1/ The U.S. formally accused Russia of committing crimes against humanity in Ukraine for “targeting civilians with death,” using rape as “a weapon of war,” stealing Ukrainian children and “reeducating” them, and targeting train stations, maternity... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The special grand jury investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election concluded that “one or more witnesses” committed perjury during their testimony and urged Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to “seek ap... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The U.S. is track to add nearly $19 trillion in new debt over the next decade – $3 trillion more than previously forecast. The Congressional Budget Office added that the federal deficit will hit $1.4 trillion this year, and that deficits will a... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Inflation climbed 6.4% in January, down from 6.5% in December, and well below the June peak of 9.1%. While it was the seventh straight year-over-year slowdown, the January consumer price index was still higher-than-expected. On a monthly basis,... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The U.S. shot down three “unidentified object” flying over Alaska, Canada, and Michigan – the fourth such downing in eight days. Pentagon and intelligence officials said they couldn’t confirm whether the objects were a balloon, but said they we... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Chinese spy balloon carried antennas and sensors for collecting intelligence and communications. The Pentagon, State Department, and FBI said China’s military-led spy balloon program was part of an effort to surveil “more than 40 countries ... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Biden’s address to Congress highlighted his accomplishments on job growth, infrastructure, climate, drug price cuts for seniors, and consumer protections in his first two years in the White House. In his first State of the Union address to a di... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ A federal judge suggested that the federal right to abortion might be protected by the Constitution’s 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said while the Supreme Court concluded that the 14th Amend... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The FBI arrested two people and charged them with conspiracy to attack the electrical substations around Baltimore and “completely destroy” the city. Sarah Clendaniel and Brandon Russell planned to use firearms to “inflict maximum harm on the p... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The FBI plans to search Pence‘s Indiana home for classified material in the coming days. Last month, Pence’s lawyers said they had found several classified documents at his home and turned them over to authorities. The investigation into classi... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The FBI conducted a “planned search” of Biden’s beach house in Delaware, but found no documents with classified markings. Biden’s lawyer said the FBI did take some materials and handwritten notes that appeared to relate to his tenure as vice pr... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ A sixth Memphis police officer “has been relieved of duty” for his involvement in the beating and subsequent death of Tyre Nichols by police officers. Five Black officers have been fired by the department and charged with second-degree murder a... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The U.S. economy expanded at a 2.9% annualized rate in the fourth quarter last year, beating expectations despite high interest rates and fears of a recession. For the year overall, GDP grew 2.1% after growing 5.7% in 2021. Most economists, how... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Kevin McCarthy blocked Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell from serving on the House Intelligence Committee in retribution for the Democratic-led House stripping Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar of their committee assignments in 2021 for embraci... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Supreme Court cannot identify the person who leaked a draft of the opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, which the court has called the leak “one of the worst breaches of trust in its history.” Supreme Court Marshal Gail Curley conducted 126 for... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ George Santos reportedly scammed a disabled veteran out of $3,000 by using a fake animal charity to raise money for the veteran’s service dog’s cancer treatment. In May 2016, a veterinary technician connected U.S. Navy veteran Richard Osthoff w... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen notified Congress that the U.S. will hit the debt ceiling Thursday. The debt limit is the maximum that the federal government is allowed to borrow to fulfill its financial obligations. Beginning Jan. 19, the Trea... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to investigate the classified government records discovered at Biden’s private home and office. Biden said he was “cooperating fully and completely” with the Justice Department invest... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ House Republicans approved the formation of the Weaponization of the Federal Government select committee to investigate any federal agency for perceived wrongdoing against conservatives, including the FBI, IRS, and the intelligence community. T... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ House Republicans pushed through a rules package for the new Congress over concerns about the concessions Kevin McCarthy made to 20 far-right conservatives in order to secure his job. The rules packages passed 220-213, with one Republican joini... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Georgia special grand jury investigating “coordinated attempts to unlawfully alter the outcome of the 2020 elections” in the state by Trump and his allies has completed its work. After eight months of investigation, the special grand jury s... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Biden administration expanded its use of a Trump-era Covid-19 immigration policy to immediately turn away migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela crossing the border from Mexico illegally to claim asylum. As part of the new immi... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ House Republicans, despite being in the majority, were unable to elect a speaker – again – as Kevin McCarthy lost his 4th, 5th, and 6th bids for the speakership. A day after McCarthy lost his first three votes for speaker, Trump urged Republica... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The House adjourned without a speaker because Kevin McCarthy failed to win a majority in three rounds of voting and 20 Republicans rejected his candidacy. Until a speaker is elected, the 118th Congress can’t swear in members or perform actual w... