Happy Wednesday, June 12. The House Oversight Committee is staring down a contempt vote later today, during which members will decide whether or not to issue a formal rebuke of Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Here’s more on that and the other stories we’re watching.
Three Things We’re Watching Today
Oversight Committee to vote on contempt
The House Oversight Committee will vote today at 10 a.m. ET on whether to recommend that Barr and Ross be held in comtempt for refusing to turn over documents for the committee’s investigation into the addition of a citizenship question to the census. On the eve of the vote, the Justice Department told committee Chair Elijah Cummings (D-MD) that if the committee moves forward with the contempt vote, the Department would ask the White House to exert executive privilege over the documents. TPM’s Tierney Sneed will be at the committee meeting for the vote.
Don Jr. will appear before the Senate Intel Committee
Following a subpoena from chairman Richard Burr (R-NC), Don Jr. is slated to testify behind closed doors to the committee about issues including Trump Tower Moscow. We’ll be listening for any leaks about his comments.
Payback time?
President Donald Trump is mulling backing a primary challenge to Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), a clear signal to his party that disloyalty is not to be tolerated. He has a couple other Rpeublican lawmakers in his sights too — we’ll see if any tweets or press gaggles reveal more of his thinking on that front.
Today’s Rundown
10:00 a.m. ET House and Senate gavel in.
10:00 a.m. ET House Oversight Committee holds contempt vote.
12:00 p.m. ET Trump and First Lady Melania Trump meet with Andrzej Duda, President of Poland, and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda.
2:15 p.m. ET Trump participates in a joint press conference with Duda.
5:15 p.m. ET Trump attends a Polish-American reception in the East Room of the White House.
Yesterday’s Top-Read Story
How The Politics Of Religious Freedom Got Turned On Their Head — Steven Waldman
Reading List
How Nine Sheriffs Who Lost Reelection Made Life Harder for Their Successors — Connor Sheets, ProPublica and AL.com
Seniors were sold a risk-free retirement with reverse mortgages. Now they face foreclosure. — Nick Penzenstadler, Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, USA TODAY
EPA chief will focus on ocean trash, not climate change, at upcoming global summit — Juliet Eilperin, Brady Dennis, The Washington Post
When Joe Biden Was the Candidate of the Young — Jim Newell, Slate