Jeremy Adler, most recently a senior communications aide to former Rep. Liz Cheney and with the January 6 committee, is joining Adam Mendelsohn's firm Upland Workshop to grow their New York City presence, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Adler, who also served under former House Speaker Paul Ryan, will bring a crucial number of political contacts to the strategic communications firm and expand their work on the East Coast.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) won a bloc of House Republican votes for speaker over multiple rounds of voting on Wednesday and Thursday,blocking GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) from taking the position.
Driving the news: Thismarks the first time both major parties have nominated a Black person to lead the House, per the Washington Post, with Democrats supporting Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) for the role.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) added a new name to the House speaker fight on Thursday, voting for former President Trump on the 7th ballot.
Why it matters: This is a break from the unified faction of 20 House Republicans who'd been voting for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Florida) and blocking GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy from winning the speakership.
In a rare public address dedicated to the border issue, President Biden unveiled a policy on Thursday to curb illegal border crossings, telling migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti to "not just show up at the border."
Why it matters: Record numbers of migrants and asylum seekers arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border have created humanitarian crises, logistical headaches and a political nightmare for Biden from nearly the start of his presidency.
Regardless of who is elected speaker, House Republicans have systematically gutted the power of their leaders — and institutionalized de facto anarchy.
Why it matters: Long gone are the days of rank-and-file members pining for money, endorsements or committee assignments from their top leaders. Now, it's the rank-and-file lawmakers — and outside allies juiced by social media — holding the real power.
TAIPEI — The most important way to deter China from attacking Taiwan is to ensure a Ukrainian victory in the war against Russia, former NATO secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Thursday.
Why it matters: It's the first time a former NATO chief has made an official visit to Taiwan, highlighting the growing concern in Europe over China's aggression in the Asia-Pacific.
The House voted Wednesday to adjourn for the second time of the day — as Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said he wanted more time to negotiate after six rounds of voting on the speakership resulted in deadlock. It will resume at 12 p.m. ET on Thursday.
Driving the news: “I think it's probably best to let people work through some more. I don't think a vote tonight does any difference but votes in the future will," McCarthy said before the second vote to adjourn.
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy offered fresh concessions on Wednesday evening in an attempt to keep his speakership bid alive, multiple GOP sources told Axios.
Between the lines: It's unclear whether the 20 House GOP rebels will accept the offer, although one GOP member called the plan "an amazing deal they'd be dumb to turn down."
Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) is joining CNN as a senior political commentator, the network announced Wednesday.
The big picture: Kinzinger, one of two Republican members of the House Jan. 6 committee, ended his sixth term in Congress this week after deciding not to seek re-election.
First Lady Jill Biden will undergo surgery to remove a small lesion found above her right eye after a routine eye cancer screening, the White House said Wednesday.
The big picture: The procedure, recommended in an abundance of caution, is scheduled for next Wednesday at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. "We will offer an update after the procedure is completed and we have more information," Kevin O'Connor, physician to the president, wrote in a memo.
President Biden's first trip to the border marks a public — and perilous — step toward addressing an immediate humanitarian emergency and long-term political dilemma ahead of his likely re-election campaign.
Why it matters: Republicans have relentlessly hammered Biden over the border crisis, citing a lack of a visit as evidence he's unserious about the issue. Moderate and border-district Democrats have been clamoring for Biden to find a better policy response to the untenable situation.