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Supreme Court temporarily blocked the Biden administration’s plans to end a Trump-era immigration policy used to quickly expel millions of asylum seekers at the southern border. In November, a federal judge ruled that Title 42 was unlawful,... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Biden administration announced a new $1.85 billion military assistance package for Ukraine to counter the Russia’s invasion. The announcement came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington to meet with Biden – his fir... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Jan. 6 Committee is cooperating with the Justice Department’s investigation into Trump. After Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as special counsel last month, Smith requested the evidence that committee compiled over its... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Jan. 6 Committee formally accused Trump of inciting an insurrection, conspiracy to defraud the U.S., and obstructing Congress’ Jan. 6 joint session, and unanimously voted to refer the crimes to the Justice Department for prosecution. “That ... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Biden administration restarted its free Covid-19 test program as cases have increased roughly 55% since Thanksgiving. Households can order four free tests at covidtests.gov. The program was paused in September after distributing over 600 mi... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The House is expected to pass a temporary spending measure tonight that would fund the government through through Dec. 23 and avert a shutdown. The weeklong stopgap bill will give Congress more time to finalize the full-year spending package, c... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Biden signed into law a bipartisan bill that codifies same-sex and interracial marriages. The landmark legislation replaces the Defense of Marriage Act – which defined marriage as between a man and a woman – with the Respect for Marriage Act, w... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ A federal judge declined to hold Trump or his office in contempt of court for failing to comply with a grand jury subpoena demanding he return all classified documents. The Justice Department had asked U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell to hold T... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The House passed legislation to enshrine federal protections for marriages of same-sex and interracial couples. The 258-169 vote sends the Respect for Marriage Act to Biden. The Senate passed the same bill last week by a vote of 61-36. The Hous... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Supreme Court appeared split on whether state legislators can set voting rules for federal elections without oversight from state courts. The justices are considering a once-fringe legal idea being pressed by North Carolina’s Republican leg... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Trump organization was found guilty on all 17 counts of criminal tax fraud, conspiracy, falsifying business records, and other financial crimes. The verdict is the culmination of a three-year investigation by the Manhattan district attorney... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Early turnout in Georgia’s Senate runoff between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker has broke daily voting records three times since polls opened. Ahead of the Tuesday runoff, more than 1.85 million Georgians have voted early, including more t... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Supreme Court agreed to an expedited review of the Biden administration’s plan to cancel student-loan debt, announcing that it will hear full oral arguments in February. A final ruling is expected by June. In the meantime, the court said th... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ House Democrats elected Hakeem Jeffries to lead their caucus – the first Black person to lead a major political party in Congress. Jeffries succeeds Nancy Pelosi, who has led the Democrats for two decades and announced earlier this month that s... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act to codify federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages. While the legislation doesn’t force states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, it does require states to recognize ... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Biden renewed his call for a ban on assault weapons following mass shootings at a Walmart in Virginia and a LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado, saying: “The idea we still allow semiautomatic weapons to be purchased is sick. It’s just sick. It has no s... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ The Supreme Court rejected Trump’s legal effort to block the release of his tax returns to Congress. Republicans, however, are expected to end the committee’s investigation when they take control of the House on Jan. 3, 2023. The order comes af... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ A gunman killed five people and injured 18 others at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance, which occurs annually on Nov. 20 to honor victims of anti-trans violence. Anderson Lee Aldrich faces five ... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Nancy Pelosi will not seek a Democratic leadership role in the next Congress after Republicans take control of the House. “For me the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect,” Pelosi said a day ... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Trump — the twice-impeached former president who tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election, encouraged a deadly insurrection at the Capitol, and is the subject of multiple criminal investigations — filed to run for president for a third ... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Kevin McCarthy won the Republican nomination for speaker with 188 votes from the caucus in a secret-ballot vote. Assuming that Republicans take control of the chamber, McCarthy will need to win at least 218 votes on the House floor in January t... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Democrats won the Senate while Republicans appear on track for a narrow majority in the House. As of Monday morning, 20 House seats remain uncalled, with 212 seats projected for Republicans and 203 for Democrats. To retain the House majority, D... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Control of Congress continues to hang in the balance two days after the 2022 midterm elections. Republicans are on track to take a narrow House majority, needing 9 more seats with 37 more races still up for grabs. Meanwhile, three Senate races ... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading
1/ Senate control hinges on three states, while Republicans have picked up fewer seats than predicted in the House. Republicans, however, are still poised to win a narrow majority in one if not both houses of Congress. In the Senate, Democrat John... Subscribe: Get the Daily Upda … | Continue reading