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07/18/2018 07:54 AM EDT


By Nolan D. McCaskill (nmccaskill@politico.com or @NolanDMcCaskill)

DEMS URGE GOP TO DO SOMETHING AGAINST TRUMP -- Democrats and some conservatives say it's time for Republican critics of President Donald Trump to start walking the walk instead of simply talking the talk. In the wake of his extraordinary news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, Trump has endured some of the sharpest criticism of his administration from fellow Republicans for siding with Putin over his own intelligence agencies on Russian meddling. Trump, for his part, claimed he misspoke when he said, "I don't see any reason why it would be" Russia that meddled. He meant to say "wouldn't," he claimed Tuesday.

"Any one senator, if he or she were willing to buck Trump and party leadership, could grind the chamber to a halt, vote down nominees or even threaten to switch caucuses," Burgess and Elana explain. Democrats see the "usual suspects" -- Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) -- as the Republicans most likely to resort to more drastic measures. But even they "appear to have no appetite for the kind of ultra-principled stand Democrats pine for," the two write. "Many Republicans like Trump's domestic agenda, if not the way he talks about it, and still don't believe direct confrontation with the president is
the answer."

Flake found the idea of switching parties laughable, while Murkowski said the prospect isn't worth entertaining. A Sasse spokesman added that using procedural leverage to halt Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's nomination in response to Trump's rhetoric would be "idiotically stupid." There are other options for GOP senators, though. "Those who hold committee gavels could exert their power to conduct harsher oversight of the administration or issue subpoenas," they note. "But most Republicans argue that simply doing their job with a semblance of normalcy is the best response to whatever Trump happens to be up to on any given day." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=92136f4566b6b1c9dc530644d173f5e142a58f94b337bf3b6639cabb94e7e4a3d57d3c0f9833fa94e29a6ae2f258ee0c


Related: "After Helsinki, Democrats see chance to capitalize on Trump's embrace of Russia," by The Washington Post's Mike DeBonis and Sean Sullivan: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=92136f4566b6b1c92a51495a15c0c1cdcf5499e992214801fb5f52b3160f84cc1e7b894919d2af38a41f2b0dc163593b

TWEET DU JOUR: @tombrennerphoto: "The President wrote in sharpie 'THERE WAS NO COLUSION' during a meeting with congressional members."

SENATE MAY ACT ON RUSSIA SANCTIONS BILL -- Democrats longing for Republicans to do something, anything, have a new sliver of hope. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) acknowledged that "there's a possibility" the chamber will take up legislation imposing new sanctions on Russia. "McConnell mentioned a bipartisan bill from Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) that would slap new penalties on Moscow if the director of national intelligence were to find meddling in future U.S. elections," Elana reports. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) supported the bill but demanded more be done, including testimony from administration officials on what Trump and
Putin discussed in their private meeting Monday.

Rubio said he would "redouble" his efforts to pass the bill. He predicted it could reach a veto-proof majority but said it'll be difficult to find its way to the floor once Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination gets going. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=796e6e04bdaaa869e7db79271cfa2957f788e43f3bf81db7f426dc5395533b2afadb9fd1fc838ac026f52f680baad9b3

Republicans for the Rule of Law plans to run an ad on "Fox and Friends" in Washington, D.C., on Thursday criticizing the president for siding with Putin and calling on Congress to protect special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. The 30-second spot: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=796e6e04bdaaa869c27699297624dafa7df3d8af0b8f62a38c22568d350e9d85725d46de8c065ececeb49fb587c0dcdc

Related reads: "Inside Trump's Putin climb-down," from Matthew Nussbaum, Nancy Cook and Christopher Cadelago: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8499462359bbb83a866dc5b7c8cccf875bb02e0ad83037942c9a2ef79a5cf1fd29023c938422a009fdc37d80df20c279 and Rubio and Van Hollen's joint op-ed from January: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=796e6e04bdaaa8693cd04646518461e523b91cdebbfc722e5198271c15f9fbb99c976a9ae66c04e78f66951270789d27

POMPEO WILL TESTIFY -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the president's recent meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin next Wednesday. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the committee chairman, personally pushed for Pompeo to appear. "Democrats had already been pleading with the administration to brief them on North Korea," Burgess notes. "And they quickly demanded Republicans call in Pompeo to discuss Russia after Trump's widely criticized press conference." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has called for Jon Huntsman, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, and Director of National
Intelligence Dan Coats to testify on Trump's meeting with Putin. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=796e6e04bdaaa8697fd6cb3a4d56a07a88f405f2053be265adcb0ef29b78568a92f1ec3f2e2ea3e6990e36a18591bf3c

At least two Democrats have also called for Trump's interpreter during the Putin meeting to testify. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) both called for the translator's testimony. "The statements come after lawmakers on both sides of the aisle rushed to admonish Trump for his comments at the summit Monday and as many lawmakers are hoping to get more answers about what was discussed behind closed doors," CNN's Lauren Fox writes. "It is unclear if Republicans, who control the witness list for committees on Capitol Hill, would ask the interpreter to testify." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=796e6e04bdaaa86919643f052ff09c31cfd8a7a9885b6124eb29e95cb3e70cb2a60e8b62696417f3ff675ee2a98788ca

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this July 18.

