New hope for border talks

From: POLITICO Playbook PM - Thursday Dec 07,2023 06:22 pm

Dec 07, 2023

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HEADS UP — Jewish Insider’s @matthewkassel: “TOM SUOZZI will be announced as the Democratic nominee in NY-03’s special election today around 4:45, according to a source familiar with the matter.”

Sen. Chris Murphy speaks with reporters at the U.S. Capitol.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) indicated that there could be some movement on border security negotiations heading into the weekend. | Francis Chung/POLITICO

THE BORDER LINE — Senate Democrats negotiating for a border security solution are expecting a new proposal from Republicans today that will likely lead to further talks, possibly through the weekend, if Republicans move on their position, our colleagues Anthony Adragna and Burgess Everett report.

“I’m willing to talk about it if it's something that can get Democratic votes,” Sen. CHRIS MURPHY (D-Conn.) told reporters. “Right now, there's no question you need a huge number of Democratic votes, especially in the House, to pass the kind of package that Senate Republicans are envisioning.”

On the other side, Sen. JAMES LANKFORD (R-Okla.), the leading GOP negotiator, indicated he would continue “swapping paper” on border security offers and that he'd keep fighting for a deal, while noting that he’s still waiting for the White House to set a hard deadline for delivering the new funds.

Buckle up: “He also suggested it’s still possible to finish a bill before the end of the month, which would require canceling some of a recess expected to start at the end of next week.” There’s no guarantee, however, that the House would stay beyond its own scheduled Dec. 15 departure date to pass a Senate product, as Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson notes.

COMING SOON — Impeachment proceedings against President JOE BIDEN could be heading to the House floor as soon as next week.

This morning, Republicans released the text of the resolution that would formally approve their months-long investigation largely focused on the business deals of the president’s family members, Jordain Carney reports.

The timeline: Republicans expect a floor vote on the resolution next week, with the Rules Committee slated to vote to advance it on Tuesday. Read the resolution

Johnson also said in a Dear Colleague letter this morning that he would bring the looming FISA fight to the floor next week. Johnson will bring bills from both the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees “to the floor under a special rule that provides members a fair opportunity to vote in favor of their preferred measure.” Read the letter

Jamaal Bowman walks through a hallway with reporters waiting on either side.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) was censured in a mostly party-line vote on the House floor Thursday. | Francis Chung/POLITICO

COMMON CENSURE — House Republicans voted overwhelmingly to censure Rep. JAMAAL BOWMAN for an episode during the government funding fight in September when the New York Democrat pulled a fire alarm in the Capitol building.

More details, via our colleague Nicholas Wu: “The measure passed by a 214-191-5 vote. Bowman (D-N.Y.) is the third Democrat that Republicans have voted to censure this year. Three Democrats from purple districts voted for the censure: Reps. JAHANA HAYES (Conn.), CHRIS PAPPAS (N.H.) and MARIE GLUESENKAMP PEREZ (Wash.).”

“Following the vote, Bowman stood in the well of the House to receive the formal reprimand, surrounded by members of the caucus from across the ideological spectrum. Rep. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-N.Y.) shouted at Republicans in the chamber: ‘You’ve got to fund the government!’

Historical note: Bowman is the 27th House member to be censured and the third Democrat to be censured in the 118th Congress, joining Reps. ADAM SCHIFF (D-Calif.) and RASHIDA TLAIB (D-Mich.). While many previous censures involved serious wrongdoing including sexual misconduct, misuse of House resources and assaulting a fellow member, several members throughout history have been targeted for lesser offenses, such as “unparliamentary language.”

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

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2024 WATCH

MARK YOUR CALENDARS — CNN will host two GOP presidential primary debates in 2024, with the first coming in the week before the Iowa caucuses. The first debate will take place at Drake University in Des Moines on Jan. 10, with the second hosted by St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, on Jan. 21.

