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Presented by Meta: POLITICO's must-read briefing on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. | | | | |  | | By Garrett Ross | | | |  A band of conservative House members delivered Speaker Mike Johnson a sharp rebuke the day after the new leader passed a bill to avert a government shutdown. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | Congress will be home for Thanksgiving — and a little early, actually. This morning, about 20 Republicans joined with Democrats to vote against allowing a funding bill covering the departments of Commerce and Justice, among other provisions, to come up for debate on the House floor, effectively tanking the GOP spending bill. GOP Whip TOM EMMER then noticed a cancellation of the rest of the votes scheduled for the week, sending the chamber home early for a Thanksgiving recess. The move marks a major setback for Speaker MIKE JOHNSON not even a full day after the newly installed leader passed a bill that would avert a shutdown. Our colleague Jordain Carney breaks down the context: “The bill faced obvious challenges over its funding levels for the Department of Justice and the FBI. Conservatives are eager to overhaul those agencies, which have been some of the House GOP’s biggest targets as they accuse parts of the federal government of blatant politicization. “But Republicans voting against even letting it come up for debate comes a day after Johnson leaned on Democrats to help pass a short-term funding bill — a move that angered his right flank and sparked talk of retribution.” The House GOP’s right flank had warned that they might deploy these types of maneuvers to gum up Johnson’s leverage. Reminder: After former Speaker KEVIN McCARTHY cut a deal with the White House to address the debt ceiling, conservatives used a similar tactic to retaliate. Rep. ANDY OGLES (R-Tenn.), a member of the Freedom Caucus, warned that this could keep happening: “I think it gets bumpy from here on out,” he said. “Anything and everything is on the table.” CNN’s Manu Raju (@mkraju): “Rep. CHIP ROY warned Speaker Johnson that his decision to move a spending bill without cuts — and pass it under suspension requiring Democrats to advance it — amounts to ‘strike 1 and strike 2.’ ‘The Swamp won and the speaker needs to know that,’ Roy told me.” FIGHT CLUB FOLLOW-UPS — Rep. TIM BURCHETT (R-Tenn.) had some more ribbing for Rep. KEVIN McCARTHY after the California Republican reportedly elbowed Burchett in the back while walking through the Capitol yesterday: “I prayed for him this morning because I know he’s hurting. It’s just a sad commentary on his life. I’m sorry for him. I really am. I feel sorry for him,” he told CNN. More from Kierra Frazier Oh … and Sen. MARKWAYNE MULLIN (R-Okla.) clarified his fighting bonafides after he nearly came to fisticuffs with Teamsters President SEAN O’BRIEN yesterday: “By the way, I’m not afraid of biting. I will bite,” Mullin said. “I’ll bite 100%. In a fight, I’m gonna bite. I’ll do anything. I’m not above it. And I don’t care where I bite by the way, it just is gonna be a bite.” Watch the clip OK then! Good Wednesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at gross@politico.com.
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Explore the impact. | | | JUDICIARY SQUARE TRIAL TRIBULATIONS — Former President DONALD TRUMP’s legal team this morning filed a motion seeking a mistrial in the civil fraud case against him, alleging that the judge overseeing the proceedings is biased against him. “Trump’s attorneys argue the judge has unfairly ruled against Trump, made comments during the trial they allege show bias and has exceeded his discretion is working with his clerk, who has donated to organizations they allege are supporting New York Attorney General LETITIA JAMES and others that oppose Trump in excess of contribution limits,” CNN’s Kara Scannell writes. FIGHT OF THE HUNTER — HUNTER BIDEN “asked the judge presiding over his criminal gun charge case to subpoena former President Donald Trump and top officials in his Justice Department, arguing that the investigation into him was the direct result of ‘incessant, improper, and partisan pressure’ from Trump and his allies,” NBC’s Gary Grumbach and Dareh Gregorian report. CONGRESS HOW MIKE WAS MADE — In his early days as a lawyer in Louisiana, Mike Johnson was fighting against the opening of a strip club in Shreveport. The 2002 episode ended with Johnson on the wrong side and the club opening its doors. “But the dispute over Deja Vu proved to be a turning point for him,” WaPo’s Isaac Stanley-Becker reports from Shreveport. “It marked the end of his short-lived career as a general practice lawyer and the beginning of his single-minded focus on the culture wars. The shift put him on the path to elected office, first in the Louisiana legislature and then in Congress, and ultimately last month to the House speakership. The fight over the Deja Vu club also reveals deeper transformations in Johnson’s hometown that enhanced the power of religious conservatives and propelled his political career.” And our colleague Daniel Lippman reports that Johnson sits on the board of Living Waters Publications, a Christian ministry and publishing house, which in the past has “suggested getting ‘monkeypox’ was ‘an inevitable and appropriate penalty’ for being gay and that former President BARACK OBAMA was rumored to be the Antichrist because of his ‘leanings toward Islam.’” DEADLINE DECISION — Amid the ongoing haggling over government funding through January and beyond, there is another deadline rapidly approaching: the lapsing of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. FBI Director CHRISTOPHER WRAY was on the Hill today to make the case for renewal of the spy tool that will run out at the end of December if the White House and Congress can’t agree on a deal to keep the program afloat. More from AP’s Eric Tucker
