Today’s notice: Exclusive revelations from a pair of House Ethics investigations. A showdown between the White House and Congress. On the ground ahead of Indiana’s intense GOP primary. A golf scoop. A Democratic House spending scoop. And: Is oversight back?

THE LATEST

Another House conduct investigation you’ve never heard about. A former House staffer filed a complaint against Rep. Jim Costa, a California Democrat, in early 2023 alleging that Costa behaved inappropriately and made advances toward her in February 2020 – when she was an intern for a different lawmaker, NOTUS’ Oriana González reports. The woman also alleged that she saw Costa behave inappropriately with another female intern in December 2021.

The previously unreported case was ultimately dismissed by the House Ethics Committee after an investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics (now called the Office of Congressional Conduct). Oriana obtained the 98-page transcript of an OCE interview with the accuser – and spoke with her and three other people familiar with the accusations, including one witness to the second incident.

The alleged behavior includes a then-67-year-old Costa pressuring a then-22-year-old intern for an uncomfortably intimate dance at a California State Society function and then repeatedly asking her to dinner while offering to help her career. After rebuffing him and joining the staff of another congressional office, the woman alleges she intervened and confronted Costa when she saw him dancing with another young intern at a different California State Society event.

A source who was in the room for the Ethics Committee deliberations in the case said some lawmakers who had traveled with Costa expressed to the committee that Costa “definitely has a problem” with his conduct around women. Costa was interviewed by committee staff, but the case was dismissed because they “didn’t find enough evidence to proceed,” the source said.

Costa statement: “Rep. Costa fully cooperated with a review conducted by the [OCC] and the House Committee on Ethics several years ago. The OCC recommended dismissal, and the Ethics Committee unanimously voted to dismiss the matter,” a spokesperson said.

The accuser feels burned by the process. “I know that this happens everywhere in Congress. And I think that’s why it’s annoying that Ethics doesn’t do its job,” she said. “I think their point was like, ‘Oh, he didn’t rape you right?’ Should I have let myself? Should I have gone to the dinner?”

Open tabs: Trump says US will help free ships stranded in Strait of Hormuz (Reuters); Rudy Giuliani Is in ‘Critical Condition’ in Florida Hospital (NYT); Rubio expected to meet with Leo amid pope’s standoff with Trump (WaPo); Shapiro boosted Republican to retaliate against fellow Dem, ally says in recording (Axios); Progressive megadonors bet big on content creators (Semafor)

From the Hill

Speaking of conduct investigations, Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards is currently the subject of an Ethics Committee probe into allegations he had a long-term affair with his former deputy chief of staff, NOTUS’ Kadia Goba and Reese Gorman report. The staffer left his office this year.

“Given the current political environment we are facing in our nation, it comes as no surprise that others with their own political agendas will attempt to raise false accusations in order to create news stories,” Edwards responded in a statement.

“Very concerned” read a joint statement from the two Republican chairs of their respective chambers’ Armed Services committees over the weekend after Donald Trump announced a 5,000-servicemember drawdown from Germany. NOTUS’ Joe Gould reports from Washington that the move has drawn intense blowback.

In Sedona, Arizona, NOTUS’ Igor Bobic spoke to a bipartisan group of irate lawmakers at an annual conference founded by Republican Sen. John McCain. “It probably pleases Russia,” retiring Republican Rep. Don Bacon said of the troop withdrawal. “It’s like playing checkers blindfolded. The word that comes to me now is ‘petulant.’”

What comes next: The congressional armed services committee chairs say they want answers from the White House and expect to get them.

Bonus from Sedona: Spirit-ed debate. After the White House blamed Joe Biden for last week’s demise of the budget airline Spirit — which tried to merge with JetBlue but was blocked by Biden’s DOJ — Democratic Sen. Peter Welch told Igor the Trump team might want to look in the mirror.

“The immediate crisis is the fuel crisis,” he said. “Jet fuel is brutal, and that’s all the [closure of the] Strait of Hormuz. So once the Iran war started, I don’t think they had a chance.”

From the campaign trail

Live from Indiana. How is Trump’s retribution campaign going against Republican state lawmakers who refused to redistrict in Indiana? NOTUS’ Christa Dutton reports from the Hoosier State, where she visited a Turning Point USA turnout event to boost one of Trump’s chosen primary candidates. Four people showed up, three of them from the same family. It’s just one anecdote from a detailed story about one of the strangest legislative primary seasons anyone in Indiana can remember.

“We’ll find out if money talks” tomorrow when the primary election ends, state Sen. Sue Glick, a Republican who voted against redistricting but is not on the ballot this week, told Christa.

First on NOTUS: House Democrats’ new favorite candidates. The DCCC is adding eight new candidates to its “Red to Blue” candidate-support program, NOTUS’ Daniella Diaz has learned. On the list are Marlene Galán-Woods in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, Jasmeet Bains in California’s 22nd District, Jessica Killin in Colorado’s 5th District, Joe Baldacci in Maine’s 2nd District, Bob Harvie in Pennsylvania’s 1st District, Bob Brooks in Pennsylvania’s 7th District, Bobby Pulido in Texas’ 15th District and Johnny Garcia in Texas’ 35th District.

From the White House

Scoop: Trump stages a takeover of East Potomac Golf Links. A followup to Reese’s recent reporting on the administration’s interest in D.C.-area public golf courses. Starting yesterday, the Interior Department has taken over direct management of the East Potomac course, with the goal of a full-scale renovation, Reese writes.

“Affordability” is a key pitch for the project, an Interior spokesperson said: “President Donald J. Trump is fulfilling his commitment to make D.C. Safe and Beautiful as shown by record low crime rates and renovations to fountains across the capital.”

What’s next: A battle in court. The DC Preservation League, along with Democracy Forward, a watchdog group, asked a federal judge to block the Trump administration from moving ahead with its plans. A hearing has been set for 8 a.m. this morning.

Further reading: A major MAGA fundraiser is working with a new nonprofit to support Trump’s vision for the Washington waterfront, including the East Potomac course, The Washington Post reports.

NEW ON NOTUS

“We should probably do some oversight,” Republican Sen. Josh Hawley told NOTUS recently as he reflected on how his party oversaw the Department of Homeland Security during former Secretary Kristi Noem’s tenure. NOTUS’ Torrence Banks reports that Hawley joins several other Republicans who are wondering what role Congress played in letting Noem’s many scandals continue largely unchecked.

More: Letlow, Cassidy Punt Personal Finance Disclosures Until After Louisiana Primary, by Dave Levinthal

NOT US

• He nearly joined Trump’s administration. Now he’s running for Congress as a Democrat. By Timothy Bella for The Washington Post
  
• Kamala Harris bought a Malibu home. Her neighbors think that means something. By Daniel Miller for Politico
  
• Immigration Scams Surged as Trump’s Sweeps Lured Desperate People to Eager Defrauders, by Naisha Roy, Francesca D’Annunzio and J. David McSwane for ProPublica

WEEK AHEAD

This week

• The House and Senate are in recess.

Today

• Panels continue at the Milken Institute conference in Los Angeles, where several political leaders have appeared. Among the speakers Monday: Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Tuesday

• Indiana legislative primary Election Day.
• Ohio primary Election Day.

Thank you for reading! If you liked this edition of the NOTUS newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If this newsletter was shared with you, please subscribe — it’s free! Have a tip? Email us at tips@notus.org. And as always, we’d love to hear your thoughts at newsletters@notus.org.