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To my children:

I know this is a difficult time for you, as it is for all of us who care about Israel. I know you worry about our family in Israel, and youre frustrated hearing comments from your friends in school and seeing posts on social media that one-sidedly blame Israel for the conflict in biased soundbites.

I think youre doing a remarkable job weathering the daily barrage, but as progressive Jews living in Northern California, I know you struggle with how to express yourself to your friends and share a different narrative on Instagram and TikTok.

It may not surprise you to hear that I am in the same boat. I, too, am frustrated with what I see in the news, read on social media and hear from people in the community. Its especially difficult when we see people who identify as progressive condemn Israel unfairly. We cant understand why they dont see whats so obvious to us, and it disheartens us that we stood by them for so many of our shared causes and now theyre abandoning us for this one.

We marched with them side-by-side in the Womens March. Together we chanted at gun control rallies. We sat together at Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America lunches. You posted countless memes on social media calling for racial justice. And youve donated time and money to organizations that fight for immigrants rights and environmental justice.

Yet, when it comes to Israel, our progressive friends either sit back quietly or worse, join in with the Israel-bashers. How do we break through to them? How do we help them understand that Israel embraces progressive values and they should be standing with Israel, not with the terrorists who are attacking Israel?

Heres what I want to say to them. I want to remind them of what it means to be a true progressive and how our shared values relate to current events in Israel and, in fact, happenings throughout the greater Middle East.

Progressives believe in the right to free speech. We believe you ought to be able to say what you want, even if its terribly critical of the government in power. Today, you can stand in the middle of Tel Aviv, scream insults about the Israeli government, and walk away without being arrested. In fact, it happens all the time. But if you stand in the middle of Gaza City and insult Hamas, or in the middle of Tehran and insult the IRGC, you will be dragged away by the authorities, detained, arrested, and who knows what else.

Progressives believe in democratic rule. We believe in regular, free and fair elections, and that parties of varying beliefs should be able to run for office. Israel has had four elections in the last two years, and in the last election, an Arab party that rejects the foundational principles of the State of Israel was elected to the Knesset. Meanwhile, the last time we saw elections in the Palestinian territories was more than 14 years ago.

Progressives believe in womens rights. We believe women should be given every opportunity that men are afforded. In Israel, women serve in combat units in the military, on the Supreme Court, in the Knesset and have even served as prime minister. But in Saudi Arabia, women cant travel abroad without a mans permission. In Afghanistan, girls cant go to school in Taliban-run areas. In Pakistan, girls whove been raped are subject to honor killings. And in Egypt, 92 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 49 have been forced to undergo genital mutilation.

Progressives believe in gay rights. We believe our gender and sexuality should not impact our freedoms, and LGBTQ people deserve all the same rights as straight people. Israel has some of the largest gay pride parades in the world (in which weve marched as a family), and is a country proud to have openly gay members of Knesset, trans rock stars representing the country in international competitions and gay soldiers proudly serving in uniform. However, in Gaza, if authorities discover you are gay, its very likely you will be tortured and killed.

Progressives believe in minoritys rights. We believe the role of government is to protect the minority, and we are highly sensitive to the tyranny of the majority. In Israel, Arabs make up roughly 20 percent of the population and they have the right to vote and run for office, and even serve on the Supreme Court. Arab Israelis do struggle to gain equal access in some areas, which is why progressives constantly advocate for the rights of Arabs and Muslims living in the Jewish state. But in Saudi Arabia, you are not allowed to step foot in Mecca or Medina if you are not Muslim. Gaza is judenrein, meaning no Jews are allowed to be there. Even West Bank areas run by the Palestinian Authority prevent Jews from living there. That is what one would call religious apartheid.

Progressives believe in freedom of the press. We believe reporters should be able to report the news without fear of the government shutting them down, even if theyre critical of the government. In Israel, you can open nearly any newspaper or turn on any TV station and youll hear plenty of frustration aimed at the government. But if a reporter in Saudi Arabia insults the royal family, they may not walk away in one piece.

