Sep 6, 2018

In 2003 email, Kavanaugh "not sure" about Roe v. Wade

Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

A 2003 email from Brett Kavanaugh — now in his third day of Supreme Court confirmation hearings — during his time in the George W. Bush administration said he was "not sure that all legal scholars refer to [Roe v. Wade] as the settled law of the land," the New York Times reports.

The big picture: The email is one of thousands of documents that were provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday by a Bush administration lawyer. This particular email was deemed "committee confidential," preventing Democrats on the committee from discussing it during this week's hearings, but an "unknown person" leaked it to the Times. Kavanaugh said Wednesday that Roe was "important precedent."

Go deeper

Axios
Updated 8 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 7 p.m. ET: 20,739,537 — Total deaths: 751,910— Total recoveries: 12,895,242 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 7 p.m. ET: 5,242,184 — Total deaths: 166,971 — Total recoveries: 1,755,225 — Total tests: 64,612,034 — Map.
  3. Politics: House Democrats to investigate scientist leading "Operation Warp Speed" vaccine project — McConnell announces Senate will not hold votes until Sept. 8 unless stimulus deal is reached.
  4. 2020: Biden calls for 3-month national mask mandate — Biden and Harris to receive coronavirus briefings 4 times a week.
  5. States: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to drop lawsuit over Atlanta's mask mandate.
  6. Business: Why the CARES Act makes 2020 the best year for companies to lose money.
  7. Public health: Fauci's guidance on pre-vaccine coronavirus treatments — Cases are falling, but don't get too comfortable.
Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Eileen Drage O'Reilly
2 hours ago - Health

Fauci's guidance on pre-vaccine coronavirus treatments

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Antibody drugs and various medicine cocktails against the coronavirus are progressing and may provide some relief before vaccines.

The big picture: Everyone wants to know how and when they can return to "normal" life, as vaccines are not expected to be ready for most Americans for at least a year. Two therapies are known to be helpful, and more could be announced by late September, NIAID Director Anthony Fauci tells Axios.

Go deeper (3 min. read)Arrow
Barak Ravid
2 hours ago - World

Behind the scenes: How the Israel-UAE deal came together

Trump, Kushner and Netanyahu (L-R). Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO via Getty

The breakthrough in talks between the U.S., Israel and UAE on a normalization deal came two months ago, White House officials tell me.

Behind the scenes: Talks had been ongoing for more than a year, but they gained new urgency ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's July 1 deadline to move ahead on West Bank annexations.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow