Axios

An Afghan man has been charged with conspiring to conduct an Election Day terrorist attack in the U.S. on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Tuesday.

The big picture: Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi was arrested on Oct. 7 after buying two AK-47 assault rifles and other weaponry from an FBI agent in the Western District of Oklahoma and told investigators that he planned to "target large gatherings of people" and expected to die along with his juvenile brother-in-law, prosecutors allege.

Two nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit Monday against the Virginia Department of Elections, accusing the agency of violating federal voting rights law.

The big picture: The National Voter Registration Act has become a flashpoint ahead of the 2024 general election, with states like Alabama, Georgia, and now Virginia, facing allegations of purging voters from rolls.

Elon Musk's super PAC is providing Republicans a critical funding backstop in key House districts, pouring millions of dollars into helping GOP candidates in races across the country.

Why it matters: It's a boon to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), whose primary super PAC is being heavily outspent by its Democratic counterpart in key districts.

Proponents of stablecoin legislation have new reason for hope that something could get done before year-end, as Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) has put a deal on the table for House financial services Chairman Patrick McHenry (R-NC), a Hill staffer tells Axios.

Why it matters: Stablecoin legislation has been thought to be the easiest starting point for updating U.S. laws to deal with some sort of cryptocurrency.

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant postponed his visit to Washington, DC after it was vetoed at the last minute by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli officials said.

Why it matters: Gallant's trip, which was planned for Wednesday, was supposed to focus on coordination with the U.S. around Israel's possible retaliatory attack against Iran.

Vice President Kamala Harris says former President Trump has the "desire to be a dictator" Tuesday in response to journalist Bob Woodward's book detailing the former president's reported communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Why it matters: Harris said during her radio interview with Howard Stern the GOP nominee was easily manipulated "by flattery and with favor" by people like Putin.

The White House and the EPA will tap $2.6 billion from President Biden's signature infrastructure law to replace every lead drinking water pipe in the country within a decade as part of a newly unveiled EPA rule.

Why it matters: The toxic effects of lead in drinking water became national news during the Flint, Michigan crisis, but the EPA estimates that up to 9 million homes and businesses across the country still get their water through lead pipes.

The homicide rates of several U.S. communities on the border with Mexico remained well below the national average in 2023, according to an Axios analysis of the latest FBI crime data.

Why it matters: Former President Trump and many Republicans have repeatedly claimed that U.S. border communities have turned into chaotic, lawless areas with high crime because of a rise in migrants seeking asylum — but Axios found that the data doesn't match those claims.

The Trump White House allegedly sought to constrain and control a 2018 FBI investigation into now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, according to new details documented in a report released Tuesday.

The big picture: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse's (D-R.I.) report details the extreme grip former President Trump's administration kept over the probe into Kavanaugh's alleged sexual misconduct, including having FBI tips forwarded to the White House and preventing agents from pursuing corroborating evidence.

Vice President Harris said during an interview with ABC News' "The View" on Tuesday that "there is not a thing that comes to mind" when asked whether she would've done anything differently than President Biden.

Why it matters: Voters largely disapprove of Biden's handling of issues like inflation, but Harris has benefited from the fact that they don't tend to blame her. Rather than distance herself, though, she has mostly embraced Biden's policies as she runs for the White House.

A group of House Democrats is launching an effort to press House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) into cutting Congress' recess short for a vote on disaster aid.

Why it matters: Hurricane Milton, a Category 4 storm, is barreling toward Florida as the state is still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Helene.

Vice President Kamala Harris laid out a new proposal to help families care for seniors during a Tuesday appearance on ABC's "The View."

Why it matters: The policy is aimed at alleviating some of the financial burden on "sandwich generation" Americans who are caring for both young children and aging parents.

Former President Trump has stayed in touch with Russian President Vladimir Putin since leaving the White House, according to journalist Bob Woodward's forthcoming book "War."

Why it matters: The book sheds new light on the personal relationship between Trump and Putin, the leader of a U.S. adversary, less than a month before the presidential election.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) warned Tuesday that falsehoods related to hurricanes are significantly impeding their response efforts, and putting hundreds of thousands of lives at risk as Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida and others pick up the pieces from Hurricane Helene.

