| | | | |  | | By Garrett Ross | Presented by The U.S. Chamber of Commerce | | 
Speaker Kevin McCarthy laid out his opening plan to avert a debt limit disaster to House Republicans this morning. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | With Congress back on the Hill, the internal drama and deliberations over House Republicans’ response to the looming debt limit deadline is driving discussions throughout the Capitol. In a private conference of House Republicans this morning, Speaker KEVIN McCARTHY and other party leaders “laid out the basics of an opening strategy to relieve the nation’s looming debt crisis,” write our colleagues Sarah Ferris, Olivia Beavers and Jordain Carney, getting all the deets from inside the room. “But while GOP leaders still hope to turn that plan into a formal bill within days, a handful of disgruntled members made clear inside the morning meeting that achieving unity would take more time.” What they’re saying:
- “I’m not there yet,” Rep. NANCY MACE (R-S.C.) said, adding that she wants more GOP policy goals included as leverage before McCarthy shows his party’s offer to Democrats. “We have to have a plan. You’re going to walk into the debt ceiling vote without a plan? That’s not going to bode well for the outcome.”
- “We still have to resolve major questions like the dollar amount, and the duration, and the policy concessions we are seeking from the Senate,” said Rep. MATT GAETZ (R-Fla.). “So it couldn’t possibly have 218 votes, because it doesn’t even exist.”
- Rep. MIKE LAWLER (R-N.Y.), a freshman from a swing seat, suggested a separate discharge petition as a Plan B option if McCarthy’s plan fails to get enough traction even as a debt default looms. Leaving the meeting, Lawler suggested he was on board with McCarthy. “The speaker has put forth a plan and I support it,” he said.
- Rep. TOM COLE (R-Okla.), a close McCarthy ally, dryly summed up the meeting’s tone: “It’s a chorus of unity and sunshine.”
McCONNELL ON DIFI — Senate Minority Leader MITCH McCONNELL weighed in on Democrats’ DIANNE FEINSTEIN dilemma this morning, suggesting that Dems’ judicial nominees — not Feinstein’s absence from the Senate — is responsible for grinding the confirmation process to a halt. McConnell said there’s “a whole bunch” of judicial nominees who could get bipartisan support for confirmation, but that Dems want to “ram through a small sliver of nominees who are especially extreme or especially unqualified.” The Kentucky Republican also heaped praise on Feinstein, calling her a “titanic figure” and “close personal friend,” and wishing her a speedy recovery. (h/t Katherine Tully-McManus) HAPPENING NOW — “In Dominion v. Fox News, a legal test with echoes of Watergate,” by Matt Taylor in Wilmington, Del. Inside the room: This trial will not have access to live cameras, but here are some good details from WaPo’s live blog …
- “The judge has already asked the reporters in the room to type more quietly. Furiously loud typing, he said, could give the jury the wrong idea.”
- “One of the people in the audience is HOWARD KURTZ, the Fox News host who originally said in late February that his network would not allow him to talk about the Dominion v. Fox News case on his Sunday show about the media.”
- “Early on in the proceedings, a public relations staffer for Fox News was asked to leave the court room for taking a photo. The judge reminded the audience not to do so.”
“By my count there are at least 49 lawyers on hand,” adds Slate’s Justin Peters in his dispatch from the courtroom. OMG — “Littlest intruder: Toddler crawls through White House fence,” AP: “It may be the first successful intrusion onto the complex since the White House fence was doubled in height to roughly 13 feet (3.96-meters) in recent years after a series of security breaches. While taller, the new fence has an additional inch of space between pickets, for a total of 5½ inches (12.7 centimeters) between posts.” Good Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line: gross@politico.com.
