| | | | |  | | By Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels and Ryan Lizza | Presented by Capital Access Alliance | With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross
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Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) will be attending a No Labels event in New Hampshire today, a decision that has raised eyebrows among his fellow Democrats. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | JUST POSTED — “Trump and Allies Forge Plans to Increase Presidential Power in 2025,” by NYT’s Jonathan Swan, Charlie Savage and Maggie Haberman. Two choice quotations: RUSSELL VOUGHT, who ran OMB under DONALD TRUMP: “What we’re trying to do is identify the pockets of independence and seize them.” JOHN KELLY, who was Trump’s second chief of staff: “It would be chaotic. It just simply would be chaotic, because he’d continually be trying to exceed his authority but the sycophants would go along with it. It would be a nonstop gunfight with the Congress and the courts.” NO LABELS, NO FRIENDS — The big talker in politics today takes place in New Hampshire, where centrist group No Labels is holding a bipartisan event teasing a possible 2024 “unity” ticket — and Democrats are already freaking out that such a bid will undercut President JOE BIDEN and help land DONALD TRUMP back in the White House. Adding to the intrigue, Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) — who loves nothing more than trolling his own party — will be attending the event, a decision that has raised eyebrows among his fellow Democrats, who worry that the Mountaineer could not only spoil Biden’s reelection effort, but also cost them a Senate seat should he choose not to seek another term. “Joe is America’s biggest political tease,” Senate Majority Whip DICK DURBIN (D-Ill.) told The Hill. “And I trust that he’ll make a judgment to run for reelection in West Virginia. I hope he will.” Of course, there’s an open question about whether No Labels has much of a constituency for its almost quaint middle-of-the-road policy prescriptions, which it officially rolls out today. The group has talked about the need to cut Social Security and find a “balance” on abortion access. It has blasted the Biden administration for releasing asylum-seekers into the country — yet proposed a pathway to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants. It wants to stop discrimination against transgender people, but also limit gender education for young children. As the NYT wrote this weekend, the group “has something for everyone to embrace — and just as much for both sides to reject.” THIS WEEK — Today: Gold Star families of the 13 service members who died in the August 2021 Kabul airport attack meet with Speaker KEVIN McCARTHY. … Tomorrow: Biden hosts Israeli President ISAAC HERZOG at the White House. Pretrial conference in the Trump documents case. Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS has a sitdown interview with CNN’s JAKE TAPPER in South Carolina. Trump joins Fox News’ SEAN HANNITY for a town hall in Iowa. Sen. TIM SCOTT (R-S.C.) holds a town hall in New Hampshire. … Wednesday: Herzog speaks to a joint session of Congress at 11 a.m. The House begins consideration of the FAA reauthorization (more below). MIKE PENCE heads to New Hampshire for a three-day swing. … Thursday: Senate Armed Services holds a hearing on Lt. Gen. TIMOTHY HAUGH’s nomination to lead the NSA and Cyber Command. … Friday: CHRIS CHRISTIE heads to South Carolina for a town hall, his first visit to the state for his 2024 campaign. BATTLE FOR THE SENATE — Ohio Secretary of State FRANK LaROSE is jumping into his state’s Republican Senate primary, Olivia Beavers and Ally Mutnick scoop this morning. Republicans are facing a messy primary in the Buckeye State, as LaRose will compete against BERNIE MORENO and state Sen. MATT DOLAN, both wealthy self-funders who are nonetheless less prominent than LaRose. The secretary of state falls somewhere between Moreno and Dolan in how closely he ties himself to Trump. He says he’d be the strongest candidate to take on Democratic Sen. SHERROD BROWN. But though he says D.C. party leaders have encouraged him, the NRSC doesn’t plan to endorse in this one. Good Monday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.
| | | | A message from Capital Access Alliance: It's time to set the record straight about Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and its "perimeter rule." Efforts to modernize this 60-year old regulation and authorize more flights in and out of DCA are about giving millions of Americans, including our nation’s students, affordable access to D.C.
