Ginni Thomas, a conservative activist and the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, played an active role in pushing then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to take measures to help overturn the 2020 election results, according to texts obtained by the Washington Post and CBS News.
Why it matters: The texts, which were among the materials Meadows handed over to the Jan. 6 select committee, reveal her deep ties to Trump's inner circle during a time "when Trump and his allies were vowing to go to the Supreme Court in an effort to negate the election results," the story notes.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday that he will vote "no" on Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation to the Supreme Court.
The big picture: Jackson is likely to be confirmed with or without McConnell’s support, but he had left the door open in previous days, saying he wasn't yet sure.
Former President Trump on Thursday sued Hillary Clinton, accusing her and dozens of others of working together to accuse him of colluding with Russia during the 2016 presidential election.
Driving the news: Trump's suit saysClinton, her campaign, the DNC, former FBI Director James Comey and others "maliciously conspired to weave a false narrative" that he was "colluding with a hostile foreign sovereignty" in an effort to "cripple Trump's bid for presidency." He ultimately won the 2016 election.
The Jan. 6 select committee on Thursday announced plans to consider recommending former Trump administration officials Dan Scavino and Peter Navarro be held in contempt of Congress.
Why it matters: This will be the fourth time the committee has met to consider such a recommendation, a measure they turn to when hostile witnesses refuse to comply with their subpoenas.
Activists placed over 1,100 fake body bags on the National Mall on Thursday to mark the four-year anniversary of the March for Our Lives rally.
Driving the news: "Four years and 170,000 lives later and we have seen negligible action from this Congress and the White House on gun violence prevention advocacy," said Daud Mumin, co-chair of the Board of Directors for March for Our Lives, per ABC 7.
Latinos say they are accepting of members of the LGBTQ community, and many support someone’s right to choose the gender they identify with, according to a new Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll in partnership with Noticias Telemundo.
Why it matters: The percentage of Latinos who identify as LGBTQ has more than doubled in the past decade and has outpaced growth among white and Black Americans.
A majority of Latinos in the U.S. say they can still reach the American dream, and over 90% say hard work and the ability to speak English are needed to succeed, a new Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll in partnership with Noticias Telemundo found.
Why it matters: The optimism comes even after two years of a pandemic that has disproportionately hit Latinos and amid deep polarization and systemic racism, the findings in our second Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll show.
New York City Mayor Eric Adamslifted the vaccine mandate for performers and athletes in local venues, allowing the Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving and some other unvaccinated athletes to return to competing in their hometown.
Why it matters: Adams has sought to roll back COVID restrictions as cases fall in the city. The mandate had led Irving to sit out home games.
The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of three Muslim Americans who say border officials violated their First Amendment rights by asking them about their religion.
Driving the news: The ACLU said in a press release that when the plaintiffs returned to the U.S. after traveling abroad, border officers "asked them inappropriate religious questions, including whether they are Muslim, whether they attend a mosque, which mosque they attend, whether they are Sunni or Shi’a, and how often they pray."
The Departments of Justice and Homeland Security are pushing through a new rule to overhaul and expedite the asylum process at the southern border and aim to alleviate the immigration court backlog, which has climbed to 1.7 million cases.
Why it matters: The rule will likely go into effect as soon as late May. The announcement comes as officials prepare for the lifting of COVID-19 border policies as soon as next month and anticipate a "mass migration event."
A group of Georgia voters filed a legal challenge Thursday arguing that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is "constitutionally disqualified from congressional office" for her involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Driving the news: "Greene repeatedly advocated for political violence, up to and including, her encouragement of insurrectionists on January 6," the group of voters, represented by Free Speech for People, argue.
The U.S. is preparing to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia's invasion through its refugee program and other pathways, the Biden administration announced Thursday.
Why it matters: The news comes during President Biden's visit to Europe, and in the face of building pressure from within the U.S. and around the world for the administration to do more to aid Ukrainians — including accepting more refugees.
Latino support for Democrats is softening as inflation replaces COVID-19 as the top worry, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll in partnership with Noticias Telemundo.
Why it matters: The survey does not show a mass defection to the Republican Party. But two trends since our last survey in Decemberare hurting President Biden and his party: a waning intention to vote in the midterms, anda new GOP advantage on which party is better for the economy.
COVID-19 drove the largest death spike in a century, with 535,000 more deaths in 2020 than in 2019, according to newly released U.S. Census Bureau data.
Why it matters: The new data shows how profoundly the pandemic has impacted the U.S. population, as Americans died or fled cities for the sanctuary of cheaper or less populous areas.
A senior prosecutor who investigated former President Trump's financial dealings said he is "guilty of numerous felony violations" and called it a "grave failure of justice" to not pursue an indictment, according to a copy of his resignation letter obtained by the New York Times.
Why it matters: Mark F. Pomerantz and another senior prosecutor resigned last month after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's probe into Trump's potential tax and bank-related fraud stalled. In his resignation letter, Pomerantz explicitly said he believes the office could have convicted Trump.
The U.S. has assessed that Russia's forces are committing war crimes in Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday.
Driving the news: "We’ve seen numerous credible reports of indiscriminate attacks and attacks deliberately targeting civilians, as well as other atrocities," Blinken said in a statement. "We are committed to pursuing accountability using every tool available, including criminal prosecutions."
