Axios

President Biden criticized former President Trump and others on Thursday for spreading misinformation about the federal hurricane response, calling it "bizarre" and "damn un-American."

The big picture: Conspiracy theories rapidly spread online about the aid to hard-hit communities, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency warned this week that the falsehoods significantly impede response efforts to Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene.

TD Bank has agreed to pay more than $3 billion in federal penalties in connection with an admission that it failed to prevent money laundering, including by drug traffickers, and a massive Ponzi scheme.

Why it matters: TD Bank is the 10th largest bank in the U.S. with some $367 billion in assets as of Dec. 31, as well as 27,000 employees and more than 1,100 branches.

Former President Bill Clinton will hit the campaign trail for Vice President Harris in key battleground states this week.

Why it matters: The battleground blitz comes as former President Barack Obama is also crisscrossing swing states campaigning for Harris. Coupled with President Biden, three of six living presidents are currently stumping for the vice president.

Vice President Harris and former President Trump will not participate in a second presidential debate, as the deadline to agree to CNN's debate terms expired.

Why it matters: The missed deadline means the ABC News debate on Sept. 10 was the only chance for voters to hear from both candidates side by side ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

Even while they are scattered across the country campaigning for reelection in the final weeks before Nov. 5, House Republicans are still, somehow, at each others' throats.

Why it matters: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-Ga.) repeated social media claims that humans can control the weather — in the midst of a series of deadly hurricanes — is too much for some of her colleagues to handle.

Top Democratic politicians and operatives tell us the vital states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania are getting tougher for Vice President Harris and the party's Senate candidates.

• Harris is depending on that Blue Wall to win the White House, even if she struggles in the Sunbelt. On private calls, some top Harris allies are saying they believe the race will come down to Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Why it matters: There's growing worry among Democrats that Harris seems stuck, even sliding a bit, after a strong start to her young presidential campaign. Her media blitz, heavy spending and largely favorable coverage don't seem to be moving the needle much, if at all, these Democrats say.

Officials in North Carolina and Florida are racing against the clock to put in new voting procedures aimed at making it easier to cast ballots after the devastating storms that tore through the states.

Why it matters: The changes — which include modifying early voting days and increased flexibility with some voting locations — reflect the growing concerns about the storms' impacts on the Nov. 5 election.

Thank you to all the readers who’ve shared their collections with us.

• We’re taking another trip into readers' archives tonight.

Why it matters: Some of these collections have been curated over decades, some are inter-generational, some are a shared hobby between spouses — and all are just plain fun.

🗞️ "When I see a New York Times with a massive headline, I view it as a collectible item. I think I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager. [I’m 64 now.]

With dreams of going big, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) are pouring millions into long-shot targets.

• 🔎 Call them "squinter races." They aren't sleeper races, given the spending. But when one party squints, they can see a path to victory.

Why it matters: The House majority will be decided in little more than two dozen toss-up races, but both sides crave the shot at a substantial majority.

Three main factors can put a district on the target list, Republican and Democratic strategists who work on House races told us.

1) Weak incumbent: For Democrats, targets include Reps. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisc.), Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) and Scott Perry (R-Pa.).

• For Republicans, it's members like Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), who they see as facing the first truly tough challenge of her 40-year career in a district that voted for former President Trump in 2020.

2) Strong challenger: Democrats are enamored with the backgrounds of candidates such as Monica Tranel, a former Olympian who's challenging Zinke, and Janelle Stelson, a TV anchor running against Perry.

Jeffries' deputy — Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) — has already traveled to two dozen states this cycle, we have learned.

Why it matters: Clark's travel serves dual roles, her allies tell us — helping Democrats win back the House majority and preparing her to step into the majority leader role should they do so.

• Clark has focused on abortion and child care, positioning herself as the party's de facto congressional spokesperson on those issues.

With dreams of going big, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) are pouring millions into long-shot targets.

Why it matters: The House majority will be decided in little more than two dozen toss-up races, but both sides crave the shot at a substantial majority.

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) has traveled to two dozen states this cycle as she tries to press her party's advantage on women's issues, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Clark's travel serves dual roles, her allies tell Axios – helping Democrats win back the House majority and preparing her to step into the majority leader role should they do so.