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01/15/2019 08:00 AM EDT

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


KING GETS KICKED OFF COMMITTEE POSTS -- The House GOP Steering Committee unanimously agreed last night to strip embattled Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) of his committee assignments over his racist remarks and defense of white nationalism. The rare and drastic step comes as Republicans have been under mounting pressure to punish King and get out ahead of a ballooning political crisis for the party, with Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) calling on King to resign. But a defiant King refused to step down even after losing his committee seats, and lashed out at House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for what he called an "assault" on his freedom of speech. "In
previous years, racially charged statements by King were met with public denunciations and hand-wringing, but no formal action," report Heather, Sarah and Bres. "Now, with Democrats in charge of the House, there is action from both parties, although minority lawmakers complain it is years too late."

Democrats still plan to take disciplinary action against King. The House will vote today on a disapproval resolution from Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) condemning King, white nationalism and white supremacy. And Reps. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) and Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) drafted separate censure resolutions that go even further, though most Republicans and even some Democrats are wary of taking the more severe step of censuring lawmakers for comments not made on the House floor. The resolutions, however, are both "privileged", meaning sponsors could force floor votes on the motions. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a4558df7c2f0be815f3767afd2535766d0ea81002021152f2b30362b84986d70d678f48477d31c953f862

For reference, here's the list of members who have ever been reprimanded, censured or expelled, courtesy of the House archives: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a455850e96a7ae7c696ea8fce2555fa45facfc80ef982621f75cbc4e7fff395462e692e89ae97cddebeeb

BARR'S CONFIRMATION BATTLE -- The Senate Judiciary Committee will start grilling Trump's attorney general nominee William Barr today. Here are three things to watch during the high-stakes hearing:

The Russia probe is expected to take center stage during the contentious confirmation battle. Barr, who was previously critical of the investigation, will promise to allow special counsel Robert Mueller to complete his investigation, according to prepared remarks. He is also expected to voice support for making the report public and emphasize his personal and professional relationship with Mueller. But will that be enough for Democrats who are seeking ironclad assurances from Barr? And how will he handle tough lines of questioning from Democrats on other Russia-related revelations, including the two recent bombshells from The New York Times and Washington Post? Newly-minted Judiciary
Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) will make his big debut holding the committee gavel -- and congressional observers are eager to see what type of leadership style Graham brings to the table. The senator has become one of Trump's most aggressive attack dogs on Capitol Hill, having delivered a fiery rebuke of Democrats during the bitter confirmation hearing over Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. But Graham is also known to make pleas for regular order and bipartisanship, and recently spearheaded efforts to break the shutdown stalemate. Potential Democratic contenders for 2020 have a strong presence on the Senate Judiciary Committee. That includes Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sen.
Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Sen. Kamala Harris of California. The hearing will give the trio a high-profile platform to fight against Trump's nominee and differentiate themselves in what is expected to be a crowded primary field. Barr already got off on the wrong foot with some of the Democrats, who initially complained that Barr did not reach out for a courtesy meeting before the hearing.
Related: "Trump's AG nominee pledges to allow Mueller to complete investigation," by Marianne and Darren Samuelsohn: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a45582ce1f7bebd3367db80d3d081bbe8bb452fc5fae823be0764a0749d67522061c9a79ae66bbeb493eb and "House panels discussing subpoena for Trump interpreter: Engel," from Reuters: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a45589a30e832a96d0bb3cee90df5bbfcc70a18c8c85d67fa295080b25674880411ef1a5d74cd40349f9e

GOOD MORNING! Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, Jan. 15. I'm your host, who is still salivating over this epic fast food spread that Trump served to the Clemson Tigers at the White House last night: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a455894ae70db3f2870f1470608937790b23b33a8c5153bec9c4b3887679465a5906229863c796ff48bfa

MONDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Marianne and Bres's report on how Trump and the GOP are losing the messaging war in the shutdown fight was the big winner.

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TRUMP'S LONG-SHOT PLAN TO END THE SHUTDOWN -- Trump is trying to court centrist Democrats who are uneasy with the wall stand-off as part of his last-ditch strategy to end the partial government shutdown, which has now entered its 25th day. The president invited Democrats, some of whom hail from red districts, to engage in border security talks at the White House this week. But it's doubtful that Democrats would break with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) or even trust Trump in the negotiations, given his constantly changing positions. "In fact, several Democrats who had received an invitation to meet with the president said they would not be attending," report Andrew Restuccia, Rachael, Bres
and Burgess.

In the Senate, a small bipartisan working group huddled to find a way to break the impasse. Senators called the meeting "constructive" and promised to keep talks going. But negotiators are tempering expectations, given that Trump pulled the rug out from under senators who tried reaching a deal last week. Much more from the all-star POLITICO team: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a4558ccf91f52ac970eaabaf13e5808aa0202421a8117966b804ab372ecb06d767b0be37c36554bcdf8d8

Related: "McConnell tightens grip with Senate GOP amid shutdown fallout," by Burgess: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a4558b3a7b0ce0b90ec2df88c5c837acf5933ae2e306bcaaeceb377a4833ee26ea9b5305fd8800f8d77b9 and "Mitch McConnell Rules: The Senate majority leader's low-key shutdown strategy is working," via William McGurn for The Wall Street Journal http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a455841c5a163643cfc076da2da8c0d47e1b3372a73e7b1d6235203da943e59186df67e8e17bac1764c52

HOUSE DEMS RAMP UP PRESSURE CAMPAIGN -- Democrats are keeping the pains of the shutdown in the spotlight as a way to pressure Trump and the GOP to reopen the government. Democrats launched a new website yesterday to highlight "Trump shutdown stories." The House will also vote on a pair of short-term spending bills this week, neither of which contain border wall money. And House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) is calling attention to the growing TSA lines at airports around the country, while House Natural Resources Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) will hold a hearing on how the shutdown is impacting the country's natural resources and Native American communities.

Related: "Democratic delegation's trip to Puerto Rico becomes a target for Trump," by David Weigel for The Washington Post: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a4558010df4fb9c4fec69bb85d796ae2c7502a4c19484504e7db9f082e2a7a3ba880dd03bfa103971254c

SHE'S RUNNING -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) will become the latest Democrat to jump into the 2020 presidential race, with the senator expected to make a formal announcement tonight on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," according to CBS News. And one Huddle tipster shared an email that Gillibrand's team has been sending out to recruit staffers for the potential campaign. "If she announces her exploratory committee, as expected, she would become the second U.S. senator - and second female senator - to announce plans to begin the legal process of running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020," reports Ed O'Keefe. "The 52-year old is one of the most active and outspoken
critics of President Trump and she earned acclaim from party activists when she began voting against all of the president's cabinet and senior government nominees in early 2017." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a4558473b23bdb0d9750d48c471864cf32b1e2272d424a77dd378f877e3ae9f9c13c563458f3c1c859575

DEMS TAKE AIM AT BIG PHRMA -- Newly empowered House Democrats are ramping up their oversight of the pharmaceutical industry, launching a sweeping investigation on Monday of prescription drug prices. House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) sent letters to a dozen drug companies demanding details about their pricing practices, with hearings likely to take place in the coming weeks. "For years, drug companies have been aggressively increasing prices on existing drugs and setting higher launch prices for new drugs while recording windfall profits," Cummings said in a statement. "The goals of this investigation are to determine why drug companies are increasing prices so dramatically,
how drug companies are using the proceeds, and what steps can be taken to reduce prescription drug prices."

Related: "House Dems to introduce $15 minimum wage bill," from The Hill's Juliegrace Brufke: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a455864be68fe6e281ee03fca671ae991ac474f2e80c7bbcb8d99935d9472f8bef25328951785f5cf1d45 and "The Trouble With the 'Green New Deal,'" by Michael Grunwald for POLITICO Magazine: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=73eb95600d9a455866d205a57eabac7561f7a35aaf9cf2ab73755c828d305f199e8a95816309846b4891ae638ea3fdad

SENATE SANCTIONS VOTE -- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will force a vote as soon as today on a resolution aimed at blocking the Trump administration's plan to ease sanctions against three companies controlled by a Russian billionaire and ally of President Vladimir Putin. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin will join Republican senators at their weekly lunch, where he is expected to tell lawmakers that a vote supporting the resolution is a "vote for the Kremlin, China and Iran," according to our friends at POLITICO Playbook.

