| | | | | |  | | By Olivia Beavers | Presented by SoftBank Group | With Melanie Zanona, Andrew Desiderio, Sarah Ferris, and Nicholas Wu. WHAT IS THIS, K STREET? Ahead of the Wednesday vote on the resolution to establish a 9/11-style commission to examine the Jan. 6 attack, some lawmakers say outside officials are lobbying to serve on the investigative body. "I'm getting inundated," Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said when I asked if he was receiving requests. He said he plans to stay out of it. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) , the chairman of the House appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Capitol Police, also said he's had people asking him about serving on the commission, but declined to name who has been in touch. He said he is "just having conversations now." He said he supported having a local component like some police chiefs who have dealt with "big city stuff." While many members said they hadn't thought about who should serve on the commission when asked, others say they've already submitted names or had some ideas in mind. Here are some names your Huddle host heard: -Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, pointed to Chris Swecker, who served 24 years with the FBI. Swecker also led the panel investigating the Fort Hood independent review that examined chronic leadership failures following the violent death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen. -Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) advocated for former Rep. Susan Brooks (R-Ind.), a former prosecutor, telling me: "There's nobody better. She did the Benghazi investigation." Banks said he hasn't talked to Brooks. -Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) jumped behind the idea of former Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-Va.) serving on the commission. Malinowski said Riggleman cares about the institution, he'd be bipartisan and he's a former intelligence officer who is a recognized expert on issues like disinformation. -Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said he has heard from Martin Frost, a former House Democrat from Texas who served for 12 terms and also was once chair of the House Democratic Caucus. -One House Republican with national security experience pointed to Pete Hoekstra, a former GOP congressman who served as Donald Trump's U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. They noted Hoekstra is putting in a "little effort." Hoekstra has had his moments in the controversial sun, Exhibit A: His no-go zones remark. -One House Democrat pointed to Fiona Hill , a former official at the NSC specializing in Russian and European affairs. She testified as a witness against Trump during the first impeachment hearing related to his contacts with Ukrainian leaders. -Multiple members on both sides advocated for those who have an intelligence or national security background, hoping they can cut through the political bull and find answers. | | | | JOIN WEDNESDAY - "THE RECAST" LIVE CONVERSATION: Earlier this year, we launched "The Recast" newsletter breaking down the changing power dynamics in America and how race and identity shape politics, policy and power. We are recasting how we report on this crucial intersection by bringing you fresh insights, scoops, dispatches from across the country and new voices that challenge "business as usual." Join Brakkton Booker, "The Recast" newsletter author and national political correspondent at POLITICO, for a live conversation with Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.); Malika Redmond, co-founder, president and CEO of Women Engaged; Sonal Shah, founding president, The Asian American Foundation; and Lauren Williams, co-founder, CEO and editor in chief of Capital B, about redefining power in America. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | HOW ABOUT THAT GOP SUPPORT?: House Republicans are not whipping against the Jan. 6 bills, but privately some are telling my colleagues that they oppose the commission and the supplemental spending bills. While my colleagues expect most Republicans to be against the commission, several Democrats tell Sarah they hope 10-15 Republicans will end up voting for its formation. Per Burgess, Marianne and Mel: Several Republicans "on Monday evening expressed worries about how the commission will be formed, whether it should have a broader scope and if it might hinder the work of congressional committees that are already probing the pro-Trump riot at the Capitol. With the use of the filibuster power, the Senate GOP can demand changes or bottle up the legislation altogether." So far, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) have declined to endorse the deal between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), a moderate Republican who voted to impeach Trump. Banks, the head of the Republican Study Committee, told your host: "I'm for a bipartisan commission, and it seems like we're moving in the right direction." On the supplemental, some on the Senate side say they have hesitations about passing the security funding before the commission can actually produce its findings. But House Dems have firmly pushed back: "I don't think we can wait for the results to pass the supplemental," Rep. Jason Crow (D-Col.) told Sarah. "This isn't rocket science, either. Securing a facility? This is not tough stuff to do. I did it in Iraq and Afghanistan... I think we have to do it very fast." More from Burgess and Marianne: https://politi.co/2QrEOHz | | 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 dedicated to supporting and building a community of outstanding Black, Latinx and Native American entrepreneurs. Learn more at TheOpportunityFund.com. | | | HAPPY TUESDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this May 18, where there is always that person who shocks you with their food order. MONDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Alex's story on Peter Thiel, a megadonor, making a play for the Senate was the big winner. ON TAP TODAY: Senate Republicans will meet with White House officials today and roll out a new proposal on infrastructure. NOT MASKING THEIR VIEWS: Tensions between the two parties over pandemic protocols are starting to flare back up again as the Capitol wrestles with how quickly to return to normal life. Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), a former military doctor, plans to raise a point of order on the House floor today inquiring about the mask rules, sources tell Mel and Olivia. House Republicans are fuming after the Office of the Attending Physician (OAP) sent revised guidance yesterday clarifying that masks are indeed still required in committee meeting spaces, even for vaccinated individuals. Last week's guidance seemed to suggest face coverings would only be required on the House floor, which created some confusion and contention in recent days. GOP Rep. Mike Rogers (Ala.) was particularly fired up about the mask mandate on the House floor and in committee meetings, telling your Huddle host: "I don't know what to make of it. [Pelosi's] got the attending physician by the back of the neck, making him say whatever she wants. Because now he's saying it has to be 100 percent vaccines -- you can't make people get a vaccine if they don't want to. I bet she enjoys the optics and the control." "Everybody who wants a vaccine has it now. If you've chosen not to, it's your choice, you're an adult. You've assumed the risk." Rogers said, before later adding: "There's no reason not to get it." But Pelosi is unbowed, saying the House could return to pre-pandemic life more quickly if more Republicans get the vaccine. Per a recent CNN report, 100 percent of House and Senate Democrats say they have been vaccinated. She also announced yesterday that she is extending the use of proxy voting until July 3, as Sarah first reported. SPEAKING OF PROXY VOTING: Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and top House Republicans -- including McCarthy and committee ranking members -- are pressing Pelosi in a new letter today to ease proxy voting measures and to lift mask mandates in light of the new CDC guidelines. Read the full letter here: https://bit.ly/3v2ENsM Related: Committees may keep pandemic-era innovations by National Journal's Zach Cohen and Casey Wooten: https://bit.ly/3u0c8D8 FIRST IN HUDDLE: Members of the New Democrat Coalition (NDC) sent a letter to Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) this morning urging that the House utilize regular order "both in name and spirit" as the House starts to legislate President Joe Biden's American Jobs and Families Plans. These House Democrats are essentially laying down a marker, making their opinion known even though Dem leaders have already said that they plan to return to the normal committee process for this package, rather than airdropping a bill for Democrats to rally behind. "As we develop and advance legislation that responds to the President's American Jobs and Families Plans, the House should set clear and fair schedules and deadlines for committee work and House business with more opportunities for Members to engage in substantive drafting, debate, amendment, and consideration of legislation. Committees should be empowered to lead on the development of legislation that responds to the President's plans," they write. Read the full letter here: https://politi.co/2Rs2ITB CHENEY UNCHAINED: At her last conference meeting as a House Republican leader, Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) delivered the morning prayer for the first time. She chose a Bible verse with a pointed message: "The truth shall set you free." "I thought a lot about the prayer," an oft-quoted line from the New Testament's Gospel of John, Cheney told us. "Normally I yield to another member to do that, but I thought that was very important that day." Mel and your Huddle host spoke to Cheney and a series of her colleagues to gauge what they deem is her legacy, what are her next steps, and what her ouster as conference chair means for her political future. Some key takeaways: -She doesn't regret not running for Senate, and almost feels as if it was fate that led her to be in the House at this GOP juncture. -She will not support McCarthy for speaker if Republicans win back majority control next year. -One nugget that isn't in the story: Cheney made an agreement with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, amid the attack on Jan. 6 that the House must return to certify Biden's election win. "We were absolutely in agreement that it was critically important that we get back that night. We both talked to, you know, our leadership above us," Cheney told us. "We thought it was very important that we get the Capitol cleared, and that we be able to get back into our business in a way that did not allow a delay." More here from Mel et moi: https://politi.co/3tYrc4j | | | | DON'T MISS OUT ON OUR NEW PLAYBOOK DEEP DIVE PODCAST: Washington is full of whispers, colorful characters and little-known back stories that even D.C. insiders might not know. Playbook Deep Dive is a new, weekly podcast that pulls back the curtain on the stories behind the power. From Congress and the White House to bar stools and backrooms, POLITICO's top reporters and Playbook authors bring you the most compelling and confounding stories that explain what's really going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | UN-TENNEY-ABLE: There is a rift between two Republican New Yorkers that was exposed this week. During the conference vote last week, Katko was one of the House GOP members to nominate Rep. Elise Stefanik to become conference chair. At the time, Rep. Claudia Tenney told a group of GOP members something along the lines of: "While I like Stefanik, she couldn't have picked a worse person to nominate her," sources familiar with the matter tell me. I asked her outside the Capitol how her relationship is with Katko, and she responded positively. I then started to say, "I bring this up because I have sources telling me in a recent meeting that you said that you don't like him…" "He tells everybody that because it's kind of a manipulative move," she said. "But I like him. I respect him. He gets elected in tough elections and I've always supported him. He's never supported me, but I've always supported him." Crikey. And yesterday, Tenney ran against Katko for a seat on the GOP Steering Committee -- a regional position that was vacated when Stefanik joined GOP leadership. Katko won. Related: Twitter fights Justice Department subpoena over Rep. Nunes parody account, by the L.A. Times' Del Quentin Wilber and Sarah Wire: https://lat.ms/3oqU9EF FIRST IN HUDDLE: The RSC is unveiling their annual alternative budget this week, which they claim can balance the budget in 5 years and cuts taxes by $1.9 trillion -- all without making immediate cuts to Social Security and Medicare, per a copy of an internal email that was sent to RSC staff. "No catch" they say. The staff in the email says while it was a "herculean" task cobbling it together, they are tooting their own horns by describing it as "the best budget RSC's ever produced." In other words, you can expect Republicans to reference this budget a lot over the