Progressives believe children should be cherished, protected and valued. Actually, conservatives believe that, too. This is a universal value, which is why Israel spends billions of dollars protecting children by building bomb shelters and investing in anti-missile systems (Iron Dome) that can shoot rockets out of the air before they kill children. Meanwhile, Hamas uses children as human shields, hiding their weapons caches in schools and mosques.

I want to remind our friends that Israel is a little country that embraces progressive values even though it is surrounded by authoritarian-run countries that dont.

That progressive country spent 12 days defending itself against a terrorist army, Hamas, which has the backing of some of those authoritarian-run countries. And despite it being nearly impossible to be a good progressive when youre at war, Israel does its best, including tactics like alerting inhabitants so they can evacuate buildings before the bombs drop.

Now, is Israel doing everything right? No, of course not. But no country does everything right not even the most progressive countries in the world do. And surely, the United States doesnt. From our immigration policies to racial injustice to massive economic inequality, we have our own work to do here.

So yes, its OK to question the actions of Israels government. Its human to feel empathy for innocent civilians hurting on both sides of the Gaza-Israel border. And its right to criticize Israelis who are participating in violence against Arabs. But theres a difference between legitimate criticism and one-sided, biased condemnation of the Israel Defense Forces trying to protect its citizens from an onslaught of terrorist rockets.

So if your friends and social media contacts cant see themselves supporting Israel for some reason, so be it. Im sure they have legitimate reasons.

But lets be clear that they should not blame their lack of support on their progressivism. Thats not what holds them back. Its something else and they may want to search their souls for what it is. And when they discover it, they may also discover what to call themselves.

But in the meantime, you ought to feel really good about your own values and your ability to call yourself progressive. For indeed, thats what we are.

Keep fighting the good fight. Im proud of you.

More here:
To my children: Being progressive and pro-Israel go hand in hand J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

By India Krug, Senior Staff Columnist June 2, 2021

As I anxiously scrolled through precinct results on Twitter, my phone suddenly lit up with a text Mayor Bill Peduto had conceded.

After a contentious campaign season, where the two-term mayor far outspent his rivals, the results of Pittsburghs May 18 Democratic primary surprised many. Nearly 56,000 Pittsburghers cast ballots and five-term state Rep. Ed Gainey received around 46% of the vote, securing the Democratic nomination. He is poised to become Pittsburghs first Black mayor in January 2022.

This win not only indicates a transition of power, but a transition of outlook on how to best deal with the Citys most urgent problems. Pedutos campaign relied heavily on his past accomplishments over his eight years as mayor. Gaineys, on the other hand, served as an example of what could be. It is not often that voters stray from an incumbent and take a chance on someone else. In fact, Peduto is the first Pittsburgh mayor to lose a bid to stay in office since 1933.

Gainey has been an outspoken advocate for improving housing, healthcare, public works and environmental conservation. But most of all, he has called for police reform. As mayor, he will aim to demilitarize police equipment and training, change the rules of engagement and redirect police resources to other community services. He also plans on establishing alternative response procedures for nonviolent and mental health emergencies.

He said he believes his message on police-community relations was what resonated with Pittsburghers the most.

I want everybody to go home safe, he said when I spoke with him on Tuesday.

A simple truth, but not an easy goal. Like many cities in summer 2020, Pittsburgh saw a surge of Black Lives Matter protests that called for structural changes in police accountability, community safety and public spending. Gainey said it was powerful to see people of all backgrounds coming together to talk about these issues, and considers it a turning point in the City.

I had been in the City my whole life and I had never seen that. To see them all holding up signs that said LGBTQIA+ justice, Black Lives Matter, environmental justice, criminal justice the common word being justice. Marching in the street in the name of justice, he said. It was so powerful of a narrative that we want a City for all.

Gaineys praise of last summers rallies and his commitment to take legislative action made him a clear choice for many local activists and organizers. Progressive young people who may have felt scorned by Peduto found a mentor in Gainey, who made supporting young leaders one of his campaign priorities. He said he intentionally sought out young people for his team because of what he had seen over the summer.

Will Allison, a rising sophomore political science major, is one of those young people. He joined Gaineys campaign as a fellow last semester because he believed Gainey could transform Pittsburgh.

