JEFFRIES in caucus this AM:

“We have two clear objectives: stop Jim Jordan from becoming Speaker, and reopen the House of Representatives so we can get back to work,” he told Dems, according to sources in room. As we wrote this morning, Jeffries not holding back on Jordan, calling him “the face of Maga extremism”

punchbowl.news/article/hakeem…

So what has Jan. 6 Committee been up to since its last public hearing in July?

“We have been completing the picture,” @RepRaskin tells @costareports here at #TribFest22

@PunchbowlNews Raskin won’t say what next week’s hearing will focus on:

“I don’t want to say but I promise you it will be interesting for people who have followed it up until now.”

Says he hopes hearing will touch more on violent extremism online/Twitter whistleblower

DEMS fret in Florida: Top Dem worry Alan Grayson could be coming back to Congress, via @maxpcohen

There’s growing fears Grayson could squeak by party favorite Maxwell Alejandro Frost in race to replace Rep. Val Demings

punchbowl.news/newsletter/ Grayson even circulating mailers with Speaker Pelosi saying “I love Alan Grayson”

(Missing from that is context: she said this in a 2018 interview encouraging him not to primary Rep. Darren Soto)

A somber Speaker Pelosi starts off her presser with reaction to Roe decision.

“There’s no point in saying good morning because it certainly is not one.”

She says Republicans are planning a “nationwide abortion ban” if they get control of Congress "The hypocrisy is enraging. But the harm is endless," Pelosi says of SCOTUS decision yesterday on guns vs. Roe today

News: The CPC is quietly discussing changing its endorsement policy after fierce backlash on the left to the caucus’ Nina Turner snub

Turner, Sanders 2020 campaign co-chair, is in a rematch against now incumbent Rep. Shontel Brown tomorrow

The CPC endorsed Brown this time The endorsement didn’t sit well with progressive groups and left leaning media, who slammed CPC Chair Jayapal

Several accused her of doing it to further leadership ambitions

Jayapal and others, including Pocan, said that’s absurd, noting Brown is a CPC member in good standing

NEWS: I’m told there’s a “small plane that is not responding to communication” that has triggered the Capitol evacuation. The US Capitol Police now says there’s no threat to the Capitol.

This plane was part of the military appreciation night at Nationals Park but the Department of Defense did not inform Capitol officials this was happening, per my sources.

This AM @PunchbowlNews goes deep into House Democratic leadership. Toplines:

-If Dems lose, it's expected Speaker Pelosi will leave. It's less certain what Hoyer and Clyburn will do.

-Jeffries, Clark & Aguilar are likely the 'New Three'

-Schiff will likely run for Dem leader SCHIFF running for Dem leader would be huge. It's been clear for a while he wants to be in the mix. Now we know for what

-A huge fundraiser, lots of cash on hand, close to Pelosi

-But there are real qs about his base of support for a leadership run & ambitions beyond the House

Rep. Ami Bera confirms he was BIT by the Senate fox last night

He described attack, which occurred near Russell building, as “unprovoked”

“I didn’t see it and all of a sudden I felt something lunge at the back of my leg,” Bera said.

“I jumped and got my umbrella,” he continues Bera goes on to act out for us how he spun around quickly, using his umbrella to scare the fox away.

“Someone was like ‘hey a fox is attacking that guy,’” he continues.

“Capitol police came out and then fox ran away. It was the most bizarre day in Congress.”

Don’t cross Speaker Pelosi:

Dems who rebelled against the Covid aid package last month will be shut out of the chips conference committee

Pelosi has relayed this in private conversations this week, multiple sources told us

All the details in @PunchbowlNews AM: Allies of the speaker say her anger stems from the fact that these Dems were threatening to take down the rule, effectively handing control of the floor to GOP

If they opposed the underlying bill, they should’ve voted for the rule and voted against the bill, they said

Pelosi’s statement on Rep. Rice’s retirement is notable both for what it does and doesn’t say.

“Congresswoman Rice has brought a strong and independent voice to the Congress”

Indeed. The two have a long and rocky history.

Rep. Rice was one of the most outspoken opponents of Pelosi’s efforts to stay atop Dem leadership and return to the speakership

Rice led several pushes to get Pelosi to step aside or have someone challenge her

politico.com/story/2017/06/…

CPC Chair @PramilaJayapal says progressives are willing to compromise on spending bill with "such slim margins in our majority and no room for disagreement"

BUT she adds they still don't have a counter proposal (presumably from Manchin/Sinema wing) @PramilaJayapal Sanders next: "It is absolutely incumbent upon the senators and the few members of the House in opposition to start telling us what they want."

Pelosi reiterates that Dems have “decisions to make” in coming days in terms of scaling down spending bill from $3.5 trillion Pelosi says she's "disappointed" that Dems aren't going with initial $3.5 trillion

Sen. Manchin has said he wants $1.5 trillion, Dem leaders hoping for something around $2 trillion

In new letter, Pelosi says “difficult decisions must be made very soon” when it comes to the reconciliation bill.

“Overwhelmingly, the guidance I am receiving from Members is to do fewer things well” As Pelosi does, she often says things privately to leadership, then to her broader members and then publicly over a period of a few days to weeks

Last week on a call with her chairmen, she made the same comment about doing fewer things

More on that here: politico.com/news/2021/10/0…