Subject: Playbook Power Briefing, presented by PhRMA: Trump claims he has ‘the absolute right to PARDON myself’ and that the special counsel’s appointment is ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’
From: "Anna Palmer Jake Sherman Daniel Lippman" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2018 11:04:33 -0600
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Today's Playbook Power Briefing presented by PhRMA 
            
By JAKE SHERMAN ([email-masked]; @JakeSherman), ANNA PALMER ([email-masked]; @apalmerdc), DANIEL LIPPMAN ([email-masked]; @dlippman) and ZACH MONTELLARO ([email-masked]; @ZachMontellaro)

        
FROM THE HIGH COURT ... JOSH GERSTEIN: "Supreme Court rules on narrow grounds for Colorado baker in same-sex wedding case": "The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a Christian baker in Colorado who refused to make a custom cake for a same-sex couple, but the court punted on spelling out how the government must weigh the need to both prevent sexual-orientation discrimination and protect religious freedom.

"Writing for the court's majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy said the Colorado Civil Rights Commission violated Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips' rights by showing 'hostility' to his religious beliefs as he was found to have violated the law and ordered to anti-discrimination training.

"The high court's 7-2 ruling in the closely watched case left open the question of how a state enforcing anti-discrimination laws in a different fashion would have to accommodate individuals' rights to religious freedom and free expression." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2abcbf0f59684958f378366411235bbea6520763d10a8278606f98f441072efc8744d432479901ea058 

NYT'S LISA FRIEDMAN and ERIC LIPTON: "Aide Sought a New Apartment for Scott Pruitt, as Well as an 'Old Mattress' From Trump Hotel": "A senior [EPA] official acted essentially as the personal assistant to the administrator, Scott Pruitt, helping him hunt for an apartment, travel to a college-football game and even try to procure a used mattress from the Trump International Hotel, congressional transcripts show.

"Millan Hupp, who serves as Mr. Pruitt's scheduling director, told congressional investigators that she worked unpaid to help find the administrator new housing. At the time, Mr. Pruitt was renting a condominium for $50 a night from a lobbyist who had business before the agency.

"According to a partial transcript released by Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Ms. Hupp worked with real estate agents and visited at least 10 apartments over more than a month to find Mr. Pruitt new lodging. She also did other personal errands for the administrator including booking his personal travel to the Rose Bowl college football game." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2abede2bd2a202e1302393d821996e48f4ca125802a04fbf9ff96ec3f5bba55ba50210eb144dc451372 ... The partial transcript http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab18e42e9e8d8150429ea91c93dfcc67ebf28bd45494297f82cdf2c3a9b90a77bb0c285ede47f32cf1 

Good Monday afternoon. SPOTTED: Chief Justice John Roberts and Judge Merrick Garland having lunch at Rasika in Penn Quarter ... Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke yesterday afternoon at the Harris Teeter in Navy Yard.

THE PRESIDENT'S THEORY OF THE CASE -- @realDonaldTrump at 8:35 a.m.: "As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong? In the meantime, the never ending Witch Hunt, led by 13 very Angry and Conflicted Democrats (& others) continues into the mid-terms!" ...

... at 9:07 a.m.: "The appointment of the Special Councel [sic] is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL! Despite that, we play the game because I, unlike the Democrats, have done nothing wrong!" He later deleted this tweet and resent it with the correct spelling of counsel.

-- CNN'S MANU RAJU (@mkraju): "Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley just told me this: 'If I were president of the United States and I had a lawyer that said I could pardon myself, I think I would hire a new lawyer.'"

WHAT TRUMP WILL WALK INTO ... From the chair's summary of the G7 finance minister and bank governor meeting: "Concerns were expressed that the tariffs imposed by the United States on its friends and allies, on the grounds of national security, undermine open trade and confidence in the global economy.

"Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors requested that the United States Secretary of the Treasury communicate their unanimous concern and disappointment.... 

