| | | | | |  | | By Olivia Beavers | Presented by |  | | | With Alice Miranda Ollstein and Melanie Zanona. EXCLUSIVE: FORMER SANDERS STAFF, SURROGATES CALL FOR IMMIGRATION ACTION: A group of 150 former staffers, surrogates and supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sent a letter to the senator urging him to use his new position as chair of the Budget Committee to push for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the next reconciliation bill. The letter, first provided to our Alice Miranda Ollstein, is co-authored by Carlos Rojas Rodriguez, who worked on Sanders' 2020 campaign, Erika Andiola, who worked on his 2016 campaign, and Emilio Vicente, a Sanders surrogate in 2020. Signees include high profile supporters of Sanders' like actor Mark Ruffalo, labor activist and congressional candidate Randy Bryce and documentarian Josh Fox. The letter references Sanders' campaign trail call for voters to "fight for someone else as much as you are willing to fight for yourselves" and urges him to apply that rhetoric to immigrants, who have been hit especially hard by Covid-19 but haven't received the same financial relief Congress has extended to U.S. citizens. "You can address this moral failure during this year's Budget Reconciliation process," they wrote. Andiola, also a former staffer to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), told Alice she's hoping Sanders and other Democrats don't waste time trying to put together a bipartisan bill. "We have zero faith that Republicans, better known recently as the party of Donald Trump, will vote for any legislation that provides protection for the undocumented community," she said. Related Read: Senior Democrats abandon backup plan on $15 per hour minimum wage hike, by WaPo's Jeff Stein: http://wapo.st/3b2Qic4 TRUMP'S CPAC STUMP: Trump stepped back into the spotlight at CPAC to deliver his first public speech since leaving office on Sunday, playing chicken with the possibility of running again in 2024 and vowing to stay involved in politics on behalf of pro-Trump candidates. Doing so will certainly cause some headaches, especially as the party works to heal its Trump-induced schism. "The RHINOs we are surrounded with will destroy the Republican party and the American worker and destroy our party itself. But the Republican party is united, the only division is between a handful of Washington D.C. establishment political hacks," Trump said at the event in Orlando, Fla. "And that is why I am announcing that I will be actively working to elect strong, tough, and smart Republican leaders." Those remarks came after Trump named each of the 10 House GOP members and seven Republican Senate who voted to impeach him or convict him earlier this year. It also comes after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) decided to stick by Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) for choosing to impeach Trump as the GOP conference chair, taking the approach that Republicans are a big tent party. Keep in mind: In the Senate, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is the only Republican who voted to convict Trump who is up for reelection in 2022, followed by Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) in 2024. The rest are retiring or have time -- six years -- on their side to weather the impeachment blowback. Trump also repeated his false claim that he won the election against President Joe Biden, telling the cheering crowd, "Who knows? I may even decide to beat them for a third time." Our David Siders has more on Trump teasing another run: http://politi.co/3uJmGs6 Related Read: Trump's Republican hit list at CPAC is a warning shot to his party, by Jonathan Martin and Maggie Haberman: http://nyti.ms/3sFllQT | | | | DON'T MISS "THE RECAST": Power dynamics are changing. "Influence" is changing. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. "The Recast" is our new, twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy, and power in America. And POLITICO is recasting how we report on this crucial intersection, bringing you fresh insights, scoops and dispatches from across the country, and new voices that challenge "business as usual." Don't miss out on this important new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW. Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | PALACE INTRIGUE: There were some other eyebrow-raising moments at CPAC, especially for all you congressional leadership watchers. First, McCarthy and Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) repeatedly complimented each other during a panel, and Banks — without naming names — noted that the least popular Republicans in the party right now are those who want to "erase" Trump from the party. Why it's notable: Banks isn't ruling out running for leadership next Congress, including for GOP conference chair — the position currently held by Liz Cheney. Banks now chairs the Republican Study Committee, which has been previously used as a springboard to Republican leadership. Read more from Gabby Orr on Banks' vision for the RSC: http://politi.co/3q8GGAG And then, during his speech, Trump heaped praise on his close ally Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) — he even talked about Jordan's wrestling record. But Trump made no mention of McCarthy, who has been in and out of the doghouse with the ex-president. Jordan and McCarthy used to be rivals, but they've patched things up and Jordan has said he won't run for speaker. (Your Huddle host, however, is just gonna go ahead and bookmark that one...) Related: McCarthy bets his house on winning a GOP majority in 2022: 'Not a chance' of losing, by The Washington Times' S.A. Miller and Seth McLaughlin: http://bit.ly/2NQnaMj | Trump's baseless election claims march GOP into 'policy wasteland,' by Siders: http://politi.co/3bTndz3 KINZINGER CORNER: After Trump's speech, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) told Mel and a small group of reporters that he was actually expecting to be name-checked by Trump and booed by the CPAC crowd. In fact, he said, "I'm surprised it took this long." Kinzinger