Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. Happy Wednesday and happy May! Our newsletter gets you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Co-creators are Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver (CLICK HERE to subscribe!). On Twitter, find us at @asimendinger and @alweaver22.
Attorney General William Barr has some explaining to do today about special counsel Robert Mueller’s findings. It will be Barr’s first public appearance on Capitol Hill since the release of the report, and he’s expecting Senate Democrats to come after him.
He will be asked about a letter he received from Mueller objecting to Barr’s four-page characterization in March of the special counsel’s investigative evidence and conclusions. Mueller wrote to Barr and subsequently called him to say the attorney general “did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance” of the evidence and findings (The Washington Post).
According to Justice Department officials, Mueller asked Barr to release the 448-page report’s introductions and executive summaries right away, which the attorney general did not do at that point. The report was released on April 18 with some redactions.
The New York Times: Mueller objected to Barr’s description of Russia investigation’s findings on Trump.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) did not wait to hear Barr answer questions today before calling on him to resign for what the senator believes was lying to Congress. “On April 20th, I asked Barr, `Did Bob Mueller support your conclusion?’ His answer was, `I don’t know whether Mueller supported my conclusion.’ We now know Mueller stated his concerns on March 27th, and that Barr totally misled me, the Congress, and the public. He must resign,” Van Hollen tweeted along with a video clip of their exchange.
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he wants to hear Barr’s testimony, and wants the public to hear from Mueller, too. “In light of Mueller’s letter, the misleading nature of Barr’s 4/10 testimony & 4/18 press conference is even more glaring,” he tweeted. “Barr must bring the letter with him when he testifies in the Senate. …And it’s time for Mueller to testify publicly. Now.”
The attorney general can count on receiving some friendly cover from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), an ally of President Trump who says he’s personally “done” with questions about alleged conspiracy and the president’s obstructive behavior before and during Mueller’s 22-month investigation. Graham and Barr believe Trump did not interfere with Mueller’s work, meaning that no crime of obstruction occurred.
Graham says he much prefers to drill down into Mueller’s conclusions about Russia’s continued strategies to sow discord in the United States, eager to combat Moscow’s continued interference — through additional economic sanctions, if necessary.
But Democratic senators on the panel, three of whom are running for president, still have reams of questions for Barr about Trump’s decisions and behavior, both as a candidate and as president.
Mueller was expected to testify to Congress, but no date has been announced and some Democratic lawmakers say the Justice Department is holding it up (The Daily Beast).
The drama on the Senate side takes place as Barr and the House Judiciary Committee led by Democrats remain at loggerheads about the format of Barr’s up-in-the-air testimony scheduled on Thursday. It’s not clear the attorney general will agree to be questioned by Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), the committee staff attorneys or other lawmakers on the panel.
Following the Tuesday night reports about Mueller’s objections to Barr, Nadler issued a statement reiterating his call for both men to appear before his committee.
“The Attorney General has expressed some reluctance to appear before the House Judiciary Committee this Thursday,” Nadler said. “These reports make it that much more important for him to appear and answer our questions. The Department of Justice has also been reluctant to confirm a date for Special Counsel Mueller to testify.”
The mounting tensions between the Justice Department and House Democrats have mushroomed into subpoenas and energetic research into the legislative branch’s power to punish those who defy Congress’s constitutional druthers. Mike Lillis and Olivia Beavers report that several House committee chairmen on Tuesday discussed voting to hold administration officials who refuse to testify in contempt of Congress.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday suggested it will be the courts, not Congress, that will likely decide whether and under what circumstances the executive branch can refuse cooperation with congressional oversight. And by seeking protection from the judicial branch, the executive branch believes it also buys time, McConnell hinted.
“It’s pretty obvious the administration’s view is they finished this, `no collusion,’ and the president has indicated he thinks a do-over is not something he’s interested in cooperating in. So my assumption is that all these issues are going to end up in the courts,” McConnell told reporters. “Every administration since I’ve been around has been in disputes with Congress over power. …It always happens over one thing or another.”
