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03/02/2017 08:14 AM EDT


By Heather Caygle (hcaygle@politico.com or @heatherscope)

DEMS DEMAND SESSIONS STEP DOWN - Top Democrats are calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign after "revelations that he had met with the Russian ambassador in the months before the election - meetings that Sessions did not disclose during his confirmation hearings." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi led the charge late Wednesday, saying Sessions "must resign" after the newest revelations. House Oversight Committee ranking member Elijah Cummings and Sen. Elizabeth Warren followed suit.

In a brief statement late Wednesday night, Sessions denied meeting with the Russian ambassador as a Trump surrogate: "I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about."

GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham weighs in: "I don't know that there's anything between the Trump campaign and the Russians," Graham said during a CNN town hall with Sen. John McCain "If there is something there, and it goes up the chain of investigation, it is clear to me that Jeff Sessions, who is my dear friend, cannot make this decision about Trump." Rebecca Morin, Josh Meyer and Austin Wright with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc2f18c94642bdef5411381f2fe4d76d2adc45bbcb1fff6011c999c814ecea4f3b165b06366cab58448

ON MORNING JOE this a.m., House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: "I could see in his role as senator, yes, meeting with different ambassadors. I just think he needs to clarify what these meetings were and when did they happen," McCarthy said. "I think [for] the trust of the American people, you recuse yourself."

As a senator, Sessions spoke twice last year with Russia's ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, including a meeting in his Senate office in September, the Washington Post first reported. Sessions did not disclose either encounter during his confirmation hearings. "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians," Sessions said in response to a question from Sen. Al Franken at the time.

Sessions was also asked by Sen. Pat Leahy in his written responses whether he had "been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after election day?" "No," was all Sessions wrote. (Page 26: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc212456cab593bae9b0531884293fea41656c57d06793f545516d5834db965358d799fa5c54ca3cc8f "Officials said Sessions did not consider the conversations relevant to the lawmakers' questions and did not remember in detail what he discussed with Kislyak," report Adam Entous, Ellen Nakashima and Greg Miller: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc2bc5ea5e42035e8a2e06f815639e3b921a8d520779ab5f3e189e8b171e2ddb65172a8f2687902d32d

In other related Russia news: Obama administration officials left a trail of intelligence information about Russian meddling in the election and possible contacts with Trump associates, Matthew Rosenberg, Adam Goldman and Michael Schmidt report for the New York Times: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc24dddd4ab21b9116b8cf7cdb872e182c670a90b044bef7d575788ca22711a94bde57fcac2d9b77cb6

And, "White House lawyers have instructed the president's aides to preserve materials that could be connected to Russian interference in the 2016 election and other related investigations, three administration officials said Wednesday." The AP's Julie Pace and Vivian Salama: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc256d57379929ba3a233a9792c470c2dbcdda38bf1b4a0715008b8c7f613b67f53db852ede6976c2a3

Related: "The leaders of the House Intelligence Committee have agreed on the 'scope' of their investigation into Russia's meddling in the presidential election - and it will include looking into possible contacts between Moscow and the Trump campaign," Austin reports. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc2d30c97ceb89efa090302755f5a92d942f15a817e7d26b2f038a73370d1e942d47394f836e045176a

OBUMMERCARE, AM I RIGHT? "Senate Republicans aren't backing the latest House plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, saying they are reserving judgment until House leaders provide key details about the proposal they intend to advance as soon as next week," Jen Haberkorn, Burgess and Adam Cancryn report. "I need to see a plan. You want me to endorse something I haven't even read? ... This is a big thing," Sen. Marco Rubio said the Senate GOP meeting Wednesday afternoon.

No chatty Cathies here: "There was an apparent decision by senators not to discuss the meeting in public or litigate the party's differences for a day, as several normally chatty GOP senators refused to talk about even the broadest parameters of the meeting."

