Axios

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D) former chief counsel joined top Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday in calling for him to resign after an independent investigation concluded the governor sexually harassed multiple women in violation of federal and state law.

The latest: Alphonso David, who is now president of the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign, called the report authored by investigators "devastating" and echoed others' comments in decrying Cuomo's "pattern of sexual harassment."

A federal judge in El Paso on Tuesday temporarily blocked an order issued by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) restricting the transportation of undocumented migrants.

Why it matters: U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone's ruling is a win for the Biden administration, in the latest clash between Texas and the Department of Justice, which filed a lawsuit against the state last week challenging Abbott's executive order on migrants.

A former aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who accused him of sexual harassment, spoke out against his earlier denial of inappropriate behavior, telling CBS News that the governor's comments were "dangerous" and "victim blaming."

Driving the news: At a press conference earlier Tuesday, Cuomo specifically addressed the allegations made by his ex-aide, Charlotte Bennett, admitting he "did ask her questions I don't normally ask people," but he flatly denied other details of her allegations.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) on Tuesday pardoned Mike and Patricia McCloskey, a St. Louis couple that gained national notoriety after brandishing guns while social justice protesters marched by their mansion in June 2020.

Flashback: Last July, Parson vowed to pardon the couple — who pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree assault last month — if they were ever convicted of a crime.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order on Tuesday barring evictions for most of the U.S. through Oct. 3.

The big picture: The moratorium will temporarily halt evictions in counties with "substantial and high levels" of coronavirus cases, which should cover areas where 90% of the U.S. population lives, per AP.

Pentagon Force Protection Agency Chief Woodrow Kusse said an officer was attacked at a transit station outside the Pentagon on Tuesday morning, gunfire was exchanged between the suspect and law enforcement and multiple people were injured.

The latest: "PFPAOficial mourns the tragic loss of a Pentagon Officer killed during this morning's incident at the Pentagon," the Pentagon Force Protection Agency tweeted Tuesday evening. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Officer's family.

The White House intends to sell the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package moving through the Senate by making pragmatic appeals to Americans across the country during this month's congressional recesses, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The Biden team is arming Democratic senators and representatives with talking points highlighting results that will affect their constituencies as the party fights to keep control of Congress in next year's midterms.

President Biden said Tuesday that he supports efforts by private businesses to require coronavirus vaccines.

Driving the news: Biden's comments come hours after New York City announced it would demand proof of vaccination for indoor activities, including trips to gyms and restaurants.

Three hundred Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials are being sent to two of the busiest sections of the U.S.-Mexico border to help overwhelmed counterparts, three government sources familiar with the move tell Axios.

Why it matters: The southern border falls far outside of ICE's regular mission. The deployment comes as early reports suggest a record month for border crossings in July. The agents are expected to start using ankle bracelets to track migrants released without a court date.

President Biden called on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign on Tuesday after an independent investigation found that Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, including employees in his office, in violation of state and federal law.

Why it matters: Unlike dozens of other prominent Democrats, Biden held off on calling for Cuomo's resignation in March when the allegations of sexual misconduct first emerged.

President Biden is expected to reveal a new, more "targeted" ban on evictions, three sources familiar with the matter confirmed to Axios.

Why it matters: The Biden administration allowed the previous eviction moratorium to expire on Saturday night — putting millions of people at risk of homelessness.

Donations to the Republican Attorneys General Association dipped considerably in the months following the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol, records show.

Driving the news: Large companies that gave in the past — such as Amazon, Walmart, Visa, Capital One, Johnson & Johnson and CocaCola — didn't donate to RAGA in the first six months of this year. Another prior donor, Facebook, said it paused its political giving program altogether.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is under criminal investigation after an independent investigation found that he sexually harassed multiple women, including employees in his office, in violation of state and federal law, the Albany County district attorney said Tuesday.

Why it matters: Cuomo, who has denied wrongdoing and urged critics to wait for the results of the independent inquiry, will now face renewed pressure to resign. He must also determine whether he will continue his 2022 re-election campaign.

LGBTQ advocacy organization Human Rights Campaign (HRC) filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Tennessee over a state law barring transgender students and staff from using public school restrooms that align with their gender identity.

Why it matters: Under the law, which went into effect on July 1, schools must provide a "reasonable accommodation" — such as a single-occupancy or employee restroom — to students, faculty or staff who are "unwilling or unable" to use the restroom that aligns with their birth-assigned sex. HRC argues the law singles out trans children and can cause students to avoid using restrooms entirely for fear of being bullied.

Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) was back on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, continuing her calls for President Biden and his administration to renew and expand the eviction moratorium.