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO CALIFORNIA CLIMATE: Climate change isn’t just about the weather. It's also about how we do business and create new policies, especially in California. So we have something cool for you: A brand-new California Climate newsletter. It's not just climate or science chat, it's your daily cheat sheet to understanding how the legislative landscape around climate change is shaking up industries across the Golden State. Subscribe now to California Climate to keep up with the changes. | | | | | 2024 WATCH THE COMEBACK CONTINUES — NYT’s Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman and Charlie Savage have the latest reading on the early preparations that Trump is making for a potential return to power in 2025: “Since leaving office, Mr. Trump’s advisers and allies at a network of well-funded groups have advanced policies, created lists of potential personnel and started shaping new legal scaffolding — laying the groundwork for a second Trump presidency they hope will commence on Jan. 20, 2025. In a vague statement, two top officials on Mr. Trump’s campaign have sought to distance his campaign team from some of the plans being developed by Mr. Trump’s outside allies, groups led by former senior Trump administration officials who remain in direct contact with him.” LANGUISHING LEGACY — “What does the Kennedy name mean now?” by WaPo’s Maura Judkis: “There are dueling visions of Camelot competing for Americans’ attention this month, which marks 60 years since President JOHN F. KENNEDY was killed. On one side are the documentaries and public memorializing of Kennedy and his legacy. On the other side is his 69-year-old nephew, RFK JR., who has spread falsehoods about vaccines and, according to the New York Post, claimed that the coronavirus was ‘targeted’ to sicken Black and Caucasian people and spare Chinese people and Ashkenazi Jews (RFK Jr. said that those comments were misinterpreted to smear him).” WARNING SIGNS FLASHING — “Biden faces a warning sign from younger voters critical to his coalition,” by CNN’s Jeff Zeleny in Atlanta: “A respectful resistance toward the president comes alive in one conversation after another, with the deepest concerns touching on his age – he turns 81 next week – the economy and the Israel-Hamas war.” ALL POLITICS MURPHY MOVES IN — New Jersey first lady TAMMY MURPHY is officially in on the race to succeed embattled Sen. BOB MENENDEZ (D-N.J.), launching her campaign this morning after much speculation of whether she would make the move. “The 58-year-old former Republican is the second major Democratic figure to declare her candidacy, following Rep. ANDY KIM (D-N.J.). But she instantly becomes the frontrunner thanks not just to her husband’s position as governor but her long list of contacts with party leaders, for whom she’s spent the last six years as a prolific fundraiser,” our colleague Matt Friedman writes. Watch the announcement video DEMS’ DAY IN COURT — Democrats in New York today are presenting their case before the state Court of Appeals, where they are trying to secure a ruling that would allow the party to redraw the Empire State’s congressional map ahead of next year’s elections. The result could go a long way in turning Democrats’ fortunes in New York and deciding control of Congress: “If Democrats prevail in the current case, they will most likely try to reassert their dominance with more favorable lines that could help them flip as many as six Republican seats from Long Island to Syracuse,” NYT’s Nicholas Fandos writes. THE DOWN-BALLOT DEBATE — As ballot initiatives, or “direct democracy” as it’s been coined, become increasingly more common in states where legislatures cannot or will not pass laws, the question over their place in the American political ecosystem is coming into sharper focus. But supporters of the efforts say that the process offers “a check on a system that has stopped listening to people like them,” WaPo’s Greg Jaffe writes from Crete, Neb., where advocates in the red state are trying to get ballot initiatives deployed on everything from sick leave to abortion. VIRGINIA IS FOR BROTHERS — EUGENE VINDMAN, the twin brother of Lt. Col. ALEXANDER VINDMAN, is jumping into the race for Democratic Rep. ABIGAIL SPANBERGER’s seat after she announced a gubernatorial bid, Semafor’s Kadia Goba scoops. PRIMARY COLORS — A trio of local leaders in East Palestine, Ohio, where a train derailment earlier this year caused a flood of media attention, are endorsing state Sen. MATT DOLAN in the GOP Senate primary against Ohio Secretary of State FRANK LaROSE and businessman BERNIE MORENO, Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser reports, in a contest that will have big implications for control of the chamber.
