Today’s notice: More chaos at the CDC. Alaska’s most popular Democrat. Howard Lutnick’s wish comes true. The “big four” talk Medicaid. And: The MLB to D.C. pipeline.
P.S. We are not publishing a newsletter Monday, but will be back Tuesday.
THE LATEST
A warning shot? Could Sen. Bill Cassidy’s sharp words for RFK Jr. mean something bigger for the Trump administration and the future of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?
“Serious allegations have been made about the meeting agenda, membership and lack of scientific process being followed for the now announced September ACIP meeting,” Cassidy said in a statement Thursday, referencing HHS’ Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
“If the meeting proceeds, any recommendations made should be rejected as lacking legitimacy given the seriousness of the allegations and the current turmoil of CDC leadership.”
“Turmoil of CDC leadership” is the operative phrase here, as the Senate will once again have a say on whomever Donald Trump picks to replace Susan Monarez, the agency’s director Trump fired Wednesday.
More to come: At a press briefing Thursday, Karoline Leavitt issued a warning to anyone in the federal government who doesn’t “align” with Trump’s vision.
That doesn’t seem like it’ll be a problem for the administration’s pick to replace Monarez: Deputy HHS Secretary Jim O’Neill. Like Monarez, the former tech investor is not a medical doctor, but he is a key ally of RFK Jr. — and Peter Thiel, according to The Washington Post.
“Trying to raise a red flag”: Three top CDC officials who resigned in protest over Monarez’s ouster aired their grievances Thursday on CNN, telling Kaitlan Collins that they would think twice before trusting any public health information coming out of this administration.
“If it’s coming from CDC scientists, you can trust it,” said Debra Houry, the agency’s deputy director for program and science and chief medical officer. “If it’s coming from the administration and hasn’t been cleared by CDC scientists or reviewed by them, then I would have concerns.”
BTW, Jasmine asked Leavitt about why Trump still hasn’t acknowledged the shooting this month at the CDC. Leavitt replied that Kennedy visited CDC headquarters in the aftermath — but made no mention of the president himself or his rare silence.
Open tabs: Lisa Cook Sues Trump Over ‘Unprecedented and Illegal’ Firing (NOTUS); Shoppers see orders canceled as world shuts down U.S.-bound shipments (NBC); Trump and Democrats Float Unusual Midterm Conventions (NYT); US offers military funeral honors to Capitol Rioter Ashli Babbitt (AP)
From the campaign trail
Alaska watch: Senate Democrats are trying to recruit former Rep. Mary Peltola, who they think is the one person who can give incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan a run for his money next year.
“There’s mounting pressure from people in state for her to declare for governor,” Alaska political strategist Jim Lottsfeldt told NOTUS. “There’s mounting pressure from people out of state for her to declare for U.S. senator. And everything in politics is creating mounting pressure for her to say, ‘I’m not going to run for anything; this is nuts.’”
From the White House
Conflicts, yes. Problems, no. White House counsel David A. Warrington concluded that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick can temporarily retain banking, financial services and real estate investments despite conflicts-of-interest concerns, according to a memo Dave Levinthal obtained for NOTUS.
The waiver terms: Lutnick can make remarks during meetings, give speeches and other public commentary and receive briefings on matters that could influence his personal investments, the “limited” waiver says.
He “will not be permitted” to engage in specific government matters in which Cantor Fitzgerald, BGC Group or Newmark Group “is or represents a party,” or “hold meetings with representatives” of these companies, the conflicts-of-interest waiver says.
The “so what?” The Trump administration’s interest in creating a sovereign wealth fund, which Lutnick has been pushing, puts added scrutiny on possible conflicts of interest.
Lutnick’s financial holdings in Cantor Fitzgerald, Newmark Group and BGC Group together reached into the hundreds of millions, and possibly billions, of dollars, per his disclosure filed last December with the Office of Government Ethics.
From the Hill
Medicaid cuts are poised to take center stage in government funding negotiations when lawmakers get back to town next week.
“Big four”: Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer sent a letter to Mike Johnson and John Thune requesting a meeting next week to discuss a path to a spending deal.
“Unfortunately, it appears the Republican-controlled Congress lacks a plan to address the mounting healthcare crisis your budget reconciliation bill has set in motion,” the Democratic leaders wrote.
At least one senator, Elizabeth Warren, has said she won’t vote on a funding bill unless it reverses the recently enacted Medicaid cuts.
NEW ON NOTUS
Trump’s tiebreaker: Trump has fired one of two Democratic members on the normally sleepy Surface Transportation Board, a move that has the potential to break what could be a 2-2 tie as it weighs a merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. If the deal goes through, it would be the largest railroad merger in U.S. history.
Not so fast: The board member, Robert Primus, said the administration gave no “cause” for his firing, which he said made the move “legally invalid.”
“I plan to continue to discharge my duties as a member of the Board and, if I’m prevented from doing so, I will explore my legal options,” he wrote in a defiant LinkedIn post.
The MLB to D.C. pipeline: Ex-New York Yankees and Texas Rangers slugger Mark Teixeira on Thursday launched a bid for a congressional seat in Texas, NOTUS’ Amelia Benavides-Colón reports. He’s angling to succeed retiring Rep. Chip Roy, who last week launched his own bid for Texas attorney general.
To the tune of ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’: DNC vice chair Malcolm Kenyatta is protesting state-level cuts to Pennsylvania’s mass-transit system by walking 105 miles from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, NOTUS Emily Kennard reports. “People have said over and over again they want to see Democrats in the DNC fighting, and I think this is a prime example,” he said.
More: Oklahoma Backs Trump’s Call to Put Disaster Response Under State Control, by Em Luetkemeyer
Channeling Trump, Newsom Deploys His Own Crime-Fighting Teams Onto California Streets, by Samuel Larreal
NOT US
- Inside Pete Hegseth’s Civilian Purge at West Point, by Jasper Craven for Politico
- The “Mini-Trump” Attacking Lisa Cook Had Paperwork Problems of His Own, by Dan Friedman and Hannah Levintova for Mother Jones
- After Threats, Mayors of Blue Cities Seek United Front Against Trump, by Katie Glueck for The New York Times
- Who Wants to Work for ICE? They Do. By Nick Miroff for The Atlantic
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