The York County Sheriff's Department said Thursday that former NFL player Phillip Adams shot and killed five people at a home in Rock Hill, South Carolina, before killing himself, the AP reported.
The big picture: Police have yet to determine a motive and said that two children were among the victims. The Rock Hill shooting comes in the wake of several major mass shooting events in the U.S. over the past month.
The National Rifle Association's battle to keep itself in bankruptcy court is heating up, just as President Biden escalates his efforts to tackle gun violence.
Driving the news: NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre said he should have disclosed yacht trips he took that were paid by contractors and vendors. His admission came during virtual testimony in a Dallas bankruptcy court Wednesday when a federal judge heard a motion to dismiss the NRA’s Chapter 11 case.
The big picture: Axios' politics reporter Lachlan Markay writes that at precisely the moment that the administration is pushing new gun safety measures, the biggest and most influential gun rights group in the country is consumed by infighting and legal battles.
That will likely have a major impact on any legislative fights. It would be like a fight over abortion rights with a handicapped Planned Parenthood.
What’s happening: New York Attorney General Letitia James wants to dismiss the NRA's bankruptcy case entirely or appoint a trustee, which could result in LaPierre losing control over the organization or be a “death sentence” to the association.
The gun rights group is seeking bankruptcy protection to reincorporate in Texas after James sued the NRA, LaPierre and other executives last summer to dissolve the organization over alleged illegal use of funds.
James and the NRA's biggest creditor, its former advertiser Ackerman McQueen, argue the protection was filed improperly and in an effort to skirt the lawsuit.
LaPierre acknowledged in a disclosure this week that he sheltered on yachts provided by vendors in 2012 and 2018 following the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School because he and his family were under threat.
Situational awareness: President Biden on Thursday called gun violence in the U.S. an “epidemic,” and urged a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, among other congressional actions.
Gun violence killed nearly 20,000 people in America in 2020, and has so far killed nearly 5,000 this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Twitter won't let the National Archives create a federally preserved version of former President Trump's tweets from his banned personal account, Politico first reported Wednesday.
Why it matters: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is working archiving online Twitter posts by Trump while president — including the tweets that led to him being permanently banned from the platform in January following the U.S. Capitol riots.
Pulmonary expert Dr. Martin Tobin on Thursday testified Thursday that George Floyd's preexisting conditions had nothing to do with his death.
Why it matters: Tobin said that in his opinion, Floyd died from a lack of oxygen caused by former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his body. An ER doctor earlier this week similarly testified at Chauvin's trial that Floyd's death was most likely caused by a lack of oxygen.
The National Park Service announced Thursday it was canceling this year's National Independence Day parade because of logistical and planning limitations stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The big picture: It's the second year the annual parade has been canceled due to the pandemic.
What little recovery there has been in employment numbers is not reaching Black and Hispanic women.
Driving the news: The latter’s jobless rates in comparison to early 2020 are 3.3% greater than those of white women, according to the latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Venezuela has launched an unexpected assault near its border with Colombia, presumably to attack armed groups and dissident guerrillas that push drugs and contraband in the area, but civilians have been forced to flee and some have reportedly been killed.
The big picture: The sudden military strikes in Apure state come after years of President Nicolás Maduro’s regime being hands-off in the border region
The big picture: Smugglers are pouncing on the desperation of people in Central America and South America. The smugglers promote their services on Facebook with fake promises of safe trips and easy immigration processes.
Joel Greenberg, an associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), is in plea negotiations after being charged with sex trafficking of a minor, according to his lawyer, the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: A plea deal may indicate that Greenberg, a former tax collector in Seminole County, Florida, is open to cooperating with investigators by providing information though it's unknown how deep the negotiations are.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and ranking member Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) on Thursday announced their finished bipartisan proposal to counter China's rising political and financial power.
Why it matters, via Axios' China reporter Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian: This bill marks a culmination of years of growing bipartisan concern, and the rise of an increasingly authoritarian China. If it passes, it will send a strong signal to Beijing that both parties are unified in defending democratic values from authoritarian encroachment.