Take it from Darlene, a California teacher: "We depend on donations to pay for flights, but an outdated federal rule makes tickets so expensive." Hear her story. | | | AD WARS — “Christie Camp Taunts Trump With New Ad: ‘Are You a Chicken or Just a Loser?’” by Bloomberg’s Gregory Korte TURBULENCE FOR FAA — It’s not often that we in Washington obsess over a policy issue that everyday voters are following closely as well. That changes this week, as Congress hits the gas on legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration. For months now, Americans have fumed over delays and canceled flights stemming from a dried-up aviation workforce as well as a shortage of air traffic controllers. But fixing the matter is easier said than done — especially given that the industry’s well-connected lobby shops are currently working overtime to protect their bottom lines. This morning, as the House readies to take up the legislation Thursday, we break down some of the hot-button issues, which cut across party lines, to watch: 1. EMPLOYEE SHORTAGES & TRAINING SHORTCUTS: After drawing down staff amid the pandemic, airlines and the FAA have little flexibility to react when something goes awry (like thunderstorms) now that travel this summer is returning to pre-Covid levels. As a result, lawmakers are now debating some shortcuts. The most contentious centers on pilot training, a debate that derailed the Senate markup a few weeks ago. Right now, pilots must complete 1,500 hours of flight training — a non-negotiable requirement. But some airlines want to relax these rules, noting that there’s a dearth of pilots. In the House, lawmakers aim to allow pilots to use 150 hours of simulated flight training toward that 1,500-hour minimum, arguing that simulations are cheaper and easier to complete. In the Senate, however, that’s a non-starter: Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER and TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-Ill.), who chairs the aviation subcommittee, have pushed back fiercely, arguing that simulator training doesn’t offer the same amount of firsthand experience. In the upper chamber, Democrats are eyeing another option to increase the supply of pilots: raising the age at which pilots are required to retire from 65 to 67. But unions representing pilots have pushed back on that proposal. 2. BIDEN’S FEE-FIGHTING SPREE: As Biden gears up for his reelection, his administration has been on a tear about junk fees and consumer protections, issues Democrats believe will resonate with voters. Chief among those? An effort to make an example out of the airline industry, which frequently angers travelers. Under the lead of Transportation Secretary PETE BUTTIGIEG, the administration has created a website naming and shaming various airlines for their cancellation compensation policies. They’ve proposed rules ending hidden fees for things like bag checks or surcharges for families asking to sit together. And they want to require airlines to go beyond refunds when flights are delayed and canceled, forcing them to compensate stranded passengers for meals, hotels and other travel. But while consumer advocate groups such as the National Consumers League cheer the administration on, they fear the travel industry will just challenge those regulations in court. That’s why they’re pressing lawmakers to codify some of these protections in the reauthorization — even as the airlines vigorously fight against their inclusion. Keep an eye on this space. 3. A FIGHT ON THE HOMEFRONT: Every year during the FAA debate, lawmakers bicker about whether they should permit Reagan National Airport — Congress’ favorite airport due to its proximity to Capitol Hill — to include more long-distance flights. Typically, lawmakers from western and southern states push for more, despite the airport’s limited perimeter. This year is no exception. But instead of just asking for a few new routes, Delta and its allies on the Hill are seeking to add more than 50 new flights a day to DCA’s already busy runway. It’s not a typical red-vs.-blue divide. Ranking Commerce panel member TED CRUZ (R-Texas) and Sen. RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D-Ga.) both back the expansion alongside members like conservative Rep. CHIP ROY (R-Texas). Lawmakers from the DMV, however, are standing with United in pushing back on a move that would erode that airline’s market share at Dulles International Airport a few miles away. Those members are concerned that new flights will just exacerbate delays.
| | | | A message from Capital Access Alliance:   | | | | | BIDEN’S MONDAY — The president will receive the President’s Daily Brief at 10 a.m.
Press secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE will brief at 3 p.m.
VP KAMALA HARRIS’ MONDAY — The VP has nothing on her public schedule.
