After a weekend of base-rallying at Netroots Nation, progressives had a bummer of a Tuesday on Congress' first full day since the conference. After the DISCLOSE Act failed to clear the GOP's filibuster in the Senate, the House's anti-war wing couldn't muster a third of the chamber to strike down a war supplemental bill -- or get teacher aid and TANF emergency funds. Not enough for you? There's a new oil spill sullying the Gulf Coast. Happy Tuesday, everyone! Wasn't it a peach? This is HUFFPOST HILL for Tuesday, July 27th, 2010:
HOUSE PASSES $59 BILLION WAR SUPPLEMENTAL, WIKILEAKS BE DAMNED - Are you happy, Arne Duncan? The Education Secretary objected to Democrats rescinding $800 million from one of his pet reform projects to pay for $15 billion in aid for teachers. The White House, Dave Obey said, suggested cutting food stamps instead. What Duncan got for the veto threat: Nothing. But the House did approve billions more for the war in Afghanistan on suspension. A mere 144 votes were needed to block the money; only 114 voted no, including 12 Republicans. The bill also included money for FEMA, Haiti, and vets impacted by Agent Orange, but nothing else. Meanwhile, COBRA subsidies, TANF emergency funds and a variety of other stimulative efforts have expired. At least the House stood up to be counted. When the Senate passed this measure, they did it on a voice vote. Did we hear something about some leaked documents the other day? Guess not.
DISCLOSE ACT FAILS IN SENATE - After Joe Lieberman knocked the Democrats' numbers down to 58 by missing the vote -- citing personal reasons -- any chance to break a filibuster on legislation that would partially remedy the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling was all but lost...and lose it did, 57 to 41. "Supporters vowed to try again after the August recess, arguing that changes are possible to attract GOP support. But Tuesday's vote effectively quashes any chance of enacting new disclosure requirements for the 2010 elections, which are likely to include hundreds of millions of dollars in expenditures by outside groups and corporations. The outcome represents a significant blow to Obama, who made the bill a major legislative priority in the wake of a January Supreme Court ruling allowing unlimited corporate spending in U.S. elections. Obama pointedly criticized the ruling during his State of the Union address, prompting an unusual public objection from Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr." WaPo: http://bit.ly/8YuIW5
@BarackObama: A vote against the DISCLOSE Act is a vote to allow corporate and special-interest takeovers of our elections.
@rickklein: DISCLOSE Act deserved induction in forced acronym HOF: "Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections"
Incidentally, the Chamber of Commerce gave $2 million in undisclosed $$$ to DISCLOSE opponents. The big business group strongly opposed the bill -- they want to spend $75 million in the next 100 days to elect Republicans with money from who-knows-where. In the last 60 days of the 2008 election, they spent a pile of money from undisclosed sources to elect Mitch McConnell ($890,000), Saxby Chambliss ($650,000), Susan Collins ($342,387), Roger Wicker ($108,400) and Jim Risch ($75,000). Where'd the Chamber get the money? Only they know, and the senators who benefited voted today to keep it that way. (Source: FEC.)
Indeed, a likely opponent of DISCLOSE is GOP Senate candidate Dino Rossi from Washington, who this morning attended a Chamber of Commerce hosted fundraiser to benefit his campaign. We say "likely opponent" because the guy has taken the patented Sharron-Angle-approach-to-covering-up-wingnuttery by avoiding taking positions.
HOUSE MEMBERS TO KEEP PROTESTING THE SENATE - Last week, Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) led roughly a dozen House members in a Senate sit-in, objecting to Senate Republican (and Ben Nelson) obstruction. Edwards plans to keep the pressure on this week, and will protest on the Senate floor with colleagues on behalf of five stalled jobs bills.
