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| ‘I Just Don’t Get It’: Republicans Balk at Funding F.B.I. Building in Virus Bill | ‘I Just Don’t Get It’: Republicans Balk at Funding F.B.I. Building in Virus Bill |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate majority leader, looked startled on Monday when first asked why Republicans had agreed to a White House demand that $1.75 billion for a new F.B.I. building be tucked into their emergency coronavirus relief bill. | WASHINGTON — Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate majority leader, looked startled on Monday when first asked why Republicans had agreed to a White House demand that $1.75 billion for a new F.B.I. building be tucked into their emergency coronavirus relief bill. |
| Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, framed the item as a Trump administration priority, not a Republican one. Other Republicans were more blunt. | Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, framed the item as a Trump administration priority, not a Republican one. Other Republicans were more blunt. |
| “I don’t know — that makes no sense to me” said Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally of President Trump’s. “I’d be fine, OK, with stripping it out.” | “I don’t know — that makes no sense to me” said Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally of President Trump’s. “I’d be fine, OK, with stripping it out.” |
| By Tuesday afternoon, another chapter in Mr. Trump’s long, strange and, to his critics, ethically questionable odyssey to personally shape the future of the J. Edgar Hoover Building seemed headed to a close as Republicans distanced themselves from key elements of their own coronavirus relief bill. | By Tuesday afternoon, another chapter in Mr. Trump’s long, strange and, to his critics, ethically questionable odyssey to personally shape the future of the J. Edgar Hoover Building seemed headed to a close as Republicans distanced themselves from key elements of their own coronavirus relief bill. |
| Senate leaders went so far as to say they hoped the administration’s bid to fund the construction of a new F.B.I. building would ultimately be discarded from a final agreement, with Mr. McConnell backing away from the idea, calling that provision, along with some others proposed by Democrats, “non-germane.” | Senate leaders went so far as to say they hoped the administration’s bid to fund the construction of a new F.B.I. building would ultimately be discarded from a final agreement, with Mr. McConnell backing away from the idea, calling that provision, along with some others proposed by Democrats, “non-germane.” |
| It was the latest evidence of the disarray around attempts by Republicans to come to a common position as they enter talks with Democrats on another round of federal aid to deal with the economic devastation of the pandemic. | It was the latest evidence of the disarray around attempts by Republicans to come to a common position as they enter talks with Democrats on another round of federal aid to deal with the economic devastation of the pandemic. |
| And it highlighted how the White House and Republicans have injected unrelated priorities dear to Mr. Trump into a negotiation that was already going to be complicated and intense. Republicans are also pressing to use the package to provide more than $1 billion for the Pentagon to restore projects that Mr. Trump defunded to help pay for his wall along the southern border. | And it highlighted how the White House and Republicans have injected unrelated priorities dear to Mr. Trump into a negotiation that was already going to be complicated and intense. Republicans are also pressing to use the package to provide more than $1 billion for the Pentagon to restore projects that Mr. Trump defunded to help pay for his wall along the southern border. |
| Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin continued negotiations with Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday, seeking agreement on a package that can pass both the Republican-controlled Senate and the Democratic-controlled House and win Mr. Trump’s signature. One key component of the earlier relief package, expanded unemployment benefits, is scheduled to expire at the end of the week, adding to the urgency of the talks. | Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin continued negotiations with Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday, seeking agreement on a package that can pass both the Republican-controlled Senate and the Democratic-controlled House and win Mr. Trump’s signature. One key component of the earlier relief package, expanded unemployment benefits, is scheduled to expire at the end of the week, adding to the urgency of the talks. |
| With so much at stake, Mr. Trump’s own party seemed to draw a line at the proposal for the F.B.I. building. Mr. Shelby questioned whether it was an urgent priority at a time when Americans are struggling to weather a deadly pandemic and a recession. | With so much at stake, Mr. Trump’s own party seemed to draw a line at the proposal for the F.B.I. building. Mr. Shelby questioned whether it was an urgent priority at a time when Americans are struggling to weather a deadly pandemic and a recession. |
| “It’s needed,” Mr. Shelby said. “The question is, is it needed now?” | “It’s needed,” Mr. Shelby said. “The question is, is it needed now?” |
| In recent days, Mr. Meadows had pushed the plan to replace the building, which is crumbling, out of date — and long the subject an unusual fixation for Mr. Trump, a former real estate developer. | In recent days, Mr. Meadows had pushed the plan to replace the building, which is crumbling, out of date — and long the subject an unusual fixation for Mr. Trump, a former real estate developer. |
