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01/24/2019 08:00 AM EDT

By MELANIE ZANONA (mzanona@politico.com; @MZanona)


SUCCESS BY FAILURE -- The Senate will vote on a competing set of bills to reopen the government today - but don't get too excited, as neither measure is expected to pass. However, it will offer frustrated senators their first chance to vote on spending legislation since the government shutdown began 34 days ago. And once it becomes clear that both proposals will fail, it could rally lawmakers around a new third option - at least that's the hope, anyway. "Our leadership is strongly encouraging us to set off a negotiation by having both go down so that it forces a negotiation," one GOP senator told Burgess and Marianne. What the Senate will vote on: an immigration plan from President Donald
Trump, followed by a clean, House-passed bill to reopen the government through Feb. 8. Much more from our dynamic duo: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65ce0100b3754d205af1596fc438ca98f3dd7aa77a283b111e59e8fc9a61ae86e6dea262f4a911b6bdd3

Related: "Editorial: Sen. Cory Gardner to break with Republicans on Trump's wall - it's the right thing to do," from The Denver Post: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65cebe633f21375786ec6c7960099c4b39e7e9c6e5bad07bde663818a936bf02eb8679fd2f0996ba8955

Meanwhile, there are also slivers of progress in the House, with Democratic leaders preparing a counter offer to Trump's border security demands. Their pitch is expected to include at least $5 billion for border protection, but no new money for a wall, according to aides. While that's likely a non-starter for the GOP, the proposal could kickstart long-stalled negotiations -and put the ball back in Trump's court. "Red rover, red rover... send the first Democratic offer over," Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) quipped to your Huddle host. The House will also vote this morning on a stopgap bill to fund the Homeland Security Department through Feb. 28 and provide back pay to employees. Then lawmakers
will leave town, ensuring the shutdown drags into another week. More from Sarah and Heather: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65ce5c29e62184cbc387f6d9e1eac8f2ce0c19c192c7ce3486b84602561313c0986dc53fc34a1026efce

Related: "'Master negotiator' or 'nonentity'? Kushner thrusts himself into middle of shutdown talks," by Josh Dawsey and Robert Costa at The Washington Post: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65ce0c5c39ec1fcb67b3d8aa8918b31665ab243d32ef3ac01ded3f701c3dd8e20587641db1edcbd2b754

TRUMP CAVES TO PELOSI ON SOTU -- The showdown between Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Trump over his State of the Union address has been a game of chicken, but in the end, it was the president who blinked first. Trump tweeted Wednesday night that he has agreed to postpone his speech until after the shutdown is over. "I am not looking for an alternative venue for the SOTU Address because there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber," Trump said. "I look forward to giving a 'great' State of the Union Address in the near future!"

Earlier in the day, Pelosi essentially disinvited Trump from delivering the Jan. 29 speech because of security concerns - a bold and largely unprecedented move that risks backlash if Democrats are seen as playing political games. Still, it was a surprising and rare concession from Trump, who will now lose a high-profile platform to make his case for the border wall. It's unclear, however, whether the president will also be willing to back down on his border wall demands or if this drama will sour negotiations between Democratic leaders and the president. More from Heather, Bres and Rebecca Morin: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65cead5ac9388b6bb74d91ca1b6020d72cf46348e83362e48fa92675c0a3b561a9f9668ddd83c06dcdaa

COHEN CANCELS -- As if Wednesday wasn't newsy enough: Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen is trying to delay an upcoming appearance in front of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, citing "ongoing threats" against his family. Democrats on the panel said they are now considering issuing a subpoena to force Cohen to testify, but they have a small window, as Cohen is required to report to federal prison in early March. The blockbuster hearing was originally scheduled for Feb. 7. More from Darren Samuelsohn and Caitlin Oprysko: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65ce5292adb888b1dfd55cd7f2fadd36751412ff72f50be33d335b2fd625381715dbbf0f681918a76a25

GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Thursday, Jan. 24. The (terrifying) Philadelphia Flyers mascot is heading to Capitol Hill next month, which has us wondering: is Gritty forming an exploratory committee?

WEDNESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The report from The Des Moines Register on Sen. Joni Ernst's (R-Iowa) divorce battle was the winner.

** A message from the National Confectioners Association - #AlwaysATreat: Leading global chocolate and candy companies are coming together to provide more information, options, and support as consumers enjoy their favorite treats. It's the first step on our journey to help people manage their sugar intake and ensure that they feel empowered to make informed choices. Learn more at AlwaysATreat.com. **

DEM OVERSIGHT HEATS UP -- House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) opened up a new probe on Wednesday into the White House's security clearance process. The panel wants to know how and why certain officials were issued clearances, including Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser; Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser; and Rob Porter, the former White House staff secretary who left amid allegations of spousal abuse. Rachael with the dispatch: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65ce5c465ad3834a1984cacd633b7b12366d99f60ccb488ded2cf816c6b72fe36a29408a602bfdde2e63

Top Democrats are also planning a joint investigation into Deutsche Bank, which has been under scrutiny for its business dealings with Trump, scoops Zachary Warmbrodt. It's sure to be one of the most closely-watched probes on Capitol Hill, as it could provide key insights into the president's finances and connections abroad. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65ce0404bae2aa31956729d3c22b223a124d5b438058342b98a2a4ba22c163edb7595915e1c26b19e2af

Related read: "White House takes 'haphazard' approach to Dem oversight," from Andrew and Anita Kumar: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65cedc1ec41ca753191345ea160c1d7ab4c21ecdd86f304316235e81d711a94bebb6ce5707e91711f866

