Playbook: Ukraine makes a final plea

Presented by the Financial Services Forum

With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine

DRIVING THE DAY

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The latest salvo in the House GOP drive to impeach Joe Biden comes today as the Judiciary, Ways and Means, and Oversight committees jointly release an interim staff report on one of the HUNTER BIDEN investigations.

We obtained a copy of the 78-page report ahead of its release today. In their quest for impeachment, Republicans have been pursuing two tracks: President JOE BIDEN’s potential involvement in any foreign business dealings of his relatives and any interference by the Biden administration into the criminal investigation of his son. Today’s report is an update on that second line of inquiry, which was sparked by a pair of IRS agents who came forward to claim they believed there were some irregularities in the DOJ’s Hunter probe.

The report, which contains no smoking gun, comes as the House GOP is likely to vote on formalizing an impeachment inquiry next week and hopes to make a decision on whether to pursue articles of impeachment in January. Read the report

IT’S BOOK DAY — “Liz Cheney, outspoken Trump critic, weighs third-party presidential run,” by WaPo’s Maeve Reston: “While promoting her new book ‘Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning,’ the former Wyoming congresswoman — who was defeated by a Trump loyalist last year — is warning that Trump could transform America’s democracy into a dictatorship if he is reelected.”

Z’S LAST PLEA — High-level Ukrainian officials are scheduled to be in D.C. today to make a last-minute appeal to Republicans to back an aid package.

ANDRIY YERMAK, the powerful chief of staff to President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, will be making the rounds on Capitol Hill today. He will be joined by Ukraine’s minister of defense and the speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament.

The centerpiece of the Ukrainian lobbying effort takes place at 3 p.m., when Zelenskyy himself will beam into an all-senators classified briefing about the situation in Ukraine to personally make the case for more U.S. aid.

“We’re at the end of our rope in terms of the existing funding,” an advisor to Zelenskyy told Playbook last night, previewing the Ukrainian president’s pitch to Congress. “It’s not going to go beyond December.”

The Biden administration organized the Zelenskyy Zoom knowing that he’s the most effective advocate for his country when it comes to talking to Republicans. “It’s very hard to confront him when he’s talking about good versus evil and what’s happened to his country, and what Ukraine needs to survive,” his adviser said.

Yet he’ll be speaking to a Senate more divided over the path to providing aid to his country than at any time since the war began.

As became clear yesterday, there are serious fundamental problems with the Senate’s strategy of tying new Ukraine funding to immigration — perhaps the single most intractable issue in American politics.

For Republican senators, the calculation is increasingly clear: Their voters are not clamoring for Ukraine aid, and they are not likely to be impressed by a compromise border security plan that could be pilloried by the right-wing media and possibly never even taken up by the House. Just look at how Sen. JOHN CORNYN (R-Texas), a veteran immigration negotiator who is running a shadow campaign to succeed MITCH McCONNELL as Senate GOP leader, is couching things.

“There’s a misunderstanding on the part of [Senate Majority Leader CHUCK] SCHUMER and some of our Democratic friends,” he told NBC News. “This is not a traditional negotiation, where we expect to come up with a bipartisan compromise on the border. This is a price that has to be paid in order to get the supplemental.”

For what it’s worth, the GOP senator actually leading the negotiations, JAMES LANKFORD, sounded yesterday like someone who genuinely wants a deal. He spent much of Monday insisting that reports of the demise of the negotiations were exaggerated. “We’re going to get it resolved,” he told reporters.

But he also revealed how differently he’s viewing the final product compared to Democrats. He explained to reporters that he was hoping to land a bill that could attract roughly 40 Republican votes, writing off the handful of GOP senators who won’t back Ukraine funding no matter what. “Which means I got to pick up 20 Democrats in the Senate,” he said, to vault the 60-vote cloture threshold.

Democrats, meanwhile, talk about a bill that attracts about 50 Democrats and 10 Republicans. Those are very different bills and it explains the gulf between Lankford and Sen. CHRIS MURPHY (D-Conn.), who was more despondent Monday about the direction of talks.

“I understand the consequences of the tactic Republicans have decided to use,” Murphy said yesterday. “And it is VLADIMIR PUTIN marching into Europe.”

The Democrats’ party divisions are no simpler. While Republicans like and trust KYRSTEN SINEMA, the Arizona independent who is at the center of the negotiations, liberals complain that the politics of the former Democrat’s potential reelection campaign in Arizona are causing her to give away too much. Yesterday Sinema attacked a background quote from a Democratic aide who was trying to call out the GOP for pushing extreme proposals. She also got in a shot at the Biden administration.