It was a really enthusiastic campaign with lots of young people. Knocking on doors was a big focus because we knew we couldnt beat Peduto on the money, so we had to out-organize him. And we really went everywhere I genuinely think I canvassed in every neighborhood, Allison said.

This primary not only displayed the power of progressive grassroots organizing, but a shedding of old guard Democrats and the Democratic machine. This is a process that has been unfolding in the Pittsburgh area for years. We have seen it on state level with representatives like Summer Lee and Sara Innamorato, and on the county and City level with councilors like Deb Gross and Bethany Hallam all of whom were strong supporters of Gaineys campaign.

Gainey has referred to his campaign as a CommUnity over the past six months. This win was the product of a growing impatience for change, blending public dialogue and politics and building coalitions. It was about tackling issues that could not afford to be overlooked for another four years, such as police brutality, racial disparities in arrests, rapid gentrification and Black maternal mortality rates. Now, Gainey says, comes the hard part.

The work is not done. The work cant be done. What weve got to do is build the foundation so whoever takes it after me has a better foundation to build from, he said. A win is a race, a victory is the ability to change culture.

Gainey is an underdog who many Pittsburghers see themselves in queer Pittsburghers, Black Pittsburghers and Pittsburghers of color, union workers and impoverished families. This election was a reminder that people-driven politics can prevail even against seemingly unbeatable odds. That we can do better and find better for our communities. That we deserve more than roundtable discussions, we deserve a seat at the table.

Everyone has to have access and opportunity if were going to have a City for all, Gainey said as he looked ahead to his first months in office. We have great City services, and we want to make sure we have resources going to the areas that need them. Everybody has to feel the love of their neighborhood. We dont want to leave any neighborhood behind.

India writes primarily about politics for The Pitt News. Write to her at [emailprotected] or follow her on Twitter @indialarson_.

More here:
Opinion | Mayoral primary marks win for Pittsburgh youth, progressives - University of Pittsburgh The Pitt News

OPINION: Ifeoma Ike, who previously worked on the mayoral campaign of Dianne Morales, says as a senior advisor she believes Maya Wiley is the best woman for the job.

A lot of people call this political season messy. I call it a beautiful struggle. When I agreed to be the senior advisor to NYC mayoral candidate Dianne Morales, most of my peers didnt believe I had enough time to help transform a campaign many people still didnt know existed.

What many dont know is that I said yes when both my parents were ill with COVID-19. Both essential workers, I was haunted by the thought that news of effective vaccinations came too late for my working-class, immigrant family. And for full transparency, it took a month for me to commit to any electoral work; not only because of the crowded field, but also because I was disappointed at the lack of our citys investment in educating all communities about rank choice voting.

What motivated me to join was that I knew our people deserved more than the status quo: a platform willing to reach the root causes of race and gender inequity that the majority of New Yorkers are experiencing. As a former City Hall executive deputy director and a lawyer, I also knew that we needed a mayor who truly understood the city and possessed a record of building justice-minded infrastructure, not just using social justice language.

New York City Mayoral candidate Maya Wiley speaks to the media on June 02, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Like many political operatives, early mornings and late nights was my daily campaign routine. Im also the CEO of a social impact startup with a team of nine people; working two full-time jobs requires a lot of coffee. The entire season has been a struggle: some progressive spaces loved our platform, but questioned our viability; the press failed to cover the buildup of our transformative campaign; and for the longest, it was only eight of us building a full operation.

But what we didnt miss was our people.

We remained on the ground, even during a pandemic, supporting mutual aid efforts, providing resources to young mothers in need of childcare and signing up seniors for vaccinations while also competing in a rigorous cycle of forums, fundraisers and events. The thought of running politics as usual never crossed our minds, and the more we met the community where they were, the more we were able to connect them with a vision that put those left behind at the center.

Story continues

This is also why this past week has been so painful to experience. What took other campaigns a year to achieve, our scrappy team accomplished in five months. Endorsements and increased media coverage were welcomed affirmations, but its really the family we built that Im forever grateful for, especially my fellow Black femmes and immigrant and first-gen siblings.

