ALL QUIET ON THE ANTI-IMMIGRATION FRONT – POLITICO’s Anna Palmer reports: “Anti-immigration forces were so effective in 2007 that on the eve of a critical Senate vote they mobilized thousands of angry callers and shut down the Capitol switchboard — effectively killing the bill. But this time around members of Congress are under much less pressure from the opposition, even as the pro-reform movement has kicked into high gear in the final weeks of the August recess before lawmakers return to the immigration debate in Washington.
“Anti-immigration groups aren’t drawing large, loud crowds to their rallies — only about 60 people showed up to hear headliner Rep. Steve King in Richmond, Va., last week. And the tea party groups famous for turning out supporters and firing up town halls ahead of the 2010 midterm elections are much more focused on Obamacare than immigration. The anti-reformers say opposition is still alive and well. It’s just that conservatives feel little need to show their force, since they believe the GOP-controlled House would never accept the immigration bill passed by the Senate this spring.” http://politi.co/1dqS2Xw
CRUZ’S CANADA CONUNDRUM – Turns out Sen. Ted Cruz just can’t get away from his Canadian roots. After making public his birth certificate, it’s prompted a whole series of stories on how he remains to this day a Canadian citizen. Cruz announced he will renounce his citizenship. POLITICO’s Tal Kopan reports: “The Texas Republican shared his birth certificate Sunday with The Dallas Morning News. It shows his place of birth as Calgary, Alberta, to an American mother, a fact which conferred upon him American citizenship. But Canadian lawyers told the Morning News that Cruz’s birth in Canada also instantly conferred upon him Canadian citizenship, though a spokeswoman for Cruz said he was not aware of having dual citizenship.
“Sen. Cruz became a U.S. citizen at birth, and he never had to go through a naturalization process after birth to become a U.S. citizen,” Catherine Frazier told the Morning News. “To our knowledge, he never had Canadian citizenship, so there is nothing to renounce.” http://politi.co/19wneli
– But it may take eight months before he can officially drop the nation’s northern neighbors: http://bit.ly/14AfOJG
– Best network pun goes to MSNBC: “Cruz’s Canada-cy”
– And it turns out the process is pretty complicated: http://wapo.st/1f0Y9Q2
– Plus he’s ditching some sweet Canadian perks: http://bit.ly/18INmIS
– Cruz calls the whole affair the “silly season of politics:” http://politi.co/13FkCCx
– And in other news, pro-Obamacare protesters interrupted his town hall meeting: http://wapo.st/173H1ID
THE MONEY RACE – House Democrats and Republicans are in a dead heat for fundraising totals, Roll Call’s Abby Livingston reports: “The National Republican Congressional Committee brought in just slightly more cash than House Democrats’ campaign arm during the month of July, according to new fundraising reports filed on Tuesday. House Republicans raised $ 4.44 million, while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee brought in $ 4.36 million.
“But the DCCC had the cash-on-hand edge with $ 14.6 million in the bank. The NRCC had $ 12.1 million in cash on hand. The NRCC reduced its debt to $ 750,000. The DCCC wiped out its debt in June, according to a committee aide.” http://bit.ly/181Wcz4
– And Roll Call’s Kent Cooper reports that the RNC outraised the DNC by about $ 2 million: http://bit.ly/14iBnSv
AL JAZEERA AMERICA LAUNCHES – But who was able to watch it? The New York Times’ Brian Stelter reports: “There was ample attention in journalistic circles as Al Jazeera America had its premiere on Tuesday — particularly among those who could not watch. The news channel — which replaced Current TV at 3 p.m. Eastern time — was expected to be carried by five of the country’s 10 biggest television providers, but one of those, AT&T U-verse, dropped Current, and thus Al Jazeera, late Monday night.” http://nyti.ms/13PZrsa
HITTING THE IRS: FROM THE LEFT – Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) is challenging the IRS rules that allow non-profits engaged in some political activity to still receive the exemption: The Washington Post’s Josh Hicks reports: http://wapo.st/17361zR
LESS TOWNHALLS THIS SUMMER? – ABC News’ Abby Phillip reports: “Reports of the tea party’s demise are greatly exaggerated, or so its leadership would have us believe. Sure, the 4-year-old movement is maturing and all those attention-grabbing headlines from 2009 are much harder to come by in 2013.
