Axios

President Trump's attorney general Bill Barr is in active discussions with the Jan. 6th investigative committee to appear for a formal transcribed interview, according to two sources with direct knowledge.

Driving the news: Barr is likely to cooperate with the committee, according to a source familiar with his thinking.

Parents and caregivers struggling to find infant formula should notice improvement in the availability of the product on shelves “within days,” FDA commissioner Robert Califf told a House subcommittee on Thursday.

Driving the news: The relief should come thanks to higher production from manufacturers and an uptick in imports, Califf said. President Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act requiring "suppliers to direct needed resources to infant formula manufacturers before any other customer who may have ordered that good."

The Senate voted 86-11 to pass a nearly $40 billion military and humanitarian aid package for Ukraine on Thursday and the bill now goes to President Biden to be signed into law.

Why it matters: The package, which is billions more than the $33 billion initially requested by the White House, includes military aid, economic support and humanitarian assistance for food security stemming from Russia's unprovoked invasion.

A White House visit by the leaders of Finland and Sweden threatened to be overshadowed Thursday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's renewed threat to reject the Nordic countries' applications to join NATO.

Why it matters: President Biden celebrated the "historic" applications — spurred by Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine — as "a victory for democracy in action." But all 30 NATO allies must agree to the enlargement of the alliance, giving Erdoğan significant leverage to extract concessions before lifting his objection.

A grand jury indicted the 18-year-old white man accused of killing 10 people in a Buffalo supermarket shooting last weekend on a first-degree murder charge, the Associated Press reported following a short court hearing Thursday morning.

Why it matters: The FBI is investigating the shooting as a hate crime and a case of racially motivated violent extremism, as 11 of the 13 total victims in the mass shooting were Black and the semiautomatic rifle used in the attack had been inscribed with a racial epithet and the number 14, a white supremacist numeric symbol.

The House voted 231-192 on Wednesday to pass an emergency spending bill aimed at addressing the baby formula shortage.

The big picture: The U.S. has faced a nationwide baby formula shortage due to pandemic-induced supply chain issues and recent product recall. Earlier Wednesday, President Biden announced he had invoked the Defense Production Act to help address formula supply.

Justice Department employees urged the Biden administration on Wednesday to give federal employees time off to travel out-of-state to access abortion services, the New York Times first reported.

The big picture: A number of large companies announced plans to help their employees access reproductive health care after a leaked Supreme Court opinion revealed that the high court was prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The rise of far-right Republican candidates has some Republicans considering voting Democratic this fall — and some Democrats trying to engineer the rise of ultra-MAGA candidates they feel will be easier to defeat in a general election.

Why it matters: Embracing unorthodox voting strategies illustrates the concern both parties have about ultra-conservative candidates competing in high-stakes campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate.

President Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to address the baby formula shortage that has caused panic for the millions of parents and caregivers in the U.S. who rely on formula to feed their children.

Driving the news: Invoking the DPA will require "suppliers to direct needed resources to infant formula manufacturers before any other customer who may have ordered that good," the White House said in a fact sheet.

Attorney General Merrick Garland met with Supreme Court officials on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing security for the nine justices, the DOJ said in a statement.

The big picture: Peaceful demonstrators have been protesting outside the homes of Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Samuel Alito as well as the home of Chief Justice John Roberts after a draft decision indicating that the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said on Wednesday that it was "good for the country" that Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) lost his bid for reelection.

The big picture: Cawthorn, who had dogged by numerous scandals in recent weeks, lost the GOP primary for North Carolina's 11th district to state Sen. Chuck Edwardson Tuesday.

Elon Musk said that he will vote for Republicans and can "no longer support" Democrats, the Tesla founder said on Wednesday.

The big picture: Musk said that he previously voted Democrat "because they were (mostly) the kindness party."

