Five Washington Hands Who Have a Knack for Smoothing out the Process
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||| COVER STORY GET ‘ER DONE FIVE WASHINGTON HANDS WHO HAVE A KNACK FOR SMOOTHING OUT THE PROCESS 14 JULY 10, 2017 | CQ ||| COVER STORY By SHAWN ZELLER he Washington fixer gets things done member of conservative House Freedom Caucus — in a system designed to stop him. The has worked to bridge the divide between the group founders meant it that way, to calm and Republican moderates. passions and to ensure that ideas ar- With America’s Russia policy in flux — the result en’t turned into policy before they’ve of President Donald Trump’s effort to reset relations, stood the test of time. as well as the investigation into Russian interference TTo overcome those built-in obstacles, time and in the 2016 election — Sen. Lindsey Graham is deter- again, and in the public eye, can leave a mark on the mined to restore the United States to its traditional history books. role as leader of the free world. He may well do it. Other fixers toil for smaller victories. They are Lisa Curtis, who is Trump National Security Ad- lawmakers, but also bureaucrats, lobbyists and viser H.R. McMaster’s choice to oversee U.S. policy staffers. in South Asia, is well positioned to carry out Trump’s They must be smart but also charismatic, occa- pledge to ramp up the fight against foreign terrorists sionally ruthless, and most of all persuasive. They and bring pressure to bear on allies that could do work in public, amid the 24-7 news cycle, but also in more to help. back rooms behind closed doors. Lobbyist Ron Bonjean burnished his credentials The deal-cutters on Capitol Hill have claimed most recently as then-Supreme Court nominee Neil some victories in recent years, reaching agreement Gorsuch’s spokesman. He came out of the Gorsuch on the government’s role in elementary and second- fight unscathed and with fresh ties to the White ary education, on how Medicare pays doctors and on House counsel’s office. With an administration that the powers of the National Security Agency to surveil continues to have trouble communicating its mes- Americans’ communications. Each of those achieve- sage, Bonjean is sure to resurface. ments took some serious fixing. And if there is any hope for bipartisanship, If Republicans overhaul the 2010 health care law Nancy Jacobson, a Democratic consultant who and the tax code this year, it will take fixing at anoth- worked for Bill and Hillary Clinton and is the found- er level of magnitude. er of the group No Labels, could root it out. Such world-changing victories have never come Her effort to pressure lawmakers to compromise easy and they are all the harder to achieve now, given has caught Trump’s attention. And lawmakers will the ideological divide on Capitol Hill. surely take notice if she follows through on a pledge In this special issue of CQ Magazine, our editors to raise $50 million for independent and reporters identify five who merit the fixer title. expenditures during the 2018 election campaign. Our list includes a lobbyist, a bureaucrat, two law- She may get there. Jacobson has already locked makers and an activist. in the support of four billionaires and honed her One who is crucial in the health care debate is message: Virginia GOP Rep. Morgan Griffith, who — as a “Stop fighting. Start fixing.” CQ | JULY 10, 2017 15 ||| COVER STORY Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call Roll Bill Clark/CQ REP. MORGAN GRIFFITH By LINDSEY House Freedom Caucus as long as it doesn’t violate his leader who’s been able to be a McPHERSON members are still trying to strongly held principles — to voice of compromise between shake off their obstructionist get to yes,” House Energy and many different folks in the reputation and prove to their Commerce Chairman Greg Republican Party,” says Davis, colleagues that they can get Walden says. a member of the moderate to “yes.” But one member of Griffith, a member of Tuesday Group. “When Mor- the conservative caucus has Walden’s panel, is “arguably gan Griffith says something, largely escaped fellow Repub- one of the most thoughtful he means it.” licans’ ire and built himself legislators I’ve ever served Griffith, like his Freedom some good will. with,” the Oregon Republican Caucus colleagues, often Colleagues say Virginia says. “He does his homework. bucks leadership, but they Republican Morgan Griffith He does his due diligence on typically understand why he has shown willingness to every bill.” is not voting with them. Other compromise and work toward Griffith raised his profile in times Griffith is one of the few solutions on legislative and January when House Repub- Freedom Caucus members procedural problems that licans adopted a rule change to support leadership, while the divided House Republi- that would allow lawmakers maintaining the ear of his can Conference