Pool Reports of July 12, 2021

Pool report #1

Hey all,

Welcome to Monday. POTUS has a meeting this afternoon, which is currently the main event of the day, along with the briefing. Call time isn't for a few hours but the WH sends along this bit of background on the meeting and attendees:

In attendance for the President's meeting with the Attorney General and local leaders to discuss his Administration's comprehensive strategy to reduce gun crimes:

Local Elected Leaders:

• Mayor Muriel Bowser, Washington, D.C.
• Mayor Sam Liccardo, San Jose, CA
• Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams

Police Chiefs

• C.J. Davis, Chief, Memphis Police Department
• David Brown, Superintendent, Chicago Police Department
• Robert Tracy, Chief, Wilmington Police Department
• Anthony Lima, Lieutenant, Newark Police Division

Community-Based Violence Intervention Expert

• Aqeela Sherrills, Co-Founder, Community-Based Public Safety Collective

Pool report #2 / briefing now 12:30pm

The briefing has been pushed back by 15 minutes, now slated for 12:30pm.

And to keep all abreast of afternoon, the gather time for the pool spray with POTUS, the attorney general, and other law enforcement officials, will take place directly after the briefing. And the meeting attendees – the list of which was sent in the prior pool report – are expected to speak at the stakeout location after that meeting concludes.

Pool report #3 / Briefing now 12:45pm

WH now says the press briefing will take place at 12:45 PM.

Pool report #4 / 2 minute warning

After two delays of the briefing, we now have a two-minute warning.

Pool report #5

Pool gathering to head into Roosevelt Room, for the pool spray

Pool report #6 / comments on Cuba

Pool was in the room for about six minutes. At the start of the meeting, POTUS addressed ongoing situations in Cuba and Haiti.

"The Cuban people are demanding their freedom from an authoritarian regime. I don't think we've seen anything like these protests in a long long time if, quite frankly ever," he said. "The US stands firmly with the people of Cuba as they assert their universal rights. And we call on the government of Cuba to refrain from violence in their attempt to silence the voices of the people of Cuba."

He also said he was following the Haiti crisis. "The people of Haiti deserve peace and security and Haiti's political leaders need to come together for the good of their country," he said. He added that he sent a high level delegation over the weekend to determine whether the US has a role in support, but he didn't offer any conclusion to that. "The United States stands ready to continue to provide assistance, and I'll have more for you as we move on."

He then remarked on the day's meeting (MORE TK on that). As pool was escorted out, he declined to respond to questions about changes in policy toward Cuba, or sending military assistance to Haiti. "We are going to have more to say on Cuba and Haiti," he said. "Stay tuned."

In addition, the WH passes along:

Attendees from the Administration at the President's meeting with the Attorney General and local leaders to discuss his Administration's comprehensive strategy to reduce gun crimes:

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco
Dana Remus, Assistant to the President & White House Counsel
Susan Rice, Assistant to the President & Domestic Policy Advisor
Cedric Richmond, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor & Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Julie Rodriguez, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Stef Feldman, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the Domestic Policy Advisor
Chiraag Bains, Special Assistant to the President for Criminal Justice & Guns Policy
Gabe Amo, Deputy Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Stuart Delery, Deputy Counsel to the President
Matt Klapper, Chief of Staff to the Attorney General, Department of Justice

Pool report #7 / POTUS comments on guns and crime

The meeting was in the Roosevelt Room, with POTUS at the center of the long table, with the attendees – sent in a prior pool report – seated at the table around him. After his opening remarks on Cuba and Haiti, he turned toward the meeting's topic of combating crime and gun violence, welcoming the various local officials in the room ("We owe them big time," he said)

He talked about his plan, and at one point looked at Merrick Garland across from him. "I look at the attorney general. We've been at this a long time. A long time. Most of my career has been on this issue."

He said that the purpose of the meeting was to hear from local officials about what things have worked in their communities. But largely he went through his own approach, highlighting: stemming the flow of firearms; cracking down and holding gun dealers accountable for violating current law; using the DOJ to crack down on illegal gun trafficking.

He said that it was important to support local law enforcement, and highlighted funding through the rescue plan. He talked about hiring police and paying them overtime, and investing in community policing. "We know when we utilize trusted community members and encourage more community policing, we can intervene before the violence erupts," he said.

He also talked about the importance of mental health programs and job training for young people ("support young people to pick up a paycheck instead of a pistol," he said), along with assisting those who have been incarcerated to reenter communities, with housing and job support ("If somebody gets out of jail right now after serving time, they get a bus ticket and 25 bucks, they end up under the same bridge they left. We know this will help," he said).

"There's a lot more to my strategy, but that's at the core," he said in conclusion. "We recognize we have to come together…and keep people safe."

At the end, POTUS brushed aside several shouted questions on Haiti and Cuba, and the pool was ushered out of the room about six minutes after entering.

As a reminder, the participants in the meeting are expected at the stakeout location after the meeting concludes.

Pool report #8 / meeting wrapped

The meeting POTUS was holding with mayors and law enforcement officials has wrapped, according to a 3:31pm announcement. Meeting participants scheduled to speak at the stakeout location.

Pool report #8
[APP Note: This should probably be labeled as Report #9.]

Just got word from WH:

The President's meeting with Senator Bernie Sanders has ended. Senator Sanders will be speaking at the stakeout location shortly.

Pool report #10 / lid

Following an hourlong meeting with Bernie Sanders, who spoke for about 4 minute at the stakeout location, a travel photo lid was called.

The Sanders remarks should have been streaming, but the highlights are that Sanders said they talked about the reconciliation package.

"I think we are on the same page," Sanders said of him and Biden. "My job is to do everything I can to see that the Senate comes forward with the strongest possible legislation to protect the needs of the working families of this country."

When asked if he was on board with a $3.5 trillion price tag, Sanders said: "No. We are going to be fighting right now. We are in the midst of a very serious discussion. There are 50 Democrats in the caucus, and I suspect there are 50 different points of view. As you know, I introduced a proposal for six trillion. So I'm going to fight to make that proposal as robust as it can be, and I think, quite frankly, a strong majority of the members of the Democratic caucus want to go as big as we possibly can."

Toward the end, in response to a shouted question about any timeline on which he'd like to get the legislation passed, Sanders appeared to laugh as he walked away.