Some good news: On suspension, the House passed Jim Webb's crime-commission bill, which could radically rewrite the criminal code
SCOOP: ADMINISTRATION REVISES HOUSING REPORT, DELETES METRIC USED TO TRACK SUCCESS - The Obama administration on Monday revised its latest monthly report on its signature foreclosure-prevention plan, deleting a heavily-criticized performance metric used to measure whether assisted homeowners were re-defaulting on their taxpayer-financed mortgages, HuffPost's Shahien Nasiripour reports. "The Treasury Department said Fannie Mae, which administers its Home Affordable Modification Program, screwed up. Thus, the public can no longer tell whether homeowners with HAMP modifications, which limits monthly payments to 31 percent of income, are being placed in sustainable mortgages. A voicemail message left on the cell phone of a Fannie Mae spokesman seeking comment was not returned." http://huff.to/cQzPlf
A NEW, LESS DEEP SEA ROBOT-FRIENDLY OIL SPILL IN THE GULF - If there is a God, then Louisiana must have slipped behind the cushions of His couch or something. "[A] wellhead hit by a tug boat is now spewing oil near a Louisiana marsh area, officials said Tuesday. The oil is shooting up 20 feet into the air, the office of Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser said...Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris Roberts was quoted as saying by WWL-TV in New Orleans that 'there is a pretty good amount of oil flowing there.' He did not have a more specific estimate." MSNBC: http://bit.ly/9NKFS7
DAVE WEIGEL REHIRED BY THE WASHINGTON POST - Okay, so the Post doesn't think Weigel can continue covering conservatives because it is disclosed he has an acidic wit to go along with his brew of liberal and libertarian politics. So they fire him. And now Slate, owned by the Post, has hired him. Everything you thought you knew about hiring and firing is wrong. Weigel, btw, did not create the Twitter hashtag #slatepitches; that would be his roommate, @brianbeutler.
HOW GOLDMAN PLANS TO CIRCUMVENT THE VOLCKER RULE - Change the name from "prop trading" to "client trading," reports Charles Gasparino for Fox Business. "By having the traders work in asset management, where they will take market positions while dealing with clients, Goldman believes it can meet the rule's mandates, avoid large-scale layoffs and preserve some of the same risk taking that has earned it enormous profits, people close to the firm say." http://bit.ly/bMCsmt
Medical marijuana is legal in Washington, D.C., as of today, because Congress didn't overrule the District's law. HuffPost Hill is feeling nauseous all of a sudden. Or getting migraines. Or something.
DAILY DELANEY DOWNER - "Local governments across the country will fire 481,000 workers through the next fiscal year, according to a report from the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. That's 23 firefighters in Flint, Mich., 38 Sheriff's deputies in Brevard County, Fla., and 500 mostly-librarians in Dallas, Texas, to list some of the victims. :(" - Arthur Delaney
DAILY DOUBLE DOWNER - "Nevada has a greater concentration of economic misery than any other state. The state's unemployment rate, which in June edged up to 14.2 percent, has risen faster during the past year than it has anywhere else, and nearly six percent of all homes across the state's desert landscape received a foreclosure filing in the first six months of the year." But what does all that crap look like? Like this: http://huff.to/aIqYcp
In other employment news, the head of the Capitol Visitors Center has gotten the boot. "Terrie Rouse was fired from her position as the chief executive officer for the multi-million dollar Capitol Visitor Center (CVC), according to an announcement made to CVC staff on Tuesday afternoon. Rouse's departure comes in the wake of a security snafu first reported by The Hill last month, in which a supervisor with the visitor center flushed a bag of white powder labeled "Anthrax" down a public toilet before notifying the U.S. Capitol Police. ... Staff with the CVC told The Hill that under Rouse's leadership, they experienced prolonged periods of low morale and felt intimidated by the upper levels of management." http://bit.ly/cnPuYY
Start making your Friday night plans: it's going to be warm and NOT humid in DC.