New York will offer one-time payments of up to $15,600 to undocumented immigrants who lost work due to COVID-19, the state legislature announced this week.
Why it matters: Part of the state's 2021-2022 budget, the $2.1 billion fund is the biggest of its kind in the U.S., signaling the state's progressive-driven agenda, the New York Times reports.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday announced he has filed a lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demanding cruise ships be "reopened immediately."
Why it matters: The CDC issued new guidance this week to allow cruise ships to begin trial runs before returning to normal operations. But DeSantis wants the cruises — which are a large industry in coastal Florida — to be allowed to resume immediately, the Miami Herald reports.
Investigators from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office on Thursday seized several boxes and a laptop computer's worth of financial records as part of their ongoing investigation into former President Donald Trump's financial dealings, the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: The materials come from Jennifer Weisselberg, who is closely connected to the Trump Organization. She is the ex-wife of employee Barry Weisselberg and the former daughter-in-law of Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization's chief financial officer as well as its most senior serving non-family member.
Former President Trump on Thursday endorsed Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R) for 2022 reelection — despite the fact that Johnson has not publicly announced he will actually launch a bid.
Between the lines: Johnson made a vow when first elected to the Senate that he would only serve two terms. His second term will end in 2022. But the senator in recent months hasn't completely sworn off the idea of another term.
The answer to discrimination and violence against the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is increasing their visibility, two AAPI leaders said on Thursday at an Axios virtual event.
President Biden called gun violence in the U.S. an "epidemic" and "international embarrassment" in a press conference Thursday announcing new executive actions on gun access.
Why it matters: A recent spate of mass shootings, including two high-profile incidents that killed a total of 18 people, has fueled calls for greater action.
JetBlue on March 25 made a $1,000 PAC contribution to Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), one of the lawmakers who voted against certifying Biden's win in the Electoral College, per an FEC filing released this week.
Why it matters: JetBlue appears to be the first company to break from a coalition of corporations suspending political contributions after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, Bloomberg first reported. The insurrection was driven by many supporters of former President Trump who aimed to interfere in counting the electoral votes.
U.S. authorities picked up a record number of unaccompanied children —nearly 19,000— at the southern border in March, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement on Thursday.
Why it matters: Crossings of unaccompanied minors are on the rise and are expected to continue for months, possibly reaching as many as 26,000 by September, Axios previously reported.
A judge ruled Wednesday that the Daily Mail did not break California's law against revenge porn by publishing nude photos of former California Democratic Rep. Katie Hill without her consent, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Why it matters: Hill resigned from Congress amid an investigation into allegations of an inappropriate sexual relationship with a congressional staffer, after photos were published in the U.K.-based tabloid and conservative blog RedState.
Amid a rise in online anti-Semitism, Holocaust survivors are sharing their experiences on social media in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day Thursday.
Why it matters: The #ItStartedWithWords campaign is aimed at educating people on the Nazi genocide — and how hate speech paved the way for mass murder.
Leaders in Northern Ireland Thursday called for calm and an end to the unrest that has rocked the country for nearly a week, AP reports.
Why it matters: Tensions between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland have been rising since Brexit upset the political balance between the two, culminating in the violence the nation has seen in the last week.
The Treasury Departmentestimates its plan to end subsidies for fossil fuel companies would bring in over $35 billion in federal revenue over 10 years.
Driving the news: "The main impact would be on oil and gas company profits. Research suggests little impact on gasoline or energy prices for U.S. consumers and little impact on our energy security," officials said in a report on the wider White House tax policy proposal.
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) announced Thursday he's running for governor of New York in 2022, vowing to "bring New York back from the brink and return it to glory."
Why it matters: Zeldin is a friend of the Trump family and could receive support from Trump himself, Politico reports, which would make the representative a more solidified challenger to embattled Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Thursday will endorse his predecessor Terry McAuliffe in the race to succeed him, AP reports.
