Newsletter: Essential Politics: One way or another, GOP says, there will be a new Supreme Court justice this week

It will likely mean a big change in Senate rules, but Republicans are adamant they will approve a new associate justice to the Supreme Court by the end of this week.

Conservatives have made it a top priority to confirm Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to fill the seat vacated when Justice Antonin Scalia died last year, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says if Democrats try to block him, he’ll trigger a change in the rules and allow Supreme Court nominees to be confirmed on a majority vote instead of the 60 votes now required to end debate.

I’m Sarah Wire, and I cover the California delegation in Congress. Welcome to the Monday edition of Essential Politics.

Today the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote to send the Gorsuch nomination to the full Senate. Debate in the Senate is expected to start Tuesday, with a final decision by week’s end. David G. Savage has more on what the next few days should look like and how it could change the Senate.

Get the latest about the Trump administration on Essential Washington and follow @latimespolitics. Keep an eye on our Essential Politics news feed for California political news.

RUSSIA INVESTIGATION

The White House offered late last week to show lawmakers intelligence reports that purportedly mention associates of President Trump. They’re apparently the same documents that were given to House Select Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), raising new questions about whether the president’s staff leaked details about the classified documents. The committee’s ranking Democrat, Burbank’s Adam Schiff, viewed the documents Friday and disputed what Nunes says they show.

While many people are focused on Nunes right now, this is Schiff’s first turn in the political spotlight as well. I sat down with the former federal prosecutor for a look at how he’s handling his new role as Trump’s foil, and what might be next for him.

Meanwhile, a new poll shows a majority of Americans want an independent prosecutor to look into Russian attempts to influence the election and what, if anything, the Trump campaign knew.

WHITE HOUSE ROUNDUP

• The White House on Friday began disclosing financial holdings of 180 administration officials, revealing the significant personal wealth of President Trump’s top aides. Michael A. Memoli has a look at what the public now knows about the financial dealings of the president’s aides and staff.

• Don Lee reports on the opening skirmish of what promises to be a long and bitter struggle over trade policy that so far is being waged behind the scenes in the Trump administration.

• Over the weekend, Trump stepped up his threats to cut a deal with Democrats over healthcare if conservatives in the House won’t back his proposals.

• Memoli and Lisa Mascaro took a look at the tenuous bonds between Trump and Republicans in Congress, and what that means for accomplishing their respective goals.

Catch up on what’s going on in Trumpworld in our weekly wrap-up. And each week we’re asking people to grade Trump’s time in office on a scale of A through F. Here’s what people had to say about week 10.

BROWN’S TRANSPORTATION PLAN

Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic lawmakers unveiled a transportation plan last week they say would raise more than $5 billion annually in its first 10 years by hiking the gas tax and vehicle fees in the state. It’s expected to come up for a vote this week.

Brown and legislative leaders hit the road last week, visiting the districts of members who haven’t committed to vote for the package. And a coalition of business and labor leaders on Friday began running television and radio ads that target eight legislators who have not yet committed to vote for the measure.

But several environmental groups came out against the plan Friday, saying it would give the trucking industry a break on future antipollution rules.

On this week’s California Politics Podcast, John Myers and his guests take a closer look at the political wrangling by Brown and Democratic legislative leaders.

While the plan isn’t perfect, the pay-as-you-go proposal is a much-needed fix to California’s wrecked roads, highways and bridges, and lawmakers should vote for its passage, George Skelton writes in his Monday column.

34th DISTRICT RACE

Some Los Angeles voters head to the polls Tuesday for the primary election in the race to replace Xavier Becerra in California’s 34th Congressional District.

It’s a crowded field, with 24 candidates on the ballot, and our team broke down who has been getting the most contributions and where they are coming from. Of the more than $2.4 million that has been raised by candidates since December, nearly 75% has gone to just five candidates.

Here’s a voter guide if you want to learn about the whole race.

SPEAKING OF ELECTIONS ...

Counties across California have been told for the last several years that they don’t have to offer absentee ballots to all voters or follow specific procedures to verify voter signatures on provisional ballots. Why? Because the state stopped paying for those mandated services.

In his Sunday column, Myers takes a look at both the total outstanding IOU from the state government — counties have largely kept following the rules, just paying the tab themselves — and proposed changes to ensure the money flows again from Sacramento.

TODAY’S ESSENTIALS

— UC Irvine law professor Katie Porter will challenge Republican Rep. Mimi Walters in Orange County’s 45th District in 2018.

— No, Mr. Sulu is not running for Congress.

Star Trek actor and civil rights advocate George Takei posted a link Friday on social media to an article that said he planned to challenge Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), but the timing hinted it was an April Fools joke.

— Congressional candidate Arturo Carmona denied accusations of sexism leveled at him Friday by a former Bernie Sanders campaign staffer.

— New amendments to a “sanctuary state” bill will allow police and sheriff’s departments to contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement about violent felons.

— To fight against human trafficking, this state senator wants to train motel employees to spot signs of abuse.

— The Teddy Bear and Toaster Act would crack down on toys and electronics that pick up conversations and personal information.

— A San Diego assemblywoman is trying again in her bid to let Uber and Lyft drivers collectively bargain for pay and benefits, but there are hurdles to fitting a new workforce into old union models.

— President Jerry Brown? He refused to shoot down a supporter’s suggestion that he run for president — even as he noted his 79th birthday is next week.

— California could soon have an official state dinosaur.

— State Controller Betty Yee says California’s tax collection agency has been mismanaged and needs a complete overhaul.

— A new bill would give the state attorney general the ability to investigate local police shootings instead of leaving them to district attorneys.

— Sen. Kamala Harris opened a campaign fundraising account to run for governor in 2026, but she doesn’t actually plan to run, her staff says.

LOGISTICS

Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday.You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics?

Miss Friday’s newsletter? Here you go.

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox.