Santos sings his swan song

From: POLITICO Playbook PM - Thursday Nov 30,2023 06:29 pm

Nov 30, 2023

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Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) speaks during a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol.

Speaking to reporters, the Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) continued his denial of any misconduct, despite the report concluding there was “substantial evidence” he violated federal law. | Francis Chung/POLITICO

THE SANTOS SAGA — With the House set to vote tomorrow afternoon on his expulsion, Rep. GEORGE SANTOS held a news conference this morning lambasting the House Ethics Committee report that triggered the ousting, calling it “littered in hyperbole” and arguing “no decent cop would bring this to a prosecutor or [district attorney].”

Speaking to reporters, the Long Island Republican continued his denial of any misconduct, despite the report concluding there was “substantial evidence” he violated federal law. Tomorrow’s vote would be the third attempt to oust Santos, who is also facing 23 federal charges related to identity theft, credit card fraud and other crimes.

Santos today filed his own expulsion measure, targeting Rep. JAMAAL BOWMAN (D-N.Y.) a month after he admitted to a misdemeanor for falsely pulling a fire alarm in a House office. More from Jordain Carney

Bowman responded in a statement: “No one in Congress, or anywhere in America, takes soon-to-be former Congressman George Santos seriously. This is just another meaningless stunt in his long history of cons, antics, and outright fraud.”

Santos on not resigning: “If I leave, they win. … The reality of it is, it’s all theater …. for the American people at the expense of the American people.”

On if he’d do it all over again: “I would have done things different. I would have stayed away from a lot of people. … I will say this, today is my second year wedding anniversary, and I'm going to enjoy it and try to forget the fact it has been a year from hell.”

JUDICIARY DRAMA — Across the Capitol campus, the Senate Judiciary Committee descended into chaotic shouts after Chair DICK DURBIN (D-Ill.) cut short debate ahead of a vote on controversial subpoenas for LEONARD LEO and HARLAN CROW.

The tumultuous back-and-forth began before the committee even debated the subpoenas, as Republicans, in Durbin’s view, were trying to slow-roll the markup and prevent a vote from taking place ahead of a noon deadline. Republicans pushed back, with their shouts “drowning out the clerk calling the roll,” per Katherine Tully-McManus’ eyewitness account.

The reactions:

Sen. JOHN CORNYN (R-Texas): “Mr. Chairman, you just destroyed one of the most important committees in the United States Senate. … Congratulations on destroying the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.”

Sen TOM COTTON (R-Ark.): “You’ll have a lot of consequences if you go down this road.”

Following the outburst, Democrats succeeded in authorizing the subpoenas, part of a probe into Supreme Court ethics practices, on an 11-0 vote that saw Republicans walk out and boycott the vote entirely. The strategic exit, KTM notes, could mean Senate Republicans are planning to challenge whether the panel has a necessary quorum.

KISSINGER REMEMBERED — U.S. and global leaders continue to respond to the death of polarizing diplomat and national security leader HENRY KISSINGER at 100:

Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN: “I was very privileged to get his counsel many times, including as recently as about a month ago. He was extraordinarily generous with his wisdom, with his advice.” More from Keirra Fraizer

Former U.S. Ambassador to China and Kissinger's former special assistant on the NSC WINSTON LORD: "The world has lost a tireless advocate for peace. America has lost a towering champion for the national interest. I have lost a cherished friend and mentor.”

Chinese President XI JINPING: “Dr. Kissinger will always be remembered and missed by the Chinese people … China is ready to work with the United States to carry on the cause of friendship between the Chinese and American people, to promote the healthy and stable development of China-United States relations”

Chilean Ambassador JUAN GABRIEL VALDES: “A man has died whose historical brilliance never managed to conceal his profound moral misery.”

Good Thursday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at birvine@politico.com.

