Axios

Right-wing activists who helped circulate a baseless conspiracy theory about the death of Seth Rich, a DNC staffer who was murdered in 2016, have retracted their claims and apologized to his family.

Why it matters: The retractions come four years after the unsolved murder became fodder for unfounded right-wing conspiracy theories about the 2016 election.

Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) says that while he has "backed [President Trump] through thick and thin," he voted in favor of impeaching Trump on Wednesday because "this utter failure is inexcusable," per a statement released on Wednesday.

Why it matters: Rice is a prolific supporter of Trump's and turned heads by joining nine Republicans in voting to impeach the president for "incitement of insurrection." Rice noted that one week after the Capitol attacks "the President has not addressed the nation to ask for calm. He has not visited the injured and grieving. He has not offered condolences."

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) responded to Wednesday's House passage of a single article of impeachment against President Trump, calling the action "appropriate" in a statement, and adding that she would "consider the arguments of both sides" in the Senate trial.

What she's saying: Though she did not say how she will vote, she noted that "President Trump's words incited violence, which led to the injury and deaths of Americans ... the desecration of the Capitol, and briefly interfered with the government's ability to ensure a peaceful transfer of power."

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions underestimated how complicated the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy would be, and did not fully understand the legal requirements to care for children separated from their families, according to a report released Thursday by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz.

Why it matters: At least 545 parents separated from their children at the U.S.-Mexico border under the now-reversed policy could not be located as of October.

President-elect Biden has selected former South Carolina Senate candidate Jaime Harrison to chair the Democratic National Committee.

Why it matters: Harrison rose to national prominence while running in 2020 to unseat Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close ally of President Trump. The Democrat smashed the all-time Senate fundraising record by collecting $57 million in the third quarter of 2020, but he ultimately lost to Graham by 10 points.

Several corporations and tech giants are restricting or suspending political contributions after the siege on the Capitol.

Why it matters: The politics of pandering to the mob have become too dangerous for many of America's business leaders.

Julia Letlow will run in the special election to fill the congressional seat left vacant after her husband, Rep.-elect Luke Letlow (R-La.), passed away in December due to COVID-19 complications.

The big picture: Luke Letlow, 41, was elected in a Dec. 5 runoff to replace outgoing Rep. Ralph Abraham, for whom he'd previously worked as chief of staff. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) has called for a special election on March 20 to fill the seat.

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley is starting a new political action committee and, so far, she's conspicuously avoiding any mention of President Trump.

Why it matters: Haley is widely considered a contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, potentially pitting her against a Trump comeback bid. Her new group, Stand for America PAC, comes as the president’s political brand sags under the weight of a second impeachment and the Capitol violence preceding it.

Joe Biden's transition team on Thursday rolled out a team of top White House climate aides.

Why it matters: The crew staffing the new White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy will help oversee what the incoming administration says will be an aggressive, government-wide approach to the topic.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) laid out a few specific policies he and some of Congress' other leading progressives are likely to demand when the next U.S. Congress begins its term.

The big picture: Khanna wants Congress to deliver more direct aid to Americans in the form of $2,000 monthly checks and to provide $1 trillion over 10 years in loans and grants to small businesses but is also taking aim at the Fed, arguing that the central bank has gone astray of its original intent to help small businesses and community banks.

He lied about the election being fixed. He incited an attack that left five dead at the U.S Capitol. He got impeached. Twice. But polling indicates Republicans still have his back — and views — by vast majorities.

Why it matters: Anyone who thinks Trump is a politically dead man walking appears pointedly dead wrong.

The two parties agree: In a new Axios-Ipsos poll, fourth-fifths of Americans — both Republicans and Democrats — say America is falling apart.

Why it matters: The question, asked Tuesday and Wednesday, reflects the collision of crises besetting the country — the backdrop of a pandemic, recession, decoupling of red/blue America, and racial injustice and the immediacy of the Capitol insurrection, followed by Impeachment II.

Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez will perform during Wednesday's swearing-in for President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced.

The big picture: Biden's PIC plans five days of programming, with the theme of "America United."

A new report from NewsGuard, a service that uses trained journalists to rate news and information sites, found that from Oct. 1 through Jan. 12, nearly every major brand in America inadvertently ran automated ads on websites that peddled election conspiracies and misinformation.

