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Today's Playbook Power Briefing presented by Better Medicare Alliance

By JAKE SHERMAN (sherman@politico.com; @JakeSherman), ANNA PALMER (anna@politico.com; @apalmerdc), DANIEL LIPPMAN (daniel@politico.com; @dlippman), ZACH MONTELLARO (zmontellaro@politico.com; @ZachMontellaro)


Good Friday afternoon. TO: SUN VALLEY, ATTN: JARED -- "Startup That Got a Seat at White House Roundtable Is Part-Owned by Kushner Family: Venture-capital firm run by Kushner's brother partly owns OpenGov, whose CEO last month attended summit with Donald Trump, leaders of Apple, Amazon, Microsoft," by WSJ's Jean Eaglesham and Lisa Schwartz: "Prominent technology-industry leaders and venture capitalists gathered in the White House's state dining room last month to discuss tech policy with President Donald Trump in an event that Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser, helped organize.

"Seated at the rectangular table alongside the corporate luminaries, university presidents and senior White House officials was a less-prominent figure: Zachary Bookman, the 37-year-old CEO of a small startup called OpenGov. Mr. Kushner's brother, through a venture-capital firm, is a part owner of OpenGov, according to government disclosures and data from Dow Jones VentureSource. Until earlier this year, Mr. Kushner owned stakes in the venture-capital firm that he sold to his brother, according to a person familiar with the matter. Mr. Kushner's connection to OpenGov isn't widely known. ...

"OpenGov's Mr. Bookman was the only chief executive of a small firm among the 18 tech leaders to get a seat at the table with the president. At least one other startup CEO had a second-row seat. OpenGov's valuation was estimated at $180 million after an October 2015 funding round, according to Dow Jones VentureSource, while the average market capitalization of the 14 publicly traded companies represented at the table-including Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Alphabet Inc. -- is about $250 billion, according to FactSet. ...

"Mr. Kushner recently filed an amended disclosure form, which is expected to be released publicly soon, according to people close to him. It will disclose assets that Mr. Kushner didn't report in his original filing in March, including up to $250,000 of Israeli government bonds he sold earlier this year and an art collection he jointly owns with his wife, Ivanka Trump, the people said." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf4a6c8fdb23c0609e0c4d9630f391f423039a50258fdcd161c64f7f59fbb5086e64b1ee1195ef1944e3287d9dcaebc411

DRIP, DRIP, DRIP -- "Russian-American lobbyist says he was in Trump son's meeting" by NBC News' Ken Dilanian, Natasha Lebedeva and Hallie Jackson: "A Russian-American lobbyist says he attended a June 2016 meeting with President Donald Trump's son, marking another shift in the account of a discussion that was billed as part of a Russian government effort to help the Republican's White House campaign. Rinat Akhmetshin confirmed his participation to The Associated Press on Friday. Akhmetshin has been reported to have ties to Russian intelligence agencies, though he denies those links. ...

"While Trump Jr. has confirmed that Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya was in the meeting, he did not disclose Akhmetshin's presence. The president's son has tried to discount the meeting, saying that he did not receive the information he was promised. Akhmetshin said Trump Jr. asked the attorney for evidence of illicit money flowing to the Democratic National Committee, but Veselnitskaya said she didn't have that information. She said the Trump campaign would need to research it more, and after that Trump Jr. lost interest, according to Akhmetshin." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf5a40dfabebda2e75907791cd0210c2ebf0d0c7bdb905bf698c21321159b6984d8d1eb47f172e504a5c926af27993108e ... NBC's report, which did not initially name the lobbyist
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf4c4f9d904f63b023ae2201eaac1b0f3e6f2706e42618c0146138b60a1a71b680f19f8f4ce976d9a97b81336e18b46f74

-- "U.S. officials probing Russian lobbyist who met Trump team," by Ali Watkins: "U.S. officials are examining what role a Washington-based lobbyist who they consider a Russian intelligence operative may have played in a controversial June 2016 meeting he attended between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer [Rinat Akhmetshin] ... U.S. officials became aware of Akhmetshin's potential involvement in the meeting earlier this week. Three officials expressed their concern about his role to POLITICO and said they were probing it further as part of their larger investigation into ties between Trump associates and the Kremlin." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf8682d810bc145b024b2836d4963db139515e72bde351ed05aa4c9f8758f13297bb67f9f5f5437f0a05644d348cb5404c

