What to Know in Washington: Republicans Open Anti-D.C. Playbook

Republicans are increasingly turning to a popular conservative punching bag, the District of Columbia, in a gambit to raise the alarm of crime in America’s cities before the 2024 elections.

The GOP won control of the House last year in part by pledging to tackle crime. Four months in, they have yet to pass major crime legislation, but have moved political messaging rolling back recent changes in D.C. criminal sentencing rules that they believe will appeal to voters across party lines.

“What they saw with the criminal code bill was an opportunity to make that a national issue and put Democrats on the defensive,” said D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), who supported the criminal code changes.

President Joe Biden and 33 Senate Democrats signed onto the measure) after Republicans were able to cast the city’s changes as politically unpalatable.

“Politicians respond to public opinion,” Comer said in a brief interview last month. Democrats “realized that this crime is a huge issue, especially in their districts, in the blue districts. So we need to have a tough-on-crime position here in the House of Representatives. Republicans do, and I think we’re going to see more Democrats support our crime policies moving forward.”

Photographer: Ting Shen/Bloomberg

Rep. James Comer (R-Tenn.) is chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, which oversees the District of Columbia.

The GOP’s increased focus on violent crime comes as the nation has grappled with an increase in murders since 2020, but also after more ambitious legislation on immigration and oversight of federal prosecutors has stalled. Zach Cohen has the story.

BIDEN’S AGENDA

• Biden at 11:15 a.m. IST meets with Irish President Michael Higgins in Dublin and participates in a tree planting ceremony. At 1 p.m., Biden meets with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of Ireland.
• Biden attends a youth Gaelic sports demonstration at 1:40 p.m. IST, and at 3:45 p.m., he addresses the House of the Oireachtas.
• At 7 p.m. IST, Biden attends a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle.
• White House Press Secretary Karine Jean and NSC Senior Director for Europe Amanda Sloat gaggle with reporters at 9 a.m. IST.

Feinstein, Debt Limit Heat Up Before Congress Returns

Ailing Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) won’t be back in Washington when the Senate returns from its recess and she asked Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to allow another caucus member to temporarily serve on the Judiciary Committee during her absence.

Schumer late Wednesday said he would grant the request, according to his spokesperson.

Feinstein’s absence since being diagnosed with shingles has eliminated the Democrats 11-10 majority on the panel and slowed consideration of judicial nominees.

Feinstein said her return to Washington “has been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis.”

“I intend to return as soon as possible once my medical team advises that it’s safe for me to travel. In the meantime, I remain committed to the job and will continue to work from home in San Francisco,” her statement said. Read more.

Eric Lee/Bloomberg

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in September 2022.

Feinstein is facing calls to resign from fellow Democrats. On Wednesday, Rep. Ro Khanna, a fellow Californian, tweeted what many of his Democratic colleagues have long whispered. “It is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties,” Khanna wrote, calling on Feinstein to resign. “We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty.”

Shortly afterward, another Democratic representative, Dean Phillips (Minn.), responded to Khanna’s tweet, saying it was a “dereliction of duty” for both Feinstein to stay on and for those who agree to stay quiet.

The highly unusual challenge from Khanna against a senior colleague from his own state and party comes amid the race to replace Feinstein, who has announced that she will retire when her term ends next year.

Three members of the California delegation, Democrats Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, have already announced they will run for the seat in 2024. Read more.

House GOP Caucus Head Calls for Debt Bill Passage

The head of the largest House Republican caucus is calling for his conference to pass a bill to raise the debt limit by the end of the month, a contrast from other party leaders who are pressuring Biden to come to the table and negotiate before Republican go further, Emily Wilkins reports.

In a letter to colleges on the Republican Study Committee, Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) recapped the proposals the caucus put out on the debt limit and said the talks have been “invaluable.”

“But the time for discussion is coming to an end,” Hern said in the letter. “The time for action is now.”

The calls for quick action clash with other leaders in the chamber who are adamant Biden needs to negotiate with Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) before Republicans move on.

“We can’t just continue to sit here negotiate with ourselves,” said Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.) who has been appointed by McCarthy to help oversee debt limit talks. “The White House needs to come to the table.”

• House GOP leaders have started putting together a debt-limit package that would lift the ceiling until May 2024 and are preparing to share it with other Republican lawmakers next week, Punchbowl reports. Republicans are weighing either a cap on non-defense discretionary spending or a cap on overall discretionary spending after reducing it to fiscal year 2022 levels. The proposal would also rescind unspent Covid-19 money and prohibit student loan forgiveness.

Politics, Probes & 2024

Donald Trump to Be Deposed by New York A.G. on Thursday

Former President Donald Trump is set to answer questions under oath from lawyers for New York Attorney General Letitia James, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing people familiar with the matter.

Trump Sues Ex-Lawyer Cohen for $500 Million Over ‘Breaches’

Trump filed a $500 million lawsuit against his former attorney Michael Cohen for allegedly violating their attorney-client bond and spreading “embarrassing or detrimental” lies.

Democrats Have More to Lose Than GOP in 2023 Races for Governor

The power of incumbency and party loyalty are being tested this year as Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi choose their next governors.

Other News We’re Reading Today

Appeals Court Allows Limited Access to Abortion Pill

A federal appeals court partly granted the Biden administration’s request to put on hold a Texas court ruling overturning FDA approval of the abortion pill, but allowed restrictions that were lifted since 2016 to be reinstated.

US to Launch National Help Line for Abortion, Infant Care Advice

The Biden administration will launch a national hotline to answer questions about abortion, family planning, and prenatal care as misinformation about safe reproductive healthcare surges online.

Bridge Projects to Split $300 Million Under Infrastructure Law

Nine bridge projects around the country will share almost $300 million for repairs, preservation and replacement through the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill, according to senior administration officials.

Biden’s Auto Plan to Stamp Out Billions of Barrels of Oil Demand

The Biden administration’s plan to stifle auto pollution and spur electric vehicles is expected to shrink US oil demand by an estimated 17 billion barrels through 2055.

All-Senators Ukraine Documents Leak Briefing to be Held Apr. 19

Senators will be briefed on the leaked classified US documents related to the war in Ukraine on April 19 at 3 p.m., according to a Senate Democratic aide.

• The White House urged social media companies to prevent the circulation of information that could hurt national security as it works to clean up the intelligence leak. Read more.

White House Rejects Fed Staff Outlook, Says No Sign of Recession

The White House said Thursday that data does not indicate a US recession is on the horizon, rebuffing Federal Reserve staff economists who forecast a minor contraction starting later this year.

Biden Equity Plans Lack Key Data to Gauge Progress, Report Says

A White House push directing more than 90 agencies to craft “action plans” to tackle racism, environmental justice, and other inequities has been hamstrung by a lack of data vital to gauging future progress, according to report released Thursday.

With assistance from Emily Wilkins

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 editors responsible for this story: Giuseppe Macri at gmacri@bgov.com; Kayla Sharpe at ksharpe@bloombergindustry.com