Why it matters: The endorsement could give McAuliffe a boost ahead of the state's gubernatorial Democratic primary, set to take place in June. Northam's endorsement is thought to carry weight in the contest, on the back of a tenure which saw Virginia shift dramatically to the left.
President Biden is expected to present a series of executive actions on guns Thursday, including directing his Justice Department to tighten regulations on purchases of so-called “ghost guns."
Why it matters: The president has faced increased pressure from Democrats and gun violence prevention groups to act on the issue following a series of recent high-profile gun tragedies across the U.S.
New Zealand has announced a temporary entry ban on all travelers from India, including NZ citizens, after a spike in COVID-19 cases at the border from the South Asian nation — which set another pandemic record on Thursday.
Driving the news: NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced at a briefing the 17-day suspension after 17 of the 23 new coronavirus infections confirmed Thursday in returned travelers in managed hotel quarantine were from India.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said there's "no circumstance" in which he'd "vote to eliminate or weaken the filibuster," and he expressed alarm at the budget reconciliation process in a Washington Post op-ed Wednesday.
Why it matters: The moderate Democrat's unwavering stance, as outlined on "Axios on HBO" last month, reduces President Biden's chances of pushing through his agenda by limiting Senate Republicans' legislative power.
Former President Trump on Wednesday endorsed Rep. Mo Brooks' campaign for U.S. Senate in Alabama, saying in a statement that "few Republicans have as much COURAGE and FIGHT" as the congressman.
Why it matters: Both Brooks and rival candidate Lynda Blanchard, a businesswoman and Trump's former ambassador to Slovenia, had pushed hard to win the endorsement of Trump, who won 60% of the vote in Alabama in the 2020 presidential election.
Texas officials have launched an investigation into reports alleging sexual and other abuse and neglect at a San Antonio facility housing migrant teenagers who'd arrived from the southern border, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said Wednesday.
Why it matters: The investigation into the three separate reports at the Freeman Coliseum marks the first time state officials have announced a probe into an emergency facility set up by the U.S. government in Texas in response to a significant rise in border crossings of unaccompanied youths, AP notes.
More American adults identify as Democrat than Republican, according to a Gallup poll published on Wednesday.
Why it matters: "The nine-percentage-point Democratic advantage is the largest Gallup has measured since the fourth quarter of 2012," when former President Obama was re-elected, per a Gallup statement.
CBS issued a statement defending "60 Minutes" Wednesday, after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said the program was "dishonest" about the state's partnership with Publix dominating COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Palm Beach County.
Driving the news: DeSantis called the show "smear merchants" for reporting Sunday that poorer communities had been left behind, with no Publix Super Markets in Belle Glade, in the Glades area of Palm Beach County.
Amanda Gorman, the poet who stole the show on President Biden's Inauguration Day in January, can now add appearing on the cover of Vogue Magazine to her array of achievements and accolades.
For the record: The national youth poet laureate appears on two different Vogue May edition, after sitting down for an interview with with the magazine. Gorman noted in an Instagram post that she's the "first poet ever on the cover" of Vogue.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) softened his disapproval of the corporate backlash against Georgia's new voting law, saying Wednesday that businesses "are certainly entitled to be involved in politics," according to the New York Times.
The state of play: McConnell on Monday said that corporations are better off staying out of politics and claimed the dozens of CEOs and corporations that have spoken out against Georgia's law were "taking cues from the Outrage-Industrial Complex."
The purported leader of the neo-Nazi Atomwaffen Division group has pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy and hate crime charges for threatening journalists and Jewish activists, the Department of Justice announced.
Driving the news: Cameron Shea, along with three others, was charged last year with conspiring to identify journalists and advocates "they wanted to threaten in retaliation for the victims' work exposing anti-Semitism," per the DOJ's Tuesday statement.
Over 25 million Americans are to receive the fourth round of COVID-19 stimulus payments this week, sent out under President Biden's American Rescue Plan, the IRS announced Wednesday.
The big picture: More than 156 million payments have been disbursed so far under the relief package, at a cost of about $372 billion. The rollout began last month shortly after the package was passed by Congress.
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