*{box-sizing:border-box}body{margin:0;padding:0}a[x-apple-data-detectors]{color:inherit!important;text-decoration:inherit!important}#MessageViewBody a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none}p{line-height:inherit}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{mso-hide:all;display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden}.image_block img+div{display:none} @media (max-width:620px){.image_block div.fullWidth{max-width:100%!important}.mobile_hide{display:none}.row-content{width:100%!important}.stack .column{width:100%;display:block}.mobile_hide{min-height:0;max-height:0;max-width:0;overflow:hidden;font-size:0}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{display:table!important;max-height:none!important}} A quick recap of the day and what to look forward to tomorrow{beacon} @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) { #thehillheader { background-color: #2a53c1 !important; color: white !important; } }
Evening Report
Wednesday, March 20
© Greg Nash / The Hill
Plenty of theatrics, little news from latest House hearing over Hunter Biden's business dealings
House Republicans held another hearing Wednesday to continue their probe into Hunter Biden and his business dealings, hoping to link potential corruption with the president.
But little new, other than heated arguments, emerged from the House Oversight Committee's latest display.
Lev Parnas, a convicted former aide to Rudy Giuliani, named members of Congress — specifically, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) — that he accused of “doing the bidding” of Russia by attempting to dig up “dirt” on President Biden during his 2020 campaign.
He also took aim at conservative media figures.
“Most media groups — I’d probably say all, except for Fox and a few other right-wing media groups — didn’t want to take any of the information, and that aggravated Rudy Giuliani and John Solomon and other players,” Parnas said. “And the main group that it was being pushed through was Fox — Sean Hannity and some other media personalities over there.”
During another point in the hearing, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) repeatedly pressed for someone to name the charges that are being pursued if the president faces potential impeachment without receiving answers.
“At this point, the story isn’t the fact that the basis of this impeachment inquiry is wrong. The story is, ‘Why it is proceeding anyway?’” she asked, saying Republicans have “no charges.”
The hearing included plenty of theatrics, but few developments. Other highlights:
- Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) showed up wearing a rubber mask of Russian leader Vladmir Putin's face.
- Republicans, even though they knew that Hunter Biden had declined to participate, left an empty front-and-center seat with his name on a placard at the witness desk.
Welcome to Evening Report! I'm Liz Crisp, catching you up from the afternoon and what's coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here.
CATCH UP QUICK
Democrats wasted no time in attacking Bernie Moreno, the Republican nominee for an Ohio Senate seat. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) argued his Trump-backed opponent wouldn't fight for the state's interests. And a Senate Democratic PAC unveiled a blistering attack ad just hours after Moreno secured the nomination.
- President Biden’s reelection campaign is enlisting former President Obama and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to help boost his health care record with voters ahead of November.
- Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) may invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress as Democrats have increasingly questioned the Israeli government leader's approach to the war in Gaza.
NEW THIS AFTERNOON
© Greg Nash / The Hill
Fed holds off on rate cuts after hot jobs, inflation data
A committee of Federal Reserve officials voted Wednesday to keep interest rates at a 22-year high — reflecting remarkably robust job gains and inflation — despite some hopes that rates would come down.
The Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously to keep the baseline interest rate at the range of 5.25 to 5.5 percent, which initially was set last June.
“We believe that our policy rate is likely at its peak for this tightening cycle, and that if the economy evolves broadly as expected, it will likely be appropriate to begin dialing back policy restraint at some point this year,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said during a news conference after the decision was made. (The Hill)
TRUMP WORLD
New York AG urges court to make Trump pay up as his team pushes back on bond amount
The New York attorney general’s office is pushing back on former President Trump's attorneys' claims that it's impossible for him to secure the massive bond needed as he appeals his multimillion-dollar fraud civil judgment in New York.
Trump’s deadline to post the bond, more than $450 million plus interest, is Monday.
“Defendants’ new factual allegations and legal arguments fail to support their extraordinary request for a stay based on a bond or deposit of less than one-fourth of the money-judgment amount,” Dennis Fan, senior assistant solicitor general in the attorney general’s office, said in a Wednesday court filing.
Trump's attorneys argued that “diligent efforts” have been made to come up with the assurance. They want the amount lowered.
“Very few bonding companies will consider a bond of anything approaching that magnitude,” Trump’s lawyers wrote.
A New York judge found that Trump conspired to inflate his assets for tax and insurance benefits and was liable for fraud. Obtaining a bond would automatically pause the judgment while he appeals, but would require collateral covering 120 percent of the judgment. (The Hill)
IN OTHER NEWS
© Getty Images
Government shutdown looms but lawmakers face more hurdles
Lawmakers face a Friday deadline to prevent a partial government shutdown that would affect the Departments of Defense, Education and Health and Human Services, among others but several hurdles remain before passing a spending agreement.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) already has vowed to become an obstacle for the $1 trillion “minibus."
“I will hold it up primarily because we’re bankrupt, and it’s a terrible idea to keep spending money at this rate,” Paul told The Hill on Wednesday. “The spending bills before us will lead to a $1.5 trillion deficit for the year. We’re borrowing about $1 trillion every three months. It’s an alarming pace of accumulation of debt."
Paul indicated that he hadn’t decided yet how long he would delay. (The Hill)
Luxury brand Hermès accused of violating antitrust law over Birkins
A new class action lawsuit in California accuses luxury brand Hermès of violating antitrust law by only selling its iconic Birkin handbag to selected customers who have spent significant amounts of money on other items.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, claims sales associates are pushing customers to buy other Hermès products — merchandise publicly available for purchase, such as scarves, jewelry, shoes, home goods — to gain an opportunity to buy the more exclusive item, which retails for thousands of dollars.
“Typically, only those consumers who are deemed worthy of purchasing a Birkin handbag will be shown a Birkin handbag (in a private room). The chosen consumer will be given the opportunity to purchase the specific Birkin handbag which they are shown,” the lawsuit says, adding that customers are not given an option to purchase a different Birkin handbag that might better suit their style preferences. (The Hill)
OP-EDS IN THE HILL
"The Pentagon’s new historical review of UFOs picks and chooses its history," writes Marik von Rennenkampff, former analyst at the State Department's Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation.
"Republicans face the first post-Rush and post-Drudge presidential election," writes Derek Hunter, host of the Derek Hunter Podcast and former staffer for the late Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.).
⏲️ COUNTDOWN
117 days until the Republican National Convention.
152 days until the Democratic National Convention.
229 days until the 2024 general election.
🗓 COMING NEXT
The Hill and Howard University will hold a special event tomorrow morning (in person and online streaming) focused on Black women in politics. Details here.
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