News: Cawthorn looks to make his mark in N.C. Senate race

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Cawthorn looks to make his mark in N.C. Senate race

Feb 10, 2021

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With help from Sarah and Mel.

House Democrats made a stirring case on the first day of Donald Trump's impeachment trial, using a compilation of videos and emotional appeals to confront the members of the jury with the violence and chaos of Jan. 6.

Trump's defense team, meanwhile, has some making up to do after a rough start, which left GOP senators puzzled and the former president fuming. GOP senators probably won't convict Trump, but that doesn't mean they have to buy his team's legal case.

We are looking at another busy day, but first a campaign exclusive...

HUDDLE SCOOP: Freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), who has served just over a month in Congress, is already jumping into the N.C. Senate primary race to endorse Mark Walker.

The endorsement announcement comes as multiple N.C. sources tell me former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory is strongly weighing his own Senate bid, which would make him a strong competitor for a seat that is a must-win for the GOP.

In an interview with your Huddle host, Cawthorn, 25, says he has relationships with other potential candidates like McCrory and Lara Trump, who is also considering a Senate run (and would almost surely be backed by her father-in-law in the race), but one candidate has his support already: "Right now, I'm fully behind Mark Walker."

"Mark is exactly the kind of leader we need in North Carolina and in America," Cawthorn said, according to a draft email of his endorsement announcement. "He is a man of faith whose allegiance is to God, not to lobbyists or special interests in DC."

Repaying the favor? Walker, a former pastor, was the first establishment Republican to back Cawthorn during his House bid last election cycle. And now Cawthorn says Walker is a "bridge builder" who he thinks can bring both parties together, rather than just Republicans.

His support goes beyond an endorsement. "Whatever he needs me to do with his campaign," Cawthorn tells me, including joining Walker on the campaign trail.

Read Cawthorn's email endorsement draft here: https://politi.co/3aKg4Ac

And in his own prepared campaign press release, Walker says he is "honored" to have Cawthorn's endorsement: https://politi.co/2Oocep8

OPENING DAY: House Democrats began their impeachment case yesterday with a montage of the harrowing scenes that unfolded on Jan. 6, putting Trump's remarks at his press conference side-by-side that day with anarchic actions taken by pro-Trump rioters as they breached the Capitol.

The 13-minute video aired during the opening remarks of Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the lead impeachment manager, and had the clear goal of showing the horror, savagery and human cost of that day -- all of which previews what is to come in their arguments this week.

"You ask what a high crime and misdemeanor is under our Constitution? That's a high crime and misdemeanor. If that is not an impeachable offense, then there is no such thing," Raskin said after the video aired.

Tuesday's debate centered on whether it is constitutional to put a former president on trial for impeachment, with 56 senators ultimately voting to proceed, and 44 voting that it was not constitutional and should be dismissed.

Six Republicans split from the rest of their party, agreeing with all the Senate Democrats. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) was the only Republican senator to change his position after initially siding with Sen. Rand Paul's push last month to have the case dismissed on similar grounds -- a move he is already facing blowback for back home. Part of his reasoning? Trump's defense team flopped.

Schedule: The rest of the week is expected to feature arguments about how much responsibility Trump shoulders for the insurrection, as the two sides try to undermine one another's arguments. The Senate is expected to go until the trial wraps up, where it will then recess. Next up? Four days of arguments. The managers and Trump's defense team each have up to 16 hours (eight hours max a day) to make their cases, with House Democrats starting at 12 p.m. today.

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DEMS GET PERSONAL: The impeachment managers leaned on their own experiences being in the Capitol attack, with the goal of striking a deeply personal tone that aimed to make the senators not only relive that day, but also emphasize that their families, staff, police officers, and Capitol employees were put in harm's way.

Senators were clearly moved by the footage of the insurrection. "Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) put his hands over his eyes when footage played of a shooting outside the main House door. Several senators rubbed their eyes and shook their heads during a video showing a D.C. police officer being crushed between a set of doors. And Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) shook his head when Trump told the rioters, 'we love you,'" my colleagues report.

Andrew and Kyle have the story: http://politi.co/3p9M6uB

Raskin offered a heartwrenching account of burying his 25-year-old son, who died by suicide, on Jan. 5. Then, just a day later, he says he feared his daughter, who was visiting him at the Capitol, might be killed by the violent mob. Ben Leonard with more:: http://politi.co/3cWS93x

Related Reads: The 6 Republicans mulling Trump's conviction by our Marianne and Burgess: http://politi.co/2YZGGrJ | One of Trump's impeachment lawyers sued him last year — and accused him of making claims about fraud with 'no evidence' by WaPo's Amy Gardner: http://wapo.st/3jxPoHb

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this Feb. 10, where your Huddle host can empathize with those who have to clarify that they are a human, not an animal species.

TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The St. Louis Dispatch's story on Dem Scott Sifton launching bid for Blunt's Senate seat in 2022.

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.

ROTTEN TOMATOES: "House Democrats started former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial with a well-executed video and direct speakers. Trump's defense opened with a rambling bit by lead lawyer Bruce Castor that conceded the House presentation was 'well done' and their arguments would be answered later. The contrast was not lost on the jury," my colleagues Burgess, Marianne and Andrew report.

-Sen. Bill Cassidy (La.): "Terrible job," and "disorganized."

-Sen. Susan Collins (Maine): "I'm puzzled."

-Sen. John Cornyn (Texas): "Not one of the finest I've seen."

-Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska): "Really stunned" and "missed opportunity"

-Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.): "I really didn't know where it was going."

-Sen Ted Cruz (Texas): "I don't think the lawyers did the most effective job."

The second lawyer, David Schoen, took a more conventional approach with his presentation, which Republicans responded to more warmly. But they didn't exactly sing his praises, either.

"The first lawyer, just rambled on and on and on and didn't really address the constitutional argument," Cornyn said. "Finally the second lawyer got around to it." Oof.

Cassidy sums it up: "The House managers did a much better job."

More here from the Senate trio: http://politi.co/2OfaZbC

Related Reads: McConnell signals to GOP Trump impeachment is a conscience vote by Bloomberg's Jennifer Jacobs: http://bloom.bg/3jFcjjF : David Schoen defends lawyers' meandering performance in impeachment trial by our Matthew Choi: http://politi.co/3tGFpDX | Trifecta of Roles for Leahy: Witness, Juror and Judge in Trump's Trial by NYT's Emily Cochrane: http://nyti.ms/2OclrAD

OUTSIDE THE SENATE: Alan Dershowitz, who served on Trump's impeachment team last year, also told Newsmax: "I have no idea what [Castor] is doing...right now, it does not appear to me to be effective advocacy." And Stephen Bannon in a statement (h/t Jonathan Lemire) argued "this strategy is not working."

ALSO GIVING IT A THUMBS DOWN?: Trump was NOT happy with his impeachment defense team, per Gabby Orr and Meridith McGraw. More here: http://politi.co/3cXTBm7

"On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the angriest, Mr. Trump 'was an eight,' one person familiar with his reaction told NYT's Maggie Haberman.

Spotted: Officer Eugene Goodman, who helped delay and redirect a group of rioters in the Senate, was spotted watching the proceedings (h/t Igor Bobic)

OP-ED: Reckless rhetoric is a reckless standard in this impeachment writes Jonathan Turley in a The Hill Op-Ed: http://bit.ly/3701TGi

Outside of impeachment...

INSIDE GOP'S HOUSE TAKEOVER PLAN: The GOP is very well positioned to win back the House. They only need to flip five seats -- odds that party leaders are feeling pretty good about. And it helps that they have history and redistricting on their side. BUT Jan. 6 and coronavirus are both major X-factors in this calculation, so no one is taking anything for granted.

The deets: The NRCC gave my colleagues an exclusive interview with Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), the head of the House GOP's campaign arm, to walk us through their 2022 strategy.

They gave us an early copy of their target list, which includes 47 Dem seats that are categorized into three different buckets: battlegrounds, under performers and redistricting zones.

Another exclusive nugget: Emmer plans to tap Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.V.) to be recruitment chair this cycle, looking to build on their recent successful and record-breaking efforts to elect more women.

Also notable: Emmer is brushing aside the Dem attacks trying to link the GOP to QAnon, as you will see in some of these quotes, by dismissing that many Republicans believe in and care about such fringe conspiracy theories.

More here from our Ally Mutnick and Mel: http://politi.co/3aSSgKM

Related Reads: Rep. Meijer avoids censure after GOP committee deadlock by The Detroit News' Melissa Nann Burke: http://bit.ly/2Z3H4FG | Trump aide Cliff Sims who penned White House tell-all is considering Alabama Senate run by our Alex Isenstadt: http://politi.co/2Z2Req4

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THE LEFT GIRDS FOR BATTLE: Progressives in Congress are taking an early victory lap after securing a pair of priorities in the Democrats' first draft of its rescue package — including a minimum wage hike that's been on the agenda for a decade. But they'll soon face a tougher battle: steering those initial successes through multiple looming Senate minefields.