The Associated Press: House Democrats vow to enforce subpoenas as Trump resistance grows.
LEADING THE DAY
CONGRESS: It’s something of a joke around Washington: Infrastructure hour was back on Tuesday.
At midday, Democratic congressional leaders left the White House saying they had reached an agreement with Trump to seek a deal on a $2 trillion infrastructure bill, a surprising development that comes amid intense partisan warfare in Washington.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Schumer sounded a decidedly positive note after leaving what they described as a “productive” meeting with the president shortly after noon. Schumer said “there was goodwill” on both sides about developing a major piece of legislation, Jordan Fabian and Scott Wong reported.
For the first time since the criminal justice reform law, optimism toward a bipartisan deal on an issue between the White House and Democratic lawmakers was on display as the two sides hunt for a path toward what the two parties could decide is a political plus.
The Washington Post: Trump and Democrats prepared for a fight — but a truce broke out instead.
However, the nuts and bolts of any possible deal are tricky as questions surround the price tag being discussed. Republicans are not outright dismissing the $2 trillion package, even though many of them mocked the $1.5 trillion package that was light on details in his 2018 State of the Union address, but they are curious how everything will be paid for.
“I think the president is right as far as proposing it, but in infrastructure you’re talking about money. More money, and we’ll see where it is.,” said Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, of a possible package.
“You’ve got to fund it,” Shelby said when asked about the price tag. “That’s a lot of money, but this is a big country, but a lot of our infrastructure is crumbling.”
In particular, two sticking points emerged off the bat from the Republican perspective: increases of the gas tax and corporate taxes, which would roll back part of the 2017 tax law passed by Republicans. Schumer indicated Tuesday that he wants part of the law rolled back as a condition for advancing legislation to raise the gas tax, an idea that is already unpopular with Republicans.
“That’s not going to happen,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) on increasing corporate taxes, noting the recent tax cut law. “I’m not anti-infrastructure, I’m just pro-tell me how it’s going to be paid for so that we can look at the real policy tradeoffs.”
News of a “big, bold” agreement out of the meeting on Tuesday was reminiscent of Trump’s past negotiations with Democrats on two key issues: Dreamers and guns, both of which fell through after he received heavy opposition from conservatives. In both cases, Trump told Democrats he would take the heat from Republicans and powerful conservative advocacy groups. He did not.
With infrastructure upgrades, the major question still comes down to how the government wants to cover the price tag. When Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) was asked how a $2 trillion legislative package could be funded, he laughed.
“I can’t wait to hear,” he said.
Paul Kane: No cameras, no conservative handlers: Trump wheels and deals with Democrats.
CNBC: Koch network slams $2 trillion infrastructure cost agreement between Trump and top Democrats.
Politico: Behind the 1-day ceasefire between Donald, Chuck and Nancy.
> Legislation designed to combat election meddling is running into political headwinds on Capitol Hill following release of the Mueller report. Despite Graham’s alarm about Russian interference, several influential GOP senators believe lawmakers face an uphill battle to make a case for election-security-related legislation during a presidential election cycle (The Hill).
> Impeachment: In the Senate where four Democrats and one Independent are running for president, there’s scant support for impeachment proceedings. Senators returned from their spring recess convinced that voters are more concerned about many other issues facing Washington (The Hill).
Just 16 percent of Americans believe the next step after the Mueller investigation should be for Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings, and 5 percent want the president to be publicly reprimanded or censured by Congress, according to a new Marist Poll released this morning by NPR/PBS NewsHour.
> One example of other issues of interest to voters is health care. House Democrats held their first hearing on “Medicare for all” on Tuesday, determined to show progressive voters the seriousness of the Democratic Party’s focus on efforts to strengthen the Affordable Care Act ahead of 2020 (The Hill).
***
POLITICS & CAMPAIGNS: Former Vice President Joe Biden is wrapping himself in the legacy of former President Obama, but much of Obamaworld isn’t rushing to Biden in the same manner.
