Following the resignation of vice chairman Matthew Petersen on Monday, the Federal Election Commission will be forced to virtually shut down due to a rule requiring a minimum of 4 commissioners to make high-level decisions, per the Center for Public Integrity (CPI).
Why it matters: The FEC is responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws. As the 2020 elections continue to ramp up, the commission's power to keep candidates accountable could be hindered by its inability to issue fines, make rules, conduct and approve audits, and vote on the outcome of investigations.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) argued Monday that acquiring Greenland "would secure vital strategic interests for the United States" in a New York Times op-ed.
Why it matters: Cotton cites China's interest in the island, especially given its proximity to North America and the Arctic, as reason that the U.S. should make a play for it. Greenland's abundance of rare-earth minerals — integral to high-tech manufacturing — also makes it attractive to China, which currently dominates the world market for such materials.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, along with 18 other states and the District of Columbia, are suing the Trump administration over a new rule allowing migrant families to be kept in detention long-term, Becerra's spokesperson confirmed Monday.
Why it matters: This is the California attorney general's 13th immigration-related lawsuit against the Trump administration, the spokesperson told Axios. The case will ultimately be brought in front of California federal Judge Dolly Gee, who has already refused to grant President Trump's request to change the decades-old Flores settlement to allow families to be detained together longer than 20 days.
Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) announced Monday that he will resign on Sept. 23 after receiving news that the child he and his wife are expecting in late October has been diagnosed with complications, including a heart condition.
The big picture: Duffy, a staunch supporter of President Trump is the 12th House Republican to announce that he will not be running for re-election this year. His seat is nestled in a solidly red district, where he won re-election by 22 points and where Trump won by 21 in 2016, per Politico.
President Trump told reporters at the G7 in Biarritz, France, on Monday that next year’s summit will "probably" be held in Miami — at one of his golf resorts, Trump National Doral.
The big picture: Axios' Jonathan Swan scooped last month that the resort was a finalist. Trump, who has no qualms regarding criticism about mixing state and personal business, touted the location as a few minutes from the airport, with hundreds of acres. "We haven’t found anything that’s even close to competing with it," he said. "We can handle whatever happens. ... We're thinking about it."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren outlined her economic credentials and took a swipe at Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden when asked how she'd defeat President Trump, as she drew the largest crowd of her campaign Sunday in Seattle, Bloomberg reports.
Why it matters: The perception is that as a former vice president, Biden is the most electable candidate, which is central to his enduring strength, Bloomberg notes. Indeed, Jill Biden urged Democrats at a campaign event last week to think about the electability of candidates. Your candidate may be better on a policy issue, but the bottom line is "we have to beat Trump," she said.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the Republican's home state, Kentucky, Sunday to show "guts" and allow votes on Democratic bills including gun control legislation.
President Trump has suggested multiple timesto senior Homeland Security and national security officials that they explore using nuclear bombs to stop hurricanes from hitting the United States, according to sources who have heard the president's private remarks and been briefed on a National Security Council memorandum that recorded those comments.
Behind the scenes: During one hurricane briefing at the White House, Trump said, "I got it. I got it. Why don't we nuke them?" according to one source who was there. "They start forming off the coast of Africa, as they're moving across the Atlantic, we drop a bomb inside the eye of the hurricane and it disrupts it. Why can't we do that?" the source added, paraphrasing the president's remarks.
Facing chronic controversy over his comments about race and abortion, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) is struggling to attract donors and has been largely abandoned by his colleagues, The Daily Beast reports.
Why it matters: King, a 9-term congressman, will be the most vulnerable he's ever been in 2020. His 2018 Democratic opponent J.D. Scholten is running again after losing by only 3 points last cycle, while Iowa state Sen. Randy Feenstra is attempting to force King out in the Republican primary. Feenstra’s campaign reported having $337,314 cash on hand in June, while King reported just $18,365.
