View in web browser

PRESENTED BY

BY JOHN BRESNAHAN, ANNA PALMER AND JAKE SHERMAN

THE TOP

Getty Images

It’s been just 27 days since the riot at the Capitol. A lot of the people reading this newsletter are still nursing psychological wounds from the insurrection. Congress, as an institution, is as well. The leadership is quietly beginning to take a set of actions to secure its members and examine what happened on that day. We have been reporting on this for the last few days and here’s what we have found:

→ The House Democratic leadership is considering creating a commission to examine the events on Jan. 6. The Sept. 11 commission has been mentioned as a model. This would be in addition to the review that Lt. Gen Russel Honore (Ret.) is conducting at Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s request. House committees are also investigating the incident, and will have information forthcoming in the weeks and months ahead.

→ Some rank-and-file lawmakers may be given temporary U.S. Capitol Police security details. Top party leaders traditionally get assigned security, but since Jan. 6, lawmakers have faced a barrage of threats. The threats have been directed to the members of Congress themselves, their families and their staff. The sources we have spoken to tell us it’s unlike anything Congress has ever experienced before.

→ Democratic leadership is likely to put together an emergency spending bill to fund additional security for members of Congress and Capitol complex.

→ The House Democratic leadership proactively held a conference call with congressional spouses Friday, and the conversation was very tense as people sought answers about the security situation. Pelosi and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries spoke on the call. The CAO, Office of Employee Assistance, attending physician and Sergeant at Arms were all represented.

→ Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) spoke Monday night about her experience in the Capitol Jan. 6. The second-term lawmaker also revealed in the video that she is a sexual assault survivor. The video has 1 million views on Instagram.

This is a major story. Lawmakers are afraid, despite the continued presence of thousands of National Guard troops on the Capitol complex. Many have gotten threats. The entire institution is on edge. 

W.H. x COLLINS AND CO.

What to make of Biden’s GOP meeting

Joe Biden spent two hours with Collins and Co., the group of 10 GOP senators looking to strike a scaled-down Covid relief deal with the new president. Both sides publicly and privately said it was a good and productive session — did you expect it to devolve into a shouting match LOL? But White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement afterward that Biden would not “slow down work on this urgent crisis response, and will not settle for a package that fails to meet the moment.” In Democrats’ view, the GOP offer does fail to meet the moment. It’s $600 billion — not the $1.9 trillion the Dems are looking for. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is expected to reinforce the case to Senate Democrats for quick action in a call with the caucus today.

The GOP senators who attended the meeting had a similar reaction — they enjoyed spending time with Biden, but recognize that the two sides are more than $1 trillion apart and a deal is unlikely given how quickly Democrats are moving on their own aid package. 

Here’s what Republicans tell us: The senators who went to the White House want to try  to govern with Biden while they can. Many of these Republicans are looking for a palate cleanser, of sorts, from the Trump years. They want the federal government to function properly again, and see this as an opportunity to get something done with Biden before legislating gets even harder. Of course, Democrats say that that’s a convenient line and if they want to work together they should vote for the Democrats’ bill.

In sum, last night’s meeting was probably as good as it gets for this bunch. Democrats are moving forward with a one-party plan and we don’t see a ton that will stop that.

NYT … WaPo … POLITICO … WSJ

MCCONNELL-MCCARTHY

Mitch wades deep into Kevin’s territory

On two occasions Monday evening, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell waded into House GOP politics, backing Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and whacking Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). Put together, this shows a level of concern with the direction of the party we haven’t seen publicly from anyone in the GOP leadership on either side of the dome. 

McConnell on MTG: 

Loony lies and conspiracy theories are cancer for the Republican Party and our country. Somebody who’s suggested that perhaps no airplane hit the Pentagon on 9/11, that horrifying school shootings were pre-staged, and that the Clintons crashed JFK Jr.’s airplane is not living in reality. This has nothing to do with the challenges facing American families or the robust debates on substance that can strengthen our party.

McConnell on Cheney

Liz Cheney is a leader with deep convictions and the courage to act on them. She is an important leader in our party and in our nation. I am grateful for her service and look forward to continuing to work with her on the crucial issues facing our nation.’

McConnell diving this deep into House GOP politics is quite rare. And contrast McConnell’s comments to what House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has said. McCarthy said he’ll speak to MTG, and offered a qualified endorsement of Cheney. McCarthy said he wants Cheney to remain in leadership, but has questions over how she has conducted herself. MTG, for her part, tweeted this last night: “The real cancer for the Republican Party is weak Republicans who only know how to lose gracefully. This is why we are losing our country.”

No word from either side on whether this McConnell bomb-drop was coordinated with the House GOP leadership. 