But like so many things began to fall apart in the public eye, and I walked away from a campaign I helped build, I reminded myself that politics, in itself, isnt the movement. People are. No one candidate possesses all of the solutions. And in the most transformative political season of our city, no one can afford to sit on the sidelines, including me.

Exhausted, but still determined, I am proud to join Maya Wileys mayoral campaign team as a senior advisor because the moment calls for the wide tent of progressives to coalesce and model something different. Maya and I dont agree on everything, and recently had a 21-minute debate over how much the NYPD should be defunded. I argued that the police state is pervasive not only in our streets, but in our schools and childcare systems and that defunding by $3 billion is where we need to start.

New York City Mayoral candidate Maya Wiley speaks to the media on June 02, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Maya didnt disagree, substantively, and shared that $1 billion is where shed start, followed by a full audit to determine how and where to divest from. I pushed back, sharing how communities feel betrayed by the current administrations tale of two cities rhetoric that ultimately expanded policing, even while we were quarantined.

And thats why Ive invested so much time into a safety strategy, Ify, and were rolling out our housing platform that I think youd like, she said.

That simple statement revealed two key things: that Maya understands that our communities are not falling for more failed promises; and that we share an understanding of safety beyond policing. And after viewing her recent video reminding us of the brutal tactics employed by NYPD on protesters last summer, I fully believe our city under her leadership can mobilize to fight the police union and confront practices originally engineered to target Black bodies.

Maya is, indeed, our citys best chance at stopping the many special interests that continue to marginalize Black and Brown communities the very communities that kept us alive last year.

Outside of this race, Maya was a mentor to those of us who worked inside City Hall and endured frequent misogynoir as we tried to advocate for our people. Maya helped advance many of my teams projects and she and I co-drafted the citys first-ever Equity Executive Order. When I organized a space for women of color at City Hall just to breathe during the workday, I asked Maya if she had time in her busy schedule to speak. She came in like the rest of us, plopped in the chair, and exhaled Whew, yall I am tired! to which we each chimed in our agreement in our own unique, sisterly way.

That memory is not easily erased from my mind, and with every debate we have on policies, I also know her character and the space she has provided me in moments of stress and frustration. That matters.

Its an honor to advise leaders who dare to be the first; leaders who dare to be bold; leaders who dare to confront systems. Our survival is connected to what happens on June 22. We cannot let the mess of this political season take our eyes off of whats possible for our people. There will be time to analyze what did and didnt work in this political cycle. Until then, lets struggle together with our best chance to reclaim City Hall.

Time for us to get behind Maya Wiley and rank her number one.

Ifeoma Ike, Senior Advisor for Maya Wiley's NYC Mayoral campaign

Ifeoma Ike is an activist, CEO of social impact and equity firm, Pink Cornrows and creator of the Black Policy Lab.

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The time for progressives to get behind NYC mayoral candidate Maya Wiley is now - Yahoo News

Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Englewood) has moved her primary campaign into its final stages, her focus falling on door-knocking in an effort to outrun her onetime running mate for Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinbergs (D-Teaneck) Senate seat.

On Saturday morning, her campaign launched 53 canvassers from their Englewood headquarters, the volunteer ranks boosted by union officials from Communications Workers of America Local 1037, Service Employees International Union Local 1199 and members of Healthcare Professionals and Allied Employees.

Thats on top of whatever the New Jersey Working Families Alliance and its state director, anti-line activist Sue Altman, can muster to get out the vote for Huttle, whose campaign intends to continue their door-knocking operation through election day.

This campaign is powered by the people. We are going to win this for the people, not only of district 37 but for the people of New Jersey, Huttle said at the canvass launch. We are going to continue that progressive movement and be the champions for all of us who are here today.

Huttle and her longtime running mate, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson (D-Englewood), are both running to succeed Weinberg, who is not seeking re-election this year.

Johnson moves into the races closing days with a favorable ballot position afforded by the Bergen County line and endorsements from some of the states most prominent Democrats, including Weinberg and Gov. Phil Murphy.

