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IT AINT EASY BEING GREENE -- House Republicans were relieved when Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) was finally ousted in a primary. But this fall, they could get an even more controversial lawmaker in their ranks. Marjorie Taylor Greene a known QAnon conspiracy theorist who is the GOP frontrunner for a deep red House seat in Georgia has recorded hours of Facebook videos expressing racist, Islamophobia and anti-Semitic views, scooped Ally Mutnick and your Huddle host.

A small sample of her remarks: Greene suggested Muslims shouldnt be allowed to serve in office and called the 2018 midterms which elected the first two Muslim women to Congress an Islamic invasion of our government; she said that if she were black, she'd feel proud to see a Confederate statue "because Id say, Look how far I have come in this country; she called Jewish Democratic mega donor George Soros a "piece of crap that turned in his own people over to the Nazis; she said black people are held slaves to the Democratic Party; and she called white men the most mistreated group of people in the United States today.

The reaction: The top three House GOP leaders, as well as the head of the partys campaign arm, all denounced Greenes rhetoric. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and a slew of other Georgia Republicans came out in support of her GOP opponent in the runoff, with more GOP lawmakers expected to follow suit. But members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who previously endorsed her, including Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), have not yet pulled their support for Greene, although they said they disagreed with her comments.

Greenes response: When asked for comment, Greenes team didnt deny the veracity of her statements in fact, they thanked us for reminding them of the one about Soros, so they could use it in a campaign ad. But hours after our story published, she put out a lengthy, fiery statement railing against the Fake News Media and the D.C. Swamp. Greene also took a swipe at Scalise and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.): "Every Republican, every Christian Conservative is going to be called a racist and a bigot by the Fake News Media, as have Steve Scalise and Liz Cheney, she said. Im sorry my future colleagues are unable to stand up to the pressure and fight back."

The big picture: Greenes first-place finish in the primary last week had already sparked panic in GOP circles, but these videos are only creating a greater sense of urgency among Republicans to rally around Greenes primary opponent. And all this comes as the party is grappling with a national reckoning over racial inequality and police brutality in the wake of George Floyds killing. The full dispatch, including a video compilation of her most offensive remarks: https://politi.co/2YcovPQ.

Related read: Democrats Splinter Over Stopping Ruben Diaz Sr. in House Primary, via WSJs Kristina Peterson: https://on.wsj.com/2zIZjXV.

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DEMS DILEMMA -- Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) unveiled his proposal to curb police brutality, which has the backing of the White House and will be considered on the Senate floor next week. (House Republicans, meanwhile, are dropping their companion measure today.) But in order to begin floor debate, there needs to be some bipartisan support for the initial procedural vote and Democrats are wrestling with whether to cooperate.

On the one hand, they are wary of blocking the bill and handing the GOP an easy talking point. But on the other hand, Democrats dont want to help advance a bill that they think needs major changes and want to push for amendment votes. A lot of this is determined by whether McConnell wants to ram this through or whether he wants to have an actual debate, said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). If this isnt a fair process, I dont know that Mitch McConnells going to be able to convince people that it is. Burgess with the dispatch: https://politi.co/30UJOqQ.

Speaking of Scott Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) apologized after he called Scotts policing bill a token approach. Scott, who is the Senates sole black Republican, has already swatted down accusations online that he is the GOPs token black politician. The minute Sen. Durbin heard that he had offended Sen. Scott, he sought him out on the floor and apologized, said Emily Hampsten, Durbins communications director. What Sen. Durbin took issue with in his floor speech was not Sen. Scotts bill, but that the Senate Majority Leader would short circuit this critical debate. Marianne with more: https://politi.co/2BhiyrR.

And in the House, the Democrats sweeping police reform bill is speeding along. After 12 hours of tense and emotional debate and after rejecting a batch of GOP amendments the Judiciary Committee approved the measure along party lines. During the meeting, lawmakers confronted questions about institutional racism and police brutality against black Americans. But at times, the culture wars seeped into the debate, with lawmakers sparring over everything from abortion to big tech. Bres and Sarah with the story: https://politi.co/2BekOjD.

Related read: Here Are the Differences Between the Senate and House Bills to Overhaul Policing, by NYTs Emily Cochrane and Luke Broadwater: https://nyti.ms/2AMyT84.

GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Thursday, June 18. Democrats might not be cheering the GOPs police reform effort, but hey, at least Ice Cube is.

WEDNESDAYS MOST CLICKED: WaPos report on a Senate Democratic candidate being urged to drop out after he sent sexually graphic texts to a staffer drew the most clicks.

FILE - In this May 1, 2019 file photo, National security adviser John Bolton talks to reporters outside the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) | Evan Vucci/AP Photo

BOLTON BOMBSHELL -- Explosive excerpts from former national security adviser John Boltons book which is currently being blocked from publication have leaked out in the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal. Among Boltons claims: Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to buy ag products in order to help him win reelection; Trump supported the Chinese leader building concentration camps for religious minorities in Xinjiang and thought it was exactly the right thing to do; and Trump told Xi the Americans wanted to change the Constitution to let him serve more than two terms.