| | | | A message from The U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Today, the single biggest obstacle to building the infrastructure of the future is a broken permitting system. That’s why the U.S. Chamber was joined by nearly 350 organizations—representing virtually every sector of the U.S. economy and every corner of the country—in calling on Congress to
Permit America to Build by passing meaningful, durable permitting reform. | | | 2024 WATCH KNOWING SUSIE WILES — “DeSantis Tried to Bury Her. Now She’s Helping Trump Try to Bury Him,” by NYT’s Matt Flegenheimer, Maggie Haberman and Michael Bender: “Born into celebrity — her father, PAT SUMMERALL, was a famed broadcaster — the attention-shunning Wiles has worked to send three Republicans to the White House and two to rule Tallahassee over a four-decade career. A key strength, friends say, is negotiating the egos of swaggering Republican men whom she can come to understand almost viscerally. “And she and the rampaging former president suddenly have more in common: They both helped make RON DeSANTIS. They would both like to unmake him. ‘She knows where the bodies are buried,’ said ROGER J. STONE JR., a longtime Trump adviser and expert of political dark arts who has known Ms. Wiles for more than 30 years. “Now, she has become the unwitting embodiment of the conflict between her old boss and her current one, who has not hesitated to state the obvious. ‘This guy really hates you!’ Mr. Trump has told Ms. Wiles privately, according to a person present, occasionally praising her if she is not in the room: ‘The only person who ever really had a problem with her is Ron DeSantis.’” THE LATEST BIG SWING ON DeSANTIS — “How DeSantis became Florida’s most powerful governor in a generation,” by WaPo’s Tim Craig and Lori Rozsa in Tallahassee: “As the focus turns to the 2024 race, DeSantis’s allies and foes are looking at the current legislative session as a lens into how he governs and what type of leader he might be at a national level — where he would face far more hurdles with a divided Congress. Some are drawing parallels to Trump, not just in his penchant for using the powers of his office to pursue political enemies but also for fraying the institutional norms of the nation’s democracy.” CONGRESS FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — House Education and the Workforce Chair VIRGINIA FOXX (R-N.C.) sent a letter today to JULIE SU, Biden’s Labor secretary nominee, inviting her to appear for a hearing before the committee next month, according to a copy of the letter obtained by our colleague Daniel Lippman. While Su faces a tough confirmation fight in the Senate, Foxx writes that the nominee and acting secretary does not “plan to make [herself] available to the Committee before June,” calling it “an undue delay preventing the Committee from conducting its oversight work.” Read the full letter GIVING THE GREEN LIGHT — House Homeland Security Chair MARK GREEN (R-Tenn.) told attendees at a donor event in his home state this month that he’s working to produce an impeachment case against DHS Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS for “dereliction of duty and his intentional destruction of our country through the open southern border,” NYT’s Karoun Demirjian scoops. In tapes secured from the meeting, Green said he had a “five-phase plan” for the proceedings that “would start with an appearance by the secretary before his committee on Wednesday.”
| | | | GO INSIDE THE 2023 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO is proud to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage, insider nuggets and unparalleled insights from the 2023 Global Conference, which will convene leaders in health, finance, politics, philanthropy and entertainment from April 30-May 3. This year’s theme, Advancing a Thriving World, will challenge and inspire attendees to lean into building an optimistic coalition capable of tackling the issues and inequities we collectively face. Don’t miss a thing — subscribe today for a front row seat. | | | | | MORE POLITICS BREWING BUCKEYE BRAWL — “Ohio’s Bernie Moreno announces second straight GOP Senate run, in bid to flip blue seat red,” by Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser: BERNIE MORENO, “a successful Cleveland-based businessman and luxury auto dealership giant, is jumping into an emerging 2024 GOP Senate primary in Ohio in the hopes of taking on Democrat Sen. SHERROD BROWN next year in a race that could determine if the Republicans win back the Senate majority. In his video, Moreno took aim at both Democrats and Republicans, claiming that ‘we’re losing our country because corrupt and cowardly politicians from both parties sell us out.’” WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS — “Pro-DeSantis consultant named as defendant in Nevada fraud lawsuit,” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Jessica Hill: “A nationally recognized Republican political consultant has been added as a defendant in a Nevada lawsuit alleging that he stole $2.2 million and defrauded a political action committee that had unsuccessfully tried to break up the Clark County School District. JEFF ROE, founder of Axiom Strategies, one of the largest GOP campaign firms, was accused of fraud and breach of contract, among other charges, after one of his companies failed to gather at least 140,000 valid signatures to put the initiative before the Legislature in 2023.” THE WHITE HOUSE CHILD’S PLAY — “Biden signs executive order to improve access