The Note: Washington faces time of reckoning, joins national #MeToo moment on sexual harassment Scandals rock prominent members of both parties.

 -- The TAKE with Rick Klein

It's often said that the capital is disconnected from the country, that official Washington is hopelessly out of touch with the nation it serves.

That notion melted away this week.

As scandals rock prominent members of both parties, a cultural moment has coincided with a political one. Long-dormant issues of sexual harassment are now squarely inside the marble corridors of the Capitol itself.

Forget predictable false equivalencies, for the moment. What Al Franken is accused of doing is not what Roy Moore is accused of, which is not what Bill Clinton did, and is not what has been alleged about Donald Trump.

It's not that this is a bipartisan problem.

It is a nonpartisan problem.

It is a societal problem, as this autumn of revelations across industries and political affiliations has made clear.

Where does Washington come in? The Capitol is a workplace, so new procedures there are an important start.

This moment is bigger than that, though.

And it seems like we're closer to the beginning of Washington's involvement in this story than the middle or the end.

The RUNDOWN with MaryAlice Parks

Nearly drowned out by the flood other news, the House this week passed a major rewrite to the American tax code.

If signed into law, the bill would impact every single citizen and put in place one of the deepest and most sweeping cuts to corporate taxes in years.

But is the bill underwater politically?

Republicans in the House have struggled to explain how much the average family would save — partially because some of the numbers don't look great for them. The fact is, at a time when economic inequality in the country is mind-bogglingly high, the largest individual tax savings would likely go to the wealthiest Americans.

The bulk of the bill is a boon for big businesses and a much smaller win for "mom and pop" shops.

The House bill made the corporate tax breaks permanent, but the individual changes temporary – a data point that may make sense to pro-market conservatives, but could be hard to explain to voters. And it includes politically potent odds and ends that have gained traction online, like the elimination of the deduction some teachers use to write off their classroom supplies.

The Senate, too, is storming ahead.

Their bill now includes a repeal of a key component of the current Affordable Care Act. Considering that fact, the Joint Committee on Taxation (a nonpartisan committee on the Hill made of Ph.Ds, economists and accountants that helps write legislation) now estimates that in the next decade Americans earning $75,000 or less a year would likely pay more in taxes not less. This spike will take place even as tax credits for health insurance plans fall by the wayside after, as they estimate, prices for individual insurance skyrocket.

Bottom line: Republicans in both chambers will have to work hard to prove that GOP tax reform efforts won't leave middle class Americans treading water.

The TIP with John Parkinson

Florida Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo is upset his request to join the Congressional Hispanic Caucus was denied Thursday, ending his bid to become the only Republican in the group.

"After due consideration, the CHC determined not to accept Rep. Curbelo's request to join the Caucus," CHC spokesperson Carlos Paz, Jr announced Thursday. "The CHC isn't just an organization for Hispanics; it is a Caucus that represents certain values. This vote reflects the position of many of our members that Rep. Curbelo and his record are not consistent with those values."

"They know that's a lie," Curbelo, a moderate Republican, said of the CHC's explanation. "That's just cover for their discrimination, the bigotry that clearly a majority of those members have decided to abide by."

Curbelo, a second-term lawmaker representing Miami, says he believes that the decision was "precooked," though he was assured "a very strong number" of members supported his candidacy.

Not all caucuses are partisan. Although he didn't attempt to join as a freshman, Curbelo says he decided to join the CHC in his second term "because I'm Hispanic" and adds he was inspired by Rep. Mia Love, the only Republican in the Congressional Black Caucus.

"Mia Love inspired me to join," he said. "She told me that these caucuses should be integrated and that Hispanics should all work together just like in the CBC all the African-Americans in Congress work together."

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY:

President Trump hosts NCAA National Championship teams from around the country for a celebratory ceremony at 11:30 a.m. ET. He meets with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the Oval Office this afternoon.

A press briefing with White House press secretary Sarah Sanders will take place at 3:00 p.m. ET in the White House Briefing Room.

Trump attacked Sen. Franken for the photograph showing the then-comedian making a lewd gesture while Leeann Tweeden was sleeping aboard a military plane on their way home from a USO tour.

On the ABC News' "Powerhouse Politics" podcast, Rick Klein and MaryAlice Parks talk to newly elected officials that are at the front of resistance to the Trump presidency.

