| | | | | |  | | By Jake Sherman, Anna Palmer, Garrett Ross and Eli Okun | Presented by |  | | | NEW … FLAGGING FOR THE WEST WING … Since JEFF SESSIONS resigned as A.G., he has earned $108,000 making speeches, according to a financial disclosure form filed with the Senate. One interesting speech: SESSIONS was paid $24,000 by SKYBRIDGE CAPITAL, ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI'S hedge fund. It was, by far, his priciest speech. It appears the fee was for SESSIONS' appearance at SCARAMUCCI'S SALT Conference in Las Vegas. He got between $8,000 and $16,000 for his other speeches. The disclosure A.G. BILL BARR this morning: "As to President Obama and Vice President Biden, whatever their level of involvement, based on the information I have today, I don't expect Mr. Durham's work will lead to a criminal investigation of either man. Our concern over potential criminality is focused on others." THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR -- ANDREW DESIDERIO: "Fired watchdog was investigating Trump administration arms sales to Saudi Arabia": "The revelation adds another layer to Trump's decision to sack Steve Linick, who was also looking into claims that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife improperly directed political appointees to run personal errands for him." POLITICO -- WAPO'S CAROL MORELLO (@CMorelloWP): "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says in interview fired inspector general 'wasn't performing a function in a way that we had tried to get him to' and was 'trying to undermine what it was that we were trying to do.'" VACCINE LATEST -- "Moderna's coronavirus vaccine shows encouraging early results in human safety trial," by WaPo's Carolyn Johnson: "The company plans to launch a large clinical trial in July aimed at showing whether the vaccine works. The company reported that in eight patients who had been followed for a month and a half, the vaccine at low and medium doses triggered blood levels of virus-fighting antibodies that were similar or greater than those found in patients who recovered. That would suggest, but doesn't prove, that it triggers some level of immunity. "Moderna's announcement comes days after one of its directors, Moncef Slaoui, stepped down from the board to become chief scientist for Operation Warp Speed, a White House initiative to speed up vaccine development. Watchdogs called out Slaoui's apparent conflict of interest, noting he owns Moderna stock options worth $10 million." WaPo HHS SECRETARY ALEX AZAR, appearing on FOX NEWS this morning, on PETER NAVARRO dumping on the CDC during the Sunday shows: "The comments regarding the CDC are inaccurate and inappropriate." | | | | A message from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association: Maintaining access to affordable health insurance is critical, especially today. See our proposals to ensure Americans stay covered, providing security when they need it most. | | | AS THE U.S. TURNS INWARD … "China announces $2 billion in virus help at WHO assembly," by AP's Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Maria Cheng in London: "The European Union's 27-member bloc and other countries, meanwhile, called for an independent evaluation of WHO's initial response to the coronavirus pandemic 'to review experience gained and lessons learned.' … "The $2 billion over the next two years will support COVID-19 response efforts, including economic and social development, particularly in developing countries, Xi [Jinping] said. … Xi said he also supports the idea of a comprehensive review of the global response to COVID-19." AP -- "Chinese vaccine would be 'global public good,' Xi says," by Sarah Wheaton TERRORISM TRACKER -- "FBI finds al Qaeda link after breaking encryption on Pensacola attacker's iPhone," by CNN's David Shortell and Evan Perez: "The Saudi military trainee who killed three US sailors and wounded several others in a terror attack last year on a military base in Pensacola, Florida, was in touch with a suspected al Qaeda operative, according to multiple US officials briefed on the matter. … "A breakthrough on the shooter's phone encryption for now temporarily disarms a standoff between the Justice Department and Apple over national security and the limits of encryption and privacy. … If [Mohammed] Alshamrani was directed or trained by al Qaeda, it would mark the first time since 9/11 that a foreign terrorist organization had done so in a deadly attack in the US, according to New America." CNN Good Monday afternoon. OVERSIGHT PANEL REVS UP -- "Bipartisan commission offers blueprint for Fed, Treasury oversight," by Victoria Guida: "A congressional commission charged with supervising hundreds of billions of dollars in emergency lending programs for businesses and municipalities on Monday provided a blueprint into where it will focus its oversight efforts. "Among the more than 50 questions posed in its first report, the bipartisan panel pressed the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department on how they will measure the success of those lending programs." POLITICO … The report -- WAPO'S ERICA WERNER: "$500 billion Treasury fund meant for coronavirus relief has lent barely any money so far, oversight commission finds" | | | | JOIN TOMORROW – HOW DO WE STRATEGICALLY REOPEN THE ECONOMY? Join chief economic correspondent Ben White tomorrow at 9 a.m. EDT for a virtual conversation with Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), to discuss his work on the newly launched House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis and whether he believes that the fiscal response so far has been enough. Should there be more transparency on how stimulus dollars are being spent? What more does Congress need to do to keep the economy afloat? Have questions? Submit yours by tweeting it to @POLITICOLive using #AskPOLITICO. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | REALITY CHECK from JOANNE KENEN: "'Immunity passports' won't reopen America": "The problem is many of the more than 120 tests on the market are inaccurate. And scientists don't really yet understand how much immunity antibodies confer or how long it lasts. But these tests — and the apps to promote them — are gaining traction among businesses and consumers eager to know who has been exposed to the virus, raising the risk that people will be relying on faulty results to promote their immunity from the coronavirus. … "Eventually, tools that help identify who is at less risk might be useful for redesigning workplaces or figuring out which member of a family is safest navigating the wider world. … But businesses or organizations that rush to use them to promote safety and recovery can get it badly wrong — especially without government guidelines." POLITICO IMMIGRATION FILES -- "Immigration courts in 'chaos,' with coronavirus effects to last years," by SF Chronicle's Tal Kopan: "[M]any of those who work in the system say the Trump administration has handled the shutdown in an especially haphazard manner, increasing the stress on judges and attorneys in addition to immigrants and making it harder for the courts to bounce back. … The Justice Department began postponing hearings for immigrants who are not in detention on March 18, and the delays have been extended every few weeks. Hearings are now set to resume June 15. "But many courts technically remain open, including the one in San Francisco, with frequently changing statuses announced on social media and a website. … The scattershot communications make it difficult to prepare for if and when the hearings are held, immigrants say. And it's worse for those who have no lawyer who can help navigate the changes. About one-third of immigrants with pending cases have no representation, according to Justice Department statistics, and missing a hearing is grounds for deportation." SF Chronicle INDUSTRY IMPACTS -- "Auto plants reopen but industry could still need U.S. aid," by Sabrina Rodríguez: "If automakers fail to successfully restart — and bring in some much-needed cash, it could mean the loss of thousands of jobs and an economic crisis for the industry integral to North America. And it could force Congress and the Trump administration to step in with money." POLITICO CLICKER -- "Where Chronic Health Conditions and Coronavirus Could Collide," by NYT's Nadja Popovich, Anjali Singhvi and Matthew Conlen BEYOND THE BELTWAY -- "Ohio's Amy Acton inspires admiration, and a backlash, with tough coronavirus response," by WaPo's Griff Witte: "To her legions of fans, she's a hero whose aggressive action as Ohio health director has saved lives, and whose calm, clear and compassionate style is a national model for how leaders should be communicating amid an unparalleled public health crisis. Yet Acton has also become a target, and not only for the protesters — some armed, most not — who have descended on her home." WaPo | | | | GO BEYOND OUR BORDERS FROM YOUR HOME: Global Translations, presented by Bank of America, is the only newsletter focused on essential global news, trends and decisions layered with critical contextual analysis from the sharpest minds around the world. From how countries are dealing with economic crisis, to technology advances, trade challenges and climate change, Global Translations offers a unique perspective that cannot be found anywhere else. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | WHAT FOGGY BOTTOM IS READING -- DEEP DIVE: "The Twilight of the Iranian Revolution: For decades, Ayatollah Khamenei has professed enmity with America. Now his regime is threatened from within the country," by The New Yorker's Dexter Filkins VOTING WATCH -- "Freed by Court Ruling, Republicans Step Up Effort to Patrol Voting," by NYT's Michael Wines: "Six months before a presidential election in which turnout could matter more than persuasion, the Republican Party, the Trump campaign and conservative activists are mounting an aggressive national effort to shape who gets to vote in November — and whose ballots are counted. … "The Republican program, which has gained steam in recent weeks, envisions recruiting up to 50,000 volunteers in 15 key states to monitor polling places and challenge ballots and voters deemed suspicious. That is part of a $20 million plan that also allots millions to challenge lawsuits by Democrats and voting-rights advocates seeking to loosen state restrictions on balloting. The party and its allies also intend to use advertising, the internet and President Trump's command of the airwaves to cast Democrats as agents of election theft. "The efforts are bolstered by a 2018 federal court ruling that for the first time in nearly four decades allows the national Republican Party to mount campaigns against purported voter fraud without court approval." NYT HUAWEI OR THE HIGHWAY -- "Huawei Warns U.S. Chip Ban Will Damage Operations Globally," by WSJ's Dan Strumpf: "Calling the move 'arbitrary and pernicious,' Huawei in a statement issued Monday said the rule 'will impact the expansion, maintenance and continuous operations of networks worth hundreds of billions of dollars that we have rolled out in more than 170 countries.'" WSJ 2021 PROMISES -- "Biden White House would yank Keystone XL permit," by Ben Lefebvre MEDIAWATCH -- Emma Dumain is joining E&E News as a Congress reporter. She currently is a Congress reporter for The State/McClatchy. WEEKEND WEDDING -- Michael Del Moro, a booking producer for MSNBC's "Morning Joe," and Alec Vlaho, an OB-GYN medical resident at Rutgers University Hospital and St. Barnabas Hospital, got married Saturday in Brick Township, N.J. They had originally planned a large wedding, but instead kept it to (socially distanced) immediate family and postponed the reception to 2021. Pics WELCOME TO THE WORLD -- Zach Pfister, policy director at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, and Brittany Pfister, interim chief development officer at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, welcomed Conrad Julian Pfister on Saturday. He came in at 9 lbs, 1 oz. Pic BONUS BIRTHDAY: Univision White House correspondent Janet Rodriguez (h/t Anthony Cruz) | | | |   | | | | | | | 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 | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