to child care,” by AP’s Josh Boak: “[T]he directives would be funded out of existing commitments, the White House said. That likely means their impact would carry more of a symbolic weight compared with the Democratic president’s call in 2021 to provide more than $425 billion to expand child care, improve its affordability and boost wages for caregivers.” POLICY CORNER UP IN THE AIR — “FAA lifts nationwide ground stop for Southwest Airlines flights after equipment issues,” by CNN’s Greg Wallace and Pete Muntean HEALTH ISSUES — U.S. Special Counsel HENRY KERNER issued a report to the White House this morning announcing that HHS Sec. XAVIER BECERRA violated the Hatch Act “by expressing support of Sen. ALEX PADILLA’s [D-Calif.] election while speaking in his official capacity at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Annual Awards Gala,” last September. More from WaPo’s Philip Bump HEADS UP — “FDA okays second omicron booster for people at high risk from covid,” by WaPo’s Laurie McGinley and Lena Sun
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | AMERICA AND THE WORLD
|  WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich stands in a glass cage in a courtroom at the Moscow City Court in Russia on Tuesday, April 18. | Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo | GERSHKOVICH LATEST — “Evan Gershkovich makes his first court appearance in Moscow, where a judge upheld his detention,” by NYT’s Ivan Nechepurenko and Anton Troianovski: “EVAN GERSHKOVICH, the Wall Street Journal reporter arrested in Russia last month, appeared in good spirits as he stood in a Moscow courtroom on Tuesday. He smiled at fellow journalists he recognized. He nodded when one of them, VASILY POLONSKY, called out to him to persevere and passed on greetings from colleagues and friends. It was the first time Mr. Gershkovich, a 31-year-old American, had been seen clearly since he was detained on March 29.” LEAK LATEST — “An intellectual battle rages: Is the U.S. in a proxy war with Russia?” by WaPo’s Karen DeYoung: “The leaked documents confirm in detail that the United States is using its vast array of espionage and surveillance tools — including cutting-edge satellites and signals intelligence — to keep Kyiv ahead of Moscow’s war plans and help them inflict Russian casualties. But Biden officials adamantly reject the proxy label, noting that it is a defensive war Ukraine didn’t start and that Kyiv is fighting for its very survival.” Related read: “Air Force to review base where airman leaked documents,” by AP’s Tara Copp LATEST ON THE GROUND — “Sudan rivals signal cease-fire after U.S. convoy, aid workers attacked,” by WaPo’s Katharine Houreld, Ellen Francis and John Hudson: “Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN said a U.S. diplomatic convoy was fired on but no U.S. personnel were injured. He described Monday’s attack as ‘reckless’ and ‘unacceptable,’ and said it was under investigation.” FOR YOUR RADAR — “After American’s Killing in Syria, F.B.I. Builds War Crimes Case Against Top Officials,” by NYT’s Katie Benner and Adam Goldman BEYOND THE BELTWAY UGLY STORY — “Oklahoma Governor Calls for Resignations After Threatening Audio Surfaces,” by WSJ’s Shannon Najmabadi and Joe Barrett: “Oklahoma Gov. KEVIN STITT called for the resignations of several officials of a county in the southeast corner of the state after a newspaper published surreptitiously recorded comments in which the officials allegedly discussed killing two of its reporters and expressed nostalgia for past decades when Black people were frequently lynched.” PLAYBOOKERS TRANSITIONS — Jessica Taylor will be chief of the U.S. Park Police, per WaPo. She previously was director of the EPA’s criminal investigations division. … Catalina Tam is now nominations director for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. She previously was a legislative aide for Schumer. … … Jeff Dinwoodie is now a partner in Cravath, Swaine & Moore’s Washington, D.C., office. He was previously an executive director at JPMorgan. … Brett Scott is now an associate partner on Dentons Global Advisors’ government relations team. He most recently was VP of government affairs at the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Sloane Speakman, senior adviser for Taiwan policy at the Defense Department, and Eric McCrery, a senior consultant at Deloitte, on April 11 welcomed Ryman Speakman McCrery. He’s named after the famous Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, where his parents are from, and joins big sister June. Pic ... Another pic — Austin Cantrell, VP of Bridge Public Affairs and a former assistant press secretary for the Trump White House, and Sage Cantrell, a teacher, on Monday welcomed Bennett Fox Cantrell, who came in at 7 lbs 3 oz. Pic ... Another pic BONUS BIRTHDAY: Ruth Rabb (106) 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 The U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “When you’ve got the most significant new investment in infrastructure in a generation and businesses ready to build but projects can’t approved…government isn’t working...pass permitting reform and make it possible to build. Make it feasible for businesses to invest. Make it affordable to start and finish projects. Make the approval process faster than the construction time. There is bipartisan agreement. Now we need bipartisan action.”
Watch U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark’s call to action on permitting reform
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