RANGEL DOES ETHICALLY DUBIOUS THING IN ATTEMPT TO WARD OFF ETHICS TRIAL - Allegations have arisen that the embattled New York congressman "met privately with Ethics Committee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) Monday night without any Republican members of the bipartisan panel present. Sources close to Rangel deny that there was an attempt to cut a backroom deal with Lofgren, but Rangel's attorneys met with Democratic ethics committee staff Monday, according to people close to the investigation...What is clear is that Alabama Rep. Jo Bonner, the top Republican on the committee, was not in on the Monday night meeting." Jonathan Allen and John Bresnahan in Politico: http://politi.co/94bCMc
Speaking with ABC News, Rangel dismissed reports that he is trying to manufacture a deal to avoid a trial. "I want what's the fair and right thing to do, and I have confidence in my lawyers and the lawyers of the Ethics Committee," Rangel said. "I hope people are doing what is in the best interest of justice, equity [sic] and fairness." http://bit.ly/aasI2V
MICHAEL HIRSH IN NEWSWEEK: ELIZABETH WARREN WILL HELP INSTILL PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN CONSUMER PROTECTION BUREAU - "Hence the enthusiasm among the losers in this debate for Elizabeth Warren, the fiery Harvard Law professor who largely sided with the Volcker-Lincoln camp and who first came up with the idea for a consumer-protection agency. Warren is most definitely not a [Robert] Rubin acolyte. She's more likely to be the sort of person who reveals to the public just how many administration speed dials Rubin occupies. Warren has long abhorred the sort of inside-the-box thinking that led a lot of smart people in Washington to conclude for more than two decades that Wall Street could be left to sort things out on its own." http://bit.ly/9FzoDS
Arianna agrees: http://huff.to/ak5xYL
Also, the National Organization of Women is diving into the debate: "If confirmed, Warren would protect consumers from further economic meltdowns caused by shady loans and credit," NOW wrote in an e-mail to supporters. "She would also demand accountability and consumer-friendly practices from Wall Street banks. But she's not part of the old boys club, so NOW asks: Could sexism be at work in denying her this position?"
Senate Banking Chairman Chris Dodd says elevating Warren in a recess appointment would be misguided...but doesn't think her confirmation is guaranteed. Brian Beutler in TPM: "Dodd cast more doubts this afternoon about whether Elizabeth Warren could garner enough votes to head the newly created consumer financial protection bureau, one day after White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called her 'very confirmable.' 'I don't know, that's the question, how does he know that?' Dodd said in response to a question from TPMDC on his way in to the Democrats' weekly policy lunch...some have argued that she be given a recess appointment if a minority of senators block her confirmation. Dodd objects to that idea. 'I think that would be a huge mistake,' Dodd said, in response to a question from TPMDC. 'Recess appointments. No, no, no.'" http://bit.ly/9GoYNI
A group of the nation's leading labor and progressive advocacy organizations will hold a press conference this Thursday announcing the launch of a campaign to fight cuts to Social Security by the White House's fiscal commission. Top officials from the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, MoveOn.org, the NEA, the SEIU, NOW, the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, the NAACP and the Alliance for Retired Americans will be on hand.
The Hill's 50 Most Beautiful People list goes live soon. Word comes to HuffPost Hill that there will be lighthearted anecdotes detailing offbeat hobbies and tales of legislative correspondents who discovered their love of politics while at elite northeastern universities. But seriously, folks. We hear that Democrats "won" with 29 making the cut, besting the GOP's 17 (4 independents or unaffiliated politicos are listed as well). Three lawmakers are in the top ten, all Democrats. Sam Stein isn't on the list so we're going to use this opportunity to allege ballot tampering.
TOMORROW'S PAPERS TODAY - Washington Post: David Ignatius discusses U.S. national security concerns in the wake of the Wikileaks disclosures. -- AND -- Ruth Marcus makes the case for ending the Bush tax cuts. Roll Call: John McArdle writes that Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), who was appointed to his seat by Gov. Bill Ritter (R) in early 2009, may automatically be the insider in this year's race simply by virtue of the fact that he is the incumbent. But he's doing everything he can to be the outsider's insider.
From Lucia Graves: "Senate aides briefed reporters this afternoon on Harry Reid's pared-down energy legislation. Reid's bill aims to create 150,000 clean energy jobs by investing $5 billion in Home Star, a bipartisan energy efficiency program, and remove the $75 million liability cap for oil spill damages, applying it retroactively to BP. It's a step up from GOP legislation, where the liability cap wouldn't apply to BP, but it's not everything Dems were hoping for. 'We thought Home Star was going to be $6 billion, not $5 billion,' said a reporter. The telling response from a Reid aide: 'Five is close to six. We tried to put together the best bill we could.'"