“Getting to yes is hard enough, given the real differences between D and R positions on the border,” Sinema said on X. “We don’t need potshots from ‘sources’ who aren’t in the room to make it harder. Meanwhile, my state is in crisis while the gov’t does nothing to solve it.”

So it will fall to Zelenskyy to attempt a reset.

“He will be telling them: ‘Look, don’t let your own domestic politics deliver this win for Putin,’” said the Zelenskyy adviser, who called it “an existential moment” for his country. “If Ukraine does not get the aid from the United States — the military aid that has already been promised to it — Putin is very likely to not only fortify what he has already taken, but he’s very likely to take swaths of new territory. which will surpass what he had even at the beginning of the war. And ultimately Kiev itself could be at risk.”

Good Tuesday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.

WAKE UP, READ PLAYBOOK — We have an exciting update for Playbook readers: Starting Dec. 18, all Playbook subscribers will also receive Playbook PM every Monday through Friday. As a member of the Playbook community, you will get a double dose of scoops, storylines and analysis every weekday as we enter a newsy election year. No need to take action: You will receive your first PM edition on the 18th if you aren’t subscribed already. Thank you for being a part of the Playbook community.

MOODY’S MUSIC — “Moody’s Cuts China’s Credit Outlook to Negative,” by WSJ’s Jiahui Huang: “The [change] reflects rising evidence that the government will need to provide financial support to stretched local governments and state-owned enterprises, ‘posing broad downside risks to China’s fiscal, economic and institutional strength.’”

WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY

On the Hill

The House will meet at 10 a.m. and will take up several bills at noon, with votes expected at 1:30 p.m. Assistant AG for Civil Rights KRISTEN CLARKE will testify before a Judiciary subcommittee at 10 a.m. Belarusian opposition leader SVIATLANA TSIKHANOUSKAYA will testify before a Foreign Affairs subcommittee at 10 a.m. Harvard President CLAUDINE GAY, Penn President LIZ MAGILL and MIT President SALLY KORNBLUTH will testify before the Education and the Workforce Committee at 10:15 a.m. about antisemitism on campus, as Bianca Quilantan previews. RILEY GAINES will testify before an Oversight subcommittee at 2 p.m. about female athletics.

The Senate will meet at 10 a.m. to take up LOREN ALI KHAN’s judicial nomination, with a cloture vote at 11:30 a.m. and a recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. for weekly conference meetings. FBI Director CHRISTOPHER WRAY will testify before the Judiciary Committee at 10 a.m.

3 things to watch …

  1. Negotiators are getting down to brass tacks on the annual National Defense Authorization Act, with final compromise text expected as soon as today. Numerous odds and ends appeared to be up in the air yesterday — ranging from a measure that would limit U.S. investors from backing certain high-tech ventures in China to a provision that would declassify information related to unidentified aerial phenomena.
  2. Another potential NDAA ride-along is a short-term extension of the controversial foreign surveillance program known as Section 702, which expires at the end of the month, and Biden administration officials warned key Hill overseers yesterday that “any expiration … no matter how short, would inject tremendous uncertainty and risk.” That warning also came ahead of tomorrow’s House Judiciary Committee markup for a three-year 702 extension that would force intel agencies to seek warrants before searching communications involving Americans.
  3. The IRS whistleblowers involved in the Hunter Biden case, GARY SHAPLEY and JOSEPH ZIEGLER, are set to appear this morning before House Ways and Means — albeit in closed executive session, because they are set to discuss the younger Biden’s private tax issues. Expect to hear second-hand accounts of their testimony from panel members.

At the White House

Biden will head to the Boston area for three campaign receptions throughout the afternoon and evening, before returning to the White House.

VP KAMALA HARRIS will meet with GABBY GIFFORDS about gun violence prevention; join Education Secretary MIGUEL CARDONA’s virtual call with university presidents about contraception access; and host a holiday reception with second gentleman DOUG EMHOFF.

PLAYBOOK READS

AMERICA AND THE WORLD

WIDENING MIDDLE EAST FALLOUT — As Iranian proxy forces keep attacking Red Sea ships in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, the U.S. is working with other countries on a possible plan to stand up a defensive naval task force, NYT’s Peter Baker reports. But there’s growing frustration among U.S. officials that the Biden administration isn’t doing enough to respond to attacks in the region, Lara Seligman reports, accusing top leaders of downplaying a serious threat to prevent further escalation.

Nahal Toosi has a big look at the administration’s quiet but detailed planning for the future of Gaza after the war, which sees leadership from a revamped Palestinian Authority as the best of a flawed set of long-term options. But the U.S. plans would run headlong into opposition from Israeli PM BENJAMIN NETANYAHU’s right-wing government — and the question of who would stabilize Gaza in the near term remains unanswered.