"We're going to push these all the way to the end," said Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Many Dems are already bracing for the Senate — whether it's the parliamentarian or someone like Sen. Joe Manchin — to force key measures to be stripped from the Covid bill, as Sarah and Heather report. But Jayapal said the first step is getting those pieces into the House's first draft, including the minimum wage, in the first place.

More here on the progressives' push: http://politi.co/3qazsNA

MEANWHILE… Minimal response on minimum wage as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer dodges on whether the wage hike can survive the Senate by Burgess: http://politi.co/3rEhFPa

NO CONFIDENCE: The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Union's executive board has called for rank-and-file members to deliver a vote of no confidence to the senior USCP leadership, arguing in a new statement that the "unprecedented step" comes "after reviewing senior leadership's handling" of Jan. 6.

Union chairman Gus Papathanasiou said: "The enormity of the multiple leadership failures both in leading up to the insurrection, and in the Department's response to it, have convinced us there is no other choice. The leadership has failed us, and we have paid a terrible price." Read the full release here: https://politi.co/3peQJE5

Related: The Capitol siege: The arrested and their stories by NPR staff: http://n.pr/3a25K7D

CABINET CORNER:

Upcoming:

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Merrick Garland, Biden's pick to lead the Justice Department. The hearing will take place on Feb. 22 and 23 and then a vote out of committee is slated for March 1. Marianne has the deets: http://politi.co/3cZkEh4

Updates:

'Vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz': Neera Tanden apologizes for past tweets by our Caitlin Emma: http://politi.co/2MOH0qH

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee advanced Michael Regan's nomination to lead the EPA in a bipartisan 14-6 vote. His nomination now heads to the full Senate. Roll Call's Joseph Morton has more: http://bit.ly/2MHcDm9

JOIN TODAY – A PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW ON TRUMP'S SECOND IMPEACHMENT TRIAL: After weeks of tension following the January insurrection at the Capitol, all eyes are on the Senate as the second impeachment trial against former President Trump begins. Join Playbook co-author Rachael Bade for a discussion on the ins and outs of the historic proceedings with former Ambassador Norman Eisen, a senior fellow in Governance Studies at The Brookings Institution, and a former special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee. What arguments will Trump's lawyers and House impeachment managers use? Where will this leave things on Capitol Hill? REGISTER HERE.

TRANSITIONS

Taylor Reidy is now comms director for the Senate Budget GOP, after previously serving as comms director for the Senate Judiciary GOP.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House is out.

The Senate convenes at 12 p.m.

AROUND THE HILL

BUDGET RECONCILIATION MARKUPS: In the House, the Ways and Means Committee begins its makeup at 10 a.m. ... the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee markup is at 11 a.m. … Financial Services Committee markup is at 12 p.m. ... the Budget Committee markup is at 2 p.m. … the Small Business Committee markup is at 5 p.m.

9 a.m.: Playbook co-author Rachael Bade is discussing the latest developments in the trial against Trump with Norman Eisen, former special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during the first Trump impeachment.

10 a.m.: The Senate Budget Committee has a full committee hearing on the nomination of Tanden to be director of the OMB.

11 a.m.: The Washington Post Live holds a webinar on the Senate impeachment trial featuring Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.).

12 p.m.: The Senate impeachment trial resumes.

1 p.m.: Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) holds a virtual news conference with gun safety advocates to introduce a gun safety legislative package.

2 p.m.: The House Homeland Security Committee will have a remote hearing on cyber threats facing the Homeland ft. Chris Krebs, former director of DHS's CISA, former DNI Deputy Director Sue Gordon, and other experts.

TRIVIA

TUESDAY'S WINNER: Clem Balanoff was the first person to correctly guess that Samuel Tilden in 1876 is the only presidential candidate to win a majority of popular votes cast but lose the Electoral College count (key word here is "majority" -- others have won a plurality of votes).

TODAY'S QUESTION: From your Huddle host: Talk about drama. President John Tyler's entire cabinet resigned after he vetoed a second bill for the establishment of a National Bank of the United States…with the exception of which cabinet member? Bonus points: Name the year.

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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A message from SoftBank Group:

Entrepreneurs of color are vastly underrepresented in the tech industry. That's why SoftBank Group launched a new $100 million venture fund for outstanding Black, Latinx and Native American entrepreneurs that use technology to reimagine traditional business models and create new ones.

We are committed to demonstrating there is no tradeoff between diversity and excellence. Learn more at TheOpportunityFund.com.