News: Republicans look to make amends as Democrats solidify impeachment plans

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Republicans look to make amends as Democrats solidify impeachment plans

Jan 12, 2021

And a big, big help from Melanie as well as Sarah, Marianne, Kyle, Andrew, and Heather (team work makes the dream work, amiright?).

Yesterday, we highlighted how Democrats were responding to last week's deadly Capitol riots (Hint: it starts with the letter 'I'). So, how are Republicans grappling with the crisis?

They are all over the map. Some GOP lawmakers are considering throwing their weight behind impeachment. Others are pushing for the less severe option of censuring President Donald Trump and/or forming a commission to investigate the attack. And some top Republicans are even trying to get Trump to make amends.

But, but, but … There seems to be a growing feeling in the GOP that they need to hold Trump accountable in some way. They just haven't coalesced around how they are going to do that quite yet.

REPUBLICANS: House Republicans held a two-hour long conference call for the first time since the riots yesterday to vent their emotions over the deadly domestic terror attack on the Capitol, which led to several news nuggets that Melanie and your Huddle host reported. The highlights:

-- Blame Game: McCarthy told Republicans that Trump bears some of the responsibility for the Capitol riot and that he's talked to the president about it, multiple sources tell us.

-- Proxy Voting: To address safety concerns, McCarthy said he's giving Republicans his blessing to use proxy voting. BUT if they're a cosponsor to the GOP's lawsuit challenging it, he says they should remove themselves first. (That will also help members who can't get back in time for today's largely symbolic vote encouraging Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, which was scheduled at the last minute.)

-- Call B, Beep B, if you want to reach JB: The GOP leader also told House Republicans that he has urged Trump to call and congratulate Joe Biden, in what is one of the first known moments of McCarthy telling Trump to extend an olive branch to the incoming president.

-- "Vote of Conscience": GOP Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney didn't tip her hand on where she will land on impeachment, but she did frame it as a "vote of conscience" and "not a political vote," according to a source.

-- Freshman Fight: During a dust-up involving freshman Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.), freshman Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) chimed in to say she's "disappointed" that the "QAnon conspiracy theorists" are not only leading the party, but also that they led the election objection effort after members had to walk by a crime scene to get to the House floor.

-- This Ain't Antifa: McCarthy said that based on the FBI briefing he received, there is no reason to believe that Antifa was involved in the mob attack (which is what some hard-line conservatives have suggested).

Read all the deets on the call from us here: http://politi.co/3sg6qNI

MUST READ: The Post's Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey and Philip Rucker also deliver a harrowing, at times infuriating, reconstruction of efforts by lawmakers to get through to Trump while they were under siege down the street — and failing to reach him while he cloistered himself in the West Wing, watching images of the riots. https://wapo.st/3nCngD9

FIRST IN HUDDLE: Your Huddle host is told by two GOP sources that Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) is seriously considering introducing a censure resolution against Trump, which could come as early as today. While one source cautioned that Fitzpatrick might not ultimately follow through with such a move -- he's still deciding whether to pull the trigger -- it is something that has been discussed. Fitzpatrick is one of the House Republicans who is clearly very upset and outraged by the president's actions and is looking for a way to show his disapproval.

DEMOCRATS: Democrats, meanwhile, are nailing down their path to impeachment after the caucus held its own conference call Monday on how to push forward.

The lowdown: The House is set to impeach Trump Wednesday, making him the first president in U.S. history to be impeached by the House twice -- and in one term, no less.

During a private conference call Monday , Pelosi informed members that they will need to return to the Capitol by tonight. While some Democrats previously suggested that the House could hang on to the impeachment articles to ensure the swift confirmation of Biden's national security team, they're now rallying around sending them immediately to the Senate.

"I think we should pass it and the Senate should take it up immediately," Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), a lead author of the impeachment resolution, told reporters Monday. "This is urgent."

Unlike Trump's first impeachment, it is likely to be bipartisan in the House, with as many as 10 House Republicans considering supporting the president's removal from office. More from Kyle, Sarah, Heather and Mel: http://politi.co/35A4O82

Eyes emoji: Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) says he's "strongly considering" impeachment, by Fox 17 Aaron Parseghian: https://bit.ly/3oAY8Ot

BUT one Dem says now's the wrong time for impeachment, which gives Republicans some cover: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) in an interview with Fox News on Monday, said that it "is so ill-advised for Joe Biden to be coming in, trying to heal the country … when we're going to be so divided and fighting again." Manchin recommended instead that the judicial system take care of punishing Trump. "There is no rush to do this impeachment now," Manchin said. "We can do it later if they think it's necessary."

Meanwhile, 24 former Republican members are encouraging their colleagues to impeach Trump. More from Kyle, Sarah, Heather and Mel: http://politi.co/35A4O82

HAPPENING THURSDAY - THE COVID-19 VACCINE ROLLOUT: What are the logistical challenges facing the coronavirus immunization campaign? Who is overseeing the process and working to overcome obstacles to ensure that vulnerable groups have access to the vaccine? Join POLITICO for a virtual discussion on the outgoing Trump administration's plan to prioritize lower-income, rural, and communities of color for vaccine distribution and what the Biden administration can do to streamline plans and fill in any gaps. REGISTER HERE.

GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Jan. 12, where all you want to find is someone who can work a little magic here and there.

MONDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The Hill's story on how Republicans are wrestling over removing Trump was the winner… followed closely by some of the Mea Culpas by Capitol rioters.

ACROSS THE CAPITOL: Soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is looking at using emergency authorities granted in 2004 to reconvene the Senate before Jan. 19, allowing an impeachment trial to begin immediately once the House sends the article across the Capitol.

