Former President Trump — now a criminal defendant — has consolidated control over the House GOP, scrambling the majority's agenda and cementing his status as the true power behind the gavel.
Why it matters: Trump's allies had already ensured that the central themes of his 2024 campaign — victimhood and vengeance — would permeate the House GOP's priorities. Trump's indictment has kicked that dynamic into overdrive — unnerving some vulnerable Republicans in the process.
Hawaii could soon require tourists to pay a fee to visit state parks and trails under a bill moving through the state legislature.
Why it matters: Tourism has significantly exacerbated environmental damage to the islands, which already suffer outsized climate change effects. Locals have increasingly voiced frustration over the years amid reports of visitors harassing wild animals, hurting coral reefs and leaving behind plastic waste.
Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, as big a Trump critic as there is in the Republican Party, issued a statement saying the former president is "unfit for office" — but that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg "has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda."
Why it matters: Bragg's legal theory is complex and hasn't been fully explained — giving Trump cover from some of his biggest critics, who lambasted the case as shaky and wide open to defense challenges.
What's happening: Trump's next Manhattan court date is Dec. 4, and prosecutors asked the judge to set a trial in January — the month before the Iowa caucuses.
Milwaukee Judge Janet Protasiewicz on Tuesday was elected to Wisconsin's supreme court, giving the key swing state's highest court a liberal majority that could potentially expand abortion rights there, AP reports.
The big picture: The seven-member Wisconsin Supreme Court has had a conservative majority since 2008. It's poised to decide in the next few years the constitutionality of a 19th century abortion ban that was cited to restrict access to the procedure in the state since the fall of Roe v. Wade.
During former President Trump's arraignment in Manhattan Tuesday, prosecutors in the hush-money case addressed his "irresponsible social media posts" — highlighting posts of significant concern.
Driving the news: In particular, prosecutor Chris Conroy pointed to Trump’s post warning of "death and destruction" over the case and a photo of the former president wielding a baseball bat alongside a photo of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Brandon Johnson defeated Paul Vallas in Chicago's mayoral race on Tuesday, AP reports.
Why it matters: Johnson's upset over Vallas, the February frontrunner backed by establishment Democrats and even some Republicans, reflects a progressive shift in Chicago politics.
Driving the news: Those crimes, Bragg revealed at a press conference after Trump's historic arraignment, including violating New York state election law; making or causing additional false statements, including to tax authorities; and exceeding the cap on federal campaign contributions.
Civil rights organizations representing racial justice protesters removed from Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C. in 2020 argued Tuesday that they should be able to sue the involved federal officials.
Driving the news: The protesters are seeking compensation from Trump administration officials who ordered or carried out the removal, including former Attorney General William Barr, Park Police Incident Commander Mark Adamchik and U.S. Park Police officers.
The Trump campaign is capitalizing on the former president's arrest Tuesday.
Driving the news: An email fromTrump's 2024 campaign was sent advertising a t-shirt with a fake mug shot of former President Trump, with the phrase "NOT GUILTY" below it.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) are expected to visit Israel on separate trips later this month, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
Why it matters: The visits by Republican and Democratic congressional leaders will take place amid tensions between President Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Israeli government's judicial overhaul plan and its policies toward the Palestinians.
State of play: Trump pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts of falsifying business records during an arraignment hearing following his formal arrest by New York authorities.
Former President Trump's historic indictment sets up a legal proceeding that may look similar to parts of routine felony arrest processing in New York.
Yes, but: It's anything but standard as no sitting or former president has ever faced criminal charges.
Why it matters:The indictment is historic — no U.S. president has ever before faced criminal charges — but the legal woes swirling around Trump don't stop with the Manhattan district attorney.
The big picture: Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán urged Trump to "keep on fighting," while El Salvador President Nayib Bukele suggested the charges against Trump make the U.S. look hypocritical. Very few other world leaders have weighed in, however, and some international media outlets are treating the case more as a political curiosity.
Driving the news: The Georgia firebrand and close Trump ally told a crowd she had come to "protest this unprecedented abuse of our justice system and election interference," per NBC New York.
Why it matters: A year from now, Trump may look back with envy at the sordid hush money case that brought him to Tuesday's historic arraignment — the first for a former president, but potentially not the last.
House Democrats' campaign arm is homing in on districts won by former President Trump in its efforts to expand the 2024 House map.
Why it matters: The move builds on the 19 districts targeted by House Dems' primary super PAC, including by adding a half dozen GOP incumbents it sees as particularly weak or vulnerable despite holding safer districts.
The judge overseeing former President Trump's criminal case has banned video cameras from the courtroom, but permitted pool photographers to take still photos before Tuesday's proceedings begin.
Driving the news: Acting New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan noted in his Monday night ruling declining a request by a coalition of news outlets to broadcast live during Trump's first court appearance that "this indictment involves a matter of monumental significance."
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) said it won't prohibit coyote hunting in parts of Arizona and New Mexico where the animals are sometimes mistaken for endangered Mexican wolves.
Driving the news: A coalition of conservation groups asked the federal government in December to list coyotes as endangered in Mexican wolf territory.
Entrepreneur and 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is launching a daily podcast to "pull back the curtain on the political process" through interviews with insiders like former Attorney General Bill Barr.
Why it matters: This is just part of an initial $10 million investment toward creating a media production studio within his long-shot political campaign — an atypical operation that will continue even if he drops out of the race, his team said.