New York Attorney General Letitia James is launching an investigation into social media companies in connection with the Buffalo mass shooting, her office announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: The investigation will look into social media companies and other online resources that the alleged shooter might have used to discuss — and amplify — his intentions to carry out the attack that killed 10 and wounded three, according to James' statement.

The U.S. embassy in Kyiv will resume operations three months after officials relocated operations to western Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

The big picture: The embassy left Kyiv "due to the dramatic acceleration in the buildup of Russian forces," Blinken said at the time. Russia invaded Ukraine days later.

Martin Shkreli — the so-called "Pharma Bro" of Wall Street — has been released from prison early, the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed to Axios on Wednesday.

Driving the news: Shkreli was transferred on May 18 from the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Allenwood Low to community confinement, the FBP said in a statement.

• "Community confinement means the inmate is in either home confinement or a Residential Reentry Center (RRC, or halfway house)," the FBP said.
• His projected release date from the custody of the BOP is September 14, 2022, the FBP said.

The other side: “I am pleased to report that Martin Shkreli has been released from Allenwood prison and transferred to a BOP halfway house after completing all programs that allowed for his prison sentence to be shortened,” his lawyer, Ben Brafman, said in a statement to The Washington Post.

• Brafman did not immediately respond to an Axios' request for comment.

The big picture: Shkreli, who gained notoriety for having raised the price of an AIDS drug by 5,000%, is widely known as the “Pharma Bro” of Wall Street.

• He had been serving a seven-year sentence at a prison in Pennsylvania.
• Shkreli was ordered to return $64.6 million made in profit he earned from increasing the price of the life-saving drug Daraprim, Axios' Kierra Frazier writes.
• Shkreli was also banned from the pharmaceutical industry.

The Senate Finance Committee will investigate Abbott Laboratories’ tax practices and stock buybacks amid an ongoing and exacerbating shortage of baby formula, chairman Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: Wyden, in a letter to Abbott CEO Robert Ford, accused the company of using the "billions" its saved from the tax reforms passed by Republicans in 2017 for "padding the pockets of corporate executives and wealthy shareholders" and not "investing in critical upgrades to a plant essential to feeding our nation’s infants."

Vice President Kamala Harris told graduates of the "critical work" they will do in a time where the "rule of law" is strained and long established norms are "under question," while delivering the commencement address at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on Wednesday.

Driving the news: During her address, Harris touched on Russia's war in Ukraine and the recent mass shooting in Buffalo, New York.

A bipartisan group of House members is introducing a resolution urging President Biden to invoke the Defense Production Act to help resolve the baby formula crisis, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The move highlights a sentiment among some in Congress that the administration should act more forcefully and directly to address the myriad shortages and financial squeezes facing Americans.

Former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane pleaded guilty on Wednesday to aiding and abetting manslaughter in former officer Derek Chauvin's killing of George Floyd in 2020.

Why it matters: As part of his plea deal, Lane agreed to a recommended sentence of three years that will be served concurrently with his federal sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights, though that sentence has yet to be issued.

Legal gun manufacturing in the U.S. has nearly tripled since 2000, according to a new federal tally of gun commerce released by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Tuesday.

Why it matters: A mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, that left 10 dead has again reignited the debate around guns and how to regulate them in the U.S.

Pennsylvania's hotly-contested Republican primary for U.S. Senate is too close to call as of Wednesday morning, with just thousands of ballots left to be counted.

What's happening: Celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz, who's backed by former President Donald Trump, is holding onto a razor-thin lead over former hedge fund CEO Dave McCormick.

Bo Hines fended off a host of challengers to win the Republican nomination for North Carolina's 13th congressional district on Tuesday, per the AP.

Why it matters: The 26-year-old former college football player scored former President Trump's endorsement shortly after he announced his candidacy in February, and his victory helps to cement Trump's reputation as the GOP's kingmaker.

Finland and Sweden handed over their NATO applications on Wednesday to Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who hailed the "historic moment" and urged all 30 allies to move quickly to ratify the Nordic countries' membership.

