Dec 9, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Former White House doctor Ronny Jackson running for Congress

Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call

Former White House chief physician Ronny Jackson, who was once nominated by President Trump to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, has filed to run for Congress in Texas' 13th Congressional District, the Texas Tribune reports.

The big picture: Jackson withdrew his name from consideration for VA secretary last April after allegations surfaced that he fostered a "hostile work environment" by being intoxicated at work and abusive toward his colleagues. Jackson denied the allegations, calling them "completely false and fabricated." He will run to replace retiring GOP Rep. Mac Thornberry.

Go deeper: Texas Republicans admit there's a problem

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Sara Fischer
6 mins ago - Economy & Business

Scoop: Facebook cracks down on political content disguised as local news

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Facebook is rolling out a new policy that will prevent U.S. news publishers with "direct, meaningful ties" to political groups from claiming the news exemption within its political ads authorization process, executives tell Axios.

Why it matters: Since the 2016 election, reporters and researchers have uncovered over 1,200 instances in which political groups use websites disguised as local news outlets to push their point of view to Americans.

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Ina Fried
8 mins ago - Technology

Nationalism and authoritarianism threaten the internet's universality

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Governments around the world, prompted by nationalism, authoritarianism and other forces, are threatening the notion of a single, universal computer network — long the defining characteristic of the internet.

The big picture: Most countries want the internet and the economic and cultural benefits that come with it. Increasingly, though, they want to add their own rules — the internet with an asterisk, if you will. The question is just how many local rules you can make before the network's universality disappears.

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Ben Geman
29 mins ago - Energy & Environment

The Democratic fight to shape Biden's climate policy

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Left-wing climate activists don't want Joe Biden getting advice from people with credentials they don't like — and they're increasingly going public with their campaign.

Why it matters: Nobody is confusing Biden with President Trump, and his climate platform goes much further than anything contemplated in the Obama years.

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