| | | | |  | | By Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza and Rachael Bade | | | With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross
| 
Republicans are discussing firing off letters summoning employees of the Manhattan DA’s office for sworn testimony, according to a GOP official familiar with the plans. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | THE WEEK AHEAD — Monday: President JOE BIDEN hosts the cast of “Ted Lasso” at a White House event on mental health; Supreme Court hears case on Navajo water rights … Tuesday: MIKE PENCE delivers remarks on entitlement reform at Washington & Lee University … Wednesday: Fed Chair JEROME POWELL speaks to reporters after FOMC decides whether to proceed with planned interest rate hike. … Thursday: Tiktok CEO SHOU ZI CHEW appears before the House Energy and Commerce Committee; Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN and Gen. MARK MILLEY appear before the House Appropriations Committee. … Friday: Biden meets with Canadian PM JUSTIN TRUDEAU and addresses Parliament in Ottawa. … Possible: DONALD TRUMP faces charges in NYC; Texas federal judge issues ruling in abortion-pill case. HOUSE RUSHES TO TRUMP’S AID — Good morning from Orlando, where House Republicans are gathered at a luxury resort not far from Disney World for their annual three-day retreat — and where, we’ve learned, House Judiciary Committee Chair JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio) and senior GOP leaders are preparing demand to testimony from members of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office amid reports of an imminent Trump indictment. But, first, let’s set the scene … After a rocky start, Speaker KEVIN McCARTHY has been on something of a honeymoon. He ended proxy voting and reopened the House to public tours, as he’d promised. He won bipartisan support for creating a select committee on China and managed to split Democrats and force a repeal of a D.C. crime bill. And Republicans are on track to pass a massive energy package and a parents’ bill of rights in the coming weeks. Even Reps. SCOTT PERRY (R-Pa.) and BOB GOOD (R-Va.) — both longtime McCarthy critics — told Playbook in the resort halls last night that the California Republican was doing a good job. (We did not have Freedom Caucus compliments on our bingo card.) Yet just when the new speaker appears to be hitting his stride, Trump is tripping him up. News that the former president could face charges this week for buying alleged paramour STORMY DANIELS’ silence during the 2016 campaign is hovering over Republicans’ conference. Case in point: Addressing reporters last night, McCarthy and his leadership team spoke for about 25 minutes about their achievements since flipping the House. But when the puffer-jacket-and-sneaker-clad speaker opened the event up for questions, about half of them centered on Trump, as our colleague Jordain Carney noted.
- Does McCarthy agree with Trump’s call for protests to his potential arrest? (He does not: “I don’t think people should protest this, no.”)
- Does he think it’s appropriate for Trump to run for president if he gets convicted? (McCarthy said it’s his prerogative: “He has a constitutional right to run.”)
- And what did he mean when he said over the weekend that GOP committees should investigate the Manhattan District Attorney?
An answer to that last question could come as soon as today, McCarthy told reporters. Before the news conference, we spotted Jordan working the phones with an aide in a quiet hallway as other Republicans listened to policy panels or sipped drinks at the lobby bar.
| | | | A message from Meta: Field trips in the metaverse will take learning beyond the textbook.
Students learning about prehistoric eras will use virtual reality to take field trips to the Ice Age and visit the woolly mammoths. As a result, students will not only learn their history lessons - they’ll experience them.
The metaverse may be virtual, but the impact will be real.
Explore more possibilities with the metaverse. | | | This morning, we can report two things:
In the short term, Republicans are discussing firing off letters summoning employees of the Manhattan DA’s office for sworn testimony, according to a GOP official familiar with the plans. The potential request comes amid speculation about why the hush-money case was suddenly resurrected after being back-burnered by both state and federal prosecutors.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plans are not final, noted that McCarthy, a longtime Trump ally and close friend, is “fully supportive and pushing folks to be aggressive here.”
Manhattan DA ALVIN BRAGG himself is in the GOP’s crosshairs, though it’s not clear if he’ll be immediately summoned. “He should come testify before Congress,” Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) told us and other reporters, launching into a lengthy tirade about “fake charges” meant to be “used in Democrat ads” against Trump.
Greene’s not alone: “This is a [GEORGE] SOROS-backed, crazy, left-wing prosecutor … and he is doing this purely political sham,” Jordan told Playbook. (Note that Bragg told his employees over the weekend that he would “not tolerate attempts to intimidate our office or threaten the rule of law in New York.”)