This Week on 'This Week': The Powerhouse Roundtable debates the week in politics, with ABC News political analyst Matthew Dowd, former Romney-Ryan 2012 campaign policy director Lanhee Chen, Democratic strategist Stephanie Cutter, and Bloomberg Businessweek editor Megan Murphy.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions will deliver remarks at the Federalist Society's National Lawyers Convention at 1 p.m. ET at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I respect women. I don't respect men who don't. And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed." -- Sen. Al Franken said in response to alleged sexual misconduct behavior.

NEED TO READ

Republicans pass long-awaited tax bill. House Republicans successfully passed their wide-ranging tax plan Thursday, moving the party one step closer to reshaping the tax code by year's end. (Benjamin Siegel and Adam Kelsey) http://abcn.ws/2mxvfHp

Who is Al Franken accuser Leeann Tweeden? Leeann Tweeden alleged Thursday in an online post that Sen. Al Franken forced her to kiss him several years ago when they were both in Afghanistan. (Meghan Keneally) http://abcn.ws/2j2M1J8

Al Franken apologized after radio anchor says he forcibly kissed her, took lewd photo. A female radio host claims Al Franken, now Minnesota's junior Democratic senator, made a lewd gesture while she was sleeping aboard a military plane on her way home from a USO tour several years ago. (Meghan Keneally) http://abcn.ws/2AUBxUG

Capitol Hill reacts to the Al Franken allegations. Reaction from both parties continues to pour in after a female radio host claimed that Al Franken, now Minnesota's junior Democratic senator, made a lewd gesture while she was sleeping aboard a military plane on her way home from a USO tour several years ago. (John Verhovek) http://abcn.ws/2z88BLE

Roy Moore: 'I'll quit standing when they lay me in that box and put me in the ground.' Embattled Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore denied allegations of sexual misconduct again Thursday at a press conference in Birmingham alongside faith leaders and his wife, Kayla. (John Verhovek) http://abcn.ws/2z9u5ra

Senators say Kushner didn't turn over emails about WikiLeaks, Russia overture. White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, failed to disclose campaign emails regarding Russian overtures to the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks to congressional investigators, top senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee said Thursday. (Benjamin Siegel and John Santucci) http://abcn.ws/2ipgnWN

Hillary Clinton calls potential Justice Department investigation 'an abuse of power.' Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke out against news the Trump administration is considering appointing a special counsel to investigate her alleged ties to the Uranium One deal in an interview with Mother Jones on Wednesday. (Mark Osborne) http://abcn.ws/2hFgDUt

Multiple women accuse former President George H.W. Bush of inappropriate grabbing. Seven women have come forward accusing former President George H.W. Bush of touching them inappropriately. (Meghan Keneally) http://abcn.ws/2A5OVYz

Bipartisan group in Senate aims to strengthen background check system for guns. In the wake of the recent mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill Thursday meant to strengthen the existing background check system for firearms. (Matt Seyler) http://abcn.ws/2zOgOl8

Transgender service members and their families dealing with fallout from Trump's tweets. After Kiera Walker came out to the group as a trans woman, "There was a line to come over and shake my hand and tell me how courageous and brave it was to do that and how they're supportive." (Meghan Keneally and Jessica Hopper) http://abcn.ws/2hAqElP

Trump admin. began accepting permits to import lion trophies last month. U.S. wildlife officials began issuing permits for lion trophies hunted in Zambia and Zimbabwe about a month ago, ABC News confirmed Thursday. (Stephanie Ebbs) http://abcn.ws/2zKeugZ

Interior secretary has not been keeping proper travel records: Watchdog. The office of Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke was warned Wednesday that an investigation into Zinke's official travel was delayed by "absent, or incomplete documentation," the latest snag in the months-long controversy over Trump administration officials' travel. (Stephanie Ebbs) http://abcn.ws/2AWewAv

Federal judge declared mistrial in Menendez's corruption case. "We have each tried to look at this case from different viewpoints, but still feel strongly in our positions, nor are we willing to move away from our strong convictions," jurors told U.S. District Judge William Walls when he polled them in his chambers. (Aaron Katersky) http://abcn.ws/2yNmAlQ

The New York Times: House GOP tax writers take aim at college tuition benefits. http://nyti.ms/2ipLYYL

The Washington Post: Don't forget about the men who said they've been sexually assaulted, too. http://wapo.st/2j3rxjs

Politico: Hope Hicks may hold the keys to Mueller's Russia puzzle. http://politi.co/2zNjCPq

The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the key political moments of the day ahead. Please check back Monday for the latest.