By Holmes Lybrand, CNN

(CNN) — FBI Director Kash Patel, standing at a lectern beside his boss Tuesday, publicly addressed recent allegations that he has drank to excess, interfering with his duties.

“I’ve never been intoxicated on the job,” Patel told a room full of reporters Tuesday, after highlighting what he considers to be a string of law enforcement successes since the start of his tenure.

“This FBI director has been on the job twice as many days as every director before me,” Patel said.

Standing beside him, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche — whom Patel now reports to — also ridiculed the article, which said people had previously raised concerns with senior leaders about the FBI director.

Blanche told reporters he didn’t read the story, but that it included “blatantly false” information.

Patel has previously denied the allegations made in a recent story in The Atlantic and filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the magazine.

On Tuesday, though, he and Blanche were probed on the claims by a room full of reporters at an unrelated press conference.

The story, published last week, alleged Patel “alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.”

Patel said Tuesday he never listens “to the fake news mafia.”

“My concerns are completely around the anonymous reporting that comes forth constantly,” Blanche said about the article, adding that it was “based on anonymous sources.”

The Atlantic has defended the work of reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, who wrote the story.

“We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit,” a spokesperson said Monday when the lawsuit was filed.

Fitzpatrick responded to the legal threats in an interview with MS NOW on Friday night, saying she stood “by every word of this reporting. We have excellent attorneys.”

The press conference Tuesday was held to tout the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center over its alleged use of paid informants in extremist groups.

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By Jeff Zeleny, CNN

(CNN) — Virginia is the latest front in an unprecedented coast-to-coast redistricting war, with voters on Tuesday set to determine whether to accept or reject a Democratic plan to dramatically redraw the state’s congressional maps and help shape the midterm elections.

Nearly 1.4 million Virginians have already cast early ballots, a sign of remarkable interest for an April special election, ahead of Tuesday’s final day of voting. If enacted, the plan could help Democrats win 10 of the state’s 11 congressional districts – a major shift from the current balance of six seats held by Democrats and five by Republicans.

“We didn’t start this fight, but I’m saying to Virginia, we need to finish it,” Delores McQuinn, a Democratic member of the House of Delegates, told CNN at a rally in the final days of the redistricting campaign. “We can help level the playing field.”

Virginia is one of the final chapters in a redistricting arms race that President Donald Trump started last year in Texas when he said Republicans were “entitled to five more seats.” California Democrats responded, along with a handful of other states, in a tit-for-tat that has ultimately yielded nine more Republican-friendly seats and six that favor Democrats.

“What’s happening now is the most blatant power grab that has ever been demonstrated,” said Glenn Youngkin, a former Virginia governor and a leading Republican voice against the measure, who avoided mention of how Texas kicked off the rare mid-decade redistricting fight.

Democrats have raised more than twice as much money than Republicans in the closely watched contest that could help determine which party controls Congress after the fall elections. On advertising alone, Democrats have spent $55 million, according to AdImpact, compared to $23 million for Republicans.

Despite the wide disparity, Democrats acknowledge that victory is far from certain, saying turnout on Election Day will be critical. Republicans share that sentiment and believe creating a 10-1 advantage for Democrats is at odds with the electorate in a state former Vice President Kamala Harris won with nearly 52% of the vote in 2024.

Here are a few dynamics at play – for Virginia and the nation.

High stakes for Democrats

For Democrats, the stakes in Virginia are remarkably high. So, too, are the rewards.

If the referendum succeeds Tuesday night, the party suddenly has more breathing room in its quest to win control of the US House in the midterm elections. The national political winds already favor Democrats this year, but a Virginia victory

CNN

By Jeff Zeleny, CNN

(CNN) — Virginia is the latest front in an unprecedented coast-to-coast redistricting war, with voters on Tuesday set to determine whether to accept or reject a Democratic plan to dramatically redraw the state’s congressional maps and help shape the midterm elections.

Nearly 1.4 million Virginians have already cast early ballots, a sign of remarkable interest for an April special election, ahead of Tuesday’s final day of voting. If enacted, the plan could help Democrats win 10 of the state’s 11 congressional districts – a major shift from the current balance of six seats held by Democrats and five by Republicans.

“We didn’t start this fight, but I’m saying to Virginia, we need to finish it,” Delores McQuinn, a Democratic member of the House of Delegates, told CNN at a rally in the final days of the redistricting campaign. “We can help level the playing field.”

Virginia is one of the final chapters in a redistricting arms race that President Donald Trump started last year in Texas when he said Republicans were “entitled to five more seats.” California Democrats responded, along with a handful of other states, in a tit-for-tat that has ultimately yielded nine more Republican-friendly seats and six that favor Democrats.

“What’s happening now is the most blatant power grab that has ever been demonstrated,” said Glenn Youngkin, a former Virginia governor and a leading Republican voice against the measure, who avoided mention of how Texas kicked off the rare mid-decade redistricting fight.

Democrats have raised more than twice as much money than Republicans in the closely watched contest that could help determine which party controls Congress after the fall elections. On advertising alone, Democrats have spent $55 million, according to AdImpact, compared to $23 million for Republicans.

Despite the wide disparity, Democrats acknowledge that victory is far from certain, saying turnout on Election Day will be critical. Republicans share that sentiment and believe creating a 10-1 advantage for Democrats is at odds with the electorate in a state former Vice President Kamala Harris won with nearly 52% of the vote in 2024.

Here are a few dynamics at play – for Virginia and the nation.

High stakes for Democrats

For Democrats, the stakes in Virginia are remarkably high. So, too, are the rewards.