| As far back as 2013, two years before launching his candidacy, Mr. Trump expressed his interest in the property, located on Pennsylvania Avenue a block from the location of what would become the Trump International Hotel. At that time, the F.B.I. building was the subject of a long-debated plan that would allow the demolition of the existing structure and clear the way for commercial development of that location, allowing the chosen developer to construct an F.B.I. facility in the Washington suburbs. | As far back as 2013, two years before launching his candidacy, Mr. Trump expressed his interest in the property, located on Pennsylvania Avenue a block from the location of what would become the Trump International Hotel. At that time, the F.B.I. building was the subject of a long-debated plan that would allow the demolition of the existing structure and clear the way for commercial development of that location, allowing the chosen developer to construct an F.B.I. facility in the Washington suburbs. |
| An executive at his company later expressed concern that the redevelopment project could create competition for Mr. Trump’s hotel. After Mr. Trump took office, his administration blocked a plan to move the building to a suburban campus, then unveiled another that would keep the building where it is, raising questions about whether he was seeking to protect his hotel from the possibility of a rival being built on the site. | An executive at his company later expressed concern that the redevelopment project could create competition for Mr. Trump’s hotel. After Mr. Trump took office, his administration blocked a plan to move the building to a suburban campus, then unveiled another that would keep the building where it is, raising questions about whether he was seeking to protect his hotel from the possibility of a rival being built on the site. |
| His actions triggered an ongoing inquiry by the Justice Department’s inspector general and brought scrutiny by Democrats on Capitol Hill. | His actions triggered an ongoing inquiry by the Justice Department’s inspector general and brought scrutiny by Democrats on Capitol Hill. |
| When asked last week why the provision was holding up negotiations among Republicans, Mr. Trump told reporters that he wanted to keep the building close to the Justice Department across the street. | When asked last week why the provision was holding up negotiations among Republicans, Mr. Trump told reporters that he wanted to keep the building close to the Justice Department across the street. |
| “You can renovate the existing building, but it’s not a good building,” Mr. Trump said. “Or you could take it down and build a great building for the F.B.I. for 100 years and have it be incredible.” | “You can renovate the existing building, but it’s not a good building,” Mr. Trump said. “Or you could take it down and build a great building for the F.B.I. for 100 years and have it be incredible.” |
| A senior administration official familiar with the White House’s negotiation strategy said on Tuesday that Mr. Meadows and Mr. Mnuchin were treating the building provision as a potential bargaining chip to use later in negotiations with Democrats. Senate Republicans want to hold the package to around $1 trillion, while the Democrats are pushing a $3 trillion bill that would extend the $600 weekly enhanced jobless payments through the end of the year, send $1 trillion to struggling state and local governments, and provide $3.6 billion for election assistance. | A senior administration official familiar with the White House’s negotiation strategy said on Tuesday that Mr. Meadows and Mr. Mnuchin were treating the building provision as a potential bargaining chip to use later in negotiations with Democrats. Senate Republicans want to hold the package to around $1 trillion, while the Democrats are pushing a $3 trillion bill that would extend the $600 weekly enhanced jobless payments through the end of the year, send $1 trillion to struggling state and local governments, and provide $3.6 billion for election assistance. |
| It is unclear how much leverage such a universally unpopular proposal would have provided Republicans, who are seeking to counter the Democratic plan by slashing the extra unemployment payments and have omitted funding for state and local governments as well as money to help states carry out the general election amid the pandemic. Both proposals would send another round of $1,200 direct payments to many Americans. | It is unclear how much leverage such a universally unpopular proposal would have provided Republicans, who are seeking to counter the Democratic plan by slashing the extra unemployment payments and have omitted funding for state and local governments as well as money to help states carry out the general election amid the pandemic. Both proposals would send another round of $1,200 direct payments to many Americans. |
| An official familiar with the negotiations said that Republican senators, mindful that it had already taken days to reach consensus among themselves on an opening bid, ultimately stopped resisting the administration’s insistence on including the F.B.I. provision in order to move on to what are expected to be much more fraught negotiations with Democrats, who have been publicly united behind their proposal since May. | An official familiar with the negotiations said that Republican senators, mindful that it had already taken days to reach consensus among themselves on an opening bid, ultimately stopped resisting the administration’s insistence on including the F.B.I. provision in order to move on to what are expected to be much more fraught negotiations with Democrats, who have been publicly united behind their proposal since May. |
| A chorus of Republican lawmakers said they were bemused by the demand for the F.B.I. building, particularly given the amount of energy that they had spent hammering Democrats for including items they deemed unrelated to the coronavirus in their opening offer. | A chorus of Republican lawmakers said they were bemused by the demand for the F.B.I. building, particularly given the amount of energy that they had spent hammering Democrats for including items they deemed unrelated to the coronavirus in their opening offer. |
| “I just don’t get it — how is it tied to coronavirus?” said Senator Rick Scott, Republican of Florida. “I never understood why you’re giving money to the Kennedy Center or National Endowment for the Arts. During a pandemic, let’s focus on solving the problem.” | “I just don’t get it — how is it tied to coronavirus?” said Senator Rick Scott, Republican of Florida. “I never understood why you’re giving money to the Kennedy Center or National Endowment for the Arts. During a pandemic, let’s focus on solving the problem.” |