THE HOUSE will meet at noon. THE SENATE is out. | | | | | | STOP SCROLLING (for just a minute!). Introducing a revamped California Playbook newsletter with an all-new team and a sharpened mission! Join Lara Korte and Dustin Gardiner as they take you on an extraordinary journey through California's political landscape. From inside the Capitol in Sacramento to the mayor’s office in Los Angeles, and from the tech hub of Silicon Valley to even further beyond, we're your front-row ticket to the action. Subscribe for access to exclusive news, buzzworthy scoops and never-before-revealed behind-the-scenes details straight from the heart of California's political arena. Don't miss out — SUBSCRIBE TODAY and stay in the know! | | | | | PHOTO OF THE DAY
|  Migrants walk by a string of buoys placed on the water along the Rio Grande border with Mexico in Eagle Pass, Texas, on July 16, 2023. | Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP via Getty Images | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | 2024 WATCH DIVIDE AND CONQUER — Trump is benefiting from a divided opposition not just in the GOP primary polls, but also among the country’s most powerful conservative funders, Bloomberg’s Bill Allison and Laura Davison report based on the latest second-quarter FEC filings. The failure of the anti-Trump donor class to coalesce around a single alternative has kept Trump in the driver’s seat. DeSantis has gotten backing from many deep pockets like DICK UIHLEIN and HARLAN CROW, but STEVE SCHWARZMAN gave to Scott, and others spread the wealth or sat on their hands for now. (Of course, these are just donations to campaigns; super PAC filings later this month will fill in more of the details.) It’s a similar story among Wall Street executives, CNBC’s Brian Schwartz reports. At least 15 top financiers gave to DeSantis, while VIVEK RAMASWAMY and NIKKI HALEY earned plenty of maxed-out support from the industry as well. More FEC filing details: Biden’s reelection campaign has said it intends to start out lean and frugal — and boy are they putting that into practice, Holly Otterbein and Jessica Piper report. With just four staffers on payroll and rent at zero (no headquarters yet), the president’s campaign spent just $1.1 million, less than some Senate campaigns. “It’s a vastly different approach” than BARACK OBAMA’s in 2012, and some Democrats are worrying that the Biden camp isn’t doing a good enough job with small-dollar donors. WHERE THE GRASSROOTS ARE — A straw poll at the Turning Point Action Conference yesterday in Florida showed that Trump is still king — and that it pays to attend in person, which Trump did while many other candidates stayed in Iowa. Trump won the poll with a whopping 86%, the Washington Examiner’s Julia Johnson scooped. Asked for their second choice, fully half the respondents picked Ramaswamy. MORE POLITICS A TALE OF TWO CHAMBERS — The wrap-up of Q2 reports shows front-line House Republicans doing well to maintain their positions, National Journal’s James Downs recaps. The incumbent Republicans in Biden-won districts — one measure of the most vulnerable members — on average raised $739,000, compared to $542,000 from incumbent Democrats in Trump-won districts. The cash-on-hand disparity is even starker: These Republicans’ average is more than twice the Democrats’. That could give Republicans a boost as they seek to protect their very slim majority. Senate Democrats, who have an even more treacherous path to holding onto power, also did well last quarter, largely beating their Republican challengers in the handful of most competitive states, NYT’s Maya King and Rebecca Davis O’Brien report. That “suggests significant energy” behind Dems’ uphill battle. WHAT’S $4.5 MILLION BETWEEN FRIENDS? — “Herschel Walker still sits on a mountain of campaign cash after Senate loss,” by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Greg Bluestein: “[S]ome donors are pressing to get their contributions back.” THE WHITE HOUSE STATE OF THE UNIONS — “Teamsters president says he’s asked the White House not to intervene if UPS workers go on strike,” AP/New York ASK NOT — “Biden’s ‘Final’ Order on Kennedy Files Leaves Some Still Wanting More,” by NYT’s Peter Baker: “Now it can finally be told: According to an unredacted copy of the memo released recently by the government, the official who intercepted [LEE HARVEY] OSWALD’s mail for the C.I.A. in the months before President JOHN F. KENNEDY was assassinated was named REUBEN EFRON. And that means — what, exactly? … The president’s certification, issued at 6:36 p.m. on the Friday before the long Fourth of July holiday weekend, when it would not draw much attention, has frustrated researchers and historians.”
