A former Virginia police officer was sentenced to more than seven years in prison on Thursday for his role in the Capitol riot, The Washington Post reports.
Driving the news: A federal judge sentenced Thomas Robertson to 87 months in prison, matching the longest sentence handed down to a Capitol rioter so far, per the Post.
FBI director Christopher Wray on Wednesday condemned threats to law enforcement made in the wake of the agency's search of former President Trump's Florida home, calling the rhetoric "deplorable and dangerous."
The big picture: Trump and his supporters characterized the FBI and Department of Justice's search as a symbol of government overreach and "political persecution."
Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday that the Department of Justice is filing a motion to unseal parts of the search warrant for former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.
Driving the news: Garland also said that he "personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter."
Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton told CNN Wednesday the Biden administration shouldn't negotiate with Iranian officials on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal as it drives actions like making him an assassination target.
Driving the news: The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had been indicted over an alleged plot to kill Bolton. DOJ officials told former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he was also an assassination target, per Axios' Mike Allen.
Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on whether two engineering companies should bear some responsibility for the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, leading the judge to declare a mistrial on Thursday, the AP reports.
The big picture: Flint residents were exposed to lead-contaminated water in 2014 and 2015 after the city switched its water source to the Flint River without treating it to reduce the corrosion of lead pipes.
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in her closing adbefore her primary election next week slammed fellow Republicans who she said are spreading "poisonous lies" about the 2020 election.
Driving the news: The false claims that the 2020 election was stolen "is a cancer that threatens our great republic," said Cheney, the vice chair of the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 attack and a fierce critic of former President Trump.
The nation's largest organization of Republican state leaders is seeking to reverse the declining number of GOP Latino state lawmakers by rolling out targeted ads and highlighting Hispanic recruits.
Why it matters: Republicans see an opportunity to capture swing state legislative seats and build a deep, diverse GOP bench amid a political shift among Latinos.
Former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told CNN Thursday that if someone inside Former President Trump's circle provided information to the FBI that led to its raid on Mar-a-Lago earlier this week, it was likely "somebody very close" to Trump.
Why it matters: A lawyer for Trump said Tuesday that the FBI, while executing a search warrant, removed about a dozen boxes held at Mar-a-Lago.
Beto O'Rourke (D) on Wednesday snapped back at a heckler who laughed as the Texas gubernatorial candidate described the weapon used to murder 19 children and two teachers in the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting earlier this year.
What he said: “It may be funny to you, motherf--ker, but it’s not funny to me, OK?” O’Rourke told the heckler. The crowd applauded.
A report from the House Oversight Committee offers new details into how election misinformation has hamstrung the work of election offices and spurred a deluge of violent threats against their workers.
Why it matters: The report's findings highlight the enduring effects of the still-ongoing effort by former President Trump and his allies to cast doubt on the results of the 2020 election.
Former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is joining Justice Neil Gorsuch as an honorary co-chair of the nonpartisan National Constitution Center.
Why it matters: The announcement, which the group made Thursday, comes at a time of intense political polarization and as Americans' confidence in the Supreme Court has cratered.
President Biden plans to go on offense against Republicans' drumbeat about rising prices by arguing the GOP has repeatedly sided with special interests — "pushing an extreme MAGA agenda that costs families," according to a White House memo shared first with Axios.
Why it matters: The GOP plans to try to make November's midterms a "gas and groceries" election — all about inflation. Biden can't undo the pain families have felt as everyday prices skyrocketed. So this is his inflation jujitsu — using Republicans' force against them.
Beijing has rescinded a pledge not to send troops to Taiwan if it takes control of the island and accused the U.S. of trying to "undermine China’s development and progress" in a new policy document.
Joe Arpaio, the former Arizona sheriff who in 2017 became the first person that then-President Trump pardoned, on Wednesday lost his third attempt at a political comeback, per AP.
Driving the news: The 90-year-old, who was previously an influential figure in Republican politics and known for his hardline stance on immigration, lost the Fountain Hills mayoral race to incumbent Ginny Dickey.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez's political operation is making subtle but significant moves toward a potential White House run, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: A presidential bid by Suarez, a Republican, would test his party's acceptance of internal dissent: he's publicly criticized both former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, considered the two clear favorites for the 2024 nomination.
"China" became the third most-searched topic across the nation last week out of a list of issues likely to sway midterm voters, according to the newest data for Axios' Google Trends midterm tracker.
Why it matters: The attention and controversy over Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan extended outside the D.C. bubble, capturing national attention. China's ranking was the highest it's been since Axios began tracking the data in late May.
Three August elections that pitted Republicans against Democrats on the same ballot on Tuesday are providing fresh indications that Democrats have gained political momentum over the summer.
What's happening: In the Minnesota 1st District special election on Tuesday, Republican Brad Finstad only defeated Democrat Jeff Ettinger by four points in a district that former President Trump carried by 10 points in 2020.
The 2022 midterms are on track to see the most losses by House members in their primaries in three decades.
Why it matters: The number of incumbents who have been ousted — or are likely to be toppled in upcoming primary contests — highlights a political realignment that has been underway in both parties for years.
