveal an underbelly of a segment of the military that has long been revered as America’s front line of defense. “NBC News reviewed posts from four private groups that describe themselves as solely for special operations forces. … Collectively, the two groups have more than 5,000 members, with some belonging to both.” BEYOND THE BELTWAY — “QAnon Candidates Are Winning Local Elections. Can They Be Stopped?” Time: “Since Trump’s defeat, the QAnon movement has quietly entered a different, and arguably more dangerous, phase. Adherents now hold local elected offices across the U.S. — from mayors to city-council members to school-board trustees — with the power to shape policies that directly affect the lives of millions of Americans from positions that offer a measure of credibility to delusional beliefs. “In some places, like Grand Blanc, [Mich.,] the election of QAnon believers to local office has met little organized resistance. In others, it’s prompted street protests, frantic PTA meetings, tearful city-council Zoom calls, and hundreds of angry emails and petitions. … [I]t’s clear from more than two dozen interviews with residents of communities where QAnon-tied officials have taken office that America is only beginning to grapple with the havoc that the cultlike conspiracy theory has wrought.” | | | | YOUR GUIDE TO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION: As the Biden administration closes in on three months in office, what are the big takeaways? Will polls that show support for infrastructure initiatives and other agenda items translate into Republican votes or are they a mirage? What's the plan to deal with Sen. Joe Manchin? Add Transition Playbook to your daily reads for details you won't find anywhere else that reveal what's really happening inside the West Wing and across the executive branch. Track the people, policies and power centers of the Biden administration. Subscribe today. | | | | | CASH DASH — “Election objectors leaned on small donors after corporate PAC backlash,” by Zach Montellaro, Theo Meyer and Allan James Vestal: “Most House Republicans who objected to the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory saw their small-dollar fundraising rise in the first three months of this year compared to the same quarter in 2019 … “The rise in small-dollar donations helped to offset a decrease in PAC donations for many members, according to an analysis of quarterly campaign finance data that was due Thursday. … While 55 of the 95 House Republican objectors whose filings POLITICO analyzed saw their fundraising decline compared with the first quarter of 2019, 40 saw it rise.” 2022 WATCH — “Potential Missouri Senate candidate holding Mar-a-Lago fundraiser with Gov. Parson,” Missouri Independent: “U.S. Rep. Jason Smith is holding a fundraiser at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida later this month, fueling already rampant speculation that the southeast Missouri Republican is planning a run for U.S. Senate next year. “According to an invite for the event, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is serving on the host committee … Among the other hosts are South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Doug Collins of Georgia.” 2020 AUTOPSY — “How Democrats Who Lost in Deep-Red Places Might Have Helped Biden,” NYT BEHIND THE VACC-SCENES — “J&J Privately Asked Rival Covid-19 Vaccine Makers to Probe Clotting Risks,” WSJ: “As concerns mounted last week over rare cases of blood clots, J&J asked AstraZeneca PLC as well as Pfizer and Moderna to join its efforts looking into the reports … J&J, through emails and phone calls, also sought to build an informal alliance to communicate the benefits and risks of the shots and address any concerns raised among the public by the blood-clot cases … “Pfizer and Moderna executives declined the offer, saying their vaccines appeared safe … The pair also objected because they didn’t see the need to duplicate the efforts of regulators and companies already looking for blood-clot cases and investigating the cause … One company’s concern: The safety of the Pfizer and Moderna shots could be tarnished by association … Only AstraZeneca, which had been buffeted by similar blood-clotting concerns for weeks, agreed.” TOP-ED — Former President GEORGE W. BUSH in WaPo: “Immigration is a defining asset of the United States. Here’s how to restore confidence in our system”: “The help and respect historically accorded to new arrivals is one reason so many people still aspire and wait to become Americans. So how is it that in a country more generous to new arrivals than any other, immigration policy is the source of so much rancor and ill will? The short answer is that the issue has been exploited in ways that do little credit to either party. And no proposal on immigration will have credibility without confidence that our laws are carried out consistently and in good faith.” With select paintings from Bush’s forthcoming collection, “Out of Many, One” ( $38) MEDIAWATCH — “White House tries a time-tested media strategy — courting local reporters,” WaPo: “President Biden’s White House is launching a new strategy of focusing more on local and specialty media, offering a weekly ‘virtual’ slot in the briefing room to regional reporters and convening rare on-the-record briefings for smaller outlets.” — “Dana Bash Meets Her Moment,” Glamour: “The new co-anchor of CNN’s State of the Union was never slated for overnight success. She’s fine with that.” — CNN announced a slate of new contributors today: NYT’s Zolan Kanno-Youngs will be a political analyst based in D.C. Former DNC Chair Tom Perez and Ashley Allison, a Biden campaign and Obama White House alum, will be political commentators based in D.C. And Terrance Gainer, former Capitol Police chief, and Roberto Villasenor, former Tucson, Ariz., police chief, will be law enforcement analysts based in Chicago and Tucson. ANOTHER GATE 35X STORY — “Three years ago, my 13-year-old daughter was taking her first flight alone. She was excited but nervous - going to her grandma’s house in Connecticut. As I very nervously released her to the hoard jostling toward the bus, whom did I see stepping in to chat her up, be kind and make her feel less alone - none other than Chief Justice John Roberts and his wife. I almost cried in gratitude but was too far away to say thank you. And they even live in our neighborhood. Maybe it’s still not too late to drop a long-overdue thank you note in their box?? My daughter had no idea.” -Jennifer Loven, partner at Finsbury Glover Hering HOT JOB: Public policy associate at Bumble, Daybook | | | |   | | | | | | | 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 | | | | |  |
