National Politics

By Shawna Mizelle and Colin McCullough, CNN Former President Jimmy Carter warned Wednesday that democracy is being threatened throughout the country, cautioning that “our great nation now teeters on the brink of a widening abyss.” Carter, writing in a New York Times op-ed published on the eve of the anniversary of the January 6 insurrection,

By Donald Judd, CNN Two staffers announced Wednesday that they are leaving Vice President Kamala Harris’ office. Peter Velz, Harris’ director of press operations, shared news of his departure from the White House, which was first reported by Politico, in a series of tweets. “Today is my last day at the White House, and it

By Annie Grayer, Ryan Nobles and Whitney Wild, CNN As the first anniversary of the attack on the US Capitol approaches, the House committee investigating January 6 faces its biggest challenge yet: proving allegations that there was a coordinated effort behind the insurrection and convincing the American people that former President Donald Trump was complicit.

By Manu Raju and Lauren Fox, CNN Democratic senators are beginning 2022 where they left 2021: With no clear path to pass their agenda and ample frustration in the ranks. The year-long push to get President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill passed has stalled in the wake of resistance from Sen. Joe Manchin, and

By Christina Carrega and Evan Perez, CNN Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal is retiring, following months of pressure from some lawmakers seeking his ouster over management issues at the agency. A Bureau of Prisons message to employees on Wednesday said that “after 30 years of service with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP),

By Geneva Sands, Katie Bo Lillis and Whitney Wild, CNN In the days ahead of the anniversary of the January 6 US Capitol attack, federal officials have seen an increase in unspecified calls for violence, the targeting of politicians and calls for rebellion on domestic violent extremist forums, according to a federal law enforcement official.

By Kevin Liptak and Jeff Zeleny, CNN Two weeks before becoming president, Joe Biden watched the January 6 attack on television from his home in Delaware, horrified as the unspeakable images of the insurrection unfolded and aghast at the sitting President’s unwillingness to condemn it. A year later, he marked that day with a speech

By Jeff Zeleny and Maegan Vazquez, CNN President Joe Biden is expected to deliver a speech on voting rights during a visit to Atlanta next Tuesday, traveling to the cradle of the civil rights movement to shine a brighter light on election reform in advance of Martin Luther King Day. Biden and Vice President Kamala

By Holmes Lybrand Two friends who entered the US Capitol together on January 6, one of whom boasted about breaking in and smoking a joint, were sentenced to 30 days in jail each for unlawfully parading in the building. “This wasn’t Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” Judge Tanya Chutkan said before handing down the sentence

By Jennifer Hansler, CNN US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed Wednesday that Russia must de-escalate tensions on the border with Ukraine in order for upcoming diplomatic meetings to succeed, saying “it’s very hard to make actual progress in any of these areas in an atmosphere of escalation and threat, with a gun pointed at

By Tierney Sneed, CNN In a sweeping speech marking the one-year anniversary of the Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland pushed back on criticism that the Justice Department’s January 6 probe has not been aggressive enough, while signaling that no one would be off limits as prosecutors “followed the facts.” “The actions we have taken

By Kara Scannell A federal judge set the foreign lobbying trial for Tom Barrack, a former adviser to then-President Donald Trump, for September. During a remote hearing Wednesday, Judge Brian Cogan said jury selection would begin on September 7 with the trial to start soon after. Prosecutors estimated the trial could take three weeks. Barrack

By Whitney Wild, CNN The US Capitol Police board is detailing a list of changes — from trainings to new recruitment efforts, hoping to convince members of Congress the department has significantly improved since the January 6 attack exposed problems, while acknowledging the agency is significantly understaffed. In a 10-page report obtained by CNN, Senate

By Tami Luhby, CNN West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin has lots of issues with the Democrats’ expanded child tax credit, which is a main reason why his party’s plan to extend it for another year is on ice. One of his beefs is that higher-income families qualify for the credit — the final monthly payment