Huttles backers are mainly progressive groups, including Garden State Equality. Steven Goldstein, the groups founder, serves as one of her campaign co-chairs.

But progressives see advantages in the assemblywomans off-the-line campaign unavailable to challengers elsewhere in the state.

Incumbency is the obvious one. Huttle has held her seat in the legislature since 2006, and she served five years on the countys freeholder board before that. The length of that tenure brings name recognition that will likely help offset the boost Johnson gets from his position on the Bergen County line.

She also isnt without financial resources. Nearly half of the $322,269 she reported raising through May 7 came from a $151,000 personal loan she made to her campaign. Thats not far off from the $185,152 Johnson and his running mates reported in 29-day pre-primary reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.

Its not clear how the fundraising race will shake out in 11-day pre-primary reports due for release on Monday, though Johnson has benefitted from an undisclosed amount of independent spending made by Stronger Foundations, a super PAC with ties to Operating Engineers Local 825.

Each candidate is fielding their own slates for Assembly. Huttle tapped Teaneck Councilwoman Gervonn Romney Rice and Tenafly Councilwoman Lauren Kohn Dayton, while Johnsons team includes former Tenafly Councilwoman Shama Haider and former Englewood Cliffs Councilwoman Ellen Park.

The New Jersey Globe attempted to cover a visit to a Hackensack vaccination site Johnson was set to make at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, but that fell through because the assemblyman was expected to arrive an hour behind schedule, if not more.

His campaign declined to make Johnson available by phone in the evening, citing Saturdays scorching heat and the extent of Johnsons campaigning that day.

Continue reading here:
Unions, progressive groups boost Huttle's ground game - New Jersey Globe | New Jersey Politics

With Nicholas Wu and Brakkton Booker.

FIRST IN HUDDLE: A group of House progressives led by Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) has told congressional leadership that a provision eliminating qualified immunity is a must-have in police reform negotiations, according to our Recast colleagues Brakkton Booker and Maya King, who first got word about this latest push.

The letter, signed by 10 liberals, including all members of The Squad, says that police violence has been used as a weapon of structural racism and continues to have devastating and deadly consequences for Black and brown lives across our country.

The letter didnt threaten to withhold votes if qualified immunity remained intact in a Senate version, but nixing this provision is a top priority for the progressive wing and losing 10 votes could make or break the passage of a bill in the lower chamber.

The House passed its version of the police reform bill in March, which was named after George Floyd, the man murdered last May by Minneapolis police. Qualified immunity, which shields law enforcement from being sued for violating a persons constitutional rights, has been a main sticking point in recent Senate talks. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) signaled earlier this month that he was willing to leave qualified immunity intact to get a bill passed now, then try to chip away at it later. President Joe Biden had called for Congress to get a bill done by May 25, the anniversary of Floyds death, but that deadline is all but impossible now.

You can read the full letter here: https://politi.co/3f5XxC3 And be sure to subscribe to the Recast to see the rest of their awesome work here: https://politi.co/2REnTlv

Related: White House backs off May 25 police reform deadline, by CNNs Betsy Klein and Maegan Vazquez: https://cnn.it/3fAGuXF

GETTING DISTANCE: House lawmakers are back in their districts for committee work weeks and recess until June 14, which gives Republicans in the lower chamber the chance for the turbulent news cycle of intra-party fighting to blow over -- that is, unless another headline grabbing scandal pops up.

One House Republican joked it was almost like their golden rule to have drama dominate their efforts to stick to messaging.

Trouble has found them -- or maybe theyve found trouble -- almost every week this past month, starting on April 26 during the House GOP retreat, when the intra-party rift over Rep. Liz Cheneys (R-Wyo.) opened wide, followed by the lightning-quick campaign to oust her from leadership. Just as Republicans replaced her with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), news about the Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) spectacle with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) dominated the airwaves. Then this week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) bucked Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), who he deputized to negotiate a deal with House Democrats.

Which leads me to this point, about the mighty convenient timing of McCarthy saying yesterday that sure, he is willing to testify before the proposed Jan. 6 commission: Its a statement very easy to make now that the commissions chances of coming to fruition are slim to none. It is one of those split-screen moments: McCarthy is publicly projecting an air of I have nothing to hide after working diligently behind the scenes in his conference to kill off support for the formation of the investigative body.