As Amie Parnes reports, Obamaworld has taken a non-committal approach to Biden’s candidacy after his announcement last week. Following in the footsteps of Obama, his former aides have largely remained on the sidelines of the 2020 primary, withholding support for Biden now that he is officially in the race.
“I think everyone is happy to see him in the race but I think that’s different than throwing support behind him,” said one former Obama White House official. “If you’re looking for someone with a fresh face and bold ideas, that’s Pete Buttigieg or maybe Kamala Harris but it’s probably not Joe Biden.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Biden released a video narrated heavily by Obama’s praise of Biden before presenting with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Overall, Biden has cemented himself as the Democratic frontrunner less than a week into his 2020 bid, as Max Greenwood writes. Not only has he received a healthy dose of incoming from his Democratic primary opponents, but also from the president himself
Additionally, he raised eyebrows when he announced a staggering $6.3 million fundraising haul in his first 24 hours on the campaign trail. Recent polls also show him expanding his lead over the Democratic field.
Jonathan Allen: Biden’s the king of the hill. Can Bernie Sanders knock him off?
The Des Moines Register: Biden makes first appeal to Iowans.
The New York Times: Sanders and Biden circle each other, using different rules of engagement.
Los Angeles Times: Democrats go bold on economic plans, a deliberate contrast to 2016.
> LGBT members of Congress say they believe the country is ready for a gay president as Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., continues to push for support in the 2020 Democratic primary field.
According to Jonathan Easley and Cristina Marcos, the members believe Buttigieg’s standing as the only gay man running for president in the election is helping him stand out in the primary process, and said they have no concerns that it would hold him back in the general election.
Several members of the CBC said they agreed with the Rev. Al Sharpton that homophobia within the black community is falling and that African Americans have moved along with the rest of the nation to accept LGBT people.
The Washington Post: Buttigieg releases 10 years of tax returns, jabs Trump for not doing the same.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: With Stacey Abrams out, a Democratic race for U.S. Senate begins.
Politico: Democrats’ hopes of Senate takeover damaged by recruiting whiffs.
IN FOCUS/SHARP TAKES
WHITE HOUSE & ADMINISTRATION: Trump’s aggressive new move to create hurdles for asylum-seekers makes clear that immigration will be a major issue in the president’s reelection campaign, just as it was in 2016. Trump obviously believes a hardline approach will reap electoral rewards — but is he right? Niall Stanage reports why voters in 2020 may differ from what Trump experienced when he won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote.
> Department of Homeland Security: Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan tells Congress the administration needs an unspecified infusion of funds to build a permanent detention facility at the border to keep migrant families together while the government weighs their cases. Democratic lawmakers say a permanent detention facility for families is not the answer (The Hill).
> A Labor Department decision that gig workers at a company are contractors and not employees could pose significant implications for the tech industry if it means some companies can sidestep federal minimum wage requirements or Social Security taxes paid by employers. While the ruling applies to only one company, it’s likely to come under fire from labor advocates and Democratic presidential aspirants (The Hill).
> Federal Reserve: Trump nominee Stephen Moore, a conservative economist, has lost support among some female GOP senators because of his past comments and writings disparaging women’s rights and equality (The Hill). Moore is trying to dig himself out with explanations, revisions and retractions, including his admission that he “shouldn’t have said” that males should be the breadwinners in families. Despite signs that Moore’s nomination to the Fed board is in trouble, Trump continues to support him for now, said White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday. “The president stands behind him,” she told reporters.
> Emoluments case: A judge on Tuesday ruled that a lawsuit brought by Congress alleging that Trump’s private business violates the Constitution’s ban on gifts or payments from foreign governments can proceed. While the Justice Department can seek to block the federal judge’s ruling on appeal, the decision potentially opens the door to obtaining Trump’s financial records, which he is battling to keep private (The Washington Post).