“But conservative activist Brent Bozell, who is attempting to build support for defunding President Obama’s health care law, said establishment Republicans are running away from their constituents, a sign that bucking the tea party’s grassroots agenda is fraught with peril. “Isn’t it interesting how times change; that just three years ago, Republicans were rushing to have town halls and now they’re running as fast as they can from town halls,” Bozell, the chairman of For America, told ABC News.” http://abcn.ws/18IQpk5
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GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, August 21, 2013, and welcome to The Huddle, your play-by-play preview of the day’s congressional news. While Scott is in New York City at the Asian American Journalists Association convention, I’ll be holding down the fort. Send tips, complaints and good DC Restaurant Week recommendations to ggibson@politico.com or tweet me @GingerGibson.
TODAY IN CONGRESS – Both the House and Senate have adjourned for the summer recess.
HAPPENING TODAY: Pfc. Bradley Manning to be sentenced: http://nyti.ms/14AixTq
SUMMERS, YELLEN ANGLING – The Washington Post’s Zachary Goldfarb reports on the behind-the-scenes maneuvering: “Lawrence H. Summers, one of the top candidates to lead the Federal Reserve, was being beaten up, and his friends from his White House years wanted to help him. So earlier this month, recently departed Treasury secretary Timothy F. Geithner and other former Obama administration officials joined Summers for a private strategy call, according to people familiar with the discussion.
“The old colleagues compared notes on what reporters were asking about Summers, who was under a steady assault from liberals who consider him as soft on regulating banks, and mapped out how they might respond. President Obama’s long-term advisers have been working to help Summers in what has become the hottest political campaign of 2013: the race to succeed Ben S. Bernanke as Fed chairman.” http://wapo.st/169eFIo
– Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) doesn’t like Summers: In fact, he doesn’t want him to even mow his lawn: http://politi.co/1bReyXM
BENGHAZI – The four suspended State employees return to work, but in different roles. The New York Times’ Brian Knowlton reports: “Four midlevel State Department officials who were placed on administrative leave after the deadly attack last year on the United States mission in Benghazi, Libya, have been reinstated by Secretary of State John Kerry and were given new assignments on Tuesday, the department confirmed.
“Marie Harf, a State Department spokeswoman, said that an internal analysis by the department had reaffirmed the findings of an earlier independent review that “saw serious concerns or concerns with some of the steps and actions of these four individuals” but did not determine that there had been any “breach of duty.” She would not elaborate.” http://nyti.ms/17JARf3
EGYPT AID– The Associated Press’ Deb Riechmann and Bradley Klapper report: “The Obama administration, undertaking a major review of U.S. relations with Egypt, edged closer to a decision Tuesday about curtailing some of America’s $ 1.5 billion in annual aid after the Egyptian military’s crackdown on supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi.
“Top administration officials met at the White House to review the possibility of cutting military or economic aid to Egypt, a longtime U.S. ally and the most populous nation in the Arab world. Some cuts are forthcoming, according to U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk publicly about the sensitive discussions.
“Tensions in Egypt have soared since the army ousted Morsi, who was the nation’s first freely elected president. The July 3 coup followed days of protests by millions of Egyptians demanding that Morsi, who hails from the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, step down. Some 1,000 people have been killed in ensuing violence.” http://bit.ly/183082B
THE OBAMACARE FILES – Heritage Action takes the anti-Obamacare message on the road: POLITICO’s Jason Millman reports: “A last-ditch effort to derail Obamacare started in a barn here Monday night — because it’s not going to start in Washington, advocates told a packed crowd at the opening night of Heritage Action’s August defunding tour.
