News: Grisham dishes on Melania

Monday, September 13, 2021

Grisham dishes on Melania

Sep 13, 2021

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By Rachael Bade, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri and Eugene Daniels

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DRIVING THE DAY

THE WEEK AHEAD: JOE BIDEN campaigns with GAVIN NEWSOM in Long Beach, Calif., tonight before voters there decide Tuesday whether Newsom should be recalled (polls show him up by double digits) … Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN testifies before the House Foreign Affairs Committee today and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday (expect some fireworks) … Congressional committees were instructed to finish their pieces of the reconciliation bill by Wednesday, an ambitious deadline Dem Chairs are struggling to meet … The Labor Department releases the August numbers on state employment and unemployment on Friday, offering fresh ammunition in the UI benefits debate … We expect Senate Parliamentarian ELIZABETH MACDONOUGH to make a ruling sometime this week on whether immigration reform survives its Byrd bath (Marianne Levine and Sabrina Rodríguez have a new story up for POLITICO Pro about this here).

#BEBEST — Sometimes it seems that everything has already been said about the Trump years though not everyone has said it.

In the latter camp is STEPHANIE GRISHAM, the former Trump White House press secretary best known for never holding a press briefing.

Now Grisham is breaking her silence, and POLITICO's Daniel Lippman emails us with a scoopy preview of her forthcoming tell-all:

At 1:25 p.m. on Jan. 6, soon after rioters had broken through barricades outside of the Capitol, MELANIA TRUMP received a text message from her then-chief of staff, STEPHANIE GRISHAM.

"Do you want to tweet that peaceful protests are the right of every American, but there is no place for lawlessness and violence?" Grisham asked the first lady.

A minute later, Melania replied with a one-word answer: "No." At that moment, she was at the White House preparing for a photo shoot of a rug she had selected, according to exclusive excerpts of Grisham's forthcoming book, "I'll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw in The Trump White House," obtained by POLITICO.

Grisham, a years-long Trump loyalist who resigned within hours of that text exchange, also writes that she asked Melania a couple times whether she should reach out to JILL BIDEN during the transition to set up the traditional inauguration tea. But instead of setting up the meeting, Melania told her that they should "see what the West Wing does." The reason, according to Grisham: Melania, like her husband, believed the election was illegitimate.

A statement provided by the office of Melania Trump said: "The intent behind this book is obvious. It is an attempt to redeem herself after a poor performance as press secretary, failed personal relationships, and unprofessional behavior in the White House. Through mistruth and betrayal, she seeks to gain relevance and money at the expense of Mrs. Trump." (Her mention of "failed personal relationships" appears likely to be a reference to Grisham's past relationship with former Trump aide MAX MILLER . Citing three people familiar with the incident, POLITICO Magazine reported in July that the relationship "ended when he pushed her against a wall and slapped her in the face in his Washington apartment after she accused him of cheating on her." He denied the allegation.)

On Jan. 11, Melania did issue a statement saying she was "disappointed and disheartened with what happened last week." But she added that she found it "shameful that surrounding these tragic events there has been salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations on me — from people who are looking to be relevant and have an agenda." She seemed to be referring to her former close friend STEPHANIE WINSTON WOLKOFF, who penned an op-ed in the Daily Beast a few days earlier arguing that Melania "was complicit in the destruction of America."

Grisham joined the Trump campaign in 2015 and, despite her misgivings, remained with the White House until close to the end. She writes that Melania's response to her text on Jan. 6 "broke" her since she had long defended the first lady against accusations that she was a Marie Antoinette-type dilettante.

Now, Grisham writes, she sees Melania like "the doomed French queen. Dismissive. Defeated. Detached."

Though it shouldn't be a huge surprise that Melania stood by her husband on important questions like the election, Grisham writes in the book that she was "shocked" to learn that Melania seemed to share DONALD TRUMP's view that the election was rigged.

Melania told Grisham that "something bad happened" and that the election results weren't legitimate. She didn't listen to Grisham when she tried to explain to her that there are small irregularities in all elections but there was no grand conspiracy to unfairly remove Trump from office, according to the book.

Grisham's book is scheduled to be released on Oct. 5.

A publishing source said that "Stephanie knows she's stirred up a hornet's nest with this book." It includes potentially unflattering nuggets about other officials with whom Grisham tangled during her time in the White House, according to the source. Among them are JARED KUSHNER and MARK MEADOWS, who removed her as White House press secretary, the person said.

