with help from Heather Caygle

SPLIT WITH THE SPEAKER -- The impeachment divide between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler is growing. While they are putting on a united front publicly – and indeed, Pelosi has signed off on the Judiciary Committee’s impeachment-related work — the speaker feels like Nadler’s committee is getting out ahead of the caucus, which has created tension between the two longtime allies.

In fact, in one contentious meeting last week, Pelosi stunned lawmakers when she chided Judiciary staff for aggressively pushing impeachment even though it doesn’t have the floor votes yet. “And you can feel free to leak this,” Pelosi added, according to Sarah, Heather and Bres. Pelosi was especially frustrated that she heard staffers had tried to convince at least one hold-out to back an impeachment inquiry.

Where the split stems from: Nadler and Pelosi have differing views about how to guide the party through one of its most critical moments. While Pelosi has continued to urge a cautious approach and warned that the public is not there yet on impeachment, Nadler has been ramping up his impeachment rhetoric and arguing the evidence is already there. “Nadler is talking about law, Pelosi is talking about politics,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). The dispatch: https://politi.co/2lWO5YB.

Related: “Sherrill draws primary opponent because of impeachment position,” via David Wildstein of the New Jersey Globe: http://bit.ly/2kPycmr.

REPUBLICAN RESPONSE -- Both President Trump and Congress are still grappling with a response to the recent attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. The Senate is expected to get a bipartisan briefing on the attack as soon as today, while Vice President Mike Pence told Republican senators during a closed-door lunch yesterday that the goal is to “restore deterrence” in Iran, though he did not specify what options are on the table.

Many in the GOP sound wary of going to war with Iran. “I do not believe we should be involved with kinetic, military action,” said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah). “Saudi Arabia is fully capable of defending itself.” But others, like Trump’s hawkish ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, have been advocating for retaliatory strikes and said Trump’s decision to pull back on strikes earlier this year was seen by Iran as a sign of U.S. weakness – prompting a rebuke from the president. “No Lindsey, it was a sign of strength that some people just don’t understand!” Trump tweeted last night. More from CNN’s Alex Rogers: https://cnn.it/2kqH7us.

Related: “Trump leans against striking Iran,” via Daniel Lippman and Nahal Toosi: https://politi.co/2mkOKmF.

STILL NO GUN GUIDANCE -- The Trump administration has still not unveiled its package of proposals to curb gun violence, though Attorney General William Barr and White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland did make the rounds to meet with GOP senators to talk about the issue on Tuesday. However, gun control did not come up during a closed-door lunch with Pence and Senate Republicans on Tuesday.

And until they hear from Trump, Republicans are refusing to move ahead. “I know I’m the majority leader, but I’m telling you, I want to know what the president supports - it’s not unimportant to my members,” Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters at the Capitol. “Until we get that kind of guidance, we’re in a holding pattern, so to speak.” David Sherfinski of the Washington Times has more: http://bit.ly/2kGkQZQ.

Related: “Senate Democrats prepare marathon floor session on gun violence,” by Roll Call’s Katherine Tully McManus: http://bit.ly/2mkPqIJ.

HAPPY HUMP DAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Wednesday, September 18, where SJP’s appearance at an Elizabeth Warren rally has your host wondering: which of the 2020 candidates are a Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda?

TUESDAY’S MOST CLICKED: Axios’s report on the GOP split over Iran was the big winner.

LEW-NEY TUNES -- The hotly anticipated testimony of Trump’s former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski quickly turned into a circus on Tuesday, which frustrated Democrats while amusing Republicans. Lewandowski called out the “Trump haters”, refused to answer dozens of questions or read passages from the Mueller report, and even mocked one of the Judiciary Committee Democrats for a failed presidential bid. At one point, things got so heated that Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) suggested holding Lewandowski in contempt of Congress — something that chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said was under consideration.

Lewandowksi’s combative – and at times, comical – performance was seen as orchestrated for an audience of one: Trump. Democrats also accused him of using the publicity as a springboard for a potential New Hampshire Senate bid. In fact, Lewandowski even launched his potential campaign website in the middle of the hearing. “You are not on the campaign trail yet,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). “This is the House Judiciary Committee. Act like you know the difference.” Democrats are at least hoping the hearing can be used as a brick to build their obstruction of justice case against Trump. Andrew and Kyle with the story: https://politi.co/2mi7bIE.

Thumbs up from Trump… “Such a beautiful Opening Statement by Corey Lewandowski! Thank you Corey!” the president tweeted. Per the NYT’s Maggie Haberman, the hearing was streamed on Air Force One while Trump was en route to California.

Related read: “The tooth fairy, ‘lots of guns’ and ‘a fish being cleaned with a spoon’: The many ridiculous moments of Corey Lewandowski’s testimony,” by WaPo’s Aaron Blake: https://wapo.st/2kmPdUL; and “Acting Intelligence Chief Refuses to Testify, Prompting Standoff With Congress,” via NYT’s Julian E. Barnes and Nicholas Fandos: https://nyti.ms/2m0hYXK.