“Heritage Action, trying to fuel an effort to defund the president’s health care law on the cusp of its launch, offered a bleak assessment of a Republican Party that’s held 40 anti-Obamacare votes: They don’t have the guts to do everything necessary to stop the law, and that’s where the Heritage faithful step in.” http://politi.co/1cZCxYE
– And in Texas, Rick Perry asks for Obamacare cash: http://politi.co/1d3Sdt2
WHILE THE MICE ARE AWAY? President Obama heads out this week on a bus tour to tout his economic and jobs plan. While Obama has done these types of multi-state stumping tours before, this one comes with an added bonus: Congress is in recess meaning there are no network cameras around every corner of the Capitol to record lawmakers pushing back at him. The natural lull in August news means Obama will hold on to more of the spotlight.
– The Hill’s Justin Sink reports that Obama will also be talking student loans: “President Obama said Tuesday that he will use his upcoming bus trip to offer a new plan “to make college more affordable, tackle rising costs, and improve value for students and their families” in an email sent to supporters. The president warned that his proposals “won’t all be popular with everyone,” singling out those “who’ve made higher education their business.” http://bit.ly/1f0YAKl
GIFFORDS, ATTKISSON TO BE HONORED AT BRIAN A. TERRY DINNER – Former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) will be the first recipient of the Brian Terry Foundation’s Courage and Heroism in the Community Award, while veteran journalist Sharyl Attkisson will accept the Courage in Journalism and Reporting Award. They will accept their awards Sept. 28 at the 2nd annual Brian Terry Foundation Benefit Dinner at the J.W. Marriott Star Pass Resort and Spa in Tucson. Rancher Susan Krentz of Douglas, Ariz., will receive the Profiles in Courage Award. Other attendees include a who’s who of Arizona politics: Reps. Ron Barber and Matt Salmon, State Treasurer Doug Ducey, Attorney General Tom Horne, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and retired Air Force Col. Martha McSally. Terry, a U.S. Border Patrol agent, was on duty in December 2010 when he was murdered by members of a heavily armed drug cartel. Weapons found at the murder scene were later traced to the gun-trafficking investigation known as Operation Fast and Furious, conducted by the Justice Department and the ATF. More info about the dinner: www.HonorBrianTerry.com/events
CONGRESS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – Republican Rep. Thomas Massie staying out of Kentucky Senate primary: Local Kentucky network cn|2’s Jacqueline Pitts reports: “Kentucky U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Vanceburg, says he is not taking sides in the primary battle of the 2014 U.S. Senate race. Unlike Kentucky U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, Massie said Monday that he is staying out of the primary race between Kentucky’s Senior Senator Mitch McConnell and tea party challenger Matt Bevin.” http://bit.ly/19HWq5o
– Big numbers in the Big Easy: Differing from other recent numbers, Public Policy Polling finds Sen. Mary Landrieu leading Rep. Bill Cassidy by 10 points in the Senate race: http://bit.ly/169h1XZ
– Sen. Lamar Alexander picks up a primary opponent in Tennessee: http://reut.rs/16b7kIs
TUESDAY’S TRIVIA WINNER – Trevor Tezel, a Georgetown University junior reading us from Merritt Island, Fla., was first to correctly answer that the late Bill McBride and Alex Sink were a husband-and-wife duo who both ran unsuccessfully for the same gubernatorial office. McBride was the Democratic nominee for Florida governor in 2002, while Sink was the Democratic nominee in 2010.
But there was at least one other correct answer: David Mogenstern answered that former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2010, the same office her husband, Ray Hutchison, had failed to win in 1978.
TODAY’S TRIVIA – On this day in 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state. The longest word in Hawaiian, “Humuhumunukunuku?puaa,” is what honoree in English? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day’s Huddle. Email me at ggibson@politico.com.
GET HUDDLE emailed to your Blackberry, iPhone or other mobile device each morning. Just enter your email address where it says “Sign Up.” http://www.politico.com/huddle/
**A message from POWERJobs: New jobs on our radar this week: Senior Strategic Policy Advisor at AARP, Director of Development at Brady Campaign & Center to Prevent Gun Control and Senior Legislative Counsel at Human Rights Campaign. Interested? Apply to these jobs and more at POWERJobs.com; finally, a career site made for YOU!**