next year and a half as they work to hit Dems over tax hikes and big spending ahead of next year's midterm elections. Banks, RSC chair, and Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Mo.), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, are spearheading it. So keep an eye out for this. THIS ONE TIME, AT TAX CAMP: Freshmen and sophomore members of the House GOP will huddle this afternoon for what is being billed as "tax camp," sources tell Mel. Basically, it's an educational session for all the Republicans who weren't around when they passed the 2017 tax law. The meeting is being led by House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Ways and Means ranking member Kevin Brady (R-Texas). Leaders want Republicans to be well-equipped to defend their tax policies as Democrats look to roll back one of the GOP's signature legislature achievements under Trump. "As Democrats are attacking the tax relief and the pro-growth policies, we thought it was important that we begin a discussion about not just what we did, but why we did it," Brady said. "So help them, educate them, as they defend it." VEEP VISIT: Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus walked away from a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris feeling good about what the administration was doing to address the root causes of migration from the Northern Triangle nations of Central America. CHC Chair Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) told Nick that part of the U.S. strategy to respond to the migration would involve partnering with the private sector to provide jobs and promote the rule of law in Central American countries. They also discussed vaccine diplomacy, human rights, and local economic development, among other issues, per Ruiz. Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) also told Laura Barrón-López she'd asked Harris to better respond to members' State Department inquiries so they could know "who we can trust and who we cannot trust." Related: Harris, Hispanic Caucus meet on Central America, by The Hill's Rafael Bernal: https://bit.ly/3u2b9Ta NOT CEASING FIRE: Biden is out of step with much of his party when it comes to the U.S.-Israel relationship, as the past week or so has shown. Biden's fellow Democrats held nothing back as they criticized the president's handling of the current crisis— namely, his refusal to aggressively push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Per the White House, the president told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday he "supports" a ceasefire -- language that is far from enough for lots of Democrats, who have grown frustrated with the president as they've watched the U.S. veto U.N. Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire. "I just think it's a no-brainer," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said. "If Israel doesn't believe a ceasefire is in their interest, that doesn't mean we have to accept that judgment. We have enormous persuasive power." Indeed, a U.S.-led push for a ceasefire would, in the current environment, be seen as a rebuke of Israel. Andrew has more on Democrats' recalibrated Israel messaging: https://politi.co/2Qpxegs Related: Biden administration approves $735 million weapons sale to Israel, scoops WaPo's Jaqueline Alemany, Karoun Demirjian, and John Hudson: https://wapo.st/2RvcSCZ | Schumer's Israel vise by Axios' Alayna Treene: https://bit.ly/2QwRInK NOT TOTALLY DEADLOCKED: Senate advances a rare bipartisan deal on countering China, Andrew also reports: https://politi.co/3eVfaEz GREENBERG OUT OF THE GAETZ: The cameras are back outside Rep. Matt Gaetz's (R-Fla.) office following the news that Joel Greenberg, his former friend and ally, formally pleaded guilty yesterday to multiple federal charges, including sex trafficking a minor. Our Marc Caputo has more on what this means for Gaetz: https://politi.co/3ylNWOQ Related: How Joel Greenberg's plea deal spells trouble for Matt Gaetz, by the Daily Beast's Roger Sollenberger and Jose Pagliery: https://bit.ly/3ovjcXd QUICK CLICKS: Rep. Steve Stivers reflects on tenure as he leaves Congress, by Spectrum1 News' Talor Popielarz: https://bit.ly/3bBix19 | By the numbers: Calling congressional attendance, by Axios' Alayna Treene: https://bit.ly/3yjG0h4 | | | | A message from SoftBank Group:   | | | TRANSITIONS Michael Long is joining S-3 Group as a principal on its government affairs team. He previously was senior adviser and director of member services for Pelosi. Alexandria Phillips is now comms director for Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. She previously was deputy chief of staff for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and is a Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer and State Department alum. TODAY IN CONGRESS The House will meet at 10 a.m. and will take up a variety of bills. The Senate will also meet at 10 a.m. to take up the Endless Frontier Act, with a recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. AROUND THE HILL 9:30 a.m.: The House Rules Committee will take up the Jan. 6 response appropriations supplemental. 10 a.m.: Pelosi, Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and others will hold a presser on the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act. 10 a.m.: Zalmay Khalilzad, special representative on Afghanistan reconciliation, will testify before the Foreign Affairs Committee. 11:30 a.m.: Jeffries and Vice Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) will have their weekly press conference. 4 p.m.: Reps. Scalise, Brady, and other Republicans will hold media avail following their strategy session on the "benefits of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and their opposition to President Biden's tax plan." TRIVIA MONDAY'S WINNER: Kirtan Mehta was the first person to correctly guess that 23 House members have been censured since 1832, with former Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) being the latest after a slew of ethics violations. TODAY'S QUESTION: From your Huddle host: In 1968, then-presidential candidate Richard Nixon appeared on the hit comedy show "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" and surprised the country by delivering the show's famous tagline: "Sock it to me!" How many takes did Nixon reportedly need to deliver the line? Bonus points: A producer tried to offer him another line to use instead. What was it? 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 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. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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