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| Presented By Facebook |
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| Axios Sneak Peek |
| By Alayna Treene, Hans Nichols and Kadia Goba ·May 06, 2021 |
| Welcome back to Sneak. The president made an out-and-back to the Big Easy. ⚡ Situational awareness: Twitter announced a virtual "tip jar," allowing users to send money directly from their profile. Today's newsletter — edited by Glen Johnson — is 868 words, a 3.5-minute read. |
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| 1 big thing: Scoop — White House bars Cabinet from commencement addresses |
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| Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios |
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| An anti-coronavirus edict will keep a group of high-profile speakers from taking the podium at this year's college commencement ceremonies: Biden administration Cabinet members, Axios' Sarah Mucha scoops. Why it matters: Speakers who'd normally serve as the new administration's face to the public — or sell President Biden's array of new policies — are banned from speaking in person because the White House doesn't want to encourage super-spreader events. - "The White House and administration remain vigilant to the public health challenges posed by the pandemic, and we're taking every step necessary to prevent the spread of the virus and model leadership for the country," a White House official told Axios in a statement.
- Members can still speak virtually.
But, but, but: The rules don't apply equally to everyone. - The president himself is scheduled to deliver the keynote address in person during the U.S. Coast Guard Academy's graduation ceremony May 19.
- Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver the keynote address at the Naval Academy's commissioning ceremony this month, a White House official told the Capital Gazette.
- In addition, first lady Jill Biden will deliver a commencement address at George Mason University next Friday — but virtually.
Keep reading. |
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| 2. Biden's ethics end-around for labor |
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| President Biden surveys a water treatment plant during a visit to New Orleans today. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images |
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| The Biden administration is excusing top officials from ethics rules that would otherwise restrict their work with large labor unions that previously employed them, Axios' Lachlan Markay writes after reviewing federal records. Why it matters: Labor's sizable personnel presence in the administration is driving policy, and the president's appointment of top union officials to senior posts gives those unions powerful voices in the federal bureaucracy — even at the cost of strictly adhering to his own stringent ethics standards. What's happening: The White House waived some of those rules last week for Celeste Drake, whom Biden tapped to lead a new Made in America Office. - Drake was excused from ethics restrictions that would've barred her from communicating with her former employers, the AFL-CIO and the Directors Guild of America.
- In March, the Office of Personnel Management waived ethics rules for its director of intergovernmental affairs, Alethea Predeoux, who had been the top lobbyist for the American Federation of Government Employees.
- Absent a waiver, Biden's ethics pledge would bar her from working on issues on which she lobbied.
What they're saying: "The successful accomplishment of the mission of the newly created Made in America Office relies on extensive, open and collaborative communications ... between OMB and non-governmental entities including labor organizations," Samuel Bagenstos, the White House budget office's top lawyer, wrote in a memo posted on a disclosure tab of WhiteHouse.gov. - Some of that staffing may require carveouts to ethics rules, but the White House sees it as qualitatively different than staffing from the business world.
- Conservatives see the matter differently and claim hypocrisy.
- "It's no surprise that President Biden's union boss appointments have resulted in anti-worker policies like the PRO Act and the $15 minimum wage," said Alfredo Ortiz, the president of the Job Creators Network.
Keep reading. |
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| 3. The "essential" committee that still doesn't exist |
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| House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images |
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| Nearly five months after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced the creation of the bipartisan Select Committee on Economic Disparity & Fairness in Growth, it's not been formed much less met, Axios' Kadia Goba writes. Why it matters: Select committees are designed to address urgent matters, but the 117th Congress is now nearly one-quarter complete without this panel assembling. When she announced it, Pelosi described it as an "essential force" to "combat the crisis of income and wealth disparity in America." - Pelosi has said privately she first wants to impanel a 9/11-type commission to investigate the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.
- A senior Democratic aide told Axios she'll then fill the select committee.
The intrigue: Staff in the offices of several progressive members told Axios the promised committee was "a great selling point," as one termed it, as Pelosi campaigned to be reelected speaker. - It also fueled progressive support for the House rules package, since it was a promised component of the norms by which the chamber operates in each Congress.
- "This was supposed to be a sweetener for some House progressives who were on the fence about the package," a senior aide to a progressive member told Axios.
Keep reading. |
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| A message from Facebook |
| The internet has changed a lot since 1996 - internet regulations should too |
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| It's been 25 years since comprehensive internet regulations passed. See why we support updated regulations on key issues, including: - Protecting people's privacy
- Enabling safe and easy data portability between platforms
- Preventing election interference
- Reforming Section 230
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| 4. Home confinees face imminent return to prison |
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| Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios |
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| Thousands of prisoners who've been in home confinement for as long as a year because of the pandemic face returning to prison when it's over — unless Biden rescinds a last-minute Trump Justice Department memo, Axios' Stef Kight reports. Why it matters: Most prisoners were told they would not have to come back as they were released early with ankle bracelets. Now, their lives are on hold while they wait to see whether or when they may be forced back behind bars. Advocates say about 4,500 people are affected. What they're saying: Chad Ducey, a 45-year-old from Indiana, said he would have been more guarded with his 10- and 12-year-old kids after being released had he known there was a chance of going back to prison. - "I would have handled the whole situation completely different, but I came back and went full bore into reestablishing that relationship and being the best Dad I can be," Ducey told Axios.
Bureau of Prisons spokesperson Randilee Giamusso told Axios the bureau can use discretion for people whose sentences are almost over, but for others, "this will be an issue only after the pandemic is over." - The national emergency was recently extended, and the bureau "is focused right now on expanding the criteria for home confinement."
Keep reading. |
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| 5. Pic du jour |
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| Photo: Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images |
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| Vice President Kamala Harris greets onlookers during a visit to Providence, Rhode Island, on Wednesday. |
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| A message from Facebook |
| Why Facebook supports updated internet regulations |
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| 2021 is the 25th anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the last major update to internet regulation. It's time for an update to set clear rules for addressing today's toughest challenges. See how we're taking action on key issues and why we support updated internet regulations. |
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| 💐 Thanks for reading Sneak this week. We'll be back Sunday evening — don't forget it's Mother's Day! Also, our regular reminder that your family, friends and colleagues can sign up here for this free newsletter. |
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