Axios

The Internal Revenue Service has had a backlog of approximately 500,000 unresolved identity theft cases, according to a new report by the National Taxpayer Advocate.

Why it matters: The backlog, which has worsened since last year, has prevented thousands of low-income taxpayers from collecting their federal tax refunds.

The number of out LGBTQ+ elected officials in the U.S. has nearly tripled from 448 in 2017 to 1,303 as of May 2024, per the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute's Out for America report released Wednesday.

Why it matters: As the number of Americans identifying as LGBTQ+ increases, issues affecting the community have become the target of state and federal legislation, from bills restricting gender-affirming care for minors to bans barring trans students from participating in sports aligning with their gender identities.

A group of House Democrats on Wednesday announced an effort to go around GOP leadership and force a vote on expanding "red flag" gun laws.

Why it matters: The Supreme Court's mixed rulings on gun control laws this term – scrapping a bump stock ban but maintaining gun limits for domestic abusers –  has reignited Democratic efforts to pass gun control laws.

The Supreme Court mistakenly posted a ruling to its website on Wednesday for a pending abortion-related decision.

Why it matters: An early version of a ruling in a reproductive rights case has now been released twice in two years.

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) said Wednesday he would be disappointed if the presumptive GOP nominee doesn't select him as his running mate.

Why it matters: Vance reportedly teeters between the top two spots on former President Trump's VP shortlist and has been intensely lobbying donors for the former commander in chief's re-election campaign.

The Biden administration is making a not-so-subtle push to encourage companies to exercise pricing restraint, using both carrots and sticks.

The intrigue: Companies that announce splashy price reductions can expect public praise from the highest levels of government. For those that don't, attacks on sky-high profit margins, so-called junk fees, and the like.

Paris Hilton testified to federal lawmakers Wednesday about the horrifying abuse she says she endured at youth facilities in what's commonly known as the "troubled teen" industry.

Why it matters: Hilton has become a staunch advocate in recent years for better protections for children in youth facilities, with her high-profile appearance on Capitol Hill shedding further light on the alleged abuse that young people have experienced in these programs.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich's trial on espionage charges began in Russia on Wednesday, 15 months after his arrest.

Why it matters: Gershkovich is the first U.S. journalist that Russia has arrested and accused of espionage since the Cold War, though Russian authorities have not presented any evidence to back up their allegations.

Bill Barr, the former U.S. attorney general, is advising military drone maker Dzyne following its acquisition of defense tech company High Point Aerotechnologies, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: This is his only gig advising a defense company, and Barr is one of several Trump administration alumni now at Dzyne, pronounced "design."

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich's closed-door trial on espionage charges began on Wednesday in Russia.

Why it matters: Gershkovich, 32, is the first American journalist to stand trial in Russia on spying charges since the Cold War. Russian authorities have failed to publicly produce any evidence against him.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returned to his home country of Australia, a day after pleading guilty in a deal with U.S. authorities that saw him charged with one espionage offense and sentenced to time served.

Why it matters: Assange's guilty plea marked the culmination of a years-long legal battle that accumulated massive international intrigue — with some press freedom advocates viewing Assange as a hero while prosecutors saw him as a national security threat.

D.C.'s hottest attraction is a melting wax sculpture of Abraham Lincoln that lost its head in the capital's triple-digit heat wave this week.

• Why it matters: The six-foot-tall statue — designed to draw attention to Civil War-era refugee camps — has become top-tier meme fodder.

CulturalDC, the organization that commissioned the sculpture, said the 3,000-pound wax sculpture "is intended to be burnt like a candle and to change over time."

Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to blame the government for inflation while Democrats are twice as likely as Republicans to blame corporate greed, according to the latest Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll.

Why it matters: A messaging battle over who's most responsible for higher prices on goods and services in the post-pandemic world — and what to do about it — may take center stage when President Biden and former President Trump meet for Thursday night's debate.

A House Republican's unsanctioned plan to force a vote on sending the chamber's sergeant-at-arms to arrest Attorney General Merrick Garland is meeting with strong resistance within the GOP.

Why it matters: In addition to raising substantive concerns, the vote is reigniting long-standing frustrations from rank-and-file Republicans about hardliners bypassing leadership and forcing rogue votes on the House floor.

AIPAC's unprecedented financial investment into ousting Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) has Democratic lawmakers grumbling about what they say is the pro-Israel group's heavy-handed approach.

Why it matters: Even some lawmakers who are generally supportive of Israel say the money is meant to intimidate Democrats away from criticism of the Jewish state.

To outsiders, Richmond's past is often defined by its status as the former capital of the Confederacy.

• But that's nowhere near the full story — and this city wants you to know it.

President Biden on Wednesday pardoned veterans who were convicted and forced out of the military because of a former law that banned gay sex, including between consenting adults.

Why it matters: Biden's clemency will extend to thousands of former military service members who were convicted of the former Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 125 while it was in effect from the 1950s to 2013.

The number of gun-rights cases in the U.S. has skyrocketed since the Supreme Court decided New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen in 2022, according to a new paper from law professors Rebecca Brown, Lee Epstein and Mitu Gulati.

Why it matters: The ruling in Bruen said courts should only uphold restrictions on the Second Amendment if there's a long history of similar regulations. That has given attorneys fresh avenues to challenge a slew of gun laws.

As states take the AI legislation lead from a deadlocked Congress, a new California AI safety bill is pitting some leaders of the state's hottest industry against many of its lawmakers.

The big picture: Proponents of the bill say AI is advancing at such a rapid pace that California shouldn't wait for Washington to establish protections for the public. Opponents maintain that the rules will stifle AI innovation.

Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) clinched victory Tuesday in the closely watched GOP Senate primary to replace retiring Sen. Mitt Romney.

By the numbers: Curtis received nearly 51% of votes while Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, who was endorsed by former President Trump, collected about 30%, per preliminary results posted shortly after midnight.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) lost his primary election to Westchester County Executive George Latimer, according to AP.

Why it matters: Bowman, a prominent member of the progressive "Squad," is the first member of Congress to lose their primary to a non-incumbent challenger this cycle.

Lauren Boebert easily won the Republican nomination for a new seat in Congress in Tuesday's primary election, but the two-term congresswoman fell short of majority support in the 4th District.

Why it matters: Her victory in the ruby-red district all-but ensures another term despite a barrage of criticism for leaving the 3rd District and her repeated missteps since taking office.

The biggest moment (so far) of the presidential campaign arrives Thursday night (9 pm ET), as President Biden faces former President Trump in their first — and perhaps only — debate of 2024.

• And as usual, we have questions. So with apologies to CNN debate moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, here are a few we'd like to hear the candidates answer: