Axios

New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D) on Thursday authorized the Assembly Judiciary Committee to begin an impeachment investigation to "examine allegations of misconduct" against Governor Andrew Cuomo (D).

Driving the news: The impeachment investigation comes after at least six women accused Cuomo of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior. The governor has so far resisted mounting calls for him to resign, insisting on waiting for the results of an independent investigation by the New York attorney general's office.

In a rare rebuke Thursday, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby condemned Fox News host Tucker Carlson for his sexist comments on women in the military.

Driving the news: In a segment, Carlson said President Biden’s acknowledgement that policies are changing to encourage more women to join and stay in the armed forces was a "mockery of the U.S. military."

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that he filed a lawsuit on Thursday against Austin authorities, seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent city and Travis County officials from enforcing a face mask mandate.

Why it matters: The lawsuit claims that Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Travis County Judge Andy Brown and Mark Escott, interim medical director and health authority for the city, are illegally defying an order issued by Gov. Greg Abbott last week that rescinded a statewide mask mandate.

Former acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller told "VICE on Showtime" that he believes former President Trump incited the mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 with his speech preceding the deadly riot.

Why it matters: Miller, who Trump appointed to lead the Pentagon after firing Mark Esper following the 2020 election, said, "it’s pretty much definitive" that the riot, which left five people dead, would not have happened without the president’s “Save America” rally speech.

A lawyer for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Thursday that she reported a groping allegation to local law enforcement after the woman involved declined to press charges, AP reports.

The state of play: This is the sixth sexual harassment allegation against the governor. News of the referral to the Albany Police Department comes hours after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio joined 59 state lawmakers in calling for Cuomo's resignation.

President Biden has officially signed the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package passed by Congress, clearing the way for stimulus checks to go out as soon as this weekend.

Why it matters: While Democrats were unable to include some progressive priorities in the bill, like an increase in the minimum wage, the final product is being touted as one of the most consequential anti-poverty bills of the modern era.

President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act in the Oval Office on Thursday, one day earlier than originally scheduled.

The latest: White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing shortly after the signing that Americans with direct deposit set up can expect to see relief payments hitting their bank accounts "as early as this weekend."

President Biden is directing $2.5 billion in funding to address the nation's worsening mental illness and addiction crisis, an official from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tells Axios.

Why it matters: Confronting the mounting mental health and substance abuse crisis will be an imperative for the Biden administration, even as its primary focus is on combating the broader COVID-19 pandemic.

The full Senate voted 51-48 on Thursday to advance Xavier Becerra's nomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services, after it stalled in the deadlocked Senate Finance Committee due to Republican opposition.

Why it matters: Becerra, who as attorney general of California sued the Trump administration over 100 times, is one of President Biden's most controversial nominees. This was the first time Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) used his powers to force a nomination out of a tied committee.

One sign that the stimulus has partially sidelined America's central bank is the way in which the government is taking over some of the crisis lending functions that until recently were the remit of the Federal Reserve.

How it works: The American Rescue Plan provides $10 billion for the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), allowing states to lend 10 times that amount to small businesses.

The House voted 227-203 Thursday to pass a bill that would require background checks for all gun purchasers. Within hours, the chamber voted 219-210 on a second background check bill to close the "Charleston loophole," which allowed Dylann Roof to buy a firearm used to kill nine people at a Black church in 2015.

Why it matters: Overhauling the nation's gun control laws is a priority for Democrats and the Biden administration, but the bill is unlikely to pass the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, where Republicans oppose attempts to curtail gun rights.

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) is planning to bring a congressional delegation of House Democrats to the border during the March/April recess to assess the growing immigration crisis, according to a House aide.

Why it matters: Preparations for the trip come a few days after Axios reported Republicans planned two separate trips to the area, as Democrats begin to grapple with a renewed border crisis.

Pressure on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) mounted on Thursday, as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio joined 59 New York state lawmakers in calling for the governor's resignation in light of a sixth sexual harassment allegation.

Why it matters: Cuomo has refused to resign and insisted on waiting for the results of an independent investigation overseen by the New York attorney general. But with dozens of Democrats in the State Assembly now joining calls for his resignation, Cuomo could face impeachment if he refuses to step down, per NY1.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) on Thursday signed the first of over 40 bills introduced this year by lawmakers across the country to exclude transgender youth from sports that align with their gender identity.

Why it matters: A record-setting number of bills targeting trans children have been proposed this year, in what LGBTQ advocates say is an unprecedented push partially motivated by backlash to actions taken by Biden's administration.

Domestic travelers will no longer be required to quarantine after entering New York beginning on April 1, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced Thursday.

