The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Garland testifies amid classified doc probes

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–> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.* 

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically. 

IN CHICAGO 

LightFOOT got the BOOT — I’ll be here all day with my jokes:

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) lost her reelection bid on Tuesday(!) 

She didn’t just lose by a hair, either — she came in third: The top two finishing candidates will compete in a runoff in April. Candidates Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson received more votes.

The numbers: Vallas won 33.77 percent of the total vote, Johnson came in second with 20.29 percent and Lightfoot received 17.06 percent. 

The significance of Lightfoot’s ouster, via The Hill’s Caroline Vakil 

‘HOW PAUL VALLAS WENT FROM ELECTORAL ALSO-RAN TO CHICAGO FRONT-RUNNER’: 

For context: “When Paul Vallas ran for mayor of Chicago four years ago, it did not go well. He finished in a distant ninth place, winning only 5 percent of the vote and barely registering as an electoral afterthought.” 

Full story from The New York Times’s Mitch Smith

INTERESTING TWITTER THREAD ON THE RACE: 
Semafor’s Dave Weigel tweeted, “Lightfoot was never going to make the runoff with 17%. Strategy was to drag Garcia down and eke into a runoff w Vallas as others split vote. But Garcia was weaker than anyone appreciated; plenty of time for progressive voters to switch to Johnson.” Read the full thread of tweets 

It’s Wednesday — and it’s officially March, my lads! ☘️ I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. 

🗓️ Happy Women’s History Month!  

In Congress 

Let’s take this show on the road!: 

House Democrats are meeting in Baltimore today for their retreat to plot their strategy for this Congress and the 2024 elections. 

With their special guest: *drumroll please* — President Biden! 

Because this isn’t expected to be the most legislatively active Congress, what’s the strategy?: “A big piece of the party’s messaging puzzle will be focused on implementing the legislative successes of the first two years of Biden’s presidency: a massive infrastructure package, the most significant gun reform law in a generation, funding to boost domestic computer chip manufacturing and a landmark climate and health care law.”  

More on what to expect, from NBC News’s Scott Wong and Peter Nicholas 

Happening on Capitol Hill — Sup, Mer. Can I call you Mer?: 

Attorney General Merrick Garland is testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee today for the first time this Congress. 

Timing: The Department of Justice (DOJ) is currently investigating the discovery of classified documents in the homes of President Biden, former President Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence. 

Watch the hearing 

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS:
Photo of Garland entering the room: From Politico’s Josh Gerstein 

Garland raised his right hand for the oath: Photo 

Democrats are asking Rupert Murdoch for help:

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) have asked Fox Corporation Chairman Rupert Murdoch for the networks’ personalities to stop “spreading false election narratives.”  

From the letter Schumer and Jeffries sent to Murdoch: “Though you have acknowledged your regret in allowing this grave propaganda to take place, your network hosts continue to promote, spew, and perpetuate election conspiracy theories to this day … This sets a dangerous precedent that ignores basic journalistic fact-checking principles and public accountability.”

What sparked this letter — Bolton explains: “Fox News hosts including [Tucker Carlson], Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham privately expressed strong skepticism about Trump’s stolen election claims and even mocked Trump advisers who circulated outlandish theories, according to texts and testimony that have become public through a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox.”   

‘HOUSE REPUBLICANS ADVANCE TIKTOK BAN ALONG PARTY LINES’:
From The Hill’s Rebecca Klar 

🔥 Jan. 6 

To misquote the 2006 ~classic~ — Now walk it back (now walk it back), now walk it back (now walk it back):

^ If you want a lil’ throwback (or a reason to move your shoulders unskillfully like I currently am), here’s the song 😉 

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) offered Fox News host Tucker Carlson exclusive access to more than 40,000 hours of unreleased surveillance footage of the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack. 

^ But House Republicans are now pumping the brakes: Republican leaders are now emphasizing that no footage will be released or broadcast without clearance to ensure the security of the Capitol. 

How Republicans ensure that’s the case?: By working with Capitol Police.

McCarthy told reporters: He first thought there were roughly 14,000 hours of footage, but learned there are roughly 42,000 hours. He said there are “certain parts” Carlson wants to see, but not “exit routes.”  

WHAT SCHUMER THINKS ABOUT THE FOOTAGE RELEASE: 
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) decision to give Fox News host Tucker Carlson the footage “despicable.” 

In Schumer’s words: “Look, I think what McCarthy did was despicable, damaged our security. Certainly … when he listens to a small group of the MAGA right, he’s going to run into trouble himself.” More from Schumer 

🏛 In other news 

How did the Supreme Court arguments go on Tuesday?: 

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments yesterday for two challenges to President Biden’s student loan relief plan. 

Here are the top takeaways:  

• “Barrett joins liberals in questioning states’ legal standing.” 
• “Justices invoke major questions doctrine.” 
• “Conservative justices stress price tag of debt relief.”  
• “Biden administration insists Congress foresaw debt relief in passing HEROES Act.” 

Explainers for each from The Hill’s Lexi Lonas 

And here are key statements from each Supreme Court justice  

🦠 COVID-19  

‘Why a final answer on COVID-19’s origins remains out of reach’: 

“Factors like time and a lack of data — largely due to China’s reluctance to cooperate in investigations — may mean we never reach a definite answer to where COVID-19 originated from.”

The Hill’s Joseph Choi breaks down what we know about COVID-19’s origins 

NUMBERS IN THE U.S.:

Cases to date: 103.2 million 

Death toll: 1,115,637 

Current hospitalizations: 19,939 

Shots administered: 671 million 

Fully vaccinated: 69.3 percent of Americans 

CDC data here. 

🐥Notable tweets

Apple’s laptop wallpaper team, take note: 

@KvanOosterom tweeted, “some more northern lights from the Netherlands last night. 

Just love these pictures, via @NOS.” Photos of the northern lights 

⏱On tap 

The House and Senate are in. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C. Biden is in Baltimore this evening for an event.

• 9 a.m.: The House met. 
• 10 a.m.: First and last House votes for the day. Today’s House agenda 
• 10:15 a.m.: Biden received his daily briefing. 
• 11:30 a.m.: Two Senate votes related to nominations. Today’s Senate agenda 
• 2:15 p.m.: The Senate holds a cloture vote on another nomination. 
• 4 p.m.: Two more Senate roll call votes. 
• 5:05 p.m.: Biden leaves for Baltimore.
• 8:10 p.m.: Biden returns to the White House. 
• Today: The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) kicks off in National Harbor, Md. Key figures who will be attending — and won’t be attending

All times Eastern. 

📺What to watch

• 9:30 a.m.: Biden delivered remarks on his nomination of Julie Su as Labor Secretary. Harris also attended. Watch 
• Noon: Biden delivers remarks at the Department of Homeland Security’s 20th Anniversary ceremony. Livestream 
• 2 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre gives a press briefing. Livestream 
• 6 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks at the House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference in Baltimore. Livestream 

🥜 In lighter news 

Today is National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day.

And because I found this way too relatable, here’s a dog who is typically a ‘stage four clinger,’ having the tables turned on him.