"Ministers and Governors had a frank exchange on the benefits of an open rules-based trading system and many highlighted the negative impact of unilateral trade actions by the United States. Ministers and Governors agreed that this discussion should continue at the Leaders' Summit in Charlevoix, where decisive action is needed. The aim of this should be to restore collaborative partnerships to promote free, fair, predictable and mutually beneficial trade." The full statement http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab2d39bed9eb32b4441cbb19f93095e247934365c3c641cb45baec63846f0a7efda4b3b53afc4ac55f 

-- READOUT FROM DOWNING STREET on a call between PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP and PRIME MINISTER THERESA MAY this morning: "The Prime Minister raised the US decision to apply tariffs to EU steel and aluminium imports, which she said was unjustified and deeply disappointing. The Prime Minister said the U.S., UK and EU are close national security allies and we recognise the importance of the values of open and fair trade across the world. The Prime Minister also underlined the need to safeguard jobs that would potentially be affected by the decision. They agreed to discuss this and wider issues of free and fair global trade further at the G7 summit later in the week.

"They discussed North Korea, and the Prime Minister said the U.S. had our full support ahead of the President's planned summit with Kim Jong Un. They agreed we needed to see an agreement that brings about the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation and the removal of the North Korean ballistic missile capability. They agreed to discuss further at the G7 summit later this week."

MORNING MONEY'S BEN WHITE: "MM hears that before he left the White House, former National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn would withhold jobs report data from President Trump until shortly before their release because he was worried the president couldn't help but say something about them. ...

"Current NEC Director Larry Kudlow followed the usual protocol in calling Trump on Air Force One on Thursday and gave him Friday's figures. Kudlow did nothing wrong here. But Trump did, even if it wasn't a direct disclosure of the numbers." Subscribe to Morning Money http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2abfe8f400cc68570a48eab5966d65acb2883aa80ca92286478492e2525af334bc40aa75c1c44250cbc 

ABOUT THE NORTH KOREA SUMMIT -- "Trump-Kim summit venue: Singapore tightens security near Shangri-La Hotel as rumors swirl," by South China Morning Post's Bhavan Jaipragas: "Singapore has moved to declare its leafy diplomatic district near the popular Orchard Road shopping belt a 'special event area,' fueling speculation that the landmark summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will take place at the Shangri-La Hotel. 

"The announcement in the government gazette came as diplomatic sources told This Week In Asia on Monday that Pyongyang was insistent that the June 12 event could not be held in an American or European owned venue." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab307d1a89e92d77a94c86430cb38a65121b68676e8ecd1d4c9e095a3355342e2c03a25fd5be0ddb1c 

TOP TALKER -- "Bill Clinton defends his behavior amid #MeToo movement," by Louis Nelson: "Former President Bill Clinton said Monday that the #MeToo movement is 'way overdue' but that criticism of his own behavior during the Monica Lewinsky scandal is partly the product of frustration that President Donald Trump has yet to face meaningful consequences for the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

"'A lot of the facts have been conveniently omitted to make the story work,' Clinton told NBC's 'Today' show when asked about his decision to fight the articles of impeachment passed by the House in 1998. 'I think partly because they're frustrated that they got all these serious allegations against the current occupant of the oval office and his voters don't seem to care. I think I did the right thing. I defended the constitution.' ...

"Asked if felt differently about the Lewinsky scandal in light of the #MeToo movement, Clinton said he did not because 'I felt terrible then. And I came to grips with it.' He told NBC's Craig Melvin that 'nobody believes that I got out of that for free' and that he was $16 million in debt when he left office in 2001. The former president said he has not apologized privately to Lewinsky - nor spoken to her at all - and that he does not believe such an apology is necessary because he has repeatedly done so publicly." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2abb88f47b5f412199c272f96908e4e890d68071d03d5fd419e5b2cfce4da4459a3a50ea61dc5ede871 ... Video from the Today show http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab66eb77d41720cfb1d4d422fc35af629aaac0afa406a15b052402531f30ab6c0e23e9a25fde52d2a2 

** A message from PhRMA: New analysis from IHS Markit shows providing access to discounted medicine prices at the pharmacy could save seniors with diabetes more than $350 annually. Sharing negotiated rebates could also save Medicare nearly $1,000 annually for every senior taking diabetes medication, reducing total health care spending by approximately $20B over the next 10 years. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=99255db5295b5e041a3713dc249665a9e8ab082dd32e629dfab5244f3f55b048f0b3711b009cc61f3737792d9c46c64c **

ON IMMIGRATION ... NANCY COOK and TED HESSON: "Blowback over border separations amps up tensions inside Trump administration": "President Donald Trump and top aides including policy adviser Stephen Miller felt deeply frustrated that [images of immigrant children in detention centers], which dated back to the Obama administration, were getting pinned on them, according to people familiar with the reaction. So they created a special working group to do what this White House does best -- push back and shift blame to Democrats through presidential tweets and a rare on-the-record briefing by Miller.

