McConnell warns White House

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday told fellow Republicans that he has warned the White House not to divide Republicans by sealing a lopsided preelection COVID19 relief deal with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — even as he publicly said he’d slate any such agreement for a vote.

McConnell made his remarks during a private lunch with fellow Republicans on Tuesday, three people familiar with his remarks said, requesting anonymity because the session was private.

The Kentucky Republican appears worried that an agreement between Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin would drive a wedge between Republicans, forcing them to choose whether to support a Pelosiblessed deal with Trump that would violate conservative positions they’ve stuck with for months. Many Republicans say they can’t vote for another huge Pelosibrokered agreement.

McConnell’s move dampens even further any potential for an agreement and comes as Pelosi and Mnuchin have arrived at a critical phase of their talks if any relief is going to be enacted by election day. The contours of a potential deal are taking shape behind the scenes even as President Trump’s GOP allies are recoiling at the administration’s tolerance for a $ 2 trillion package.

Pelosi and Mnuchin are narrowing their differences. Pelosi said they remain at odds over refundable tax credits for the working poor and families with children, the size of a Democratic sought aid package for state and local governments, and a liability shield for businesses against lawsuits over their COVID preparations.