POLITICO Playbook: Democrats think they’ve found an impeachment hero

EVERY MAJOR INVESTIGATION has its breakout witness -- somebody who helps bury the goal or modifications the course of the investigation. Democrats assume they could have that in Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who will testify at the moment.

VINDMAN -- a Ukrainian-born, two-decade veteran of the U.S. Army with a Purple Heart from preventing in Iraq -- will testify as we speak that “he believed President Donald Trump undermined U.S. national safety when he appealed to Ukraine’s president to investigate his political rivals,” POLITICO’s summary of his dramatic opening statement says.

SHOULDN'T THIS END ALL DISCUSSION OF THE WHISTLEBLOWER? There's now a named one that heard the decision with Volodymyr Zelensky, was involved about its contents and reported it to a government lawyer.

ANDREW DESIDERIO and KYLE CHENEY: “‘I didn't assume it was correct to demand that a overseas government investigate a U.S. citizen, and I was fearful concerning the implications for the U.S. government’s help of Ukraine,’ Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a Nationwide Security Council official overseeing Ukraine policy, plans to inform investigators, referring to Trump’s efforts to strain Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to look into Joe Biden and his son.

“Vindman, who will develop into the first White House official to testify as part of the impeachment inquiry, additionally plans to say that he reported Trump’s July 25 telephone call with Zelensky to the NSC’s prime lawyer after listening in on the dialog from the White House state of affairs room alongside other U.S. nationwide safety officials.

“It was the second time Vindman had raised considerations to the NSC’s lead counsel a few marketing campaign by Trump, his associates and some U.S. officials to strain Ukraine to launch investigations meant to profit Trump politically.

“‘I noticed that if Ukraine pursued an investigation into the Bidens and Burisma, it will possible be interpreted as a partisan play which might undoubtedly end in Ukraine dropping the bipartisan help it has to date maintained,’ Vindman plans to say. … ‘This might all undermine U.S. nationwide security,’ Vindman provides. ‘Following the call, I once more reported my considerations to NSC’s lead counsel.’” POLITICO … The opening statement

-- BTW: NBC’S MONICA ALBA and CAROL LEE: “Inner White Home debate stifles launch of Pence-Zelenskiy name”: “It’s been virtually three weeks since Vice President Mike Pence stated he had ‘no objection’ to releasing a reconstructed transcript of his telephone name with the leader of Ukraine. However as Home Democrats’ impeachment inquiry continues shifting swiftly into its second month, the White Home nonetheless has not made a determination on whether to make these details of Pence’s call public.” NBC

DEMOCRATS’ NEW PLAY … SARAH FERRIS, HEATHER CAYGLE and KYLE CHENEY: “[A House Democratic resolution that will get a vote this week] will grant investigators authority to sidestep conventional cut-off dates on questioning witnesses in public hearings and spell out specifics of the due course of rights Democrats intend to offer Trump and his authorized workforce once the probe moves into the public domain. …

“‘This can be a resolution on the right way to proceed in the committee,’ Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated Monday night. ‘This decision provides us more alternative within the committee, spells out protection of the rights for the president and his counsel. They should welcome this.’ …

“The Democrats’ transfer is in some methods a solution to the White Home’s Oct. 8 letter declaring the president’s refusal to cooperate with an impeachment inquiry they describe as ‘constitutionally invalid’ and ‘a violation of due course of.’” POLITICO

MAKE NO MISTAKE: THIS RESOLUTION will probably be positioned as a proxy vote for impeachment. Republicans say they won't vote for this, and as an alternative will cling this vote round every Democrat’s neck. A vote for this, they inform us, might be seen as a vote approving everything of the Democrats’ impeachment effort. The GOP will attempt to make Democrats who vote yes personal every factor of the impeachment process from here on out. Democrats tried to sidestep a vote just a week or so ago, and Republicans have been urging a vote, so each side have reversed their positions right here.

WE ARE TOLD THAT THIS RESOLUTION will even enumerate the findings of the probe up to now -- but that’s not sure as a result of it’s not wrapped up but.

DEMOCRATS ARE TAKING THIS VOTE in a really public and transparent approach. If they needed less attention on what they are terming a rule change, they might've tucked this into an unrelated invoice and it in all probability would've gotten via the House with little fanfare.

WSJ ED BOARD: “Pelosi Concedes on Inquiry Vote”: “Vindication is overrated, however we’ll take it within the case of a House vote to authorize an impeachment inquiry. We’re referring to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s letter Monday to fellow Democrats that she’ll supply a resolution on the House flooring this week that may set the terms of its impeachment investigation. …

“The Speaker’s letter asserts that no such vote is needed but nonetheless says the Home could have one. That is what you say when you realize your critics have been right but you don’t need to admit it. Thanks additionally to the Speaker for embarrassing the various media apologists for her earlier skip-the-vote stance.” WSJ

BY THE WAY … IT’S PRETTY NOTABLE how shortly the information has turned from Trump directing the killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi back to impeachment.