"Stephanie has secrets about Trump that even the first lady doesn't know," the source said. "Secrets that he doesn't want her to know. They will be in this book."

Since news of the book broke late last week, numerous Trump-world figures have contacted Grisham to see how they are depicted in the book or to offer private messages of support, according to the source. Grisham, who is very familiar with how the Trumps operate, is also bracing for a potential smear campaign and legal fight if anyone sues to try to prevent publication. She knows, the source said, that there's a hunt on to try to get a copy of the book to the Trumps; she's received calls from people she barely knows asking for an early copy.

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Good Monday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Over the weekend Ryan watched National Geographic's 6-part documentary, "9/11: One Day in America," and he highly recommends it. What are you reading, watching, and listening to? Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri.

HOT DOC THIS MORNING: As the Senate returns this week to its ongoing clash over the debt ceiling, expect Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER (D-N.Y.) and crew to tout a new memo from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service showing just how much the Trump administration racked up the national debt. Per the document, shared with Playbook this morning, the former president incurred nearly $5.5 trillion in new debt since Democrats helped the GOP suspended the debt limit in August 2019, a stat Dems will use to argue that the GOP needs to help them raise the debt ceiling again on a bipartisan basis, regardless of their own spending plans.

They'll also be showcasing new Treasury Department data confirming that Republicans under Trump incurred $7.8 trillion in new debt over four years, data the White House has been sending members.

JOIN US — The killing of 20-year-old Army soldier Vanessa Guillen, who had told family she was being sexually harassed by several soldiers prior to her disappearance at Fort Hood last year, has galvanized calls to change how the military deals with sexual assault and harassment. Sens. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D-N.Y.) and JONI ERNST (R-Iowa), a veteran and a sexual assault survivor, have long pushed Congress to act on the issue. Their efforts are gaining steam but still face opposition. Join Rachael on Thursday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. for a Women Rule virtual joint interview with Ernst and Gillibrand to discuss the state of their proposed legislation and what it will take to curb sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military. Register here

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BIDEN'S MONDAY:

— 8:10 a.m.: The president will depart Wilmington, Del., en route to Boise, Idaho, where he is scheduled to arrive at 11:50 MDT.

— 12:15 p.m. MDT: Biden will receive a briefing from federal and state fire agency officials.

— 12:55 p.m. MDT: Biden will tour the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise.

— 1:55 p.m. MDT: The president will depart Boise for Mather, Calif., where he is scheduled to arrive at 2:15 p.m. PDT.

— 2:40 p.m. PDT: Biden will receive a briefing on wildfires from local, state, and federal emergency response personnel.

— 3:25 p.m. PDT: The president will survey damage from the Caldor Fire in an aerial tour of El Dorado County.

— 4:25 p.m. PDT: Biden will deliver remarks on the wildfires, climate change and infrastructure.

— 4:55 p.m. PDT: Biden will depart Mather, Calif., en route to Long Beach, where he will arrive at 6:15 p.m. PDT.

— 7 p.m. PDT: Biden will participate in a campaign rally with California Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM.

Deputy press secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE will gaggle aboard Air Force One on the way to Boise.

First lady JILL BIDEN will travel to Milwaukee, Wis., and Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday to visit an elementary school and community college.

The SENATE is back in town this week and will meet at 3 p.m. to consider nominations and the motion to proceed to H.R.1, the For the People Act.

The HOUSE is out. The Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Judiciary and Veterans' Affairs committees will hold markups on reconciliation. Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN will testify on Afghanistan before the Foreign Affairs Committee at 2 p.m.

ALSO HAPPENING TODAY: At noon, at the East Front of the Capitol, Hill leaders will hold a congressional remembrance ceremony marking 20 years since the Sept. 11 attacks. Speaker NANCY PELOSI has also invited fellow leaders for a security briefing about a Sept. 18 rally planned at the Capitol to support rioters from Jan. 6.

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

PLAYBOOK READS

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs autography for his supporters at a rally against the California gubernatorial recall election on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in Sun Valley, Calif.

PHOTO OF THE DAY: California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs an autograph for a supporter at a campaign rally on Sunday, Sept. 12 in Sun Valley, Calif. | Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP Photo

CONGRESS

'THE BIGGEST TAX INCREASE IN DECADES' — Late last night, lawmakers, Hill aides and tax lobbyists were sending around a five-page memo outlining House Ways and Means Democrats' proposed $2.9 trillion in tax increases. The hikes would "amount to the biggest tax increase in decades, and enough to cover most of what even progressive Democrats hope to spend on their coming 'reconciliation' package," our tax team colleague Brian Faler writes.