faces. They to use the appropriations more hesitant conservative also describe the four-term process to reduce the size and colleagues. lawmaker as a principled per- cost of the federal workforce. For example, Griffith is fectionist, whose attention to Illinois Rep. Rodney Davis among a minority in the Free- detail has been an asset, not a says Griffith is a straight dom Caucus that supports hindrance. shooter who’s been able to leadership’s border adjust- “He’s rock-solid conserva- earn his colleagues’ trust. ment tax, or BAT, a proposal tive, but he’ll work with you — “Morgan is the type of to start taxing U.S. imports 16 JULY 10, 2017 | CQ ||| COVER STORY and stop taxing exports as a age American companies to that were needed for final involved in that effort. way to encourage employers bring home jobs or to expand passage, he says. “The bottom Davis, who served with to keep jobs in the country here the next time they’re line was it’s about getting Griffith on that task force, while raising revenue needed looking at expansion instead something done.” says the Virginia lawmaker to offset tax-rate cuts. of looking overseas.” Walden declined to discuss was helpful in achieving the “I want something that’s The problem-solving details of that private meet- group’s goal of instituting con- really going to stimulate the approach Griffith is taking ing, but confirmed he brought ference rules that would gear American economy,” Griffith on a tax overhaul is similar to Griffith into the fold because more of the decision-making says, expressing his belief that one he took during the House of his respect within the power toward the mem- the BAT would encourage GOP’s health care debate. Freedom Caucus and his will- bership, not leadership. He companies that have moved Griffith, an early “yes” ingness to engage in problem describes Griffith as a “quiet, operations offshore for tax for the bill, was one of just solving. unassuming guy but very reasons to bring those jobs five Energy and Commerce “Every step of the way, he much engaged in the minutia back to the United States. members involved in a crucial was one who was trying to of governing.” Griffith has made the meeting three days before the case for the BAT in Freedom eventual health care vote on Caucus meetings, but said the May 4, in which they brain- majority of the group remains stormed how to sway remain- opposed to the proposal ing holdouts. Specifically, despite some division among they were looking to address members. Opposition to the concerns that insurance pre- BAT is fairly widespread out- miums would rise dramatical- side the Freedom Caucus as ly for people with pre-existing well, especially among Senate conditions and without con- Republicans. tinuous coverage in states that While Griffith acknowl- opted to waive out of certain edges the politics make the insurance regulations. proposal unlikely to survive, In that session, Griffith Call Roll Williams/CQ Tom he knows there has to be proposed having the federal another provision to replace it government buy down the come up with solutions as we While they represent very that would add jobs to the U.S. cost of insurance for those would encounter these differ- different districts, Davis says economy and prevent compa- individuals with pre-existing ent issues,” he says. “Some Griffith is always willing to nies from continuing to move conditions so they would not work, some don’t. But he’s not listen to him explain his con- jobs offshore. His southwest have to pay more than 130 one on the sidelines.” stituents’ needs and perspec- Virginia district has seen jobs percent of what insurance The health care debate was tives. disappear, particularly in the companies could charge if the not the first time GOP leaders “In the end, we agree much textile industry. state had not opted out of the looked to Griffith for help. more than we disagree,” Da- “I think the border adjust- regulations. When Speaker Paul D. Ryan vis says. “It’s about finding the ment tax has a difficult time While Griffith’s idea re- created an organizational task right balance and that’s what passing, so I’m looking for mained on the table for rough- force to examine potential Morgan is so good at.” other things,” he says, declin- ly 24 hours, it was ultimately changes to GOP conference That also happens to be ing to detail ideas still under another idea floated during rules and the structure of the Griffith’s favorite part of his discussion. that meeting with Walden and Republican Steering Commit- job. Or at least that’s what “I’m involved in just trying senior Energy and Commerce tee that is in charge of com- he told students he visited at to look at the alternatives members Fred Upton of mittee assignments — one Glade Spring Middle School and encourage people to Michigan and Texas’ Michael of his promises upon being in his district on May 10, the look for alternatives,” he C.