The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Security experts call Trump handling of documents ‘nauseating’

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–> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.* 

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically.

TALK OF THE MORNING 

Trump indictment reveals security risks at Mar-a-Lago:

The recent indictment of former President Trump has shed additional light on how he handled classified documents that were found at his Mar-a-Lago resort, and security experts say the details are alarming. 

Trump’s indictment last week showed documents, including intelligence data — intercepted communications or other information — as well as details from human sources, were kept on a Mar-a-Lago ballroom stage and stacked in a bathroom, among other places. 

Larry Pfeiffer, who previously served as senior director of the White House situation room and chief of staff at the CIA said he “literally felt sick to my stomach” after reading the indictment. 

“I guarantee that any foreign intelligence service worth its weight is going to be able to get in and out of a Florida resort hotel and access materials, and you’re never going to know they were ever there. Some people say, ‘Oh, they got cameras.’ Hey, you know, having a camera isn’t going to stop somebody who really knows what they’re doing from getting in and out of a place either,” he said. “Seeing the photographs of boxes on ballroom stages and in bathrooms next to a toilet and spilled out on the floor because of his carelessness just made me sick.” 

The Hill’s Rebecca Beitsch reports. 

WHAT TRUMP SUPPORTERS ARE SAYING: 

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) defended Trump’s handling of the top-secret documents, contrasting it with the discovery of classified documents that President Biden had from his tenure as vice president. The papers reportedly were held in a garage at one point.  

McCarthy said a garage door “opens up all the time,” but “a bathroom door locks.”

It’s Friday, June 16. I’m Elizabeth Crisp, filling in for Cate, with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. Send me your tips, add me to your media list, share your funny animal videos and pass along your White House or 2024 campaign gossip: ecrisp@digital-stage.thehill.com and follow me on Twitter @elizabethcrisp. 

Breaking 

Biden taps Mandy Cohen to lead CDC:

President Biden plans to appoint Mandy Cohen, who led North Carolina’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the White House announced this afternoon.

The role doesn’t require Senate confirmation, but that will change in 2025.

“Dr. Cohen has been recognized by leaders from both parties for her ability find common ground and put complex policy into action. I look forward to working with Dr. Cohen as she leads our nation’s finest scientists and public health experts with integrity and transparency,” Biden said in a statement.

Cohen replaces Rochelle Walensky, who has led the office since Biden became president in 2021. Walensky’s last day is at the end of the month. (The Hill)

ALSO TODAY:

The man who killed 11 worshipers in a mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018 was found guilty Friday of federal hate crime charges. 

A jury will now decide if Robert Bowers will receive the death penalty for committing the most deadly antisemitic attack in U.S. history. Sentencing is scheduled for June 26. (The Hill)

In Congress 

GOP unrest: House hard-liners could sink 2024 spending plans:

House GOP leaders are struggling to get everyone on the same page as they work on 2024 spending bills. 

Several of the chamber’s hard-liners have accused House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and others of using budgetary “gimmicks” to make it appear that spending would fall back to 2022 levels. 

“He’s not doing ‘22 spending levels; he’s talking ‘22 spending levels,” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), former head of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said this week. “Talk is cheap.” 

The ultra conservative flank has accused leadership of using a method of clawing back money that Congress has already appropriated for future programs and pushing that money forward to give the impression cuts are being made — a tactic known as rescission. 

The Hill’s Mike Lillis breaks down the thorny situation here. 

Money quote: “The whole predicate is, ‘We’re going to do this with rescissions,’ and then the rescissions don’t happen, and then everyone says, ‘Well, that wasn’t my fault,’” Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) said. 

Why it matters: The fight could ultimately threaten a government shutdown later this year – never a great prospect heading into a tough election cycle. (The Hill) 

GOP, Grassley look for dirt on Biden following Trump indictment: 

Republican allies of former President Trump are looking for misdeeds from President Biden following the former president’s indictment, but, so far, they seem to be coming up short. 

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has been pushing bribery claims that the White House repeatedly has denied, but he admitted this week that he doesn’t actually know if audio recordings, supposedly a smoking gun implicating the then-vice president, even exist. 

The 89-year-old lawmaker was invited to give a presentation Wednesday to the Senate Republican Steering Committee about the unverified claims allegedly made by an unnamed foreign national. 