Still, there could be some more road bumps along the way. We are seeing a steady dribble of news about the federal investigation that is ensnaring Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). Gaetzs longtime ally is cooperating with investigators, who are scrutinizing alleged sex trafficking of a minor. It isnt looking great for him at the moment.

Another thing to keep your eye on: GOP Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, who has been a leading face of the mask resistance on the House floor, suggested to me yesterday that he plans to file a lawsuit challenging the fines issued to members who dont wear masks.

I don't know that they can legally do that -- that's another fight for another day, Mast told me. He noted that he just received notification of his first fine on Wednesday, which he noted will be deducted from his salary. When I asked what the fight for another day is, if he planned to file a lawsuit, he replied: Yeah, I don't plan to pay them.

He added: Look, I'm gonna do what makes sense to just not wear a mask. Ive been vaccinated. The CDC says I shouldn't have to wear one. But beyond that I don't make it a goal to sit there and, like, pay Pelosi money -- that's the last goal that I have in life is to give her any kind of penny. So lets see how this plays out.

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HAPPY FRI-YAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this May 21, where we are all just trying to be accommodating in our email sign offs.

THURSDAYS MOST CLICKED: Rich Lowrys story in Politico Mag about why Republicans still have the upper hand for 2022 was the big winner.

DID SOMEONE DROP THE F BOMB? No, no one has dropped the F bomb -- the congressional one at least -- but Senate Republicans appear likely to change that with an expected filibuster of legislation to create a bipartisan commission to probe the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

They are all but expected to use the procedure, which comes nearly four months into the Biden administration. BUT, if Republicans block the commission from coming together -- and they are hardening by the day against a potential investigative body that would be talking about Trump for months on end -- then we will see another spark over the filibusters very existence, Burgess reports.

I dont think there will be 10 votes on our side for it, said Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind). At this stage, Id be surprised if youre gonna get even a handful.

And if Republicans hit go on the bill-buster, then you can expect Democrats to also make their case to their reluctant colleagues that the 60-vote status quo is unsustainable.

More here from Burgess: https://politi.co/3yqW7tn

Related: Bidens bank-shot strategy to win GOP support for his infrastructure bill, by Christopher Cadelago and Natasha Korecki: https://politi.co/3oJuyao

GOING SOLO: With the Jan. 6 commission bill heading towards a filibuster in the Senate, House Democrats have a backup plan to launch a sweeping investigation into the mob attack at the Capitol without Republicans. Theyre just not sure if they will use it.

Some Democrats said they could move forward with a Democrat-led investigation into the insurrection. But Republicans could more easily dismiss a select committee's work as political theater, and some Democrats wonder if such a panel is needed on top of existing investigations.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reiterated her position yesterday that she wanted a bipartisan probe, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said on MSNBC he preferred a bipartisan commission but Democrats reserved the right to pursue "other options." Another option, Hoyer said, would be to "establish a select committee in the House, similar to the Republicans that had eight different investigations of Benghazi.

Armed Services Chair Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said a select committee "might make sense" given the potentially overlapping nature of other investigations. Much of the current investigation of the insurrection has been ad-hoc and hasnt been coordinated, Smith added. BUT other top Democrats disagree and say their committees are already putting in enough work.

More from Nick and Sarah: https://politi.co/2RtuEXw

WOO-WE...There was a moment of panic for House Democrats yesterday when it appeared that they almost didnt have the votes to pass their $1.9 billion emergency funding bill after a group of progressive members revealed last-minute that they planned to oppose the proposal because it would appropriate more cash for Capitol Police.

It was tight as a shrunken sweater, with a 213-212 vote -- a margin so narrow that House Pelosi and other Dem leaders were scrambling to get the Squad to support the bill that lacked GOP support. The progressives argued that they wanted to know more about whether some officers were indirectly complicit in the Jan. 6 attack and they wanted it to include new accountability measures.