Don't be bashful: Send tips/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to huffposthill@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter - @HuffPostHill
ESPN's Erin Andrews was on the Hill this morning, promoting anti-stalking laws. Laura Bassett: "[T]he young ESPN sportscaster who was victimized by a peephole stalker in 2009, joined Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Reps. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) at a press conference this morning to speak about new legislation that would clarify murky federal stalking laws and broaden them to include electronic surveillance and emerging technologies." http://huff.to/b2PPi1
OBAMA SNUBS BOY SCOUTS, APPARENTLY LIKES ELISABETH HASSELBECK MORE - You best believe that Fox News is all over this one. "President Obama will make history as the first sitting president on a daytime talk show when he visits with the ladies of 'The View.' But he'll be missing out on another historic occasion -- the Boy Scouts' Jamboree marking the group's 100th anniversary, right in the president's backyard...Every president is typically invited, though not all are able to attend. Obama's three predecessors each made it to one Jamboree in person. President George W. Bush spoke in 1995, President Bill Clinton in 1997 and President George H.W. Bush in 1989." http://bit.ly/bNqHHe
Also scheduled for the President's New York swing tomorrow, a 30K-a-plate DNC fundraiser at the home of Anna Wintour. No word on whether the president will put up with Ms. Wintour's antics in order to secure a coveted New York journalism gig or whether his rocky relationship with his dreamy chef boyfriend will survive the experience. We'll let you know. http://bit.ly/9H9txC
A new poll out from Reuters and Ipsos finds the public thinks President Obama is dropping the ball on the economy. 67% of the survey's respondents say the president hasn't focused enough on job creation. http://yhoo.it/aNMUHG
A survey from the AP and Univision indicates that 57% of Hispanics approve of Obama's job performance. However 43% of those polled think the President is effectively addressing issues important to them. http://yhoo.it/apJaMg
"President Obama appears to be losing his patience with Senate Republicans over what he says are their efforts to block a small-business lending bill and hold up his judicial nominees.
He gave Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a hard time on both fronts during a Tuesday meeting with Congressional leaders." Roll Call's Jennifer Bendery reports: http://bit.ly/9OdoEi
BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Here's a baby pig: http://bit.ly/99KKsP
SHIRLEY SHERROD DETAILS USAD JOB OFFER - CBS News: "The department has offered Sherrod a position titled Deputy Director of the office of advocacy and outreach at the USDA, she says. The offer was delivered in a draft that puts into writing what Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack offered her on the phone last week. Sherrod said she sat down to read through the offer for the first time this morning, but has not read it in its entirety yet. She still has many questions about the offer before coming to any decision, she said, such as who is the director of the department and whether and how much money is appropriated for the work that should be accomplished in the position."' http://bit.ly/dtVKCt
In case you feel like vomiting, dig this American Spectator piece by Jeffrey Lord, arguing that Shirley Sherrod was lying when she said a relative was lynched. Try to hold down your upchuck for just a bit longer, because it gets worse. Rather than simply argue the semantics of what a lynching actually is -- Sherrod's relative Bobby Hall was beaten to death by police, which does constitute a lynching -- Lord proposes that Sherrod told this non-lie to add "glamour" to her family's struggle. OK, you can get the bucket now! Mediaite picks apart this...just...terrible episode: http://bit.ly/anuyiW
More gag reflexing: Conservative activists Phyllis Schlafly told a rally for Michigan congressional candidate Rocky Raczkowski that single mothers are "a bunch of Welfare sponges". Single moms run Goldman Sachs? Who knew? http://bit.ly/9UOAdo
POLITICAL DICTIONARY WORD OF THE DAY - One-minute speeches: Also called, "one minutes", a speech typically given at the beginning of the day by a House member on a chosen topic. "On Tuesday morning, Rep. Vasquez (I - Yosemite) lined up in the House chamber to give a one minute, entitled 'Double rainbow...oh my God...all the way...so intense.'" http://bit.ly/abn8cs
JEB BUSH: I AM NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT - Snubbing out speculation that he might seek his party's nomination in 2012, the former Florida Governor and George to George W's Lennie says he will not be a candidate. WSJ: "Bush apparently sought to quiet the murmurs today, telling a Kentucky TV reporter that he isn't running. There's no video, and the station's website doesn't offer a full quote, so we can't say whether this was a true Shermanesque statement..." http://bit.ly/astM4C
@jmartpolitico: Jeb today: "I am not running for president." But will that stop 48 more "Jeb?" stories in nxt 16 months?