JACKSON LEE LOSES JUDICIARY GAVEL -- Embattled Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) has relinquished her Judiciary subcommittee gavel and resigned from chairing the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the latest in an ongoing saga for the veteran lawmaker. Jackson Lee is being sued by an ex-staffer who claims the Texan fired her because she was planning to report an alleged rape by a former employee of the foundation. Jackson Lee has denied the allegation and initially refused to step aside, but was facing intense pressure from board members, fellow CBC lawmakers and outside groups to give up her leadership posts. More from your Huddle host and Rachael:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65ceadf81a2c84eeebeffd8cb19cf7c52904950ae084629577a843e48688e552c8eb079337e0d1e03cfe

ERNST SHARES "ME TOO" MOMENT -- In an emotional and powerful interview with Bloomberg, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) opened up about being raped by a college boyfriend. She decided to disclose the painful episode after Ernst's divorce filings recently became public, which revealed accusations that she suffered verbal, mental and physical abuse from her ex-husband. Ernst, 48, is the fourth-highest ranking Republican in the Senate. "I didn't want to share it with anybody, and in the era of hashtag-MeToo survivors, I always believed that every person is different and they will confront their demons when they're ready," Ernst said in the interview. "And I was not ready." Much more from Jennifer
Jacobs: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65cef07a77b428e0fdbe6e67490ca33c8ab4b8f48c5dfb68990f152eb0e93079211b1c64bd0a24bcf6f4

STACEY FOR SENATE? -- Democrats are aggressively recruiting Stacey Abrams to run for a Georgia Senate seat in 2020, James Arkin reports. While unsuccessful in her bid to become the nation's first black female governor last year, Abrams quickly became a popular, progressive star in the party. But the former state lawmaker still wants to become governor one day, which may hold her back from running for Congress. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65ce092af06eb816d40e763b2d61a13ccc9955dc861fcefe1153ad21f75f552c9cc882293b45335e7d12

Spotted: Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) eating lunch with Stacey Abrams at RPM Italian on Wednesday.

HFC MEETS AOC: The anti-Trump "resistance" has a new battleground to take on Trump's "warriors": The House Oversight and Reform Committee. Democrats have stacked the panel with liberal firebrands like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), who will serve as a counterweight to the conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus who also serve on the committee. "I'm hoping that will rebalance the committee a little bit. We could use a little bit of heft from the left," said Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.). More from Andrew and yours truly: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65ce52bef5b02e544369fc3fa0c2707880973aba8be9fda969d82b316ad2f961b1b87efbedc02128c436

NEW DEMS BULK UP -- While much of the national media attention has centered on the outspoken liberals in the freshman class, 40 newly-elected members have joined the centrist New Democrat Coalition. The caucus officially added nine more freshmen to its ranks on Wednesday, making it the largest ideological caucus in the House. The group had 68 members last Congress. "Now at more than 100-strong, the New Democrat Coalition will continue to push Congress to look at old problems through a new lens," said New Democrat Coalition Chairman Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.). "We are laser-focused on our common denominator: we are here to get something done."

CENTRIST DEMS PLEAD FOR SHUTDOWN END -- Two groups of moderate House Democrats fired off letters to leadership yesterday urging them to break the shutdown stalemate, a sign of the growing frustration among the rank-and-file. Thirty members, many of them freshmen who represent Trump districts, asked Pelosi to reopen the government and then allow a vote on border security. And the moderate Blue Dog Coalition also called on leaders in both parties to "hold a bipartisan, bicameral summit" where they can find a solution to "reopen the government, and then follow up with a long-term, bipartisan solution that ensures strong, effective border security."

BOOKER WON'T BE PUNISHED FOR "SPARTACUS" MOMENT -- Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) won't be penalized for releasing confidential committee documents during the Senate confirmation hearing over Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, reports The Hill's Alexander Bolton. Booker, one of the potential presidential hopefuls in the chamber, had faced widespread criticism for the move and Judicial Watch filed a complaint. But the Senate Ethics Committee determined that Booker didn't violate chamber rules. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65ce60c3f2d9fe1f68dde04cc150fa6321eccd500f647d279ba5b97b74bd1e7aea0bd6acb877b022a4b4

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TRANSITIONS
Cheri Paquette Gillan is now communications director for Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.). She is an alum of Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Fox News.

Keeley Christensen and Nick Petromelis are joining The Herald Group. Christensen, most recently a deputy communications director for former House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), will serve as an account manager. Petromelis, who has worked for Reps. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) and Mike Bost (R-Ill.), has been hired as an associate.
TODAY IN CONGRESS
The House gavels in at 9 a.m., with first and last votes expected between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=abb4c4d3849f65cea1f0fda0c1e334a75df660488e6ac246715ef8e4149495ffb76766cd38ee611ce0f47997b54b3dc0 The Senate meets at 11 a.m., with votes expected later this afternoon.
AROUND THE HILL
House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) hosts a panel discussion on the impacts of the shutdown on security personnel at 10 a.m. in the Congressional Auditorium.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) holds her weekly press conference at 10:45 a.m. in HVC Studio A.

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) holds a press conference on legislation providing childcare for workers impacted by the shutdown at 12:30 p.m. in HVC Studio B.
TRIVIA
WEDNESDAY'S WINNER -- Thomas T. Sheffield was the first to correctly guess that there are currently eight U.S. Senators who have served as a state attorney general.

TODAY'S QUESTION -- From me: Who was the last president to forgo the joint address to Congress and submit a written version of SOTU instead? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: mzanona@politico.com.

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