May 27, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Rod Rosenstein slated to testify before Senate Judiciary Committee

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has been scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 3 as part of the Republican-led inquiry into the origins of the Russia investigation, the panel announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: Rosenstein is the first witness slated to testify in the committee's investigation. After President Trump fired FBI director James Comey in 2017, Rosenstein appointed special counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Russian interference and any potential coordination with the Trump campaign.

  • Rosenstein oversaw the investigation until acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker was appointed in November 2018. Rosenstein stepped down in May of last year.

What he's saying: Rosenstein confirmed in a statement that he has accepted the invitation to testify about "information that has come to light concerning the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act process and the FBI’s counterintelligence decision-making."

  • "Independent law enforcement investigations, judicial review, and congressional oversight are important checks on the discretion of agents and prosecutors," Rosenstein said.
  • "We can only hope to maintain public confidence if we correct mistakes, hold wrongdoers accountable, and adopt policies to prevent problems from recurring."

The big picture: Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has said his committee will debate and vote on June 4 on a broad subpoena authorization that would allow him to compel testimony from Obama-era officials as part of the investigation into potential misconduct. Graham plans to issue a final report before the November election.

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Jul 30, 2020 - Politics & Policy

FBI director Wray warns of China election interference

Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

FBI Director Christopher Wray and other intelligence community officials warned about China’s increased capability to interfere in U.S. elections in separate classified hearings with the Senate Intelligence Committee this week, two sources familiar with the hearings tell Axios.

What we're hearing: Wray and other officials cited concerns that China is developing the ability to interfere with local election systems and target members of Congress to influence China policy, the sources said.

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Zachary Basu
Jul 28, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Barr's time in the barrel

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Attorney General Bill Barr finally testified Tuesday before the raucous House Judiciary Committee, where grandstanding and bomb-throwing tactics by lawmakers have become a staple of oversight hearings in the Trump era.

Why it matters: Less than 100 days out from the election, Democrats on the committee have little recourse for changing the behavior of an official they've accused of embodying the president's most corrupt impulses.

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Axios
Updated 37 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 p.m. ET: 18,614,542 — Total deaths: 702,330 — Total recoveries — 11,181,018— Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 p.m. ET: 4,793,950 — Total deaths: 157,416 — Total recoveries: 1,528,979 — Total tests: 58,239,438 — Map.
  3. 2020: Joe Biden will no longer travel to Milwaukee for Democratic convention.
  4. Public health: Florida surpasses 500,000 confirmed cases — Moderna skirts disclosures of vaccine costs.
  5. Sports: The return of high school sports hangs in the balance — UConn becomes first FBS team to cancel football season.
  6. Education: Chicago Public Schools to begin school year fully remote.
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