An Ignoble Experiment: Progressives stare down Pelosi, delaying infrastructure vote

By Nick Visser

TOP STORIES

Friday, October 1

PROGRESSIVES STARE DOWN PELOSI House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delayed a vote on President Joe Biden's infrastructure bill after Democrats' progressive faction revolted. The left wing of the caucus said they would oppose the massive measure until they saw action on legislation that included a slate of progressive priorities, including climate change, universal pre-K and paid family leave. In other Capitol Hill drama, Congress passed a spending bill that averts a government shutdown. [HuffPost]

FBI JOINS HUNT FOR MISSING FLORIDA STUDENT Authorities are still searching for 19-year-old Miya Marcano, a student who disappeared a week ago after she was last seen at the Orlando apartment complex where she lives and works. The sheriff said the FBI has lent technology to aid the search, although the effort has been difficult after a person of interest in the case was found dead in an apparent suicide earlier this week. [HuffPost]

DEMS SURPRISED BY SECRET MANCHIN-SCHUMER PACT Top Democrats said they were taken by surprise that Sen. Joe Manchin, a main obstacle in the party's $3.5 trillion infrastructure hopes, had struck a secret "agreement" with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Manchin reportedly gave Schumer a list of his conditions in July, weeks before Democrats began drafting the latest bill. [HuffPost]

SPEAKING OF MANCHIN… $1.5 TRILLION IS HIS CAP The West Virginia senator ended weeks of uncertainty, outlining some of his demands about Democrats' reconciliation bill. He said their $3.5 trillion figure would need to be cut by more than half to appease his demand of a $1.5-trillion "top line." If Democrats want a bigger number, he told reporters, "they should elect more liberals." His colleagues are not thrilled. [HuffPost]

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WHAT'S BREWING

SUPER BOWL HALFTIME WILL BE HUGE Next year's Super Bowl will feature a slate of all-stars performing together for the very first time: Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar. Dre promises the show will be an "unforgettable cultural moment." It takes place on Feb. 13 in Inglewood, California. [AP]

ALEX JONES LOSES 2 SANDY HOOK CASES Infowars host Alex Jones, who has promoted the lie that the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre was faked, lost two lawsuits filed against him by victims' relatives after he failed to comply with orders to hand over documents. The judge excoriated Jones and ordered default judgements against him because "an escalating series of judicial admonishments, monetary penalties, and non-dispositive sanctions have all been ineffective at deterring the abuse." [HuffPost]

JAMIE SPEARS' SAYS COURT 'WRONG' Britney Spears' father, Jamie Spears, said a judge was "wrong" to suspend him as a conservator handling her $60 million estate. An attorney for the elder Spears released a statement saying he had tried to do what was "best" for his daughter. The pop star petitioned the court to remove her father from the conservatorship, which has been in place for 13 years. [HuffPost]

MCCONNELL'S BOGUS REASON AGAINST RAISING DEBT LIMIT Shocker: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell keeps wildly mischaracterizing Republican efforts to block Democrats from raising the debt ceiling, saying it's not the GOP's fault for refusing to help. Democrats aren't even asking for help, just for Republicans to get out of the way and let the party raise the debt limit themselves. McConnell says no. Congress has less than three weeks left to raise the debt limit before the government runs out of cash. [HuffPost]

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