BUT … This strategy would require buy-in from GOP Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who recently sent a memo to his caucus informing them that the Senate would not begin a trial until Jan. 19 at the earliest, barring a unanimous consent agreement. Schumer's push to use emergency authority is an effort to counter McConnell's memo.

With a trial now almost certain , Biden is suggesting the Senate do exactly what it did in the last trial in order to confirm his Cabinet nominees and work on other legislation: Convene as the Senate in the mornings, and as an impeachment trial in the afternoons and evenings. http://politi.co/35x4rei (Your Huddle host suggests stocking up on caffeine.)

STILL SOUNDING THE ALARM : One lawmaker got a concealed carry permit. Another was accosted twice at the airport. A third had to hide in an airport bathroom. Lawmakers are fearful for their safety after last week's assault on the Capitol.

And the threats may be getting worse, as was made clear in an alarming House Democrats briefing by Capitol police and other security forces on Monday night, multiple sources tell Sarah and Heather.

Many members told us they were stunned by the intensity of the crowds they encountered. Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), who is Black, told us: "I'm a son of the segregated South... If you've ever been accosted by a person who has hate in their heart and wants to hurt, you never forget that look."

One GOP House member who endured Wednesday's attack flew home expecting to be greeted by concerned constituents. Instead, what he and GOP colleagues heard chilled them to the core: "Do you think that Congress got the message?" More from Sarah, Kyle and Melanie: http://politi.co/2K97mCw.

Related: Pentagon authorizes up to 15,000 National Guardsmen to support inauguration, by Politico's Lara Seligman: http://politi.co/2K47yCS | Congress's Sergeants-at-Arms Face Scrutiny After Siege, via NYT's Michael Schmidt and Ali Watkins: http://nyti.ms/2XyrdOs.

More fallout….

CAP POLICE SUSPENSIONS: At least two Capitol Police officers have been suspended after a mob overtook the Capitol last week, according to Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), chair of the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee, which oversees funding for the law enforcement agency said Monday night. According to Ryan:

-- One of those officers took a selfie with one of the rioters

-- The other wore a "Make America Great Again" hat while being seen directing members of the mob

Additionally: There are also as many as 10-15 instances involving Capitol Police that are currently under investigation, Ryan said. Our Caitlin Emma with the story: http://politi.co/2XyukG8

A NOTE OF CAUTION: Your Huddle host will be the * first* to admit she does not have all the answers, but she also wants to caution readers about rushing to judgment about the Capitol police officers' roles in the riots. There are many outbursts of violence that they encountered that are not captured on camera. We don't know the full story. Many Capitol police officers chose to protect people over property on Wednesday. And while there certainly were mistakes and some suspicious activity, rhetoric that vilifies the Capitol police force as a whole is lazy and wrong.

The sheer number of protesters who rammed into the building was overwhelming. And there's a strong sentiment among Capitol police officers that their leaders missed the warning signs and let the rank-and-file down.

Meanwhile… The comms director for Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the soon-to-be chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, isn't leaning in on Sheryl Sandberg's take on Facebook's role in the Wednesday riot: https://bit.ly/35tpNJu

COVID KEEPS ON COMING: Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a 75-year-old cancer survivor, was hospitalized with Covid-19 after sheltering in place with Republicans who refused to wear masks.

BIG PUN: Democrats are weighing various ways to punish their Republican colleagues who supported Trump's effort to overturn the election on the floors of Congress. One idea being kicked around in Democratic circles is icing out dissenting Republicans by keeping them off any legislation that has a chance of becoming law or removing the names of those GOP members from bill re-introductions.

Dems are also going after House Republicans with censure resolutions and calls for expulsion. They are particularly zeroing in on Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), who led the House GOP's effort to challenge the election. "Some of these people should have the good sense to resign, and they should take it upon themselves to do the right thing," said House Rules Chairman Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), specifically mentioning Brooks.

McGovern also did not rule out the possibility of censuring some of the GOP members: "That's something we ought to discuss and be thoughtful about. ... Obviously, we need to have those discussions." Much more on all this from Susannah Luthi, yours truly, Heather and Sarah: http://politi.co/3bqcQEa.

And some Republicans who voted to reject election results are paying a price within their own party as well . A prominent backer of Rep. Madison Cawthorn's election said he erred in supporting the young lawmaker who joined the objectors. https://bit.ly/3q958lS

TUNE IN TO NEW EPISODE OF 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 for Season Two, available now.

TRANSITIONS

Nan Swift has joined the R Street Institute as a Governance fellow, which comes after Nan served as professional staff for Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) on the U.S. Senate Budget Committee.

Tim Cummings is joining the office of Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) as her new chief of staff, which comes after he served as COS of the Employee Benefits Security Administration at the Department of Labor.

Daniel Schwarz is joining Hill+Knowlton Strategies as senior vice president in the firm's public affairs practice, which comes after he served as director of strategic communications for Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and the House Judiciary Committee.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House will meet at 9 a.m., with votes starting around 7:30 p.m.

The Senate is not in session until Jan. 19.

AROUND THE HILL

Nada.

TRIVIA

FRIDAY'S WINNER: Elliot Williams was the first to guess that Griffin Bell was the last federal judge to be AG … after Michael Mukasey, who served President George W. Bush.

TODAY'S QUESTION : From Elliot: Of the 13 House Republicans who served as "managers" for Bill Clinton's impeachment, how many still hold elected office (both answers -- with judges or without -- will be accepted)?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answer to obeavers@politico.com.

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