“To qualify for participation in the Iowa debate, candidates must receive at least 10% in three separate national and/or Iowa polls of Republican caucusgoers or primary voters that meet CNN’s standards for reporting, according to the network. … Candidates will be invited to participate in the New Hampshire debate if they receive at least 10% in three separate national and/or New Hampshire polls of Republican primary voters that meet CNN’s standards for reporting.” More from CNN

MORE POLITICS

GEORGIA ON MY MIND — Rep. LUCY McBATH (D-Ga.) speaks to our colleagues Zach Montellaro and Brittany Gibson after Georgia Republicans sliced up her district, which will make for a difficult reelection battle next year. “The map ... maintains the same likely partisan split as before: Nine seats Republicans are strongly favored to hold, and five for Democrats. It increases the number of majority-Black districts by effectively erasing the district held by McBath, a prominent Black lawmaker whose district is known as a ‘coalition’ district, where Black, Latino and Asian voters make up a majority.” But that isn’t deterring McBath: “I intend to come back to Washington,” she told Zach and Brittany.

ON WISCONSIN — ERIC HOVDE, a Madison, Wisconsin, banking magnate, is jumping into the race to unseat Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-Wis.), according to NRSC Chair STEVE DAINES, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Lawrence Andrea reports. While Hovde himself declined to comment on the matter, a source close to him said he is “continuing to talk with supporters and is looking forward to spending time with family and friends over the holidays.” Absent a serious contender for the race, “Daines' comments are the clearest sign to date that Republicans will field a viable candidate to face Baldwin for a battleground seat that is likely to play a key role in determining the balance of the Senate.”

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TRUMP CARDS

TRUMP RETURNS — Former President DONALD TRUMP returned to a Manhattan courtroom this morning, where he was on hand for the first time in a month after watching — and commentating — the civil fraud trial proceedings from afar. “With testimony winding down after more than two months, the Republican 2024 presidential front-runner showed up to watch an accounting professor testify about financial topics important to the case. Trump himself is scheduled to take the stand Monday, for a second time,” AP’s Jennifer Peltz and Michael Sisak write.

AMERICA AND THE WORLD

RISK ASSESSMENT — As Israel pushes closer to targeting Khan Younis, it is risking “a collision course with the Biden administration, which has called on Israel to minimize civilian casualties and ease humanitarian deprivation in Gaza, and to hew to a more limited war aim of expelling Hamas from power,” WSJ’s Gordon Lubold, Dov Lieber and Vivian Salama write. The southern city on the Gaza Strip is the suspected location of Hamas’ leader, but it is also a densely populated enclave as Gazan citizens flooded there following the attacks on Gaza City.

MAKING IT WORK — “Ukraine Carries On Fight While Pondering an Erosion of U.S. Aid,” by NYT’s Marc Santora in Kyiv, Ukraine: “Officials in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government are still hopeful Congress will ultimately pass an assistance package — and have been cautious about saying anything that could ensnare them in America’s bitter domestic political battles. At the same time, they are racing to bolster their nation’s own military capabilities and working to deepen ties with other allies who remain steadfast in their support. All the while they express resolve to keep fighting an occupying army.”

Related read: “Ukraine’s Latest Ask of U.S.: Help Us Make Our Own Weapons,” by WSJ’s Alistair MacDonald: “Rebuilding Ukraine’s arms industry could help secure the country’s long-term security and boost its economy, government officials say.”

JUDICIARY SQUARE

BIG INVESTIGATION — “Not just the Supreme Court: Ethics troubles plague state high courts, too,” by the Center for Public Integrity’s Aaron Mendelson: “Across the country, state high courts wield enormous power over abortion, LGBTQ+ rights and elections, among other issues. But judicial ethics at the state level receive scant attention. Experts say that’s a mistake and that potential problems are widespread. … A Public Integrity investigation this year found that Republican politicians in eight states transformed their high courts by altering the size of the court or the process by which justices reach the bench.”

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PLAYBOOKERS

SPOTTED: Brian Cox standing in line for a public White House tour earlier today. When asked for a selfie, Cox told our tipster that he was Martin Scorsese. Pic

OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at the Hudson Institute’s annual Herman Kahn Awards Gala, where Charles Schwab was honored: Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Sarah Stern, John Walters, Mike Pompeo, Pam Brewster, Dick and Jackie Emmett, Paul Singer, Dan Conston, Sara Fagan and Liz and Jeff Peek. Pic

— SPOTTED at the American Defense International holiday party last night: Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Cory Mills (R-Fla.), Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ron Estes (R-Kan.), Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Dale Strong (R-Ala.), Rob Wittman (R-Va.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Scott Franklin (R-Fla.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Trent Kelly (R-Miss.), Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Don Davis (D-N.C.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) and Tom Kean (R-N.J.).

