Subject: POLITICO Huddle, presented by Freight Rail Works: DEMS EYE NEXT TARGETS AFTER COHEN -- Pelosi cracks the whip on Dems -- GOP PRESSURES TRUMP TO BACK OFF WALL EMERGENCY -- Castro considering Senate bid
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 01 Mar 2019 07:03:07 -0600
List-Id: <1376319.xt.local>

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03/01/2019 08:01 AM EDT
        
By MELANIE ZANONA ([email-masked]; @MZanona)

        
ON TO THE NEXT ONE -- Democrats are already plotting their next moves to investigate President Donald Trump, his family members and business associates - and they are letting Michael Cohen's testimony serve as their guide. "All you have to do is follow the transcript," said House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.). Here is a rundown of the latest developments:

  The House Intelligence Committee will call longtime Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg to testify, according to Andrew. The panel also scheduled a public hearing on March 14 with former Trump business associate Felix Sater to discuss the Trump Tower Moscow project. And Cohen will come back for one more closed-door session next week.   Cummings said he will pursue interviews with Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Weisselberg, Andrew also reports. Cohen claimed he briefed Trump's children on the Moscow project and accused Weisselberg of being involved in the hush-money scheme to silence Stormy Daniels.   The House Financial Services Committee wants to start probing Trump's nonprofit
 foundation, with Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) citing potential tax evasion concerns. "I think that's an area that should be looked at because I think the foundation has been used by him to avoid paying taxes," she told reporters, according to Zachary Warmbrodt and Heather. 
Related read: "Trump's money man draws unwelcome spotlight," via Darren Samuelsohn and Anita Kumar: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2159f13631008b11d70eb0cdb9b558f88bb8817ea7162040188da818cfd8e111df3f327c4a033e86dafaae6f7dbaa0b0 

SPEAKING OF OVERSIGHT... Cummings is threatening to subpoena the White House for records and other information regarding its security clearance process. His committee already launched a formal probe into the issue, but has fresh fodder following a recent New York Times report that says Trump directed officials to grant Jared Kushner top-secret clearance despite concerns from intelligence officials. More than 40 House Democrats are now calling on the White House to revoke Kushner's clearance, reports Kyle. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2159f13631008b11a2e9d69dc0729bb6cc62af346ab740e3c04c9ad6ec4c824708626920bade7fe5bd2b3550f666258a 

Related: "HHS demands apology from House Ethics chair for comments on abuse of migrant children," by Dan Diamond and Bres: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=72c28e4fb4c58a548fd2887e168c024d358058f897ad3713eec08dc9362135b42dbb4c9d7054bc4af33f948421737854

IT'S FRI-YAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this March 1, where we are asking for your thoughts and prayers this baseball season as we brace for Andrew and his fellow Phillies fans to rub the Bryce Harper acquisition in our face.

THURSDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The Dallas Morning News report on how Beto O'Rourke is likely to announce a presidential bid was the big winner.

** A message from Freight Rail Works: The Department of Transportation expects total freight demand to grow 37% by 2040 - and only one industry is spending billions of dollars annually to build the freight transportation network of the future. Learn how freight rail's private investments are creating a safer, cleaner and cost-effective solution for today and tomorrow. www.aar.org/freight-rails-investments **

CRACK THE WHIP -- The House GOP is continuing to create headaches and sow divisions in the Democratic caucus. Heather and Bres report that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called on Democrats to stop voting with Republicans on procedural votes no matter how hard it is, telling members that Congress is not "a day at the beach" (although we wish it was, right?). And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said she would alert progressive activists whenever Democrats support the GOP-backed motions, which some members took as a veiled threat. Leaders had considered changing House rules to stop the problem, but ultimately decided not to - at least for now. Much more: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=72c28e4fb4c58a545161b0d408aef2ed296988748168d4ea2004927824df6728e69393ee369795a894488ac7da6271ea

Related: "Establishment Dems give Medicare-for-All the brush off," by Adam Cancryn: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=72c28e4fb4c58a54bfbac3ac97ddc744a8252f85133780ae8f1b08137485dc9dc68ad54eb35855aa234b3bf735bc7a1e 