CAN-KICKING UPDATE … NYT: “Potential Impeachment Trial Might Complicate Congress’s Spending Debate,” by Emily Cochrane: “With only a handful of legislative days earlier than the current short-term spending invoice expires, lawmakers have begun to talk about extending that funding into early 2020 to avoid operating out of cash later this yr if senators are mired in an impeachment trial with little time for legislative work.” NYT

POLITICO SCOOP: “Periods strongly contemplating bid for previous Senate seat in Alabama,” by James Arkin, Burgess Everett and Jake Sherman: “Former Lawyer Basic Jeff Periods is strongly contemplating leaping into the race for his previous Senate seat in Alabama, based on a number of Republican sources accustomed to the matter.

“Periods would scramble the already crowded subject of Republicans in search of to take on Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, who gained a 2017 particular election to fill the rest of Periods' term and is extensively seen as probably the most weak senator on the poll next yr. …

“Five Republicans are already within the race: Rep. Bradley Byrne, former Auburn University soccer coach Tommy Tuberville, Secretary of State John Merrill, state Rep. Arnold Mooney and Roy Moore, the former state Supreme Courtroom decide who lost the special election in 2017 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.” POLITICO

-- HOW WILL THE PRESIDENT HANDLE THIS, and can it matter? By dint of his $2.5 million money pile, SESSIONS will in all probability be the prohibitive favorite in this race. He’s a recognized entity in Alabama, a deeply pink state, and has an id outdoors his tumult with the president -- we expect! THE QUESTION to us: Does Trump try to sink him?

Good Tuesday morning. 1-Zero, ONE MORE TIME! THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS face a do-or-die recreation tonight in Houston, the place they play the Astros after dropping three straight at residence. Stephen Strasburg is pitching for the Nats, and Justin Verlander will get the ball for the ’stros.

MEMORIES ARE SHORT! … ZACH WARMBRODT: “A decade after large bailout, AIG celebrated on Capitol Hill”: “American International Group — once some of the scorned firms on Capitol Hill for its pivotal position in the monetary disaster — obtained a Washington birthday bash on Monday night time with assist from Home lawmakers.

“Little more than a decade after the U.S. authorities dedicated $180 billion to avert the collapse of the insurance big, AIG used the listening to room of the House Methods and Means Committee to host a ‘centennial congressional reception’ to mark the New York-based company's first century in enterprise.

“Methods and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) presided over the event, which featured AIG CEO Brian Duperreault and different company leaders. ‘We consider in the power of relationships to make a better world for everybody,’ AIG stated in an invitation obtained by POLITICO.

“The packed reception had waiters offering trays of snacks, an open bar serving a signature ‘Centennial Smash’ cocktail and an a cappella group that closed with the Pharrell Williams hit ‘Completely satisfied.’” POLITICO

-- SPOTTED on the event: Neal, Reps. John Larson (D-Conn.), Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), Invoice Foster (D-Sick.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), AIG CEO Brian Duperreault, Irish Ambassador Daniel Mulhall and CFTC Commissioner Dan Berkovitz.

WSJ: “Robust Questions, Anger Await Boeing CEO in Congress,” by Andrew Tangel: “Boeing Co. Chief Government Dennis Muilenburg is about to inform lawmakers the company made mistakes that contributed to two fatal airplane crashes, as the aerospace big struggles to regain public belief.

“Ahead of Mr. Muilenburg’s appearance this week earlier than two key U.S. Home and Senate panels, Boeing released a draft of his deliberate remarks together with an overview of steps Boeing is taking to return its 737 MAX jets to passenger service following the crashes that claimed 346 lives and left the aircraft grounded world-wide for more than eight months.

“The primary listening to on Tuesday before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation comes precisely a yr after the crash of a Lion Air MAX into the Java Sea. It is going to be Mr. Muilenburg’s first congressional appearance as CEO. ‘We know we made errors and obtained some issues flawed,’ he stated within the ready remarks. ‘We own that, and we are fixing them.’” WSJ

BURGESS EVERETT: “The new Democratic senator irritating the left and delighting the GOP”: “She not often goes to social gathering lunches and skipped Senate votes to run the Ironman. She endorsed a main challenger towards considered one of her own colleagues and hobnobs with Republicans a minimum of as much as she does together with her personal caucus.

“Kyrsten Sinema doesn’t actually slot in together with her fellow Senate Democrats. Don’t even ask her whether she watches the Democratic presidential debates. ‘I’m not lacking anything. I want happiness,’ Sinema declares in a 25-minute interview, a rare prolonged dialog with an outlet not based mostly in Arizona. ‘Look how completely happy I am.’

“Arizona’s first Democrat to win a Senate race in 30 years has finished little to boost her profile in Washington; she’s extra targeted on making an attempt to stability her excessive workout regime with a average report on par with West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin’s.

“Sinema has lengthy cultivated a bipartisan posture. However her help for Donald Trump nominees like Lawyer Common William Barr and her lack of zeal for impeachment are a part of a political profile drawing blowback from progressives and cheers from the GOP. But Sinema can also be setting herself up to be a pivotal vote the subsequent time the Democrats are in energy. And her radical breed of centrism might be a headache for the get together.” POLITICO

BIG HOUSE NEWS … CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: “New maps ordered for NC 2020 congressional races, in win for Democrats,” by Will Doran: “The legislature must now redraw the state’s 13 U.S. House districts. The [judges] — two Democrats and one Republican from totally different elements of North Carolina — wrote that the maps show signs of ‘extreme partisan gerrymandering’ which ‘is contrary to the elemental proper of North Carolina citizens to have elections carried out freely and truthfully to determine, fairly and honestly, the desire of the individuals.’

“Monday’s ruling, a preliminary injunction, stated the state might not maintain any elections for Congress using the current maps passed in 2016. Those maps changed a unique set of maps from 2011, additionally drawn by the Republican-led legislature, which have been struck down as unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. The judges ruled that if there aren’t new maps in time for the primary elections on March three then they might delay all or a number of the primaries until later in 2020.” Charlotte Observer

2020 WATCH -- DAVID SIDERS and JEREMY WHITE in Los Angeles: “‘The West barely exists’: California main falls flat”: “Kamala Harris is operating a distant fourth in her residence state of California. Julián Castro, who rested much of his candidacy on making inroads in Nevada, remains a polling asterisk there. Three Westerners — former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and California Rep. Eric Swalwell — have already dropped out of the Democratic presidential main, and two more — Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet — are nonetheless trying to find their footing.

“In their wake, the area’s marquee contests in Nevada and California — one small early state, and one large, Super Tuesday main — have emerged as wide-open races. And the promise of an early California main tilting the stability of the Democratic main westward has fallen brief.

“Most campaigns are still spending much more time — and assets — in Iowa, the primary caucus state, leaving Westerners to observe the marketing campaign unfold primarily on TV. When Harris joked final month that she was ‘f---ing shifting to Iowa,’ it only underscored the uncertainty about what position — if any — the West will play in figuring out the nominee.

“For the purposes of the presidential election, stated Jerry Brown, California’s former governor and a three-time presidential candidate, proper now, ‘The West barely exists.’ ‘Iowa and New Hampshire and then South Carolina — that's going to reshape the race, or form it ultimately,’ Brown stated, adding that the general contest has not but ‘sharpened in the best way that these early elections sharpen it.’” POLITICO

TRUMP’S TUESDAY -- THE PRESIDENT may have lunch with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at 12:45 p.m., and will meet with recipients of the Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Fight Trafficking at 1:45 p.m.

AT 6:20 P.M., the president will go to the Trump Lodge for a Take Back the House 2020 fundraiser. He’ll be again at the White Home around eight:30 p.m.

-- BTW: THIS FUNDRAISER is predicted to internet $13 million for the Home GOP. There can be 315 individuals in attendance.

JARED IS ON IT -- “White House Brings Classes of Mueller Investigation to Impeachment Response,” by WSJ’s Mike Bender and Catherine Lucey: “Prime White House officials have been urging a cautious strategy to the escalating impeachment proceedings within the Home, working underneath the assumption that because President Trump withstood the Mueller investigation he can overcome the menace posed by the newest round of scrutiny.

“That circumspect White House view, in the face of rising criticism from some Republican allies, has most clearly been articulated by Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and adviser and one of the few senior aides remaining in the West Wing since Robert Mueller was appointed particular counsel in Might 2017. …

“During impeachment-related meetings inside the White House, Mr. Kushner has urged officers to stay calm, homing in on one of many president’s typically repeated strains: that the impeachment inquiry is the newest in an extended line of partisan assaults the West Wing has needed to endure. Mr. Kushner’s message has been that the information are in the White House’s favor, and that reduces the have to be on the defensive, in response to White House officials accustomed to the conversations.” WSJ

-- NBC’S JOSH LEDERMAN and DAN DE LUCE: “The White Home was alerted as early as mid-Might — earlier than previously recognized — that a budding strain campaign by Rudy Giuliani and one in every of President Donald Trump's ambassadors was rattling the new Ukrainian president, two individuals with information of the matter tell NBC News.

