Favorites to Lead GOP on Judiciary Committees: Graham and Collins
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is the favorite to succeed Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, if Grassley replaces retiring Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, lobbyists and industry officials told us. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., who scored legislative victories in 2018, is favored to succeed retiring House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, who holds seniority over Collins, also is said to be seeking the top GOP seat.
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Collins told us he feels “really good” about pursuing the gavel. He named Graham first, and left open the possibility of Grassley, when discussing potential collaboration with the Judiciary chairman. Collins conceded the House Judiciary Committee is hyperpartisan on certain issues but said intellectual property- and tech-related items offer bipartisan potential. Collins authored the Music Modernization Act (see 1810110038) and the Cloud Act (see 1804170040), which became law in 2018.
Chabot is competing in a race the Cook Political Report rates competitive but favoring the GOP. Offices for Graham and Chabot didn’t comment. A Grassley aide said the Iowa Republican will wait until after the election to decide.
House Judiciary “could be frankly the most exciting committee on the Hill” in 2019, Collins said, citing privacy, data storage and IP. “You can’t have a data storage issue that does not have an intellectual property component to it,” he said. His 2019 priorities include: foreign theft of trade secrets, patent quality, copyright and trademark.
House GOP leadership favors Collins, even with Chabot making a play, said Monument Policy Group lobbyist Chan Park, who represents Reform Government Surveillance. A media industry official and a communications lobbyist agreed Graham is favored to replace Grassley, though Graham is apparently considering administration jobs. He could potentially succeed Attorney General Jeff Sessions or Defense Secretary James Mattis. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also could pursue the Judiciary gavel, the people said. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is expected to remain the top Democrat.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., likely remains top Democrat on House Judiciary, many agreed. Asked whether the committee will continue to probe Silicon Valley as conservatively biased -- a notion Nadler heavily criticized -- Collins cited Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s commitment to testify in 2018 (see 1809280041). Google understands “this is a concern, not necessarily from a conservative perspective, which we have an emphasis of … but also from just in general,” Collins said. “At what point do some of these platforms become less of a bulletin board and more of a content and news kind of outlet?”
House Digital Commerce Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, will seek the top seat on the Communications Subcommittee, a communications lobbyist predicted. If Latta takes the seat, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., is in line to chair Digital Commerce, according to Park and the communications lobbyist. Reps. John Shimkus, R-Ill., and Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., are also interested in that seat, the lobbyist said.
Cook said Democrats are “substantial favorites” to win the House back. Having a Republican-controlled Senate and Democrat-controlled House could force parties into the middle, said Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Vice President Daniel Castro. “There’s potential for very good legislation with a mix like that.”
Computer & Communications Industry Association CEO Ed Black agreed oppositely controlled chambers could be an impetus for a lot of negotiation because “nobody’s set of ideas will be able to run roughshod over everyone else.” He said “double-talk” from the White House makes it difficult to anticipate specific policy, but he expects movement on data privacy.
The Internet Bill of Rights from Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., could provide a road map for the Democratic privacy agenda in the House (see 1810050036), said R Street Institute Technology Policy Manager Tom Struble. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Calif., tasked Khanna with examining the issue. Legislation from Democratic Reps. Suzan DelBene, Wash., and Hakeem Jeffries, N.Y., seems more middle ground (see 1809200030), Castro said, noting the White House won't likely accept a bill that’s anti-business. The push from Pelosi and Khanna was strengthened when Apple CEO Tim Cook recently urged the U.S. to adopt a law in line with the EU’s general data protection regulation (see 1810240039), said News Media Alliance CEO David Chavern.
Other toss-ups, according to Cook, with tech implications include Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., being challenged by Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, a hawk on tech enforcement. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is in a race with Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-Texas. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, is being challenged by Gina Ortiz Jones.
The Senate Republican Conference will hold leadership elections Nov. 14. Members will vote on Republican leader, whip, Senate Republican Conference chair, Senate Republican Policy Committee chair, Senate Republican Conference vice chair and National Republican Senatorial Committee chair.