The Albany County sheriff said Saturday that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo could face misdemeanor charges if law enforcement find evidence for a criminal complaint filed by an aide who accused the governor of groping her, AP reports.
State of play: Sheriff Craig Apple said his office would conduct a "very comprehensive" investigation along with the Albany County district attorney's office.
Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz announced Friday that two police officers were terminated for being present and "directly next" to the Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection.
State of play: The officers, Caitlin and Alexander Everett, who are married, said they were standing 30 to 50 yards away from the Capitol and never saw any sign of disturbance. However, FBI photographs showed them standing "directly next" to the Capitol building.
Texas Democrats sued some of the state's top Republican leaders on Friday, alleging that GOP efforts to get Democrats to return to Texas for a special legislative session infringes on their First Amendment rights.
Driving the news: The lawsuit was filed one night before a special legislative session — called by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott — was set to convene in an effort to pass restrictive new election laws, the Texas Tribune reported.
Nearly half of Americans say China shouldn't be allowed to host the Winter Games in 2022 because of its record of human rights abuses, a new Axios/Momentive poll finds.
Why it matters: These results suggest that, in addition to facing public health challenges over the continued spread of COVID, the Beijing Games will be politically divisive for a large segment of the American audience.
President Biden on Saturday gave a final push for the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package as the Senate reconvened to advance the measure.
Driving the news: The Senate on Saturday broke the filibuster, clearing the 60-vote threshold to advance the plan for final passage, after which it will head to the House. It is not clear when the final Senate vote will take place.
The Department of Homeland Security said there's been an uptick in online calls for violence related to election conspiracy theories.
Driving the news: "Some conspiracy theories associated with reinstating former President Trump have included calls for violence if desired outcomes are not realized," per a DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis bulletin first obtained by ABC News.
Texas GOP leaders said Friday they've extended "an additional month of funding" for the state legislature after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) vetoed at least $12.6 million that would have gone to 2,100 state workers, the Texas Tribune reports.
Why it matters: Following Texas Democrats' departure from the state, which broke quorum in the regular session, Abbott vetoed a section of the state budget that funds the legislature, its staff and legislative agencies. Texas Democrats have sued Abbott over the action.
Former Virginia Rep. Denver Riggleman will join the staff serving the House select committee in its investigation of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, CNN reported Friday.
Why it matters: The former Air Force intelligence officer is the third Republican Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has brought on to the select panel, which Republican lawmakers have attacked as partisan.
Oklahoma's attorney general asked the Supreme Court on Friday to overturn its 2020 ruling affirming tribal sovereignty, arguing the decision led to a "criminal-justice crisis."
Why it matters: The petition comes one day after Patrick Murphy, an Oklahoma death row inmate whose challenge led to the ruling, was convicted again in federal court for murder and kidnapping, AP reports.
Police officers arrested two Myanmar citizens Friday on charges of plotting to violently attack Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.
Why it matters: Tun, who was elected to represent Myanmar's now-deposed elected civilian government, is an adamant opponent of the country's military junta, which staged a coup in February and later killed hundreds of protesters during anti-coup demonstrations.
The Biden administration has extended pandemic relief for student debt through Jan. 31, 2022, the Department of Education announced on Friday.
Driving the news: The Education Department said it's the final extension of the freeze on federal loan payments, which has maintained a 0% interest rate and pause on collections of defaulted loans. The current moratorium on payments was originally scheduled to end on Sept. 30.
Attorneys for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Friday called into question the results of an independent investigation published by state Attorney General Letitia James' office this week.
Why it matters: Cuomo faces a criminal investigation in Albany after the report alleged he sexually harassed multiple women, including employees in his office, in violation of state and federal law.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told foreign ministers from Southeast Asian countries on Friday that the United States is concerned about the rapid growth of China's nuclear arsenal.
Why it matters: The U.S. maintains no arms control agreements with China, though Washington has repeatedly encouraged Beijing to join its efforts alongside Russia in trilateral treaties to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
An Arkansas judge on Friday temporarily blocked the state from enforcing its ban on mask mandates, AP reports.
Driving the news: Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox issued a preliminary injunction against a law signed in April by Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson that banned governmental entities from implementing mask mandates.
President Biden trumpeted the strong July jobs report on Friday as evidence that his economic plans are working, but emphasized that more work still needs to be done to ensure the economy's full recovery as the Delta variant continues to spread.
Why it matters: The U.S. added 943,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate fell from 5.9% to a new pandemic-era low of 5.4%. But the jobs survey was taken in mid-July — meaning it doesn’t fully reflect possible effects from the recent surge in COVID-19 infections driven by the Delta variant.
A woman who accused Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) of groping her breast last year filed a criminal complaint on Thursday, AP reports.
Why it matters: The complaint is the first known instance of an official report made directly by an alleged victim with a law enforcement agency over the governor's conduct, per AP.
Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.) announced Friday that he'll join the Democratic primary race for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania currently held by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who plans to retire.
Why it matters: The centrist Lamb, 37, joins a crowded field in a state that's critical for Democrats' chances of retaining control of the Senate.
The White House target of zero-emissions models reaching 50% of U.S. car and light truck sales by 2030 is hardly impossible, but a lot of things will have to break right.
Catch up fast: President Biden's executive order Thursday set the nonbinding 50% target of sales from battery-electric, plug-in hybrid or fuel cell electric models.
The White House is using a multimedia public sales pitch and press strategy to promote a dual message: The bipartisan infrastructure plan has really good stuff for the climate — but it can’t be anywhere close to the final word from Congress.
Details: The administration has sent out a blitz of fact sheets and favorable press clippings to reporters.
The Federal Communications Commission released a new set of maps Friday showing mobile service coverage and availability as reported by the major wireless providers.
Why it matters: Billions of dollars are about to be spent on boosting broadband access for underserved Americans. The better the data that directs that spending is, the more effective the dollars will be.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) filed cloture on the Senate's $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill Thursday night, setting it up for a final vote in his chamber as early as Saturday.
Why it matters: The bill's expected passage will be a major victory for Congress and the Biden administration, especially given the current level of polarization in Congress.
NBA player Enes Kanter said Thursday he would continue to denounce President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over human rights abuse reports in Turkey despite discovering that the Turkish government had issued nine warrants for his arrest.
Driving the news: Kanter is wanted in Turkey for defamation and terrorism offenses, according to documents dated July 12 and obtained by monitoring group, the Nordic Monitor.
AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka, who led the largest federation of unions in the country for over a decade, has died at 72.
The big picture: Trumka began working as a coal miner in 1968 and would go on to dedicate his life to the labor movement, including as president of the 12.5 million-member AFL-CIO beginning in 2009.
Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya arrived in Warsaw on Wednesday evening and met with her husband on Thursday, days after refusing national team orders to fly home amid concerns for her safety.
Driving the news: The 24-year-old Olympian received a humanitarian visa from Poland after deciding to defect from her home country when she received a phone call from her grandmother telling her not to return, Reuters reported.