RICK SANTORUM MEETS WITH EX-AIDES TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE 2012 RUN - Brave opponent of man-on-dog fornication and ex-Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum is seriously mulling over a presidential run, according to CNN. "According to GOP sources familiar with the meeting, which took place last Tuesday in Washington, Santorum conveyed his seriousness about a possible campaign and solicited his former aides for advice...John Brabender, an adviser to Santorum, confirmed that the meeting took place. 'He told them he is actively considering [a presidential bid] by traveling to early primary states and talking with conservative leaders,' Brabender told CNN." http://bit.ly/camTBI
Barbara Boxer appears to be pulling away from Carly Fiorina in the race for Boxer's Senate seat. PPP has Boxer with a nine-point lead, 49% to 40%. http://bit.ly/9GoYNI
TENNESSEE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: ISLAM IS NOT A REAL RELIGION- And here we thought Zach Wamp's flirtations with secession were the strangest thing coming out of the Republican gubernatorial race in Tennessee. Wamp's opponent, Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey, in a campaign event several weeks ago, basically equated the world's second largest religion to Scientology, saying that Islam could be considered a "cult." Jeremy Binckes: http://huff.to/coAvQL
Two-thirds of Americans think pot will be legal in a decade. And that's from Rasmussen: http://bit.ly/9ao9VI
Colorado senate candidate Andrew Romanoff has sold his home to fund his campaign. The former Colorado speaker of the House is trailing Michael Bennet in the polls and is apparently in campaign funds as well. He remained upbeat to the Denver Post: "I'd like to create a democracy where you don't have to sell your house to win the U.S. Senate, but we're not there yet," he said. "I expect to win and repay the loan. I happen to believe Americans of modest means deserve representation, too." Salon's Alex Pareene: http://bit.ly/bpEYfI
As U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek and billionaire rival Jeff Greene engage in a brutal primary fight for Florida's Democratic Senate nomination, the real winner in the heated match-up may prove to be Republican-turned-independent Gov. Charlie Crist. http://huff.to/bS3ReM
OH MAMA! GRIZZLY NOT DOING SO WELL AFTER PALIN ENDORSEMENT - A PPP survey finds that conservative New Hampshire Senate candidate Kelly Ayotte's support among moderates dropped after the former Alaska governor endorsed her campaign. "The Palin endorsement may well be playing a role in this. 51% of voters in the state say they're less likely to back a Palin endorsed candidate to only 26% who say that support would make them more inclined to vote for someone. Among moderates that widens to 65% who say a Palin endorsement would turn them off to 14% who it would make more supportive." http://bit.ly/dfujaJ
And a HuffPost Hill addendum: We ribbed House Approps yesterday about the pork sure to be coming from the committee's soon-to-begin appropriations process. But you know what? In this damn economy, we don't care if anybody spends money on $600 toilets. Toilet makers -- and everybody else -- need jobs and the private sector simply isn't generating the demand to fill the gap between real output and potential output. Step on in, appropriators. Just go easy on the bacon.
JEREMY THE INTERN'S WEATHER REPORT - The cloud cover today has been wonderful for keeping temperatures down. But just because you see clouds Tonight, don't expect rain. Though there are clouds, there isn't enough water in the atmosphere to cause rain. Tomorrow: It should climb back over 90, as a warm front will be approaching from the west. You can expect late afternoon thunderstorms to pop up. Thanks, JB!
And a tip of the cap to our trivia contest winners: Jack Draper, Doug Kahn, and Nita Chaudhary. The trio of awesome correctly answered that the lowest pressure recorded in the Western Hemisphere belonged to 2005's Hurricane Wilma (http://bit.ly/vdpoI), a category 5 storm which produced sustained winds of 185 mph and more importantly, a pressure reading of 882 millibars (mbar). By comparison, the pressure today is about 1019 mbar. Fun fact: The lowest pressure ever recorded belonged to Typhoon Tip (http://bit.ly/423dYG) whose pressure read 870 mbar in 1979. You're a national treasure, JB!