If the referendum succeeds Tuesday night, the party suddenly has more breathing room in its quest to win control of the US House in the midterm elections. The national political winds already favor Democrats this year, but a Virginia victory

By Sarah Owermohle, Tami Luhby, CNN

(CNN) — US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had another long day on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, with lawmakers questioning him on his vaccine views, agency shakeups and a proposed budget that would slash HHS spending on medical research and public health.

The secretary made his fourth and fifth appearances before congressional committees in less than a week, testifying before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee before heading to a Senate Appropriations subcommittee.

As he had in three-hour sessions last week, Kennedy defended the administration’s budget proposal and his reforms. But he also faced some fresh questions, namely about President Donald Trump’s new pick to lead the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — and whether the White House has sought to rope in his vaccine rhetoric.

Kennedy will testify before two more Senate committees on Wednesday; the afternoon session, with the Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, is expected to be the highest-profile hearing of the marathon stretch.

Here are the highlights from Kennedy’s third day of budget discussions on Capitol Hill.

Grilled on CDC pick

Trump named a nominee to lead the beleaguered CDC on Thursday, nearly eight months after the administration ousted Dr. Susan Monarez from the role over her refusal to rubber-stamp Kennedy’s vaccine decisions.

The nominee, Dr. Erica Schwartz, is a veteran of public health service and served as deputy surgeon general in the president’s first administration. Her nomination was met with cautious support from public health advocates, who questioned whether she would be allowed to lead the agency without interference.

Rep. Raul Ruiz had similar questions at Tuesday’s hearing. The California Democrat pressed Kennedy on what drove Monarez’s firing and whether Schwartz would meet the same pressure.

“Mr. Secretary, if Dr. Schwartz is confirmed, will you commit on the record today to implement whatever vaccine guidance she issues without interference?” Ruiz asked.

Kennedy replied: “I’m not going to make that kind of commitment.”

Kennedy also denied that Monarez was fired because of clashes over vaccine policy, saying — as he has before — that the scientist told him she was untrustworthy.

Monarez denied that version of events in a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing in September. The issue — and Schwartz’s autonomy if confirmed — is certain to come up in that committee’s hearing Wednesday, since that panel holds the votes to confirm health care nominees like the CDC director.

Vaccines and measles outbreak remain a focus

Kennedy could not escape questions Tuesday about his stance on vaccine safety and how that may have fueled a sharp rise in measles cases in the US. As in earlier hearings, the secretary denied that his vaccine views played a role in declining vaccination rates and disputed that he has been anti-vaccine.

“The problem is not me. There are people in this country who do not vaccinate,” Kennedy said during the House hearing.

US cases of measles surged to a record high in 2025; the government has recorded more than 1,700 cases so far this year.

Amid questions about vaccine policy changes — such as a proposal to delay hepatitis B vaccination from infancy to age 12 — Kennedy insisted that he is not against vaccines but wants more safety studies.

Vaccines are tested in some of the largest clinical trials of pharmaceutical products, often involving millions of trial participants. They are also

By Sarah Ferris, Ellis Kim, CNN

(CNN) — A deeply personal grudge between a pair of Republicans — Reps. Cory Mills of Florida and Nancy Mace of South Carolina — has escalated on Capitol Hill, as Mills accused his long-time foe of trying to profit off efforts to oust him.

The spat between the two firebrand conservatives is gaining traction in the halls of Congress and online among the MAGA base at a precarious time for President Donald Trump’s party. GOP leadership is already struggling to keep its razor-thin majority on track to advance key priorities — and needs every one of its Republican seats.

While Mills and Mace have traded personal barbs for years, some of their more serious threats in recent days could jeopardize the fragile GOP unity in Congress. The two have floated bringing dueling expulsion measures — the most severe consequence possible for a member of Congress — in direct defiance of GOP leaders’ pleas to keep the peace in their party.

Speaker Mike Johnson, who governs the House with just a two-vote margin, made clear to reporters Monday evening that he did not support members of his party going after each other.

“It is not something I encourage, no. Look, we have a process here,” Johnson said, adding later: “So no, I’m not in favor.”

Mills has since backed down from his threat to force an ouster vote against Mace — but Mace has only appeared to embrace the stand-off, telling CNN: “Bring it on.” If a vote takes place, it could cause ugly divisions in the narrowly divided House GOP, with significant implications for Johnson’s tiny majority.

Asked about Mace’s expulsion push on Tuesday, Mills dismissed it as “political theatrics for fundraising,” lashing out at Mace for singling him out for allegations that he said have never been proven by a court or an independent watchdog.

He went directly after the congresswoman, calling her out for “always creating drama” with the intent of raising money, but then not following through with her threats. Mace is currently threatening to force a vote to expel Mills on the floor, but she has not yet triggered it.

“If you’re going to file a resolution, why not call it a privileged motion where you can actually put it on the floor for a vote? Why just fundraise off of it?” Mills said of Mace.

CNN has reached out to Mace for comment on the fundraising allegation.

A Defiant Mills says he won’t resign

Mills told CNN on Tuesday he would not resign from Congress, despite calls from some in his own party to step down amid questions over sexual misconduct and other allegations.

“There’s absolutely no reason to resign,” he told CNN, adding that Johnson has told him in conversations not to. “He told me not to resign, and he told me that this is why we have this process.”

Johnson has told reporters he would not call for Mills’ expulsion while an active ethics probe plays out.

The House Ethics Committee is currently looking into multiple allegations made against Mills, including campaign finance violations and sexual misconduct. The Florida congressman has also been under investigation by DC police for allegedly assaulting an individual. He was also previously ordered by a judge not to have any contact with an ex-girlfriend, who accused the congressman of having threatened to release sexually explicit images and videos of her after their relationship ended.

Mills has repeatedly denied all of the allegations against him, remaining defiant amid renewed scrutiny.

“I can tell you that there’s no open criminal or civil case against me, nothing. I’ve never been arrested and/or