The Hill’s 12:30 Report

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The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Breaking — VA secretary won’t apologize for Disneyland remark | Ryan’s big win | Bernie’s plan to go out with a bang | Trump questions 90s suicide of Clinton aide | SweetGreen drops bacon from menu (?!)

BREAKING – VA SECRETARY IS NAHHHHT BACKING DOWN: VA Secretary Robert McDonald just appeared on MSNBC to discuss his controversial comments likening wait times for patients to lines at Disneyland. McDonald declined to apologize, saying the remarks were taken out of context.

NBC’s Luke Russert
VA Sec McDonald won’t apologize for his ‘Disneyland’ comments, “wait times are important, they aren’t the only measure of VA experience.” http://bit.ly/1NJJtfP

On if he understands outrage over his ‘Disneyland’ comments, McDonald, “I’m a veteran…I came out of retirement becauase I care deeply” http://bit.ly/1sz1nYL

NBC’s Andrew Rafferty
VA Sec. Robert McDonald tells Andrea Mitchell ‘there is more to the veteran experience than just wait times’ http://bit.ly/25eu0cd

THE VA SECRETARY ISN’T GETTING OFF THE HOT SEAT ANYTIME SOON: Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) is demanding that Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald resign after he compared VA wait times to lines at Disneyland. “I call on him to resign because it’s clear he cannot prioritize getting our veterans the health care they deserve and have earned in a timely manner,” Blunt said in a statement Tuesday. “Dismissing wait times when veterans can often wait months for an appointment is negligent and a clear sign that new leadership is needed at the VA.” It’s not just Blunt: Blunt, the vice chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, is the latest voice to join a chorus criticizing McDonald’s comments. http://bit.ly/25jX2KQ 

HOUSE GOP ISN’T APPRECIATING THE COMMENT EITHER: House GOP leaders on Tuesday slammed Robert McDonald for the Disneyland comparison, but they stopped short of calling for his removal. “This is not make believe. This is not Disneyland or Wonderland for that matter,” Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said during a news conference with his leadership team. http://bit.ly/1U7Qh3l

It’s Tuesday and THE SUN HAS EMERGED. If you’re in D.C, Canada’s snowbirds are currently doing a flyover above D.C. and Dulles. Run to your window — or better yet — run outside, because we can do that now! 😉 I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of what you missed this morning — and what’s on tap for the rest of the day. Send comments, story ideas and upcoming events to cmartel@digital-release.thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook.

DEMS SAY HAAAYL NO TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD PROBE: Via The Hill’s Sarah Ferris, nearly the entire House Democratic caucus is calling on Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to disband the GOP’s investigation into Planned Parenthood. The 178 Democrats who signed the letter — out of 188 in total — blasted the investigative panel for “continued, escalating abuses” they say are risking the lives of patients, providers and researchers. http://bit.ly/1VgJE3N

BLAME IT ON THE BERN, BERN, BERN, BERNIE SANDERS: Via The Hill’s Amie Parnes, Hillary Clinton allies worried about polls that suggest a tightening general election match-up with Donald Trump blame Bernie Sanders. “I don’t think he realizes the damage he’s doing at this point,” one ally said of Sanders. “I understand running the campaign until the end, fine. But at least take the steps to begin bringing everyone together.” http://bit.ly/1TwNTDV

PLAN FOR THE HOMESTRETCH: GO OUT WITH A BANG: Via The Hill’s Alex Bolton, Bernie Sanders is stepping up his attacks in the homestretch of the primary. Clinton: He described Hillary Clinton as the “lesser of two evils” compared with Trump. DNC: He’s supporting Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s primary challenger, making his fight with the Democratic National Committee chairwoman personal. Congress: On the legislative front, Sanders is intensifying his opposition to a Puerto Rico debt relief deal backed by Clinton, President Obama, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and even Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), one of Sanders’s own supporters on Capitol Hill. http://bit.ly/1NJq0Mf

IRS IMPEACHMENT HEARING UPDATE: Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Tuesday dismissed a push by House Republicans to remove IRS Commissioner John Koskinen shortly before an impeachment hearing began. House Republicans, who’ve long held Koskinen in their crosshairs, claim he lied to Congress and destroyed records central to the House’s probe of the agency’s targeting of conservative groups. http://bit.ly/1sO5q44

{mosads}VIC-TOR-Y FOR RYAN: Via The Hill’s Scott Wong and Sylvan Lane, the bipartisan deal to tackle Puerto Rico’s debt crisis represents Paul Ryan‘s first big victory as Speaker. How so: The agreement to restructure the island’s $70 billion in debt fulfills a promise the Speaker made to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Democrats during spending talks last December. And it shows that Ryan’s approach to the leadership job — empowering committee chairmen — can work, to a certain extent. http://bit.ly/1OKXe8X

