Liz Cheney vs. MAGA
Robert Draper, The New York Times
The regular conference meetings of the Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives, held most weeks behind closed doors in the Capitol Visitor Center, tend to be predictable and thus irregularly attended affairs.
Biden’s associate attorney general nominee Vanita Gupta confirmed after GOP senator breaks ranks
Jeremy Herb, CNN
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Vanita Gupta to be associate attorney general in a narrow 51-49 vote after Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined with Democrats in support of President Joe Biden’s Justice Department nominee.
Pelosi floats new proposal for bipartisan Jan. 6 commission
Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is renewing her push for a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, floating a new proposal to Republicans that would evenly split the panel’s membership between the two parties.
Black Democrats urge party to shift its voting rights push
Sarah Ferris et al., Politico
Democrats have spent months touting an expansive proposal that would reshape U.S. elections. But with the bill’s Senate prospects growing more dire, key members of the Congressional Black Caucus are pushing to narrow their strategy.
Apple, Google Come Under Fire at Senate Antitrust Hearing
John D. McKinnon, The Wall Street Journal
Lawmakers and mobile app companies took aim at Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google in a hearing Thursday focused on competition concerns about the companies’ power over their smartphone ecosystems.
House Votes to Restrict Future Travel Bans, Moving to Undo Trump’s Legacy
Luke Broadwater, The New York Times
Pamela Raghebi of Seattle blames President Donald J. Trump’s travel ban for keeping her separated from her husband, Afshin, a native of Iran, for three frustrating years.
House votes to limit arms sales to Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi killing
Maria Carrasco, Politico
The House on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to restrict arms sales to Saudi Arabia over its killing of the U.S.-based dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Tim Scott hopes to reintroduce version of GOP police reform bill
Shawna Chen, Axios
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) told reporters Wednesday he plans to reintroduce his police reform bill or a similar proposal in the coming weeks and that he has discussed a potential compromise with Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).
Lawmakers reveal — and dispute — FBI conclusion about 2017 baseball field shooting
Kyle Cheney and Martin Matishak, Politico
A congressman who was on the baseball field during the 2017 shooting that nearly killed GOP Whip Steve Scalise says the FBI privately informed lawmakers it ruled the attack a “suicide by cop,” a designation he said downplayed the shooter’s apparently political motivation.
Capitol Police chief: Threats against lawmakers up nearly 65 percent since last year
Cristina Marcos, The Hill
Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said Wednesday that threats against members of Congress have increased nearly 65 percent in the first four months of this year compared with the same period in 2020.
Clyburn facing potential $5,000 metal detector fine
Olivia Beavers and Rachael Bade, Politico
House Majority Whip James Clyburn is facing a possible $5,000 fine for evading the metal detectors off the House floor, which are part of the security protocols House Speaker Nancy Pelosi enacted after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.