It’s Tuesday — Happy Election Day! We are officially under the one-year mark until the 2024 presidential election.*Nervous laughs to deflect* Here’s what we’re covering today:
Senate leaders are exploring options to keep the government open with most of the funding bills still in limbo. Former President Trump’s New York courtroom testimony was testier than the “Bachelorette” reunion episode in Katie Thurston’s season.
Today’s election results will give helpful insight into Americans’ moods for 2024. My social media feeds were filled with photos of the sunset last night. Keep reading for a few favorites.
I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@digital-stage.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. |
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Mix it all together and whatd’ya get?: |
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^ Hopefully not Rachel Green’s trifle 😬
The Senate has passed only three of the dozen funding bills necessary to keep the government open — and passing the remaining nine funding bills will require a massive push.
So: Senate leaders are considering a proposal to combine the remaining nine appropriations bills into one “maxi-bus” proposal. I know that term sounds fake, but I promise I did not make that up.
There aren’t many legislative days before Christmas: “If lawmakers don’t get their work done, they face the prospect of a government shutdown or the passage of an extended stopgap measure that keeps government funding frozen — or possibly cuts current levels — until next year.” To give you a sense of how difficult it can be to pass each of these funding bills: “It took senators nearly seven weeks to consider that package on the Senate floor, even though the bills it included passed out of the Appropriations Committee with unanimous support.” What to expect, via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton |
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➤ SPEAKER JOHNSON IS CONSIDERING A FUNDING IDEA THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT: |
It’s called a “laddered” stopgap funding approach. Basically, that means having different parts of government funding expire at different times. So instead of one big deadline, there would be several smaller deadlines. Roll Call has a helpful explainer on this approach and how it has actually been used before. |
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➤ TIDBIT — REPUBLICANS WEIGH THEIR OPTIONS: |
NBC News’s Scott Wong posted a photo of a “slide shown by leadership in this morning’s GOP conference meeting on the three options for averting a shutdown, per attendee.” Option three: “Jammed by Senate, negotiate best we can get.” See the three options listed |
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Politico’s Jennifer Scholtes and Caitlin Emma write how Democrats “see a big upside to Johnson’s conservative funding push.”
The gist: “The new speaker has leaned into the right flank’s spending crusade, giving House Democrats plenty of election messaging on cuts to education, Amtrak, LGBTQ policies and abortion rights.” (Politico) |
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⚖️ Trump’s Legal Troubles |
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Things got TESTY, let me tell you: |
Former President Trump turned his under-oath testimony into a political rally filled with grievances, interruptions and insults hurled at New York Judge Arthur Engoron and the prosecution. It got so tense that Engoron even told Trump’s lawyer to control his client.
The Hill’s Brett Samuels pointed out: “Trump’s testimony was a focal point of coverage on cable news throughout the day. Even CNN, which has at times avoided airing his commentary because it often contains misinformation, broadcast Trump’s comments as he departed the courtroom Monday.” (The Hill)
All of the appropriate adjectives — I love how the Times worded this: “He was belligerent and brash, unrepentant and verbose — regardless of the courtroom setting, he was the quintessential Donald J. Trump.” (The New York Times) |
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Trump did not hold back: “I’m sure the judge will rule against me because he always rules against me,” the former president said.
The judge was not having it: “I’d like to move things along a little faster; please no speeches,” Engoron said at another point during the hearing.
The ‘I was president’ excuse doesn’t quite work in 2021: When a prosecutor asked him about the Trump Organization’s 2021 financial statements, Trump replied: “I was so busy in the White House … China, Russia and keeping our country safe.” The prosecutor responded: “Just to clarify the record, you weren’t president in 2021 were you?” “No, I wasn’t,” the former president said.
Right before the judge called for a 15-minute break: When the judge asked Trump’s lawyer Chris Kise to control his client, Kise said, “I would think, respectfully — of all witnesses — your honor would want to hear everything this witness has to say.” “No, I do not want to hear everything this witness has to say,” Engoron replied. Trump smiled at this comment.
Trump was not pleased: “It’s a disgrace that a case like this is going on; all you have to do is read the legal scholars — the papers — and you’ll know,” Trump raised his voice. “This is a political witch hunt.” From the New York attorney general: “I will not be bullied. I will not be harassed,” Letitia James told reporters. “Justice will prevail.” Watch
The Hill’s Ella Lee, who is in New York for the trial, has a great piece wrapping up the testy testimony. And here’s a live blog of key moments. |
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Go get a sticker today! Deep down, we all love getting a sticker: |
It’s Election Day! Voters are headed to the polls in at least 37 states today, according to ABC News’s 538. And while today’s results serve as a litmus test for Americans’ priorities in 2024, there are several critical measures on the ballot.
Races to watch: Voters in Ohio will decide whether to amend the state’s constitution to protect abortion rights. That measure looks likely to pass. And voters will determine which party controls the state legislatures in Virginia and New Jersey. |
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➤ HELPFUL READS, ELECTION PREVIEWS AND 2024 LOOKAHEADS: |
- Abortion is on the ballot in Tuesday’s key elections’: The Hill
‘Voters Are Dreading a Trump-Biden Rematch. Enter R.F.K. Jr.’: The New York Times
‘5 predictions for Election Day 2023’: The Hill
‘Some Democrats worry Biden’s team is ignoring political warning signs’: The Washington Post ‘5 key questions for Tuesday’s election’: The Hill
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Office-sharing company WeWork filed for bankruptcy on Monday.
Wow: Shares of WeWork dropped to less than $1 after the filing, according to The Associated Press. Two years ago, shares were roughly $400. Trading of its shares halted Monday after the drop.
A sign that things were in bad shape: The New York Times reported last month that WeWork missed $95 million in interest payments.
Does this mean all WeWorks are closing?: Not necessarily. WeWork will likely close some locations and renegotiate leases on others. This filing only affects WeWork locations in the U.S. and Canada.
📺 Side note: If you haven’t seen WeCrashed on Apple TV+, the Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway drama about WeWork is very good. |
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🍫 Celebrate: Today is National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day. 💬 News you can use — and casually forward to certain family members: Time’s Angela Haupt writes, “8 Rules for Navigating Your Family Text Chain.” (Time)
✋ Oh, yikes: Here’s a photo of the White House gates covered in red handprints on Monday after weekend protests. Photo from ABC News’s Mary Bruce
🌅 Who saw the insane sunset last night?: My social media feeds were filled with photos of last night’s bright sunset. Here’s one and another and one from the U.S. Capitol. Wow, this shot from Chicago is incredible.
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The House and Senate are in. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C. (all times Eastern) |
This morning: The Hill’s Bob Cusack moderated a panel at the Milken Institute’s 2023 Future of Health Summit. Watch
1:30 p.m.: First House votes. Last votes are expected around 9:15 p.m. 🗓️ Today’s agenda
2 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby brief reporters. 📺 Livestream
2:15 p.m.: Two Senate judicial confirmation votes. Two more may be held around 5:30 p.m. if cloture is invoked. 🗓️ Today’s agenda
2:30 p.m.: A Senate hearing on roadway safety. 📺 Livestream 4:45 p.m.: Biden tours demonstrations at American Possibilities: A White House Demo Day at The Showroom.
Wednesday: The third GOP presidential debate. Five candidates have qualified for the Miami debate: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. (Announcement)
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