Axios

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to block enforcement of Maine's COVID vaccine mandate for health care workers while they wait for the court of appeals to rule on the merits of the case.

Why it matters: The 6-3 decision in the emergency appeal was not made on the merits of the case. But in previous rulings, the justices have upheld COVID vaccine requirements — though this is the first case that involves a mandate without religious exemptions.

A U.S. Capitol Police Officer, who was indicted on obstruction of justice charges in the Jan. 6 riot investigation, resigned on Friday, ending his 25-year career on the force, NBC News reports.

Driving the news: Michael A. Riley, 50, was charged earlier this month after he allegedly helped hide evidence of a participant's involvement in the Jan. 6 riot. He pled not guilty to the obstruction charges.

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to weigh in on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) authority when it comes to regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

Why it matters: It's the most significant climate case to reach the Supreme Court since 2007 and could impact the Biden administration's clean power plans, according to E&E News.

For the first time, a detainee at the U.S. detention facility at Guantánamo Bay has testified about the brutal treatment he experienced as part of the U.S. government's interrogation program at CIA black sites.

Driving the news: A panel of military officers, selected by a Pentagon legal official, sentenced Majid Khan, a Pakistani citizen and former Baltimore resident who joined al-Qaeda as a courier, to 26 years in prison on Friday, AP reports.

A chief federal judge in Washington, DC's federal court criticized the Justice Department on Thursday for its handling of Jan. 6 rioters, calling the DOJ's approach "puzzling" and "muddled," the Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: Beryl Howell, the chief judge of the federal court handling the 650-plus Capitol riot cases, said that judges were unable to give heavier sentences because prosecutors keep offering rioters plea deals, CNN reports.

The U.S. Department of Education filed a complaint Thursday urging an administrative judge to block Florida from withholding federal funds from two school districts for implementing mask mandates.

Driving the news: "The Florida Department of Education has unlawfully — and explicitly — reduced the amount of state aid provided to Florida school districts based on their receipt of federal funds," according to the complaint.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Friday she will run for governor in 2022.

Why it matters: James has been seen by Democratic strategists, operatives and progressives as a potentially strong candidate for governor given her heightened national profile from lawsuits against former President Trump, Facebook, Google and the National Rifle Association, as well as her office's investigation into sexual harassment accusations against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

President Biden on Friday told French President Emmanuel Macron that his administration's handling of the U.S.-U.K. submarine deal with Australia was "clumsy."

Why it matters: The U.S. has been attempting to repair its relationship with France since the country declared a "crisis of trust" over the new Indo-Pacific security partnership known as AUKUS, which caused Australia to scrap a multibillion-dollar submarine contract with France.

President Biden told reporters on Friday that Pope Francis believes he should continue to receive communion, adding that the pope "was happy that I was a good Catholic."

Why it matters: The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops this year sparked debate over whether politicians who support abortion rights should be denied communion. Francis has previously said that Catholic bishops should not let politics influence pastoral decisions.

The Department of Homeland Security is issuing a memo Thursday announcing its intent to end the Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" policy, DHS officials told reporters on a call.

Why it matters: The Biden administration is currently under a court order to reimplement the policy, which is formally known as Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The controversial program requires many migrants to remain in Mexico while their asylum claims are processed in U.S. courts. Human rights advocates have slammed MPP as inhumane.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) announced Friday that he will not run for re-election in 2022.

Why it matters: Kinzinger is one of two Republicans to serve on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and one of former President Trump's fiercest GOP critics.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Gerald Fauth, his brother-in-law, violated federal securities laws by abruptly selling financial holdings early on in the COVID pandemic, court filings made public last week show.

Why it matters: The Department of Justice under the Trump administration opened and later closed an insider trading probe into Burr and several other lawmakers from both parties. But the new filings show that the SEC never dropped its investigation into the North Carolina lawmaker.

Thursday’s six-hour-plus House questioning of Big Oil executives about their history of lobbying and climate change disinformation tactics produced fireworks, but the real impact of the inquiry will take a long time to unspool.

Catch up fast: The House Committee on Oversight and Reform is conducting an investigation into how much the fossil fuel industry knew about the dangers its products pose to the climate, and the funding of groups to mount climate misinformation campaigns.

Democrats have unveiled specifics about their draft climate and social spending plan, but its path forward is pretty vague.

Catch up fast: The White House announced a "framework" Thursday morning with $555 billion in clean energy and climate investments. A nearly 1,700-page House draft emerged hours later.

The number of clinic-performed abortions in Texas decreased by about 50% in September — the month the state's near total ban on the procedure went into effect — when compared with the same month last year, according to research from the Texas Policy Evaluation Project.

Driving the news: The Texas ban, which effectively bars the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, is the most restrictive law allowed to be enforced since the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade case legalized abortion in the U.S.

With paid family leave out of the Build Back Better framework released by the White House yesterday, the U.S. remains one of seven countries without paid leave for new moms, Bloomberg reports.

The others: Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Tonga, per UCLA's World Policy Analysis Center.

Biden's meeting in Rome with French President Macron is expected to produce fresh U.S. commitments to European security initiatives, including more investment for counterterrorism forces in Africa, French officials tell Axios.

Why it matters: This will be the first time the two leaders have met in-person since the French declared a "crisis of trust" over the U.S. and U.K.'s secret submarine deal with Australia, which triggered the recall of France's ambassador to Washington for the first time in history.

The U.S. Treasury announced Thursday it has sanctioned two Lebanese businessmen and a member of the nation's Parliament for undermining the rule of law in Lebanon and contributing to the "breakdown of good governance."

Why it matters: Lebanon was without a government for more than a year after a deadly explosion in 2020 killed over 200 people and displaced roughly 250,000. President Biden has urged Lebanon's leaders to reform the country's economy and crack down on corruption amid continued turmoil.

The House whip operation is working to convince Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to issue a more forceful statement in support of President Biden’s $1.75 trillion social spending plan, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.

Why it matters: Vote counters in the House need help to convince progressive lawmakers to vote for the companion bipartisan infrastructure bill — and they're looking for Manchin to deliver. A deal Democrats hoped for Thursday stalled amid the intraparty standoff.

President Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi huffed and puffed Thursday, but it was progressives who threatened to blow the whole House down if their demands weren't met.

Why it matters: The old guard leading the White House and Congress has learned for the second time in a month their pressure tactics no longer work with a new wave of Democrats. And in their high-stakes game of chicken, each is warning the other their demands could cost the party the White House and its congressional majorities.

Republicans are increasingly rethinking how to use one of the most potent political tools of the modern era, the super PAC, GOP operatives tell Axios.

Why it matters: Super PACs are generally thought of as vehicles for massive political ad buys. But Republicans are employing them in more targeted efforts to build the party and its candidates a more robust grassroots fundraising operation.

A misdemeanor complaint alleging a sex crime has been filed in Albany City Court against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Why it matters: Cuomo resigned from his post in August after an independent investigation found he had sexually harassed multiple women in violation of federal and state law. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.