TRUMP QUESTIONS CLINTON AIDE’S SUICIDE: In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Trump called the circumstances of Vincent Foster’s death “very fishy.” “He had intimate knowledge of what was going on,” Trump said of Foster’s relationship with the Clintons. “He knew everything that was going on and then all of a sudden he committed suicide.” Foster, a top aide to then President Bill Clinton, committed suicide in 1993. http://bit.ly/1U7LvTn

CONGRATS TWITTER — FROM THE HILL TO THE ‘DARK SIDE’ MWAHAHA: Caitlin Conant, an alum of Marco Rubio‘s presidential campaign who also served as Sen. Rob Portman‘s (R-Ohio) communications director, is joining CBS News as director of communications. http://politi.co/1OTVoIg

AN INTERESTING READ — MOTHER OF AN ISIS KILLER: BuzzFeed’s Jane Bradley interviewed the mother of one of the four “Beatles” guards who beheaded 27 hostages about losing both her “perfect” sons to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. And when her older son radicalized, she begged the authorities to take away her younger son’s passport. But they wouldn’t, and he followed. http://bzfd.it/22npg2c

HAPPENING TODAY — BILL COSBY HEARING: Via The Associated Press, Bill Cosby had a court hearing today to decide if there is enough evidence to send the 78-year-old actor to trial for sexual assault. http://ti.me/1U7HHSf

 

NOTABLE TWEETS:

The Washington Post’s Dave Weigel posted this Bernie look-alike on Instagram: http://bit.ly/1YVfdzl

CNN’s Manu Raju
Ryan presser: Eight minutes of opening statements, less than three minutes for questions http://bit.ly/1XR8jwA

 

ON TAP:

Washington state is holding its Republican presidential primary today.

The Senate has been in session since 10 a.m.

1 p.m. EDT: Bernie Sanders holds a rally in Anaheim, Calif.

2 p.m. EDT: A House Foreign Affairs subcommittee is holding a hearing on “The U.S.-Saudi Arabia Counterterrorism Relationship.” Details: http://1.usa.gov/1WGXD4D 

2 p.m. EDT: The Ways and Means Committee marks up legislation on Medicare hospital payments. 

2:15–3:15 p.m. EDT: The House votes. They are also expected to vote again from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

2 p.m. EDT: A House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee is holding a hearing on the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Info: http://1.usa.gov/1Tk8tww 

3 p.m. EDT: The House Rules Committee will consider a rule for the Senate’s energy reform bill, the first step toward going to a conference committee on the legislation. Info: http://1.usa.gov/1sNRkzY 

3:15 p.m. EDT: Vice President  Biden delivers remarks at a White House Gun Violence Prevention event.

5 p.m. EDT: Bernie Sanders holds a rally in Riverside, Calif.

6:30 p.m. EDT: Former President Bill Clinton campaigns for Hillary Clinton in Espanola, N.M.

8:30 p.m. EDT: Hillary Clinton holds a campaign event in Riverside, Calif.

9 p.m. EDT: Donald Trump holds a rally in Albuquerque, N.M.

10 p.m. EDT: Bernie Sanders holds a rally in San Bernardino, Calif.

 

WHAT TO WATCH:

Tomorrow: Hillary Clinton’s interview with Ellen DeGeneres airs.

Tweet from Ellen DeGeneres: The entire cast of Ghostbusters is here next week and now Hillary Clinton is coming, too! Get your Woman Cards ready. http://bit.ly/1sO9VvK 

Hmmm, Kate McKinnon, a star of “Ghostbusters,” also happens to play Hillary Clinton on “Saturday Night Live.”

 

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…:

Today is Escargot Day!

I CAN’T BELIEVE A RESTAURANT WOULD BRAG ABOUT THIS…?: Via DC Eater, SweetGreen is removing bacon from its menu as it pushes healthier foods. They will also stop offering Sriracha. Now, a moment of silence. http://bit.ly/1TJZbIk

LET’S GET PHYS-I-CAL: Via CNN, for the third year in a row, Washington, D.C., has ranked No. 1 as the fittest city in the country. Rounding out the top five are Minneapolis; Denver; Portland, Ore.; and San Francisco. Here’s the list of the top 50: http://cnn.it/1U7I13k

A HEADLINE TO MAKE YOU DOUBLE TAKE: “20,000 bees chase car for TWO DAYS after queen bee gets trapped in boot.” This sounds like my personal hell. Yes, there are photos: http://bit.ly/22nATpP

WEEKEND PLANS: Here’s the full schedule of throwback Disney movies that will air this weekend: http://bzfd.it/1U7LsXJ

And now I will leave you with a video of pugs playing in a giant KFC bucket of chicken. Do with it what you will: http://bit.ly/1syTNNL

 

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