| | | | A message from Capital Access Alliance:   | | | CONGRESS FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: CALLS FOR HOUSE GOP TO DISINVITE RFK JR. — The Congressional Integrity Project has sent a letter to Rep. JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio) calling on him to disinvite ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. from speaking on a congressional panel Thursday, Daniel Lippman reports. In recent days, Kennedy has faced widespread condemnation following comments he made last week baselessly suggesting that Covid-19 might have been “ethnically targeted” to harm white and Black people while sparing Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people. “[W]e now have video evidence of his horrific antisemitic and xenophobic views, which are simply beyond the pale,” CIP executive director KYLE HERRIG writes to Jordan, who chairs the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, which is scheduled to host Kennedy as a guest for a panel on censorship scheduled for Thursday. A spokesperson for Jordan didn’t respond to a request for comment. THE PRICE OF SALT — Centrist House Republicans are deploying some Freedom Caucus-style tactics to gum up their party’s plans for a major tax bill, insisting they’ll block the bill until it undoes the Trump-era state and local tax deduction limit, Sarah Ferris and Benjamin Guggenheim report this morning. The New York, New Jersey and California members represent wealthy districts disproportionately affected by the SALT changes, and they’ve waged unsuccessful battles the past five years to get the tax break re-expanded. Now they’re jeopardizing McCarthy’s ability to get a big tax package to the floor before August recess; negotiations are ramping up, but giving in on SALT would anger conservatives. NDAA AMENDMENT INCOMING — “U.S. Senate leader Schumer wants to sanction China over fentanyl,” by Reuters’ David Morgan: “‘I will push an amendment - bipartisan - into the defense bill that will include major fentanyl stopping and sanction empowering legislation, and we will bring that bill to the floor this week,’ Schumer told a news conference in New York.” NOTHING TO SEE HERE — “The corporate gig Katie Porter erased from her whiteboard,” by Chris Cadelago: Rep. KATIE “PORTER was hired in 2015 as a consultant for Ocwen Financial Corporation, a large mortgage loan servicing provider that faced multibillion-dollar fines and penalties for deceiving homeowners. Her stint in the corporate world came shortly after she oversaw the national mortgage settlement as the state’s independent monitor and before she made her first run for Congress.” WHAT AIPAC IS READING — “Jayapal’s Israel comments spark internal backlash,” by Axios’ Andrew Solender: “A group of Jewish House Democrats is circulating a letter denouncing Rep. PRAMILA JAYAPAL’s (D-Wash.) since-withdrawn comments calling Israel a ‘racist state’ … House Minority Leader HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-N.Y.), Whip KATHERINE CLARK (D-Mass.) and Democratic Caucus Chair PETE AGUILAR (D-Calif.) also put out a statement on Sunday, saying: ‘Israel is not a racist state.’” THE ECONOMY CAN JAY POWELL REALLY DO IT? — “Markets Appear Convinced the Fed Can Pull Off a Soft Landing,” by WSJ’s Akane Otani MEDIAWATCH EARTHQUAKE IN LA — L.A. Times owner PATRICK SOON-SHIONG is in the early stages of discussions to sell the newspaper to JAY PENSKE, The Intersect’s Joe Bel Bruno reports. Penske, an entertainment trade tycoon, already owns Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard and Rolling Stone; he’d “transform … into an L.A. publishing mogul” with the Times in his portfolio too. Soon-Shiong, on the other hand, just sold The San Diego Union-Tribune and has struggled to get his newspapers profitable, as they’ve gotten smaller and suffered multiple rounds of layoffs. “The talks are said to be fluid, and might even have both Soon-Shiong and Penske holding equal stakes in The Times.” The Times responds outright: “This is not true. The Soon-Shiongs have no interest in selling the L.A. Times.”
