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09/13/2018 07:59 AM EDT


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

IRREPLACEABLE? -- Senate Republicans believe one of their own would make the best successor for Attorney General Jeff Sessions. But no Republican senator appears to be interested in the position. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) assured he won't be installed as attorney general. "I like being a senator," he said. "There are plenty of more qualified people than me. Bunches of them. Thousands." Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas), who was considered for FBI director, is another option. But he maintains that he loves his job in the Senate. There's also Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), whose spokesman says he's "very happy" in his current role.

One GOP senator predicted that only four senators have a clean enough record of praise for Trump to be nominated for AG. That leaves...a Democrat? "With few obvious potential applicants for a job that seems to come with built-in clashes with the president, some senators even suggest Trump might have to nominate a Democrat to have any hope of getting a new attorney general confirmed," Burgess and Eliana Johnson write. "If I was the president, I'd even consider picking a Democrat if I thought I couldn't get anybody else through," Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f32f62fada0f7c8721009091b1f044cee189ce92a057adc618872b0fc14447465acd1480a45d5b0e74

SENATE PASSES MINIBUS -- The House will vote today on the bipartisan spending package that passed the Senate last night in a 92-5 vote. The House is expected to pass the measure, which President Donald Trump is expected to sign. The package funding military construction and veterans affairs; energy and water development; and the legislative branch is "a big step forward as congressional leaders maneuver to avoid a government shutdown at month's end," The Washington Post's Erica Werner writes. It "would mark the first batch of spending bills for 2019 to be signed into law, and comes with time running out for Congress to finalize all the must-pass bills before government funding expires Sept.
30."

The three appropriations bills are among the easiest to pass. Lawmakers will have a heavier lift on other appropriations and have already decided to push homeland security funding -- which contains money for the president's border wall -- until after the midterms. But they do plan to pass another spending package funding the Pentagon and HHS before the end of the fiscal year. "If they succeed in sending those bills to Trump, they will have provided for most of the government's budget for next year," she adds. "The rest of the government ... would be put on auto pilot with a short-term spending bill that extends 2018 spending levels." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f36b2978e917eb013d83e32c66d5d54927de44d69143c10708a7cbf69c3053ee756fe6bbb82c6b4f6d

RETTIG CONFIRMED -- The chamber also confirmed tax lawyer Chuck Rettig as IRS commissioner in a 64-33 vote, giving the agency its first permanent leader since November. "While assessing budget needs and reviewing its information technology and security weaknesses, Rettig will also need to immediately make sure the IRS is ready for the upcoming filing season and continue the guidance assembly line that's producing rules and regulations for the new tax cuts law which took effect this year," Aaron Lorenzo reports. Rettig's predecessor, former IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, said preparing for next year's tax filing will take up much of Rettig's attention early. Much more:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f3e2d0ee9974ed87b6c8b5c62117a1432b74de2547be7b2021107dea2c08b45f5eb2cb97868eff1297

GOOD MORNING! Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Thursday, Sept. 13.

** A message from the National Confectioners Association: The confectionery industry is comprised of hundreds of family-owned businesses as well as global companies operating nearly 1,300 facilities in all 50 states. Manufacturing chocolate and candy, we directly employ 54,000 people in the U.S., and we support more than 550,000 American workers in other industries. Learn more at PowerOfSweet.com. **

WEDNESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies' new diversity report on top House staffers was the winner.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS BREAK WITH TRUMP -- House Republicans are asking the president to reverse his opposition to giving federal employees a pay raise next year, warning that his position could harm the party in the midterms. "Some GOP lawmakers fear denying even a small pay increase to the 2.1 million civil servants across the country could be politically damaging in House districts the GOP is defending this fall, particularly those with heavy concentrations of federal workers that provide support to military bases," The Washington Post's Lisa Rein, Erica Werner and Josh Dawsey report.

"The idea that people who are comparatively well-off get tax cuts and we're not going to help federal employees get a reasonable raise ... I think it's a signal to the workforce about how they're valued," Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said. Before Labor Day, Trump reiterated his call for lawmakers to freeze the salaries of federal employees in 2019, which he proposed in February. "House and Senate negotiators are working to finalize a budget bill that will determine the salaries of federal workers," they note. "Unless Congress passes and the president signs a bill that includes a raise by the end of the year, federal pay rates will remain flat." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f35e6f3b132c0982882ee0265675f3d41328ae85cbb071f78acb3eccb3e9bd387651f178f700239958

KAVANAUGH EMAILS -- Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh told a Senate committee in 2006 that he wasn't "primarily" involved in shepherding the nomination of Charles Pickering, a controversial circuit court nominee, when he worked in the George W. Bush White House. "But emails released Wednesday show that Kavanaugh conducted meetings with Republican senators and was closely engaged in Pickering's nomination," Burgess reports. "Democrats are now arguing that Kavanaugh was not forthright under oath during his confirmation hearings to be a circuit court judge more than a decade ago, and are zeroing in on his work on behalf of Pickering." Much more:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f3367ad49c92d4b3b6435ba6af1147c88843015029d394dddd272ba6fceabd5ff28852a677f4890af9

Related: "Kavanaugh offers details on Nationals tickets purchases that led to debt," by The Washington Post's Seung Min Kim: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f31ea4372614f38d613d33c6b97b77d983956ee6ca4d9a401932484833fa5c17c93e5cd9a56e96d6d0 "Dianne Feinstein withholding Brett Kavanaugh document from fellow Judiciary Committee Democrats," from The Intercept's Ryan Grim: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f3ed4e69a40ccedc0086d02e2fb01b882a2fd84264eabf1a15b494a241899d2a819ced971ff8344f8f and "Whip list: Where senators stand on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh," via CNN's Daniella Diaz and Elizabeth Landers: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f32d1085a16cf844a24ebea438a3bb6c75d1e953cf05c457bd0eeb27f3ebe6f43d0ba1044d4431c1a5

