FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Heritage Action for America is calling on House and Senate Republicans to reject any bipartisan Senate proposal on border security that “repeals key provisions” from the House-passed Secure the Border Act, also known as H.R. 2. “In June, all present Senate Republicans except one voted for H.R. 2, but now, a group of senators is undermining Republican unity and effective policy solutions by negotiating with Democrats who support open border policy,” Heritage Action President KEVIN ROBERTS said in a statement. “Worse, the proposal coming out of these ‘negotiations’ will likely be used as leverage to advance President Biden’s request for $106 billion in fiscally irresponsible spending,” the statement continues, adding, “House and Senate conservatives should reject this proposal and commit to supporting H.R. 2 to restore safety and security for the American people. Anything less is unacceptable.” Read the full statement Reminder: There’s no Senate deal yet to actually oppose. DeSANTIS DISS — In a significant blow to Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS’ presidential campaign, the leading entity in the CHARLES KOCH political network, Americans For Prosperity, said this morning it is endorsing South Carolina Gov. NIKKI HALEY instead. The group might not be as dominant in GOP circles as it was a decade ago, but it still plans to spend tens of millions of dollars on efforts to defeat Trump in the 2024 primaries. NBC News’ Katherine Doyle, Brian Schwartz and Matt Dixon report that donors had pushed the big-money group in recent weeks to make an endorsement decision quickly in order to surge resources to the most viable GOP challenger to DONALD TRUMP. The group’s pivot is yet another signal that the donor class has concluded that Haley, not DeSantis, represents the GOP’s best shot to move on from Trump. The former South Carolina governor and UN ambassador said in response that she was “honored” to have AFP’s support: “This is a choice between freedom and socialism, individual liberty and big government, fiscal responsibility, and spiraling debt. We have a country to save, and I’m grateful to have AFP Action by our side.” DeSantis world fumes: Those close to DeSantis, who had previously enjoyed close ties to the Koch network and won AFP Action’s endorsement in 2022, were none too happy about the news, with the NBC team reporting that his aides “were ‘apoplectic’ and began a full-court press with AFP to buy their candidate more time” after being told the Haley endorsement was forthcoming. Shortly after the news broke today, DeSantis’ rapid response director, CHRISTINA PUSHAW, affirmed the campaign's frustrations in a post on X: “I knew and respected many people involved with [AFP]. I’m disappointed that an organization that used to oppose corporate welfare & reckless government spending is now endorsing the corporate welfare candidate + de facto supporting the candidate who added $7.8 trillion in debt.” Notably … DeSantis to Fox News’ Laura Ingraham yesterday: “If somebody endorses somebody other than you, you don't always have to lash out and attack the person who made the endorsement.” MR. SUNSHINE — In the latest dustup between HUNTER BIDEN and congressional Republicans, lawyers for the president’s son demanded this morning he be allowed to testify publicly in response to a House GOP subpoena. The demand for an open hearing — rather than the closed-door interview Republicans wanted — comes as Playbook reported this morning, amid a pivot toward more aggressive tactics by the younger Biden’s camp. In a letter to House Oversight Chair JAMES COMER (R-K.Y.), lawyer ABBE LOWELL bashed the investigation as a “partisan crusade” and argued that Hunter Biden should tell his story in public: "We have seen you use closed-door sessions to manipulate, even distort the facts and misinform the public. We therefore propose opening the door,” Lowell wrote. “A public proceeding would prevent selective leaks, manipulated transcripts, doctored exhibits, or one-sided press statements.” Read the letter More context: “[The demand] publicly marks the latest salvo in an increasingly public back-and-forth between the president’s son and House Republicans, who view him as their top witness in a sprawling impeachment investigation focused on President JOE BIDEN,” Jordain Carney writes. Thanks but no thanks: In a statement, Comer rejected the demand, stating “Hunter Biden is trying to play by his own rules instead of following the rules required of everyone else. That won’t stand with House Republicans.” “Our lawfully issued subpoena to Hunter Biden requires him to appear for a deposition on December 13,” he continued, adding that “Hunter Biden should have the opportunity to testify in a public setting at a future date.” Good Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at birvine@politico.com.
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