also said he thinks Trump's promise to play in primaries could be "damaging" for the GOP's efforts to win back the House. And while the Illinois Republican said he was "extremely disappointed" that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has sought to tie the party so closely to Trump, Kinzinger said he thinks McCarthy is "trying to do his best, given the circumstances." One thing giving Kinzinger hope right now? In CPAC's straw poll, 45% of respondents said they prefer someone other than Trump to be the GOP's presidential nominee in 2024. Still, Kinzinger acknowledged that the anti-Trump wing of the party is facing "headwinds." Related: Kinzinger's Country First PAC launches a new video titled "No Fear" MEANWHILE, some who voted to impeach Trump are simply shrugging off some of the blowback from their base, including censure threats, like Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.). "I assume I'm going to be censured on Saturday, but I haven't spent any time to talk anybody out of it," Sasse conceded in an interview with Burgess. (The Nebraska Republican Party voted on Saturday afternoon to express their disappointment with the senator in lieu of a censure.) As Burgess reports: "If there's a model for how to successfully build a conservative GOP out of Trump's shadow, it might as well be him. But Sasse can't quite be replicated. He's a bit of a loner in the Senate, both in style and substance." More here: http://politi.co/3kFbwQs Related Reads: 6 takeaways from the Trump-dominated CPAC by CNN's Eric Bradner and Michael Warren: http://cnn.it/2ZZd3aj | | A message from American Edge Project: New Report: Top national defense experts detail the critical, long-term national security consequences that the United States faces if it relinquishes its technology leadership role. We must "defend our interests and advance our values in the competition between 'techno-democracies' like the U.S. and 'techno-autocracies' like Russia and China." The report warns that forfeiting the U.S. competitive edge to foreign entities puts the safety, privacy, and economic prosperity of Americans at risk. Read more > | | | HAPPY MONDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this March 1st (it is March already?), where another social divide has emerged during Covid. FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Holly Otterbein's story on how the left plans to shrink the Democratic establishment was the big winner. CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES: It is now on the Senate to hammer through changes in Biden's Covid relief bill after it passed the House early Saturday morning -- and it is expected to be a whole week long ordeal. On Wednesday, Senate Democrats are expected to have a draft substitute for the House-passed bill. An early version of the draft substitute that is circulating proposes adding money for Amtrak, cybersecurity and Medicare payments for ambulance services and certain hospitals, among others, per a draft substitute obtained by CQ Roll Call. While Paul Krawzak reports the draft is still being tweaked and is expected to change before it hits the Senate floor, the draft provides a window into some of the discussions being had about adding and subtracting from the bill. More here from Paul: https://bit.ly/2ZXn1sX IT'S CENSUS-TIVE: The Census Bureau is six months behind schedule with data that guides how legislative districts are drawn. And with the delay of the datas release, now Sept. 30 rather than its March 31 deadline, states are in limbo as they discuss postponing primaries for 2022 and navigating legal deadlines for redistricting that some are now almost certain to miss. The delay is setting off a train reaction of problems. As my colleagues report: "At least nine states have constitutional or statutory deadlines to redraw their maps, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, that won't mesh with such a profound delay in the data delivery. Election officials in some states, such as North Carolina, have recommended moving back early primary dates to make more time for drawing new districts. And both political parties will have to grapple with how to recruit candidates to run for districts that may not exist until just before election season begins." "We're sort of panicking, and we're not really sure what we're going to do," Jessika Shipley, the staff director of the Colorado's state redistricting commission, told my colleagues. "We don't have the option of just waiting and doing this for the 2024 cycle." Read Zach Montellaro and Ally Mutnick's important story: http://politi.co/3pYaa4g ZEROING IN: The FBI has obtained a new video that is aiding its efforts in identifying the suspect who sprayed what appears to be a chemical irritant at more than a dozen law enforcement officers, including Officer Brian Sicknick, who was injured in the riot and died at a hospital the day after the Jan. 6 attack. The video, first reported by the New York Times and confirmed by my colleagues, has not yet led to charges directly related to Sicknick's death. As my colleagues report: While the video seems likely to aid in the identification of the suspect and may lead to charges such as assault on a police officer with a dangerous weapon, it is unclear whether the new evidence will allow prosecutors to charge someone with Sicknick's death. That would require prosecutors to prove some causal link between the actions of rioters and the 42-year-old officer's death. Josh Gerstein and Kyle have more: http://politi.co/3kytOCJ Related: How pro-Trump forces pushed a lie about Antifa at the Capitol riot by NYT's Michael Grynbaum, Davey Alba and Reid Epstein: http://nyti.ms/2O8sCtQ | | | | JOIN WEDNESDAY FOR A PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW WITH NRCC CHAIR TOM EMMER : House Republicans surprised many observers in November flipping 15 seats and defeating several Democratic freshmen who delivered the House majority in 2018. Then the Jan. 6 insurrection set off an internal battle within the GOP, including among top House leaders. Join Playbook co-author Rachael Bade for a conversation with Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, to discuss his strategy for the 2022 midterm elections, President Donald Trump's role in the party, and the continued fallout from the assault on the Capitol. REGISTER HERE | | | | | CAMPAIGN CENTRAL -Texas: Katrina Pierson, a Tea Party activist and former top strategist for Trump's presidential campaigns is taking steps to run for a House seat left vacant by the late Rep. Ron Wright (R-Texas), The Hill's Reid Wilson and Al Weaver scoop: http://bit.ly/3uJHbF4 -Florida: Charlie Crist is eyeing a run for governor again. Florida Democrats might not care, by our Gary Fineout: http://politi.co/2O4u3t7 ICYMI OVER THE WEEKEND: -Democrats unveil earmarks revival plan, by our Caitlin Emma: http://politi.co/3kv4zkV -Neera Tanden's confirmation fight is the first morality play of post-Trump Washington, by WaPo's Ben Terris: http://wapo.st/3e9rYav -Border Democrat warns Biden about immigrant fallout, by Axios's Stef Kight: http://bit.ly/302FxQs -How Trump upended the race to control the House through 2030, by our Ally Mutnick and Elena Schneider: http://politi.co/2O4tn73 TRANSITIONS Robert Marcus, who's chief of staff to Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), is returning to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He'll be the senior professional staff member for the Middle East. It's the same job he held during the Obama administration before joining the White House legislative affairs office. Amanda Thompson is the new comms Director for the Senate Banking Committee. She is a Trey Gowdy and Doug Collins alum. Meghan Dugan begins today as press secretary for Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Dugan is moving from Portman's personal office where she served for nearly three years. Alyssa Mensie is transitioning from Rep. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) to work in the office of Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, doing member services and outreach. Matilda Bress is joining Rep. Antonio Delgado's (D-N.Y.) team as his comms director. Matilda previously did comms for former Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Calif.). Ross Branson is now chief of staff for Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.). He most recently was SVP in the office of congressional and intergovernmental affairs at the Export-Import Bank. Elizabeth Busby recently joined the DC-based Policy Communications team at Twitter, where she's supporting U.S. public policy, safety policy, and elections work for the company. Previously, she served as Deputy National Press Secretary to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Marissa Sanchez-Velasco is now associate comms director for the White House Covid-19 Response Team after previously working digital director and deputy press secretary for then-Sen. Kamala Harris. Nick Iacovella is now director of comms for Coalition for a Prosperous America. He most recently served as deputy comms director for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). Kara Verma is now legislative assistant for Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.). She previously was legislative assistant for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas). | | | |   | | | TODAY IN CONGRESS The House meets at 12 p.m. for morning hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes are not expected until 6:30 p.m. The Senate convenes at 3 p.m. AROUND THE HILL 1 p.m.: The House Rules Committee meets to formulate a rule on H.R.1, the "For the People Act of 2021"; and H.R.1280, the "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021." 3 p.m.: The Senate will swear in Schumer's newly appointed secretary of the Senate, Ann Berry. Berry, who has worked in the upper chamber for 40 years, will be the first Black person to serve in the position since it was created in 1789. 5:30 p.m.: The Senate will vote on the nomination of Miguel Cardona to be Education secretary and on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Gov. Gina Raimondo (D-R.I.) to be Commerce secretary. COMING UP: Join Playbook co-author Rachael Bade this Wednesday at 9 a.m. for a conversation with Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), NRCC chairman, to discuss his strategy for the 2022 midterm elections, Trump's role in the party and continued fallout from the Jan. 6 insurrection. Register to watch live here. TRIVIA FRIDAY'S WINNER: John Pitney was the first person to correctly guess that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was the only GOP member of the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote to advance President Obama's two Supreme Court nominees. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also correctly guessed that Graham supported Obama's nominees, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. TODAY'S QUESTION: From John: In 1984, actor Buddy Ebsen endorsed Rep. Bud Shuster (R-Pa.) for reelection to the House. The noteworthy aspect of this endorsement is that Shuster's opponent had been one of Ebsen's co-stars on The Beverly Hillbillies. Who was this co-star? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answer to obeavers@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @Olivia_Beavers. | | A message from American Edge Project: New Report: Top national defense experts detail the critical, long-term national security consequences that the United States faces if it relinquishes its technology leadership role.
"Over the last several generations, technology innovation has driven productivity, invented millions of new jobs, and made the United States the wealthiest nation in the world. As the nation continues to fight a global pandemic, the tech industry offers services to maintain regular order in the short-term and a path to thrive as a nation in the decades ahead. Policies that forfeit the U.S. competitive edge to foreign entities put the safety, privacy, and economic prosperity of Americans at risk." Read more > | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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