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08/13/2018 07:58 AM EDT


By Nolan D. McCaskill (nmccaskill@politico.com or @NolanDMcCaskill)

ELLISON DENIES ABUSING EX-GIRLFRIEND -- Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) is denying allegations that he abused his ex-girlfriend, whose son made the claims public in a Facebook post shared by a Minnesota state representative who is running against Ellison for state attorney general in Tuesday's Democratic primary. Karen Monahan's son Austin posted that he found more than 100 texts and Twitter messages and a nearly two-minute video of Ellison "dragging my mama off the bed by her feet, screaming and calling her a 'f---ing b----' and telling her to get the f--- out of his house." He accused Ellison of shaming, bullying and threatening Karen Monahan.

MPR News reviewed the texts and Twitter messages but has not seen the video or any police reports or court documents confirming the altercation. The messages, MPR News' Briana Bierschbach writes, "show the two communicating after their breakup for months, coordinating her getting her things from his house. The tenor of the conversation at times was friendly ... and at other times more combative over the terms of their break-up and the emotional pain Monahan said he caused her." The messages, however, showed no evidence of physical abuse.

"Karen and I were in a long-term relationship which ended in 2016, and I still care deeply for her well-being," Ellison said in a statement. "This video does not exist because I never behaved in this way, and any characterization otherwise is false." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed93406639f2ce561a80598ac43cffa389bc23e2b3c2463c8195bf6f1c673c0375153468f0e0018072db3

Related: "U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison accused of domestic violence; he denies it," by the Minneapolis Star Tribune's J. Patrick Coolican, Maya Rao and Jessie Van Berkel: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed9346936d8fd03010be892a01825151e2bb1baa04530ed30ccb4ed1e87760e6630786a2c4cd2d148c38f and "Wisconsin Faces a Political Crossroads Tuesday. Which Way Will It Go?" from The New York Times' Monica Davey: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed93443c33a9637edc60df8d4b731be47aa816431b621c1288eb55fb74c669bbf99061b27ae34e29422a1

#METOO BILL LINGERS ON THE HILL -- It's been nearly a year since the #MeToo movement emerged in the U.S. Allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct have even made their way to Capitol Hill, resulting in the resignations and retirements of Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.), Blake Farenthold (R-Texas), Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.), Ruben Kihuen (D-Nev.) and Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.) and Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.). Yet Congress is still far from finalizing modernizing its own workplace harassment rules. "Talks on reshaping Capitol Hill's misconduct policy haven't exactly stalled -- they're just plodding slowly amid tension between the Senate and House on how to reconcile
competing bills," Elana and Heather report.

House members say their version is superior to the Senate's watered-down product. "That leaves the ultimate congressional response to the national outcry over workplace harassment very much in doubt, even as members and aides on both sides of the Capitol say they're still making progress," they write. "And with the clock ticking to get something done -- even if it's imperfect -- in response to widespread outrage over sexual misconduct, the House's bipartisan unity in favor of its bill is poised to be tested." Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.) said senators "feel very strongly that we went too far in our bill, and they want a much weaker process." But, "I don't think that's what the public expects
of us," he said. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed934753453721a552ca8fda3dd56c1cb9d76a80a705b55b2085af03904f8e3c221b051bfbeedaf180e95

DONNELLY'S SENATE REELECTION STRUGGLE -- "Accidental" Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) is running for reelection like a city council candidate. Donnelly lacks the "larger-than-life" personality and "storied" political lineage that many of his fellow red-state Democratic senators have. And privately, some senators refer to him as the "accidental senator" who was elected in 2012 because he faced a deeply flawed Republican opponent. "[T]he first-term Indiana senator's presence is often barely noticed in the Capitol," Burgess writes from Indianapolis. "His heads-down style distinguishes him among a quintet of centrist Democrats scrapping to survive this fall. Donnelly rarely gives news conferences
and stays away from cable news. For years, he assiduously avoided reporters who blanket the Capitol hallways."