-- BRAD PARSCALE SPEAKS: @parscale on Twitter: "I am unaware of any Russian involvement in the digital and data operations of the 2016 Trump presidential campaign. The Trump digital campaign used the exact same digital marketing strategies that are used every day by corporate America. ... I have accepted a request from the House Intelligence Committee to meet with them for a voluntary interview, and I look forward to sharing with them everything I know." Full statement: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cfeab6cc5e55bee4aa5f5c379f9b6649fca088ee2473f9fccb6e614e5b8afca963b03aca7ebd34d5da3ab1fa9963784c56

LAWYERING UP -- "Trump to Hire Lawyer Ty Cobb to Respond to Russia Probes," by Bloomberg's Jennifer Jacobs: "President Donald Trump plans to put a veteran Washington lawyer, Ty Cobb, in charge of overseeing the White House's legal and media response to investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. Top administration officials want someone to enforce discipline in the White House regarding Russia matters -- and that includes the president, who frequently vents his frustrations about the investigations on Twitter, two people familiar with the decision said. They requested anonymity because Cobb's hiring hasn't been announced. ...

"Cobb will be the central in-house figure on matters related to the investigations into Russian interference in the election and the Trump campaign's possible involvement, working closely with Trump's outside legal team led by Marc Kasowitz. Cobb is a relative of the legendary American Baseball League home run champion and outfielder of the same name. He has a reputation for managing crises and dealing with corruption allegations, and he's familiar with the workings of the Justice Department and FBI. He represented figures involved in government investigations during former President Bill Clinton's administration, according to Reuters, which reported on July 3 that Trump had met with him."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cff15d78942c5bbac7c8552dd4d3eae8f4f7e52895dcd03b4bed5dd4939d075d0e479cc32d6789a960c669d25738f488a9

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ON THE HILL -- "House Republicans weigh massive partisan spending bill," by Rachael Bade, Sarah Ferris and Jennifer Scholtes: "House GOP leaders will decide next week whether to brave an ugly floor fight over a massive GOP spending bill -- a proposal applauded by some rank-and-file Republicans but that risks embarrassment if it fails. In a closed-door GOP conference meeting Friday morning, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said all 12 appropriations bills will be finished in committee by the end of next week. Starting Monday, leadership will begin a tentative whip count on whether lawmakers would vote for a package before the August recess that combines all of those bills into one $1
trillion government funding bill.

"The idea, first proposed by Rep. Tom Graves, a senior appropriator, is to give House Republicans a chance to pass a red-meat spending bill that will lay out GOP priorities. Though the bill would never pass the Senate in the face of Democratic opposition, the process would allow House Republicans to offer potentially hundreds of amendments, an exercise that excites members who are frustrated that they've had no input on how to fund the government. ... The strategy could open something of a Pandora's box, however. Lawmakers would be required to vote on controversial amendments that could be used against them in their districts, from provisions on the Confederate flag to gay rights proposals
that put them in bind. Democratic amendments chiding the administration for the Russia controversy are almost assured.Perhaps more worrisome: The bill might fail on the floor, which would provoke another flood of damaging headlines about the GOP's deep divisions and inability govern." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cfa65e290c4b7a045e4be2971f8365148c39058ec04c406a8c07bfa533a3fabe54a1c28daf56f5d521d4ffe4c64ff2c498

-- "House passes budget-busting defense policy bill," by Connor O'Brien: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cfe7ebc46eb133fc868f9e9ab831d66ba55d22cfdd5f460b1f57700a151aa8a1e95753dd21948209710df452ea8071b0e7

THE DOUGH -- SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TEXAS) got $247,700 from Paul L. Foster, the chairman of Western Refining.

TODAY'S BONUS BRIEFING -- In our last bonus audio briefing, Jake and Anna preview the year ahead for the Playbook community http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf2da7b59d6fbd4ea1606bfa8a8c1f2186a4c5bcc2915895b982a64d3b652f5dfc8972664c6fbac75d7692db4adc5ca069

-- TODAY is the last day to enter our #PlaybookLoyal contest. Tweet or post a Facebook post with the hashtag #PlaybookLoyal by close of business today for the chance to win a signed Matt Wuerker cartoon.