Jordan didn’t answer questions about whether he’d subpoena Bragg. Even if he does, it’s almost impossible to imagine Bragg or his subordinates answering questions about an ongoing probe or prosecution. While Republicans could threaten to hold him in contempt of Congress, the Justice Department would be unlikely to press charges in a partisan dispute. Regardless, Trump’s future will continue to be a major discussion point as House Republicans huddle today on the biggest policy issues facing the country. As GOP lawmakers prepped for sessions on border security, the ongoing banking scare, public safety and the looming debt ceiling deadline, Trump kept venting on Truth Social, calling on Bragg to “BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE CRIME OF ‘INTERFERENCE IN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.’” In a way, it's a back-to-the-future moment for Republicans who spent years dodging questions about the Trump controversy du jour — and could well be doing so for months or years to come. And yet for many of them, it’s still a bummer. “Yet again, his ego gets in the way and he feels the need to suck the oxygen out of the room,” one senior House GOP aide vented. Related reads: “McCarthy pushes back against Trump’s calls for protests: ‘We want calmness out there,’” by Olivia Beavers and Jordain Carney … “Trump shadow looms large over House GOP policy retreat,” by CNN’s Melanie Zanona and Annie Grayer … “Trump-DeSantis drama casts a shadow over House GOP retreat in Florida,” by NBC’s Scott Wong and Ali Vitali … “Authorities in New York Prepare for Unprecedented Arrest of a President,” by NYT’s William Rashbaum, Jonah Bromwich and Alan Feuer Good Monday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.
| | | | A message from Meta:   | | | BOOKMARK THIS ONE — The race for the Republican presidential nomination is well underway, with a growing field that is expected to balloon in the coming months. POLITICO will be tracking each candidate as they enter the fray and ranking their chances of clinching the nomination: The favorites, the contenders and the longshots. See the tracker and read an introduction from our colleague Steve Shepard here
| 
| NEW THIS MORNING — House Appropriations ranking member ROSA DeLAURO (D-Conn.) is warning that a GOP proposal to roll agency spending back to fiscal 2022 levels “would cause irreparable damage to our communities by gutting the programs every single American relies on.” DeLauro in January sent agencies a letter asking for officials to detail what those cuts would look like, and this morning, DeLauro is releasing the responses. “Continued Republican calls for cuts of this magnitude — both secret proposals from Republican leadership and public demands from extremists in the party — would be absolutely detrimental to all Americans,” she said in a statement. “The math is not there.” Read the official responses … Read the original letters DeLauro sent
| | BIDEN’S MONDAY:
10:25 a.m.: The president and VP KAMALA HARRIS will receive the President’s Daily Brief.
1 p.m.: Biden and first lady JILL BIDEN will host a reception celebrating Nowruz. Harris and second gentleman DOUG EMHOFF will also attend.
3:15 p.m.: The Bidens will welcome JASON SUDEIKIS and other cast members of “Ted Lasso” to the White House to discuss mental health.
Press secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE will brief at 2 p.m.
HARRIS’ MONDAY:
3:10 p.m.: The VP, Agriculture Secretary TOM VILSACK and senior adviser MITCH LANDRIEU will hold a press call to announce wildfire resilience funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
THE SENATE and THE HOUSE are out. | | | | | | We’re spilling the tea (and drinking tons of it in our newsroom) in U.K. politics with our latest newsletter, London Playbook PM. Get to know all the movers and shakers in Westminster and never miss a beat of British politics with a free subscription. Don’t miss out, we’ve got some exciting moves coming. Sign up today. | | | | | PHOTO OF THE DAY
| 
People visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on Sunday, March 19. The Yoshino cherry blossom trees in D.C. are expected to reach their peak bloom from Wednesday to Saturday. | Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | 2024 WATCH KNOWING RON DeSANTIS — “How Midwest roots shaped Ron DeSantis' political values and perspective,” by NBC’s Henry Gomez in Youngstown, Ohio: “The DeSantis family roots here — never before reported in great detail — help fill in the blanks of a politician who rose to national prominence only five years ago. … From his grandfather’s work in local politics to the blossoming romance of his parents on the campus of Youngstown State University, certain moments in time provide texture and points of contrast.” KNOWING NIKKI HALEY — “Nikki Haley walks fine line on race, gender in appeal to GOP base,” by WaPo’s Dylan Wells: “[HALEY’S] pitch is directed at a Republican primary electorate that largely rejects the idea that institutions are plagued by systemic racism and other forms of discrimination, as well as the suggestion that the country ought to reckon more openly with past injustices. … Outside of those GOP circles, however, Haley’s words have drawn criticism from those who say she is diminishing the bigotry and other