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PRESENTED BY

BY JOHN BRESNAHAN, ANNA PALMER AND JAKE SHERMAN

THE TOP

The New York political world is waking up to these three front pages about accusations of inappropriate behavior by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. And now, every single New York Democrat will be asked whether Cuomo should resign. The most recent story dropped last night —  NYT: “Cuomo Accused of Unwanted Advance at a Wedding: ‘Can I Kiss You?’” by Matt Flegennheimer and Jesse McKinley

Rep. Kathleen Rice, a former district attorney on Long Island, became the first New York Democrat in Congress to call on Cuomo to resign. As the scandal continues to unfold, top Democrats to watch are Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. They are three of the most important figures in the New York congressional delegation, and their word will carry a lot of weight. Schumer and Jeffries both have public appearances in the Capitol today — they have both called for investigations. 

On the other side: GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik didn’t rule out a run for governor on the Ruthless Podcast with Josh Holmes. 

STEFANIK: I’m focused on running for reelection for the House. I’m focused on raising money for women candidates. A lot of people call us every day encouraging us to consider it. And I am involved with down ballot races at the local level across New York State, because I think that’s important. And I think we’ll wait… We’ll have to wait to see how the dynamics play out. But I’m focused on running for the House.

HOLMES: Well you’d be a heck of a candidate. And I imagine New York Republicans would lay in traffic to get you to consider that race. But what I didn’t hear there is an absolute NO. 

STEFANIK: A lot can change, I mean, I think, again, this governor, this governor should resign if he does not resign, there is a path for a Republican to win statewide in New York, and I’m calling for him to resign. So I want to see that happen. And I, again, am planning on running for the House. But these dynamics, as you know, change very quickly. I mean, a year ago or only a couple of months ago; Governor Cuomo was hailed, inaccurately, by national Democrats as really the icon. Even President Biden talked about, quote unquote, Cuomo’s strong leadership, really the best of the best. And now we know the White House is showing distance significantly between Cuomo and obviously the Biden administration.

Obviously, New York is a solid blue state. And it’s an uphill battle for any Republican to win here; there’s only been one GOP governor in New York State since 1974. Yet how this all plays out will have a big impact on the political landscape over the next year. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul — a former member of Congress — would take over if Cuomo were to resign before his term is up in 2022. If that were to happen quickly, the political damage for Democrats may not be too bad. But if this drags out, it could truly hurt the party. 

So now is probably as good of a time as ever for a Republican to run. The state has suffered a huge blow during the Covid crisis, and a GOP candidate with the right message may get some traction.  

BEHIND THE SCENES

Biden to huddle with Dems as the party wrestles with Covid bill

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President Joe Biden will take part in the Senate Democrats’ weekly lunch as they prepare to push the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan through the chamber in the face of strong and unified Republican opposition.

It’s a critical moment for both Biden and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Both have been in their jobs only weeks, and they need complete Democratic support to get the bill through the Senate. Expect Biden to remind Democrats that this is what he promised the American people during his run for the presidency, and this is what Senate Democrats promised if they won a majority — a major Covid relief package to “crush the virus” and bolster the economy.

But the gulf between the moderate and progressive wings of the Democratic Party was on full display Monday, and it was yet another illustration of just how hard it will be for Schumer and Biden to pass this high-profile piece of legislation. 

Biden held a call with a group of Senate Democrats that included Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, John Hickenlooper (Colo.), Tom Carper (Del.). Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Jon Tester (Mont.), Mark Warner (Va.) and Angus King (I-Maine), in a bid to solidify support for the Covid package.

Manchin wants to reduce the weekly unemployment benefit from $400 to $300, while other Senate Democrats want to extend these payments for a month or two longer than was approved by the House. King is urging his leadership and the Biden administration to earmark a portion of the state and local aid included in the package — $350 billion — for local governments. Several senators, including Manchin and Tester, said federal aid should be “more targeted” to make sure it goes toward those most in need.

“My guess is it’s probably going to change but pretty modestly, that’d be my guess, that’s a guess,” Tester told reporters afterward.

If leaders change the bill too much, it could lose progressive support in the House and Senate.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) remains furious that Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled against including a minimum-wage increase as part of the fast-track reconciliation package. 

Echoing what many liberals have expressed, Sanders said, “My own view is that we should ignore the rulings, the decision of the parliamentarian.” But neither Biden nor Schumer have shown any willingness to take that dramatic step. Sanders said he’s made his displeasure known to the White House and his own leadership, but he wouldn’t say what their response was.

“This is the soul of the Democratic Party,” Sanders said. “There will be a roll-call vote, and we’ll see who’s gonna vote for it, and who’s not gonna vote for it.”

The two-time presidential candidate also said he believes that those senators who oppose a minimum wage increase will pay a political price. Sanders didn’t say whether he was speaking about Democrats or Republicans either.

“I would suggest to those that are going to vote against it, from a political point of view, that’s a mistake,” Sanders said. “We’re gonna keep going. And if it takes 10 votes, we’re going to raise the minimum wage very shortly to $15 per hour.”

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), another advocate for the wage hike, said “The clock just ran out.” Wyden said he will continue to try to hike the minimum wage.