TRUMP INC. -- "Ivanka Inc.: The first daughter talks about improving the lives of working women. Her father urges companies to 'buy American.' But her fashion line's practices collide with those principles - and are out of step with industry trends," by WaPo's Matea Gold, Drew Harwell, Maher Sattar and Simon Denyer: "While President Trump has chastised companies for outsourcing jobs overseas, an examination by The Washington Post has revealed the extent to which Ivanka Trump's company relies exclusively on foreign factories in countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia and China, where low-wage laborers have limited ability to advocate for themselves.

"And while Ivanka Trump published a book this spring declaring that improving the lives of working women is 'my life's mission,' The Post found that her company lags behind many in the apparel industry when it comes to monitoring the treatment of the largely female workforce employed in factories around the world. From big brands such as Adidas and Kenneth Cole to smaller, newer players like California-based Everlane, many U.S. clothing companies have in recent years made protecting factory workers abroad a priority - hiring independent auditors to monitor labor conditions, pressing factory owners to make improvements and providing consumers with details about the overseas facilities where
their goods are produced.

"But the Trump brand has taken a more hands-off approach. Although executives say they have a code of conduct that prohibits physical abuse and child labor, the company relies on its suppliers to abide by the policy. The clothing line declined to disclose the language of the code." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf331a055d24cb9b315ddbd29cf8d486b37e09ba752e2b365d507d98c40910dc39bf81eca92d2d5161f3aa3c188d0d593d

WHITE HOUSE STATEMENTS -- @realDonaldTrump at 9:47 a.m.: "Great conversations with President @EmmanuelMacron and his representatives on trade, military and security." ... at 10:16 a.m.: "Left Paris for U.S.A. Will be heading to New Jersey and attending the #USWomensOpen, their most important tournament, this afternoon." The U.S. Women's Open is at Trump's club in Bedminster.

BEN SCHRECKINGER in POLITICO Magazine, "The Putin Obsession That Led to Trump Jr.'s Meeting: Russia has been trying to roll back human rights sanctions for years. And Moscow's strategy is getting more sophisticated": "The Russian lawyer whose June meeting at Trump Tower is rocking American politics was just the tip of the spear of a massive, years-long effort by the Kremlin against human rights laws named for Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died under mysterious circumstances while a prisoner of the Russian government. The sweeping Kremlin campaign has included lobbying Congress, the creation and promotion of several slick documentaries, the opening of murder investigations in Russia
against the laws' top advocate, the use of social media bots to promote criticism of the laws and the posting of a suspiciously popular petition calling for repeal on WhiteHouse.gov. And it's been a personal fixation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has railed against the 2012 Magnitsky Act and its various incarnations for years." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf63be3ea8119a4407ef02ce9201a3baa00c2a33ce0e80741eaa6822b4efcc20bf30ee02bc732a7399505a9634adf5e404

HOT ON THE LEFT -- "The Wasted Mind of Ben Sasse," by Slate's Ben Mathis-Lilley: "Many politicians are hypocrites, of course. But most of them are also phonies and bulls****ters. Ben Sasse isn't. He stands out by educating himself earnestly and speaking honestly about complicated matters of history and policy. (He's got to be the only serving Senate Republican to have written a book that approvingly cites 1960s leftist cultural critic Paul Goodman.) Unfortunately, he is also beginning to stand out by doing nothing of substance as the things he says he believes in are thrown in a garbage can by his own party." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf1d27a663ad0647ef7e3a651de561d1f9f9a15586ded948aa809d638a1ef497c13441a7abe7b431a4b098bda4ee45a82d

TOP VID -- French army band medleys Daft Punk following Bastille Day parade for Trump and Macron -- 3 min. video http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cfe3e63066186a20fb21c244968f1d355f7439e6ca702f7e33c350f9feea920cafd152230f5abf0c0ce3bbf659044b740b

TONIGHT ON TV -- Washington Week's Bob Costa will be joined by The New York Times' Mark Mazzetti, The Washington Post's Ashley Parker, The Cook Political Report's Amy Walter, and TIME's Michael Scherer.