"In reality, Trump's own administration has increased the likelihood of family separation with a new policy to refer anyone suspected of crossing the border illegally for prosecution, including asylum seekers. ...

"The shift has brought tensions to a boil between some administration officials and the White House over how far they can push immigration policy, both legally and politically. Interviews with 16 current and former administration officials, immigration experts, and close White House advisers reveal a potentially thorny political quandary for the president: how to balance promises to his base, which favors a tough approach to border security, with efforts to appeal to moderate, independent, and suburban voters who may be turned off by visual images of immigrant parents separated from their kids." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab3f73f7d58f701b352bec61d467e5ad3cac628da062b6241800c45c996541ea39a47038f6f42960f0 

WAR REPORT -- "Special Operations Forces in Africa Likely to Face Cuts in Major Military Review," by NYT's Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Eric Schmitt: "American Special Operations forces are likely to be sharply cut in Africa as a result of a new Pentagon strategy that focuses on combating rising threats from Russia and China and, in turn, is driving a sweeping review of the nation's elite commando missions.

"The review, ordered by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in recent weeks, could result in slashing counterterrorism forces in Africa by as much as half over the next three years. It was issued amid an ongoing Pentagon assessment of Special Operations forces worldwide after an ambush in Niger killed four American soldiers last fall." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2abaf789777f56e99354ab2d79fb0b8a48e5b9b7b5b6621469a47856de540e2ff19e678fa4808dc0f2c 

HEADS UP SENATE STAFFERS -- POPVILLE: "The 201 Bar: 'After 15 yrs of serving Capitol Hill, we are permanently closing on Fri 6/15'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab9a53117838515b6062d4a5b656d20eac89b68dae6c4371338bccd91713b7d8681110d5e25c25c58f 

REMEMBERING FRANK CARLUCCI -- "Frank Carlucci, defense secretary and tamer of federal bureaucracies, dies at 87," by WaPo's Bruce Nelan: "Frank C. Carlucci III, a soft-spoken but hard-driving crisis manager for six presidents and whose reputation as a tamer of federal bureaucracies led to stints as secretary of defense, national security adviser and deputy CIA director, died June 3 at his home in McLean, Va. He was 87." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2aba3638a6c640bb98c0e032fc6cba9c54d2225f3793464151ca15f82402fb1326955615beeec47090e 

MEDIAWATCH -- "'We Could Fight This Thing to the End': As Christopher Steele Prepares to be Deposed About His Dossier in London, BuzzFeed Girds for a Long Struggle," by Vanity Fair's Joe Pompeo: "What did the former British spy believe about some of the details in his now-famous report? Finally, in a Russian tech executive's defamation suit against BuzzFeed, a window into the Russia-collusion murk may open." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab0d7ee07f1660f11c302d68403ca607959960cd3556a75c578c405352dafed9661f9dcd14eb4c7ae2 

-- OLIVIER KNOX, SiriusXM's new chief Washington correspondent, will start hosting his own show "The Big Picture" tonight from 6 to 7 p.m. on the non-partisan POTUS channel 124. Confirmed guests for his first week include Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jake Tapper.

TRANSITIONS -- James Atkins and Joshua Baca are now managing directors at Marathon Strategies and Anthony Hogrebe is now SVP. Atkins previously was at Burson-Marsteller, Baca comes from DDC Public Affairs and Hogrebe was at the NYC Economic Development Corporation. ... Sarah Donovan is now a policy adviser at Venable in their legislative and government affairs practice. She previously was a policy adviser at DLA Piper. ...

... David Wick is joining Spencer Stuart as a consultant in their education, non-profit, and government practice. He previously was chief external impact officer at the KIPP Foundation. ... Betsy Barrett is now director of communications and marketing at North America's Building Trades Unions. She is an alum of Food Policy Action, Glover Park Group and the Internet Association.