WSJ's tax reporting veteran Richard Rubin notes that the proposal "includes $1 trillion in tax increases on individuals, $900 billion on corporations, $700 billion from drug-pricing policy changes, and $120 billion from tougher tax enforcement. Adding miscellaneous other changes and an assumption that the economy will grow reaches $3.5 trillion."

The draft by Chair RICHARD NEAL (D-Mass.), which will be marked up this week, includes:

— An increase in the corporate rate to 26.5% from 21% (which is less than Biden's proposed 28% but still higher than the 25% Sen. JOE MANCHIN has said he's comfortable with).

— A hike in the top capital gains rate to 28.8% from 23.8%, which is already causing heartburn among moderate Dems.

— A newly proposed 3% surtax on people making more than $5 million, expected to raise $127 billion.

— An increase in the minimum tax on U.S. companies' foreign income, up to 16.5% from 10.5%. (That's lower than Biden's proposed 21% and what Senate Finance Chairman RON WYDEN is believed to be considering, about 18 percent or 19 percent.)

— A boost in IRS tax enforcement. Though it's unclear how much this will raise, Democrats predict the sum is about $120 billion.

— $96 billion in new tobacco or nicotine taxes.

— What's not included, per Rubin: "The document doesn't mention any changes to the state and local tax deduction. Raising or repealing the $10,000 cap on the deduction is a priority for many Democrats. It also doesn't mention the Biden administration's proposal to have banks and other financial institutions report annual account flows to the IRS."

Also left out — at least, for now: An estate tax increase on holdings passed on after someone dies, a Biden proposal that has faced intense pushback from Democrats in rural states concerned about family farms.

THIS WON'T BE THE FINAL WORD: Wyden and the White House have their own tax proposals they want to pursue. And as Faler points out regarding the difference between the two chambers, "it's clear the two sides are on a collision course on several fronts."

Moderate Democrats wary of tax increases are certain to balk at some of these provisions — despite their colleagues' attempts to frame the tax hikes as hitting the rich who can afford to pay more. And Republicans are about to have a field day decrying what they plan to label the biggest tax hike ever. (More from WaPo on the politics here.)

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: CUE THE CONSERVATIVES — One of the reasons Neal's tax plan has been so tightly held is because Democrats fear opponents' messaging campaign against these increases. And with good reason: The famous outside group, GROVER NORQUIST's Americans for Tax Reform, told us last night that they're launching a seven-figure campaign opposing Democrats' "tax-and-spend blowout." And there's going to be plenty more where that came from.

The campaign will include television and digital ads in 30 House districts, most represented by vulnerable Democrats, including: Angie Craig (Minn.), Cindy Axne (Iowa), Susie Lee (Nevada), Elaine Luria (Va.), Jared Golden (Maine), Lizzie Fletcher (Texas), Susan Wild (Pa.), Tom Malinowski (N.J.), and Mart Cartwright (Pa.).

"CONGRESSMAN CARTWRIGHT," one ad reads, "say NO to Biden's Socialist Tax Plan."

Related: Be careful what you wish for, the saying goes, because you just might get it. That's the dilemma corporate America is facing as Democrats craft their sweeping social policy bill, NYT's Jonathan Weisman writes . There's plenty for businesses to get behind — like family leave and child care tax credits — but many are wary of the proposed tax increases.

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POLITICS ROUNDUP

WHERE DEMOCRATS CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF DONALD — Democrats are bringing Trump back. With a handful of high-profile elections on deck — the first of which comes Tuesday in California — Democratic candidates are deploying Trumpism as the boogeyman to drive voters to the polls. Whether this tactic works could go a long way in determining Dems' strategy, WaPo's David Weigel, Colby Itkowitz and Gregory Schneider write in Los Angeles.

LATEST ON NEWSOM'S FATE — Some Republicans are already expecting California Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM to be declared the winner this week. Why? Their unfounded claims that the election is already rigged. "Soon after the recall race was announced in early July, the embers of 2020 election denialism ignited into new false claims on right-wing news sites and social media channels," NYT's Nick Corasaniti writes of a "growing instinct on the right" to cast doubt on election results. "As a wave of recent polling indicated that Mr. Newsom was likely to brush off his Republican challengers, the baseless allegations accelerated."