Three progressives signaled their discontent by voting present -- Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) and Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.) -- while three voted no, including Reps. Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Cori Bush (Mo.) and Pressley. I am frankly tired of any time where there is a failure in our system of policing, the first response is for us to give them more money, Omar said in an interview.

More here from Sarah and Nick: https://politi.co/3f2IQQa

Related: House Ethics panel to drop $5K metal detector fines against Clyburn, Rogers, by The Hills Cristina Marcos: https://bit.ly/3oC9CSz | Warren, Moulton want Walsh to disclose more on Dennis White controversy, by The Boston Globes Jim Puzzanghera: https://bit.ly/3bIh9dr | Sisters in Congress: Katherine Clark and Grace Meng talk about their bond and the importance of allyship, by 19th News Errin Haines: https://bit.ly/3fzWrgP

MOBILIZING IN MISSOURI: The Senate primary in Missouri is shaking out to be very interesting, at least in its early days, with candidates that can be divided into into two early lanes: the ambitious and the indicted, James Arkin and Melanie report.

There are the traditional candidates and then there is former Gov. Eric Greitens, who resigned from his governorship two years ago amid allegations he sexually assaulted and blackmailed a woman. But there is also Mark McCloskey, an attorney who gained a celebrity-like status on the right when he and his wife brandished firearms at Black Lives Matter protesters.

Some have yet to formally jump into the race, and four members of the Missouri congressional delegation are considering jumping into the warm waters. This includes Reps. Billy Long, Jason Smith, Ann Wagner and Vicky Hartzler.

My colleagues write: It all sets up a messy and character-filled primary that the party will need to survive with enough unity and electability to keep retiring Sen. Roy Blunts seat in the GOP column next November.

More here from James and Melanie: https://politi.co/3wnFcpU

Campaign Related: Dont sleep on Asian American voters, The Atlantic: https://bit.ly/2SXtF1V

CAN WE MAPQUEST THIS? Democrats are trying to learn how to navigate Bidens foreign policy doctrine as it takes shape. Biden isnt like Trump -- if they voice their disagreements, they wont wake up to find a politically damaging tweet sending them into a tailspin. But they arent sure their vocal criticism will move the Dem president, either.

Per Andrew: The presidents latest foreign policy moves have rankled lawmakers on both ends of his partys ideological spectrum. Progressives and moderates alike are struggling to gain leverage over a commander-in-chief guided by his decades of experience and his long-standing view that leaders should conduct diplomacy out of the public eye.

He has faced pressure on how he responded to the Israel-Hamas conflict. He also waived sanctions against an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, handing Republicans a talking point and curtailing a months-long push by Democrats for sanctions that could rein in Russias new multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline to Germany.

President Biden will be his own secretary of state, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who criticized Biden's sanctions waiver, said bluntly. I cant define what is the Biden view, but he has a global view. And I think hes going to call it as he sees it from his experiential factor and his [own] view.

Andrew has the deets: https://politi.co/3v93F1Z

PARKS AND VAX: Actor Nick Offerman, a.k.a. Ron Swanson from NBCs Parks and Recreation, will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee next Wednesday to encourage people to get vaccinated.

QUICK CLICKS: As pandemic spread pain and panic, congressman chased profit, by the APs Brian Slodysko: https://bit.ly/3oAdyTI | Cawthorns internal poll measures job performance, approval, by Smoky Mountain News: https://bit.ly/3wnu38t

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TRANSITIONS

APPROVED: The Senate Commerce Committee approved Biden nominee Eric Lander to lead the Office of Science and Technology Policy yesterday in a bipartisan voice vote.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House meets at 9 a.m. No votes.

The Senate is out.

AROUND THE HILL

Pretty quiet.

TRIVIA

THURSDAYS WINNER: Liam Burke was the first person to correctly guess that the last two nominees for President who came directly from the House were James Garfield and William Jennings Bryan.

TODAYS QUESTION: From Liam: Two presidents served as soldiers and as postmasters at some point in their careers before becoming commander-in-chief. Who were they?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answer to [emailprotected].

GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning.

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Progressives dig in their heels on cops' qualified immunity - Politico