Driving the news: "Our movement is growing. Over the last five days, our movement has received support from many of our House and Senate colleagues," Bush said in a statement Tuesday.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday that he will not resign from his post, despite an independent investigation finding that he sexually harassed multiple women in violation of federal and state law.

Why it matters: Cuomo had previously urged those calling for his resignation — including nearly every prominent New York Democrat — to wait for the results of the investigation overseen by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The findings were damning, but Cuomo said he is not going anywhere.

Florida's second-largest school district on Monday said it will no longer impose a mask mandate after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) threatened to withhold funding from districts that require face coverings.

Driving the news: Broward County Public Schools announced last week that it would require mask use after the CDC issued new guidance recommending universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools this incoming school year, regardless of vaccination status.

The Senate passed a bill via unanimous consent on Tuesday to award four Congressional Gold Medals to the Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers who responded to the Jan. 6 riot.

Details: Medals will be awarded to the Capitol Police and to the D.C. Metropolitan Police. Another medal will be displayed at the Smithsonian to honor the officers who responded to the riot, and a fourth will be put on display in the Capitol building.

New York City will require proof of vaccination to participate in indoor activities, including visiting gyms and restaurants, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday.

Why it matters: The mandate is the first of its kind for a major U.S. city, according to de Blasio. France and Italy announced similar requirements last month.

Three Democratic senators including Elizabeth Warren hope to shake loose information about Treasury Department plans to harden the financial system against climate risks and mobilize climate finance.

Why it matters: Treasury's response to their new letter could provide details about what's planned and underway at the department that's slated to play a key role in the White House climate agenda.

A coalition of groups sent a letter to House and Senate leaders Tuesday morning calling for the infrastructure bills moving through Congress to bolster nascent carbon capture and storage ventures.

Why it matters: This may be the broadest coalition yet put together to advocate for carbon capture and storage policies (CCS).

The U.S. has shipped and donated more than 110 million coronavirus vaccine doses to over 60 countries, the White House said Tuesday.

Why it matters: It is more than the combined donations of all other countries, the White House said, citing the United Nations. Biden had pledged to donate at least 80 million vaccines by the end of June.

Four police police officers who responded to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot have died by suicide, according to the WUSA9, a CBS affiliate in the city.

Driving the news: D.C. Metropolitan Officer Kyle DeFreytag, who served in the Fifth District and responded to the Capitol riot, was found dead on July 10. DeFreytag joined the department in 2016, per CNN.

John Ratcliffe, President Trump's final director of national intelligence, tells Axios that the U.S. should push to move the Winter Olympics, scheduled to open in Beijing in six months, on national-security grounds.

Driving the news: In a statement to Axios, Ratcliffe cited the Chinese Communist Party's "mass cover-up of COVID's origins and its initial outbreak, in addition to its crimes against humanity in Xinjiang."

President Biden and his top aides are rebuffing activists who want the White House to pressure Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to retire, sources with direct knowledge of the situation tell Axios.

Behind the scenes: Both Biden and White House chief of staff Ron Klain believe applying such pressure — publicly or even privately — would politicize and damage the institution of the Supreme Court, the sources said. They're also afraid it could backfire.

Americans place the most blame for rising COVID-19 cases and the spread of new variants on the unvaccinated, people from other nations traveling to the U.S. and Donald Trump, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.

Why it matters: The findings expose a surreal gap between the views of the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, showing how tough getting to herd immunity could be — and providing new evidence that mandates could make a difference.

Raven Saunders, the American Olympian facing a possible investigation for making a protest gesture on the podium over the weekend, told the New York Times Monday that U.S. athletes had planned "for weeks" to demonstrate against oppression.

Why it matters: Protests are banned at the Tokyo Games. Saunders told the NYT a group of American Olympians had settled on the "X" symbol, which she gestured on the podium after winning silver in the shot put Sunday, to represent "unity with oppressed people."

Maricopa County and Dominion Voting Systems both refused on Monday to comply with subpoenas from the Republican-controlled Arizona state Senate over an audit of the 2020 presidential election.

Why it matters: Their refusal comes days after the Justice Department issued a second warning to states that so-called audits of the election could violate federal laws, something Dominion cited in its refusal Monday, per the Arizona Republic.

An attorney for former President Trump told the Wall Street Journal Monday he intends to fight a Department of Justice order to release his tax returns to the Democratic-led House Ways and Means Committee.

Driving the news: The DOJ said in a memo to the Treasury Department last Friday that the committee had a "legitimate legislative purpose" to access the returns. A judge has asked the parties to provide a time frame for written arguments by Wednesday, the WSJ notes.

Germany and Britain have announced plans to offer a booster shot against the coronavirus starting as soon as September, Reuters reports.

Why it matters: The decision to implement a booster shot reflects global concerns about protecting vulnerable populations as the Delta variant continues to spread at alarming rates.