FINAL WARNING -- Senate Republicans are ratcheting up pressure on Trump to withdraw his national emergency declaration to build a border wall, reports Burgess. Speaking from the Senate floor, Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) essentially delivered an ultimatum to Trump: back off the move, or else face a GOP rebellion. The chamber will soon be forced to vote on a House-passed resolution to kill Trump's emergency, and three Republicans have already agreed to back it - just one shy of what it will take to succeed. And while Trump would just veto the measure, Republicans are trying to save the president and the party from an embarrassing, high-profile rebuke. More: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=72c28e4fb4c58a54b1d8dfbd688c39376ecf5d56e93112d2c586f7aa6e8b2c22dda0075f7a9eed08de7cf8b565fa51b7 

Related: "Democrats to reintroduce Dream Act on March 12 with TPS and DED protections," via Roll Call's Lindsey McPherson: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=72c28e4fb4c58a547cb6b64919afb674f6b0431bf5443f4a1893e7b8149c8641ea2572ce9338fe4bfcff7402ad468cac 

CASTRO VS. CORNYN? -- 2020 could be a big year for the Castro family. Julian Castro, who launched a bid for president, said his twin brother Rep. Joaquin Castro (D) is weighing whether to run for a Texas Senate seat. "He's considering that, but he really has not made a decision about whether he's going to do that," Julian Castro told The Associated Press. "I would imagine he would make a decision at some point soon." His comments come as former Rep. Beto O'Rourke has reportedly decided not to challenge Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) next year. O'Rourke came close to unseating Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in 2018, raising hopes among Democrats that they could turn Texas blue. But some think Cornyn
 would be a tougher candidate to beat than Cruz. More from Michelle L. Price and Paul J. Webber: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=72c28e4fb4c58a5404a456bf13e5bffa928a7ce9333446460f934b0f962bb8e377a78f730c40c1a57513fefba18c74a1 

Related: "What's So Funny About Amy Klobuchar's Bad Temper?" via John Harris for POLITICO Magazine: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=72c28e4fb4c58a543660a3f36c41ff0ad2074189e6a90ba987038f08913a47a52b50500772bffb5167f3adfd506f50a3 

WEEKLY WINNERS AND LOSERS -- Cohen's blockbuster testimony dominated the headlines this week, but there was plenty of other drama that flew under the radar. Here are our picks for who got the Dub and who took the L.

Winner: Gun control advocates, who saw the House pass two landmark pieces of legislation to curb gun violence. While the bills will go nowhere in the Senate, the historic vote represents a significant milestone for advocates who have been pressing for congressional action for years.

Loser: The new House majority, where Democrats are still adjusting to life in power. Not only have they now lost two GOP procedural votes, but Republicans successfully forced a climate change hearing to adjourn due to Democratic absences on the subcommittee.

**Join the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues at the State Department on March 6-7, 2019, for the 9th annual International Women's Day Forum. As part of the day's programming, Anna Palmer co-author of POLITICO's Playbook, will lead a fireside chat with actress, singer, dancer and activist Keke Palmer, who has dedicated her life to philanthropy and activism for young girls. The full agenda and registration are available HERE.**
          TRANSITIONS         
Doug Andres, a longtime aide for former GOP Speaker Paul Ryan (Wis.), has been hired as FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb's communications aide.

Brandt Anderson will join Sen. Todd Young's (R-Ind.) office as his national security advisor. He is a military legislative assistant for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Jamitress Bowden, communications director for Rep. Donald McEachin (D-Va.), is joining the House Oversight and Reform Committee as press secretary.
          TODAY IN CONGRESS         
The House is out until Tuesday. The Senate is out until Monday.
          AROUND THE HILL         
Tumbleweeds.
          TRIVIA         
THURSDAY'S WINNER -- Zach Cohen was the first to correctly guess that the Capitol building was briefly used as a bakery, hospital and military barracks during the Civil War.

TODAY'S QUESTION -- From Zach: Which current U.S. senator used to tape his car's hood to detect tampering after his enemies attempted to plant a bomb in it? First person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: [email-masked].

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** A message from Freight Rail Works: America's freight railroads spend an average of $25 billion a year on infrastructure, equipment and innovation - all at no cost to taxpayers. What does America get out of it? A cleaner environment, a cost-effective solution to get American goods to market nationally and beyond, and a boost in economic activity that amounted to $220 billion in 2017 alone. Learn how the future of freight transportation is working for America today. www.aar.org/freight-rails-investments **
    
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