Heard on the Hill - 6/13/24
What we're hearing from people we trust on and around the Hill.
Microsoft loss: We hear that Microsoft — the largest company by market cap — is a surprise loser of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s decision to delay markup of a sweeping privacy bill. Microsoft had worked behind the scenes to secure favorable carve outs and shape the legislation, as the tech giant has ramped up its donations and advocacy in recent months.
Queenmaker: Rep. Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) rolled out her first round of E-PAC-endorsed candidates this week, whose races she detailed in an exclusive Reporter profile last week.
Dollar bills: On Monday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) held a fundraiser, which raised over seven figures, in New York hosted by GOP mega donors John Castle and John Catsimatidis. In attendance: Sens. John Thune (R., S.D.), John Cornyn (R., Texas), NRSC Chair Steve Daines (R., Mont.), Tom Cotton (R., Ark.), Joni Ernst (R., Iowa), Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake, and Larry Kudlow.
Security scoop: Polaris National Security PAC, a national security organization led by former top Trump staffer Morgan Ortagus, shared its first endorsements of the cycle exclusively with the Reporter: Nevada Senate candidate Sam Brown and House candidates Joe Teirab in Minnesota, Rob Mercuri in Pennsylvania, Alison Esposito in New York, Troy Downing in Montana, Yvette Herrell in New Mexico, Joe McGraw in Illinois, and Prasanth Reddy in Kansas.
Fauci fallout: Pro-American energy group Power The Future exclusively previewed an ad to the Reporter, in which the group reminds Americans that many activists use COVID measures as a blueprint for climate extremism: “Americans remembering Dr. Fauci’s failures during Covid should be very worried about his views on climate since he and his supporters are addicted to emergency declarations to inflict control on our lives,” the group’s founder, Daniel Turner, told the Reporter.
Manhattan in D.C.: The Manhattan Institute hosted an economic conference at the Conrad Hotel focused on the future of free-market enterprise and a new supply-side agenda for revitalizing American dynamism. House Financial Services Committee Chairman, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R., N.C.) and Key Square Group founder Scott Bessent keynoted, and MI scholars Judge Glock, Stephen Miran, Brian Riedl, and Allison Schrager highlighted their work in panels. Liam Donovan and Patrick Ruffini were also featured speakers.
Back again: Former President Donald J. Trump met with House Republicans this morning at Capitol Hill Club, he will be meeting with Senate Republicans later this afternoon.