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-- President Obama's greatest political success, after his own election campaigns, has been his remarkable ability to keep the notoriously fractured Democratic Party united. Credit, too, to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid for keeping their caucuses in line. But now that trade is hitting the front burner, that unity is over, and the first real Democratic policy battle in years is coming to a head.
-- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) forced the Senate Finance Committee to delay a scheduled markup on trade legislation by more than five hours. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) hit back at President Obama, who said she was wrong to oppose Trade Promotion Authority and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. And Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) took a swipe at Hillary Clinton, his most direct yet.
-- Even the leaders are divided. Reid is a "hell no" on TPA. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she would back an alternative to TPA introduced by Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.), though neither Pelosi nor Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) have weighed in on the original bill (Both Pelosi and Hoyer voted for NAFTA back in 1993). Obama's presidency has muted and delayed the intra-party upheaval Republicans have experienced in the last eight years; that delay looks like it's coming to an end.
The Pulse
-- The White House is rolling out executive actions at a faster pace than ever before, according to a new analysis. In 2014, the press office issued 228 fact sheets, often the means by which they announce new actions, more than in the first three years of President Obama's presidency combined. This year, they've issued even more fact sheets than they had at this time last year. On Wednesday, the White House announced a new package of eight more executive actions, to be implemented by seven agencies, in conjunction with Earth Day. (USA Today)
-- The Pentagon is racing to resettle 57 detainees from Guantanamo Bay before lawmakers block any future transfers. Those 57 have already been approved for transfer, but the U.S. is waiting on two countries, Morocco and Mauritania, it hopes will take in 10 to 20 Yemeni detainees. There are still 122 detainees left in Guantanamo. The White House is drafting legislation to permanently close the prison at Guantanamo, which it hopes will persuade Senate Armed Services Committee chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.). (Washington Post)
-- The Senate will take up Loretta Lynch's nomination to become the next Attorney General today after a deal between pro-abortion rights Democrats and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) spurred passage of human trafficking legislation. That measure passed by a 99-0 margin after bipartisan amendments that allowed both sides to claim a win. At least five Republicans are expected to join all 44 Democrats and both independents to give Lynch at least 51 votes. Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) have not said how they'll vote. (Washington Post)
-- A report on the deadly 2012 attack on a U.S. consulate in Libya won't be released by the House Select Committee on Benghazi until 2016. Committee spokesman Jamal Ware cited witness availability, compliance with documents requests and the granting of security clearances, "all of which are controlled by the Executive branch," for the delay. (Bloomberg)
-- The Secret Service took more than a year to replace a broken alarm system at former President George H.W. Bush's home in Houston, leading some in the agency to worry about his safety. An expert warned in 2010 that the alarm system was old and vulnerable to failing, but agency officials rejected a request to replace it. The system was finally replaced in November or December 2014, at least 13 months after it stopped working. (Washington Post)
-- A confidential donor briefing document shows the Koch brothers' network is expanding beyond its 2014 program. The document shows Americans for Prosperity will have a $125 million budget this year alone, more than it's ever spent in a non-election year. The document shows AFP had 539 field staffers on the ground in 2014 and spent $60 million on TV, radio and online ads. (Politico)
-- Trivia Time: The National Park Service released its annual report on economic impacts its parks have. What's the most-visited national park in the U.S.? Answer below in Long Reads. Hint: It's a lot more urban than the sites that spring to mind when you think of a national park.
-- Front Pages: WaPo leads with Gitmo detainees, opposite a look at Bill Clinton's speaking fees (see below). NYT analyzes the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen, and the limits of U.S. strategy in the Middle East. WSJ highlights China's warning that threats from North Korea are on the rise. USA Today banners the arrest of a London trader in connection to the 2010 flash crash. LA Times leads with the NFL's concussion settlement.
White House 2016
-- Clinton: Hillary Clinton's campaign will have paid organizers in all 50 states, D.C. and U.S. territories by the end of May. (Huffington Post) Clinton will travel to South Carolina next month, likely to Columbia and Charleston, though exact dates haven't been set. (The State) New Hampshire state Rep. Chip Rice (D) accidentally backed his BMW into Clinton's Scooby Van on Tuesday. No serious damage to either vehicle, though. (NH1)
-- Snyder: Gov. Rick Snyder (R) will head to Las Vegas today to pitch his Michigan comeback story to members of the Republican Jewish Coalition. He'll head to D.C. on Saturday to attend the White House Correspondents Association dinner as a guest of Bloomberg, then he's back to the West Coast on Monday to speak on a Milken Institute panel in Santa Monica. (Detroit News)
-- Santorum: Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) will head to New Hampshire to keynote the annual Cornerstone Action fundraising dinner on May 12 in Manchester. It's Santorum's second trip to New Hampshire since the 2012 primary, where he finished fifth. (Boston Globe)
-- Fiorina: Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina (R) will kick off her presidential campaign with an online announcement and a media conference call on May 4. She'll appear in Iowa on May 7, followed by Manchester on May 9. (Wall Street Journal) That'll be a busy week for WH'16: Ben Carson is announcing the same day in Detroit, and Mike Huckabee will announce May 5 in Little Rock.
-- Huckabee: Speaking of the former Arkansas governor, he'll rely on daughter Sarah Huckabee Sanders to run his 2016 campaign. Former manager Chip Saltsman will be Huckabee's senior adviser, while Bob Wickers will run polling and media. Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin (R) will be Huckabee's senior political adviser. (Politico)
-- Colorado: Legislators are considering a bipartisan deal to create a presidential primary in 2016, rather than a caucus. The bill, yet to be introduced, would allow the governor to set the primary date in compliance with national party rules. (Denver Post) Smart move, putting the date in the governor's hands. That removes any possibility that resetting a date gets caught up in complicated legislative politics.
Outside The Beltway:
-- Nevada: Former Assemblywoman Lucy Flores (D) will run for freshman Rep. Cresent Hardy's (R) seat, setting up a possibly bruising primary against state Sen. Ruben Kihuen (D) in what should be one of Democrats' top pickup opportunities next year. Former candidate John Oceguera (D) is also considering a bid. The 800-lb. gorilla, Harry Reid, hasn't weighed in; he's backed both Kihuen and Flores in previous races. (Las Vegas Sun)
-- More Nevada: Rep. Joe Heck (R) has met with the NRSC to discuss a possible race for retiring Sen. Harry Reid's seat. Heck has maintained for most of the year he's not interested in running, but now he says he's doing "due diligence" by meeting with people who want him to run. Rep. Dina Titus (D) is also considering a bid, though Reid has thrown his support to former Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D). (Las Vegas Sun)
-- Texas: And you thought Jeb Bush constituted a dynasty. New Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush delivered a report on Wednesday on his first 100 days in office, complete with flags, a podium and a presidential-looking seal. Bush's biggest decision in his first 100 days in office: Ending his office's contract with the longtime managers of the Alamo. The Daughters of the Republic of Texas are suing Bush for control of the library's contents. (Texas Tribune)
-- Washington: Jeanette Burrage, a city council member in the small Seattle suburb of Des Moines, resigned her post after video showed her slapping a 6-year old autistic child. Burrage is a bus driver in a nearby school district. She's also a former King County Superior Court judge and a former state legislator, where she served on a select committee on child abuse. (Seattle Times)
DC Digest
-- President Obama welcomes the Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots to the White House today. This evening, he'll deliver remarks at an Organizing for Action dinner at the Ritz Carlton.
-- Vice President Biden travels to Champaign, Ill., today to highlight a sexual assault prevention program on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He'll head back to D.C. this afternoon, and tonight he delivers remarks at the 67th annual Israeli Independence Day Celebration at the Mellon Auditorium.
-- The House meets at 9 a.m. to take up cybersecurity legislation sponsored by Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas). They'll dispatch with a handful of amendments before a vote on final passage. First and last votes expected between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.
-- The Senate takes up Loretta Lynch's nomination to be Attorney General when it convenes at 9:30 a.m. today. They'll vote on a motion to invoke cloture at 11:40 a.m., followed by a final roll call vote on her confirmation at 2 p.m.
-- Comings and Goings: Rear Adm. John Kirby is leaving the Pentagon to take over briefing duties at the State Department. He beat out deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf for the chance to take over for Jen Psaki, who's moving to the White House. (Washington Post)
-- Former Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has closed out his campaign account with $75,000 in donations to charitable organizations, including $40,000 to the group that owns the C Street townhouse where he lived while in D.C. (The Oklahoman)
Party Time!
-- Your guide to Thursday and Friday festivities during White House Correspondents Association Weekend, compiled by The Reliable Source's Emily Heil and Helena Andrews:
-- Thursday: 1) Rock the Vote's White House Correspondents' Weekend Kickoff Party, Blind Whino, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-- Friday: 1) The Hill Newspaper, Embassy of Canada, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. 2) Capitol File Magazine, British Ambassador's Residence, 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. 3) People Magazine/Time Magazine, St. Regis Hotel, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 4) The Art of Expression, hosted by Google and The Atlantic, Constitution Gardens on the Mall, 8:30 p.m. 5) The New Media Party, Carnegie Library.
-- What's happening Saturday and Sunday? Drop us a line to let us know and we'll publish a full list Friday morning.
Business, Politics and the Business of Politics
-- Bill Clinton was paid at least $26 million(!) in speaking fees by companies and groups that are also major donors to the Clinton Foundation. That's about one quarter of his overall speaking income between 2001 and 2013. At least four speeches Bill Clinton gave were not disclosed in reports by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. (Washington Post)
-- Drip, Drip, Drip: Clinton's State Department was one of the agencies that signed off on a deal allowing the Russian government to consolidate control over Uranium One, as executives funneled more than $2 million to the Clinton Foundation's coffers. (New York Times)
-- Stock futures are down this morning after U.S. markets added about half a percentage point on Wednesday. Asian markets were mixed today, but European shares are trading lower. (CNN)
Long Reads
-- Richard Holbrooke, the late diplomat who served as the Obama administration's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, maintained a secret audio diary detailing his disagreements with the Obama administration. The diary will be featured in "The Diplomat," a documentary premiering today at the Tribeca Film Festival directed by Holbrooke's son. The audio diary shows Holbrooke doubted Obama's decision to send tens of thousands of troops to Afghanistan, which came while he was trying to fashion a bargain between the Afghan government and the Taliban. And Holbrooke clashed with David Petraeus, who wanted to hold off on diplomacy until he could weaken the Taliban militarily. (New York Times)
-- Trivia Time: More than 15 million people visited Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 2014, more than any other NPS site in the country. The Blue Ridge Parkway is second, with 13 million visitors, and the Great Smokey Mountains are third, with 10 million visitors. The National Park Service says park tourism generated nearly $16 billion in economic activity last year. (National Park Service, pdf)
Attn Fox News
-- That interminable hold music on the IRS help line? At least some blame lies at the feet of the IRS itself. A House Ways and Means Committee report released Wednesday said the IRS diverted more than $80 million it collected from user fees to employee bonuses and union activities, rather than on more phone operators who could answer taxpayer questions. The IRS helped 16 million fewer taxpayers this year than last, the committee report found. (Washington Examiner)
Reid Wilson covers national politics and Congress for The Washington Post. He is the author of Read In, The Post’s morning tip sheet on politics.
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