Why it matters: New York, like several other states, is easing coronavirus restrictions as new infections and hospitalizations continue to decline.

A judge on Thursday granted prosecutors' request to reinstate a third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd.

Why it matters: A third-degree murder charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Chauvin also faces charges for second-degree murder and manslaughter after he knelt on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes last May, resulting in the death of the 46-year-old Black man.

There's a dire need to reopen schools as quickly as possible — and it can be done without endangering teachers, families or the community, a report to be presented to members of Congress concludes.

Why it matters: With its conclusion that masking, hand-washing, good ventilation and social distancing can make schools safe for everyone, the report tries to bring clarity to what has been an enormously polarizing issue.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is seizing the reins of a powerful Senate panel and gearing up to be a formidable figure in pressing Congress' case against Big Tech.

Driving the news: Klobuchar makes her debut Thursday as the chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee, which oversees the agencies charged with policing monopoly power.

Native American tribes are pulling off many of the most successful coronavirus vaccination campaigns in the U.S., bucking stereotypes about tribal governments.

The big picture: Despite severe technological barriers, some tribes are vaccinating their members so efficiently, and at such high rates, that they've been able to branch out and offer coronavirus vaccines to people outside of their tribes.

China's legislature on Thursday passed a resolution called the "patriots governing Hong Kong," in a move to overhaul the city's elections.

Why it matters: The action effectively gives the Chinese Communist Party control of the Asian financial hub's elections, reducing democratic representation and allowing a "pro-Beijing panel to vet 'patriotic' candidates," the BBC notes.

Nearly 12 million women lost access to family planning services including birth control and contraceptives because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations Population Fund said in a report published Thursday.

Why it matters: The UNPF said the data from 115 low- and middle-income countries shows the disruption for a total of 3.6 months caused by the pandemic over the past year led to 1.4 million "unintended pregnancies."

All living former presidents except Donald Trump have banded together for two national ad campaigns released Thursday that are designed to drive trust in COVID-19 vaccines.

Driving the news: One video from the "It's Up To You" campaign features images of former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, along with former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton and Rosalynn Carter getting the jab.

Texas can remove Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program, a state district judge ruled Wednesday.

Why it matters: The move would stop thousands of people from accessing non-abortion services from the health provider.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters the security presence in and around the U.S. Capitol was an overreaction on Wednesday.

Why it matters: The Capitol grounds have been surrounded by troops and tall fencing with razor wire since rioters stormed the building in January. McConnell joins a growing number of lawmakers who have decried the security measures, Bloomberg reports.

President Biden's moves to restore the economy and public health are making the U.S. even more of a magnet for migrants, worsening the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The big picture: The president is racing to get every American vaccinated. He's about to inject $1.9 trillion into the economy with his COVID-19 relief law. And he and his team are vowing a more humane approach to immigration.

U.S. officials announced Wednesday they'll hold their first high-level, in-person summit next week with China — and cyberattacks, human rights and Chinese actions in Taiwan and Hong Kong are likely on the agenda.

Why it matters: China's leaders may see the current moment as a window of opportunity to persuade a new administration the United States has much to gain from supporting Beijing's global goals and much to lose if the U.S. tries to thwart them.

Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2020 campaign manager is running a new media startup aiming to use ideologically driven storytelling to push the Biden administration to the left, the group tells Axios.

Why it matters: Faiz Shakir's new venture, dubbed More Perfect Union, scored a win last week when White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain shared its video about efforts to unionize an Alabama Amazon warehouse. It was an early sign the administration is attuned to the priorities of its party's left flank.

The COVID-19 relief law won't just inject $1.9 trillion into the U.S. economy — it gives states and cities a cash windfall that could trigger monetary melees.

Why it matters: From more than $42 billion for California to $1.36 billion for several states, governors and state legislators now have a pot of money to split. The decisions could get sticky in states with leaders from different parties.

Lawmakers in Mexico's lower house passed a bill Wednesday to legalize recreational marijuana.

Why it matters: The action sets it up for approval in the Senate before it's sent to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has signaled support for the measure.

The U.S. is averaging fewer than 50,000 new coronavirus cases per day for the first time in over five months.

Why it matters: The downward trend comes after reaching a high in January and amid the U.S. vaccination campaign, but health officials warn people to remain vigilant about social distancing and masking.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is facing yet another accusation of misconduct — this time by an unnamed female aide who alleged to the Albany Times Union Wednesday that he " aggressively groped her in a sexually charged manner." Cuomo denies the claims.

Driving the news: The staffer said the incident took place after she had been "summoned to the governor's mansion late last year." The Times Union reports that Cuomo "allegedly reached under her blouse and began to fondle her."