ENGAGED -- Anna Katherine Cabaniss, who works in the office of presidential scheduling at the White House as the President's receptionist, got engaged to Jake Baxley, a project manager at Liberty Construction Services, over the weekend in Nashville, Tenn. surrounded by friends and family. The couple met in high school and both graduated from the University of Alabama. Pics http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2abcd239a35decb65c7794f7f7fc2a2369205b0f1a404e709e3d54b218a55d40cd50b3d5fa3080e64df ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab49f97d7308a41c69460c183c4bc8f8f7724d4b314046123918680ea540ebbe294471589d7e8c7915

-- Mel Leonor, a policy reporter at POLITICO, got engaged in Naples, Fla. to John Barclay, a public school science teacher. Pic http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab5af2bd570d777b8c2a43f104e8b06c5894840616bed07124c82b22017b775199544b383bc061f04f 

-- BUSH ALUMNI: Grayson Miller, a Bush WH alum and now a defense litigation attorney, recently proposed to Caitlyn Prichard, a mass tort plaintiffs litigation attorney. Pics  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2abe279fd790fb024bb167674e78a0268f64c1d5aa5f1bed5bea5c15a7f3331ff537a71881bc3bf0730 ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2abadd2b2891b4ba06cf8430a8d6462fb818555e2bf38f319babbbc8a4937ed56432945bd0bbbe4cb8f

WEEKEND WEDDINGS -- Eliot Nelson, a reporter at HuffPost, married Meghan Apfelbaum, senior account manager at Hustle Saturday at Capon Springs in West Virginia. Pics http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2aba1510d29efa68ff439fb6be1a3ada8f0ed193938692de61382a169b26fb47bc5f713148adce50fb3 ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2abf688ece43da7fc03fff16c2ae9963fec660cbcae9ea70eaa64f48d4e23588b0b23f7c214a44e785b ... The couple and his past and present HuffPo colleagues http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab6d5cdb2261ec957225e058343e6416921474cc64694f59fef1c1e1ae5b8c9519e75bf5f43b808bcf

-- SPOTTED: Jen Bendery, Arthur Delaney, Lucia Graves and Alex Seitz-Wald, Ryan Grim, TJ Helmstetter and Mike Naple, Devon Kearns and Lennon Duggan, Jason Linkins, Ryan Reilly, Sabrina Siddiqui, Amanda Terkel and Haley Van Dyck.

-- Jordan Wood, political director of End Citizens United, on Saturday married Jake Lipsett, partner in Mothership Strategies, a progressive digital fundraising firm, at the Line Hotel. The couple met when they were both working with Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), who attended the wedding. "Jordan asked Jake to marry him last June on a trip to the Scottish Highlands exactly two years after the Obergefell v. Hodges decision gave all Americans the right to marry." Pics http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab094d1949889085c8ef7d0419dd19eafc8a11e17c67f1294afd9bebe709e5acabbfeb35fc5c9b5d66 ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab03a45806299a98b093813ae87d7cc5d3c4a724ba06cde7005c53dd204fdc628a7b413597fe06568d

SPOTTED: Devan Barber, Tiffany Muller, Nicole Brener-Schmitz, Reed Adamson, Val Martin, Matt Burgess, Scott Fay, Adam Bozzi, Greg Berlin, and Charles Starnes.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD -- Mitch Relfe, LD for Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.), and Janelle Relfe, LD for Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), on Friday welcomed Eleanor Lauren Relfe, born weighing 7.13 oz, 21 inches. Pics http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9c973ab5745b2ab2ae9d85cef57eb7df69dd27174c077875a9c11171f505b95cddc5be87ecd342ace70605f9f4fc5f5 ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=99255db5295b5e04683949d45e1e88ee5047b37cc906430efe6d7de588a79d716658f21f20ba835b45b9932ebb7ad817

BONUS BIRTHDAY: CAA's David Larabell

** A message from PhRMA: For more than 10 years, Medicare has provided prescription drug coverage for seniors. Competition continues to keep premiums low, but seniors are facing higher out-of-pocket spending. Insurers negotiate significant discounts for medicines in Part D. Giving seniors 80% of those discounts at the pharmacy counter could save a senior with diabetes more than $350 per year on their health care costs. The change could also save Medicare nearly $1,000 per year for every senior taking diabetes medication. How? By helping patients afford the drugs they need to stay healthy and stay out of the hospital. Seniors share the cost. They should share the savings. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=99255db5295b5e041a3713dc249665a9e8ab082dd32e629dfab5244f3f55b048f0b3711b009cc61f3737792d9c46c64c **

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