TRUMP AGENDA: The latest on the gun debate
Jon Allen on the debate over gun control after Vegas: “The National Rifle Association has gone dark, but other gun-rights groups say they're keeping close tabs on Republicans to make sure that any new legislation doesn't see the light of day after the shooting massacre in Las Vegas.”
And Alex Seitz-Wald writes that Democrats are seeking a ban on devices that boost how fast guns can fire. (And some Republicans are hinting that they’re at least open to the idea.)
After Rex Tillerson responded to NBC’s scoop on his tensions with Trump, the Washington Post asks how long he may last.
More, in the New York Times: “If Mr. Tillerson had hoped to douse questions about how long he would stay, he instead further fueled a debate about his future. Although he insisted he had never considered resigning, several people close to Mr. Tillerson said he has had to be talked out of drafting a letter of resignation on more than one occasion by his closest allies, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff. And they said he has regularly expressed astonishment at how little Mr. Trump understands the basics of foreign policy.”
Bob Corker said Tillerson, Mattis and Kelly “help separate our country from chaos.”
Leigh Ann Caldwell writes that a Koch-based group will spend $4.5 million to pressure Democrats on tax reform.
From the AP, on today’s budget action: “Republicans are focused on cutting taxes instead of deficits as they look to power a $4.1 billion budget plan through the House on Thursday. The 2018 House GOP budget promises deep cuts to social programs and Cabinet agency budgets but its chief purpose is to set the stage for action later this year on a comprehensive Republican overhaul of the U.S. tax code. The tax overhaul is the party’s top political priority as well as a longtime policy dream of key leaders like Speaker Paul Ryan.”
The coming fight over abortion in the Senate may again highlight Trump’s anger about the filibuster’s 60-vote threshold, POLITICO notes.
More private-plane woes, this time for Rick Perry (via Reuters).
ICYMI, here’s yesterday’s ProPublica/WNYC/New Yorker story on how Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump came close to a felony charge in 2012, but the case was dropped after a significant political contribution.
The Wall Street Journal writes that both Sally Yates and Preet Bharara are noting that Robert Mueller will face a high bar in proving criminal conduct in the Russia investigation.
OFF TO THE RACES: DCCC goes up on the air
The DCCC is up with their first TV and radio campaign of the cycle, hitting Republicans on health care on national cable and on the radio in 11 congressional districts.
AL-SEN: The Washington Post writes that Roy Moore’s disruption of Washington is just beginning — starting with his meeting with Steve Bannon.
MD-GOV: Gov. Larry Hogan is popular, but it might not be a cakewalk to a second term.
NJ-SEN: POLITICO is following the latest on the Menendez trial.
NY-11: Michael Grimm wants his old job back, and he’s secured Steve Bannon’s support.
PA-18: After the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette broke the story of GOP Rep. Tim Murphy’s text messages urging his mistress to get an abortion, the congressman announced he will not seek reelection.
Reminder: This is not a competitive district. Murphy ran UNOPPOSED in both 2014 and 2016, and Trump won the district 58-38, and Romney won it by a similar margin -- 58-41 -- in 2012.
TN-SEN: Democrat Bill Freeman won’t run for Senate, the Tennessean reports.
VA-GOV: A new Washington Post-Schar poll shows Northam leading Gillespie 53 percent to 40 percent.