Five women, including two former actresses on "The Cosby Show," have filed a lawsuit against comedian and actor Bill Cosby, alleging sexual assault, battery and false imprisonment that went back as far as 1969.
The big picture: A new law in New York enables adult survivors to sue their abusers within a one-year window even if the statute of limitations on their claims has expired. Over 50 women have publicly alleged that Cosby sexually abused them, often after dosing them with drugs.
The Trump Organization was convictedTuesday over what prosecutors say was a 15-year scheme to defraud state and federal tax authorities, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office announced.
Why it matters:Former President Trump's company could face up to $1.6 million in fines, and the guilty verdict could hinder his ability to conduct business in New York City.
Family members of former Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died a day after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, declined to shake hands with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as they helped present Congressional Gold Medals on Tuesday.
Why it matters: Ken Sicknick, brother of Brian Sicknick, told CBS News after the ceremony that the Republican leaders "have no idea what integrity is" and said they did not deserve a handshake.
Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), who is leaving Congress next month after losing his primary, was directed by the House Ethics Committee Tuesday to pay more than $15,000 related to his ownership and promotion of a cryptocurrency.
The big picture: The report caps off a brief and ignominious congressional tenure for Cawthorn, who spent much of it engulfed in scandal.
More than 70% of voters want to see President Biden release the secret records of John F. Kennedy's assassination, according to a new poll.
Why it matters: About 16,000 documents about Kennedy's death have yet to be released, and, experts say, those documents contain the most sensitive material about the 35th president's shocking assassination.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) confirmed Tuesday that he will seek the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who is resigning to lead the University of Florida.
Driving the news: "For me, it came down to a single question: How can I best serve the people of Nebraska and advance our conservative values? In Congress, we’re in a fight for the future of our nation, and it’s a fight we have to win," Ricketts said in a statement, per KETV.
Special counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed local election officials in Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin for communication with former President Trump and his allies during the lead up to the 2020 election and its aftermath, the Washington Post reports.
The big picture: The subpoenas signal that Smith is extending the breadth of the investigation into Trump and his involvement with the Jan. 6 attack to include local officials and representatives, per the Post.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), the former chair of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, on Tuesday announced he is running against House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for speaker of the House.
Why it matters: Biggs' candidacy gives McCarthy detractors a candidate to rally around, further complicating his already perilous path to the speakership.
The Jan. 6 select committee is closing in on criminal referrals to the Department of Justice, the panel's chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said Tuesday.
Why it matters: The issue is one of the last the committee is trying to nail down before it issues its final report and disbands by the end of the year.
The suspected gunman in the deadly Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub shooting that killed five people last month has been formally charged with 305 counts, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault and bias-motivated crimes.
Driving the news: Anderson Lee Aldrich, the suspect in the Club Q shooting, appeared in person at a court hearing Tuesday in El Paso County District Court, where prosecutors filed the charges.
Police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection were awarded Tuesday with four Congressional Gold Medals.
Why it matters: The medals are Congress' greatest expression of national appreciation and will be placed at the U.S. Capitol Police headquarters, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Capitol and the Smithsonian Institution.
President Biden could announce a potential 2024 presidential bid after the Christmas and New Year's holidays, White House chief of staff Ron Klain said Monday.
Why it matters: After two high-profile runoffs in two years, four elections in 2022 alone, thousands of ads and text messages jamming Georgians' televisions, phones and radio stations, some Georgia voters are tired.
Lawmakers have added a measure to Congress' must-pass defense funding bill that would force Big Tech firms like Google and Meta to pay hundreds of local news outlets for their content,sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: Barring last-minute Capitol Hill maneuvering, the news-funding measure is now on track to pass after failing for years to gather enough support to become law.
A bipartisan duo of senators are reviving negotiations for a potential deal on immigration reform — including providing legal status for 2 million Dreamers and billions of dollars for border security — with the hope they can tackle the issue before the new Congress takes effect next year.
Why it matters: Lawmakers in both parties have repeatedly failed to clinch an agreement on bipartisan immigration reform.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Monday an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians in the U.S., shielding them from deportation by an additional 18 months.
Why it matters: Political instability, disease outbreaks and gang violence in recent months have forced thousands of Haitians to leave their home country in search of safety and security in the U.S.
Georgia election officialsare resisting moves by the Democratic National Committee to move their state up in the 2024 primary window, complicating President Biden’s carefully calibrated plans to reorder his party’s nominating schedule.
Why it matters: Democratic leaders are committed to adding Georgia to the top five earliest voting states as a nod to voters of color and the crucial role it has played for them in recent cycles.
President Biden is planning to head to Mexico City next month for his first scheduled foreign trip of 2023, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: White House officials know they need a better political — and policy — response to stem the flow of illegal migration across America’s southern border, but there aren’t any easy solutions at hand.
The certainty projected by supporters of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is fraying as House Republicans prepare for the prospect of a right-wing revolt hobbling his bid for speaker.
Why it matters: McCarthy failing to win on the first ballot could theoretically result in a weeks or even months-long stalemate that dominates the House floor and grinds other business to a halt.
A wide-ranging group across both parties and both chambers of Congress, led by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-N.V.), is calling on President Biden to develop a unified national strategy to combat antisemitism.
Why it matters: It comes on the heels of a barrage of antisemitic comments from rapper Ye, and former President Trump dining last month with white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
Former Rep. David Rivera (R-Fla.) was arrested Monday on charges of conspiracy to commit offense against the U.S. — including failing to register as a foreign agent for Venezuela — as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.
Driving the news: Rivera, who served from 2011 to 2013 and later signed a $50 million consulting contract with a Venezuelan state-run oil company, was indicted by a federal grand jury in November, according to Marlene Rodriguez, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami.