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TRUMP CARDS

EMPIRE STATE OF MIND — A New York appeals court today reinstated a gag order against former President DONALD TRUMP as a part of his Manhattan civil fraud trial after Trump’s lawyers argued the initial order from Judge ARTHUR ENGORON was unconstitutional, NBC’s Adam Reiss and Dareh Gregorian report: “State court officials had argued the gag order was necessary because of the ‘deluge’ of threats directed at the [court] clerk after Trump had blasted her on social media.”

2024 WATCH

NO LABELS, NO CONVENTION — The bipartisan group, No Labels is abandoning its plan to host an in-person presidential convention in Dallas next spring, opting instead for a virtual event as it floats the idea of naming a third party candidate for the 2024 presidential nomination, Axios’ Hans Nichols scoops: “The group hasn't made a final decision on whether or not to launch a third-party challenge, which Democratic critics argue could throw the election to former President Trump. … Canceling its Dallas convention will give No Labels more flexibility — and more time — to make that determination”

HALEY’S SECRET ALLY — Audio of a constituent meeting obtained by POLITICO revealed that Rep. MIKE LAWLER (R-N.Y) is privately supporting NIKKI HALEY as the GOP nominee for president, Daniel Lippman writes in New York Playbook: “I personally would like to see Nikki Haley as our nominee, " Lawler said at an event in his home state. “I think she did a great job at the United Nations. I think she’s somebody who’s very clear-eyed, articulate. I also think frankly and, I say this with great respect to my seniors, I think it’s time for a little bit younger generation to lead and I would love to see a woman for president.”

Lawler’s campaign manager, CIRO RICCARDI, said, private comments notwithstanding, the Hudson Valley Republican “has not made, and does not intend to make, an endorsement in the Republican presidential primary.”

SURVEY SAYS — “A Warning Sign for Biden: From College Campuses to Hollywood, Young Latinos Embrace Palestine,” by The Messenger’s Adrian Carrasquillo

CONGRESS

FAUCI FRONT AND CENTER — Former chief White House medical adviser ANTHONY FAUCI has agreed to testify before Congress on the national response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the virus’s origins in China, WSJ’s Warren Strobel and Michael Gordon scoop this morning: “The arrangements for Fauci’s testimony are extensive. They will begin with two days of transcribed interviews behind closed doors in January. A public hearing, which is expected to be contentious, will be held at a later date.”

MORE SUBPOENAS — House Select Committee on Weaponization Chair JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio) issued two new subpoenas this morning to former Biden officials, former White House digital strategy director ROB FLAHERTY and former Covid-19 response team adviser ANDY SLAVITT for their role in the White House’s alleged “censorship efforts to social media companies.”

The latest subpoenas come a day after senior security officials confirmed that Meta is amongst the major technology groups that are no longer notified by the Biden Administration of foreign influence campaigns on their platforms amidst ongoing accusations from conservatives that the White House is censoring GOP content on major social media websites.

MORE POLITICS

SHE’S RUNNING — Democratic Va. Del. ELIZABETH GUZMAN is expected to announce today her plans to run for Rep. ABIGAIL SPANBERGER’s (D-Va.) open congressional seat, WaPo’s Teo Armus reports: “Guzman, 50, is a social worker and public administrator who emerged as a fighter for immigrant rights, public education and organized labor following her election to the House of Delegates in 2017. She narrowly lost a state Senate primary in June after new redistricting maps grouped her with another well-known Democrat.”

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AMERICA AND THE WORLD

LATEST IN THE MIDDLE EAST — After a one-day extension of the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was negotiated last night, Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN returned to Israel again today in the latest push by the Biden Administration for a continued pause and the release of hostages taken by Hamas, WSJ’s Stephen Kalin, Vivian Salama, Summer Said and Dov Lieber report form Tel Aviv.

The backdrop: “Under pressure from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, Israeli officials eventually agreed to receive eight hostages on Thursday and count two Israeli-Russian dual nationals released a day earlier toward the total. But Israel warned that any future violation of the deal’s terms would lead them to resume fighting, the Egyptian officials said.”

