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Today's Playbook Power Briefing presented by AARP

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


Democrats forced a vote on an investigation into why Rev. Patrick Conroy was dismissed, but it was tabled by the GOP majority.THE DISMISSAL of the House chaplain, Father Patrick Conroy, has touched off a round of finger pointing in the Capitol, culminating in a vote Friday morning to launch an investigation into his firing. The vote -- forced by Democrats -- was tabled by the GOP majority.

LAWMAKERS FEEL that they haven't gotten an adequate explanation about the dismissal. Ryan has said his decision was not political. Some say there were pastoral concerns about Conroy.

CATHOLIC MEMBERS OF CONGRESS are heated. New York Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley authored the failed motion to launch an investigation. New York GOP Rep. Pete King says he never heard concerns. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.), a Catholic, told us: "On a personal level, I know Father Conroy well. He's been very helpful to me. I've appreciated his service here. Anybody who is in a role like this has to accommodate the needs of a diverse set of religious traditions, as well as even non religious traditions."

THE RUSSIA REPORT -- KYLE CHENEY: "While the report stated the [House Intelligence Committee] found an absence of evidence of a campaign-Russia connection, it did emphasize that other ongoing investigations - such as special counsel Robert Mueller's probe - might be privy to facts the committee could not obtain. The Senate Intelligence Committee is also continuing to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election.

"The document, endorsed only by Republican members of the panel, follows a year-long investigation that at times was marked by intense partisanship and acrimony. Democrats have described ample evidence that suggests the possibility of collusion and accused Republicans of short-circuiting the investigation and letting tight-lipped witnesses off the hook without subpoenas." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b1de43729a7f253368f5d7ffd1451a9c814a23a155e4959c9eab20bb82ac0343afab5aceae03bc968 ... The 253-page report http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580bbbbb67b58b78d21029c2dcf22425c7cbb036e97e6b92d8640d784b1f2ccef690cf832cea61ecad67

-- @realDonaldTrump at 10:14 a.m.: "Just Out: House Intelligence Committee Report released. 'No evidence' that the Trump Campaign 'colluded, coordinated or conspired with Russia.' Clinton Campaign paid for Opposition Research obtained from Russia- Wow! A total Witch Hunt! MUST END NOW!"

Good Friday afternoon. JERUSALEM POST: "NEW EMBASSY QUARTER TO BE BUILT IN JERUSALEM, COULD BE CALLED 'TRUMP TOWN'": "[Israeli Construction Minister Yoav] Gallant suggested a couple possible names for the area where the embassies would be located. He initially called it 'Embassy Town,' but then said he may decide to instead call it 'Trump Town,' after US President Donald Trump, who initiated next month's move of the US Embassy to Jerusalem." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580be494620ab65ea0199c8fe358a2f13fc979a4e5c945a68b6129ad6a0b3f6cf3f2434fde90dd9782e7

THE RUSSIA PROBE-- "Lawyer Who Was Said to Have Dirt on Clinton Had Closer Ties to Kremlin Than She Let On," by NYT's Andrew Kramer in Moscow and Sharon LaFraniere in Washington: "[N]ewly released emails show that in at least one instance two years earlier, the lawyer, Natalia V. Veselnitskaya, worked hand in glove with Russia's chief legal office to thwart a Justice Department civil fraud case against a well-connected Russian firm.

"Ms. Veselnitskaya also appears to have recanted her earlier denials of Russian government ties. During an interview to be broadcast Friday by NBC News, she acknowledged that she was not merely a private lawyer but a source of information for a top Kremlin official, Yuri Y. Chaika, the prosecutor general.

"'I am a lawyer, and I am an informant,' she said. 'Since 2013, I have been actively communicating with the office of the Russian prosecutor general.'

