What to Know in Washington: Impeachment Counsel Starts Next Act

Dan Goldman, one of the most visible congressional aides in recent years, is now hoping to capitalize on that experience as a House member in his own right.

The former federal prosecutor and lead counsel in the first impeachment of former President Donald Trump now sits on key committees — including the House Oversight and Accountability Committee and the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on Weaponization of the Federal Government — that he said Republicans are using for “overreaching investigations” that are “purely designed for political purposes.”

He’s also led in the effort to kick Rep. George Santos (R) out of Congress for the fellow New Yorker’s “complete degradation of the institution of Congress.” Santos faces probes by multiple federal entities of some of the many fabrications in his professional and personal biography.

(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) speaks to reporters about Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) on the House steps after votes on Jan. 12.

Goldman sits on the Homeland Security Committee, with goals of diving into cybersecurity, the border, and other national security issues. As Republicans gear up to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, “obviously, I’ll be prepared to engage on that,” he predicted.

A scion of the Levi Strauss fortune, Goldman used that money and his name recognition to win a highly competitive primary last year that included then-Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.).

Goldman sat down for an interview this month in his still-sparsely decorated Capitol Hill office, shortly after feeding throngs of lawmakers and staffers free bagels from his district, which covers lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, in part to jokingly teach fellow freshman Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) why toasted bagels are superior to steamed.

He talked about his hopes for fixing a Medicaid loophole, joining the Judiciary Committee in 2025, and — of course — his go-to bagel order. Read more from Zach Cohen.

Happening on the Hill

US Lawmakers Warn of China’s ‘Cognitive War’ After Taiwan Visit

Two US lawmakers just back from visits to Taiwan said the island’s government is bolstering its defenses against cyber attacks and disinformation, and called on US technology companies to better confront China’s online offensives.

FAA Bill Eyed by Some Lawmakers for Tax Add-Ons

Hearings to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration kicked off this month, and some lawmakers hope there’s an appetite for using the bill’s tax section to get more than just airline taxes enacted.

Schools Would Get More Flexible Meal Prices With Bipartisan Bill

Bipartisan lawmakers want to give local school officials more flexibility when setting prices for kids’ lunches, according to a release shared with Bloomberg Government.

Congressional Republicans Demand SEC Climate Proposal Records

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) and other leading Republican lawmakers have asked the SEC for cost analyses, legal guidance, and other documents the agency may have on its proposal to require corporate greenhouse gas emissions disclosures and other climate reporting.

Elections, Politics & Probes

Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Subpoenaed in Jan. 6 Probe: NYT

Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner have been subpoenaed by the special counsel probing efforts by former President Trump to overturn the 2020 election, the New York Times reports, citing two people briefed on the matter.

Trump Grand Juror Stirs Uproar by Hinting at Panel’s Discussions

The foreperson of the special grand jury investigating Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn Georgia’s election results has complicated the work of prosecutors with a series of surprisingly frank media interviews but is unlikely to get any potential cases thrown out.

Around the Administration

BIDEN’S AGENDA

• Biden has no public events.
• At 1:30 p.m., White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will give a briefing.

Biden Doesn’t See Putin Using Nukes Despite Halting Arms Treaty

President Joe Biden said Vladimir Putin had made the world less safe by suspending participation in the New START nuclear treaty, but added he does not believe it signals the Russian leader will use nuclear weapons.

US Is ‘Watching Closely’ to See If China Gives Russia Lethal Aid

The US has warned China about providing Russia with weapons and other lethal aid for the invasion of Ukraine and is watching closely to ensure Beijing’s diplomatic and economic support to Moscow doesn’t go any further, State Department spokesman Ned Price said Wednesday.

Yellen Says Global Outlook Improving, Ukraine Still In Need

The global economy is in a better place today than many predicted months ago, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday, while reiterating her calls for support to Ukraine on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

US $39 Billion Chip Funds Value National Security Over Firm Aid

Biden’s administration prepares to accept requests for $39 billion in funding to jumpstart US production of microchips, his commerce chief emphasized the program’s focus is strengthening national security rather than boosting struggling chipmakers.

Justice Department Revives Google Maps Antitrust Investigation

The US Justice Department is investigating Google’s dominance in mapping, reviving a thread of its long-running antitrust investigation into the search giant, according to three people familiar with the probe.

Medicare Stands by Coverage Decision for Alzheimer’s Therapies

The Medicare agency on Wednesday denied a request to revisit its decision to only cover Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm and others like it for patients in clinical trial settings.

Uranium Plant for US Bombs Has a Fire; Blaze Is Under Control

A fire was reported Wednesday at a US Energy Department facility in Tennessee that produces uranium used for nuclear bombs among other purposes, officials said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Brandon Lee in Washington at blee@bgov.com; Michaela Ross in Washington at mross@bgov.com

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Giuseppe Macri at gmacri@bgov.com