And on the Hill … As Senate Democrats continue to push to pass a supplemental aid package to provide funds to Israel and Ukraine, an all-Senate classified briefing on Ukraine and Israel was scheduled for 3 p.m. this afternoon, Punchbowl’s Andrew Desiderio reports.

CRASH AFTERMATH — “Japan Asks U.S. Military to Suspend Osprey Flights After Fatal Crash,” by WSJ’s Alastair Gale and Chieko Tsuneoka

POLICY CORNER

WATCHING THE GUARD — CNN’s Blake Ellis and Melanie Hicken have a scoop on how U.S. Coast Guard officials concealed a study from 2015 that exposed incidents of misconduct, hazing, racism and and sexual assault throughout the organization. The Guard said the report “was not originally intended to be released widely to the workforce, but rather was to be used by senior leaders to inform policy decisions. Officials, however, did not explain why [Coast Guard Commandant LINDA] FAGAN had not found a way to release the report sooner, particularly since alleged victims or perpetrators were not named in the report.”

WATER WORKS — In the most aggressive campaign by the federal government in decades to remove lead from the nation's tap water, the EPA proposed a new rule yesterday that would require utilities to replace all lead water pipes in the U.S. within the next decade, CNN’s Deidre McPhillips reports: “The rule would accelerate progress toward the Biden administration goal of removing 100% of lead pipes; lead exposure is linked to significant health and developmental problems, especially for children.”

ECO UPDATE — In it’s opening day, the U.N. climate summit, COP28, scored an early victory this morning, with delegates approving a new fund to assist impoverished countries in dealing with the expenses of climate disasters, Reuter’s Kate Abnett, Maha El Dahan and Valerie Volcovici report from Dubai. The development comes as VP KAMALA HARRIS preps for a trip to the summit this weekend after Biden previously announced he was skipping the event. More from AP

MEDIA WATCH

CHANGING CHANNELS — “MSNBC Shakes Up Schedule With New Panel Show ‘The Weekend,’” by The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Weprin: “The biggest change is a new morning panel show, called The Weekend, which will be hosted by Symone Sanders-Townsend, ALICIA MENENDEZ and MICHAEL STEELE. … Two current MSNBC weekend hosts will be losing their hours: MEHDI HASAN, who will give up his 8 p.m. Sunday show and become a political analyst and fill-in anchor; and YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN, who will depart her weekend afternoon hours and shift to a national reporter and fill-in anchor role.”

POLITICAL CATFISHING — Meta reported an unidentified individual in China set up thousands of fake Facebook accounts posing as Americans in order to disseminate polarizing and extreme political content ahead of the 2024 elections, AP’s David Klepper reports: “The network of nearly 4,800 fake accounts was attempting to build an audience when it was identified and eliminated by the tech company.”

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PLAYBOOKERS

OUT AND ABOUT – Donna and Mack McLarty hosted a party at their home last night for business partner and Clinton Administration colleague, Nelson Cunningham, recognizing his 25 years of leadership at McLarty Associates. SPOTTED: Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) and Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Megan Beyer, Elaine Kamarck, New Zealand Ambassador Bede Corry, European Union Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis, John and Diana Negroponte, former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Richard Burt, Neil Eggleston, Carla Hills, Susan Schwab, Liz Schrayer, Tom Shannon, Lisa Barry, Amb. Karan Bhatia, Dan Bryant, Klaus Schwab, Caroline Mehta, Thomas Hubbard, Leslie Kiernan, Tezi Schaffer, Lee Feinstein, Stuart and Gwen Holliday and Ted Osius.

WHITE HOUSE DEPARTURE LOUNGE — Katherine Bauer is now director of surrogate operations for the Biden campaign. She most recently was associate director of strategic planning in the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach at the White House.

TRANSITION — Angela Kelley is now a senior adviser at NGV. She previously was chief adviser on policy and partnerships at the American Immigration Lawyers Association and is an Homeland Security and Center for American Progress alum.

BONUS BIRTHDAY: Michael Tam

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