"The previously undisclosed details about Ms. Veselnitskaya rekindle questions about who she was representing when she met with Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort and others at Trump Tower in Manhattan during the campaign." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b22c8fdbff7131d3bd76fc74d9faa6409ff45fab9be07d3da8e0fc19fa8d6b025cac6cacccbead741

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WHAT IS ON PRESIDENT TRUMP'S MIND -- at 6:26 a.m.: "Is everybody believing what is going on. James Comey can't define what a leak is. He illegally leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION but doesn't understand what he did or how serious it is. He lied all over the place to cover it up. He's either very sick or very dumb. Remember sailor!"

ON NORTH KOREA -- ... at 6:41 a.m.: "After a furious year of missile launches and Nuclear testing, a historic meeting between North and South Korea is now taking place. Good things are happening, but only time will tell!" ... at 6:41 a.m.: "After a furious year of missile launches and Nuclear testing, a historic meeting between North and South Korea is now taking place. Good things are happening, but only time will tell!" ... at 6:55 a.m.: "KOREAN WAR TO END! The United States, and all of its GREAT people, should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!" ...

ON CHINA -- ... at 7:50 a.m.: "Please do not forget the great help that my good friend, President Xi of China, has given to the United States, particularly at the Border of North Korea. Without him it would have been a much longer, tougher, process!"

-- HOT VIDEO -- AP: "Raw: Kim and Moon Embrace After Talks" -- 1-min. video http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b8515e150c7acf5a5b71c26177445118da7f6109c75c1eea55c9ba249cc4d111de909a7b717130756

TRUMP ON KANYE -- ... at 9:11 a.m.: "Kanye West has performed a great service to the Black Community - Big things are happening and eyes are being opened for the first time in Decades - Legacy Stuff! Thank you also to Chance and Dr. Darrell Scott, they really get it (lowest Black & Hispanic unemployment in history)."

-- CHANCE THE RAPPER'S RESPONSE: "I didn't speak up because I agree with what Kanye had to say or cause I f**k with trump, I did it because I wanted to help [Kanye] ... Unfortunately, my attempt to support Kanye is being used to discredit my brothers and sisters in the movement and I can't sit by and let that happen either." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580bf9fc8e2c5b80849ad6391e7be4bd9e68fdd7be295056a7b50035786f7b195cae4c9f54030cb4a62e

BEN SCHRECKINGER: "Yiannopoulos' business implodes after death of crypto-billionaire": "Running out of money and down on his luck, right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos laid off the small staff of Milo Entertainment Inc. earlier this month, according to three people familiar with the situation. Yiannopoulos' company has fallen on hard times ever since his former patrons, Robert and Rebekah Mercer, severed their financial backing last year.

"According to the sources, Yiannopoulos had been expecting to instead receive significant financial backing from the banking heir and cryptocurrency billionaire Matthew Mellon. But those hopes were dashed with Mellon's unexpected death from an apparent drug overdose on April 16." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580baa0097c447d502fb027808b92b0fd1c398032e1b79578837fd5958e2fc2023894adc91451acdae0b ... NYT, April 20, "What Happened to Matthew Mellon: A proud father. A brilliant friend. Lucky in love. Inherited wealth. And an opioid addict, dead at 54," by Katherine Rosman and Jonah Engel Bromwich: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b2999c8679992b597f982ca1c2ab525d0ad570d8265c668ab4c8c2b8b32638b703820bf530e02cab0

DEEP DIVE -- "Will Cohen Flip? Tenuous Finances May Provide Crucial Clues," by Bloomberg's Shahien Nasiripour and Caleb Melby: "The owners of 32 New York City taxi licenses -- known as medallions -- he and his wife, Laura, took out at least 16 loans based on their once-soaring value, liens show. With the rise of Uber and Lyft, the price of a medallion has fallen from more than $1 million to around $163,000 in the past four years. Income from the taxi business has plummeted, and millions of dollars of the Cohens' loans went under water. ...

