POLITICO Playbook PM: McMorris Rodgers won’t run for GOP leadership Presented by Amazon

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) just won a tough re-election campaign in her Spokane-anchored district -- no other Republican leader had a sniff of a challenge. | Zach Gibson/Getty Images

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK … REP. CATHY MCMORRIS RODGERS of Washington state -- the House Republican Conference chair since 2013 -- is not running for re-election to the GOP leadership. McMorris Rodgers was making calls to run for whip, but would not run against REP. STEVE SCALISE (R-LA.), who is seeking the No. 2 slot in the GOP minority. Instead, CMR -- as she is known on the Hill -- will seek a slot as a ranking member on an Energy and Commerce subcommittee.

-- MCMORRIS RODGERS just won a tough re-election campaign in her Spokane-anchored eastern Washington district -- no other Republican leader had a sniff of a challenge. Still, McMorris Rodgers raised $17 million for Republicans this cycle, including $2.1 million to the NRCC, and $9 million for members and candidates.

SHOT … CNN’S SHIMON PROKUPECZ (@ShimonPro): “Former NJ Governor Chris Christie is under consideration to become Attorney General, replacing Sessions, according to a source familiar.”

CHASER … SPOTTED: Chris Christie on a D.C.-bound Acela this morning. (hat tip Ben White) … He was later spotted at the White House for what sources say is a prison-reform roundtable.

SPOTTED BY NYT’S NICK FANDOS (@npfandos): “An empty Capitol, but Mitch McConnell is receiving visitors. Rupert Murdoch in this case.” A photo of Murdoch walking into McConnell’s Capitol office … Also in the shot: Robert Thomson, the CEO of News Corp. (h/t Bill Grueskin)

THE LATEST FROM CALIFORNIA … L.A. TIMES: “Thousand Oaks gunman was ex-Marine who may have suffered from PTSD, sheriff says”: “Ian David Long, 28, lived in Newbury Park, not far from the club where he threw smoke bombs and rained bullets on a crowd of more than a hundred people Wednesday night.

“Sheriff Geoff Dean said his department had had several interactions with Long, including a call to his home in April for a complaint of disturbing the peace. ... They called in mental health professionals to evaluate him, and they concluded he did not need to be taken into custody. … A motive in the shooting was not immediately clear, but Dean said there was no evidence linking the attack to terrorism. Eleven victims and the shooter were found dead inside the bar. It was not immediately clear whether the shooter took his own life.” LAT

NEWS … WAPO’S DEVLIN BARRETT, MATT ZAPOTOSKY and JOSH DAWSEY: “Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker has no intention of recusing himself from overseeing the special counsel probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to people close to him who added they do not believe he would approve any subpoena of President Trump as part of that investigation. …

“Even after he arrived at the Justice Department, Whitaker harbored frustration about the length of the special counsel probe and doubts about the scope of Mueller’s authority, a person familiar with the matter said. He questioned Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein’s ability to give Mueller such wide latitude and wanted to explore the bounds of what Mueller was examining, though Rosenstein kept Session’s office ‘walled off’ from the matter, this person said. Whitaker did, however, believe that Sessions had no choice but to recuse himself from the matter, the person said.” WaPo

-- NEW OP-ED: NEAL KATYAL and GEORGE CONWAY III in NYT: “Trump’s Appointment of the Acting Attorney General Is Unconstitutional: The president is evading the requirement to seek the Senate’s advice and consent for the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and the person who will oversee the Mueller investigation.”

THE NEWS NEVER STOPS … JESUS RODRIGUEZ: “Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after suffering fall”: “Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fractured three ribs after suffering a fall Wednesday night in her office and has been admitted to the hospital, according to the court. …

“Ginsburg went home after the fall, and after experiencing discomfort overnight, she went to George Washington University Hospital, where tests showed she fractured three ribs on her left side. She was admitted for ‘observation and treatment.’” POLITICO

KYLE CHENEY: “House Dems urge emergency hearing on Whitaker”: “Judiciary Committee Democrats, in a letter to the panel’s Republican chairman Bob Goodlatte, said Whitaker's ‘well-documented hostility’ toward Mueller's probe places the investigation at ‘grave risk’ …

“Citing these comments, Democrats also wrote a separate letter to Whitaker, asking for him to disclose any ethics opinions he received that would allow for him to oversee the Mueller investigation and to urge him to put in place safeguards to prevent Mueller from being inhibited.” POLITICO

CAITLIN OPRYSKO: “Manchin: Sessions firing puts U.S. ‘on the verge’ of constitutional crisis”: “‘What we’ll do is go back on Tuesday and I think that we have legislation ready to go that protected Mueller, kept him in place, let him complete and finish,’ he said. ‘I would hope that we can bring that back up, have the support, bipartisan support to protect this investigation to get it completed.’” POLITICO

Good Thursday afternoon. JUSTICE BRETT KAVANAUGH took his oath at his Supreme Court investiture this morning, which President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker attended. Don McGahn was also there, per pooler Peter Nicholas of the WSJ.

