NotedDC

NotedDC — Nuclear report adds to scrutiny over Mar-a-Lago docs

by Elizabeth Crisp - 09/07/22 7:22 PM ET

Former President Trump‘s team is decrying leaks about the government’s investigation and search for documents at his Florida resort following a report that FBI agents found a document about a foreign country’s nuclear capabilities.

A lawyer for Trump, Christopher Kise, told The Washington Post for a story Tuesday evening that such leaks “continue with no respect for the process nor any regard for the real truth. This does not serve well the interests of justice.”

The lawyer warned about public confidence in the system being corroded and called for “someone — anyone — in the Government to exercise leadership and control.”

The statement came in response to new reporting from The Post this week that FBI agents found a document detailing a foreign nation’s nuclear capabilities and other defenses. The foreign government was not identified.

The reported discovery adds to scrutiny over the types of documents being kept at the president’s home and how they got there, even as a judge’s decision to allow for an independent reviewer promises to shake up the probe into the former president’s handling of classified documents.

Trump had pushed back last month following another report from the newspaper that said the FBI was searching for classified nuclear documents, among other materials, in its raid at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

“Nuclear weapons issue is a Hoax, just like Russia, Russia, Russia was a Hoax, two Impeachments were a Hoax, the Mueller investigation was a Hoax, and much more,” Trump wrote on his website Truth Social on Aug. 12.

Trump has continued to rail against the FBI and its probe in a series of statements and posts on his website this week, predicting “this Hoax will fail miserably” and insisting “[a]ll American Patriots know that I always do everything ‘by the book.'”

You can read the full inventory of documents that the FBI found here via The Hill.

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In today’s issue: New White House portraits are unveiled. But first: One GOP senator is changing his tune about House-passed same-sex marriage legislation.

🏳️‍🌈 Changing tune

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) says he is not going to back the House-passed same-sex marriage bill in its current form, despite earlier comments.

Johnson, who is locked in a difficult reelection bid, said in July that he had “no reason to oppose” an effort to codify the right to same-sex marriage.
But on Wednesday, Johnson told reporters: “I always support civil unions. Never felt this bill is necessary … This is just Democrats opening up a wound that doesn’t need to be opened up. And now that I’ve talked to people there are some very serious concerns on religious liberty.”

The Hill’s Mychael Schnell has more on the story.

🖼 Official Obama portraits unveiled after Trump snub

IT’S OFFICIAL: Former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama‘s portraits that will hang in the White House have been unveiled.

The pair of paintings were showcased at an event Wednesday featuring the Obamas, President Biden and first lady Jill Biden and a swath of VIPs.
The portraits are different from the Obamas’ portraits at the Smithsonian National Portrait Museum and feature new takes on the former first couple.

The portraits, unveiled during a White House ceremony in the East Room, were commissioned by the White House Historical Association. Artist Robert McCurdy painted the former president while Sharon Sprung painted the former first lady.

The ceremony is typically used by a sitting president to honor his predecessor, though former President Trump broke with recent tradition and declined to hold a portrait ceremony for Obama.

Despite their political divisions, Obama joined former President Bush in the unveiling of Bush’s portrait in 2012.

Read more on the latest portrait unveilings from The Hill’s Judy Kurtz here.

💰 Shutdown showdown

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) says he’s planning to reach a deal to stave off a government shutdown at the end of this month, preventing a shutdown scenario neither party wants heading into the November midterms.

Our colleague Alexander Bolton has the full rundown of the situation and how Schumer is going against some of his fellow Democrats in pushing for a permitting deal negotiated with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).

PERSONNEL MOVES

The Hill’s Karl Evers-Hillstrom has the latest on news on comings and goings in the lobbying world. As always, you can always drop us a line sharing about new hires:

ExxonMobil hired Jamie Wall as vice president of its Washington office. Wall previously served as legislative assistant to Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and most recently was executive vice president of advocacy at the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

Estefanía Rodriguez joined theGROUP as a principal. Rodriguez most recently served as chief of staff to Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-Ga.) and previously was policy director for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

KDCR Partners hired Mary Dee Beal as a principal. Beal most recently was a policy analyst for the Senate Republican Policy Committee and previously served as chief of staff to the deputy secretary at the Department of Agriculture.

Sharon Lindan Mayl joined DLA Piper as a partner in the firm’s FDA regulatory group. An FDA veteran of nearly 30 years, she most recently served as senior adviser for policy to the deputy commissioner for food policy and response.

Signal Group announced seven new hires including Matt Lockwood as executive vice president and Marcus Frias as senior manager. Lockwood previously was managing director at the Clyde Group and chief of staff for geo products at Google. Frias most recently served as communications director to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).

View more here.

⚾️ A league of her own

The Congressional Women’s Softball Game, which raises money for a charity that helps young people with breast cancer, will hold its annual game next week.

The event, which pits members of the press against members of Congress, will take place Sept. 14 at the Watkins Recreation Center in Southeast D.C.
The annual event started as a bipartisan congressional and campaign competition but was opened to female members of the media in 2010.

You can get your tickets here.

Have some news, juicy gossip, insight or other insider info? Send tips: Elizabeth Crisp. And encourage friends to sign up here: digital-staging.thehill.com/noted.

See you tomorrow!

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