The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Jack Smith digging into the end of Trump’s presidency

To view past editions of The Hill’s 12:30 Report, click here: https://bit.ly/41ZMHnw

TALK OF THE MORNING 

Report says final days of Trump presidency are becoming focal point of special prosecutor’s probe: 

Special counsel Jack Smith is looking into a wild Oval Office meeting near the end of the Trump administration where officials discussed options for the then-president to try to stay in the White House. 

CNN reports that multiple sources have said Smith’s team is rooting around about the meeting. 

What they’re talking about: The meeting apparently took place Dec. 18, 2020 — about six weeks after President Biden defeated former President Trump. Unofficial advisers including attorney Sidney Powell, former national security adviser Michael Flynn and former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne all met with White House officials to discuss the potential nullification of the real election results. 

The Hill sums it up: CNN reported that people attending the meeting shouted at and insulted one another. Powell and Byrne previously spoke about the meeting in testimony to the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol. (The Hill) 

The interest in the Oval Office meeting comes as Smith’s team weighs whether to bring charges in the investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Smith has separately levied charges against Trump over classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago home, accusing Trump of retaining classified material after leaving office and attempting to obstruct federal efforts to recover the documents.

It’s Friday, July 7. I’m Elizabeth Crisp, filling in for Cate today, 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: ecrisp@digital-stage.thehill.com and follow me on Twitter @elizabethcrisp. 

In Congress 

Dems have hopes for House in 2024, but Senate outlook isn’t so rosy:

For Democrats, the House majority could be in reach next fall … BUT… Their narrow majority in the Senate could be hard to hold on to. 

The Dems need to pick up at least five House seats to win back the majority after a narrow GOP takeover in 2022, and the House map includes about a dozen seats being defended by Republicans in predominantly Democratic districts. 

The Senate, meanwhile, could have more toss-up races. 

What’s going on?: The Hill’s Caroline Vakil and Al Weaver break down the current outlook. 

📈 In the White House 

Economy still growing despite recession fears:

The U.S. added 209,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate fell to 3.6 percent, according to new Labor Department stats. 

It’s a bit higher than most economists had expected (a 240,000 job average), and the jobless rate also was better than predicted. 

The nation has faced many recession warnings and steep interest rate hikes from the Fed, but the U.S. economy has stayed sturdy this year in its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. 

Wage growth has also been strong. Earnings are up 4.4 percent over the past year — outpacing the annual inflation rate of 3.6 percent, according to the Labor Department. 

BUT, BUT, BUT: The Fed is expected to continue to raise interest rates later this month after a brief hike pause last month. 

Yellen opens Beijing trip by criticizing China: 

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen isn’t mincing words when it comes to the Chinese treatment of U.S. companies during her trip this week to Beijing. 

Yellen even pointed out the harsh conditions companies have faced if they do business in China, according to a New York Times report.  

Yellen addressed a group of executives today and spoke out against the Chinese government’s treatment of companies that have foreign connections.  

“I’ve been particularly troubled by punitive actions that have been taken against U.S. firms in recent months,” she said during a US Chamber of Commerce event held in China.  

U.S. officials have been on a mission in recent months to ease what have been tensions with China. (The Hill) 

🏃 2024 

DeSantis blames media for sagging poll numbers: ‘They’re going after me’:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) says media outlets are to blame for his plummeting GOP 2024 presidential poll numbers — which are now coming in far behind former President Trump. 

DeSantis is consistently coming in second in most GOP presidential primary polls, behind Trump, but the numbers are falling as Trump’s are rising. 

BLAME GAME: DeSantis won’t blame Trump, his team or himself. Instead, it’s now the media’s fault. (It should be noted that his wife, Casey, is a former TV reporter.) 

“Well, I think if you look at the people like the corporate media, who are they going after?” DeSantis said in a bitter interview with Fox News this week. “Who do they not want to be the nominee? They’re going after me.” (The Hill) 

🐥 Notable tweets 

Carters celebrate 77 years of marriage – four of them in the  

White House: 

Today is former President Carter’s wedding anniversary with his wife of 77 years (!!!), Rosalynn. Seriously the sweetest couple in politics that I’ve ever seen.  

“Join us in wishing former President Jimmy Carter & Rosalynn Carter a very happy anniversary,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweeted (along with an absolutely adorable photo of them back in the day.) 

Is it weird that Carter took office in 1977 and is having a 77th anniversary, continuing the seven theme? I will leave the numerology to you, dear readers …  

💜 Goodbye, purple guy: 

Grimace had a fun birthday month at McDonalds, but the party is over now. “[You] made me feel so specialll [thank you],” he sent as his final tweet from the official McD’s account. 

Don’t worry: Ronald McDonald’s best friend isn’t being killed off. He’s just relinquishing the birthday crown. 

⏱ On tap 

The House and Senate are gone. President Biden is here in D.C until he heads out for his Rehoboth Beach house tonight, and Vice President Harris doesn’t have anything on her public schedule but is presumed to be back in D.C. after her California trip. 

• 10 a.m.: President Biden received the Presidential Daily Briefing. 
• 1 p.m.: Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and national security adviser Jake Sullivan will brief reporters. 
• 3:30 p.m.: Biden will give a public address on the economy.    
• 6 p.m.: Biden will depart the White House as he heads to Rehoboth Beach, Del., for the weekend. 

All times Eastern.

🍫 In lighter news 

Today is World Chocolate Day!Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate … whatever you prefer, take some time to enjoy a bite (or a few bites)! As the saying goes: Nine out of 10 people love chocolate, and the 10th person is probably lying. 

And because you made it this far, check out this video that is basically an animal reenactment of my husband hoisting me up when I can’t see what’s going on at a concert.