Moving fast: "Republicans in the House want to pass their repeal legislation by the end of the month and hand it off to the Senate, where leaders want to vote by April 7." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc20abbdd837600ae20eadae7e178301effa168ff963516b329e131e2905488590286fef5e562eeff78

Top secret: House Republicans' new Obamacare draft is "being treated a bit like a top-secret surveillance intercept," Bloomberg's Billy House and Arit John report. "It is expected to be available to members and staffers on the House Energy and Commerce panel starting Thursday, but only in a dedicated reading room, one Republican lawmaker and a committee aide said. Nobody will be given copies to take with them."

The shroud of secrecy comes after House Speaker Paul Ryan declared on the Today Show Tuesday there would be a lot of sunshine during the repeal and replace process: "We're not hatching some bill in a backroom and plopping it on the American people's front door," he said at the time. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc22cb6db3068f985b40daa3280477d69f80bb2e6f6afe966f841b7187dc98edce792ec22d3d88ec773

YO, IT'S THURSDAY, MARCH 2. Thanks for reading POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill.


** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs: Federal programs, state governments, employers, unions and others partner with PBMs to address rising prescription drug costs, keep patients healthy, and deliver value for the health system. Visit www.affordableprescriptiondrugs.org for more. **


Playbook Interview with Nancy Pelosi - Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joins Playbook Co-Authors Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman for a live Playbook Interview that will provide intelligence and insight around the congressional agenda and Washington in the first 100 days of the new Administration and beyond. Friday, March 3 - Doors at 8:20 a.m. - The Newseum. RSVP: here.

WEDNESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Graham MacGillivray's gif of House Democrats giving the thumbs down when Trump talked about repealing Obamacare during his speech was the winner.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House meets at 9 a.m. with last votes for the week around 10:30 a.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc2f417e414612a5f596691d8f2c8f219042d1fcbada7a9fddabdb598ba6c7f13a2cfa0b6151166ef55 The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m. with a vote to confirm HUD secretary nominee Ben Carson and a procedural vote related to Rick Perry's Energy secretary nomination at 10 a.m.

OH WHAT A NIGHT - Reporters, lawmakers and Hill aides wined and dined at the Ritz-Carlton Wednesday during the Washington Press Club Foundation's annual awards dinner. Lifetime achievement award winner Diane Rehm gave a serious speech about Trump's war with the media and Rep. Cedric Richmond's speech took a pointed tone in his jokes about the new administration. But GOP Sen. Tim Scott stuck with the tried-and-true formula for a good WPCF appearance: making fun of yourself.

Some of Scott's best zingers: "Someone said, 'you're just not black enough.' I said, 'Have you seen [Sen.] Cory Booker?' He's got green eyes!" Scott said while a picture of the two side-by-side flashed on screen. And Scott on his decision not to join the Congressional Black Caucus when Rep. G.K. Butterfield was chairman: "Why would I want to join a black group run by a white dude? In the South, we call that a plantation."

Scott also took a shot at his close friend and former House colleague Mick Mulvaney: "You can become the director of the OMB and not pay your taxes...I love you Mick." And finally, he touched on the Kellyanne Conway couch controversy: "C'mon people, you remember that '90s. That couch has had a whole lot worse."

A LITTLE LESS TALK.... Trump has said he's open to a major immigration reform bill if Republicans and Democrats can reach a deal. But he forgot one thing: "his own policies and the revulsion they've already fueled among Democrats," Ted Hesson and Seung Min report.

"Trump stormed into the White House with a vow to crack down on undocumented immigrants, and promptly followed through - alienating advocates of a more generous immigration policy. Not only will Trump struggle to persuade Democrats to come to the table, it's not even clear they're in the same room." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc24de1c2bb77694ce6afd8aa3766f8c31b08c1d3622aad17e305dc9a6213598aa867794b43c08d0409

Dems want sit-down with DHS - House Democrats are requesting a meeting with top homeland security officials, saying they want answers on the Trump administration's beefed-up immigration enforcement, the reworked travel ban and recent attacks on Jewish centers. Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley spearheaded a letter to DHS Secretary John Kelly Wednesday requesting the sit-down, two weeks after several House Democrats were booted from a meeting with the acting ICE director. "This is something that has hit home very close to our constituency and we want answers," Crowley told Huddle. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc2a645607f1d899a1e1b98c75fadd0a5d4a9875c056a01a74491131ac288e34c1b457747228f79b1ee

