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By Burgess Everett | 10/16/2015 07:42 AM EDT


BUDGET TALKS SLIM DOWN: Negotiations to keep the government running for one, maybe two years are shrinking already. Democrats are now completely rejecting any changes to entitlement programs, which Republicans have been eyeing as a way to open up a larger fiscal discussion. Not happening, says a source familiar with the negotiations, who further went on to splash cold water on finding more than $80 billion or so in cuts and new revenues, likely not enough for a two-year deal through the election. A Republican close to the talks was more optimistic: "We're not ready to throw in the towel."

Posturing continues: Some guy named Manu Raju had reported that the GOP is floating changing Social Security benefits and Medicare eligibility. That's mostly a negotiating posture, but it would also have brought a lot more Republicans into the conversation that otherwise are going to frown on raising spending. "We've got to get into mandatory spending, those are the cuts, the savings that stick. And most of us would trade higher discretionary spending to do it," said Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). But that's not going to fly, according to Democrats, who see no correlation between the solvency of those programs and the small ball budget deal. "It isn't as if we are going to transfer money out of
Social Security to cover our budget needs," said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f329374c46a45179e0c9f6ebb300a3d78fc1892ac96ddab0a77d2c3

SCOOPLET -- Wastebook returns: Sen. Jeff Flake is officially taking up the mantle of Sen. Tom Coburn with a new edition of the Wastebook coming by the end of the year. He's plucked Roland Foster, a former top Coburn aide, to help with project of chronicling government spending deemed silly, ridiculous and of course, wasteful. Expect the new Wastebook in December.

SCOOP-ISM -- Democrats leaning toward blocking sanctuary cities bill: There had been some banter about Senate Democrats voting to open debate on the conservative bill on Tuesday and then proceeding to insist on offering immigration reform and other more liberal measures as amendments. But we're now told that's unlikely -- opening debate would signal some support for the underlying measure and wouldn't guarantee Democrats would get their amendment votes. So though they still need to hash this out at a Tuesday lunch, it appears this vote is headed for quick rejection.

What is scoop-ism? It's a grumpy Bres special. @BresPolitico: "Scoop" does not equal email sent to hundreds of reporters. @BresPolitico: SCOOPISM? SCOOP-LITE? SCOOP-WISH?

HASTERT WILL PLEAD GUILTY: The former House speaker will officially accept a plea bargain later this month. "The plea negotiations, first revealed in a hearing late last month, mean many of the details surrounding Hastert's prosecution might never be publicly aired, including the identity of Individual A, the mysterious figure who prosecutors say took cash from Hastert to keep quiet about a dark history with him." Chicago Tribune: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f3293744263aafa425afceadd02fc2e6fcf23472b69f7f3559bd64b

Numbers, please: Jake in CHI-TOWN and Josh Gerstein in Washington: "If Hastert pleads guilty to the structuring charge alone, sentencing guidelines appear to call for a sentence of two-and-a-half to about three years. However, there is some legal uncertainty about the range, and a lesser sentence could be recommended in light of Hastert's age and health. The former speaker reportedly has diabetes and was hospitalized at least once with a related infection during his time in Washington." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f329374d196df8936deca630f2bbe63f757986aaff9645c7a4bfe5e

RYAN'S IMMIGRATION RECORD DRAWS JEERS: Rep. Paul Ryan has made no secret of his support for immigration reform, a direction that instantly brings the knives out from many of his conservative colleagues. Worse, in their eyes, Ryan has met multiple times with future Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in the past couple years. SMK: "Schumer and Ryan shared a similar goal - sweeping changes to the nation's immigration laws - and the two men struck up a casual relationship over at least five secret talks in Schumer's hideaway at the Capitol to discuss how to get immigration reform done during the 113th Congress. The two influential lawmakers never negotiated actual policy - Ryan would shut
down any such talk. But he assured Schumer the House was working on an immigration package that would be done in their own fashion. Schumer, in turn, would insist Senate Democrats - then in the majority - would have to be part of the conversation, since no bill would get to Obama without their backing."

The attack on Ryan will boil down to three words: RYAN SUPPORTS AMNESTY. "There will be a 'major intraparty battle over immigration if Paul comes forward,' predicted Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a well-known immigration hard-liner, in an interview this week. 'And a majority of the conference is on my side of this argument.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f3293746f8848459c73690c018b9ae89ca29c47c65c733b304b38bf

All good recesses must come to an end. And welcome to the Huddle, your play-by-play guide to everything Capitol Hill, where only the interns are wearing suits today, in the wise words of a seasoned Republican. Please send tips to beverett@politico.com and follow along on Twitter @burgessev.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The Senate meets in a pro forma at 10 a.m. and the House meets in a pro forma at 1:15 p.m.

THURSDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Jake and Anna's story on Speaker John Boehner's debt ceiling plans attracted the most eyeballs.

WHAT WILL REICHERT DO? The Washington Republican is keeping it under wraps as he announces today whether he will challenge Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee. Former POLITICO Russ Walker for King5: Rep. Dave "Reichert's plans will be announced to the media through email in the late morning or early afternoon, his office said Thursday. He is then expected to speak with media about the decision later in the day ... A moderate Republican whose district includes much of suburban King County, Reichert is viewed by some as one of the few GOP politicians who could win a statewide contest in Washington." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f3293744a7efd4d437fb062551a5923e7dd08ab3d59260593b590eb

The more you know: Rachael Bade wrote a nice profile of Reichert's work on police reform in May. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f329374e34fdd83434f197b2ad6688f2fa2b4cce59e7fa7f1165989

SCHOCKING SUMS: Former Rep. Aaron Schock spent $900,000 on legal fees in the last quarter and owes another $750,000 to another firm. Grand total: $2.7 million on lawyers since a crush of allegations of misspending. Jake and Anna: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f32937463d1c4d561f9ab4f98e59b68be3ced7100b528f9946d58ca

MARYLAND SENATE RACE IS WIDE OPEN: There'd been a thought on the Hill that Rep. Chris Van Hollen was the frontrunner to succeed Senator Barb, with Rep. Donna Edwards a longshot but viable outsider. Nope, according to a WaPo-Terps poll: It's Rep. Elijah Cummings if he decides to run, which makes sense given that a singular Baltimore candidate would have more upside than people splitting the D.C. suburban vote. "Cummings has the support of 33 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, compared to 20 percent each for Edwards and Van Hollen ... In a two-way race, Edwards leads Van Hollen, 38 percent to 28 percent." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f329374b51305401fc35beb8d099b046bd1062bfcd28eb593bb0d6f

Another Terps poll: Has Maryland as a preseason No. 3. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f32937484b4d052502814ee4c8a032aee0e48fd5b87d091da0dd6f8

DEMS IN DISARRAY: Good lord Maggie Haberman, this is juicy. "R.T. Rybak, the former mayor of Minneapolis and a vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, on Thursday accused the party's leader, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, of making 'flat-out not true' statements about another top party officer, questioned her political skills and said he had 'serious questions' about her suitability for the job." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f3293748ca84d7983c92ad2437a702796d23b1425afe9d7483b7d62

GOP IN DISARRAY: Good lord Alex Isenstadt, this is juicy. "A Republican National Committee conference call to discuss plans for the Oct. 28 GOP debate with top advisers to the presidential campaigns spiraled into chaos Thursday afternoon ... First, Jason Miller, a top strategist for Ted Cruz, said his campaign would consider bailing if there were no opening and closing remarks. Then, Chris LaCivita, an aide to Rand Paul, chimed in: 'If we don't have opening and closing statements, CNBC can go f--- themselves.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f329374708ca65b1596b2c38c8467d8941b37a5399c2ba87f0e4880

@realDonaldTrump: .@CNBC has just agreed that the debate will be TWO HOURS. Fantastic news for all, especially the millions of people who will be watching!

HEY, WE'VE GOT RULES TOO: Emma Dumain reports that it's not just House Republicans mulling changes to their caucus rules. "Rep. Karen Bass, in her capacity as chairwoman of the Democrats' Committee on Organization, Study and Review, quietly announced to colleagues last Tuesday she had concluded a multi-month effort to streamline the Democratic Caucus rulebook. The California lawmaker informed members that, after over a dozen meetings with various configurations of her peers, virtually none of their proposals would be formally integrated into the overhaul." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8dc0c60e3f329374453bd67650fe3ed1bd24d459b40ade64e6e86fbab4ed4540

CLASSIC END-OF-RECESS STAFFING SHAKE-UPS: Noelle Clemente, a spokeswoman for the House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans, is moving on to Bryant Row. Michael Amato, a spokesman for the House Armed Service Committee Democrats, is taking his talents to OPM.

THURSDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Timothy Reggev was the first to answer that Franklin Garcia is D.C.'s eighth shadow representative, a really influential position that definitely makes up for lack of voting representation. The sixth shadow rep, Mike Panetta, answered later, as did the second rep John Capozzi. They didn't win, but they deserve a shout do they not?

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Timothy has today's question: After the Capitol Building was damaged during the War of 1812, a temporary Capitol of the U.S. was used for four years. Aside from being a temporary capitol, what other functions did the building have, and what is it today? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. Email me at beverett@politico.com

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