12:30 Report — Trump sues over infamous Iowa poll; lawmakers race to funding deadline

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12:30 REPORT

It’s Tuesday. When most people think about the holidays, they think of cookies, brightly lit trees, snow and festivities. When D.C. folks think of the holidays, they think of an annual buzzer beater race to avoid a government shutdown. How festive!! Here’s the latest:

Trump sued the Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer.
There’s still no CR text.
ABC’s settlement with Trump is a huge blow to the media.

I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. 

⏱️ Shutdown Clock

Cue the 'Jeopardy!' theme song:

Government funding expires in *checks calendar* three days and there is still no public text of the bill.

First, the text of the continuing resolution (CR) was promised Sunday. ❌

Then, it was expected it to come Monday. Everyone refreshed their X feeds for news of the CR. At one point Monday afternoon, it was expected “within an hour.” ❌

Monday night, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he expected text that evening. Nope. ❌

Now, we’re three days away from a government shutdown … and there’s *still* no CR text.

What’s the latest?: Congressional leaders have reportedly agreed to a deal but are now scrambling to finalize all of the text. (CNN)

What’s in the bill?: It will fund the government through March 14 and include roughly $100 million in disaster aid, as well as $10 billion in aid for farmers. What else we know about the bill

Timing (with a big asterisk): House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said the text will be coming “in the next few hours.” And Johnson said negotiators are “almost there.”

What’s the vibe on Capitol Hill?: House Republicans are *fuming* at Johnson’s handling of the government funding extension. They argue it’s turning into a big omnibus, which is exactly what they didn’t want to happen. Read Mychael Schnell and Emily Brooks’s reporting on the chaos and anger

What about the 72-hour rule?: The House has a self-imposed 72-hour rule between releasing the text and voting on the bill. If the chamber honors that rule, that sets us up for a Friday buzzer-beater — or possibly even extending into the weekend.

However, Johnson suggested this morning the House could break that rule if they run out of time.

🗨️ Follow along for live updates

➤ MEANWHILE IN THE SENATE:

The Senate advanced the National Defense Authorization Act, setting up a final vote on the annual defense policy bill by Wednesday.

Read Al Weaver’s reporting on the developments of that bill.

📰 Trump vs. Media

Trump is suing another media outlet:

President-elect Trump sued the Des Moines Register and veteran pollster J. Ann Selzer on Monday over a preelection poll that showed Vice President Harris with a large lead in Iowa.

Remember the poll?: The Iowa poll was released a few days before the election and showed Harris leading Trump by 3 percentage points. It was a big deal because it suggested a different outcome than most polls at the time. Trump then won the state by 14 percentage points.

Why is Trump suing?: He alleges the poll was deceptive and violates consumer fraud laws. “The lawsuit asks for an unspecified amount of damages and an order preventing the pollster from ‘releasing any further deceptive polls’ and compelling them to disclose information they relied upon in publishing the November survey.” (The Hill)

From a Gannett spokesperson: “We have acknowledged that the Selzer/Des Moines Register pre-election poll did not reflect the ultimate margin of President Trump’s Election Day victory in Iowa by releasing the poll’s full demographics, crosstabs, weighted and unweighted data, as well as a technical explanation from pollster Ann Selzer …. We stand by our reporting on the matter and believe this lawsuit is without merit.”

This ABC News settlement is a big deal:

ABC News decided to settle a defamation lawsuit with President-elect Trump in a $15 million agreement.

The case: Anchor George Stephanopoulos said on air that Trump had been found liable for rape when a New York jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. The jury did not find that he was liable for rape.

Why this is a big deal: The Hill’s Dominick Mastrangelo and Brett Samuels explain how this settlement has sent a chill through U.S. media. It emboldens Trump to go after other news outlets that he thinks have treated him unfairly.

🕶️ Trump Transition

Buckle in for some wild confirmation hearings:

“Defense Department nominee Pete Hegseth’s plan to release a woman who accused him of sexual assault from a confidentiality agreement sets the stage for a media circus that Senate Republicans are calling Kavanaugh 2.0, a reference to the brutal Supreme Court confirmation fight of 2018,” writes The Hill’s Alexander Bolton.

What to expect: “Hegseth vigorously denies the allegation and says he’s going to plow through the Senate confirmation process despite warnings from GOP senators that it is likely to get ugly.”

➤ OTHER READS:

The New York Times: High on Hope, Wall St. Hears What It Wants From Trump
The Wall Street Journal: What Trump’s Cabinet Picks Tell Us About His Agenda, via Molly Ball
Op-ed in The Washington Post: Trump’s choice to lead the FDA offers a ray of hope
Op-ed in The Hill: Postelection polling suggests a new reason behind Trump’s victory

🐝 Internet Buzz

🍁 Canadians rejoice: Today is National Maple Syrup Day!

💺 Secretary ~Mayor Pete~ gave out snacks: Politico’s Adam Wren posted a video of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg giving out snacks on a delayed United Airlines flight. 📹 Watch the clip

💪 Who’s making the biggest splash?: The Hill released its annual list of changemakers in 2024, “highlighting both the household names and lesser-known players who are making an impact at the Capitol and around the world. Whether you agree or disagree with them, these two dozen pathfinders are setting the pace and shaking things up in Washington.” 📒 See who made the list

📆 On The Agenda

The House and Senate are in. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington. (all times Eastern)

Today: The Electoral College meets to formally cast their ballots.
11:35 a.m.: Harris delivered remarks to young leaders in Prince George’s County, Md. 💻 Livestream
12:30 p.m.: Senators meet for weekly caucus meetings. 📆 Today’s agenda
1:15 p.m.: State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller briefs reporters. 💻 Livestream
1:30 p.m.: First House votes. Last votes are expected at 4:30 p.m. 📆 Today’s agenda
2 p.m.: Biden receives his daily briefing.
3 p.m.: Congressional leaders light the Menorah at the U.S. Capitol. 💻 Livestream
9:10 p.m.: Biden and first lady Jill Biden leave for Wilmington, Del.

👋 And Finally…

To keep the holiday cheer going, check out this festive Christmas tree. 😉

Stay Engaged

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View past issues of 12:30 Report here and check out other newsletters from The Hill here. See you next time!

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