Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) on Sunday threatened to endorse Rep. Jamaal Bowman's (D-N.Y.) primary challenger after Bowman criticized his support for Israel.
Why it matters: It's the latest instance of Bowman's increasingly pro-Palestinian positions putting him publicly at odds with once close political allies.
🪟 The window for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to qualify for the first presidential debate on June 27 is closing rapidly, Axios' Erin Doherty writes.
CNN, host of the first debate, reported Saturday that "though not impossible," it's unlikely any candidate other than President Biden and former President Trump will qualify.
That's what the Biden and Trump campaigns want: a 1-on-1 showdown.
🗳️ CNN said Kennedy is officially on the ballot in states that account for just 89 electoral votes, well short of the debate's requirement that participants be on the ballot in enough states to give them a chance of winning the 270 electoral votes needed to be elected president.
🏛️ The House Republican leadership has a quintessentially Capitol Hill problem: A shift in committee chairs has left lawmakers without a place to light up cigars — and they're getting a little tense about it.
Rep. Tom Cole's (R-Okla.) move to chair of the Appropriations panel created a domino effect in office changes that took away members' private spot to enjoy stogies close to the House floor.
Now GOP members are urging Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to find a solution.
👀 GOP lawmakers stressed to Axios the importance of having quiet places to gather off the House floor to bond, saying the loss of Cole's "hideaway" — as such areas are known — has created a void Johnson should address.
🛡️ Trump's GOP Protection Squad continues to push various political and legal maneuvers to try and reverse his felony conviction in New York.
Sunday it was Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) — a loyalist and contender to be Trump's vice presidential nominee — suggesting that the conservative-led Supreme Court should "step into" the matter and overturn Trump's guilty verdict in the New York hush money case before the Nov. 5 election.
There's no such legal case before the high court, and any unsolicited foray into such a politically hot issue would super-charge Democrats' allegations that the court has become guided by politics as much as the law.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the Supreme Court "brazenly corrupt" on Sunday when asked if a president should be prevented from criticizing the nation's highest court.
Why it matters: Criticism of the Supreme Court has increased with a series of reports that have generated questions about the political affiliations and biases of several justices.
The window for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to qualify for the first presidential debate on June 27 is closing rapidly.
Why it matters: CNN, which is hosting the first debate, reported Saturday that "though not impossible," it's unlikely that any candidate other than President Biden and former President Trump will qualify.
A new book, authored by a CNBC editor and her teenage daughter, seeks to show the legacy of enslavement through four families and how it is entrenched in the nation's past.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) said Sunday that the Supreme Court should "step in" to overturn Trump's guilty verdict in his New York hush money case before the 2024 election.
Why it matters: Donalds' comments reflect a growing view among Republican lawmakers that all levers of powers should be exercised in attempting to overturn the former president's conviction.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said Sunday that Democrats planning to boycott or protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress next month will still maintain "decorum."
Why it matters: It comes as Democrats are discussing a variety of ways to not only sit out Netanyahu's speech but counter-program it, as Axios reported on Friday.
President Biden's Los Angelesfundraiser at the Peacock Theater — an event featuring Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Jimmy Kimmel and former President Barack Obama — hauled in at least $28 million for his re-election campaign.
Why it matters: It breaks the Democratic Party record for most cash raised in one night, the L.A. Times reports. Tickets ranged from $250 to $500,000.
"We live in a cynical time. Let's face it: I think a lot of the people who watch you, listen to you, who are fans of you — a lot of times they feel turned off by the political discourse."
"I get it," Obama added. "You know, I frankly watch sports, mostly. Because it feels like everything is slash and burn."
Donald Trump used to trash Ron DeSantis. Now, he copies him.
Why it matters: Beyond their bitter wrangling during the GOP primaries, Trump and the Florida governor have largely aligned on issues ranging from sex education to digital currency and property rights.
The brick-and-mortar bookseller is no longer merely peddling pages alone.
Why it matters: Indie bookstores have become hubs for social justice movements and diverse communities — as the related activism that defined the 2010s has seen some of its key initiatives unravel.