Grassley, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also discussed the bribery allegations in detail during a speech on the Senate floor earlier this week and accused the FBI of not doing enough to investigate the claims or provide additional information. 

But, but, but: NBC News, citing a senior law enforcement official, reported this month that the FBI and Scott Brady, then the U.S. attorney for Western Pennsylvania, reviewed the allegations from the unnamed informant in 2020 and found there was no proof to back it up.  (The Hill) 

In the White House 

Biden administration invites state lawmakers to summit in support of abortion rights: 

Marking the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s upheaval of the Roe v. Wade decision that had protected abortion rights for decades, state lawmakers from across the country gathered at the White House this week to discuss reproductive rights issues. 

The Hill’s partners at Nexstar spoke to several of the attendees about their efforts to share ideas and having President Biden‘s support. 

The lawmakers said they’re trying build momentum at the state level and work to prevent new anti-abortion laws that have popped up after the Court’s decision last year. 

“Their hands are tied on the federal side but it shows that they’re aligned and it shows that they trust us to keep fighting at the state level,” Michigan State Sen. Erika Geiss (D) said. (More here via Nexstar) 

HARRIS TO DELIVER ‘MAJOR SPEECH’ ON ABORTION RIGHTS IN NORTH CAROLINA:  

Vice President Harris will travel to North Carolina on June 24 to rally abortion advocates and support for reproductive rights. 

Harris’s trip, which is being billed as a “major speech” on abortion access, comes just days before North Carolina is set to enact a ban on abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. (The Hill)

🏃 2024 

Schwarzenegger would run for president if he could: 

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) says “of course” he would run for president in 2024, and win, if he was eligible. 

The Constitution requires that presidents are natural born U.S. citizens; Schwartzenegger was born in Austria. 

“Look, it’s a no brainer. I see so clearly how I could win that election,” he said in an interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace that is set to run tonight. 

Fighting words: Schwarzenegger, who’s been a critic of former President Trump, and took over hosting duties at “The Apprentice” when Trump left to run for president in 2016, said he’s confident that Trump won’t be elected president again.  

“I’m not worried about it because I don’t think it’s gonna happen,” he said. (The Hill) 

🏢 In other news

Most employers open to four-day work week 

More than half of American employers currently offer a four-day workweek, or plan to try it out, according to a survey.  

ResumeBuilder.com, a job-seeker website, polled 976 business leaders and found that 20 percent of them already have implemented a shortened work week. Another 41 percent said they plan to do so, at least on a trial basis.  

Supporters of the idea argue that companies can trim a full day from the week without a loss of productivity.   

A Washington Post-Ipsos poll earlier this year found that 75 percent of employees would rather work four 10-hour days than five eight-hour days. (More from The Hill’s Daniel de Visé) 

🐥 Notable tweets 

Newt has some advice for Republican lawmakers: 

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) is warning the current crop of GOP leaders to keep their hands off Medicare, if they hope to hold onto control of the House in the coming election cycle. 

“Any proposal to significantly cut Medicare benefits is suicidal and virtually guarantees a Democratic House after the 2024 election. There is NO popular majority favoring some ideologically driven suicide pact on Medicare. We reformed Medicare successfully in 1996 because we worked with the American people and improved it but did not threaten anyone,” he tweeted this morning.

⏱ On tap 

The House and Senate are out for the weekend. President Biden is heading to Connecticut today, and Vice President Harris is en route to Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco.  

• 11 a.m.: President Biden departed the White House en route to Windsor Locks, Conn., via Joint Base Andrews. 
• 12:40 p.m.: Biden’s expected to arrive in Windsor Locks.  
• 2:05 p.m.: Biden will deliver remarks at the National Safer Communities Summit at the University of Hartford. 
• 3:25 p.m.: Biden will travel to Greenwich, Conn., for a campaign reception.                           
• 6:30 p.m.: Biden will depart Greenwich to head back to D.C.  
• 7:55 p.m.: Biden is scheduled to arrive back at the White House. 

All times Eastern.

💝 In lighter news 

Today is National Fudge Day! It’s a good excuse to check out one of the many confectioneries in the D.C. area. If you’re feeling ambitious, check out this gallery of recipes for some inspiration.  

And because you made it this far, check out this video of a pup that is “hiding” and absolutely certain you can’t see him.