| | | | A message from Meta:   | | | THE ECONOMY WHAT THE FED IS READING — “The Elusive Soft Landing Is Coming Into View,” by WSJ’s David Harrison and Jeffrey Sparshott: “Six months ago, the consensus among economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal was that the economy would enter a recession over the next 12 months. In October’s survey, the average forecast of economists was for no recession. After Tuesday, the probability appears to have dropped further. That, at least, seems to be the verdict of investors who sent stocks up sharply and Treasury bond yields down on news that inflation was surprisingly docile in October.” THE LATEST READING — “U.S. producer prices slide 0.5% in October, biggest drop since 2020,” by AP’s Paul Wiseman: “The Labor Department reported Wednesday that its producer price index — which measures inflation before it hits consumers — dropped 0.5% in October from September, the first decline since May and biggest since April 2020. On a year-over-year basis, producer prices rose 1.3% from October 2022, down from 2.2% in September and the smallest gain since July.” POLICY CORNER FOR YOUR RADAR — “Republican FDIC Board Members Call for Broader Oversight of Misconduct Probe at Agency,” by WSJ’s Rebecca Ballhaus EYES ON THE SKIES — “Experts to FAA: Understaffing, outdated technology is eroding safety,” by WaPo’s Ian Duncan
| | | | GET A BACKSTAGE PASS TO COP28 WITH GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Get insider access to the conference that sets the tone of the global climate agenda with POLITICO's Global Playbook newsletter. Authored by Suzanne Lynch, Global Playbook delivers exclusive, daily insights and comprehensive coverage that will keep you informed about the most crucial climate summit of the year. Dive deep into the critical discussions and developments at COP28 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | MEDIAWATCH THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN — Warner Bros. Discovery CEO DAVID ZAZLAV’s intra-media friendships — with the likes of JEFF ZUCKER, DON LEMON and BRIAN STELTER — that have influenced his time at the helm of CNN come under the microscope of NYT’s James Stewart and Benjamin Mullin, who write that “it’s rare that a corporate leader ousts close personal and social friends. The tumult in Mr. Zaslav’s friendships, which hasn’t been fully dissected until now, provides crucial context for the off-camera drama that has roiled CNN the last two years.” PLAYBOOKERS OUT AND ABOUT — The Elevated Group hosted “Waffle House for the House,” a fundraiser for Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) at Bullfeathers last night, where guests were treated to waffles, bacon and hashbrowns (scattered, covered and smothered) from the Waffle House food truck. SPOTTED: Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), Mike Collins (R-Ga.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) and Rich McCormick (R-Ga.). Pic … Another pic — Zowie Hay, head of North America for the Welsh government, hosted the House Chiefs of Staff Association for a Welsh whiskey tasting in the British Embassy’s “Shed” bar Monday night. SPOTTED: Eoghan O’Regan, Ben Griffith, James Roscoe, Mitch Rivard, Jonathan Day, Robert Edmonson, Chris Crawford, Juan Lopez, Jacob Olson, Michelle Dorothy, Kate Bonner, Payne Griffin and James Bernhard. — SPOTTED at Consumer Bankers Association’s Washington Forum followed by a rooftop reception at its headquarters last night: Lindsey Johnson, Kelvin Chen, Sam Whitfield, David Silberman, Dan Smith, John Coleman, Melissa Baal Guidorizzi, Brian Johnson, Kari Hall, Ian McKendry, Stephanie Nye and Melissa Simmons. TRANSITION — John Rizzo is now head of public policy comms for Nvidia. He most recently was SVP at Clyde and is a Biden Treasury, Bob Casey and Chuck Schumer alum. WEEKEND WEDDING — Kathryn Chakmak, tax policy adviser for the House Ways and Means Committee, and Truman Reed, legislative director for Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas), got married Saturday in Napa Valley. They met through friends while bowling at the White House, coincidentally named the Truman Bowling Alley. Pic, via the Ganeys … SPOTTED: Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), Jen Jett, Tucker Nelson, Laura Pinsky, Emily Casey, Jackie Del Bonis, Chance Russell, Coleman Tolbert and Cami Connor, Elle Collins, Kyle Perel, Jack Rosemond, Patrick Dumas, Ansley Schoen and Zach Deatherage, Dan and Caitlin Harder, Matt Russell, and Hilary and Phillip Pinegar. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Meredith Jones Hoing, media relations manager at Corning Inc. and a John Kennedy and Alex Mooney alum, and Will Hoing, VP and chief of staff at Merchant McIntyre & Associates, on Nov. 4 welcomed Joseph William Hoing, who came in at 8 lbs, 15.5 oz. Pic 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, producer Andrew Howard and Playbook Daily Briefing producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
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