** A message from the American Academy of Dermatology: Board-certified dermatologists treat more than 3,000 diseases, many of which are chronic, disabling, and more than skin deep. American Academy of Dermatology Association members are on Capitol Hill this week, strongly supporting H.R.1316 and S.637 to protect patients and promote pharmaceutical access and affordability. Learn more at www.aad.org. **

TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: An example of the mailers the Koch-backed group Americans for Prosperity is sending out in four states this week as part of a six-figure direct mail and digital ad campaign for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was the winner.

SHE'S RUNNING -- House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) announced her run to succeed Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) as caucus chair. Sánchez is the first Democrat to formally enter the race since Crowley's stunning primary loss last month. "[B]y announcing before anyone else, Sánchez is signaling to other members who have privately expressed interest in the post that the race starts now, months before the caucus meets in late November or early December to vote on its leaders," Heather reports. "As the No. 5 House Democrat, Sánchez is likely best positioned out of the gate to secure the chairmanship post. She's been campaigning with Democratic
candidates and fundraising in her current leadership role and has a whip operation that was in place even before Crowley's unexpected loss."

The former chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will likely have the 31-member group's support if no other CHC members run, and she's close to the so-called "Pennsylvania Corner" of influential House Democrats from the Northeast Corridor. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who lost a razor-thin race for vice chair in 2016, has signaled her interest in running for caucus chair. Other potential candidates include Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), chairman of the DCCC. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=796e6e04bdaaa86965d61c4109556d2a12cc21a28497c216ef128ff72221ce62c0f450f453f71cfa8a7ba6c16235d75e

Sánchez spoke at the POLITICO Pro Summit on Tuesday. Here's what she said about infrastructure: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8499462359bbb83aa3a875618c071d47cd764b95c0e10ea92ce0773edeee34c52ec73ca569d182b123f4c82a1c7b07ab and impeachment: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a28077c297ef89700222f3c4bb98548b10c051f7df7fa25688e70b01bca9b03089486f4ec10abd6538857d1dde17fcf5

HOUSE GOP PUSHING FOR $5B FOR BORDER WALL -- House Republicans are aiming to give the president $5 billion for his border wall in fiscal year 2019. "The $5 billion would be included in a House homeland-security spending bill expected to be released [today]," The Washington Post's Erica Werner reports. "The Senate included only $1.6 billion for the wall in its version of the bill last month, a figure that displeased Trump, who told senators he might shut down the government this fall if he does not get more." House Appropriations Committee ranking member Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), however, said the $5 billion figure is "unacceptable." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a28077c297ef897031d87cd0be4ef4393f0e0edfccc80fd9b808353b79d38847adfa5de7d801d43db5e313c0a334a0e1

ANOTHER HOUSE GOP WAKE-UP CALL -- Fifty-six Democratic candidates have outraised Republican incumbents in second-quarter fundraising. "Sixteen of those House Republicans finished the quarter with less cash in their campaign accounts than Democratic opponents, while no Democratic members lag their Republican challengers in cash," Elena Schneider adds. "It's a financial trend line that has gotten worse for Republican candidates over the past year, even as megadonors pour millions into the House GOP super PAC." But it gets worse. More than two dozen Democratic candidates in open battleground districts have also outraised Republicans, with 19 of those candidates leading in cash on hand.

"The list of outraised incumbents includes some of the most vulnerable Republicans in the country -- such as Reps. Jason Lewis in Minnesota, Rod Blum in Iowa, Dana Rohrabacher in California and Leonard Lance in New Jersey -- as well as members like Reps. Dave Brat of Virginia and Steve Chabot of Ohio," she writes. The fundraising totals aren't all bad for the GOP, though. Reps. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.), Mia Love (R-Utah), Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) and Brian Mast (R-Fla.) all raised more than $1 million last quarter. However, 22 Democrats running in Republican districts also surpassed $1 million in second-quarter fundraising. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a28077c297ef89707c6798d38867dee90834aaac81afeeb9547369a7b742617083255617f4359c3f73be9506611a151a

Related: "Heritage Action Advocacy Group Shifts to Bolstering GOP Candidates," via The Wall Street Journal's Kristina Peterson: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a28077c297ef8970febe0b5ccbf38d5c2625bb2c23187f604918a915168d8096fc596f68f5201bb6ee88afc9fc6cd5ad

TRUMP PATS HIMSELF ON BACK AFTER ROBY WINS RUNOFF -- President Donald Trump congratulated Rep. Martha Roby (R-Ala.) this morning on her successful primary runoff against former Democratic Rep. Bobby Bright and credited himself -- and his "appropriately late" endorsement -- for delivering "the kind of landslide victory that you deserve." "The primary revealed again how deeply Trump has transformed Republican Party politics, with Roby's split putting her -- previously a well-liked conservative in good standing with her base -- in political jeopardy before Trump himself helped bail her out," Scott Bland reports. More on Roby's win: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a28077c297ef8970f137a255d13e2a873a42832d9235a96be0955b66e3f218f89c118d7f8f343de6bf076b846978d3e0

