Axios

Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) is calling on Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to invite the families of U.S. hostages in Gaza to attend an address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a letter first provided to Axios.

Why it matters: Congressional leaders formally invited Netanyahu to give a rare joint-address to Congress last week — a decision cheered by Republicans that drew jeers from some Democrats.

Sen. Bob Menendez who's on trial on federal bribery charges, filed to run for re-election as an independent in New Jersey on Monday.

Why it matters: Menendez comfortably won re-election as a Democrat in 2018, so his decision to run as an independent could prove a headache for the Democratic Party in what's typically been a safe Senate seat.

Several Democrats in competitive Senate races declined President Biden's invitation to join him Tuesday at the White House when he announces drastic new action, meant to crack down on illegal border crossings, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Lawmakers in swing states have pushed for stricter border rules, but some may keep the president at arms length as they consistently poll better than him in their states.

Younger Senate Democrats are eyeing Sen. Debbie Stabenow's (D-Mich.) retirement next year as a rare opportunity to inject fresh talent into a leadership team that's enjoyed a decades-long grip on power.

Why it matters: Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) have been in leadership since before the chamber's youngest Democrat — 37-year-old Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) — was eligible to vote.

The jury for Hunter Biden's federal gun case was seated on Monday, paving the way for the trial to begin with opening statements on Tuesday.

The big picture: President Biden's son faces three felony gun charges with a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if he's convicted.

A House hearing featuring Dr. Anthony Fauci descended into the type of dramatic, attention-grabbing partisan infighting that has come to define the 118th Congress.

Why it matters: It's a dynamic that is leading many of the House's low-key workhorses to head for the exits, making way for the ranks of more bombastic legislators to grow.

Former President Trump and the Republican National Committee brought in $141 million in May, the campaign announced Monday, a huge haul they say was boosted by donations after his felony conviction in New York.

Why it matters: The campaign touted the trove as its best fundraising month this year and said that more than one-third — $53 million — of the total came from online donations during the 24 hours after Trump was found guilty on all 34 criminal counts in New York.

Former President Trump called on the U.S. Supreme Court on Sunday to intervene after he was found guilty on all counts in his New York criminal trial.

Why it matters: The nation's highest court can only get involved if some element of the appeal relates to the Constitution or federal law, which doesn't appear to be the case.

A Georgia appeals court set Oct. 4 as the tentative date for oral arguments over the appeal to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from overseeing former President Trump's 2020 Georgia election case, according to notices obtained by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

Why it matters: If that date holds, it's unlikely that a decision on whether Willis can stay on the case will be resolved before the 2024 election.

President Biden is expected to announce a sweeping executive action intended to crack down on illegal border crossings.

Why it matters: The drastic move has been months in the making and marks a striking shift in the administration toward embracing tougher measures at the border.

President Biden issued a statement on Monday as jury selection began in his son Hunter Biden's criminal trial, saying that he has "boundless love for [his] son, confidence in him, and respect for his strength."

Why it matters: Biden said that as president he would not comment on Hunter's federal trial on three felony gun charges, but the statement is his latest show of support for his son amid legal troubles and political attacks from Republicans.

Hunter Biden will face three felony gun charges in a trial starting Monday that carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if he's convicted.

Why it matters: Some Republicans will likely try to focus on the case, the first of two trials President Biden's son faces this year, in an attempt to draw attention from former President Trump's recent felony conviction in New York.

The Colorado-based owner of Formula 1 racing is facing calls for a federal antitrust investigation and lingering questions about a sexting scandal that is threatening its global brand.

Threat level: Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, a prominent Colorado business leader and political player, is under pressure after rejecting a bid by General Motors and the Andretti racing family to become the 11th team in F1 racing.

It turns out House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had a quiet mentor who helped pull off the biggest accomplishment of his rocky seven months with the gavel — defying his right wing to pass a vital aid package for Israel and Ukraine.

• John Boehner — an establishment Republican who was speaker a decade ago chronologically, but an eon ago in the GOP's radical evolution — has become a surprising tutor to the novice, full-MAGA speaker.

Why it matters: The two men have bridged generational, ideological and stylistic gulfs to form an extremely rare connection between today's hard-right Republicans and the pre-Trump party of Bush, McCain and Romney.

Claudia Sheinbaum, of the ruling party Morena, is projected to become Mexico's first woman president after a landslide victory in Sunday's election, according to a quick count by the country's electoral commission.

Why it matters: Mexico is the largest trading partner of the U.S. and a key ally, especially when it comes to migration.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the 74-year-old longtime Texas Democrat announced Sunday night.

The big picture: Jackson Lee announced in a statement posted to X that she's undergoing treatment for a disease "that impacts tens of thousands of Americans every year."