“Alarm bells went off at the National Security Council when the White Home's prime Europe official was advised that Giuliani was pushing the incoming Ukrainian administration to shake up the leadership of state-owned power big Naftogaz, stated the sources. The official, Fiona Hill, discovered then concerning the involvement of Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, two Giuliani associates who have been serving to with the Naftogaz strain and in addition with looking for dust on former Vice President Joe Biden’s son.

“Hill shortly briefed then-Nationwide Security Adviser John Bolton about what she'd been informed, stated the people with information of the assembly.” NBC

BILL BARR SPEAKS: “Lawyer Common Bill Barr, in an interview with Fox News, defended the independence and integrity of the politically contentious probe being led by U.S. Lawyer John Durham into the handling of the Russia investigation – while taking a swipe at James Comey’s past management of the FBI.

“Barr … rejected Democrats’ claims he's appearing as Trump’s personal lawyer. ‘That's utterly improper and there is not any basis for it, and I act on behalf of the USA,’ Barr stated.” Fox News

BEYOND THE BELTWAY … NYT’S CHRISTINA GOLDBAUM: “A Taco Truck in Buffalo Served Lunch to ICE Workers. Then Came the Backlash.”

BREXIT UPDATE -- “Boris Johnson loses election vote — unveils plan B,” by POLITICO Europe’s Eleni Courea: “U.Okay. MPs have once once more rejected a snap election — but Boris Johnson might still get the ballot he craves.

“The prime minister on Monday evening failed to get the House of Commons to help his name for an election, his third unsuccessful attempt since taking office in July.

“The newest defeat for Johnson got here on the identical day as EU leaders agreed to delay the Brexit deadline until January 31, removing the instant menace that the U.Okay. would go away the bloc and not using a deal. The prime minister, who repeatedly promised to tug the country out by the earlier deadline of October 31, now hopes to run on a platform that blames the U.Okay. parliament for blocking Brexit.” POLITICO Europe … London Playbook: “Anyone smell toast?”

FOR YOUR RADAR … REMEMBER IRAQ? … AP/BAGHDAD: “Iraqi safety forces sporting masks and black plainclothes opened hearth at protesters in the Shiite holy metropolis of Karbala on Tuesday, killing 18 individuals and wounding lots of, safety officials stated, in one of the deadliest single assaults because the country was engulfed by protests this month.

“The attack, which happened overnight, came as Iraqis took to the streets for a fifth consecutive day, protesting their government’s corruption, lack of providers and different grievances. ...

“No less than 72 protesters — not including the newest fatalities in Karbala — have been killed since anti-government protests resumed throughout Iraq on Friday, after 149 have been killed throughout an earlier wave of protests this month.” AP

HONG KONG LATEST -- “Hong Kong Bars Professional-Democracy Icon Joshua Wong From Election,” by WSJ’s Natasha Khan: “In a letter dated Tuesday, Mr. Wong was knowledgeable that his candidacy in District Council elections had been declared invalid in accordance with the Primary Regulation, the town’s mini-constitution. In a separate statement, which didn’t identify Mr. Wong, officials stated help for Hong Kong self-determination was inconsistent with the regulation.” WSJ

VALLEY TALK -- “This man is operating for governor of California so he can run false Fb advertisements,” by CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan: “A San Francisco man goes to extreme lengths to name out Facebook's controversial coverage of permitting politicians to run false advertisements on its platform. On Monday morning, he registered as a candidate in California's 2022 gubernatorial election -- not with the first aim of turning into governor, however so he can run false Fb advertisements of his own. ...

“Adriel Hampton, a political activist who runs his own advertising firm in San Francisco, registered at his local submit office on Monday morning as a candidate for governor of California. Hampton informed CNN Enterprise that he'll use his new standing as a candidate to run false advertisements on Fb (FB) about President Trump, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and different Facebook executives.” CNN

-- NYT’S MIKE ISAAC: “Dissent Erupts at Facebook Over Hands-Off Stance on Political Ads”

-- “China Buyers Maintain Making Offers in Silicon Valley Amid Washington Pushback,” by WSJ’s Heather Somerville: “Chinese buyers are pressing forward with investments into startups and venture-capital funds, emboldened partially by ambiguities in U.S. efforts to restrict overseas entry to know-how offers.

“Key rules for implementing a 2018 U.S. regulation meant to curb overseas entry to delicate applied sciences are but to be outlined, typically leaving buyers and entrepreneurs to determine which offers are permissible. For his or her part, U.S. tech entrepreneurs need to nurture connections to China.

“Funding ties between..

Src: POLITICO Playbook: Democrats think they’ve found an impeachment hero
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