Politics

CNN  —  The Justice Department is seeking a preliminary injunction in its case against Texas over its use of floating barriers in the Rio Grande, according to a Wednesday court filing, in an attempt to put the case on a fast track. “The basic facts are clear, and no further inquiry is needed for this

A version of this story appears in CNN’s What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. CNN  —  Wednesday did not go how Hunter Biden probably hoped. The president’s son was supposed to finalize a plea deal, admitting he broke the law but avoiding jail time for misdemeanor tax

CNN  —  Republican Rep. Ken Buck, a member of the conservative House Freedom caucus, said Wednesday that members of his party were engaged in “impeachment theater” and accused House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of using a “shiny object” to distract from disagreements over major spending legislation. “This is impeachment theater. We right now are starting the

CNN  —  Speaker Kevin McCarthy in recent weeks has heard similar advice from both a senior House Republican and an influential conservative lawyer: prioritize the impeachment of President Joe Biden over a member of his Cabinet. Part of the thinking, according to multiple sources familiar with the internal discussions, is that if House Republicans are

CNN  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is making additional cuts to his presidential campaign staff, two senior campaign officials told CNN, shrinking his payroll by more than a third as he continues to reboot his struggling White House bid. The cuts come after the Republican candidate promised to donors over the weekend a “leaner” and

CNN  —  The Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee submitted materials Tuesday to the judge in Hunter Biden’s criminal case, flagging recent claims from IRS whistleblowers that the probe into President Joe Biden’s son was tainted by political interference. Rep. Jason Smith, a Missouri Republican, wants District Judge Maryellen Noreika to “consider”

CNN  —  White House criticism of Israel after its right-wing coalition embarked on a plan to target judicial power is bringing a new kind of turbulence to one of America’s oldest friendships. On Monday, the Israeli parliament passed a controversial law stripping the Supreme Court of its power to block government decisions, sparking protests. The

CNN  —  Conservative legal activist Leonard Leo is refusing to provide Democratic lawmakers with information regarding his interactions with Justice Samuel Alito, who attended a luxury fishing trip with him in 2008 and took a ride on a private jet owned by a conservative hedge fund manager. In a scathing letter Tuesday to key Democrats

Washington CNN  —  Special counsel Jack Smith’s office has asked former US officials about a February 2020 Oval Office meeting where then-President Donald Trump praised improvements to the security of US elections, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. In the meeting with senior US officials and White House staff, Trump touted his administration’s

A version of this story appeared in CNN’s What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. CNN  —  It was a legitimate surprise when the conservative-dominated US Supreme Court ordered Alabama’s conservative-dominated state government last month to redraw its congressional map and include either a second majority-Black congressional district