— The Institute for Education presented outgoing EU Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis with its Global Visionary Award at the EU residence yesterday evening, where Lambrinidis was toasted by Kathy “Coach” Kemper, Stephen Breyer and R. David Edelman. SPOTTED: Gil Alterovitz, Nicole Bintner-Bakshian, Joanna Breyer, Kevin Chaffee, Aneesh Chopra, Max Dickinson, Sam Feist, Jennifer Griffin, Noreen Hecmanczuk, Nathen Huang, Dimitri Kusnezov, Phoebe Kapouano, Alex Macgillivray, Travis Moore, Greg Myre, Ekaterini Nassika, Roxanne Roberts, Geo Saba, Demetri Sevastopulo, Kaivan Shroff, Megan Smith and Kelsey Kemper Valentine.

— The International Dairy Foods Association held its annual holiday reception, a “Celebration of Dairy,” at the Library of Congress yesterday evening, where guests were treated to an array of gourmet cheeses, ice cream products, eggnog and butter boards from IDFA member companies. SPOTTED: Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), John Duarte (R-Calif.), David Valadao (R-Calif.), Mark Alford (R-Mo.), Celeste Maloy (R-Utah) and Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.).

— The National Confectioners Association hosted its Cocktails and Candy Canes reception for members of the Senate Press Secretaries Association and other guests at The Salt Line last night. SPOTTED: John Downs, Christopher “Gindy” Gindlesperger, Brian McKeon, Carly Schildhaus, Ben Jenkins, Corrine Day, Igor Bobic, Matt Burton, Stephanie Penn, Kayla Guo, Annie Karni, J.P. Freire, Maggie Ward, Taylor Giorno, Matt Haller, Jonathan Nabavi, Spenser Horton, Rebecca Kaplan, Jonathan Tamari, Rick Pasco, Nathaniel Reed, Courtney Clark, Bennett Richardson, Brian Ronholm, Julie Tsirkin, Norman Ross, Ellie Portillo, Maximiliano Sepúlveda, Kelly Smith and Jenna Valle-Riestra.

— SPOTTED at the Entertainment Software Association’s annual holiday party at District Winery yesterday evening: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), Wayne Williams, Marvin Figueroa, Brian Garcia, Carlos Paz, Alyssa Mensie, Cinnamon Rogers, Dileep Srihari, Neil Fried and Bill Bailey.

— House Administration ranking member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) celebrated 40 years in public service with a celebration at the Realtors office yesterday evening, where he was toasted by current and former colleagues, friends and family. SPOTTED: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Richie Neal (D-Mass.) Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) and Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Joe Crowley, Joe Harris, Kathryn Crenshaw, Mary Beth Stanton, Noah Kowalski, Ed Perlmutter, Kevin Casey, Liz Lopez, Rick Ostroff, Mike McKay, Kelley Powell, Minh Ta, Matt Trant, David Carullo, Dan Christenson, Christina Batt, Greg Hynes and Laura McDonald.

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TRANSITIONS — Alex Baiocco is now director of government affairs at People United for Privacy Foundation. He previously was a policy analyst at the Institute for Free Speech. … Sydney Throop is now VP of sales at Relentless. She most recently managed Charlie Crist’s campaign for Florida governor and is a Pete Buttigieg campaign alum. … Sofia Herring is now deputy director of operations and member services for the House Appropriations GOP. She previously was the full committee’s operations manager.

WEDDING — Kathy O’Hearn, executive producer for Washington Post Live, and Mike Sarchet, director of the Low Earth Orbit Systems Program at the National Reconnaissance Office, recently got married in a ceremony and reception at the Jefferson Hotel. They met at a gala for America Abroad Media at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium. Juju Chang and Tom Elmore co-officiated the wedding. Pic … Another pic … SPOTTED: Jonathan Capehart and Nick Schmit, Neal Shapiro, Sally Quinn, Tina Brown, Richard Haass and Susan Mercandetti, David Kennerly, Tammy Haddad, Kathy Baird and Shawn Westfall, Philip Dufour and Todd Andochick, Jose Cunningham, Ebs Burnough and Holly Peterson.

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