Axios

Jeff Nussbaum, a former Biden speechwriter whose words have set the beat for the last four party conventions, is joining Bully Pulpit Interactive as a partner, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Nussbaum will bring his experience writing for corporate and political leaders to BPI, a marketing and communications agency, as it expands its executive communications practice, with a focus on the C-suite.

A former Manhattan district attorney's office prosecutor must appear before the House Judiciary Committee to testify on the probe into former President Trump after a federal judge ruled Wednesday there's no legal reason to block his subpoena.

Driving the news: Former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz "must appear for the congressional deposition" as "no one is above the law," the Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskoci ruled. Pomerantz filed an appeal against the decision Wednesday evening.

The protester killed in January by Georgia state troopers at the site of Atlanta's planned public safety training center died from at least 57 gunshot wounds, according to a newly released autopsy report.

• The DeKalb County medical examiner's autopsy of Manuel Paez Terán, which Axios obtained through an open records request, differs from an independent autopsy performed at the request of the activist's family.

Congressional leaders on Wednesday received a second batch of classified documents discovered at the private residences of President Biden, former President Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The Biden administration is continuing to cooperate with Congress after months of bipartisan criticism that they were withholding crucial information on the document seizures.

Most House Republicans haven’t even begun to dig into the GOP leadership's 230-page debt ceiling bill, but some key lawmakers are already signaling they are prepared to vote for it.

Why it matters: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) hopes that showing he can get 218 votes for a debt ceiling increase and corresponding budget cuts finally could bring the White House to the negotiating table.

Washington is set to become the 10th state to ban the sale of AR-15s and other guns it classifies as assault weapons.

Driving the news: The state House passed the assault weapons sales ban 56-42 on Wednesday, sending it to Gov. Jay Inslee, who has already said he'll sign the bill into law.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday gave an impassioned speech about a string of recent incidents in which people have been shot, and in some cases killed, for making small mistakes like turning into the wrong driveway or going up to the wrong car.

Driving the news: "This week, this country is convulsed by a series of horrific shootings where mistakes and minor slights are being met by gunfire," said Murphy, who has made gun control a central tenet of his work since the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting in his district.

President Biden is set to deliver remarks Wednesday slamming House Republicans' economic vision as the "same old trickle-down dressed up in MAGA clothing."

Why it matters: The U.S. government could reach its fiscal cliff this summer, but the Biden administration has refused to negotiate with House Republicans as long as they tie the debt ceiling to their budget demands.

Lawyers representing the family of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man​ who died days after he was brutally beaten by officers during a traffic stop in January, filed a multimillion-dollar federal civil lawsuit against the city of Memphis, Tennessee, its police department and several individuals on Wednesday.

Why it matters: One of the family's lawyers, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, said the family is seeking a total of $550 million in damages over the "dehumanizing extrajudicial killing" of Nichols.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued an order extending a freeze on lower court orders that imposed restrictions on a widely used abortion pill in a case that tests the Food and Drug Administration's authority over drug approvals.

Driving the news: Justice Samuel Alito said in an order that the temporary stay they issued last week is extended until Friday, April 21 at 11:59 p.m. while the court continues to evaluate the case.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy proposed a debt ceiling increase on Wednesday of $1.5 trillion — paired with a package of spending cuts.

Why it matters: If McCarthy can get Republicans to pass the plan through the House — which is far from certain — he'll have something concrete in negotiations with the White House.

An Oklahoma county commissioner who was allegedly caught on tape making comments about killing Black people and local journalists with three other local officials resigned from office, AP reports.

The latest: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt's office said on Wednesday it received a resignation letter from McCurtain County Commissioner Mark Jennings, who was allegedly heard on the recordings.

The Florida Board of Education approved a rule Wednesday barring the state's public school teachers from teaching students in any grade about sexual orientation and gender identity.

Why it matters: The new rule comes amid a string of anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the U.S., which have included restricting gender-affirming care and restrictions on drag performances.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin privately tried to reassure his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant that the Biden administration is taking steps to prevent future leaks of classified information after a trove of Pentagon documents appeared online this month, two Israeli officials said.

Why it matters: The leak of top secret Defense Department documents, which also included sensitive details from U.S.-Israeli consultations, could have major implications for the vast intelligence sharing between Israel and the U.S.

Alabama officials have arrested four suspects, including two teenagers, over the mass shooting at a birthday party that left four people dead and dozens of others wounded in Dadeville last weekend.

The latest: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency on Thursday arrested a fourth suspect, a 20-year-old man from Tuskegee, in connection to the shooting.

The Georgia prosecutor overseeing a 2020 election probe had offered immunity to some of the false pro-Trump electors implicated in her investigation — but says their lawyer didn't relay the message.

Driving the news: The developments revealed in a court filing Tuesday prompted Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to ask a judge to disqualify the lawyer jointly representing most of the electors, Kimberly Bourroughs Debrow.

The bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus on Wednesday released a proposal for avoiding a default on U.S. debt if the White House and congressional leadership fail to reach an agreement.

Why it matters: Congressional leaders have begun openly referencing the prospect of defaulting as House Republicans and the Biden administration dig into diametrically opposite positions.

Women across the aisle are defending Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), saying they see sexism and ageism in the calls for her to resign from Congress.

Why it matters: These women say Feinstein should determine when her political career ends, not others in her party frustrated by her absence.

Former President Trump is pushing his fight deep into Gov. Ron Desantis' backyard in Florida, picking a fight over Disney and picking off Sunshine State lawmakers, one by one.

Why it matters: Trump sees DeSantis as his only threat for the nomination — and has told aides he will pound him relentlessly with name-calling and policy attacks.

A libertarian-minded House Republican quietly has been making the case to GOP leadership against legislation targeting TikTok, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Efforts to ban the Chinese-owned social media app face growing doubts on the left and the right, as well as from the tech industry.

A trio of Hispanic House Democrats is pushing the Biden administration to do more to prepare for the end of Title 42, a pandemic-era border policy which has allowed for the rapid expulsion of migrants and asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Why it matters: It’s another sign of the complicated intra-party dynamics on the topic of immigration, with many Democrats applauding the end of the pandemic policy — while also raising concerns about the expected influx in border crossings.

Unhealthy air pollution levels affect more than a third of all U.S. residents, according to an annual report published Wednesday.

The big picture: That's 17.6 million fewer people than in the American Lung Association's previous "State of the Air" report.

Yes, but: The ALA notes in an accompanying statement that the number of people facing "daily spikes in deadly particle pollution was 63.7 million, the most ever reported under the current national standard."

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden released their 2022 federal income tax return on Tuesday, earning nearly $580,000 combined.

Why it matters: The Tax Day submission for the third year straight continues the tradition of presidents voluntarily releasing their tax returns on Tax Day that paused after former President Trump refused to do so throughout his presidency.

The House China Select Committee this week will be war-gaming a scenario in which China invades Taiwan, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: It's a unique opportunity that will allow bipartisan members of Congress to walk through the potential challenges and identify the best legislative responses to deter and combat an invasion.