Axios Sneak Peek: The new grifters - outrage profiteers ... Senate Republicans seek pain

Plus: White House primes judicial pipeline | Wednesday, March 03, 2021

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Facebook   Axios Sneak Peek By Alayna Treene, Hans Nichols and Kadia Goba ·Mar 03, 2021 Welcome back to Sneak. ⚡ Situational Awareness: Security fears triggered by the historical significance of March 4 have prompted the House to adjourn and heightened security at the U.S. Capitol. The current White House plan for OMB: Get Shalanda Young confirmed as deputy director and immediately promote her to acting director, Axios' Hans Nichols reports. The move would give President Biden time to decide on a permanent director. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he won't resign, continuing the turmoil in Albany. 📚 Worthy of your time: "How the coronavirus devastated a generation." (Subscription required.) Today's newsletter — edited by Glen Johnson — is 576 words, a 2-minute read.     1 big thing: The new grifters - outrage profiteers Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   As Republicans lost the Senate and narrowly missed retaking the House, millions of dollars in grassroots donations were diverted to a handful of 2020 congressional campaigns challenging high-profile Democrats that, realistically, were never going to succeed, Axios' Lachlan Markay writes. Why it matters: Call it the outrage-industrial complex. Slick fundraising consultants market candidates contesting some of their party's most reviled opponents. Well-meaning donors pour money into dead-end campaigns instead of competitive contests. The only winner is the consultants. The case was most vivid in Maryland, where one candidate raised $8 million challenging a popular Democratic incumbent — and her advisers took $3.7 million of it. The phenomenon isn't confined to the right: the Lincoln Project raised tens of millions in 2020 — largely from small-dollar donors sharing the former Republicans' distaste for Donald Trump — despite the dubious effectiveness of its ads. Go deeper.     2. Senate Republicans plan to exact pain before COVID relief vote Sen. Ron Johnson. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images   Republicans are demanding a full, 600-page bill reading — and painful, multi-hour "vote-a-rama" — as Democrats forge ahead with their plan to pass President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, Axios' Alayna Treene reports. Why it matters: The procedural war is aimed at forcing Democrats to defend several parts the GOP considers unnecessary and partisan. While the process won't substantially impact the final version of the mammoth bill, it'll provide plenty of ammunition for future campaign messaging. The timetable is uncertain, but the clock likely won't start ticking until tomorrow, and final passage may not come until this weekend. While the bill must still be reconciled with the version the House passed, Democratic leaders tell Axios they remain hopeful the measure will be signed into law by the end of next week. Go deeper.     3. Republican governors loom over precarious Senate Data: Axios Research/ProPublica/NCSL; Chart: Will Chase/Axios Nineteen seats in the U.S. Senate could potentially flip parties if there's an unexpected vacancy, Axios' Stef Kight and Will Chase report based on analysis of state vacancy rules, which most often allow the governor to appoint a replacement. Why it matters: Depending on the senator, a single resignation, retirement or death — by accident or old age — could flip control of the 50-50 Senate, or give Democrats a two-vote cushion. By the numbers: More than a quarter of the Senate is 70-plus. The realities of aging can be unseemly to discuss but don't stop political strategists and party leaders from privately worrying about them. Six of those senior senators are Democrats in states where a Republican governor is authorized to appoint a replacement — at least in the interim — if a senator abruptly retires or dies in office. At 78, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is the only Republican senator over 70 who comes from a state (Kentucky) where a Democratic governor would make an appointment. Go deeper.     A message from Facebook It's time to update internet regulations     The internet has changed a lot in 25 years. But the last time comprehensive internet regulations were passed was in 1996. We support updated internet regulations to set clear guidelines for addressing today's toughest challenges. Learn More     4. White House primes "pipeline" of federal judges Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios   The White House is quietly working with Senate Democrats to ensure President Biden has a steady stream of nominees for the federal courts, people familiar with the matter and an administration official tell Hans. Why it matters: Biden wants the federal judiciary to better reflect the country's demographics, and to try to shield his unfolding legislative agenda from a judiciary currently dominated by Trump appointees. With Democrats in control of the White House and Senate, liberal-minded federal judges are already announcing their retirement. The administration's first nominee announcements are expected this month but could slide to April. The intrigue: Allies outside the White House say D.C. District Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who is Black and 50, is likely to be nominated for a spot on the prestigious D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. That could prepare her for the Supreme Court, should 82-year-old Justice Stephen Breyer retire. Go deeper.     5. Pic du jour Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images   Vice President Kamala Harris pitched the COVID-19 relief bill while visiting Fibre Space, a female-owned small business in Alexandria, Virginia, that sells yarn, fiber and other supplies.     A message from Facebook Internet regulations need an update     It's been 25 years since comprehensive internet regulations were passed. But a lot has changed since 1996. We support updated regulations to set clear guidelines for protecting people's privacy, enabling safe and easy data portability between platforms and more. Learn More   🎉 We've made it through Hump Day. There's more sunlight. Temperatures are rising. And vaccine availability is increasing rapidly. There's plenty of reasons to smile.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. 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