COMFORT FOOD
- This digital slingshot splatters text messages across buildings. http://bit.ly/a2DYEl
- Moonwalking with a shopping cart in Wal-Mart. http://bit.ly/cHWwDT
- We wholeheartedly disagree with Bob Ross' inclusion on this list...he is an American hero. 19 regrettable pop culture tattoos. http://huff.to/aKZxhQ
- A woman in Georgia (the country) claims her cat gave birth to a dog. http://bit.ly/aO5wsz
- Sorry that we missed this story: apparently jailbreaking is now legal. http://bit.ly/9Wqbue
- United Airlines forgot about a 9-year-old passenger for 8 hours. http://bit.ly/bwirVG
TWITTERAMA
@friedmanjon: Now I'm starting to think Al Gore had porn in mind when he invented the internet.
@pourmecoffee: Jeb Bush says he won't run in 2012. This gives Cheney four years to complete his training and build him new lie saber.
@mattyglesias: Who will save America from the Japanese Cultural Center near Pearl Harbor? http://yfrog.com/jny49xj
@rickklein: so if you win the Super Bowl in the new Madden, your team gets to meet a digital Obama. vid at this link: http://go.ign.com/dAC9Fb
SPECIAL "NOW GET BACK TO WINNING MORNINGS, SLAVES" TWITTERAMA
@politico: http://twitpic.com/298hkm - Double ice cream day @politico!
THE TUBE
TONIGHT: Jim Marshall and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange appeared on Ratigan's show. Newly homeless Andrew Romanoff speaks to Chris Matthews. Scott Garrett, Elijah Cummings and Dennis Kucinich give a piece of their mind on Ed Schultz. Countdown guest host Lawrence O'Donnell speaks with Jeff Merkley and Lynn Woolsey. Tom Perriello discusses the DISCLOSE Act vote on Maddow. John Shadegg and Top Chef's Tom Colicchio drop by Morning Joe. Charlie Melancon and Steve King are on Daily Rundown.
ON TAP
TONIGHT
6:00 pm: The incredible Seu Jorge performs at 9:30 Club. He is joined by Almaz [9:30 Club, 815 V Street NW].
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Current favorite in the Arkansas Senate race John Boozman (R-Ark.) hosts a "Young Professionals Reception" [Venable Law Offices Rooftop, 575 7th Street NW].
6:00 pm: You have to admire some lawmakers for the brazen way they name their fundraisers. Wally Herger (R-Calif.) attends his "15th [!] Annual Insurance and Financial Services Dinner." MetLife PAC is among the hosts [Ruth's Chris Steak House, 724 9th Street NW].
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm: Facing her first serious primary challenge since who-knows-when, Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) passes the hat with increased vigor [The Home of Carolyn Maloney, 206 D Street SE].
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm: The DCCC hosts a "99 Days until Election Day" reception featuring unspecified "House Chairmen" [Jones Day, 51 Louisiana Ave, NW].
7:00 pm: John Conyers's (D-Mich.), whose reeelction is much more assured than the Nationals' postseason chances, hosts a campaign event in Nats Town [Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street SE].
TOMORROW
8:30 am: Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) isn't just a folksy name, he's also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives...and he'd like your money [The Home of Lloyd Doggett, 138 D Street SE].
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm: Frank Kratovil (D-Md.) hosts a fundraiser featuring a performance by the Eastern Shore Boys. We're not sure what their deal is (is it Frank's band?) but this pops up in YouTube when we enter their name: http://bit.ly/cLfPAA [Top of the Hill, 319 Pennsylvannia Ave SE].
6:00 pm: The Republican Majority Fund tries to realize the promise of its name [Trattoria Alberto of Capitol Hill, 506 8th Street SE].
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Forget dying quickly (pace: Alan Grayson), Mel Watt (D-N.C.) wants you to die slowly. The congressman hosts a "Bojangles Fried Chicken and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts" reception [Democratic National Headquarters, 430 South Capitol Street SE].
7:00 pm: John Barrow (D-Ga.) hosts a reeelction event at the Nationals game versus the Braves [Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street SE].
7:00 pm: Ditto John Lewis (D-Ga.) [Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street SE].
Got something to add? Send tips/quotes/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to Eliot Nelson (eliot@huffingtonpost.com), Ryan Grim (ryan@huffingtonpost.com) or Nico Pitney (nico@huffingtonpost.com). Follow us on Twitter @HuffPostHill (twitter.com/HuffPostHill). Sign up here: http://huff.to/an2k2e