Thursday briefing: What’s next at the Jan. 6 hearings; gas tax pause; monkeypox testing; Westminster Dog Show winners; and more

(Jordan Robertson for The Washington Post)

1

The Jan. 6 committee will hold its fifth public hearing today.

• What we’ll hear: How President Donald Trump and his allies attempted to use the Justice Department as part of a plot to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
• How to watch: It starts at 3 p.m. Eastern time, and we’ll have coverage on washingtonpost.com.
• What else to know: Committee members are facing violent threats. And the Justice Department widened its probe into the Capitol attack, issuing multiple new subpoenas.

2

There are doubts about President Biden’s gas tax pause idea.

• What he wants: For Congress to suspend the federal gas tax of 18.3 cents per gallon for three months.
• Opposition: Democrats and Republicans criticized the idea yesterday. Even White House officials said privately that the pause probably wouldn’t make a huge difference.
• What else can be done? Not much. Many economists say the only thing that will bring prices down is a general economic downturn.

3

The Uvalde school police chief was put on leave yesterday.

• Who is he? Pedro “Pete” Arredondo, accused of bungling the response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Texas last month.
• The background: Earlier this week, officials said Arredondo made error after error — including allegedly waiting more than an hour for a key to an unlocked classroom door.

4

Two “hellish battles” are happening in Ukraine’s east.

• Where? The cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk — Ukraine’s two footholds in the eastern Luhansk region. People are preparing for another Russian assault this week.
• Later today: European leaders meeting in Belgium are expected to put Ukraine on the path to join the European Union.

5

The U.S. is dramatically expanding its testing for monkeypox.

• What is monkeypox? A rare and sometimes serious disease that causes lesions and rashes. The U.S. has counted 156 cases, but the outbreak is probably much bigger than that.
• The latest: Commercial labs will be authorized to test for it, the Biden administration said yesterday, which could allow the U.S. to conduct tens of thousands each week.

6

The NBA draft is tonight, and there’s no clear top pick.

• Selecting first: The Orlando Magic, followed by Oklahoma City and Houston. There are at least three players in the mix: Duke’s Paolo Banchero, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren and Auburn’s Jabari Smith.
• Player to watch: Holmgren, a highly skilled 20-year-old, whose 7-foot, 195-pound frame both intrigues and frightens NBA teams.
• Where to watch: ABC and ESPN at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

7

Trumpet the bloodhound won top prize at the Westminster Dog Show.

• Best in Show: Trumpet was commended for his facial folds and floppy ears, although his handler noted that, at home, he “has a lot of attitude and he’s a little crazy.”
• Other finalists: Winston the French bulldog was the runner-up, and a silky-haired Maltese named Hollywood won the toy group. (Need more photos? Of course you do.)

And now … summer is the season to add more plants to your life: Here’s an expert guide to what’s best for your home and garden.

John Taylor contributed to today’s briefing.

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