12:30 Report

The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Trump prepares for court appearance

by Elizabeth Crisp - 04/03/23 12:30 PM ET

Cars pass Trump Tower in New York, Wednesday, March 22, 2023. A New York grand jury investigating Trump over a hush money payment to a porn star appears poised to complete its work soon as law enforcement officials make preparations for possible unrest in the event of an indictment.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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–> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically.

TALK OF THE MORNING

Trump heads to court Tuesday:

Former President Trump is leaving Florida this morning to head to New York in anticipation of a court hearing Tuesday.

The case centers around payments made by Trump’s then-lawyer to adult film actress Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election. Daniels claims she had an affair with Trump years earlier, which he denies.

The former president will stay in the Trump Tower in Manhattan ahead of his expected court appearance.

Trump will return to Florida after the arraignment and give a speech from his Mar-a-Lago resort, scheduled for 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday.

Key questions here:

Will we see a mugshot? It’s not required in New York, but it could leak.
Who will turn out for the perp walk? Trump supporters haven’t been heavily present in NYC ahead of the indictment but could show up for the former president’s appearance.
How are GOP leaders handling the situation? It seems no one really knows how to navigate the unprecedented indictment of a former president.

JUST IN CASE:

The U.S. Capitol Police are preparing for possible demonstrations, NBC News reports. They don’t want a repeat of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Well, that’s a quote:

“There’s no bad press unless you’re a pedophile,” former President Trump once told advisers, according to a new story from The New York Times about his indictment.

It’s Monday, April 3 … The start to a new week that guarantees some excitement in the politics world, even though Congress isn’t in session.

I’m Elizabeth Crisp, filling in for Cate, with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up.

Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. Send me your tips, scoops, observations and reality TV hot takes to ecrisp@digital-staging.thehill.com and follow me on Twitter @elizabethcrisp.

In Congress

Greene doubles down on Dem attacks in ‘60 Minutes’ interview:

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene had a wild interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes” that aired on Sunday in which she defended calling Democrats “pedophiles” and got plenty of eye-rolls from correspondent Lesley Stahl, who was having none of it.

“Democrats support — even Joe Biden the president himself — supports children being sexualized, having transgender surgeries,” Greene, a top ally of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and former President Trump, argued during the interview. “Sexualizing children is what pedophiles do to children.”

The Hill has more from the interview here.

ANOTHER TIDBIT IN THE POLITICS REALM:

Meghan Markle has sparked speculation that she could be mulling a run for office after her Archewell Foundation spent more than $100,000 to hire Michelle Obama’s former press chief. The New York Post has the story.

👑 In the White House

Biden won’t attend King Charles’ coronation:

You won’t see President Biden at the high-profile crowning of King Charles III on May 6. The Washington Post reports POTUS won’t be attending.

First lady Jill Biden will lead the delegation to the United Kingdom, people familiar with the plans told WaPo.

Some are calling it a snub, but it’s not actually that odd. The Post notes that “No previous U.S. president has attended a British monarch’s coronation, and for the last coronation — Queen Elizabeth II’s, in June 1953 — President Eisenhower sent a delegation in his place.”

Biden attended the queen’s funeral back in September.

🏃 2024

Former Arkansas governor quietly announces plan to run for POTUS:

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) is running for president. If you missed the news, you aren’t the only one. Hutchinson made the announcement quietly in an interview with ABC News’ Jon Karl.

Hutchinson heavily implied in the interview that there will be an announcement with a bit more fanfare in the future.

Other Republicans who have announced they are running: Former President Trump (obviously), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and venture capitalist Vivek Ramaswamy. Several other Republicans, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence have signaled that they are mulling a run.

No Labels? Another team looks at potential 2024 candidates

The centrists in the No Labels party want to get someone on the 2024 ballot who isn’t on the major party tickets – an effort the group calls an “insurance policy” against the parties nominating two “unacceptable” candidates next year, the Washington Post reports.

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat who ran as vice president with Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore in 2000 before switching to be an independent for his final years in the Senate, has met with the group.

“We’re putting ourselves in a position,” Lieberman told the Post. “You know, it might be that we will take our common-sense, moderate, independent platform to [Biden] and the Republican candidate and see which one of them is willing to commit to it. And that could lead to, in my opinion, a No Labels endorsement.”

BUT, BUT, BUT… WaPo reports that “Uncertainty over the $70 million No Labels ballot effort has set off major alarm bells in Democratic circles and raised concerns among Republican strategists, who have launched their own research projects to figure out the potential impacts.”

🐯 In other news

LSU women take national title

Big congrats to my friends at LSU!

Kim Mulkey coached the Lady Tigers basketball team to its first National Championship on Sunday. The Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland has the story of how it went down.

Mulkey, known for her flashy outfits, broke down in tears after her team’s 102-85 win over Iowa in Dallas.

“About a minute 30 to go, I couldn’t hold it,” four-time championship-winning coach Mulkey said (three previous titles at Baylor). “I got emotional. That’s not very like me until that final buzzer goes off. I don’t know what it was, but I lost it, so that should tell you what I think about it. Very, very emotional and tears of joy.”

And don’t miss this clip of star player Angel Reese talking about THAT moment when she had a clapback for her Hawkeye rival. “This is for the girls that look like me.”

We can expect LSU to celebrate at the Capitol and the White House in the coming weeks.

Sports Illustrated published a profile on her last fall, and it’s a must-read post-championship win.

AND… The men’s title game is tonight! Who will win: UConn or San Diego State? How’s your bracket doing?

🐥 Notable tweets

Hogg shows he isn’t anti-gun:

David Hogg, the March For Our Lives founder who survived a school shooting in Florida, tweeted out his gun bonafides this week, arguing that “contrary to what the NRA wants you to believe” he can walk both paths.

And for his critics, he had this message: “Good thing I’m not running for president and 22.”

⏱ On tap

The House and Senate are on Spring Break until April 17! 🐣 President Biden is heading to Minnesota as he continues his “Investing in America” roadshow. Vice President Harris is back in D.C. after her week-long trip to Africa.

9 a.m.: President Biden received his daily briefing.
11 a.m.: Biden left Delaware en route to Minnesota.
12:40 p.m.: Biden arrives in Hennepin County, Minn.
1:05 p.m.: Biden sets out on a tour of Cummins Power Generation Facility in Fridley, Minn.
3:35 p.m.: Biden will address his economic agenda and job growth.
4:40 p.m.: Biden departs Minnesota to head back to D.C.
8:10 p.m.: Biden’s expected return to the White House.
Note: Principal deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton chatted with reporters on Air Force One as they headed to Minnesota just a few minutes ago. (Listen to the audio here)