By Jessica Dean and Ali Zaslav, CNN Senate Democrats have finalized an agreement to close a tax loophole in order to extend the solvency of Medicare, according to a source familiar with the agreement, in another step forward on their economic and prescription drug package. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to submit the
Continue Reading By Katelyn Polantz, Sara Murray and Holmes Lybrand, CNN Republican operatives connected to the plan to put forward “alternate” electors for Donald Trump are set to turn over information to the Justice Department as soon as this week — as criminal investigations examining efforts to overturn the 2020 election pick up pace. The DOJ issued
Continue Reading By Kara Scannell, CNN The head of the Internal Revenue Service has asked a watchdog to investigate the decision to conduct rare tax audits of former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the agency announced Thursday. “The IRS has referred the matter to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
Continue Reading By Kate Sullivan, CNN President Joe Biden on Thursday awarded the presidential Medal of Freedom to 17 Americans, including Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, soccer star Megan Rapinoe and Gold Star father Khizr Khan. The 17 individuals are the first people Biden has awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor since taking office.
Continue Reading By Kyung Lah, CNN Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has endorsed Republican candidate Karrin Taylor Robson in the race to succeed him as the top executive in the critical battleground state, putting him at odds with former President Donald Trump, who is backing former television anchor Kari Lake in the GOP gubernatorial primary. “I’ve looked at
Continue Reading By Sara Murray and Holmes Lybrand, CNN Michigan Republican gubernatorial hopeful Ryan Kelley pleaded not guilty Thursday to misdemeanor charges over his alleged actions in the US Capitol riot after claiming he only engaged in “First Amendment activity” that day. According to federal investigators, Kelley climbed up through the scaffolding for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration
Continue Reading By Sara Murray and Holmes Lybrand, CNN Michigan Republican gubernatorial hopeful Ryan Kelley pleaded not guilty Thursday to misdemeanor charges over his alleged actions in the US Capitol riot after claiming he only engaged in “First Amendment activity” that day. According to federal investigators, Kelley climbed up through the scaffolding for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration
Continue Reading By Kara Scannell, CNN The head of the Internal Revenue Service has asked a watchdog to investigate the decision to conduct rare tax audits of former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the agency announced Thursday. “The IRS has referred the matter to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
Continue Reading By Paul LeBlanc, CNN Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe on Wednesday said an investigation should be launched into how he and former FBI Director James Comey were both selected by the Internal Revenue Service for an intensive tax audit. “It just defies logic to think that there wasn’t some other factor involved,” McCabe told
Continue Reading By Veronica Stracqualursi and Tierney Sneed, CNN In more than a dozen states, legal fights are underway over abortion bans and other laws that greatly limit the procedure after the US Supreme Court ended a constitutional right to an abortion on June 24. On July 26, the Supreme Court entered its judgment in the case,
Continue Reading By Shawna Mizelle and Sam Fossum, CNN President Joe Biden in a letter to Congress on Wednesday said that he will officially rescind Afghanistan’s designation as a major non‑NATO ally. In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the President wrote: “In accordance with section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended
Continue Reading By Clare Foran, CNN America is grappling yet again with the devastating fallout from an episode of gun violence — this time after a deadly July Fourth parade shooting that has renewed public outcry over firearm policy in the United States. Hours after gunfire upended the parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing seven people and
Continue Reading By Clare Foran, CNN America is grappling yet again with the devastating fallout from an episode of gun violence — this time after a deadly July Fourth parade shooting that has renewed public outcry over firearm policy in the United States. Hours after gunfire upended the parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing seven people and
Continue Reading By Holmes Lybrand, Sara Murray and Zachary Cohen, CNN Two Republican state senators in Arizona received subpoenas from the FBI in late June for text messages and emails as the Justice Department investigation into the events of January 6, 2021, has expanded to examine efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Arizona Senate President Karen
Continue Reading By Maegan Vazquez, CNN The White House on Wednesday announced that President Joe Biden is nominating Phil Washington to lead the Federal Aviation Administration. If confirmed, he would be the first Black permanent administrator of the agency. Washington is currently the chief executive officer of the Denver International Airport — the third busiest airport in
Continue Reading By MJ Lee, Kevin Liptak, Kaitlan Collins and Shawna Mizelle, CNN White House communications director Kate Bedingfield will depart her role in the coming weeks, chief of staff Ron Klain told CNN on Wednesday. “Without Kate Bedingfield’s talent and tenacity, Donald Trump might still be in the White House, the Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure
Continue Reading By Kylie Atwood, CNN The Biden administration is putting sanctions on 15 individuals and entities who have been involved in illicit sales and shipments of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Wednesday. The newest sanctions come as the latest efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal failed
Continue Reading By Betsy Klein and Jennifer Hansler, CNN President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone Wednesday with Cherelle Griner, the wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who is detained in a Russian prison, according to the White House. Biden has also written a letter in response to Brittney Griner’s handwritten letter, which
Continue Reading By Sean Lyngaas, CNN North Korean government-backed hackers have in the last year targeted multiple health organizations with ransomware, in some cases disrupting health services for “prolonged periods,” the FBI and other US agencies warned on Wednesday. The North Koreans have used the ransomware — a type of malicious computer code that locks computer files
Continue Reading By MJ Lee and Phil Mattingly, CNN The White House informed Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s office in late June — the day before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade — that President Joe Biden intended to nominate an anti-abortion Republican as a federal judge in Kentucky, according to emails obtained by CNN on
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