ONE LESS COOK IN THE KITCHEN -- Republican Rep. Paul Cook of California will not seek reelection in 2020, joining a parade of GOP retirements as members come to terms with life in the minority. Cook, who has represented one of California’s most conservative congressional districts since 2013, will instead run for a seat on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, his chief of staff told the Los Angeles Times.

The announcement came the same day that Trump began a fundraising swing through California. While Cook’s seat will likely stay in Republican hands, the GOP’s once powerful California delegation has seen its ranks decimated in recent years. Democrats flipped seven seats in the 2018 midterm elections, including in former GOP-strongholds like Orange County, leaving just seven districts represented by Republicans. Your Huddle host and Jeremy B. White with the dispatch: https://politi.co/2lWoLBR.

Meanwhile … From Dan Friedman of Mother Jones: “Ran into former [California Republican] Rep. Dana Rohrabacher on the Hill. He has moved to Maine and said losing last year was the ‘best thing that ever happened to me.’ Says he’s excited for the cooling off period to end so he can start lobbying. Currently he’s consulting for cannabis interests.”

Related read: “GOP struggles with retirement wave,” by The Hill’s Cristina Marcos and Scott Wong: http://bit.ly/2mj5smo; and “GOP Women Flood 2020 House Battlegrounds,” from The National Journal’s Ally Mutnick: http://bit.ly/2kSqTu7.

SHAKE IT OFF -- Rep. Dan Lipinski is shrugging off Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement of his primary challenger, saying the progressive star’s support for his “extremist” opponent will only help him hold onto the suburban Chicago district. “I think it’s always a bad idea for Democrats to go after Democrats, especially incumbent members of Congress,” Lipinski told Heather as he exited the Capitol Tuesday night. Lipinski, one of the caucus’ most conservative members, is facing a rematch against Marie Newman, who he narrowly beat in a primary last year.

Just you wait… But AOC didn’t shy away from her decision to take on a Democratic colleague, telling reporters there’s likely more primary endorsements to come. “I don’t have a quota or a plan but we’re certainly kind of actively looking through and see where we can bring in new people to this institution,” she said. AOC’s comments follow a testy Twitter exchange between the two earlier Tuesday. Full story: https://politi.co/2lXrfQr.

Related: “Arizona progressives seek to censure Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema,” from Yvonne Wingett Sanchez of the Arizona Republic: http://bit.ly/2kQnQTm.

TRANSITIONS

Tucker Knott is leaving the Hill to join Pfizer’s Washington office as a lobbyist. He’ll lead Pfizer’s outreach to House Republicans. Knott was previously chief of staff to Rep. George Holding (R-N.C.).

Sarah Killeen has been hired by AdvaMed to serve as vice president of government affairs. She previously served as deputy chief of staff and legislative director for Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.).

Scott Mulhauser, who helped run the Senate Finance Committee and the US Embassy in Beijing and served as Vice President Biden’s deputy chief of staff during the 2012 Obama-Biden campaign, will join Bully Pulpit Interactive as a partner to lead public affairs for the firm.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House gavels in at 10 a.m., with first and last votes expected between 1:15 and 2:15 p.m. Today’s agenda: http://bit.ly/2lTVGqQ.

The Senate meets at 11 a.m. Lawmakers will vote on confirmation of three nominations: Robert Destro to be an assistant secretary of State, Brent McIntosh to be an undersecretary of Treasury and Brian Callanan to be general counsel for Treasury.

AROUND THE HILL

The House Democratic Caucus holds a closed-door meeting at 9 a.m. in HC-5.

The House GOP caucus meets at 9 a.m. in HVC-215.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and GOP leaders hold a press conference at 10 a.m. in HVC Studio A.

Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) hold a news conference with ranchers supporting the Green New Deal at 10 a.m. on the House Triangle.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Vice Chair Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) hold a weekly press conference at 10:15 a.m. in HC-8.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) holds a pen and pad briefing with reporters at 11:00 a.m. in H-107.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), House Rules Chairman Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), House Foreign Affairs ranking member Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) hold a news conference on the “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act” at 11 a.m. H-207.

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, holds a forum on the impact of gun violence on children and the need to pass universal background checks at 12 p.m. in 1100 Longworth House Office Building.

Reps. Jesus Garcia (D-Ill.) and Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) hold a news conference with Democratic senators on “the urgent steps that must be taken to help Puerto Rico recover two years after Hurricane Maria” at 12 p.m. on the House Triangle.

Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) holds a news conference on climate change at 1:15 p.m. on the House Triangle.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) hold an event to dedicate a statue honoring Ponca Chief Standing Bear, “one of our nation’s greatest civil rights leaders,” at 3 p.m. in Statuary Hall.

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Oversight and Reform ranking member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) hold a news conference on “gun control” at 3:30 p.m. on the House Triangle.

TRIVIA

TUESDAY’S WINNER: Judd Smith was the first person to guess that John Quincy Adams was the first president to serve in the House of Representatives after leaving the presidency.

TODAY’S QUESTION: From Judd: How many individuals have been impeached by the House of Representatives, and of those who have been impeached, how many were found guilty by the Senate? First person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: [email protected]

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