2020 WATCH -- Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is releasing a book, "The Truths We Hold: An American Journey," expected to be released in January, which David Siders notes is "about a year before the Iowa caucuses." Penguin Books, the publisher, said Harris will write about "the core truths that unite us, and the long struggle to discern what those truths are and how best to act upon them, in her own life and across the life of our country." Potential 2020 candidates Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have already had their books published. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a28077c297ef8970dbc05ea5bf6d3931b084a722637ea37b7d9e552c466c12e2653f872fbdc9b75f0ba6f1e0459ddff8

HIRONO, CMR TO BE HONORED WITH LEADERSHIP AWARDS -- Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and House GOP Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) will be honored with the Faith & Politics Institute's Lewis-Hough Congressional Leadership Awards for Conscience, Courage and Compassion tomorrow morning in the Library of Congress. The award is named after Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and former Rep. Amo Houghton (R-N.Y.). FPI said both Hirono and McMorris Rodgers have "demonstrated integrity between their values and their actions and long-term commitment to leadership in service of our democracy."

TRANSITIONS -- Stami Williams is now communications director for Rep. Karen Handel (R-Ga.). She was previously communications director for Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and is an alum of Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and former Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.).

SPOTTED: Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) last night at BLT in downtown D.C.; also at two separate tables at the restaurant: Michael Avenatti, Susanna and Jack Quinn, Adrienne Elrod and others; and Maggie Haberman.

TODAY IN CONGRESS -- The House gavels in at 10 a.m. with first votes expected between 2:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. and last votes expected between 9:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a28077c297ef89701d40181840395a0ccaac4a8717945603e61fc01ef390a5b802668b752f25baa1f55ece18fcd9597c The Senate meets at 10 a.m. to resume consideration of judicial nominee Andrew Oldham. At 2 p.m., the chamber will vote on Oldham's confirmation and then hold a procedural vote on judicial nominee Ryan Wesley Bounds.

AROUND THE HILL -- Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) will hold a meeting with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at 9 a.m. in Russell 361A.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.) will hold a news conference to discuss the 170th anniversary of the first Women's Rights Convention at 10 a.m. in the House Triangle.

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell will testify before the House Financial Services Committee on monetary policy and the state of the economy at 10 a.m. in 2128 Rayburn.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Reps. Roger Williams (R-Texas) and Cedric Richmond (D-La.) will hold a news conference with Jeff Idelson, president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and MLB Hall of Famer Andre Dawson to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the integration of baseball at 10:30 a.m. in the Senate Swamp.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, and Leslie Dach, chair of Protect Our Care, will hold a conference call briefing to release a "Summer of Sabotage report on the Trump administration's sabotage of health care beginning at 10:30 a.m. The call-in number is 877-260-1479, and the password is "Summer of Sabotage."

Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) will hold a news conference on a bipartisan resolution to reclaim Congress' constitutional right to declare war and define presidential wars not declared by Congress as impeachable "high crimes and misdemeanors" at 11 a.m. in the House Triangle.

Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), Ted Poe (R-Texas), Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) will hold a news conference to discuss the EMPOWER (Ending the Monopoly of Power Over Workplace Harassment through Education and Reporting) Act at 2 p.m. in 1310 Longworth.

Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) will hold a discussion on federal policy responses to automation and the future of work at 2 p.m. in 421 Cannon.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) will hold a briefing focusing on harmful practices endured by women and girls globally, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation, rooted in gender inequality at 2 p.m. in 2045 Rayburn.

Reps. Ann McLane Kuster (D-N.H.) and Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.) will hold a discussion on efforts to expand access to medication assisted treatment for incarcerated addicts to reduce recidivism and address the opioid epidemic at 3 p.m. in 2360 Rayburn.

TUESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER -- Wyeth Ruthven was first to correctly guess that Congress met in New York and Philadelphia before first convening in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 17, 1800.

TODAY'S TRIVIA -- From Wyeth: What was the original name of the hill on which the U.S. Capitol resides, and who actually owned the property? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: nmccaskill@politico.com.

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** A message from the American Academy of Dermatology: Board-certified dermatologists detect, diagnose, and treat more than 3,000 different diseases, many of which are more than skin deep. We can also provide a first alert for diseases such as cancer and diabetes. In fact, Nancy's breast cancer was diagnosed by her dermatologist - twice; Ralph lived when a dermatologist, surgeon, and oncologist together tackled his rare and aggressive form of cancer; Makeba got her life back when a dermatologist, gastroenterologist, and plastic surgeon teamed up to treat her rare skin disease. They aren't alone - millions of other Americans seek treatment for skin conditions each year. The American Academy
of Dermatology Association asks Congress to support H.R.1316 and S.637 so patients can know the true cost of prescription drugs. At www.skinserious.org, learn about how serious skin diseases affect patients' lives and families, and how dermatologists work to improve outcomes and help patients receive the care they need. **

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