| Senator Mike Braun, Republican of Indiana, was also left bewildered. | Senator Mike Braun, Republican of Indiana, was also left bewildered. |
| “Even if the White House wanted it, I’d be against it because that’s certainly not necessary,” Mr. Braun told reporters. | “Even if the White House wanted it, I’d be against it because that’s certainly not necessary,” Mr. Braun told reporters. |
| Updated July 27, 2020 | |
| For some Republicans, it was just another aspect of a proposal they regarded as deeply flawed. | For some Republicans, it was just another aspect of a proposal they regarded as deeply flawed. |
| “I’m not inclined to support it now — it’s a mess,” said Senator Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, said of his party’s plan. “I can’t figure out what this bill is about. I don’t know what we’re trying to accomplish with it.” | “I’m not inclined to support it now — it’s a mess,” said Senator Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, said of his party’s plan. “I can’t figure out what this bill is about. I don’t know what we’re trying to accomplish with it.” |
| Mr. Mnuchin’s negotiation skills have drawn skepticism from some Republicans, who have fretted privately that he has been too open to making concessions to Democrats in earlier rounds of pandemic aid talks. Asked on Tuesday if the money should remain in the legislation, Mr. Mnuchin told reporters, “We’ll look at everything in the bill.” | Mr. Mnuchin’s negotiation skills have drawn skepticism from some Republicans, who have fretted privately that he has been too open to making concessions to Democrats in earlier rounds of pandemic aid talks. Asked on Tuesday if the money should remain in the legislation, Mr. Mnuchin told reporters, “We’ll look at everything in the bill.” |
| Mr. Meadows, the former congressman from North Carolina and co-founder of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus, is known for just the opposite: He spent his years in the House opposing large spending deals of the kind now under discussion, and urging ideological confrontation. In late 2018, he encouraged Mr. Trump to refuse to sign any government spending bill that didn’t fund the border wall, stoking a stalemate that led to the most prolonged government shutdown in American history. | Mr. Meadows, the former congressman from North Carolina and co-founder of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus, is known for just the opposite: He spent his years in the House opposing large spending deals of the kind now under discussion, and urging ideological confrontation. In late 2018, he encouraged Mr. Trump to refuse to sign any government spending bill that didn’t fund the border wall, stoking a stalemate that led to the most prolonged government shutdown in American history. |
| “There are a number of things in the last bill that had nothing to do with the coronavirus,” Mr. Meadows told reporters on Tuesday. “I think everybody acknowledges that it’s a funding mechanism. And I don’t see it standing in the way of us getting a deal.” | “There are a number of things in the last bill that had nothing to do with the coronavirus,” Mr. Meadows told reporters on Tuesday. “I think everybody acknowledges that it’s a funding mechanism. And I don’t see it standing in the way of us getting a deal.” |
| After meeting with Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, Mr. Meadows and Mr. Mnuchin for a second consecutive day on Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Pelosi said they were “airing our differences. There’s discovery of where there might be opportunity or not.” | After meeting with Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, Mr. Meadows and Mr. Mnuchin for a second consecutive day on Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Pelosi said they were “airing our differences. There’s discovery of where there might be opportunity or not.” |
| The White House has again declined to say exactly why the F.B.I. building is a priority in the middle of coronavirus relief negotiations. | The White House has again declined to say exactly why the F.B.I. building is a priority in the middle of coronavirus relief negotiations. |
| “As President Trump has said, the F.B.I. desperately needs a new building and this measure provides critical funding for this project that would keep the building responsibly near the Department of Justice,” Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, said in a statement. | “As President Trump has said, the F.B.I. desperately needs a new building and this measure provides critical funding for this project that would keep the building responsibly near the Department of Justice,” Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, said in a statement. |
| But Democrats have long charged that Mr. Trump intervened to make sure the site was not redeveloped with a project that would compete with his company’s luxury hotel across the street. | But Democrats have long charged that Mr. Trump intervened to make sure the site was not redeveloped with a project that would compete with his company’s luxury hotel across the street. |
| “It’s outrageous,” said Senator Ben Cardin, Democrat of Maryland. “This has not been a partisan issue. This is a personal issue for the president.” | “It’s outrageous,” said Senator Ben Cardin, Democrat of Maryland. “This has not been a partisan issue. This is a personal issue for the president.” |
| Among the very few people in Washington with nothing public to say on the matter on Tuesday were officials from the General Services Administration, which handles real estate for the federal government. And the F.B.I. shared a statement attributed to an unnamed official, who said, “the need for a new F.B.I. headquarters facility has not abated.” | Among the very few people in Washington with nothing public to say on the matter on Tuesday were officials from the General Services Administration, which handles real estate for the federal government. And the F.B.I. shared a statement attributed to an unnamed official, who said, “the need for a new F.B.I. headquarters facility has not abated.” |