William "Rick" Singer, the mastermind of a massive, nationwide college admissions scandal, was sentenced to 3.5years in prison on Wednesday for charges of racketeering conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
Why it matters: Singer, who pleaded guilty to the federal charges in March 2019, had helped law enforcement officials expose what prosecutors have called the largest admissions scam in U.S. history, leading to the convictions of dozens of wealthy parents involved in the scheme.
The reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect who placed pipe bombs near the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee before the Jan. 6 Capitol riot has increased, the FBI announced Wednesday.
Why it matters: By upping the amount from $100,000 to $500,000, investigators hope for a new break in a sprawling investigation that has yet to identify the culprit.
Jarrett Blanc, the U.S. deputy special envoy for Iran, is leaving the State Department Iran team and returning to the Department of Energy to work on nuclear policy-related issues, according to three U.S. officials.
Why it matters: Blanc's departure is another sign that the Biden administration believes there is currently no path forward for a return to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.
President Biden said Wednesday that the House of Representatives' failure to elect a speaker is "embarrassing" but that the stalemate is "not my problem."
Why it matters: House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) lost his bid for the speakership during three rounds of voting before the House adjourned without a speaker on Tuesday.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is standing behind House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy's faltering bid for the speakership, criticizing hardliners who have turned against the California Republican.
Why it matters: The House is at a complete standstill after McCarthy failed to secure the votes needed to be elected speaker on Tuesday — with 20 of his Republican colleagues voting for alternative candidates in the last of three separate ballots.
An unlikely figure is making an appearance in the race for Chicago's mayor: FTX founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.
Driving the news: Mayor Lori Lightfoot is going after one of her many opponents in a new TV ad out today, shared first with Axios, that highlights Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia's ties to and financial support from Bankman-Fried.
Geoff Morrell — a former White House correspondent, and official at the Pentagon, BP and Disney — will join Teneo, the global CEO advisory firm, in the new role of president, Global Strategy & Communications.
Driving the news: Morrell, 54, will be based in D.C. — but with lots of travel, because he has a global team.
Here's what senior House GOP lawmakers and aides tell Axios behind the scenes: It's amazing anyone wants to be their leader in this era.
Why it matters: Top Republicans tell us they're stuck with two parties under one leaky roof — leaving them at a loss for how to organize, let alone govern. The GOP won midterms — and, with no one able to clinch the speakership, can't take advantage.
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy is suffering the nightmare scenario that Speaker Nancy Pelosi narrowly dodged when she regained the gavel in 2019.
Why it matters: Today's Republican rebels are a much bigger threat to the party than the left-wing Squad ended up being for Democrats.
Meta's looming decision on whether to allow former President Trump back on its apps will set a new precedent for how the Facebook parent company treats politicians and world leaders.
Why it matters: Trump's accounts were indefinitely shut down following the U.S. Capitol siege of Jan. 6, 2021. As he again runs for president, their reinstatement could allow him to run ads via his Facebook and Instagram pages, which have 34 million and 23 million followers, respectively.
Why it matters: Ballots will continue until someone gets a majority of votes — but it's unclear how long that will take. The House can't start regular business until a speaker is elected.
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters he intends to fight on in his bid to be speaker and said former President Donald Trump gave him his backing when he spoke with him Tuesday night.
Driving the news: McCarthy's comments came hours after Trump declined to say if he'd support him for the speakership role after the California Republican lost three speakership ballots.
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy's political operation has steered more than $300,000 over the years to the bloc of Republicans who spurned his speaker bid Tuesday, records show.
Why it matters: The data underscore the deep ideological divisions in McCarthy's caucus: Even the usual means of political wheel-greasing couldn't beat back a first-in-a-century challenge to his leadership of the new House GOP majority.
The new House of Representativesadjourned for the first time Tuesday evening with no speaker, no new members sworn in, and no clear path to functioning as a governing body in the near future.
Why it matters: We've long known — and previewed — the perils of a narrow House GOP majority. But the scale of the challenge that emerged after the "red wave" didn't has never been more clear.