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Amy Klobuchar seemingly got stuck behind a giant baked potato. John Williams conducted the Marine Corps band at the Kennedy Center. Janet Yellen isn’t ready to lift Trump-era China tariffs yet. Kamala Harris celebrated Jesse Jackson. OUT AND ABOUT — More than 2,000 guests attended the Taste of the South gala at the Anthem last night, raising more than $1 million for domestic violence prevention and awareness charities. SPOTTED: Monte Durham, Natalie Yezbick, Mary Collins Atkinson, Lee Bonner, Molly Vinesett, Chandler Shields, Ashley Satterfield, Cameron Sadler, Mariah Greenlee, Madison Erstine, Grant McKenzie and E. Blair Hancock. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Sarah Weinstein is now director of public affairs at the Commerce Department. She most recently was comms director for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and is a Pete Aguilar alum. — Austin Weatherford has been named the new executive director of America250, the nonpartisan entity planning the country’s semiquincentennial. He most recently was chief of staff to former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). — Julia Krieger is now U.S. policy comms lead at Coinbase. She most recently was senior spokesperson at Treasury, and is a Biden White House and campaign alum. TRANSITIONS — Andrea Goldstein is now principal deputy assistant secretary for administration at HHS. She most recently was acting director of force resiliency at the Department of the Navy. … Cody Sargent is now assistant director of media and PR at the Heritage Foundation. He previously was press secretary for Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and is a Plus Communications alum. … … Dane Hughes is now a professional staff member for the House Armed Services Committee. He most recently was director of strategy at Research Innovations Inc. and is a Trump DOD alum. … James Huddleston has joined Alaska Airlines’ government affairs team. He most recently worked at the FAA’s office of congressional affairs, and is a Peter DeFazio alum. ENGAGED — Dan Kessler, co-CEO and co-founder of K2 Development and a former Biden national finance committee member, and Mercedes Murray, a practicing ER nurse and aerospace engineering student, got engaged in Aspen, Colo., followed by a party in Margate, N.J. They met at a bar/club in D.C. Pic WEEKEND WEDDINGS — Jeremy Shapiro, research director at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Hannah Thoburn, a senior professional staff member at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, got married Saturday in Dupont Circle. They met while working at the Brookings Institution. — Bob Honold, a Republican campaign consultant and president of Honold Communications, and Sistina Giordano, social media manager and writer at Terakeet, got married Saturday at St. Mary’s of the Lake in Skaneateles, N.Y., with a reception at the Skaneateles Country Club. The couple met when she mistakenly swiped left on a dating app, then found him on Instagram and reached out to him to tell him it was an accident. Pic … SPOTTED: Guy Harrison, Natalie Farr, John Neumann, Paul Lindsay, Johnny DeStefano, Ken and Emily Spain, Tom Dunn, Ed Mullen, Ben Cassidy, Brian O. Walsh, Kevin McGrann, Trevor Kolego, Emily Porter and Autria Godfrey. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Owen Kilmer of House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar’s (D-Calif.) office and Bridget Kilmer, an associate at Impact Research, welcomed triplets Margaret, Thomas and Katherine Kilmer early Saturday morning. They came a few weeks early at Holy Cross Hospital. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) (6-0) … Josh Barro … Kathy “Coach” Kemper (7-0) … Reuters’ Mike Stone … Opal Vadhan … Morning Consult’s Kyle Dropp and Jessica Cuellar … Roz Leighton … DOT’s Dani Simons … Kayla Tausche … Emma Loop … Ben Shannon … Katherine (Smith) Scarlett … WaPo’s Katie Zezima … Chris Buki … Chris Berardi … Curt Mills … Marnie Funk … Barbara Boland … Seth Bringman … Morgan Routman of Rep. Lois Frankel’s (D-Fla.) office … Amanda Waldron … DHS’ Michael Presutti … Steve Spinner … former U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios … Jon Monger … POLITICO’s Carolina Garcia, David Hackney and Alba Perez … Matthew E. Berger … Susan Kennedy 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 Capital Access Alliance: DCA is the only airport in the country that is subject to a federally-imposed perimeter rule, which limits flight options, stifles competition, increases costs and forces travelers to waste countless hours on unnecessary connecting flights. The outdated perimeter rules has resulted in Washington, D.C. being the most expensive market in the top U.S. metropolitan areas with one of the highest per-passenger carbon footprints in the country.
Opponents of the bipartisan Direct Capital Access Act (DCA Act), namely United Airlines, ultimately want to block more competition and prevent consumers from having more air travel choices.
Supporting the bipartisan DCA Act is standing in support of our students, teachers, families and the millions of travelers who visit Washington, D.C. every year. Get the facts. | | | | | | | 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 | | | | |
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