Montgomery County police in Maryland warned on Wednesday that officers will enforce the law against disturbing the peace, as protests continue outside Supreme Court justices' homes.
The big picture: Protests first erupted outside justices' homes after a leaked draft in May showed that the Supreme Court was planning to overturn Roe v. Wade and continued after the final ruling in late June.
The Biden administration is open to cutting bait on an expansive China competitiveness bill and encouraging Congress to focus solely on passing some $52 billion for the semiconductor industry before leaving for August recess.
Driving the news: In an interview with Axios, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the country doesn't have the luxury of waiting for the House and Senate to hash out all the differences on their competing versions of the stalled legislation.
Michael Barr, the Biden administration’s pick for the Federal Reserve’s top Wall Street cop, was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday — a win for the White House after a string of failednominees to fill key financial regulator positions.
Why it matters: As the nation’s most powerful bank regulator, Barr will leave an imprint on the oversight of the financial system and monetary policy.
A federal judge sentenced a Capitol rioter from Maryland who shoved a police officer with a makeshift Confederate flag to 5 months in prison on Wednesday, according to the Justice Department.
Driving the news: David Alan Blair, 27, shoved a police officer in the chest with a lacrosse stick attached to a Confederate flag during the riot. He pleaded guilty in March to a charge of interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder.
A man in Ohio has been arrested for raping a 10-year-old girl, who then had to travel out of state for an abortion.
Why it matters: The case is an example of how state laws in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will bar access to abortion care, even in extreme cases of rape and incest.
Another month, another terrible inflation report. There's no way to put a positive gloss on the atrocious numbers.
Why it matters: Price increases show no signs of slowing. That will add urgency to the Federal Reserve's aggressive campaign to cool inflation by raising interest rates — heightening the odds the central bank steers the economy into recession.
Ray Epps, a Trump supporter from Arizona, traveled to Washington, D.C., in January of 2021 to support the former president — a decision that he says has haunted him since, he told the New York Times.
Why it matters: Epps emerged at the center of an unfounded conspiracy theory after the Jan. 6 riot that pinned him as a covert FBI agent who helped incite the attack. His story underscores how quickly conspiracy theories can reverberate — and their dangerous long-term impacts.
ABU DHABI, UAE —The Gulf region is expressing some optimism for President Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia this week.
Driving the news: Biden on Saturday will meet with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council plus Egypt, Iraq and Jordan (known as the GCC+3). This forum has added an extra dimension to the GCC’s influence, and the meeting is significant for both Gulf and U.S. interests.
The Palestinian leadership has very low expectations for President Biden’s visit to the occupied West Bank on Friday, Palestinian officials say.
Why it matters: After the breakdown in relations with the U.S. during the Trump administration, the Palestinians had hoped the Biden administration would push diplomatic initiatives in their favor. But the U.S. has stalled on making good on key promises, including reopening the consulate in Jerusalem.
More than 80 House Democrats sent a letter to President Biden on Tuesday urging him to issue a national emergency declaration and a public health emergency declaration in response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
Driving the news: Biden told reporters over the weekend that he is considering issuing a public health emergency on abortion. However, the White House has said that it is not "a great option" because doing so "doesn’t free very many resources."
Inflation soared to a fresh four-decade high in June, as prices rose 9.1% from last year — 1.3% from the prior month — the government said Wednesday.
Why it matters: The price shock is tanking Americans' view of the economy — and risks pushing the Federal Reserve into moving aggressively to cool inflation, possibly triggering a recession.
President Biden landed in Israel Wednesday for the start of his first trip to the region since taking office.
Why it matters: The trip is aimed at showing the Israeli people that Biden cares deeply about the Jewish state and its security, as well as reassuring the Palestinians of his administration's support, officials have said. But the more important, and controversial, stop on his trip will be his visit to Saudi Arabia, where he will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
It's become an inside joke in the inner circle of the Biden White House: Chief of staff Ron Klain gathers senior staff daily for an 8:20am ET video call. But on certain mornings — like today — when big economic data is set for public release, Klain stalls for 10 minutes before calling on Council of Economic Advisers chair Cecilia Rouse.
Why it matters: Rouse sees the Consumer Price Index numbers the night before. But, beyond a tight circle, she’s sworn to silence until 8:30.
Why it matters: Rajapaksa's exit on Tuesday prompted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to announce a nationwide state of emergency and impose a curfew in the western province as he was appointed acting president. Security forces deployed tear gas as thousands of demonstrators rallied outside Wickremesinghe's office.
Former Trump administration officials Sean Spicer and Russ Vought have had their lawsuit challenging their removal from the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors dismissed by a federal judge in Washington, D.C.
Why it matters: The suit argued that President Biden had "no statutory authority" to dismiss them from the board. But U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich ruled that federal law "did not insulate" former White House press secretary Spicer and former Office of Management and Budget director Vought from presidential removal.
John Bolton, who served as national security adviser in the Trump administration, said Tuesday he's previously helped plan coups in other countries.
Driving the news: Bolton on CNN rejected the notion that the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot was a "carefully planned coup" by former President Trump. "That's not the way Donald Trump does things," Bolton told CNN's Jake Tapper. "It's rambling from one … idea to another, one plan that falls through, and another comes up."
Driving the news: "I don't hate the man, but it's time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset," Musk tweeted in response to a report on the former president calling him "another bullsh--t artist" at a rally in Alaska. "Dems should also call off the attack — don't make it so that Trump's only way to survive is to regain the Presidency."
Uvalde families and officials expressed outrage on Tuesday over the Austin American-Statesman's decision to publish leaked video footage of the deadly shooting at a Uvalde elementary school in May.
Driving the news: The footage, obtained by the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE, shows police in the hallways of Robb Elementary School, responding to the shooting that left 19 children and two adults dead.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) is gauging support among House centrists for a counteroffer to the emerging Senate reconciliation package, with one big clause: No new taxes.
Why it matters: Any attempt to modify a deal that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer may reach with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) could scuttle the entire package. That could deprive President Biden — and vulnerable lawmakers — of a pre-election win at a time of real weakness.
House Republican leaders are plowing money into their national campaign arm, contributing to record-breaking fundraising hauls as the GOP tries to take the majority in November, Axios has learned.
Driving the news: The National Republican Congressional Committee raised $16.5 million in June, bringing its fundraising total for the cycle to $215 million, according to data shared exclusively with Axios.