MEANWHILE … NPR’S TIM MAK: “Kavanaugh Accuser Christine Blasey Ford Continues Receiving Threats, Lawyers Say”: “Ford is still working to get her life back on track, her lawyers say. She’s had to move four times, she wrote last month. She has had to pay for a private security detail. She hasn't been able to return to her job as a professor at Palo Alto University.” NPR

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HORRIBLE … WAPO’S ALLYSON CHIU: “‘They were threatening me and my family’: Tucker Carlson’s home targeted by protesters”

-- THE BAXTER BULLETIN’S (Ark.) JOSH DOOLEY: “Arkansas man accused of making death threats against CNN anchor Don Lemon”

AS VOTES KEEP GETTING COUNTED … @AP: “BREAKING: Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp resigns as state’s secretary of state, effective Thursday night.” … The latest midterm results

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WHAT’S ON THE PRESIDENT’S MIND -- @realDonaldTrump at 7:38 a.m.: “I have been fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California. Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. 13 people, at this time, have been reported dead. Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar....” … at 7:51 a.m.: “....Great bravery shown by police. California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriff’s Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement.”

UPDATED … THE HOUSE LEADERSHIP CANDIDATES, as of now: SPEAKER: Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). MAJORITY LEADER: Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). MAJORITY WHIP: Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.). DEM. CAUCUS CHAIR: Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). ASST. LEADER: Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and David Cicilline (D-R.I.).

-- ON JEFFRIES … RACHAEL BADE: “Jeffries makes move for Democratic leadership position”: “Jeffries, while only 48 and just elected to his fourth term, is well liked in the Democratic caucus and is seen as a rising star. But Jeffries' declaration for the No. 4 position leaves Pelosi critics without a leader they believe they can win with. …

“Jeffries’ move is sure to shake up the caucus chair race. Current vice caucus chair Linda Sánchez is also trying to move up the ladder to claim the position. And Rep. Barbara Lee, another Congressional Black Caucus member, has also been whipping for the post, sending care packages of candy to offices in her bid to woo lawmakers and candidates.” POLITICO

THE INVESTIGATIONS … “Trump reviewing his answers to Mueller as he changes who oversees the Russia investigation,” by CNN’s Evan Perez, Pamela Brown, Sara Murray and Laura Jarrett: “The President and his lawyers have been aiming to return answers to Mueller's questions later this month, according to one source familiar with the matter. No final decision on an in-person interview has been made. ...

“But Trump's legal team and other lawyers representing witnesses in the investigation expect that the President's responses to Mueller could be one of the final pieces of the 18-month-long probe before the investigators present a report on their findings. Mueller's team has begun writing its final report, multiple sources told CNN.” CNN

HMM … MATTHEW CHOI: “CNN personalities accuse White House of posting altered video”: “Paul Joseph Watson, an alt-right YouTuber with ties to InfoWars, had posted a similar video earlier Wednesday evening. Watson on Thursday denied speeding up the video to make the contact look more aggressive, saying he only zoomed in. He posted a screen shot of the video editing software he said he used, which he said proved the video was not doctored.

“But a side-by-side video comparison by Slate's Aymann Ismail shows [Jim] Acosta’s hand touching the intern slightly faster in the White House version of the video than in a clip posted by NBC, suggesting Acosta’s arm was sped up.” POLITICO

-- SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS STATEMENT, per pooler Peter Nicholas of WSJ: “The question is: did the reporter make contact or not? The video is clear, he did. We stand by our statement.”