Why it matters: NATO's ninth enlargement since its founding in 1949 will fundamentally transform European security, adding 830 miles of border with Russia along the Finnish frontier and reversing 200 years of Swedish military non-alignment.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little has beat out Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin to win the Republican primary race for governor, per the AP.

Why it matters: Little's win is a loss for former President Trump who endorsed McGeachin in November. He was only one of two sitting Republican governors that Trump has opposed in the 2022 elections.

The U.S. government is bracing for a potential surge in political violence once the Supreme Court hands down the ruling that's expected to overturn Roe v. Wade, according to a Department of Homeland Security memo obtained by Axios.

The big picture: Law enforcement agencies are investigating social-media threats to burn down or storm the Supreme Court building and murder justices and their clerks, as well as attacks targeting places of worship and abortion clinics.

One in three Americans now says the pandemic is over — despite rising cases and hospitalizations — according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.

The big picture: Respondents are more concerned about spreading COVID-19 to others or being inconvenienced by restrictions than getting sick or dying.

Kathy Barnette's Senate candidacy fizzled out on Tuesday, appearing headed to a third place finish behind Trump-backed Dr. Oz and hedge fund CEO Dave McCormick.

Between the lines: The Oz-McCormick race was too close to call as of 11:00pm ET on Tuesday.

North Carolina state Sen. Chuck Edwards defeated Rep. Madison Cawthorn to win the Republican nomination for the state's 11th congressional district on Tuesday, according to a Cawthorn campaign spokesperson who said the congressman called Edwards and conceded the race.

Why it matters: Cawthorn's loss comes after an avalanche of scandals that have plagued the 26-year-old incumbent, which led GOP leaders across the country to doubt his ability to serve in Congress.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano, who rose to prominence by pushing baseless accusations of election fraud in 2020 and scored a last-minute endorsement from former President Trump, won the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania governor on Tuesday, per the AP.

Why it matters: Trump's endorsement has continued to be powerful among the Republican base, and he picked the state senator because he "has been with me right from the beginning, and now I have an obligation to be with him."

A mental health expert who serves in the Department of Veterans Affairs will lead a team of nine people to conduct a review into suicides in the military, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.

Why it matters: Dr. Gayle Iwamasa and a team including experts in substance abuse, sexual assault and other fields will take a "public health approach" at looking into military suicides, the Department of Defense said. Suicides among active duty service members have increased substantially in recent years.

Days after announcing he suffered a stroke, progressive Lt. Gov. John Fetterman won the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania's open U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday, besting moderate U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, per the AP.

Why it matters: Fetterman's unconventional political style and progressive pitch, which included support for the legalization of recreational marijuana and opposition to the filibuster, won the backing of voters in the deeply purple swing state, even as party leaders did not back him.

Senate Republicans, hungry to reclaim their chamber's majority, were nervously watching Tuesday's Senate primary in Pennsylvania — fearing a potential win by Kathy Barnette could jeopardize their chances in November.

Why it matters: Barnette and Eric Greitens in Missouri are at the top of a list of extreme or controversial candidates in primaries this year who sitting senators fear may be too much for general-election voters to support.

The Republicans' use of action words like "fight," "defend" and "destroy" in press releases, social media posts, floor statements and newsletters has increased substantially between the 2018 midterm election cycle and 2022, according to data compiled by Quorum.

Why it matters: The GOP is adopting more polemical rhetoric to both secure renomination of its candidates and to try to end the Democrats' control of Congress and the White House. The language channels the rhetoric of former President Trump.

White House officials told Democratic senators they’re committed to resolving the uncertainty the solar industry is facing because of an investigation into whether China is secretly manufacturing solar panels destined for U.S. markets, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The Biden administration is trying to mitigate political fallout of its own making. It erupted after the Commerce Department announced an investigation into whether Chinese companies are circumventing U.S. tariffs.