As Burgess points out, Donnelly's reelection strategy is risky. But Donnelly is comfortable with it and believes Indiana wants a representative who's willing to tell President Donald Trump no sometimes but otherwise keeps quiet in Washington and sticks to the basics. "I can't be somebody else," Donnelly said in an interview. He noted Indiana "leans Republican." "I'm not naive about that," he said. "But it's also a state that's really common sense, that respects hard work, that wants normal. And that's where we are." Inside Donnelly's battle to prove 2012 was no fluke: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed9349a9fb71ea0a338de32f891e84e1de748463794242cddf83b0f45b7507849411dcd24ede55239e64c

Related reads: "Can No-Frills Senate Democrat Joe Donnelly Win in the Age of Donald Trump?" by The Daily Beasts Andrew Desiderio: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed9343562e4acac44404aaeb73d50ccef6ee025260d08b4b8d8992ef91eb28e74eb6fbe5393180dfc8790 "Outsourcing critic's brand sells foreign parts," from The Associated Press' Brian Slodysko: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed934e7f1636bd43e04c58047a01e4c3a2388a0f50c4a2779949d52a4c59e6385a108c1db937eac577980

GOOD MORNING! Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Monday, Aug. 13.

FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Roll Call's report on the bipartisan resolution two New York lawmakers plan to introduce barring House members from serving on public company boards was the winner.

ON SECOND THOUGHT -- Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) announced over the weekend that he is suspending his reelection campaign and retiring at the end of his term. Collins, who was charged last week with fraud in an insider trading scheme, had insisted he would run for reelection and remain on the ballot but said his change of heart followed "extensive discussions with family and friends." "Under New York law, Collins' name can be supplanted on the ballot at this stage of the cycle only if he dies, moves out of state or is nominated for another office -- like a local judgeship," Kyle and Jimmy Vielkind report.

"According to Erie County GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy, the exact mechanisms are still being worked out, but he noted Collins owns houses in Florida and Washington, D.C.," they write. "Republican leaders from each of the eight counties in the 27th District -- which covers rural areas as well as suburbs of Buffalo and Rochester -- will meet to select a replacement candidate, Langworthy said. There are more than 40,000 active Republicans than Democrats in the district, which went for Donald Trump by 24 points in 2016." Collins maintains the charges are "meritless" and that he will be exonerated. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed934a9fcf97b6b4e0ee18d139264afe1bdb7fe2e61c96ca35d9a8ef4cbe761ecdbc11183f99a7073ca16

Related: "Here are the names floated to replace Chris Collins in the 27th District," via The Buffalo News' Jay Rey: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed934285f1ce726c87fcc08ec8385c6398bee9e5465d3253a9391f458f75d426dfc5c0f6047cad1f96f7e

KAVANAUGH HEARINGS SET -- Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's Senate confirmation hearings will begin Sept. 4 and are expected to last three or four days. "That scheduling tees up the GOP to meet its goal of getting President Donald Trump's pick seated on the high court by the time its term begins in early October, barring unforeseen obstacles or a breakthrough by Democrats who are pushing to derail Kavanaugh's confirmation," Elana reports. "The Supreme Court battle so far has focused on documents related to Kavanaugh's five years in the George W. Bush White House." Democrats have pressed for access to documents from Kavanaugh's time as staff secretary to no avail.

The confirmation timeline: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has said he anticipates completing the panel's consideration of Kavanaugh within a couple weeks of the end of his confirmation hearings. Kavanaugh's nomination is expected to reach the Senate floor days later. "At this current pace, we have plenty of time to review the rest of emails and other records that we will receive from President Bush and the National Archives," Grassley said in a statement Friday. Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) will meet with Kavanaugh on Wednesday. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed934ce1d057db80da6b20e7f0822f32e5d0f6f8a7ac4963a885ce9042f035ee32080e972cb2c61d99233

Related reads: "Trump's Supreme Court pick calls Antonin Scalia a 'role model' and a 'judicial hero,'" from CNN's Manu Raju and Joan Biskupic: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed93473e0692c745cce967d3d913b91e4fbd3af49213372788e9d1c7e27d16c08fd657dd88f1fb9cbeeb7 "Kavanaugh argued a president would have to testify before a grand jury if subpoenaed," by CNN's Maegan Vazquez: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed9349172e1b692b54371cabbfc8126c19028bae16bcafeee6b6fd0a66d2d963ba0c7d10a7b03e47364fc and "Kavanaugh documents offer minor clues into his Bush White House years," per The Washington Post's Stephanie McCrummen: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed934dd22517a98099c4db283a9d2217f364ae04ae9b4aa5ca51c6ce98578f39b099ef895e1cb68fb3b7e