"Unpaid taxes and fines have piled up at the Cohen taxi companies, triggering a suspension of about half of the medallions, city records show, squeezing cash flow. The taxi business isn't the only part of Cohen's empire that's suffering. The law firm Squire Patton Boggs said it ended its 'strategic alliance' with Cohen after law enforcement raided his offices, and the rest of his legal work could decline for the same reason." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580baf51e7e9a1dbb8c8ba8267d0df2517e071d09491f8a527fb364259327fcfd7d898b747f2c67f2adb

THE ADMINISTRATION -- "The cost of Donald Trump's deserted government," by Lorraine Woellert: "Job vacancies are fast becoming a singular threat to President Donald Trump's administration, with a record number of openings that stretch from low-level appointments to the secretary's office at the Department of Veterans Affairs. While civil servants have stepped up to fill gaps, their power and influence is limited -- and many senior career government workers have quit or retired since Trump took office, taking institutional knowledge with them. ...

"For millions of Americans, the consequences are real. Vacancies have stalled pay raises for thousands of federal workers. A mortgage rule to help home buyers has been stuck in limbo for more than a year. And the Internal Revenue Service is short bodies to push out regulations related to the new tax law, stymieing businesses." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b2dd13894fc1278592b34d93ace1dde145ad68b867b94621d9422dbba93377c4e6d8a3bd8619bcdcc

2020 WATCH -- "John Kasich met privately with billionaire donor Ron Burkle as the Republican Ohio governor considers another run for president: Sources," by CNBC's Brian Schwartz: "Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is considering another run for president in 2020, recently met privately with billionaire investor and philanthropist Ron Burkle, who has a reputation for donating to candidates and causes across the political spectrum, CNBC has learned. Kasich met with Burkle in March in Los Angeles, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b6e946ac353c1df4292756c180a8668fdcde33f77daccdc8901b16427c6e9d6fcf7f8dbf82778bd8e

BEYOND THE BELTWAY -- "Ex-Gianforte spokesman who blamed reporter for assault has new job," by NBC News' Benjy Sarlin: "Shane Scanlon, who served as spokesman to Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont. during a 2017 special election in which the then-candidate assaulted Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs, has a new role in Montana politics. He's now communications director for Matt Rosendale, the state auditor running for the Republican nomination to challenge Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. in November. Scanlon confirmed his position in a call with NBC News.

"Scanlon attracted attention for his personal role in the Gianforte story, in which he put out an initial statement blaming Jacobs for the attack." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580bbbdc22329d22ead830e2489d2176163bca788f4c6e4f20f30dd05068cf9b6ffba78d1450a6d32a1e

MEDIAWATCH -- "Linda McMahon Replaces Tom Brokaw As Sacred Heart U. Commencement Speaker," by Hartford Courant's Neil Vigdor: "NBC newsman Tom Brokaw, the subject of sexual harassment allegations, has canceled as the commencement speaker at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. The former anchorman will be replaced by Linda McMahon ... The university's president, John J. Petillo, announced Brokaw's withdrawal Friday in an email to students, faculty and staff. ... 'Given events in the news, Mr. Brokaw did not want to distract from the intended and most important focus of the day - our graduating students and their families,' Petillo wrote." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b241b9c2ae43ec7ba4e8007a94074eb77fa4b4c6b5bc6121b739e006ca986916e035dddbb9c2f396f

-- CLICKER -- "The New Conservative Media Establishment: Up close with the titans (and young Turks) of the populist right," by M. Scott Mahaskey in the April/May issue of POLITICO Magazine. With portraits of Ben Shapiro, Sean Hannity, Allie Stuckey, Mark Levin, Liz Wheeler, Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and Dana Loesch http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580bdae2b00b2971b34ea5d731041bed36fb289d43a8fdad68d5a368754cc647fedebf780ad967808613

TV TONIGHT -- Bob Costa will be joined by PBS NewsHour's Yamiche Alcindor, ABC News' Tara Palmeri, NYT's Mark Landler and WaPo's Anne Gearan on PBS' "Washington Week" tonight at 8 p.m.