Why it matters: Amid one ongoing natural disaster, and with another on the horizon, the federal agency took time from preparation and response efforts to caution the public about rampant misinformation.

Bob Woodward — in his forthcoming book "War," out Oct. 15 — reveals in-the-room details of a one-on-one lunch in which Secretary of State Tony Blinken and President Biden, his longtime friend and boss, discussed the president's post-debate political peril, Axios has learned.

• Woodward reports that during the July 4 lunch at the White House, Blinken posed a series of questions about the pros and cons of Biden continuing his re-election race.

A massive $50 million ad buy from Vice President Harris' outside super PAC signaled the beginning of a spending rush by both campaigns to empty their war chests in the election's final month.

Why it matters: Both Democrats and Republicans are unleashing more financial political fire — in just seven swing states — than America has ever seen.

Silicon Valley is increasingly determining who gets elected and who doesn't.

Why it matters: While Big Tech companies learned the value of lobbying in the wake of the Microsoft antitrust trial in the 1990s, it's only much more recently that they've started trying to influence the outcome of elections.

A new movie about young Donald Trump hits theaters Friday, despite Trump trying to block its release. It paints an unflattering portrait of his rise as a real estate mogul — and Republicans are calling it election interference.

Why it matters: "The Apprentice" film is a dramatization of Trump's tutelage under controversial lawyer/political fixer Roy Cohn — and includes scenes of Trump's character allegedly raping his first wife, Ivana, and having scalp reduction and liposuction procedures.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vice President Kamala Harris accused each other of playing "political games" over reports that he wouldn't take the Democratic presidential candidate's calls on Hurricane Helene, which he denies.

Why it matters: The state is now staring down the threat of the "extremely dangerous" Hurricane Milton this week as officials respond to the aftermath of Helene, which struck nearly two weeks ago.

Former President Trump said Monday that Gaza could be "one of the best places in the world," but Palestinians "never took advantage" of its Mediterranean coastal location.

The big picture: The former real estate developer made the comments in a radio interview in which he claimed he's "been there" despite public records showing he's never visited Gaza, and his campaign told the New York Times "Gaza is in Israel. President Trump has been to Israel."

Vice President Harris said that voters looking to learn more about former President Trump after he backed out of the CBS News "60 Minutes" interview should "watch his rallies."

Why it matters: The interview comes less than 30 days until the election, as polling shows Trump and Harris locked in a razor-thin race.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said that "the folks closest to [him]" know that he keeps his word, when asked during a CBS News interview that aired Monday about his misrepresentations about his personal record.

Why it matters: Walz's tendency to misstate or embellish parts of his personal story has come under heightened scrutiny since he ascended to the national political scene as the Democratic vice presidential nominee.

Vice President Kamala Harris slammed former President Trump as "extraordinarily irresponsible" on Monday for spreading misinformation about federal assistance to those impacted by Hurricane Helene.

The big picture: A slew of conspiracy theories rapidly spread online in the wake of the storm — which left more than 200 people dead across six states — about aid to hard-hit communities and employees on the ground.

Elon Musk has quietly given Mike Johnson's House Republicans a critical 11th-hour cash infusion.

Why it matters: Johnson's main super PAC is being heavily outspent by its Democratic counterpart in key districts.

• The GOP's Congressional Leadership Fund has put nearly $140 million into ads in competitive districts through the end of the year, compared to almost $180 million for House Majority PAC, according to AdImpact.

At least three potential candidates are exploring their shot at leading the Senate GOP campaign arm for Mitch McConnell's heir in 2026, we have learned.

• Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri) is emerging as the most serious possibility to chair the NRSC, five sources familiar with Capitol Hill and downtown conversations tell us.
• Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) are also scoping it out, according to multiple sources.

Young, ambitious Republicans are already angling to lead the Senate GOP campaign arm in 2026, with Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and others signaling their interest, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Protecting the next GOP Senate leader's likely majority is a high-risk and high-reward proposition.