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Presented by Google: POLITICO's must-read briefing on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. | | | | | |  | | By Rachael Bade, Eli Okun and Garrett Ross | Presented by |  | | | MCCARTHY SLAMS THE DOOR ON KATKO — The big news on the Hill this morning is that House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY announced his opposition to a bipartisan Jan. 6 commission. He issued a statement against the proposal and spoke out against it at the House GOP Conference this morning, even though his ally JOHN KATKO (R-N.Y.) negotiated on his behalf and secured almost all the concessions McCarthy had sought. “Given the political misdirections that have marred this process, given the now duplicative and potentially counterproductive nature of this effort, and given the Speaker’s shortsighted scope that does not examine interrelated forms of political violence in America, I cannot support this legislation,” McCarthy said. Read the full statement here — What this means for member relations with leadership, per NYT’s Jonathan Martin: “Larger issue w Katko on 1/6 commission - or Scott and Bass on policing + Capito on infrastructure- is that you can’t recruit and retain good members if they not truly empowered. You can be assured that other members will see this, find it demoralizing.” DEMOCRATS GOT ZINGERS: Speaker NANCY PELOSI had this to say when MSNBC’s Garrett Haake asked her about McCarthy’s position: “It’s disappointing, but not surprising, that the cowardice on the part of some on the Republican side — not to want to find the truth.” And House Democratic Caucus Chair HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-N.Y.) — who will likely be McCarthy’s top adversary when Pelosi and most of the senior leaders retire — said: “It’s hard to take Kevin McCarthy seriously at this point. … I don’t know what Kevin McCarthy is afraid of.” (We’ll give you a hint: It starts with “s,” and ends with “poena.”) SO HOW MANY REPUBLICANS WILL VOTE FOR THIS BILL? Probably not many. They’ll see this as a free vote to stick with DONALD TRUMP — and if McCarthy is a no, why shouldn’t they follow their leader? Katko tried to make his case in a House GOP Conference this morning, but let’s be realistic here: Republicans — most of them — don’t want to talk about Jan. 6 anymore. — If you missed Olivia Beavers’ Politico Huddle this morning , you should read it. She’s got a list of names already being tossed about as potential commissioners, including: former Rep. SUSAN BROOKS (R-Ind.), who is well liked and respected by both parties, and even FIONA HILL, the former impeachment witness who worked for JOHN BOLTON. (Remember the RUDY GIULIANI “drug deal” quote?) But that’s assuming this even gets that far. … It’s hard to see this passing the Senate with only about a dozen Republicans voting for it in the House (which is what Democrats are expecting, per our Sarah Ferris). Of course, Democrats could still investigate Jan. 6 through congressional committees — which would give the GOP even less control over the process. ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — Pressed on why the U.S. blocked a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an end to fighting in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, press secretary JEN PSAKI defended the White House’s strategy of behind-the-scenes diplomacy: “It’s an excellent question. I will say again: Our role in this conflict is to make sure that every conversation we’re having, every statement we support, every action we take is toward the end goal of ending the violence on the ground, to ending the suffering of the Israeli/Palestinian people. We’re not going to take actions or steps that we think would hinder that effort.” — Psaki also panned the Trump administration-steered Abraham Accords as not having done “anything constructive.” Good Tuesday afternoon. | | A message from Google: A path to in-demand jobs in under six months. Google has launched four new Career Certificates for in-demand jobs in project management, data analytics, UX design, and Android development.
1.3 million jobs are open in these fields right now in the U.S, and no relevant experience is required to take these courses. Learn more. | | | BIG FLORIDA 2022 SCOOP — “Val Demings to run for Senate against Rubio,” by Marc Caputo in Orlando, Fla.: “For months, Demings mulled which statewide office to pursue, but decided she could do the most good by taking on the two-term senator … [An] adviser said that Demings, who has grown increasingly critical of GOP Gov. RON DESANTIS, ultimately became more frustrated with Senate Republicans under Minority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL and their ‘obstruction.’ … “Demings expects to make her decision final as early as next month. … Demings’ plans could put her on a crash course with three other Orlando-area Democrats: Rep. STEPHANIE MURPHY, former Rep. ALAN GRAYSON and former prosecutor ARAMIS AYALA. Even Demings’ supporters acknowledge Rubio will not be easy to beat.” BACKDROP FOR TODAY’S BIDEN TRIP — “Biden and an iconic American truck join forces in the fossil fuel culture war,” by Lorraine Woellert: “The Ford F-150, an iconic American brand with a seven-decade history, will go electric in 2022. President JOE BIDEN will tour the vehicle’s Dearborn, Michigan, factory on Tuesday in advance of Ford’s big reveal of the new truck, the Lightning, on Wednesday.” DAILY RUDY — “Feds have asked about Giuliani’s consulting on Romania,” by Betsy Woodruff Swan and Daniel Lippman: “It’s not just Ukraine. … In 2018, Giuliani wrote a letter to Romanian President KLAUS IOHANNIS in which he decried the ‘excesses’ of Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) and called for an amnesty for people who had been convicted of crimes initiated by that body in recent years. “What Giuliani didn’t mention in the letter was that he wrote it on behalf of the Freeh Group, a consulting firm started by former FBI director LOUIS FREEH, which paid the former mayor a retainer to work on the Romania project. … Giuliani’s Romania activity has drawn the attention of federal investigators scrutinizing his foreign work. It means the probe of Giuliani has taken a wider lens than previously known.” BIG GOVERNMENT LIFTS MCCARTHY’S DISTRICT — “Biden’s aid programs help buttress McCarthy’s district despite GOP leader’s complaints about ‘socialist’ spending,” WaPo/Bakersfield, Calif.: “[A] Washington Post analysis finds that McCarthy’s constituents are among those who have benefited most from the very programs he’s decried, with high poverty levels and a younger population creating acute needs for individual and family aid. “An unusually large share of children in McCarthy’s district stand to benefit from the expanded child tax credit included in the American Rescue Plan he opposed — more than 93 percent … Even as McCarthy has railed against the extension of enhanced unemployment benefits in the law, his region has been among the slowest in the state to recover from the pandemic-induced economic crisis. … McCarthy’s constituents have also relied heavily on stimulus checks.” 2022 WATCH — “Andrew Giuliani announces 2022 bid for New York governor,” N.Y. Post: “‘I’m a politician out of the womb. It’s in my DNA,’ Giuliani, 35, told The Post, referring to his childhood as the son of a larger than life Big Apple mayor. ‘GIULIANI vs. CUOMO. Holy smokes. [It’s] MUHAMMAD ALI vs. JOE FRAZIER. We can sell tickets at Madison Square Garden,’ he said, referring to the famous 1971 heavyweight title prizefight. “Giuliani, 35, who served for four years as a White House aide to former President Donald Trump, insisted he is qualified to run — despite having never before run for a public office — and that he has the best chance to topple embattled three-term incumbent Cuomo. … His playbook will be pro-business, pro-police, pro-school choice.” | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO WEST WING PLAYBOOK: Add West Wing Playbook to keep up with the power players, latest policy developments and intriguing whispers percolating inside the West Wing and across the highest levels of the Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | DEMS’ DOWN-BALLOT DISASTER — “State losses plague Democrats ahead of redistricting,” by Ally Mutnick: “Despite President Joe Biden carrying New Hampshire in a runaway, Republicans surged in other races to flip both chambers of the state legislature. Now, the Granite State GOP is openly plotting the ouster of Rep. CHRIS PAPPAS (D-N.H.) … “His plight encapsulates one of the real-life impacts of Democrats’ failure to make more inroads in state capitals over the past four years, even as they claimed both chambers of Congress and the White House. Dozens of Democratic members from states large and small — including rising stars like Reps. SHARICE DAVIDS (D-Kan.) and CAROLYN BOURDEAUX (D-Ga.) — now find their political survival might be at the mercy of Republicans eager to grab every inch of territory they can as they chart a way back to the majority.” ON THE FLOOR — “House Republicans plan rebellion over mask rules,” by Melanie Zanona: “Rep. BRIAN MAST of Florida stood up during a GOP conference meeting Tuesday morning and told his colleagues that he’s ‘done’ wearing masks and will refuse to wear them on the House floor going forward, even if it means being fined … Mast, who has been vaccinated, confirmed his closed-door comments to POLITICO and added that ‘many’ other Republicans have said they will follow suit … “Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy informed the conference he plans to introduce a privileged motion on the topic Wednesday … Tensions are near a boiling point between the two parties over pandemic-era protocols … But Pelosi and Democrats have said that they could resume normal life more quickly if more of their Republican colleagues got vaccinated.” EXECUTIVE ACTION — “Biden moving to improve legal services for poor, minorities,” AP/Detroit: “Biden will sign a memorandum directing the Department of Justice to restore key functions of the shuttered Access to Justice Office and to reestablish the White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable. … The