Good morning.You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington hold their primary elections today.
The spotlight will be on Michigan, where winning an open Senate seat is crucial for Democrats as they vie to regain control of the chamber.Michigan voters will choose between two Democratic candidates who are competing to face Republican former Congressman Mike Rogers in the November midterm elections.
Here's what you should know about the five states holding primaries today.The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to move forward with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's confirmation vote today after Republican Sens.John Cornyn and Thom Tillis dropped their objections.
Their change of heart came after Blanche provided written confirmation that the controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" established by the Department of Justice would be rescinded.The fund, which was created as part of a settlement deal for a lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS, had been a sticking point in Blanche's confirmation process.
Critics pointed out its potential to compensate the president's allies and the Jan.6 rioters.
Blanche also provided written confirmation that a tax immunity deal that was part of the settlement would only apply retroactively to the president, two of his sons and the Trump organization.With the fund off the table, Cornyn and Tillis released a statement yesterday saying they "look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon."The Spokane County Sheriff's Department has arrested 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci on charges of first-degree arson in connection with one of the area's most destructive fires.
Firefighters in Spokane, Wash., are battling three major wildfires — the Old Trails Fire, Autumn Lane Fire, and Fairview Fire — that ha...