barriers women and minorities — like herself — have experienced, and that she is selectively using her identity in the campaign.” THE WHITE HOUSE BIBI STING — Biden yesterday called Israeli PM BENJAMIN NETANYAHU to express his “concern” over the government’s proposed judicial system overhaul. “The White House said Biden reiterated U.S. concerns about the measure to roll back the judiciary’s insulation from the country’s political system, in a call a senior administration official described as ‘candid and constructive,’” AP’s Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller write. “There was no immediate indication that Netanyahu was shying away from the action, after rejecting a compromise last week offered by the country’s figurehead president." CONGRESS TURF WAR — “It’s Maryland vs. Virginia on Capitol Hill, with billions on the line,” by Marianne LeVine and Sarah Ferris: “The FBI headquarters face-off has stoked fierce divisions among two congressional delegations that interact more than nearly every other pair of states, excepting the Dakotas or Carolinas. Yet it’s not the only fresh fault line between Virginia and Maryland, whose Democratic senators split over disapproving a progressive D.C. crime law, with the former duo backing the rollback and the latter backing the D.C. Council.” THE AGE-OLD QUESTION — “Senate absences multiply headaches for both parties,” by Burgess Everett: “The last time all 100 senators were on the floor voting together was more than seven months ago. And it’s starting to take a toll on both parties.” Related read: “Senate and House Lawmakers, on Average, Are Still Among the Oldest Ever,” by WSJ’s Eric Bazail-Eimil AUMF REPEAL OUTLOOK — “Twenty Years After U.S. Invaded Iraq, Congress Wants Its War Powers Back,” by WSJ’s Lindsay Wise and Eric Bazail-Eimil: “The outcome will hinge in large part on whether enough House Republicans side with Democrats on retiring the measure.” TRUMP CARDS THE LATEST INDICTMENT DEVELOPMENT — “A lawyer who previously advised MICHAEL COHEN, the key government witness in the hush money payment investigation into Donald Trump, has been invited to appear Monday before a Manhattan grand jury that is considering potential charges against the former president,” AP’s Eric Tucker reports. “ROBERT COSTELLO had advised Cohen before the two had a falling out, and is prepared to offer testimony to the grand jury attacking the credibility of Cohen’s statements, according to the person, who insisted on anonymity to discuss secret legal proceedings.” TESTING THE TEFLON — “Why an indictment may help Trump — and threaten the GOP,” by David Siders and Adam Wren: “If anything, Republicans say, Trump will benefit from a short-term rush of support, much as he did following the FBI’s seizure of documents from his Mar-a-Lago estate last year. It may not manifest itself in national polls — where independent and Democratic voters will be reminded of the drama and scandals that seem to perpetually follow Trump. But one national GOP strategist, granted anonymity to discuss the political fallout, said the ex-president would likely enjoy an immediate fundraising boost in an otherwise unfriendly political environment.” PRESSURE CAMPAIGN — “Trump Allies Pressure DeSantis to Weigh In on Expected Indictment,” by NYT’s Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman: “Although his rivals largely want to keep a distance, Mr. Trump’s team is bent on pushing them to choose sides, risking the wrath of Republicans loyal to the former president.” Related Read: “Trump’s call for protests get muted reaction from supporters,” by AP’s Eric Tucker And Michael Kunzelman JUDICIARY SQUARE FOR YOUR RADAR — “Biden’s appeals court nominee faces rare Democratic scrutiny,” by AP’s Seung Min Kim: “One of President Joe Biden's nominees to a federal appeals court has generated rare concern from some Democrats and outside groups over his signature on a legal brief defending a parental notification law in New Hampshire, injecting the issue of abortion into his confirmation fight from an unexpected flank. “MICHAEL DELANEY, nominated for the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Boston, said in written testimony to senators that he did not write the 2005 brief and otherwise had ‘extremely limited involvement’ in the case that was brought while he was deputy attorney general in New Hampshire. But the signing of the brief, along with scrutiny of his representation of St. Paul's School, a private boarding school in New Hampshire that was sued in connection with a sexual assault, is complicating a confirmation fight in which the White House has little room for error.” POLICY CORNER INSIDE STORY — “Fear, burnout and insubordination: Insiders spill details about life at the highest levels of FBI,” by Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney: “A gender discrimination trial in Washington, D.C., shined a harsh spotlight on one of the most important legal offices in the U.S. government, portraying it as a hotbed of dysfunction, turf wars, mismanagement and paranoia. … A federal jury ultimately sided with the FBI, but not before a parade of witnesses testified to startling revelations about the bureau.”
| | | | SPONSORED CONTENT Augmented reality will help firefighters with search and rescue.