HOT JOB -- POLICY ANALYST -- EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT: Open & closing dates 2017-07-13 to 2017-07-27. Salary $66,510 to $123,234 / per year http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf5de6c4c7ccb5d8497937043c969ba50636908663e6a206c2775c79ebaf6740878cccabe72b6bbeb25cba6221242666c4

HMM... -- "This Congressman Doesn't Think Climate Science Is Real. He Just Went On A Secret Tour Of The Melting Arctic," by BuzzFeed News' Zaha Hirji: "Lamar Smith, one of the most vocal critics of climate science in Congress, led a secret trip to the Arctic in May, BuzzFeed News has learned. He and at least eight other U.S. representatives, mostly members of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, met with scientists working on the front lines of climate change. ... Billed as an oversight visit for the science committee, the May 8-14 trip included a series of closed-door sessions for the politicians to inspect facilities and learn about federally funded science conducted at
research hot spots in the Arctic Circle, as well as social events for the lawmakers and their families. No one publicized the visit, and some scientists told BuzzFeed News they were instructed not to talk about it." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cfb101e8fcb6196414965a78b4002ab33377f6ad3b0356f6ecc49915e268076dc02a852f6c58de57068f87e0289dd53916

AFTERNOON READ -- "The Ayatollah's Billion-Dollar Alaskan Bag Man," by Zach Dorfman in POLITICO Magazine: "In August 2012, a silver Rolls-Royce pulled up to the majestic Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Out stepped a newly married couple, freshly arrived from their wedding ceremony. ... The bride wore a dazzling sapphire pendant around her neck, matching sapphire earrings and a weighty diamond ring around her finger. At the wedding dinner, a man toasted the groom, Mitchell Zong, as the kind of person who 'really bends over backwards to help friends and family.'

"Less than two years later, when FBI agents, executing a search warrant, entered the Zong family's Southern California home, they took that same sapphire wedding set, valued at more than $40,000, as well as $24,000 in cash. Federal prosecutors had initiated a huge civil forfeiture case over property owned by the Zong family, including Mitchell Zong. Prosecutors claim that what the FBI seized that day represents a fraction of the ill-gotten funds that tie Mitchell Zong to a spectacular transnational sanctions-evasion scheme, one that laundered more than $1 billion in Iranian government funds over a mere six-month period in 2011.

"And the unlikely figure at the center of this story-which encompasses shadowy Iranian businessmen based in the Middle East and Caucasus; high-ranking South Korean state banking officials; an Iranian-American airline magnate whose planes have been linked to covert work for the U.S. government, including the CIA; the difficult politics of multilateral sanctions; the abstruse world of illicit finance; and laundered property and goods spread across three U.S. states-is a septuagenarian Alaskan ex-salmon exporter and restaurateur, Mitchell's father, Kenneth Keun Zong." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf732f86870321a131bc4e5ee70dd6a59f43ac21c987d60f2315d28cd324ab327456b0d023fe03dec22f74d0dace7d2ac9

TODAY'S BEYOND THE BELTWAY -- Sheldon Silver's conviction vacated in New York -- Jerry Brown presses hard for cap-and-trade http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d84ab76786f13cf25974c44b92cafe5016ad706d90e5b9a852dfe04de515f7b90ad63d941d4dcaf6215442e7e0b6b3f807853e56019f17f

POWER SHOWER -- Reps. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), Susan Brooks (R-Ind.) and Cathy McMorris (R-Wash.) co-hosted a bridal shower for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, who's engaged to Matt Manda. Attendees brought a cooking utensil or gadget and recipe at the all-women fete last night at Rep. Black's home. Each lawmaker also gave marriage advice to Stefanik, starting with the longest-married member North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx, who has been married for 53 years. One attendee said that there was lots of laughs throughout the evening and that the lawmakers even remembered to collect the bows and make a bouquet.

SPOTTED: Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Reps. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), Kyrsten Sinema (R-Ariz.), Mimi Walters (R-Calif.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.).

TRANSITIONS -- Sam Ori has been named executive director of the Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics at UChicago; he was most recently executive director of the university's Energy Policy Institute. ... Ryan Erickson has started as a policy advisor to Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo. He was previously associate director of economic campaigns at the Center for American Progress. ...

... Sam Hananel has been hired as the Center for American Progress' associate director of media relations. He was previously an AP reporter covering the Supreme Court. Additionally, Kyle Epstein is now a senior media coordinator at CAP. He previously worked on the CAP project Generation Progress.

SPOTTED boarding a morning American flight out of DCA to Martha's Vineyard: Heather Podesta, Steve Kessler, Tammy Haddad, Ken Feinberg, former Sen. John Breaux (D-La.), and former Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.). It is the DSCC's annual weekend on the island.

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