NRCC USES MCCAIN IN ATTACK ADS -- John McCain's (R-Ariz.) family is disappointed that the late senator is being politicized in a pair of ads released by the NRCC. House Republicans' campaign arm is running two TV ads showing the maverick criticizing Democrats -- former Obama administration official Elissa Slotkin in Michigan and former Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick in Arizona. "The family is disappointed that John's image is being weaponized this election cycle so soon after his passing, and they had hoped there would be a more appropriate amount of time for people to think about his final message before they began to politicize him," said Rick Davis, a family friend and former McCain adviser.

"[A] source close to McCain's family said the House Republican campaign committee did not reach out to McCain's family or associates of the senator to seek approval to use his comments," James Arkin and Zach Montellaro report. Democratic candidate Tom Malinowski is also running a McCain ad in his race for a competitive New Jersey district. That ad features McCain praising his record opposing torture during his confirmation hearing to be an assistant secretary of state in the Obama administration. Malinowski, however, sought permission from aides to use McCain's comments. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f3b4013326aa3a828dc79bf604580a959b645cd260ac8b555d148693032d339d624ceb73ebe476cce0

CAROLINA CONTRAST -- Baptist Pastor Mark Harris and his opponent, Democrat Dan McCready, are taking vastly different approaches to campaigning as Hurricane Florence approaching the state. Harris bought 56 additional commercial spots to air on the Weather Channel over the next week beginning today. McCready, meanwhile, has suspended campaigning and asked TV stations in the state to stop running his ads. "Harris' tactic of gobbling up airtime on a channel many North Carolinians will watch intensely in the coming weeks is either a smart use of limited resources or a deeply cynical way to capitalize on a potential natural disaster," HuffPost's Kevin Robillard notes. More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f3b4ffc38fa5e501c96cb8931602569e37658a44617f01f77a120eab542097a82bb9735de7794a81f5

BIG SPENDING -- Green groups are going big this cycle. The League of Conservation Voters plans to spend $60 million to help Democrats win control of Congress and statehouses across the country. Other environmental groups -- including the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Defense Fund -- also aim to spend more money this cycle than they did in 2016. "Trump's victory in 2016, along with his administration's subsequent attempts to roll back numerous environmental rules, have fueled a fundraising surge that environmental groups hope will help them put a check on the president by electing Democratic majorities in Congress," The Washington Post's Dino Grandoni
writes. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f349cfa02a4943b032b5e028a4463c5666789075692def608551b2657a58ce8376a3b524002665b250

NO SURPRISES -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) easily won their primaries on Wednesday. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) ran unopposed. All three are expected to be reelected in November. Whitehouse beat Patricia Fontes, a social activist and former educator, by more than 60,000 votes. He will face Rhode Island attorney Robert Flanders, a former state Supreme Court justice, this fall. Cicilline won his district by more than 30,000 votes. His opponent is Republican Patrick Donovan, and Langevin's GOP challenger is Salvatore Caiozzo, who also ran unopposed.

GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT FELLOWSHIP -- The Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog group, has opened applications for its 2019 oversight fellowships. Fellows will spend next year alongside staff at a congressional committee, learning firsthand how Congress conducts oversight by working on investigative projects. The fellowship offers a stipend of up to $108,000 and allowances for health insurance and relocation. Legislative experience isn't necessary, but proven investigating and research chops -- plus a desire to learn more about congressional oversight -- is a must. Applications are due Sept. 27. More information: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f34dd5b0baaae45801d0ccaf9139f0e79290ab90422ed788cf452171bd9b4864e1a701eedc6fb98ae0 and the
application: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6af7c0003b9a50f31aa3137ac06b45fd38c223db48a6d540890eb6fcaf14d394eb66d71b6bd4f59684b7e8151d3deef2

TODAY IN CONGRESS -- The House gavels in at 10 a.m. with first votes expected between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and last votes expected between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. The Senate is out.

AROUND THE HILL -- House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will hold a media availability immediately after the Republican Conference meeting at 10 a.m. in HVC-Studio A.

Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Reps. John Larson (D-Conn.), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) will hold a news conference to announce the Expand Social Security Caucus at 10 a.m. in 430 Dirksen.

Senate Democratic leaders will hold a news conference after their weekly policy lunch starting around 2 p.m. in the Ohio Clock Corridor.

WEDNESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER -- Jeff Lande was first to correctly guess that there are 17 House members who have gone on to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, with former Rep. Fred Vinson being the last congressman to sit on it.

TODAY'S TRIVIA -- How many presidents have vetoed more than 100 pieces of legislation, and who are they? 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 National Confectioners Association: For every job created in confectionery manufacturing, another ten are supported in related industries, creating a 1:10 multiplier effect. Beyond economic impact, America's leading chocolate and candy companies are committed to community engagement, responsible marketing and helping consumers manage their sugar intake. Consumers understand the unique role that chocolate and candy can play in a happy, balanced lifestyle; in fact, most people in the United States enjoy chocolate & candy about twice a week, averaging about 40 calories per day and about one teaspoon of added sugar per day from confectionery items. Confectioners are a
vital piece of the American economy, as they have been manufacturing some of the world's most iconic brands for decades. Learn more about the #PowerOfSweet at PowerOfSweet.com. **

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