Welcome back to 10 Things in Politics. Sign up here to receive this newsletter. Send tips to [email protected] or tweet me at @BrentGriffiths.
Here's what we're talking about:
- Dozens who supported efforts to overturn the 2020 US election now sit on government boards
- Education secretary supports vaccine mandates for teachers
- Here's what's in the Democrats' $3.5 trillion 'human' infrastructure plan
What we're watching today: President Joe Biden plans to discuss his plans for lowering prescription-drug prices.
With Phil Rosen.
1. INSIDER INVESTIGATION: Republican lawmakers are far from the only people in the federal government to underplay the Capitol riot or push Donald Trump's lies about the 2020 election. An Insider investigation found dozens of people who voiced support for overturning the election serving on boards running places like the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Kennedy Center.
What it means: This isn't too surprising given that Trump, while president, nominated all of the people in question. But my colleague's findings illustrate the sheer number of people who tried to disenfranchise millions of Americans.
- A note about who made the list: Insider included people on this list only if they publicly embraced unfounded election-fraud claims, alluded to political violence, or downplayed or condoned the violence of January 6.
Here's a look at some of the 41 appointees we identified:
Some of the appointees appear to have endorsed political violence: "I know a lot of my right-wing conservative people, they want blood right now. We were cheated out of an election. It was an unfair election with Donald Trump. They cheated," MMA fighter Colby Covington said while promoting a bout in March. Covington serves on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
- Another appointee on the panel downplayed the riot: The Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker, who's mulling a US Senate run, has suggested the insurrection was a false-flag event. "Trojan Horses ...I call on @realDonaldTrump to find out who these people are as they do not look like MAGA!" Walker tweeted January 6.
Read the entire investigation, including the Trump ally who flew to Nevada to spread election lies and serves on a panel advising the Holocaust museum.
2 FDA expected to authorize booster shots for immunocompromised people: The Food and Drug Administration is poised to grant emergency-use authorization today for a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots to people with compromised immune systems, NBC News reports. This would be the first time the US has authorized anyone to get an extra dose of the vaccine, joining numerous other countries in doing so. Shots aren't going into arms yet, as a CDC panel still needs to sign off.
3. This is what's in Democrats' massive $3.5 trillion plan: Senate Democrats just jump-started their work on a $3.5 trillion bill that would increase taxes on the rich, expand the social safety net, and fight the climate crisis. A draft of the bill isn't expected until later this fall, but leaders have pledged to include numerous key policies. Two key Democrats, including Sen. Joe Manchin, already want to significantly reduce the size of the proposal.
- Increasing access to education: Fully funded daycare, preschool, and up to two years of community college.
- Tax increases on the wealthy and corporations: People who make more than $400,000 a year would face higher taxes. But the party also wants to revisit the state-and-local-tax debate, which could reduce taxes for some residents of high-tax states like California.
- Addressing the climate crisis: An increase in tax credits for wind- and solar-powered companies and for electric cars. There would also be a clean-energy standard and fines for businesses that fail to meet it.
Read our entire guide to the bill and what some Democrats are already expressing concerns about.
Joshua Roberts/Getty Images
4. Education secretary supports vaccine mandates for teachers: Secretary Miguel Cardona said he supported requiring teachers and other school staff members to get the shot as a way to keep cases down, a change from just days ago when he said teachers should just be encouraged to get vaccinated. On the same day, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he was requiring vaccines or weekly tests for teachers in California. Schools have once again become a major front in the pandemic's political fights.
5. Biden slams Trump for running up America's debt: Biden said his economic agenda "isn't going to be anything like my predecessor," trashing Trump for adding $8 trillion to the national debt (it's actually $7.8 trillion). Of that money, $2 trillion was from the GOP's major corporate tax cut, but a significant portion was also from the pandemic response and spending pushed for by House Democrats. Biden also dismissed GOP threats not to help him raise the debt ceiling to cover the previous spending. More on his comments.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig
6. Kathy Hochul vows a new day for New York: Hochul, New York's soon-to-be governor, distanced herself from Gov. Andrew Cuomo in her first public remarks since he announced his intention to resign, The New York Times reports. Hochul vowed to oust any Cuomo administration staffers who behaved unethically. "No one will ever describe my administration as a toxic work environment," she vowed. What she'll be doing over the next two weeks as she prepares to take over.
7. Consumer prices remain high as inflation slows: Inflation slowed in July from its rapid June pace, signaling faster price growth might prove temporary as most economists expect. Prices at restaurants rose 0.8%, showing a pickup since June. While inflation remains elevated, recent trends suggest Americans aren't as worried as they were earlier in the recovery.
- Key quote: "While the data should reassure markets that inflation isn't on a relentless upward trend, make no mistake - this inflation report is still hot," Seema Shah, the chief strategist at Principal Global Investors, told my colleagues.
8. Intelligence warns Kabul could be cut off in a month: Amid the Taliban's large-scale advances, US intelligence assessments conclude Afghanistan's capital could be cut off in 30 to 60 days, CNN reports. If Kabul falls, the country's government would most likely collapse, a stunning turn of events as America ends its longest war. More on the story, including what the State Department wants to do about its embassy.
9. Rudy Giuliani has found a new outlet: Trump's former top legal advisor has joined Cameo, a video app that allows public figures to send videos for a fee - a video from Giuliani goes for $199. If you want to go a step further, you can pay $500 for a video from Donald Trump Jr. Giuliani's move comes as it appears Trump stiffed him on his legal bills.
ABC
10. "Jeopardy!" gets a true daily double: For the first time, the long-running trivia show will have two hosts: the executive producer Mike Richards, who will host the daily show, and the actor Mayim Bialik, who will host primetime specials and spinoffs. Read how "Jeopardy!" decided on its new franchise cornerstones.
Today's trivia question: Tonight is MLB's "Field of Dreams" game, returning to the site of the baseball flick for an actual regular-season game. Like any movie adapted from a book, there are some major differences. One in "Field of Dreams" is about the field itself, which would have really changed the movie. What is it? Email your guess and a suggested question to me at [email protected].
- Yesterday's answer: Nebraska's 1986 gubernatorial election was the first with women as both major parties' nominees. Forty-four women have served as governors in 30 states.