The Democratic National Committee announced Thursday that no more than 20 candidates will participate in the first two primary debates over two consecutive nights this summer, and that the format will require candidates to meet grassroots fundraising or polling thresholds.
Details: To qualify, candidates need to register at least 1% of support in at least three state or national polls approved by the party, or have received donations from at least 65,000 people, including a minimum of 200 people in 20 states. NBC News, MSNBC and Telemundo are sponsoring the first debate in June, followed by CNN-sponsored debates in July. The events will be broadcast weeknights on prime time with no more than 10 candidates onstage at a time.
The announcement that President Trump plans to declare a national emergency at the same time that he'll sign a bipartisan border security bill has prompted backlash from both Republicans and Democrats, with many believing the decision will set a dangerous precedent for future administrations.
What they're saying: In a press conference following Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's announcement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she may file a legal challenge in response to Trump's emergency declaration. She added: "You want to talk about a national emergency? Let's talk about today. The one-year anniversary of another manifestation of the epidemic of gun violence in America. That's a national emergency. Why don't you declare that emergency, Mr. President?"
Why it matters: Congress has tried and failed for nearly 100 years to pass similar measures, with more than 4,000 black people having been victims of lynching between 1877 and 1950, according to the Equal Justice Initiative. The Senate passed a similar measure during the last Congress, but the House failed to act on it.
The Senate voted 54-45 on Thursday to confirm President Trump’s attorney general nominee William Barr.
Why it matters: Barr will oversee special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. In a memo he drafted before he was nominated, Barr argued that "Mueller's theory" that the president may have obstructed justice by firing FBI Director Jim Comey is "fatally misconceived," prompting concerns from Democratic lawmakers about potential conflicts of interest.
Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe has used every opportunity to face off against President Trump since his firing in March 2018. In his upcoming book "The Threat," McCabe recounts his time as deputy director and his embattled relationship with the president.
Here's a look at McCabe's tumultuous relationship with Trump since then.
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.). told Axios' Mike Allen at an Axios News Shapers event on Thursday that he thinks passing a roughly trillion-dollar bipartisan infrastructure package is possible for Congress.
Driving the news: His confidence on infrastructure stems from the fact that President Trump was able to get behind a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill last year. He added he thinks it's possible to accomplish something similar with "health care and pre-existing conditions."
Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe calls President Trump "a deliberate liar who will say whatever he pleases to get whatever he wants" in his new book "The Threat," according to excerpts published Thursday in The Atlantic.
The big picture: The book recounts McCabe's role during the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections and possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. His publicity tour kickoff also included an interview with "60 Minutes," during which McCabe detailed discussions about removing Trump using the 25th Amendment.
A top Republican official says President Trump's rally in El Paso this week drew the most Democrats of any of the president's campaign events since his election.
By the numbers: According to figures provided to Axios by Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale, an estimated 50% of the roughly 30,000 people who registered online were Democrats, 25% were swing voters and 25% were Republicans.
The mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., exactly one year ago has prompted the passage of 67 new gun control measures in 26 states across the country, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
The big picture: Thursday marks the anniversary of America's deadliest high school mass shooting. While the Trump administration fulfilled its longtime pledge to ban bump stocks in December, Congress has not passed any significant national gun control legislation in the last year. But the shootings' aftermath has turned young survivors into activists, mobilized grassroots gun reform groups and spurned plenty of movement at the state level.
Outlining a blueprint for the vast Russia probe planned by the new House majority, a Democratic member of Congress suggested at a roundtable with reporters this week that lawmakers may seek testimony from Ivanka Trump.
What they're saying: The lawmaker said Democrats have "made no decision as to Ivanka Trump," but "obviously there are a number of public reports about her involvement in the Trump Tower Moscow deal, and she may very well have relevant information."
The House Judiciary Committee late Wednesday voted along party lines to advanced legislation that requires background checks for all gun purchases and transfers.
Why it matters: The vote comes on the eve of the first anniversary of the Parkland school shooting, America’s deadliest mass shooting, and is the first major gun violence prevention measure to pass the panel in several decades. The bill heads to the House floor, but has virtually no chance of passing in the Republican-controlled Senate.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom disputed President Trump's erroneous claim Wednesday night that the state owes the federal government $3.5 billion after being "forced to cancel the massive bullet train project" estimated to be completed by 2033.
"Fake news. We’re building high-speed rail, connecting the Central Valley and beyond. This is CA’s money, allocated by Congress for this project. We’re not giving it back. The train is leaving the station — better get on board!"
