| | | | | | | | | | | Axios Sneak Peek | | By the Axios Politics team ·Jan 05, 2022 | | Welcome back to Sneak. A somber eve descended over the capital and Capitol. Smart Brevity™ count: 959 words ... 3.5 minutes. Edited by Glen Johnson. | | | | | | 1 big thing: Scoop - Team Pence helps 1/6 committee |  | | | Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios | | | | People in and around former Vice President Mike Pence's office have been particularly cooperative as the Jan. 6 select committee focuses on what former President Trump was doing during the more than three hours the Capitol was under attack, sources familiar with the testimony tell Axios' Alayna Treene on the anniversary's eve. Why it matters: One year later, the committee is piecing together a definitive timeline of how Trump resisted pleas from his own advisers, allies, family members and lawmakers to halt the violence down Pennsylvania Avenue. - The committee is ramping up its closed-door work with the goal of holding public hearings as early as this spring.
Many Pence-world witnesses have testified without a subpoena, according to one source with direct knowledge of the closed-door hearings. - Both Pence's former chief of staff Marc Short and former press secretary Alyssa Farah, who later served as communications director to Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, are among those cooperating with the committee.
- Keith Kellogg, who joined Pence in the Capitol during the insurrection through his role as his national security adviser, also has given a deposition.
- One source familiar with their involvement said Short and Kellogg would not have cooperated without the approval of Pence himself.
What we're hearing: Some of the most helpful information has come from second- and third-tier staff who were not directly involved but were at the White House on Jan. 6 and had access to top administration officials, sources tell Axios. - They've been integral to helping piece together exactly what happened that day, one committee aide said.
Keep reading. |     | | | | | | 2. Scoop - Harris seeks help with Hispanics |  | | | Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images | | | | Vice President Kamala Harris is searching for a seasoned Democratic operative to fill a new Hispanic outreach role, as she reconfigures her team ahead of the midterm elections, people familiar with the matter tell Axios' Hans Nichols. Why it matters: Hiring a dedicated staffer to tend to Hispanic groups is another indication Harris — a potential 2024 presidential contender — knows she needs to shore up her political standing among various factions within the Democratic Party. - With her approval rating at 32%, according to a year-end poll from a USA TODAY/Suffolk University, outside advisers are counseling Harris on staff changes on how to improve her standing — within the White House, the Democratic Party and the broader public.
- Repairing relations with Hispanics, who will represent roughly 1 of 8 eligible voters in 2024, goes beyond public relations and gets to the core of her political future.
The big picture: Harris' office has been buffeted by the departures of her communications director, Ashley Etienne, and press secretary, Symone Sanders, within the first year. - Peter Velz — Harris' director of press operations, announced today he was leaving to join the State Department.
- Vincent Evans, another senior Harris aide, plans to become executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
- Over the summer, a group of the Democratic Party's most influential women gathered for a strategy session about how to defend Harris and her chief of staff, Tina Flournoy, against a torrent of bad press, Axios reported in August.
Keep reading. | | | | | | | | 3. By the numbers: Top 1/6 talkers |  Data: Quorum; Chart: Baidi Wang/Axios Democrats account for nine of the top 10 members of Congress who've most mentioned the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection on social media and other public communications, according to data from Quorum provided to Axios' Stef Kight. Why it matters: A year ago, the Trump rally-turned-deadly-riot threatened the safety of senators and House members on both sides of the aisle. But Democrats have been most persistent in their criticism of the unprecedented event, according to the analysis. By the numbers: In total, members of Congress made 12,853 mentions of Jan. 6 across press releases, floor statements, newsletters to constituents, tweets and Facebook posts from Jan. 7, 2021, to Tuesday morning, Quorum found. - Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) mentioned "January 6th," "Jan 6th" or "insurrection" 261 times — more than any other House member or senator.
- Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) used Twitter to bash Republicans over the insurrection, such as Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).
- Meanwhile, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) was the only Republican to make the top 10, according to the data.
- Many of his tweets focused on a baseless theory that the FBI was involved in the attack.
| | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Tech news worthy of your time | | |  | | | | Catch up on the top tech stories in just a few short minutes with Axios Login. Why it matters: Get the tech insights from Silicon Valley and DC that impact our lives Subscribe for free | | | | | | 4. Scoop: Bipartisan group discusses electoral reform |  | | | Sen. Susan Collins walks into the Capitol basement today with fellow Republican Sen. Roger Wicker. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images | | | | A new bipartisan Senate group is in early discussions about crafting an election reform measure, as the Democrats' sweeping voting rights proposals continue to run into steep procedural hurdles, Axios' Sophia Cai and Andrew Solender report. Driving the news: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) convened a Zoom call late this afternoon as a cross-section of lawmakers from Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) to Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) have expressed openness to reforming the outdated bill. - A person familiar with the call characterized it as a "wide-ranging discussion of election issues," including the option to update the Electoral Count Act of 1887 to clarify the role the vice president and Congress play in certifying presidential elections.
- Besides Collins, the participants were Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Joe Manchin (R-W.Va.), Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the person told Axios.
Why it matters: The discussion came on the eve of the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack, the culmination of former President Trump's efforts to take advantage of ambiguities in the bill to challenge the 2020 election results. - In particular, the Electoral Count Act doesn't specify if the vice president is merely ceremonial or if the VP actually has the power to refuse to certify certain electors, as Axios reported Tuesday.
What we're watching: The White House and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer remain focused exclusively on passing their own voting rights legislation. Keep reading. | | | | | | | | 5. Pic du jour |  | | | Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images | | | | A surveillance camera provides overwatch of the Capitol on the eve of the Jan. 6 anniversary. | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Tech news worthy of your time | | | | | | | | Catch up on the top tech stories in just a few short minutes with Axios Login. Why it matters: Get the tech insights from Silicon Valley and DC that impact our lives Subscribe for free | | | | 🐫 We made it through the first Hump Day of the year! Thanks for reading. A reminder your family, friends and colleagues can subscribe to Sneak or any of Axios' other free local and national newsletters through this link. |  | Bring the strength of Smart Brevity® to your team — more effective communications, powered by Axios HQ. | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201 | | | You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios.
Change your preferences or unsubscribe here. | | | Was this email forwarded to you?
Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox. | | | | Follow Axios on social media:    | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment