Mike Allen closed out 2017 with back-to-back News Shapers events in DC. Today's featured Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Mark Warner. They discussed Russian election interference, tax reform, what's next, and what's not.
Why it mattered: Now that the Republicans' sweeping tax bill has passed both chambers of Congress, President Trump is expected to sign it into law on Jan. 3. Meanwhile, Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation continues at full force.
Mike thanks guests for coming to Axios' 31st and final event of the year.Chuck KennedySen. Warner tells Mike that the tax bill "is probably the single most disappointing piece of legislation" he's seen during his time in the Senate.Chuck Kennedy"The tone and tenor of the comments coming out of the president's allies both elected and otherwise should send a chill through all of us," Sen. Warner says, referring to efforts to undermine Mr. Mueller's investigation. Chuck Kennedy140 guests getting in one last Axios event before the holidays.Chuck KennedyLeader McConnell doesn't dispute that there may need to be a fix to the tax bill. Chuck KennedyLeader McConnell tells Mike that welfare and entitlement reform are not expected to be on the 2018 agenda.Chuck KennedyOn the president's negative tweets about him over the summer: ""They weren't my favorite, no. But he's gotten better. [...] We're doing just fine."Chuck KennedyMike in the holiday spirit. Chuck Kennedy
See you in 2018!
Thank you Bank of America for sponsoring this event.
Global: Total confirmed cases as of 2 p.m. ET: 1,309, 439 — Total deaths: 72,638 — Total recoveries: 273,546 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 2 p.m. ET: 347, 003 — Total deaths: 10,335 — Total recoveries: 18,953 — Map.
2020 update: Wisconsin governor issues executive order to delay in-person primary voting until June.
Public health latest:Asymptomatic children could play important role in coronavirus spread, new data from the CDC shows.
States' latest:West coast states send ventilators to New York and other states experiencing a more immediate need — Data suggests coronavirus curve may be flattening in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
Jobs latest:Unemployment could already be at 13% "and moving higher," per former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) issued an executive order Monday delaying in-person voting for the state's primary election — currently scheduled for Tuesday — until June 9.
Why it matters: Wisconsin was slated to be the only state to vote on Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic, despite having a stay-at-home order in place.
Recorded deaths from the novel coronavirus surpassed 10,000 in the U.S. on Monday, per Johns Hopkins data. More than 1,000 people in the U.S. have died of coronavirus-related conditions each day since April 1.
Why it matters: U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said on Sunday the coming week will be "the hardest and saddest week of most Americans' lives" — calling it our "our Pearl Harbor, our 9/11 moment."