GOP Fights Itself in Grudge Matches: What to Know in Washington

Primaries Become Grudge Matches as Republicans Target Their Own

Rep. Bob Good is pro-gun, anti-abortion, and has called Donald Trump the best president of his lifetime. On paper, the Virginia Republican—who heads the far-right Freedom Caucus and helped define its hardball tactics—should be a party darling and shoo-in to keep his seat.

But Republicans from Trump to House moderate Rep. Don Bacon (Neb.) are spending money and political capital to try to make this Good’s last term. They’re openly supporting his opponent, state Sen. John McGuire, in next week’s primary. The messy race in Virginia’s 5th District embodies a broader trend: House Republicans across the spectrum are bucking tradition by openly campaigning against incumbent colleagues.

The push to topple Good is driven more by personality than politics, after he helped oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and endorsed a different presidential candidate before joining Trump’s supporters. Three other Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy last October also drew primary opponents this year.

Still, primary season cannibalism isn’t unique to Republicans. Former Rep. Mondaire Jones (D) this month pulled his endorsement of fellow New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D) over the latter’s criticism of Israel. But for the GOP, the attacks could signal a divisive new normal, haunting the party into next year and beyond.   Read More

BIDEN’S SCHEDULE

• 4:50 am. — President Joe Biden will greet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and take a group photo with G-7 leaders at the Borgo Ignazia in Fasano, Italy.
• 5:15 a.m. — Biden will participate in a series of G-7 working sessions.
• 11 a.m. — The president participates in a Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment event.
• 12:05 p.m. — He will view a skydiving demonstration and participate in a group photo with G-7 leaders
• 1:45 p.m. — Biden will sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine and hold a joint press conference with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

CONGRESS’ AGENDA

• The House meets at noon to vote on defense policy bill amendments.
• Senators convene meets at 10 a.m. with a vote scheduled to confirm Judy Chang to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
• For the full agenda, read BGOV’s Congress Tracker.

Senators Warn of Speed Bumps to Reconciliation Sought by Speaker

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) pitched his plan to Senate Republicans of using the expedited procedure of reconciliation to push through the party’s budget and tax priorities should the GOP sweep control of government next year.

But the Louisiana Republican’s Senate counterparts are already warning of overreach if the leaders try to attach unrelated policies to planned tax legislation that would run afoul of the Senate parliamentarian. “You have to keep your expectations realistic about what you can do there,” said Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.).

The discussion of using reconciliation has heated up with the planned visit today to Capitol Hill of Donald Trump, who is trying to rally lawmakers behind his re-election campaign and if elected quick passage of his major priorities, including business tax cuts. Read More

• Trump will attend a Business Roundtable event on the Hill today with several Wall Street executives — including JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon, Citigroup’s Jane Fraser, Bank of America’s Brian Moynihan, and Apple’s Tim Cook — a clear demonstration that even as a convicted felon, the presumptive GOP nominee is being increasingly embraced by the nation’s business elite. Trump will also meet with congressional Republicans.

Boeing Gets Boosted Scrutiny for ‘Foreseeable Future,’ Senators Told

The FAA will maintain its stepped-up oversight of Boeing that the agency began after a fuselage panel blew off a 737 Max in January, the agency’s top official plans to tell the Senate Commerce Committee.

The FAA will continue to place more inspectors at Boeing’s facilities and at those of key supplier Spirit AeroSystems “for the foreseeable future,” Administrator Michael Whitaker said in written remarks prepared for the Senate hearing today that was seen by Bloomberg. Read More

• Meanwhile, Boeing told the Justice Department that it disagrees with a government finding that the aircraft maker failed to live up to a compliance agreement put in place following two fatal plane crashes half a decade ago, according to people familiar with the matter. Read More

More Happening on the Hill

Attorney General Garland Held in Contempt of Congress by GOP

House Republicans voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress, referring him to his own department for prosecution.

Congressional Earmarks Dip But Remain Near Record Spending Levels

Earmark spending on Capitol Hill is down from a year ago, but it’s still near record levels, according to a new report from the watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste.

Homeland Funding Advances in House Over Democrats’ Complaints

Fundamental disagreements over how to manage the US-Mexico border loomed large as House lawmakers advanced GOP-backed legislation to fund wall construction and crack down on illegal crossings in the Department of Homeland Security’s fiscal 2025 budget.

Senate Panel Members Back Workforce Development System Renewal

Lawmakers on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee are pushing to renew the nation’s primary workforce development and training law.

Rep. Issa Says He Will Draft Litigation Finance Disclosure Bill

A house judiciary committee hearing on litigation finance in the IP space ended with Representative Darrell Issa (R-Ca.) saying he would draft disclosure legislation in the next 10 days.

Politics & Probes

Trump-Fueled Attacks Test Prosecutors Pursuing Elected Officials

Federal prosecutors in Washington are juggling a number of corruption cases against elected officials during a campaign season marked by singularly aggressive criticism of prosecutors and the rule of law.

Bob Menendez Used Prosecutor’s Job Interview to Lobby for Friend

A New Jersey lawyer who became the state’s top federal prosecutor in 2021 testified that Senator Bob Menendez told him during a job interview that a friend had been indicted “unfairly” and he should review the case carefully if he got the position.

Sixth Circuit Reckons With SCOTUS Precedent on Campaign Spending

Several Sixth Circuit judges questioned their ability and limits to decide a closely watched campaign finance case during a full-court review Wednesday, given that the US Supreme Court addressed the issue in 2001.

Alex Jones-Tied Vendor Debt Is Invalid, Sandy Hook Families Say

Families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims who hold massive defamation judgments against Alex Jones asked a court to recognize a secured claim brought by a vendor as an equity contribution.

Also in the News

Microsoft to Meet With White House on AI-Powered Storm Forecasts

The Biden administration will call on the tech industry on Thursday to design artificial intelligence models to improve public welfare in the coming decades, including by reducing car crashes and accelerating medical research.

Russia Leads Adversaries Looking to Sway Vote, US Officials Warn

A growing number of US adversaries, led by Russia, are looking to influence the 2024 presidential election through for-hire commercial firms and the use of generative artificial intelligence, American officials said Wednesday.

US’s China Export Limits Hurt Both Nations, China Advisor Says

US efforts to curb the export of key technologies to China are hurting both economies and may prove counterproductive, according to Jia Qingguo, a prominent academic and standing committee member of Beijing’s top political advisory body.

How G-7 Nations Plan to Counter Rising Clout of Russia and China

It’s been a decade since the Group of Seven kicked Russia out. Now the US-led club accounting for 44% of the global economy has come to terms with its limitations while embracing its resilience.

Military spending as a percentage of a country’s GDP

To contact the reporters on this story: Brandon Lee in Washington at blee@bgov.com; Jeannie Baumann in Washington at jbaumann@bloombergindustry.com

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