BIPARTISANSHIP AT ITS BEST - "Harry Reid once accused John Boehner of being a dictator. Boehner responded by telling Reid, 'Go f-k yourself.' Now the two former congressional leaders are joining hands to head up a new think tank at UNLV in a partnership with MGM Resorts International." Jon Ralston with the scoop: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc25f196dee7843820f74a6a700c4b0f5c4d1185dcbf811746f68a129163da0a64a92b723f9c393dc1e

HOUSE IT STAFFERS FIRED AMID ONGOING PROBE - Reps. Gregory Meeks and Marcia Fudge fired two IT staffers this week, more than a month after the husband-wife couple was barred from using House computer networks due to an ongoing criminal investigation. Hina Alvi, her husband Imran Awan, and three other staffers with ties to the couple are accused of committing potentially illegal violations on the House IT network and stealing equipment from members' offices. Awan is still currently employed by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz as a technology adviser, despite being unable to use House computers.

Meeks said he isn't convinced Alvi and Awan, both of whom worked in his office at different times, are involved in the alleged procurement scam. "As of right now, I don't see a smoking gun," Meeks said. "I have seen no evidence that they were doing anything that was nefarious." Yours truly with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc24a2f5dc4e62b79d563ff6cf697bd56ab54f7878947d9cc476c76a50de7bbcc8ad04c179010665d3a

PAGING CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATORS - DHS has only found $20 million in existing funds that can be directed toward building a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, a project that's estimated to cost at least $20 billion, if not more. "The funds would be enough to cover a handful of contracts for wall prototypes, but not enough to begin construction of an actual barrier," Julia Edwards Ainsley reports for Reuters. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc263e0294673f1d6f2b511c44d9c86707455a4495ef844666cfd4be940b6ccb0b060fdf2dc19ba59a6

AROUND THE HILL - Reps. Scott Peters and Rodney Davis hold a press conference on a bill to address student debt at 9 a.m. in 2103 Rayburn. Reps. Ted Deutch and Nita Lowey hold a press conference on a bipartisan caucus against anti-Semitism at 9:45 a.m. in HVC Studio B.

Rep. Joe Kennedy holds a 10 a.m. press conference on relaunching the Transgender Equality Task Force in the House triangle. House Education ranking member Bobby Scott holds a 10 a.m. conference call on health care for Virginia coal miners at 10 a.m.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi holds her weekly press briefing at 10:45 a.m. in HVC Studio A. House Speaker Paul Ryan holds his weekly press briefing at 11:30 a.m. in HVC Studio A.

House Ways and Means ranking member Richard Neal and other committee Democrats hold a press conference on healthcare legislation at 1 p.m. in HVC Studio B. Rep. Trent Franks holds a press conference on the release of Petr Jasek from a Sudanese prison at 2:15 p.m. in the House triangle.

OFF THE HILL - Rep. Joe Wilson, chairman of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, speaks about military maintenance and training at AEI starting at 9 a.m.

The annual Congressional Hockey Challenge kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. Reps. Erik Paulson, Tom Emmer, Pat Meehan, John Katko and Larry Bucshon are all playing. More info: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8e86d9b70ce39fc26d55acaf53d11c8ca8f79c90aad9ab9381cdcb60204672beff1e4626be5fcc9581743389d8fb603f

DEPARTURE LOUNGE - Stephanie Fontenot Marrs has a new gig at NFIB after working as Sen. Roy Blunt's digital director and Blunt's liaison to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

WEDNESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Wes Farno guessed that 1946 is the birth year for three presidents: George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Stewart Verdery with today's question: How many states have ever had the most electoral votes in at least one presidential election and which ones are they? The first person to correctly answer gets a shout out in tomorrow's Huddle. And don't forget, send suggestions for trivia questions my way: hcaygle@politico.com

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