SPOTTED at a screening of "RBG" at the Naval Heritage Center, hosted by Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media, CNN Films and AFI Docs (trailer: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580be2317722220e00ff0cfcc89c538f1d7d038fb7f1771c329f5c9c0c6d1f6f959545d6736b91390b3e Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Jane Ginsburg, Justice Stephen Breyer, Dana Bash, Nina Totenberg, Jeff Zeleny, Jim Sciutto, Kaitlan Collins, Amy Entelis, Ted Olson, Sam and Danielle Feist, Rick Klein, Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.), Jamie Gorelick, Sally Quinn, Jess Bravin, Bob Barnes, Mark Stern, David Savage, Amy Howe, Mara Liasson, Ken Feinberg, Samantha Vinograd, David Chalian, Joan Biskupic, Irin Carmon, Kathy Arberg, Paul
Barrett.

SPOTTED at the "Great American White House Correspondents Dinner Party" last night sponsored by Daily Caller, ESA, IFA and the Conservative Partnership Institute at the National Union Building: Trey Yingst, Saagar Enjeti, Amber Athey, Chis Bedford, Benny Johnson, Erica Arbetter, Garrett Ventry, Ninio Fetalvo, Ari Schaffer, Emily Jashinsky, Robbie Myers, Judd Deere, Sarah Westwood, Fin Gomez, Charlie Spiering, Ben Droz, Melissa Brown, Ben Jenkins, Jamie Weinstein, J.P. Freire, Ryan Coyne, Emil Caillaux, Jeremy Diamond.

TRANSITIONS -- MARK PATTERSON is returning to Capitol Hill to work as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's general counsel overseeing investigations and approps. The former Daschle policy director was at Perkins Coie. He is replacing Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, who the Senate confirmed to the Federal Trade Commission. ...

... Anna McEntee is now a regional communications manager at In Pursuit Of. She was previously communications director for Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.). ... Dan Schneider is now associate director for communications at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. He most recently was press secretary at the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD -- Mike Burns, communications director for Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), and Lauren Burns, director of sales operations at GoCanvas, welcomed Madeline Colleen Burns on Wednesday afternoon. "Big brother Jack, Lauren, and I could not be happier. ... The newest member of Team Lowey is looking forward to Congress enacting responsible, bipartisan Appropriations law." Pics http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b1555251af83a0205fbdef422de3aebd682f6cf4e363a6b9a67f1dec291d9b2e7a4a5950641858696 ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b23cd8677a1fbcc032c1fe90902690b3b485d4faa5f854e5493c547b8bd731bb5c9448a7b6421861b

WEEKEND WEDDING - Mary Li, a legislative reporter for POLITICO Pro, recently married Lt. Brian Yang, a JAG officer for the U.S. Navy. "We met at a mutual friend's birthday party. He asked me out for a happy hour a few days later, and the rest is history! We had the wedding in the Chicago suburbs, where I grew up." Pics by Kenny Kim http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b92296158ee402162b07edb5795b8e35d58ec32a8f9f7a0cad5a81649531902af7033d98802ad0857 ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b65bb277f98194f3c5452d40b6673fd4907fa5165690baf09b0ff1c63ff44921211f6c0a0c13f3f1d ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b13263570aa8d0c99788d27fa147578fda5a7840f69e0be9da22ba7f4cee8bb8dcbae8feb883102d3

BONUS BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Charlie Thornton, director of the office of legislative affairs at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. A trend he thinks deserves more attention: "Most agriculture, energy and metal commodities, and financial products around the world are priced in U.S. dollars. We, as Americans, take this for granted and do not think about it often. But, other countries would very much like to see such key commodities priced in their own currency. It is in America's vital national interest that futures markets where the pricing is set for these key commodities continue to be located in the U.S. under U.S. regulation." Read his Playbook Plus Q&A:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=01253a3322e5580b6431b1f76292cb3a9f0e7374640fa152e5fa60ac4edd4284f85e095644616fa8a687be0b51a03c65


****** A message from AARP: "The Deciders series will paint a textured portrait of the voters with a major sway in this year's November midterm elections," said Carrie Budoff Brown, editor of POLITICO. "I'm excited to tell one of the most fascinating stories of the midterm elections across multiple platforms leveraging the depth and talent in the POLITICO newsroom." Learn more. ******

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