Flanked byhalf a dozen right-wing Republicans, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) extended an invitation to President Biden: Attend Wednesday night's meeting of the House Freedom Caucus to begin budget talks with Capitol Hill's true power brokers.
Why it matters: The absence of negotiations between Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) — not to mention wall-to-wall media coverage of the potential Trump indictment — has obscured the dangerous trajectory of the ongoing debt-ceiling crisis.
A federal appeals court ordered former President Trump's defense attorney to testify Friday before the grand jury investigating the former president's handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, CNN reports.
Why it matters: Evan Corcoran had previously testified but declined to answer some questions, citing attorney-client privilege. But a federal judge found that Trump knowingly and deliberately misled Corcoran in furtherance of a crime — triggering the "crime-fraud" exception to attorney-client privilege.
The White House is going after a top House Republican who said the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank demonstrate the need for government spending cuts.
Why it matters: It’s the latest indication that the bank collapses are doing more to fuel a messaging war than produce bipartisan cooperation over banking regulations or depositor protections.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) was forced to scrap a scheduled committee confirmation vote for President Biden’s pick to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, after Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) raised last-minute questions about the nominee, according to people familiar with the matter.
Why it matters: If Sinema's concerns hold, the prospects for Phil Washington, the current CEO of Denver International Airport, getting confirmed as FAA administrator are close to zero.
Why it matters: While opposition to TikTok has abounded on Capitol Hill, it has proven difficult to find lawmakers who will speak favorably of the Chinese-owned company amid scrutiny of its data collection practices.
America's top financial regulators on Wednesday gave dissimilar answers on whether the government will guarantee bank deposits in excess of the FDIC's current $250,000 limit.
Why it matters: Deposit insurance has become a hot topic since the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, when many corporate customers feared they'd be unable to make payroll or other critical business expenses.
A group of Jewish Democratic members of Congress held a tough meeting with Israeli Ambassador to Washington Mike Herzog two weeks ago and expressed grave concern about the Netanyahu government’s plan to weaken the Supreme Court, two Israeli officials briefed on the meeting and two members of Congress who attended the meeting told Axios.
Why it matters: The private meeting reflected the high level of anxiety among Democrats who are staunch supporters of Israel and represent large Jewish constituencies about the judicial overhaul plan and how it could affect the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Rick Scott (R-Fl.) have introduced a bill which would bar members of Congress from collecting taxpayer-funded pensions if they are convicted of felonies related to their official duties.
Why it matters: It comes as Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is under local and federal investigation for lying about key parts of his biography and campaign — including his resume, ancestry and education.
A November 2021 leak at a World War II-era bulk fuel storage facility that contaminated the water system of an Oahu military base forced thousands of people from their homes.
Driving the news: Attorneys representing more than 100 plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the U.S. government over water contamination from the leak alleged in an amended complaint filed on Monday that residents weren't warned of their exposure to antifreeze and other additives in the jet fuel.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took direct shots at the competence and character of Donald Trump — his likely rival for the '24 GOP nomination — after months of brushing off the former president's taunts.
Driving the news: "It's not important for me to be fighting with people on social media," DeSantis said during an interview for "Piers Morgan Uncensored" on the streaming service Fox Nation (via N.Y. Post).
Walk into any bank branch in America, and you will likely see a sign that says, in big letters, "FDIC" — that would be the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation — and "each depositor insured to at least $250,000."
The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday night it's stepping up efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking across the Southern border with the launch of a major new, multi-agency operation.
Driving the news: "Operation Blue Lotus" has already "stopped more than 900 pounds of fentanyl from coming into the United States in its first week," per a DHS statement.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will tell lawmakers Thursday that banning the app in the U.S. would hurt American businesses and the country's economy, according to newly released remarks prepared for his testimony before Congress.
Driving the news: The Biden administration has warned the firm that it faces a ban in the United States if its parents company, ByteDance, doesn't sell its stake in the U.S. version of the app amid national security concerns, per Axios' Sara Fischer and Ashley Gold.
A Virginia man was sentenced to 52 months in prison Tuesday after striking officers during the U.S. Capitol riot, the Department of Justice announced.
Driving the news: Geoffrey William Sills, 31, of Mechanicsville was found guilty following a bench trial in August 2022 of obstruction of an official proceeding; assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon; and robbery.
U.S.-Saudi dual national Saad Ibrahim Almadi has been released from prison in Saudi Arabia over a year after he was detained for posting tweets critical of the kingdom's rulers.
Yes, but: The 72-year-old is still under a Saudi imposed travel ban that prohibits him from returning home to Florida.
Why it matters: The move by House Republicans — perhaps their boldest effort yet to protect Trump — is drawing mixed reactions from their colleagues in the Senate, many of whom see serious risks in second-guessing how local prosecutors pursue cases.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is no longer veiling his presidential ambitions or his criticism of former President Trump, taking a new gloves-off approach in a wide-ranging — and rare — interview with British journalist Piers Morgan.
Why it matters: DeSantis and Trump have long been on a collision course as the two front-runners for the 2024 GOP nomination. Trump's escalating attacks on his former ally have become more personal in recent weeks — and now DeSantis is punching back.