To be fair, the opposition to Cheney and supporters of MTG probably aren’t looking to McConnell for guidance. 

But McCarthy is in a tricky position on both fronts — he’s being forced to react to outside pressure.  Democrats are threatening a floor vote this week on kicking MTG off the Education and Labor Committee following revelations that she said school shootings were “false flag” operations by gun-control advocates. And hardline Republicans want to boot Cheney out of leadership for voting for Donald Trump’s impeachment. That issue is expected to come to a head at a members-only meeting this week.

But congressional leaders often have to figure out how to navigate choppy waters not of their own making. That’s inherent in the job.

UNDER THE DOME

Sicknick to lie in honor tonight

Getty Images

The body of the late U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick — who was murdered during the Jan. 6 attack — will arrive at the Capitol on Tuesday night. A viewing period for his fellow Capitol Police officers will begin at 10 p.m. Members of Congress will then be allowed a viewing period Wednesday morning, which will be followed by a tribute for the fallen officer. Sicknick will then be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Lying in honor in the Rotunda is among the highest tributes the Congress can offer a private citizen. Lying in state is a privilege reserved for presidents, esteemed lawmakers and military heroes; while functionally the same, lying in honor is reserved for private citizens. Congress last bestowed this honor to the Rev. Billy Graham in 2018. Congress also granted this honor to civil rights icon Rosa Parks in 2005.

Sadly, however, Sicknick is not the first Capitol Police officer to do so. USCP Officer Jacob Chestnut and Detective John Gibson were killed in the July 1998 shooting in the Capitol. There were the first private citizens ever to lay in honor in the Rotunda. 

MOMENTS

9:45 a.m.: President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris will receive the daily intelligence briefing.

Noon: The Senate will vote on the nomination of Pete Buttigieg for Transportation secretary. 

1:30 p.m.: Jen Psaki will brief.

2:30 p.m: The Senate will vote on the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas for DHS secretary.

5 p.m.: Biden will sign an executive order on immigration.

5:30 p.m.: Harris will hold a ceremonial swearing in for Mayorkas.

9:30 p.m.: Brian Sicknick’s body will arrive at the Capitol.

All day: Today is the deadline for Donald Trump to answer to the impeachment charges.

CLIP FILE

NYT: “Biden to Free Up Billions in Delayed Puerto Rico Storm Aid,” by Christopher Flavelle and Patricia Mazzei

WaPo: “With impeachment trial looming, Trump taps new lawyers who drew spotlight in past work,” by Rosalind S. Helderman, Amy Gardner and Tom Hamburger: “One lawyer has touted the number of accused mobsters who dot his client list and described his jailhouse visit with accused child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein during a spot on Fox News.

“The other built a reputation as an imposing county prosecutor who put murderers behind bars — only to come under the spotlight after he declined to prosecute comedian Bill Cosby on charges that he drugged and sexually assaulted a Temple University athletics official.

“Now, the duo of Atlanta-based attorney David Schoen and Pennsylvania lawyer Bruce L. Castor Jr. are taking over former president Donald Trump’s legal effort, just a week before his Senate trial for allegedly inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.” 

“Numbers of new cases in the U.S. declining but deaths still on the rise as new variants spread,” by Paul Schemm and Erin Cunningham: “The rate of new coronavirus infections is declining after rapid increases over the holiday season. The seven-day average of new U.S. cases was down 13 percent as of Tuesday, with an especially dramatic drop of 30 percent in Arizona. Deaths, however, increased across the country by 2 percent, following record hospitalizations early in January, according to data tracked by The Washington Post.

“More than 441,000 people have died from the coronavirus in the United States with more than 26 million infections over the last year. Data also shows in Florida and California growing instances of new variants of the virus, particularly the one identified in Britain.”

“The danger of right-wing mobs is real. Fencing at the U.S. Capitol won’t help,” by Phillip Kennicott

WSJ Editorial Board on Robinhood: “In this era of limited social trust, financial markets are bound to become targets of populist conspiracy theorists on the right and left. In the past, conservatives at least tried to understand how financial trading works before joining left-wingers like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Elizabeth Warren in forming a hang-’em-high posse against private markets. Alas, in this age of conspiracy, knowing less gets you more attention.”

AP: “Biden tries to show US as democracy beacon post-Capitol riot,” by Aamer Madhani

POLITICO: “Trump pollster’s campaign autopsy paints damning picture of defeat,” by Alex Isenstadt

Enjoying Punchbowl AM?

Subscribe 10 friends with your unique link (below) and get a Punchbowl News hat!

Your referral link is: 

You can see all the rewards in here!

Or share via

You currently have: 0 referrals