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| For Kushner, Criminal Justice Has Been a Personal Issue and a Rare Victory | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — The day after President Trump announced his support for a bipartisan criminal justice overhaul bill in the Roosevelt Room, Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, arrived in the Oval Office to give him a dose of political reality. He was not going to bring the bill to the Senate floor until next year, Mr. McConnell told the president. | WASHINGTON — The day after President Trump announced his support for a bipartisan criminal justice overhaul bill in the Roosevelt Room, Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, arrived in the Oval Office to give him a dose of political reality. He was not going to bring the bill to the Senate floor until next year, Mr. McConnell told the president. |
| Mr. Trump called for his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, the administration’s driving force behind the bill, to join the meeting and hear the news himself. As Mr. Kushner entered the Oval Office, Mr. McConnell joked that he felt like he had heard from everyone Mr. Kushner knew. | Mr. Trump called for his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, the administration’s driving force behind the bill, to join the meeting and hear the news himself. As Mr. Kushner entered the Oval Office, Mr. McConnell joked that he felt like he had heard from everyone Mr. Kushner knew. |
| “That’s not true,” Mr. Kushner replied, according to administration officials. “I have a lot more people.” | “That’s not true,” Mr. Kushner replied, according to administration officials. “I have a lot more people.” |
| And he did. | And he did. |
| Because Mr. Trump agreed that the bill had to wait, according to administration officials, Mr. Kushner enlisted Vice President Mike Pence to explain to the president that waiting until next year, when a House controlled by the Democrats would then vote on the bill, would most likely result in a version that he would not like. Mr. Kushner called Rupert Murdoch, his son Lachlan Murdoch and Hope Hicks, the former White House communications director who is now a senior executive at Fox, to release a statement backing his bill. | Because Mr. Trump agreed that the bill had to wait, according to administration officials, Mr. Kushner enlisted Vice President Mike Pence to explain to the president that waiting until next year, when a House controlled by the Democrats would then vote on the bill, would most likely result in a version that he would not like. Mr. Kushner called Rupert Murdoch, his son Lachlan Murdoch and Hope Hicks, the former White House communications director who is now a senior executive at Fox, to release a statement backing his bill. |
| Mr. Kushner also appeared on “Hannity” on Fox News in an effort to make clear to the president’s base and Republican senators on the fence that even Sean Hannity, the hard-right host, was supportive of it. | Mr. Kushner also appeared on “Hannity” on Fox News in an effort to make clear to the president’s base and Republican senators on the fence that even Sean Hannity, the hard-right host, was supportive of it. |
| The bill’s advocates say Mr. Kushner’s efforts were part of the reason Mr. McConnell reversed course, announcing that the Senate would vote on the bill next week. But even more important was his ability, over a course of years, to make Mr. Trump comfortable with the need for criminal justice overhaul in the first place. | The bill’s advocates say Mr. Kushner’s efforts were part of the reason Mr. McConnell reversed course, announcing that the Senate would vote on the bill next week. But even more important was his ability, over a course of years, to make Mr. Trump comfortable with the need for criminal justice overhaul in the first place. |
| “The bipartisan coalition was there before Jared showed up,” said Ronald A. Klain, a former senior official in the Obama and Clinton administrations. “The Koch brothers deserve credit for that. But if Jared got the president to be for it, that is a key part of getting it done, and he does deserve credit for that.” | “The bipartisan coalition was there before Jared showed up,” said Ronald A. Klain, a former senior official in the Obama and Clinton administrations. “The Koch brothers deserve credit for that. But if Jared got the president to be for it, that is a key part of getting it done, and he does deserve credit for that.” |
| In a statement, Mr. Kushner played down his role. “For all those who are deserving of a second chance, this legislation will make a meaningful and measurable difference in their lives,” he said. “We could not have reached this point without the leadership and vision of the president.” | In a statement, Mr. Kushner played down his role. “For all those who are deserving of a second chance, this legislation will make a meaningful and measurable difference in their lives,” he said. “We could not have reached this point without the leadership and vision of the president.” |
| But for Mr. Kushner, it was a rare success after perhaps the most difficult period he has faced as a member of the Trump family and as a high-ranking official in the Trump White House. | But for Mr. Kushner, it was a rare success after perhaps the most difficult period he has faced as a member of the Trump family and as a high-ranking official in the Trump White House. |
| His close relationship with Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, whom he has defended even after intelligence agencies concluded that the prince ordered the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist, has generated bitter criticism from even Republicans. Within the White House, where Mr. Kushner has feuded with John F. Kelly, the chief of staff and technically his superior, his attempt to replace him with Nick Ayers, an ally, backfired when Mr. Ayers would not agree to Mr. Trump’s conditions for the job. | His close relationship with Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, whom he has defended even after intelligence agencies concluded that the prince ordered the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist, has generated bitter criticism from even Republicans. Within the White House, where Mr. Kushner has feuded with John F. Kelly, the chief of staff and technically his superior, his attempt to replace him with Nick Ayers, an ally, backfired when Mr. Ayers would not agree to Mr. Trump’s conditions for the job. |
| And other issues on which Mr. Kushner has focused have gotten little traction. The release of his Middle East peace plan has been delayed until next year, and some of the top people on his team tasked with innovating the government have already left the Trump administration. | And other issues on which Mr. Kushner has focused have gotten little traction. The release of his Middle East peace plan has been delayed until next year, and some of the top people on his team tasked with innovating the government have already left the Trump administration. |
| But criminal justice is something personal. Mr. Kushner’s father, after being sentenced in 2005, served 14 months in an Alabama federal prison for tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal donations. | But criminal justice is something personal. Mr. Kushner’s father, after being sentenced in 2005, served 14 months in an Alabama federal prison for tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal donations. |
| “Jared is committed in a way you can only be when you’ve seen your daddy hurt,” said Van Jones, a liberal CNN host who has worked closely with Mr. Kushner on the issue. “What I’ve seen is someone who is personally driven to make a powerful change in the experience of people behind bars.” | “Jared is committed in a way you can only be when you’ve seen your daddy hurt,” said Van Jones, a liberal CNN host who has worked closely with Mr. Kushner on the issue. “What I’ve seen is someone who is personally driven to make a powerful change in the experience of people behind bars.” |
| Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who had been part of the coalition that pushed a more extensive criminal justice bill during the Obama administration, first approached Mr. Kushner about the issue in the opening months of the administration last year and asked him to meet on the issue. | Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who had been part of the coalition that pushed a more extensive criminal justice bill during the Obama administration, first approached Mr. Kushner about the issue in the opening months of the administration last year and asked him to meet on the issue. |
| Mr. Kushner was inclined to get involved. The bigger question was whether his tough-on-crime father-in-law would support the legislation. Realizing that Mr. Trump was unlikely to be in favor of sentencing overhauls, Mr. Kushner decided to focus on prison overhauls and leave the sentencing piece of the puzzle to Jeff Sessions, the attorney general at the time. | Mr. Kushner was inclined to get involved. The bigger question was whether his tough-on-crime father-in-law would support the legislation. Realizing that Mr. Trump was unlikely to be in favor of sentencing overhauls, Mr. Kushner decided to focus on prison overhauls and leave the sentencing piece of the puzzle to Jeff Sessions, the attorney general at the time. |
| Knowing that Mr. Trump learns by hearing from people, rather than from reading briefing books, Mr. Kushner arranged for blocks of “policy time” on his father-in-law’s schedule and flooded the zone, bringing conservative leaders and governors to explain how the mission fit in with Mr. Trump’s campaign promise of standing for the forgotten man. | Knowing that Mr. Trump learns by hearing from people, rather than from reading briefing books, Mr. Kushner arranged for blocks of “policy time” on his father-in-law’s schedule and flooded the zone, bringing conservative leaders and governors to explain how the mission fit in with Mr. Trump’s campaign promise of standing for the forgotten man. |
| Meetings with Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West, organized by Mr. Kushner, also helped bring outsize attention to the issue. And above his office door in the West Wing hangs a poster from Mr. West, with the slogan, “Bringing Dignity to Forgotten America,” and signed, “To Jared from your friend Ye.” | Meetings with Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West, organized by Mr. Kushner, also helped bring outsize attention to the issue. And above his office door in the West Wing hangs a poster from Mr. West, with the slogan, “Bringing Dignity to Forgotten America,” and signed, “To Jared from your friend Ye.” |