More on the home front: Rep. LOIS FRANKEL (D-Fla.) is working on a resolution to condemn Hamas’ use of rape after controversy surrounding Rep. PRAMILA JAYAPAL’s (D-Wash.) comments, CNN’s Annie Grayer reports. … Biden now can’t go anywhere in public without facing pro-Palestinian protesters, WaPo’s Matt Viser and Toluse Olorunnipa note.

POLICY CORNER

A HEADLINE THAT COULD HAUNT HIM — “Biden’s billions for EV charging have yet to bring a charger online,” by James Bikales: “States and the charger industry blame the delays mostly on the labyrinth of new contracting and performance requirements they have to navigate to receive federal funds.”

BIG SWING — “The Pentagon Wants to Root Out Shoddy Drugs. The FDA Is In Its Way,” by Bloomberg’s Anna Edney and Riley Griffin: “The US drug-safety regulator has resisted independent testing that’s widely used in Europe.”

2024 WATCH

PICTURING 2025 — As Trump moves closer to the GOP nomination, the political commentariat is starting to drill down more seriously into what his return to the White House would look like, particularly the extensive planning for an unprecedented centralization of power. A major new package of pieces in The Atlantic takes a 360-degree view of what two dozen contributors see as “the threat a second term poses to American democracy.” That includes Caitlin Dickerson on the resurrection of family separation, Barton Gellman on the weaponization of law enforcement and George Packer on how the press will cover his campaign. And CNN’s Stephen Collinson writes in an analysis that Trump “would rewrite the rules of presidential power.”

More top reads:

MORE POLITICS

DEMOCRACY WATCH — “Eligible voters are being swept up in conservative activists’ efforts to purge voter rolls,” by CBS’ Michael Kaplan, Sheena Samu and Major Garrett

PRIMARY COLORS — Richmond Mayor LEVAR STONEY jumped into the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial race yesterday, setting up a high-profile Democratic primary against Rep. ABIGAIL SPANBERGER, the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Michael Martz reports.

BATTLE FOR THE SENATE — Arizona Republican KARI LAKE is trying to win over moderates and independents in her Senate bid — but so far, the MAGA diehard’s pitches are falling flat, raising concerns that she’ll lose again, WaPo’s Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Liz Goodwin and Isaac Arnsdorf report.

WHAT THE DSCC IS READING — Montana GOP Senate hopeful TIM SHEEHY said this summer that “we need to return health care to pure privatization,” captured on audio obtained by Semafor’s Kadia Goba.

JUDICIARY SQUARE

SCOTUS WATCH — “US Supreme Court torn over Purdue Pharma bankruptcy settlement,” by Reuters’ John Kruzel and Andrew Chung

CONGRESS

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — House Majority Whip TOM EMMER (R-Minn.) next year will launch a new joint fundraising committee called Emmer Majority Builders, aiming to help the House GOP retain its majority in 2024. The former NRCC chair’s new operation will raise money for the campaign committee, 26 incumbents and five other candidates, focusing on a $5 million transfer to them.

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Forty-seven percent of former members of Congress say they or their families received threats at least somewhat frequently while in office, according to a new survey from the Association of Former Members of Congress and UMass Amherst. They report widespread fears about political violence in 2024, and they see the current legislative branch as dysfunctional. Yet three-quarters say they would still run for office if they started their careers now. Read it here

More top reads:

TRUMP CARDS

HEADS UP — Trump is expected to return to his civil fraud trial in NYC on Thursday, per ABC.

IT’S COMING — The first juror selection forms for Trump’s federal criminal trial in D.C. may have started to land in Washingtonians’ mailboxes, NBC’s Jonathan Allen scooped.

WRITTEN IN STONE — “How Roger Stone persuaded Trump not to attack Ron DeSantis in his home state,” NBC: “An excerpt from the coming book ‘Swamp Monsters’ by NBC News reporter Matt Dixon tells the tale of how Trump’s team lobbied the political troublemaker to lend a hand” in 2022.

PLAYBOOKERS

George Santos is on Cameo. John Fetterman and Ohio Dems are already having fun with it.

David Cameron will meet with the Republican Study Committee tomorrow.

Justin Wells was accused of sexual assault, which he denies.

James Bennet is revisiting his NYT ouster.

Maura Healey is taking over the Democratic Party’s Women Governors Fund.