GOP PUSHES FOR TRUMP TO WEIGH IN ON SENATE RACE -- Arizona Republicans could really use a Trump tweet right about now. NRSC Chairman Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) has asked the president to endorse Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) over former state Sen. Kelli Ward and former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio ahead of the state's Aug. 28 primary. "Trump ... was noncommittal and did not say yes or no to the request," Alex Isenstadt reports. "He has previously lavished praise on Ward, and he pardoned Arpaio, who shares his hard-line immigration views." Republicans, however, fear a Ward or Arpaio win would hand the open seat to Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.). More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed934c157787bd817db71ca132d501edd7b859d99943ebb235dc2360a045962a2ffb62a63ae3d4c3b671f

McSally will join the president today at Fort Drum in New York, where he will sign a defense policy bill.

CRAMER BREAKS WITH TRUMP ON CURBING LEGAL IMMIGRATION -- Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) disagrees with the president's position on curbing legal immigration. Cramer, who is running for Senate against Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), told the Washington Examiner that "North Dakota might not have enough physicians to care for the state's 755,000-plus residents, or attract enough technology professionals to staff its Microsoft campus in Fargo, if the Trump administration follows through with plans to curtail legal immigration," David Drucker reports. "I don't like the idea of reducing the numbers of legal immigrants to come into the country, because right now we have an economy that is in greater need of
workforce than jobs," Cramer said.

Cramer and Trump do see eye to eye on illegal immigration, though. "The congressman supports building a wall along the Southern border with Mexico, and suggested he is at ease with the president's strategy of initiating a government shutdown to pressure Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to provide enough Democratic votes to move legislation financing the barrier's construction," Drucker adds. Shutdowns are "pretty irresponsible governing," said Cramer, who insisted whether one occurs this fall is up to Senate Democrats, not the president. "If that was to happen, and we were to have a shutdown because Chuck Schumer wouldn't allow funding for the wall, politically for me ... that
would save me a lot of ad money." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a35994b3994ed934b7bbaf2fd83050fd0360b62111666dd32ad08373efd4404a841de9ba3c0b9f2f266aa13ef988a93d

GOODLATTE, BADLATTE? -- Retiring Rep. Bob Goodlatte's (R-Va.) successor will be a Democrat, if his son has a say. Goodlatte, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, has represented Virginia's 6th Congressional District since 1993. But with his name off the ballot for the first time in more than two decades, his son, Bobby Goodlatte, is supporting Democratic nominee Jennifer Lewis over state Rep. Ben Cline. "I just gave the maximum allowed donation to Jennifer Lewis, a democrat running for my father's congressional seat," he tweeted Sunday. "I've also gotten 5 other folks to commit to donate the max. 2018 is the year to flip districts -- let's do this!"

The post linked to Lewis' website and was retweeted more than 3,00 times and liked more than 11,000 times. "Overwhelmed with the support we've seen today. But don't just retweet-donate!!" Bobby Goodlatte wrote four hours later. VA-06 is excluded from Cook Political Report's ratings of competitive House districts, meaning it's likely to remain red. Bobby Goodlatte donated a combined $10,000 to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, the DNC and Hillary Victory Fund in October 2016.

TRANSITIONS -- Oumou Ly has left Sen. Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) office, where Ly was a defensive legislative aide on the national security team. Ly is heading to the London School of Economics to start the conflict studies graduate program.

Maria Stratienko has left the Senate Science and Space Subcommittee, where she was a legislative assistant, to attend law school at American University.

TODAY IN CONGRESS -- The House and Senate are out.

FRIDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER -- Mary Vought was first to correctly guess that six members of Congress serve on the Smithsonian Institute's board of regents alongside Vice President Mike Pence and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts: Sens. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) and Reps. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Sam Johnson (R-Texas) and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.).

TODAY'S TRIVIA -- From Mary: Which two presidents didn't actually have a middle name despite the fact that they used the same single alphabetic letter to represent one? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: nmccaskill@politico.com.

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