Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has returned to his roots: raising money.
Why it matters: The 2021 gubernatorial contest in which he sought a second term was the most expensive election in commonwealth history. The storied political fundraiser is converting the remnants of his defeated campaign into a money machine for fellow Democrats competing in this year's pivotal midterms.
Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) are introducing a bill to repurpose funds from seized Russian assets for a relief fund benefitting Ukrainian refugees and Ukraine's reconstruction, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The bipartisan effort is another sign Congress is keeping close tabs on the blizzard of sanctions imposed on Russia by the Biden administration. In this case, it's also taking the next step to clarify who should benefit and how.
The Department of Justice wants to hire 131 more lawyers to help prosecute cases related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Driving the news: The DOJ is seeking $34.1 million for the effort, according to President Biden's budget request for next year, which was released Monday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday signed into law the controversial Parental Rights in Education Bill — dubbed by critics the "Don't Say Gay" bill — to ban classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through 3rd grade.
The big picture: The bill, which will go into effect on July 1, led to backlash across the country, including protests among students and educators, as well as public opposition from corporate leaders.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) said Monday that alopecia is "not a line in a joke" after comedian Chris Rock mocked actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from the autoimmune disease, at the Oscars.
Driving the news: Rock's joke became a national headline after actor Will Smith, Pinkett Smith's husband, struck him across the face in response.
President Biden said Monday his weekend statement that Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power" did not reflect new U.S. policy, but rather an expression of his "personal feelings" and "moral outrage" about Russia's atrocities in Ukraine.
Why it matters: Biden's off-the-cuff remark during a major speech in Poland on Saturday triggered global headlines and sent White House officials scrambling to clarify that the U.S. was not pursuing regime change in Russia.
A federal judge on Monday ordered John Eastman, an attorney and staunch ally to former President Trump, to turn over a cache of documents to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Why it matters: Judge David Carter wrote that Eastman and Trump "launched a campaign to overturn a democratic election, an action unprecedented in American history."
Justice Clarence Thomas participated in arguments at the Supreme Court via telephone on Monday, marking his return to work after being hospitalized, AP reported.
President Biden plans to spend $1.58 trillion of the $5.8 trillion in his proposed 2023 budget to bolster America’s defenses and maintain robust economic growth, while also addressing inflation by lowering the federal deficit and costs for working families.
Driving the news: Biden on Monday is sending Congress his top line tax and spending requests for the next fiscal year, which includes $773 billion for the Department of Defense.
Joe Biden isn't a dictionary publisher. But, if he gets his way, the folks in Oxford may need to update their definition of "income."
Driving the news: The White House on Monday will unveil its annual budget proposal, including a minimum tax on unrealized gains for the wealthiest Americans. For the most part, this would mean taxing vested but unexercised stock.
A majority of Americans believe President Biden has not been "tough enough" on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine but are concerned about the U.S. being drawn into an all-out war with Russia, according to a poll published on Monday by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Why it matters: The results indicate that those polled believe the U.S. should continue sending humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine while increasing sanctions on Russia, even at the risk of damaging the U.S. economy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he's looking for peace "without delay" when negotiations resume with Russian officials in Turkey this week, but "Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond doubt."
Driving the news: Zelensky's comments in a televised address late Sunday came hours after he told Russian journalists that he was prepared to discuss adopting a neutral stance as part of a peace deal with Russia and put an agreement that Ukraine couldn't join NATO to a referendum.
President Biden will propose more than $32 billion in new spending to fight crime, two White House officials familiar with his 2023 budget plans tells Axios, putting a price tag on his State of the Union call to fund — not defund — the police.
Why it matters: Biden wants to show Americans he is addressing rising crime, which threatens Democrats' fortunes in the midterm elections.
The House select committee investigating the U.S. Capitol riot released a report Sunday night recommending former Trump aides Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino face contempt of Congress proceedings for failing to cooperate with subpoenas.
Why it matters: This is the fourth time the panel has made such a recommendation in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, a measure they turn to when hostile witnesses refuse to comply with their subpoenas, Axios' Andrew Solender notes.
White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Sunday night she's tested positive for COVID-19 following a trip to Europe with President Biden, but he's not considered a close contact.
What she's saying: "I last saw the President during a socially distanced meeting yesterday, and the President is not considered a close contact as defined by CDC guidance," Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