WAPO’S JOSH ROGIN: “Democrats prepare to investigate all aspects of Trump’s foreign policy: “[Incoming House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot] Engel said he intends to hold hearings on Russia, the Trump Organization’s international conflicts of interest, Saudi Arabia, the management of Pompeo’s State Department and many other topics. [Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo has only testified once before the committee since taking office, and Engel will press him to appear again soon.” WaPo

FOR YOUR RADAR -- “Democrats Plan to Revive House Climate Committee,” by Bloomberg’s Jennifer Dlouhy and Ari Natter: “Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California will ask her colleagues to reconstitute the select committee, which was created under her watch 11 years ago and disbanded by Republicans after they took control of the House in January 2011. The plan was described by senior Democratic aides who asked not to be named before a formal announcement.

“If lawmakers vote to resurrect the panel, it would give Democrats a chance to amplify concerns about climate change following a dire United Nations report as well as scrutinize the Trump administration’s approach to the issue.” Bloomberg

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TRADE WARS -- WSJ’S WILLIAM MAULDIN and VIVIAN SALAMA: “Democrats’ House Victory Complicates Passage of New Nafta, Trade Deals”: “Many House Republicans, let alone Democrats, are skeptical of trade deals out of concern they surrender U.S. sovereignty or imperil the jobs of blue-collar workers in their districts.

“Most Democrats, backed by unions, have voiced skepticism about liberalizing trade unless the deals allow workers in the other countries to take advantage of higher labor standards and wages. Passage ‘will depend on whether unions will want to push it,’ a senior White House official said. … A senior White House official said the administration had long anticipated the possibility of a Democratic victory in one or both chambers of Congress, and as a result, U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer and his team specifically negotiated provisions that would seem reasonable to both political parties.” WSJ

THE ATLANTIC’S ELAINA PLOTT: “How Both Parties Lost the Texas Senate Race: In the race between Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke, Republicans failed to recognize the ways in which the state is changing, while Democrats didn’t take seriously just how far it still has to go.” The Atlantic

MAGGIE SEVERNS: “‘I don’t regret a thing’: Democrats aim to keep small-donor boom going in 2020”: “A surge in Democratic fundraising across the board … helped candidates from Kentucky to California to Texas mount competitive bids for Congress and win control of the House on Tuesday. … But it also is taking the decision on how to allocate campaign dollars away from Washington committees and super PACs and placing it in the hands of donors …

“Still, small-dollar donors reached by POLITICO on Wednesday showed no sign of regret, and Democratic fundraisers are betting they can keep them giving into 2020, when they’ll have congressional and presidential races to support. And Republicans are increasingly discussing how to counter ActBlue.” POLITICO

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POLITICO MAGAZINE'S MICHAEL KRUSE in Wilkinson, W. Va.: “‘You’re Going to Know My Name! I’m Richard Ojeda!’: A Democratic populist in a deeply red state loses a race but won’t concede to Trump”: POLITICO Magazine

VALLEY TALK -- “Read Google CEO’s response to employee sexual harassment protests,” by CNBC’s Jillian D’Onfro: “The company’s plan includes providing more transparency around sexual harassment investigations and outcomes as part of its annual ‘Investigations Report,’ revamping its reporting channels for incidents of misconduct, updating and expanding its sexual harassment training, and making arbitration optional for sexual harassment claims.” CNBC … The note

MEDIAWATCH -- Carol Eisenberg will be a health and science editor at WaPo. She is currently a deputy managing editor at POLITICO Pro.

SPOTTED on the 8 a.m. Delta shuttle from DCA to New York: Anderson Cooper, Jake Tapper and Jane Harman.

SPOTTED at the Metropolitan Club Wednesday night for the annual reunion of the Nixon White House Policy Planning Staff: Ed Nixon (Richard’s brother), Julie Nixon Eisenhower and daughter Melanie, Michael Ellzey, Bill Baribault and wife Susan, Jim Cavanaugh, Marlene and Fred Malek, Bobbie Kilberg, Fred Fielding, Steve Bull, Tom Huston, Lee Huebner, Bruce Whelihan, Geoff Shepard, Frank Gannon, James Rosen, Jonathan Movroydis, Jim Byron and Joe Lopez.

TRANSITION -- Anne Caprara will be chief of staff for newly elected Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. She previously was Pritzker’s campaign manager.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD -- Miguel Salazar, communications director for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Concepcion Salazar, a monitoring and evaluation specialist at Dexis Consulting and a USAID and Interpol alum, welcomed Eva Catalina Salazar. Pic

BONUS BIRTHDAYS: The Weekly Standard’s Rachael Larimore and Kelly Jane Torrance (h/t Alice Lloyd)

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