IN MEMORIAM — National Council on Disability Chair Andrés Gallegos died Friday at 62, the council announced. The Air Force veteran and disability rights attorney advised the president and Congress on national disability policy and created a policy framework for doing away with health disparities. Read more here

OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at Vivian Schiller and Phil Frank’s Bethesda house for a party last night celebrating Garrett Graff’s new book, “UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government’s Search for Alien Life Here ― and Out There” ($32.50): Susan Glasser and Peter Baker, Elizabeth Ralph, Jack Shafer, Juleanna Glover, Alvaro Bedoya, Matt Olsen, Mary McCord, Mieke Eoyang, Katie Harbath, Sam Feist, Bob Cohn, Tim and Laura O’Shaughnessy, and Evan Osnos and Sarabeth Berman.

— SPOTTED last night at cocktails and conversation hosted by Tammy Haddad and the Washington AI Network with Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth, director of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency: Bob Woodward, Bob Costa, Phil Rucker, Josh Dawsey, Canadian Ambassador Kirsten Hillman, Elizabeth Falcone, Machalagh Carr, Teresa Carlson, Steve Clemons, John Hudson, James Adams, Evan Hollander and Eli Yokley, Jackie Rooney, T.W. Arrighi, Kathy O’Hearn and Mike Sarchet, Don Kerr and Polson Kanneth.

MEDIA MOVES — CBS News is adding Daniel Klaidman as an investigative reporter in New York and Madeleine May as a political investigative producer in D.C. Klaidman previously was editor-in-chief of Yahoo News. May previously reported and produced for Vice News. … Erin Covey will be a House analyst at The Cook Political Report. She most recently has been a reporter and analyst at Inside Elections.

TRANSITIONS — Peter Velz is now director of media logistics for the Democratic National Convention. He previously was senior protocol officer at the State Department. … Stephen Coffey is now a director at SMI. He previously was deputy chief of staff for Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.). … Lexi Branson is now deputy VP for advocacy and strategic alliances for PhRMA. She previously was executive director of federation programs and grassroots for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and is a Trump White House and Capitol Hill alum. …

… Bill Bertles is now a partner on the Herald Group’s executive team. He previously was SVP and partner at DDC Public Affairs. … Erin O’Malley is now a comms manager at GoFundMe. She most recently was comms director for Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) and is a Trump White House alum. … Johns Hopkins University announced that Cybele Bjorklund will be the inaugural executive director of the new Hopkins Bloomberg Center in D.C. and VP for federal strategy for Johns Hopkins University and Medicine. Camille Johnston will be VP of comms. Bjorklund previously was SVP of policy and government strategy at Virta Health, and is a Hill alum. Johnston currently is SVP for corporate affairs at Siemens, and is an Obama White House alum.

ENGAGED — Jay O’Brien, who covers Capitol Hill for ABC News, and Haleigh LaMontagne, a producer at WUSA 9, got engaged Friday night at the Willard hotel. They met as students at Ithaca College, when she was the producer of the student newscast and he was the reporter. Pic

— Samantha Waldenberg, a producer at CNN, and Scott Gelman, a reporter at WTOP, got engaged over the weekend. They met in journalism school at the University of Maryland in 2018. Pic

WEEKEND WEDDINGS — Caitlin Carroll, SVP of public affairs at Powell Tate and a Richard Burr alum, and Ian Tuttle, a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton and a Ben Sasse alum, got married Saturday at Church of the Holy City, followed by dinner and dancing at Del Mar. They met at a mutual friend’s D.C. rooftop in July 2021. Pic … Another pic … SPOTTED: Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Becca Glover, Carl Hulse, Chris Joyner, Kelley Hudak, Brad Dayspring, Allison Schneider, Andrew Shult, Estephania Gongora, Will Boyington, James and Hannah Wegmann, Vanessa Le, Christine Emba, Robby and Katie Zirkelbach, and Michael Falcone.

— Igor Bobic, a senior politics reporter at HuffPost, and Valerie Chicola, a senior director at Bullpen Strategy Group, got married Saturday at the Mayflower Hotel. Valerie says they met in 2016 at Hill Country Wednesday night karaoke, but Igor says they met at the original Eighteenth Street Lounge. Pic … Another pic

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) … Axios’ Roy Schwartz … NYT’s Mike Grynbaum … Jamie Rhoades of Quartus Strategies … Khorri Atkinson … WaPo’s Rachel van Dongen … Gray Johnson … POLITICO’s Liz Crampton … Ruiyong Chen … Lisa Spies of the LS Group … Anthony Bedell … Brai Odion-Esene of SW4 Insights … Ari Drennen … NBC’s Billy Koch … Eli Miller … former Reps. Ben McAdams (D-Utah) and Rodney Alexander (R-La.) … Jamie McCourt (7-0) … Moira Mack Muntz … Nicole Drummond … Calvin Trillin … Herald Group’s Caitlin Burns

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