Newly released photographs from the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago paint a picture of the haphazard state in which former President Trump kept documents marked as classified.
Why it matters: WhileSpecial Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into the former president's alleged mishandling of classified documents has been indefinitely delayed as Judge Aileen Cannon considers a series of motions from the presumptive GOP nominee's legal team, the never-before-seen photos offer a wider glimpse into the chaotic scene investigators found.
Louisiana is leading red states pushing the legislative envelope: first to mandate the Ten Commandments in schools; first to criminalize the possession of drugs used in abortions; and now, first to legalize surgical castration for sex offenders.
Why it matters: When Louisiana replaced its Democratic governor in January with Trump allyJeff Landry, state lawmakers rushed to catch up on a number of conservative policies vetoed by the previous administration. Now, Louisiana is setting trends other red states are likely to follow.
The New York judge overseeing former President Trump's hush money trial lifted part of his gag order in the case on Tuesday, allowing him to comment on witnesses and the jury, but keeping in place the other restrictions.
Why it matters: Trump, who has repeatedly sought to dismiss the gag order in the case, is still barred from speaking publicly about lawyers, court staff and any of their family members under the amended order.
Outdoor and even indoor workers in the states being hardest hit by a dangerous heat wave have few if any protections to keep them safe.
Why it matters: About 66.3 million people in the U.S. — including millions of Latino laborers— are under heat alerts, with a brutal wave hitting large swaths of the country.
There were 33,890 work-related heat injuries and illnesses from 2011 to 2020, according to the latest data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
Zoom in: Republican governors in Florida and Texas have recently signed laws banning local governments from mandating heat protections such as breaks for outdoor workers. They say federal laws already ban unsafe work conditions and that "burdensome regulations are an obstacle" to small businesses' success.
1. The U.S. will resume avocado and mango inspectionsin Mexico this week.
The process had been halted since June 15 after two USDA inspectors were assaulted during a road blockade of protesting community police officers in Michoacán state.
Ken Salazar, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, visited Michoacán yesterday after saying on Saturday that inspectors would be gradually returning to their work this week.
2. The Organization of American States' yearly general assembly session, which starts tomorrow, is likely to be dominated by discussions of democracy and human rights in places like Nicaragua and Venezuela.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Tuesday a state board's approval of what would be the nation's first publicly funded religious school is unconstitutional and must be reversed.
Why it matters: The Oklahoma case comes as Christian nationalists challenge the country's long-held doctrine of separation of church and state and seek public funding of religion in schools amid a conservative super-majority U.S. Supreme Court.
Sixteen Nobel prize-winning economists are jumping into the presidential campaign with a stark warning: Former President Trump's plans would reignite inflation and cause lasting harm to the global economy if he wins in November.
Why it matters: The Nobel laureates are lending their academic prestige to a political argument the Biden administration has been making for weeks: Inflation would be worse under Trump.
Multi-faith and civil liberties groups filed a lawsuit on Monday over recent Louisiana legislation mandating public schools display the Ten Commandments.
Why it matters: Plaintiffs, who said the law "unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance," posed an expected challenge to the only state with such a requirement.
Hillary Clinton has some advice for President Biden ahead of his debate with former President Trump this week: Normal rules need not apply.
The big picture: Clinton — the only person to have debated both the 2024 candidates — wrote in a New York Times op-ed Tuesday that it is a "waste of time" for Biden to rebut Trump's arguments as one would in a typical debate.
Just seven weeks before the election,Hillary Rodham Clinton will release a book called "Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty," which is billed as "Hillary like you haven't seen her before."
The publisher, Simon & Schuster, says she'll offer a "warning to all American voters," along with "her unvarnished views on politics, democracy, the threats we face, and the future within our reach."
Why it matters: I'm told it's a "very personal" book that includes the former secretary of state's reflections on marriage, friendships and getting over losing.
Why it matters: The poll of likely Georgia voters, released Tuesday, shows Trump leading Biden 43% to 38% — just outside the margin of error — days before the former and current presidents are set to face off in Atlanta for the first 2024 debate.
Former President Trump's campaign is openly brawling with CNN ahead of Thursday's blockbuster presidential debate, warning of a "three against one" ambush that can only favor President Biden.
Why it matters: Trump and his allies are "working the refs" by attacking them — seeking to set expectations early by accusing CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash of anti-Trump bias.
There are zero Fortune 100 CEOs — a group that historically leans Republican — that have donated to former President Trump this election cycle, according to data compiled by Yale's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is expected to plead guilty to a felony charge related to his alleged role in one of the biggest leaks of classified information in recent U.S. history, per court documents filed Monday.
The latest: "Julian Assange is free," per a WikiLeaks statement posted to X stating that the publisher had boarded a flight out of the U.K. and was headed for his native Australia after London's High Court granted him bail on Monday morning.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced Monday a new Biden administration effort to increase the supply of affordable housing that includes a $100 million fund to address the matter.
Why it matters: Housing costs remain stubbornly high — and the Consumer Price Index shows shelter costs are still rising at a rapid rate, helping keep overall inflation elevated.
🙄 Rep. Bob Good's (R-Va.) efforts to sow doubts about the results of his too-close-to-call GOP primary are being met with eye rolls from many of his House Republican colleagues.
🤔 The House Freedom Caucus chair is tapping into a strain of election denialism common in Donald Trump's Republican Party — but isn't getting the widespread GOP support Trump enjoyed when he claimed the 2020 election was "rigged."
"No one is buying it, but all understand this is one of the several stages of electoral grief," said one House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
🚗 Driving the news: Good has said he plans to challenge the result if the race is called for his opponent, state Sen. John McGuire, and has demanded a "do-over" in one county.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) — whose many antics have earned her nationwide name ID — is among the lawmakers seeking to keep a near-perfect House incumbent winning streak going when Colorado, New York and Utah hold down-ballot primaries Tuesday.
Why it matters: Compared to 2022, when 14 incumbent losses were the second most since 1948, just one sitting House lawmaker has been defeated so far this year (and that was a race in which two incumbents faced off due to redistricting).
However, after Virginia's primaries last week, Rep. Bob Good trails state senator and former Navy SEAL John McGuire by about 300 votes in a race that's all but certain to head to a recount.
Democratic candidates — from President Biden on down — sought to use the second anniversary of Roe v. Wade's downfall to make sure that voters who aided their success in the 2022 midterms turn out again this November.
Why it matters: Reproductive rights are one of the top issues that Democrats hope will motivate voters to show up at the polls on Nov. 5 — and help them overcome concerns about inflation, border security and Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