Why it matters: The chaotic nature of the modern news cycle and digital advertising landscape has made it nearly impossible for brands to run ads against quality content in an automated fashion without encountering bad content.

A majority of Americans wants President Trump removed from office immediately, with just a week to go before President-elect Biden is inaugurated, according to a new Ipsos poll for Axios.

The big picture: The 56% who want him removed is up, from 51% in another Ipsos poll last week. But three in four Republicans disagree. It's mostly Democrats and a slight majority of independents who want him gone.

Power will move from Wall Street to Washington over the next four years. That's the message being sent by President-elect Biden, with his expected nomination of Wall Street foe Gary Gensler as the new head of the SEC, and also by Sherrod Brown, the incoming head of the Senate Banking Committee.

Why it matters: Biden is going to attempt to chart an economic policy that's visibly to the left of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. If he succeeds, it's going to show up not only in taxes and spending, but also in regulation.

The Federal Aviation Administration has released new and looser rules for flying drones over highly populated areas and at night, effectively laying a welcome mat for future aerial deliveries of takeout food, Amazon packages, prescription drugs — you name it.

Why it matters: While the prospect of Jetsons-style convenience with less street gridlock is tantalizing, there are still plenty of logistical hurdles, and it will take some time for cities to figure out how to manage low-altitude air traffic as routinely as they do today's road traffic.

Two off-duty Rocky Mount Police, Virginia, police officers have been charged over last week's deadly U.S. Capitol insurrection, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

The big picture: Dozens of people have been arrested and charged for their alleged involvement in the riot by supporters of President Trump. Over 160 case files have been opened, said Michael Sherwin, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Tuesday.

Banning President Trump from Twitter didn't just cut his personal communications channel but curbed a cottage industry of lobbyists and consultants who monetized their ability to get clients into his Twitterverse.

Why it matters: Trump’s social media fixation offered K Street a unique way to get issues either noticed by the one person in Washington who really mattered, or amplified by those who'd built their own broad followings through connections to him.

President Trump didn't earn his historic second impeachment just by inciting a riot on a single day. He laid its foundation event by event during the two months preceding it.

Why it matters: Uneasiness built to rage among some Republicans as the president challenged the election results, blocked important legislative accomplishments and cost the party its hold on the Senate.

Utah's Mitt Romney is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to how fellow Republicans view him. But the GOP's 2012 presidential nominee is crushing it with Democrats, the Axios-Ipsos poll found.

Republicans across the U.S. are siding with President Trump over Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — big time — according to a new Axios-Ipsos poll.

The state of play: A majority of Republicans still think Trump was right to challenge his election loss, support him, don’t blame him for the Capitol mob and want him to be the Republican nominee in 2024.

Jonathan Fahey, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has resigned after leading the agency for two weeks, though it is unclear what prompted his departure, an ICE spokesperson confirmed to Axios Wednesday night.

Why it matters: Fahey's exit, first reported by Buzzfeed's Hamed Aleaziz, comes after the previous acting director, Tony Pham, abruptly left the post in December and amid a wider shakeup in the Department of Homeland Security.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced on Wednesday that the House is moving forward with a new rule to impose fines on members for refusing to pass through metal detectors before entering the chamber.

Why it matters: The rule change comes after several House Republicans became frustrated with the detectors and bypassed them Tuesday night, according to CNN and NBC News.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced a new "zero tolerance policy" toward unruly airline passengers, who could face fines of up to $35,000 and imprisonment for interfering with crew members.

Why it matters: The crackdown comes after the agency saw a "disturbing increase in incidents" of passengers disrupting flights with "threatening or violent behavior" stemming from their refusal to wear masks and recent violence at the U.S. Capitol.

Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) was charged with two counts of willful neglect of duty in an investigation into the Flint water crisis, according to Genessee County District Court records and multiple local reports on Wednesday.

Why it matters: Flint saw its drinking water contaminated with high levels of lead in 2014, spurring a public health disaster. The lead-contaminated water was blamed for an outbreak of Legionnaires disease that killed at least 12 people.

The Trump administration is trying to cement immigration changes that face legal challenges by reissuing them through a new acting Homeland Security secretary imbued with authority courts have said his predecessors lacked.

Why it matters: Visa fee hikes, suspending the DACA program and other moves have been blocked because of a dispute over DHS's internal succession rules. While Trump is now trying a backdoor maneuver to protect some immigration actions, Joe Biden will have other ways to undo them.