— WSJ's Christine Mai-Duc writes that Newsom's handling of the pandemic is what may actually be on the ballot in voters' minds as they go to the polls on Tuesday — the first governor to face such a test.

— CNN's Harry Enten says Newsom is in a historically good position, though. "While there are a few gubernatorial elections featuring a polling error as large as Newsom's advantage, it would take one of the largest polling misses in the last 23 years for him to be recalled on Tuesday."

MEANWHILE, ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE — The GOP's 2024 presidential hopefuls were out railing against Biden on Sunday. Florida Gov. RON DESANTIS, Sen. TED CRUZ (R-Texas) and former Vice President MIKE PENCE attended Nebraska Gov. PETE RICKETTS' annual steak-fry fundraiser and took the opportunity to criticize the administration's handling of the Afghanistan pullout, AP's Thomas Beaumont writes from Nebraska City. Marc Caputo has more from the scene: "GOP 2024 hopefuls tread carefully around Trump"

SPEAKING OF … "DeSantis milks out-of-state travel to lay possible 2024 foundation,": Marc Caputo and Gary Fineout report on DeSantis's "ongoing split-screen effort as he prepares for his reelection back home while laying the groundwork for a White House bid if former President Donald Trump sits out the 2024 contest."

"His visit to the Midwest is one of at least a dozen out of state trips he's taken since May. He has gone everywhere from Southern California to Kentucky to the outskirts of Milwaukee and to New Jersey. Since most are campaign visits, they are not included on his public schedule and the governor rarely informs the public of his out-of-state travel. He also visited the Texas-Mexico border in July with Texas Gov. GREG ABBOTT, where they ripped President Joe Biden's immigration policies."

AMERICA AND THE WORLD

ACCORD IN IRAN — Iran and the U.N. atomic agency reached an agreement "that will grant international inspectors access to some of the country's nuclear-related sites, a step likely to avert a crisis in the negotiations on restoring the 2015 nuclear deal," per WSJ's Laurence Norman.

SLIM JONG UN — "North Korea says it successfully test fired what it described as newly developed long-range cruise missiles over the weekend, its first known testing activity in months that underscored how it continues to expand its military capabilities amid a stalemate in nuclear negotiations with the United States," according to the AP.

BEYOND THE BELTWAY

LONE STAR BLUES? — Texas wanted to be the new hotbed for tech in the U.S. with big gets like Oracle, Hewlett-Packard, Tesla, Facebook, Amazon and Apple. But the "recent swerve to the right on abortion, voting restrictions as well as a ban on coronavirus vaccine mandates has many workers and industry leaders … worried about retaining workers and recruiting top tech talent to the state," WaPo's Danielle Abril and Gerrit De Vynck write.

TALIBAN TAKEOVER

— "A group of Afghan Air Force pilots and their relatives who had fled the Taliban flew out of Uzbekistan this weekend after the U.S. and Uzbek governments reached an agreement on their transfer, people familiar with the matter said," WSJ's Jessica Donati and Siobhan Hughes report.

— The Afghan Embassy in D.C. is struggling to keep up like everyone else. The diplomats "have spent much of the past few weeks working to address the humanitarian crisis. They have had no official contact with the new government in Kabul," writes WSJ's Vivian Salama.

HAPPENING WEDNESDAY - POLITICO TECH SUMMIT: Washington and Silicon Valley have been colliding for some time. Has the intersection of tech, innovation, regulation and politics finally reached a tipping point? Join POLITICO for our first-ever Tech Summit to explore the evolving relationship between the power corridors of Washington and the Valley. REGISTER HERE.

PLAYBOOKERS

Ella Emhoff hit New York Fashion Week accessorized with a $2,900 shearling rabbit bag from Thom Browne.

Liam Donovan is seriously annoyed with DoorDash.

Larry Elder hung out with Rose McGowan on Sunday.

Amy Coney Barrett , after being introduced by Mitch McConnell at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center, said she worries about the Supreme Court being seen as a partisan institution.

Joe Biden has a sandwich named after him at Wilmington's high-end Janssen's Market. "The Joe Biden" comes with Maple turkey, Havarti, fresh arugula, and Champagne mustard. (h/t Seung Min Kim)

Laphonza Butler is taking over EMILY's List as president — the first woman of color and mother to hold the position.