The reaction: Members in both parties were not pleased with Bolton, to say the least. Democrats questioned why Bolton wouldnt come testify on Capitol Hill when they were conducting an impeachment inquiry and instead chose to make these claims in a book, which he stands to profit from. Bolton may be an author, but hes no patriot, tweeted Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). And Republicans, meanwhile, dismissed Bolton as not credible and said he just has an ax to grind.

Of course, Democrats could still try to haul in Bolton. And House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) put out a statement yesterday saying he would consult with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other committee chairs on next steps. But Democrats have so far declined to subpoena Bolton after the impeachment trial wrapped up, with many front-line lawmakers reluctant to wade back into the issue ahead of November.

BOWMENTUM -- Jamaal Bowman, the liberal primary challenger to veteran Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), picked up another key endorsement yesterday: Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), a progressive member of the so-called squad who also toppled an incumbent Democrat on her way to Congress. On top of that, new polling from Data for Progress shows Bowman has a 10 point lead and even Engels own internals arent great, with his camp admitting that they only have Engel up by 8 points.

But in a bit of positive news for Engel, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) finally got off the sidelines and endorsed him in the race. I have a longtime, close friendship with Eliot Engel and have worked with him on many issues. From taking on Donald Trump, to standing up for womens right to choose to expanding affordable health care, to fighting for civil and human rights, Eliot Engel has been a strong and effective fighter for the people of his district and all Americans and I am proud to endorse him, Schumer said in a statement to Jewish Insider. More from Jacob Kornbluh: https://bit.ly/2zIvB5j.

Related: Endorsements roll in for Charles Booker in Kentucky, from James Arkin: https://politi.co/2zHbO68.

THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND -- The Senate passed a major conservation bill yesterday that will pump billions of dollars into the nations public lands. The NYTs Carl Hulse has the back story: The bill has widespread support in the House and is expected to move quickly to final passage. But its success was about more than just a shared affection for wide open spaces. Passage of the bill was a political triumph for two Senate Republicans in tough races Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado and Senator Steve Daines of Montana who were the designated Republican point men on the bill. Both have made it a central element of their arguments for re-election.

The legislation had its Republican detractors, which would usually be sufficient grounds for Senator Mitch McConnell Kentucky and the majority leader, who prefers to keep intraparty divisions out of public view, to avoid bringing it up on the floor. But in this case, Mr. McConnell allowed the legislation to proceed and used a procedural tactic to block amendments, drawing the ire of some of his Republican colleagues who complained they were being shut out of the process. More: https://nyti.ms/2YKpqpH.

Related: Trump's push for major infrastructure bill faces GOP opposition, by The Hills Alexander Bolton: https://bit.ly/3hDv85q.

COLLINS SAYS NO TO TRUMP NOM -- Sen. Susan Collins is opposing Trumps nominee for the D.C. Circuit Court the second most powerful court in the country. Marianne with the latest: In a statement, the Maine Republican cited comments Justin Walker made at his investiture as a district judge, in which he addressed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaughs critics. In his remarks, Walker vowed to 'not surrender while you wage war on our work.' Walker clerked for Kavanaugh when the justice was on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C Circuit. ...

Walker cleared a key procedural vote Wednesday to become a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C Circuit. Collins was the only Republican to join Democrats in opposing Walker. The 38-year-old Walker is currently a district judge for the Western District of Kentucky. The Senate confirmed him for that role in October. Walker is widely viewed as a protege of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and also previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. More: https://politi.co/3fxRTpF.

Related: Two GOP Senators Oppose Beck Nomination to Lead Consumer Agency, via Bloomberg Laws Pat Rizzuto: https://bit.ly/2UVhkcO.

COVID OVERSIGHT -- House Democrats claim that the Small Business Administration is stonewalling a watchdog agency that is responsible for overseeing the Trump administrations implementation of coronavirus relief funds. Kyle and Zachary Warmbrodt explain: In a letter to SBA administrator Jovita Carranza, five Democratic committee and subcommittee chairs said the Government Accountability Office Congress' independent oversight arm has been rebuffed in its attempts to interview top SBA officials and access key documents about the implementation of the small business program, known as the Paycheck Protection Program.

Lawmakers are asking SBA to immediately comply with the GAO requests for information and interviews, calling it a violation of the law. SBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The GAO was tasked in the $2 trillion CARES Act with broad oversight over the programs established by the coronavirus relief law, one of several layers of oversight touted by Democrats to hold the administration in check as it implemented the sweeping new programs. More: https://politi.co/2YNyHNW.

Sruthi Prabhu has joined Rep. Trey Hollingsworths (R-Ind.) office as a legislative assistant handling the Financial Services Committee portfolio. Prabhu comes from the office of Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.).

The House is out.

The Senate meets at 10 a.m.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) holds her weekly press conference at 10:45 a.m. in HVC Studio A.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) hold a press call at noon.

Pelosi and House Democrats hold a press conference to unveil Moving America Forward Act at 1 p.m. in H-207.

WEDNESDAYS WINNER: Max Baker was the first person to guess that Sen. Orrin Hatch was, like Joe Biden, born in Pennsylvania but represented Delaware and served as chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

TODAYS QUESTION: From Max: In the U.S. Senate, there have been several instances of senators switching parties, most recently Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. Who is the only sitting member of the Senate to have switched party affiliations? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess to [emailprotected].

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The GOP congressional candidate that has Republicans spooked - Politico