Some Senate Democrats have been holding bipartisan discussions on raising the minimum wage, but there’s no sign any deal is imminent or that Republican leadership is willing to engage in serious negotiations. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday derided the Democrats’ Covid proposal — set to be formally introduced later this week — as full of “all kinds of liberal spending on pet projects with no relationship to pandemic relief.”

And far as the White House and Democratic leaders are concerned, these bipartisan conversations, while promising, don’t get them any closer to passing the Covid package.

“This is sort of a sideshow,” a top Democratic aide told us. “We’re not going to get any Republican votes in the end. Democrats are going to have to carry this bill themselves.”

Punch List: WaPo: “Biden works to unify Senate Democrats on $1.9 trillion relief bill,” by Erica Werner and Jeff Stein

CHURN

Texas freshmen has flipped her staff

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Texas Rep. Beth Van Duyne, a freshman Republican from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, has lost her chief of staff, communications director and legislative director already. And she’s only been in Congress for 57 days. 

Van Duyne fired chief of staff Brendan Belair and legislative director Erica Barker. Van Duyne’s spokeswoman Amanda Gonzalez Thompson also quit last week. 

Van Duyne’s office said they would not comment on personnel issues. 

Turnover isn’t uncommon on Capitol Hill, especially for a new lawmaker, but this level of churn this early in a congressional career is quite notable, and it’s very strange.

On Feb. 10, Christian Dillard, the former spokesperson for Van Dyune’s campaign and a longtime acquaintance of the congresswoman, shot and killed himself outside Van Duyne’s home. Van Duyne was home at the time of the incident. 

AWKWARD!

FP1 on both sides of Trump

It raised eyebrows in Ohio and D.C. when Jane Timken, a Republican candidate for the Senate in Ohio, called on Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio) to step down for voting to impeach former President Donald Trump. It was yet another chapter in the Republican Party’s civil war.

But it was awkward for another reason: Gonzalez and Timken both have the same D.C.-based campaign consultancy — FP1. 

Timken’s top consultant is FP1 partner Corry Bliss. Bliss led the Congressional Leadership Fund and American Action Network from 2017 to 2019. Gonzalez’s campaign has employed Chris LaCivita, another partner at the firm who is a mainstay in GOP politics. Neither side believes there to be any conflict here — but it does highlight how one firm can represent both sides of an incredibly contentious political issue. Timken is trying to position herself as a Trump ally, and Gonzalez voted for Trump to be thrown out of office. 

Punch List: Axios’ Alayna Treene: “Scoop: Trump talked out of early Ohio endorsement”:

MOMENTS

10:15 a.m.: President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris will receive the daily briefing.

12:30 p.m.: Jen Psaki will hold a briefing.

1:10 p.m.: Biden will speak to Senate Democrats during their lunch.

2 p.m.: Speaker Nancy Pelosi will speak to reporters at the top of the House Democrats’ issues conference. … Senate Republicans and Democrats will speak after their weekly lunches. 

4:15 p.m.: Biden will speak about Covid-19.

6 p.m.: Harris will swear in Miguel Cardona as secretary of Education. 

8:15 p.m.: Harris will speak to House Democrats as part of their issues conference.

CLIP FILE

NYT: “Biden Seeks Help on Border From Mexican President,” by Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Michael D. Shear

“Trumpism Grips a Post-Policy G.O.P. as Traditional Conservatism Fades,” by Jonathan Martin in Orlando

“Prosecutors Investigating Trump Focus on His Finance Chief,” by Ben Protess, William Rashbaum and Maggie Haberman

WaPo: “D.C. National Guard commander added as witness to hearing on Capitol attack,” by Dan Lamothe

WSJ: “Oil Trade Group Is Poised to Endorse Carbon Pricing,” by Ted Mann and Timothy Puko: “The oil industry’s top lobbying group is preparing to endorse setting a price on carbon emissions in what would be the strongest signal yet that oil and gas producers are ready to accept government efforts to confront climate change.

“The American Petroleum Institute, one of the most powerful trade associations in Washington, is poised to embrace putting a price on carbon emissions as a policy that would ‘lead to the most economic paths to achieve the ambitions of the Paris Agreement,’ according to a draft statement reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.”

WSJ ed board: "The Grievances of Trump Past: If he was so great politically for the GOP, why is the party now out of power?"

AP: “Analysis: Biden retreats from vow to make pariah of Saudis,” by Ellen Knickmeyer

“Chinese vaccines sweep much of the world, despite concerns,” by Huizhong Wu and Kristen Gelineau in Taipei, Taiwan

Politico: “Inside Joe Biden’s decision to dive into the Amazon union drive,” by Chris Cadelago and Rebecca Rainey

HAPPENING TODAY

FBI director to Capitol Hill for Jan. 6 hearing

FBI Director Chris Wray will be on Capitol Hill this morning to testify about the Jan. 6 attack and domestic terrorism. Wray is the highest-profile holdover from the Trump administration, and will be speaking about the insurrection, which happened under Donald Trump’s watch. This Senate Judiciary Committee hearing begins at 10 a.m.

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