The Morning Report is created by journalists Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver. We want to hear from you! Email: asimendinger@digital-stage.thehill.com and aweaver@digital-stage.thehill.com. We invite you to share The Hill’s reporting and newsletters, and encourage others to SUBSCRIBE!
OPINION
The Paris climate agreement reflects conservative values, by Andy Taylor, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2IU4DdJ
People power meets an entrenched Maduro regime in Venezuela, by Paula Garcia Tufró, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2vwJaPm
WHERE AND WHEN
Hill.TV’s “Rising” program, starting at 8 a.m., features Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, who discusses prospects for a $2 trillion infrastructure deal, and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan talks about immigration, the 2020 elections and Washington State with Reid Wilson of The Hill. http://digital-stage.thehill.com/hilltv.
The House convenes at 10 a.m.
The Senate meets at 10 a.m.
The president meets with members of Congress at 2:15 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room. In the evening, he and first lady Melania Trump host a dinner at the White House to mark a National Day of Prayer.
Vice President Pence will travel to Baltimore to speak at the Aguila Awards Luncheon hosted by the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association at the Embassy Suites Inner Harbor. After his remarks, he’ll meet with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the government’s Baltimore field office. Pence will speak at 6:05 p.m. at the National Day of Prayer Task Force Celebration Dinner at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, and he’ll join Trump afterward at the White House prayer event.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer continue trade negotiations with China today in Beijing.
The Federal Reserve concludes a two-day meeting with a news conference and policy statement this afternoon. Analysts expect Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to comment while seeking to avoid agitating Trump or the markets (CNBC).
ELSEWHERE
➔ Venezuela: The Trump administration offered support to opposition leader Juan Guaidó on Tuesday as he urged a military uprising against the rule of Nicolás Maduro (Bloomberg). Guaidó, in Twitter posts, wrote that he had begun the “final phase” of his campaign to topple Maduro, calling on Venezuelans and the armed forces to back him ahead of May Day mass street protests planned for Wednesday (Reuters).
White House national security adviser John Bolton declined on Tuesday to eliminate the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela: “We want as our principal objective the peaceful transfer of power, but I will say again as the president has said from the outset … all options are on the table,” he told reporters.
➔ Farm economy: The trade war and sagging prices are pushing U.S. family farmers to leave the field (Reuters). The personal income of U.S. farmers saw the biggest drop in the first quarter since 2016 as trade war losses mount (Bloomberg).
➔ Tech merger: The fate of the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint remains uncertain a year after it was first announced. The Justice Department’s chief antitrust official is undecided about the deal and the two companies have pushed back a deadline to complete a merger. What’s the current outlook? (The Hill).
➔ Higher education: Michelle Obama today headlines Reach Higher’s 2019 College Signing Day, which takes place online and on the University of California-Los Angeles campus at 3 p.m. Joined by a posse of celebrities including John Legend, Don Cheadle and Conan O’Brien, the former first lady will encourage thousands of young people across the country to pursue education beyond high school. Information is HERE; the event will be livestreamed on the Better Make Room Facebook page and YouTube channel.
THE CLOSER
And finally … Japan’s former Emperor Akihito, who reigned for 31 ceremonial years, stepped away from the throne on Tuesday, entering the history books as the first monarch to abdicate in two centuries.
Succeeding him: Crown Prince Naruhito, 59, now Emperor Naruhito, who on Wednesday ushered in the “Reiwa” era, meaning “beautiful harmony” (The New Straits Times).
The Associated Press: On first day as emperor, Naruhito vows to pursue peace.
The New York Times unspooled the imperial tale in five parts:
“She Called Him Jimmy,” “The Long Shadows of a Failed War,” “The Suitor with Shaggy Hair,” “The Reluctant Bride” and “A Princess in a Cage,” which describes former diplomat Masako Owada, who somewhat reluctantly married Naruhito in 1993 and gave up a promising diplomatic career to help sustain the Chrysanthemum Throne. At 55 and parent with Naruhito of one daughter, Masako is now empress of Japan.