One day, firefighters will use the metaverse to navigate through smoke and fire to find trapped people in burning buildings, saving crucial seconds when lives are on the line. The metaverse may be virtual, but the impact will be real. Explore more possibilities with the metaverse. Sponsored by Meta   | | | WAR IN UKRAINE NEWS ANALYSIS — “China as Peacemaker in the Ukraine War? The U.S. and Europe Are Skeptical,” by NYT’s Edward Wong and Steven Erlanger: “As XI JINPING, China’s leader, prepares to meet with President VLADIMIR V. PUTIN in Moscow this week, Chinese officials have been framing his trip as a mission of peace, one where he will seek to ‘play a constructive role in promoting talks’ between Russia and Ukraine, as a government spokesman in Beijing put it. But American and European officials are watching for something else altogether — whether Mr. Xi will add fuel to the full-scale war that Mr. Putin began more than a year ago.” THE STEPBACK — “As Xi visits Russia, Putin sees his anti-U.S. world order taking shape,” by WaPo’s Robyn Dixon in Riga, Latvia: “Xi’s visit shows sides being taken, with China, Russia and Iran lining up against the United States, Britain and other NATO allies — in a competition for global influence and for alliances with nations such as South Africa and Saudi Arabia, which seem ambivalent but up for grabs.” Related read: “At the China-Russia Border, the Xi-Putin Partnership Shows Signs of Fraying,” by WSJ’s Brian Spegele AMERICA AND THE WORLD ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA — “North Korea: Latest missile simulated nuclear counterattack,” by AP’s Kim Tong-hyung: “The launch came less than an hour before the United States flew long-range B-1B bombers for joint training with South Korean warplanes as part of the allies’ biggest combined training in years, which the North has condemned as a rehearsal for a potential invasion.” PHOTO STORIES — WaPo: “The Iraq I never knew: Photojournalist Salwan Georges returned to Iraq for the first time since he left in 1998.” … CNN: “Ordinary people in Iraq were given disposable cameras. This is what they want you to see.” THE ECONOMY THE FED FLUB — “‘What were the last 15 years for?’: How Fed bank regulation failed,” by Victoria Guida: “The banking turmoil is sparking not only external scrutiny but also internal soul-searching at the Fed, raising fundamental questions about the central bank’s effectiveness at supervising the industry, whether the sweeping post-crisis laws and regulations were even sufficient, and if their partial rollback in 2018 undermined the ability of regulators to stop the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and other lenders.” Related read: “Before Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, the Fed Spotted Big Problems,” by NYT’s Jeanna Smialek: “In 2021, a Fed review of the growing bank found serious weaknesses in how it was handling key risks. … But the bank did not fix its vulnerabilities.” THE LATEST MONEY MOVES — “Yellen, Powell welcome Swiss bank deal as step toward market stability,” by Victoria Guida THE PANDEMIC HOW WE GOT HERE — “Lab Leak or Not? How Politics Shaped the Battle Over Covid’s Origin,” by NYT’s Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Benjamin Mueller: “The story of the hunt for Covid’s origin is partly about the stonewalling by China that has left scientists with incomplete evidence, all of it about a virus that is constantly changing. … But the story is also about politics and how both Democrats and Republicans have filtered the available evidence through their partisan lenses. … The intense political debate, now in its fourth year, has at times turned scientists into lobbyists, competing for policymakers’ time and favor.” VALLEY TALK TIKTOK ON THE CLOCK — “TikTok now has 150 million active users in the U.S., CEO to tell Congress,” by NBC’s Carol Lee: “When TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies before Congress on Thursday, he plans to unveil new internal data that suggests the popular video-sharing app is far more enmeshed in Americans' daily lives than anyone realizes.”
| | | | DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS– DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | SPOTTED: Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) on stage with Brad Paisley at the Houston Rodeo yesterday. Pic OUT AND ABOUT — Adam Sandler yesterday evening received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center. SPOTTED: Jennifer Aniston, Judd Apatow, Drew Barrymore, Steve Buscemi, Dana Carvey, Luis Guzmán, Conan O’Brien, Rob Schneider, Ben Stiller, David Spade, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Paul Pelosi, Reps. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) and Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Karine Jean-Pierre, Mark Ein, David Rubenstein, Cappy McGarr, Steve and Jean Case, Chris Licht, Wolf Blitzer, Kaitlan Collins, Sam Feist, Dana Bash, Jeff Zeleny, Ben Howard, Bret and Amy Baier, Don and Shannon McGahn, Tammy Haddad, Heather Podesta, Tommy Andrews and Mollie Thorsen, Eli and Jenna Miller, Emily Berret, Deborah Rutter, John McCarthy, Bob Barnett, Steve and Amy Ricchetti, Caryn Zucker, Abby Phillip, Steve Kessler and Juleanna Glover. — AFI hosted a VIP reception for its “Chopin in Space” concert at the Air and Museum on Saturday night, where artist Agnieszka Pilat delivered a speech about the shared history between Ukraine and Poland and debuted a new painting series, “Allies March.” Pilat was also accompanied by her Boston Dynamics robot, Basia, which gave a playful demonstration to the crowd. SPOTTED: Polish Ambassador Marek Magierowski, Polish Health Minister Adam Niedzielski, Robin Dunnigan, Yaroslav Brisiuck, George Zamka, George Handy, Michael Czekajio, Harry Gewanter, Katarzyna Rybka-Iwanska, Julian Borger, Vivian Salama and Karol Radziwonowicz FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) will join guest host Al Franken for an in-depth interview tonight on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” at 11 p.m. Eastern. Graham last appeared on the program in 2016. — Kelly Scully is now an assistant White House press secretary. She most recently was comms director for the Office of National Drug Control Policy and is also a Biden alum. — Paul Winfree is now a senior fellow at Stand Together. He most recently was a distinguished fellow in economic policy and public leadership at the Heritage Foundation and is a Trump White House alum. TRANSITIONS — Jillian Smith will be a legislative assistant for Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas). She previously was a scheduler for Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.). … Sarah Trumble is now senior director of government affairs at the Urban Institute. She previously ran the federal affairs team at Everytown for Gun Safety and is a Third Way alum. … John Guinan is now senior counsel for IBM’s U.S. public sector team. He previously was chief of the contract law division at the Commerce Department. … … Ali West is now senior deputy research director at Senate Majority PAC. She most recently was deputy research director for Sen. Raphael Warnock’s (D-Ga.) reelection campaign and is a DCCC alum. … Corinne Day is now comms director for House Republican Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson (R-La.). She was previously deputy comms director and spokesperson for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). … Josiah Adams is now special assistant to DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.). He previously was deputy scheduler for Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). WEEKEND WEDDING — Noelle Dunn, owner of Dunn Dental Group and Laser Dental Arts, and Ryan Thompson, president of Live Oak Strategies and a Joe Barton and Ron Wright alum, got married on Saturday in Warrenton, Va., followed by a dinner at Field and Main. SPOTTED: Colleen and Brian Elson, Alexandra Kendrick and former Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), Jesse Childs and Liz Heatley, Taylor Childs and Luke Schwartz, Kyle and Aaricka Oliver and James and Emily Jackson. Pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) (7-0) … RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel (5-0) … DNC’s Lily Hopwood … WaPo’s Phil Rucker … Washingtonian’s Cathy Merrill Williams … Kevin Hassett … Gloria Story Dittus of Story Partners … Mark Putnam of Putnam Partners … Arthur Scott … Jon Thompson … Julie Townsend … Michael Whouley of Dewey Square Group … Jay Heimbach … Semafor’s Benjy Sarlin … POLITICO’s David Ferris and Laila Pirnazar … OMB’s Naomi Zeigler … Sally Aman … Jackson Hurley of Voters of Tomorrow … Results for America’s Zac Coile … Jessica Carter … Abbey Welborn ... Susan McGinnis ... Matt Finkelstein ... Gloria Totten ... Cory Gattie ... Michael Brownlie … Justin Lewis Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us at 202-556-3307. Playbook couldn’t happen without our editor Mike DeBonis, deputy editor Zack Stanton and producers Setota Hailemariam and Bethany Irvine.
| | | | A message from Meta: The metaverse will give doctors new tools to make decisions faster.
In the ER, every second counts. Doctors will use the metaverse to visualize scans and quickly make decisions, helping patients get the specialty care they need in a timely manner.
The metaverse may be virtual, but the impact will be real.
Explore more possibilities with the metaverse. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment