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01/16/2019 08:06 AM EDT

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


PELOSI GETS REVENGE -- The Speaker blocked Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.) from landing a coveted seat on the Judiciary Committee, recommending less senior members to serve on the panel instead, scoop Heather, Rachael and Bres. Rice was a ringleader of an anti-Pelosi rebellion and voted against Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on the House floor. Another Pelosi critic, freshman Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-N.Y.), was also blocked earlier this week from getting his preferred post on the Armed Services Committee. "The push by Pelosi was seen as payback by many in the room after Rice was one of the main megaphones behind a campaign to block the California Democrat from becoming speaker again," the trio
writes.

During a tense Steering Committee meeting last night, frustrated members of the New York delegation stood up for Rice, a former prosecutor who they feel deserves a slot on the panel that oversees everything from impeachment to guns. But Pelosi argued that New York already has ample representation on Judiciary, including its chairman. The slate of recommendations from the Steering Committee still needs to be approved by the full caucus. Much more, with an assist from your Huddle host: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a0153827633f0de5355b171105e2f14add754ced3179b64f2103d5fe714ef5df8d97e06652fbf7f72bdcd1ba8

Related read: "Waters' big test: Keeping peace with Ocasio-Cortez and moderates," from Zachary Warmbrodt and Heather: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a01538276631696279ef6d0efb2b990f09b718ff48c747fe02ec59dfe32778e5e856c1d8a8fd6446217dc3153

HOUSE REBUKES KING -- House lawmakers voted nearly unanimously to condemn Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) for racist remarks, a significant disciplinary step that follows on the heels of King being kicked off his committee assignments by the GOP. The lone "no" vote on the disapproval resolution was Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), who felt it wasn't a strong enough punishment. Rush or Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) may force a vote as early as today on a more drastic resolution to censure King. Democratic leaders, however, argued during a closed-door caucus meeting that the disapproval resolution was a better route because it could garner wide-ranging, bipartisan support. More from Bres and your Huddle host:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a015382767e39ef7c069cd0f60083d4388d94ad0ce7f4a8acd48f7910ee0bd9a11cdca0f2b6eb78b3b3c41422

A defiant King vehemently defended himself and said his comments to The New York Times were taken out of context, though he voted in favor of the resolution, which included a broad denunciation of white supremacy and white nationalism. But later, King ripped into GOP Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), one of his most vocal Republican critics who suggested that he step aside. "She's been here two years," King told a conservative radio host. "What would give her the moral authority or the intellectual judgment to do something like that?"

One key question swirling around Capitol Hill: Why did the GOP decide to act now? King has a long history of controversial and racist remarks, which has prompted a lot of hand-wringing yet little action from his Republican colleagues. But "after years of tolerating King's offensive remarks on race, minority groups and immigrants, House GOP leaders reached their breaking point," report Bres and Sarah. "While the King drama played out over the past few days, some Republicans seized on the incident to reorient the party's position - and maybe more importantly, its language - on race." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a015382761e804ad3431cd0155ee0552fd9400c0f0c0920a56584a8b6524838de9638d5a6c0d3faea750868ce

Related reads: "California's McCarthy gets early leadership test with King's racially charged remark," by Sarah D. Wire for The Los Angeles Times: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a015382764781b9886340c2ac012dfc7ce57db59016d4cd532785b4ca980dc9425a03dae80f2d3ed8523a6903 and "The Register's editorial: Steve King should resign for the good of Iowa," from The Des Moines Register: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a01538276d3400b1918a9e81fdf3716d8eb0400016b0ec224e8b518b3f8a8a80b3e507e1f318577c8893ac9d1

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Jan. 16. Earlier this week, I promised to show you adorable doggos. Today, I deliver. Please meet Ernie, a hero pup being trained to go down stairs in the Senate basement yesterday (hat tip to WSJ's Natalie Andrews!): http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a015382766c730faee6b163dacb4b9f50598c40840e1b7aaa8f7cc73c6b970ebe786260bc2333f32d686beb61

TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The list of members who have ever been reprimanded, censured or expelled on the House floor was the big winner.

