A prominent pro-Israel group is trying to calm the nerves of Democratic elected officials who fear continued support for Israel will lead to disaster in November, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The push from Democratic Majority For Israel (DMFI) comes as President Biden and other pro-Israel members of his party have grown increasingly critical of their Middle East ally's conduct in Gaza in recent months.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) is betting that backlash against the chamber's current Republican leadership will translate into a groundswell of support for him to step in as Sen. Mitch McConnell's successor.
Why it matters: Scott's bid to become the next Senate GOP leader is centered on significant changes he's proposing to Republican conference rules, a tactic he's wagering will make him a more appealing choice than his rivals, who hew more closely to McConnell's style and philosophy.
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegations that include accepting bribes, money laundering and abuse of office, the panel announced Wednesday.
Why it matters: It creates fresh political peril for the already embattled South Texas Democrat as he defends himself from a federal criminal indictment.
Harvey Weinstein may face a fresh indictment over new claims of sexual assault made against him, Manhattan prosecutors told a judge in a hearing on Wednesday, AP reports.
Why it matters: The indictment would come ahead of Weinstein's upcoming retrial for sex crimes in New York City, which was prompted after a New York appeals court overturned his 2020 felony sex crime convictions last month.
Why it matters: Kennedy's campaign claimed in the complaint that it is being held to "different" criteria to participate in the debate in violation of election laws.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Wednesday denied a request from Democratic lawmakers for him to recuse himself from cases involving former President Trump and Jan. 6 defendants because of a controversy over flags flown at his homes.
Why it matters: The Supreme Court justice has been under scrutiny since two flags with connections to Jan. 6 were flown at his properties.
Why it matters: The outcome reached by a dozen New Yorkers will determine whether the former president and 2024 presidential candidate is a convicted felon.
Former President Trump and Elon Musk have begun speaking on the phone several times a month, including about a potential advisory role for the Tesla CEO in a second Trump administration, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Why it matters: Musk has become one of President Biden's most prominent online critics, leveraging his massive X platform to attack Democrats and promote Trump's messaging on the 2024 election's top issues.
A top White House official says the world needs to understand how and when the U.S. will weaponize its economic might in global conflict — and offered a sneak peek of what such a doctrine might look like if President Biden wins another term.
Why it matters: Global policymakers warn we may be in the most fragile era in decades, with persistent conflict among world superpowers. There is already evidence that these battles will be waged with economic tools that could spill out across the globe.
Jenna Ellis, former President Trump's onetime legal adviser, had her Colorado law license suspended for three years on Tuesday for her efforts to try to subvert Georgia's 2020 election results.
Asian Americans overwhelmingly support teaching historical topics like slavery, racism, and segregation in public schools but strongly oppose colleges using race and ethnicity in admissions, according to a new survey.
Why it matters: This data is a rare look at the nuances Asian Americans have around race and education four years after the pandemic, when the nation saw surges in anti-Asian hate and a racial awakening sparked by the murder of George Floyd.
President Biden will unveil a campaign strategy to regain ground among Black voters during a visit to Philadelphia today, with a rally at a majority-Black school and Vice President Kamala Harris by his side.
Why it matters: Biden ran up big margins with Black voters as part of his winning coalition against former President Trump four years ago, taking them 92%–8%.
The second U.S. congressional delegation to visit Taiwan this week arrived on the self-governing island Wednesday for a meeting with Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te.
Why it matters: The show of support from the delegation, headed by Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), comes despite complaints from Chinese officials about the earlier visit that Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) led days after China's military held drills around the island it claims is part of its territory to protest Lai's inauguration.
A South Florida woman with ties to leading Republicans and the state GOP has been formally indicted on Jan. 6 charges, it emerged on Tuesday.
The big picture: Barbara Balmaseda, 23, whom the Miami New Times reports previously interned for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and worked as a campaign organizer for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' 2018 gubernatorial campaign, was arrested last December.
Major League Baseball will announce Wednesday it will add statistics from the Negro Leagues to the Major League historical record, MLB has confirmed to Axios.
Why it matters: The announcement means that MLB could get new all-time records to be held by some Negro League players — barred from MLB during segregation but called the greatest of all time by those who saw them.
The defense finished delivering their closing arguments on Tuesday, making their final pitch to jurors that former Trump fixer Michael Cohen should not be trusted, while the prosecution called efforts to make the case about Cohen "a deflection."
Why it matters: Former President Trump's lawyer called star witness Cohen the "MVP of liars" during the trial's closing arguments, while a prosecutor accused the presumptive GOP presidential nominee of "overt election fraud."
Louisiana will become the first state to require the Ten Commandments be displayed in all schools and colleges that receive public funding, if Gov. Jeff Landry signs a new bill into law.
Catch up quick: Rep. Dodie Horton (R-Haughton) wrote HB71 to require the text of the Ten Commandments be printed on a poster no smaller than 11 inches by 14 inches.
The text must be "the central focus" of the document.