CARDENAS ACCUSER DEMANDS ETHICS PROBE -- A woman who accused Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.) of sexual assault is calling on the House Ethics Committee to open a formal investigation, according to Sarah D. Wire at The Los Angeles Times. The 28-year-old woman, who is suing Cardenas for allegedly groping her when she was a teenager, also publicly identified herself for the first time as Angela Villela Chavez. Cardenas has vehemently denied the accusations. The trial will begin in August. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0e0e962bf7751b583f5e83daed25ade77a164aca39a1fb4521d45165459a79701a2ae066710766d2f8921432d73a87a7

HASTINGS BATTLING CANCER -- Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) announced that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but expressed optimism about his chances of fighting the disease. "Now that I have begun treatment, I feel hopeful about survival and about my ability to continue serving my constituents of Florida's 20th Congressional district and the nation," he said in a statement, according to Bres and Marc Caputo. "Should it become clear that this cancer which has invaded my body cannot be defeated, I will tell you so." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0e0e962bf7751b58fafa65eb05477e01214ce8ea0808338fddc680e22c204619650b72aebf6b6346a873a9651cf59245

Related: "Rand Paul headed to Canada for surgery, but will pay out of pocket," by Alexander Panetta http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0e0e962bf7751b580fa83b44844df92ceb6e73ae970ba168777e40b9cadcff05e82997f732cd9049ce8b1f328546d612
TRANSITIONS
Olivia Perez-Cubas, communications director for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), will become the communications director for Winning for Women, an organization dedicated to electing more right-of-center women.

Freshman Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has announced senior staff hires. Craig Carbone will serve as deputy chief of staff; Chris Hartline will serve as communications director; Leda Williams Kelly will serve as state director; and Paul Bonicelli, Collin Lomagistro and Christine Diaz will serve as senior policy advisors.

Matthew Felling will run communications for Sen. Angus King (I-Maine). Felling was previously a strategic communications director for Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and a senior director of public affairs and crisis for Burson Cohn & Wolfe. Kathleen Connery Dawe will be promoted to King's chief of staff.

Curtis Philp, deputy chief of staff for former Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), has joined the Alpine Group government affairs team.

Liza Rebold has started as a legislative correspondent for Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Fla.). She started working on her campaign as a finance assistant right after graduating from Duke.
TODAY IN CONGRESS
The House gavels in at 10 a.m., with first and last votes expected between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0e0e962bf7751b5877a981ec141c0558d58ebc3667ed365275427b72742a6e5c833c0c1070a0275287b1d454faf3cb0a The Senate meets at 10 a.m. to resume consideration of S.1.
AROUND THE HILL
The House Democratic Caucus will hold a closed-door meeting at 9 a.m. in HC-5. The House GOP caucus will meet behind closed doors at 9 a.m. in HVC-215.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of William Barr to be attorney general at 9:30 a.m. in Hart 216.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Vice Chair Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) will hold a weekly press conference at 10 a.m. in HC-8.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and GOP leaders will hold a weekly press conference at 10:15 a.m. in HVC Studio A.

Members of the Pro-Choice Caucus will hold a press conference with Planned Parenthood on women's health issues at 10:15 a.m. on the House Triangle.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) will hold a pen and pad briefing with reporters at 11:00 a.m. in his Capitol office, H-107.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) will hold a press conference on border security at 11:15 a.m. on the House Triangle.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) will hold a press conference on healthcare at 12 p.m. in the Senate Studio.

The Senate will recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus luncheons.
TRIVIA
MONDAY'S WINNER -- John Schwenk was the first to correctly guess that Teddy Roosevelt's son once accidently let four snakes loose in the White House. (Don't worry, they were eventually captured -- and immediately sent back to the pet shop.)

TODAY'S QUESTION -- From John: Roosevelt's Vice President, Charles Fairbanks, shares the distinction of running for non-consecutive terms as VP with one other person. Who is the other? 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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