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — McLaurine Pinover is now press secretary for the House Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans. She previously was comms director for Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.).

TRANSITIONS — Reilly Knecht is now digital content manager at the NRSC. She previously was a press assistant for Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) and is a Steve Scalise and Will Hurd alum. … Martha Sanchez is now a legislative assistant for Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). She previously was a legislative assistant for Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). … Grace White is now comms director for Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.). She previously was comms director for Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.). …

… Andrew Ginsburg is now deputy director of legislative affairs for the Consumer Product Safety Commission. He previously was deputy COS and legislative director for Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.). … Lizet Ocampo is joining Voto Latino as executive director. She previously was political director for People For the American Way. … Tiffiany Vaughn Jones is joining American Bridge 21st Century as national press secretary. She previously was press secretary for the Biden campaign's Pennsylvania operation and is a Tom Steyer and Hillary Clinton alum.

ENGAGED — Emily Schlicting, a senior associate at McKinsey and an Obama HHS alum, and David Demres, who works as senior leader in private equity-backed companies, got engaged on Tuesday. The couple met at the Harvard Kennedy School, where they were both enrolled in policy degree programs while simultaneously completing their MBAs. David proposed on the cliffs of the Amalfi coast after enlisting Emily's friends to lead her on a multi-part, Amazing Race-style scavenger hunt all over the town of Ravello. Pic

WEEKEND WEDDINGS — Joanna McIntosh, SVP of government relations at NCTA, and Brian Swain, of the U.S. Secret Service, got married on Sunday at River Farm in Mount Vernon overlooking the Potomac River. SPOTTED: Sarah Akram, Loran and Robbie Aiken, Chris LeRoy, Pam Stevens and Eric Schulz, Nydia Bonnin and Neil Fried, Fran Folgner, Wendy Hamilton, Josephine Hayden and Charles Ludoff, Elizabeth Hyman and David Nelsen, Greta Neimanas and Clark Rachfal, Julie Riccio, Shelley Robinette, Julia Rogers and Alex Feldman, Laurie Sherman, Hollyn and Vance Schuemann, Lisa and Arnie Schoenthaler, Vanessa and Chip Sinders and Marie Sylla-Dixon.

— Storm Horncastle, social secretary for VP Kamala Harris, and Jonathan Walters, head of the film & TV sector for the Welsh government, got married on Sept. 2 in an intimate ceremony on Inchcolm Island in Fife, Scotland, in the ruins of a historic abbey dating back to 1200 A.D. Storm and Jonathan met at a bar in Bethesda, Md., in 2016 and started dating after a British Embassy New Year's Eve party. Jonathan proposed at the Jefferson Memorial and the two were forced to postpone the wedding three times due to the pandemic. Pic … Another pic

— Kelly Ilagan, a Trump Commerce and White House alum, and Marc Coldiron, a Trump State Department and White House alum, got married at Old St. Mary's Catholic Church, followed by a reception at the Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit, Mich. The couple met while working at the Trump White House during the first year of the administration. Pic … SPOTTED: Seth and Bridget Unger, John and Caroline Roscoe, Buckley Carlson and Kelsey Kilgore, Ninio Fetalvo, Lauren Weber Holley, Justin Bis and Lauren Bowman, Alex Redle, Alex and Madison Meyer, Ian Steff, Christian and Minyet Palich.

BIRTHWEEK (was Saturday): Vedant Patel of the White House

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Cedric Richmond … Reps. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Roger Williams (R-Texas) … Katie Connolly of Benenson Strategy Group … Uber's Danielle Burr … former Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) (6-0)… Tina Pelkey … North Carolina A.G. Josh Stein … Mark Mellman … José Morales of Fair Fight Action … Potomac Strategy Group's Matt Mackowiak … Robin Meszoly … Vivian Schiller of Aspen Digital … Ryan Hambleton … Walter Suskind … CNN's Alli Gordon … Asya Evelyn of Rep. Ro Khanna's (D-Calif.) office … Suzanne Beall of the International Franchise Association … POLITICO's Andrew Benzer, Ben Leonard, Jeremy Dillon, Kate Ling, Lindsay Knight and Robyn Brigham … Bloomberg's Laura Davison … Kelsey Smith … NBC's Ginger Gibson and Casey Dolan … Sanette Tanaka Sloan … Jerry Johnson of Brodeur Partners … NBC News PR's Emma Martin … former Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.) … Jennifer Pflieger … Edelman's Thomas Dudley

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