| On another track, Mr. Kushner worked to win over skeptical Democrats wary of the Trump administration. When Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York refused invitations to meetings at the White House, Mr. Kushner agreed to meet him on his turf, so he dined with Mr. Jeffries and Representative Cedric L. Richmond of Louisiana in the Members Dining Hall. | On another track, Mr. Kushner worked to win over skeptical Democrats wary of the Trump administration. When Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York refused invitations to meetings at the White House, Mr. Kushner agreed to meet him on his turf, so he dined with Mr. Jeffries and Representative Cedric L. Richmond of Louisiana in the Members Dining Hall. |
| He kept them on board by pushing back against Mr. Sessions, who wanted to insert statutes that were deal breakers for Democrats. “There was a constant back-and-forth with Sessions, and Kushner won that battle,” Mr. Jeffries said. “It’s fair to say that if we’re able to get meaningful criminal justice reform over the finish line, it would not have occurred without substantial leadership from Jared Kushner.” | He kept them on board by pushing back against Mr. Sessions, who wanted to insert statutes that were deal breakers for Democrats. “There was a constant back-and-forth with Sessions, and Kushner won that battle,” Mr. Jeffries said. “It’s fair to say that if we’re able to get meaningful criminal justice reform over the finish line, it would not have occurred without substantial leadership from Jared Kushner.” |
| Representative Josh Gottheimer, Democrat of New Jersey, recalled hearing from Mr. Kushner on the issue as early as April 2017. | Representative Josh Gottheimer, Democrat of New Jersey, recalled hearing from Mr. Kushner on the issue as early as April 2017. |
| “Jared called and asked if he could meet with the caucus, and he and Van Jones and Grover Norquist showed up,” Mr. Gottheimer said. “It was a motley crew that came in. I spoke to him regularly over the ensuing months. He was obviously very committed.” | “Jared called and asked if he could meet with the caucus, and he and Van Jones and Grover Norquist showed up,” Mr. Gottheimer said. “It was a motley crew that came in. I spoke to him regularly over the ensuing months. He was obviously very committed.” |
| Over Thanksgiving, Mr. Kushner realized that the message had sunk in. He was out of town when he saw that Mr. Trump — without any prodding — wrote on Twitter: “Really good Criminal Justice Reform has a true shot at major bipartisan support. @senatemajldr Mitch McConnell and @SenSchumer have a real chance to do something so badly needed in our country. Already passed, with big vote, in House. Would be a major victory for ALL!” | Over Thanksgiving, Mr. Kushner realized that the message had sunk in. He was out of town when he saw that Mr. Trump — without any prodding — wrote on Twitter: “Really good Criminal Justice Reform has a true shot at major bipartisan support. @senatemajldr Mitch McConnell and @SenSchumer have a real chance to do something so badly needed in our country. Already passed, with big vote, in House. Would be a major victory for ALL!” |
| But the bill still has its detractors. On the right, Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, continues to oppose cutting mandatory minimum sentences for serious crimes and has campaigned to defeat the bill. | But the bill still has its detractors. On the right, Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, continues to oppose cutting mandatory minimum sentences for serious crimes and has campaigned to defeat the bill. |
| On the left, Roy Austin, who led the Obama administration’s efforts on criminal justice overhauls, said that passing the First Step Act, as the legislation is called, would be “a Pyrrhic victory” that would leave those now in the criminal justice system “exactly where they are: at the mercy of an administration that has no real interest in reform.” | On the left, Roy Austin, who led the Obama administration’s efforts on criminal justice overhauls, said that passing the First Step Act, as the legislation is called, would be “a Pyrrhic victory” that would leave those now in the criminal justice system “exactly where they are: at the mercy of an administration that has no real interest in reform.” |
| Mr. Jones said his work with the Trump administration has surprised him, but he disagreed. | Mr. Jones said his work with the Trump administration has surprised him, but he disagreed. |
| “This issue was marginal and only used as a weapon to say someone else is soft on crime,” Mr. Jones said. “The person who made it safe for everyone is Donald Trump, and that is an insane outcome.” | “This issue was marginal and only used as a weapon to say someone else is soft on crime,” Mr. Jones said. “The person who made it safe for everyone is Donald Trump, and that is an insane outcome.” |