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DEMS REJECT WHITE HOUSE WALL MEETING -- Pelosi has so far kept an iron grip on her caucus in the shutdown fight, despite some early signs of rebellion in the new Democratic conference. That was on full display yesterday when President Trump tried to invite a few centrist Democrats, who support border security and are fed up with the 26-day government shutdown, for talks at the White House. But they all declined, with some concerned that they'd be used as a pawn by the president. The White House was quick to seize on the rejected invitations to argue that Democrats are refusing to even come to the negotiating table. More from Heather, Andrew Restuccia and Rachael:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a015382766a591b2a169f8bb4d7a1c957d1a85a0b6cfd3428de57e738525d1b8e209afc0b56367121e6a7c353

Trump is still encouraging Republicans to help break the impasse, and will be joined in the situation room by members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus later today. It's unclear if Democrats will attend. Rep. Susan Brooks (R-Indiana), who attended Tuesday's meeting, said one of Trump's key messages to GOP lawmakers was: "We have to get these negotiations going again." Brooks added that "a lot of us who attended the meeting are now talking to [Democratic] colleagues - on the floor and off the floor."

GANGS OF DON'T WORK -- Efforts to form a bipartisan "gang" and find a shutdown solution have floundered in the Senate, with some lawmakers dismissing the concept altogether. "About a dozen Democratic and Republican senators are beginning member-to-member and staff level conversations on how to break the deadlock between [Trump] and Democratic leaders, who currently aren't even talking about how to reopen the government," reports Burgess. "But few senators believe the group has a real shot at success, given that its chief goal is at odds with Trump's hard-line stance. And party leaders aren't offering much encouragement." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a01538276187c3b984fabc1d1267e7ba8e6ddb66decabb63636a8a2157c255e58d5c768edc7a52444d937f5c9

Related: "Congress prepares to cancel next week's recess if shutdown drags on," from Burgess and Heather: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a01538276b3335a0c0d15c8791682b36cf983a6bac332e5f84ee55fa8e24ca9c266188d018978c7b765e57a5f and "Hoping to keep his seat and wary of angering the base, McConnell defers to Trump on the shutdown," via David M. Drucker at The Washington Examiner: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a0153827699806818f61c12d07d2f980d34c5db8a9611a998dccbab3d1520735882aff01b47fea1ff35562521

WHITAKER TO FACE CONGRESS -- Washington is in for a wild week next month. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker will testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 8 -- one day after Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, is slated to appear before the House Oversight Committee. "The two hearings, both made-for-TV moments, will almost certainly create a headache for the president as special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into his 2016 presidential campaign enters its 20th month," reports Rachael. "Democrats have long suspected that Trump planted Whitaker at the department as a spy, someone delegated to undercutting the Mueller probe. They'll grill him on his
interactions with Mueller as well as any information he passed on to Trump allies." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a01538276fc82ae7d232344bcb8b044e6db2ba5c1588a6c3a195088158f652330bed93289bfc8c3052e58b6a1

Related: "Mueller Probe Likely to Restrict Michael Cohen's Testimony," from Rebecca Ballhaus and Nicole Hong at The Wall Street Journal: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a015382766571a60071fa9b2a6e0e06da5958e3db393b606f9760610cf9b8e15cc0a772973473b29bd7a95423

WHEELER'S TURN IN THE HOT SEAT -- Andrew Wheeler, Trump's pick to head the EPA, will testify in front of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee today. The former energy lobbyist has led the agency in an acting capacity since former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned under a cloud of ethics controversies last year. Democrats are expected to grill Wheeler on everything from climate change to the partial government shutdown that has shuttered the EPA.

BARR BATTLE, DAY TWO -- Attorney general pick William Barr's nomination hearing will stretch into its second day today. Key moments from yesterday include Barr vowing to protect the Mueller investigation, denying his DOJ memo was a job "application" and saying former Attorney General Jeff Sessions was right to recuse himself from the Russia probe. Matthew Choi has more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a01538276c8aeb977d67b695c98936a7024d9a7b5560ca1355ef2cac564822aeec63a546a2126726d405576e0

The real star of the hearing, however, was Barr's grandson Liam, who took some pretty adorable notes, scored a care package from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and put up with dad jokes from senators on the committee.

Related: "New Trump-Russia subplot: Mueller and Barr are 'good friends,'" by Darren Samuelsohn: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a015382760b1e27df43e4e8240c1423b7eb1bd520eaae53e8b76ba6831b83e68287ad30d9e427c2e00947cbd5

GOP SPLIT OVER SANCTIONS -- Eleven Senate Republicans joined Democrats in voting to open debate on a resolution aimed at stopping the Trump administration's plan to ease sanctions on an oligarch close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The move represented the latest GOP rebuke of Trump over foreign policy issues, though a procedural vote later today will have a higher, 60-vote threshold. But Tuesday's "57-42 vote... put a squeeze on Republicans torn between support for the Trump administration and concerns about going soft on Russia, in this case companies linked to Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska," reports Zachary Warmbrodt: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a01538276ed6501e72c9fb9ea4c1b68b9a007821d095d9464926e4cf0263ceaed59a25693eac5279597780d74

SHE'S RUNNING, PART TWO -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand officially launched a bid for 2020, becoming the second female to enter what is expected to be a crowded primary race. "The New York Democrat, a longtime advocate for women in politics and a leader in the #MeToo movement supporting survivors of sexual assault, announced her decision to run for president on CBS' 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,' saying she will 'fight for other people's kids as hard as I would fight for my own,'" reports Elena Schneider. "Gillibrand's first week in the campaign will include a debut visit to Iowa, the first caucus state." Tonight she will appear on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a015382762abeb88d06966fce426b1d11b80c079ca01e7e4c84178e8731f41e938c20dd80e6c395c1acf997ed

News on another 2020 contender: "Elizabeth Warren Wants Ethics Probe Into Mulvaney's USC Job Hunt," by Lachlan Markay for The Daily Beast: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a01538276a1d81a7bd4d3e57646daf61ed7f9d8dd19ec45c088534d2a6dc81c9059b041dbcd9b4c979d508407

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TRANSITIONS
Joanna Rodriguez has started as communications director for Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.). She previously worked for former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.).

Veda Beltran has been promoted from staff assistant to legislative correspondent for Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.).

Robert Donachie, who was a White House correspondent for the Washington Examiner, is now communications director for Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas).

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has made some changes in his press shop. Nick Iacovella will serve as press secretary for domestic and national issues; Arielle Mueller will be press secretary for Florida issues and the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, which Rubio chairs; Laura Ortiz, currently Rubio's Hispanic media director, will also handle foreign policy press inquiries and outreach in the Senate office; and Justine Sanders will serve as deputy press secretary.

Andrew Bahrenburg, national policy director at the National Young Farmers Coalition, is joining Sen. Patrick Leahy's (D-Vt.) office as legislative assistant for agriculture.

Former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) has joined the Alliance for Market Solutions' board of advisers.

Kate Winkler Keating, who was chief of staff to former House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowle (N.Y.), is joining Duberstein Group as VP.
TODAY IN CONGRESS
The House gavels in at 10 a.m., with first votes expected at 1:30 p.m. and last votes expected at 5 p.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2234785a01538276d6939eab965b7e4f77b2660d9501698cc61bb11ffe89420876b60689bb26300ac95e7571549571fd The Senate meets at 10 a.m. and will resume consideration of S.J. Res. 2. Senators will vote on the motion to invoke cloture at 12:30 p.m.
AROUND THE HILL
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold day two of a hearing on the nomination of William Barr to be attorney general at 9:30 a.m. in Hart 216.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Andrew Wheeler to be administrator of the EPA at 10 a.m. in Dirksen 406.

Senate Democrats will hold a press conference to highlight the impacts of the shutdown at 12 p.m. on the Senate-side steps of the Capitol.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), House Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) will hold a press conference to unveil a $15 minimum wage bill at 2 p.m. in the Rayburn Room.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) will hold a round table with federal service contractors to announce legislation to secure back pay for impacted workers. The discussion will take place at 2 p.m. in SVC 203.

Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) will hold a pen and pad briefing with reporters at 2:30 p.m. in S-125.
TRIVIA
TUESDAY'S WINNER -- Patricia Bieze was the first to correctly guess that Adlai Stevenson is the only other person to run for two non-consecutive terms as Vice President (joining Charles Fairbanks.)

TODAY'S QUESTION -- From Patricia: Who was the last freshman member of Congress to become Speaker of the House? 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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