White House said that Biden was directing the roundtable to examine the impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on access to justice in both civil and criminal matters. … “Civil rights organizations and leaders have been pressing the Biden administration to reestablish the Access to Justice Office and its work. The memo doesn’t explicitly reopen the office but requires Attorney General MERRICK GARLAND to submit a plan within 120 days to expand work on access to justice.” PIPELINE FALLOUT — “Biden Proposes Billions for Cybersecurity After Wave of Attacks,” Bloomberg: “The $2 trillion American Jobs Plan, as the infrastructure proposal is known, includes $20 billion for state, local and tribal governments to modernize their energy systems contingent upon meeting cybersecurity standards, as well as $2 billion for grid resilience in high-risk areas that will be contingent on meeting cybersecurity targets, the White House said in a fact sheet obtained by Bloomberg News ahead of its release Tuesday.” | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | VACCINE REALITY CHECK — “The U.S. has promised 80 million vaccine doses to other countries. Experts say it isn’t nearly enough,” NYT: “[W]orld leaders, experts and advocates warn much more is needed to stop the virus from running rampant in much of the world, which gives it time to mutate and possibly evolve until it can evade vaccines. … “The United States supports waiving patents so more countries can produce vaccines, but experts say technology transfers and expanded access to raw materials mean it would take about six months for more drug makers to start producing vaccines. European leaders say lifting export bans would provide help sooner.” CLIMATE FILES — “Pathway to critical and formidable goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 is narrow but brings huge benefits, according to IEA special report,” International Energy Agency: “Climate pledges by governments to date – even if fully achieved – would fall well short of what is required to bring global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to net zero by 2050 and give the world an even chance of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C … “The report is the world’s first comprehensive study of how to transition to a net zero energy system by 2050 while ensuring stable and affordable energy supplies, providing universal energy access, and enabling robust economic growth.” The report AFTERNOON READ — “A ‘Community for All’? Not So Fast, This Wisconsin County Says,” NYT: “In Wausau, Wis., the county board has debated a resolution aimed at embracing inclusion for nearly a year, with no agreement. Racial tensions that had simmered beneath the surface are now roiling the community.” IN MEMORIAM — “Buddy Roemer, Louisiana’s former Democrat-turned-Republican governor, dies at 77,” The Advocate: “BUDDY ROEMER, who rode a message of reform in the 1987 governor’s race to vault over three challengers and ‘slay the dragon’ — scandal-torn three-time Gov. Edwin Edwards — but who lost reelection four years later to the same rival, died Monday in Baton Rouge. … “Roemer was a Democrat-turned-Republican, but he seemed too independent and headstrong to fit well in either party. He never followed the precept that to get ahead in politics, you had to get along with other politicians. With his sharp mind, he understood all the angles of a political play but disliked the deal-making that came with being governor. And that limited what he could achieve. … Perhaps no other governor in Louisiana history could match Roemer’s intellectual firepower.” HOT JOB — Senior policy associate at Tesla , Daybook TRANSITIONS — The Lukens Company has added Carly Miller as director of client services and Joe Karwacki as political strategist. Miller previously was at the RNC as state director of Iowa Trump Victory, and Karwacki previously was social media strategist for the Trump campaign. … Lia Palazzo is now comms director for Rep. Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.). She previously was deputy press secretary for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). … Will Hupman is joining Sherwin-Williams as director of federal affairs. He previously was at the American Petroleum Institute, and is a Morgan Griffith alum. … … Erin Greten is now of counsel at Baker Donelson. She previously spent nearly two decades at FEMA. … Gail Levine is now a partner at Mayer Brown, co-leading its global antitrust and competition practice. She most recently was a deputy director at the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. … William “Tim” Fink is now a partner in O’Melveny’s intellectual property and technology practice. He most recently was senior legal adviser to the director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. | | | | A message from Google:   In as little as six months, Google Career Certificates can prepare and connect people to in-demand jobs with 130+ employers, like Infosys, Better.com, and Snap Inc. Learn more. | | | | | | | 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 | | | | |  |
