Oct 3, 2018

The FBI's Kavanaugh report is coming

Photo: Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Brace yourselves for a gusher of leaks: The FBI report on Brett Kavanaugh could reach Congress today or tomorrow, with a final vote on his nomination this weekend.

Why it matters: This report won't be made public, but expect Republicans to leak areas where the FBI didn't find evidence of an assault, and Democrats to leak areas where investigators found new dirt or desired more time.

"My hope is we'll see it [the FBI report] soon, perhaps as early as today."

— Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) to reporters Wednesday

What we're watching: How Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) emerge after their turns reading the forthcoming FBI summary.

What they're saying: All three blasted Trump for mocking Christine Blasey Ford:

Collins: “The president’s comments were just plain wrong."
Murkowski: "[W]holly inappropriate."
Flake: "I wish he hadn't of done it and I just say it's kind of appalling."

The other side... Lindsey Graham says Kavanaugh is the "defining issue" of 2018:

"Whether you’re a Trump Republican, a Bush Republican, a McCain Republican, a libertarian or a vegetarian — you’re pissed. I’ve never seen the Republican Party so unified as I do right now."

The bottom line: Not a single Republican has preemptively announced he or she will vote no.

Be smart: This has been incredibly ugly, and even if it ends soon, don't expect the divisions it has exposed and exacerbated to go away.

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DOJ watchdog finds flaws in FBI surveillance process beyond Page application

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Justice Department inspector general found errors in 29 out of 29 randomized FBI applications for acquiring wiretap warrants through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, according to a report released Tuesday.

Why it matters: The broad DOJ audit of the FISA program stems from a damning investigation into the FBI's surveillance of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page, which uncovered "serious performance failures" by some FBI officials during the Russia probe. The IG's final findings come as Congress debates whether to renew the authority it grants to the FISA courts.

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Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 p.m. ET: 838,061 — Total deaths: 41,261 — Total recoveries: 174,115.
U.S.: Leads the world in confirmed cases. Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 p.m. ET: 177,452 — Total deaths: 3,440 — Total recoveries: 6,038.
Public health updates: More than 400 long-term care facilities across the U.S. report patients with coronavirus — Older adults and people with other health conditions are more at risk, new data shows.
Federal government latest: The White House and other institutions are observing several models to better understand and prepare cities for when the coronavirus is expected to peak in the U.S.
In Congress: New York Rep. Max Rose deploys to National Guard to help coronavirus response.
🎧 Podcast: Misinformation in the coronavirus age.
What should I do? Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

Subscribe to Mike Allen's Axios AM to follow our coronavirus coverage each morning from your inbox.

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U.S. coronavirus updates: White House studies models projecting virus peak

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

The White House and other institutions are observing several models to better understand and prepare cities for when the coronavirus is expected to peak in the U.S.

The state of play: The coronavirus is expected to peak in the U.S. in two weeks, but many states like Virginia and Maryland will see their individual peaks well after that, according to a model by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

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