House gets redos on wall, McGahn case

The House will get new chances to press congressional authority next month in two of the biggest lawsuits against the Trump administration — efforts to enforce a subpoena against former White House Counsel Don McGahn and to stop the construction of a wall on the U.S.- Mexico border.

The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Friday agreed to hear oral arguments on both separationof-powers cases on April 28. The focus will be on whether the House has the legal right to bring each of the suits in the first place.

The decision to rehear the McGahn case gives new life to the House Judiciary Committee’s lawsuit to have him testify about episodes from former special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and President Donald Trump’s moves to try to stymie that investigation.

It vacates a Feb. 28 decision from a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit that threw out the committee’s lawsuit.

And the full D.C. Circuit move also revives the House’s lawsuit to challenge the administration plan to spend up to $8.1 billion for construction of southern border barriers as a violation of the appropriations clause of the Constitution that usurps Congress’ authority.

Bill Gates steps down from Microsoft board

Bill Gates is stepping down from the board of Microsoft, the software giant he helped found more than four decades ago.

Mr. Gates said Friday that he would also step down from the board of Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate run by his close friend Warren Buffett.

“I have made the decision to step down from both of the public boards on which I serve — Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway — to dedicate more time to philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and my increasing engagement in tackling climate change,” Mr. Gates wrote in a LinkedIn post.

For decades, Mr. Gates was the face of Microsoft. The company said Mr. Gates would remain a technical adviser.

Wolf orders honors for slain Phila. officer

Gov. Tom Wolf ordered the state flag on all commonwealth facilities, public buildings and grounds to fly at half-staff to honor Philadelphia SWAT Cpl. James O’Connor, who was killed in a shooting Friday.

The flag will be lowered until sunset, Mr. Wolf’s office said, and again on the day of Cpl. O’Connor’s funeral.

Cpl. O’Connor, 46, was shot dead early Friday as he served a homicide warrant at a home in the city’s Frankford section. Several people were arrested.

Gillum found in hotel with suspected drugs

Andrew Gillum, who in 2018 came within 34,000 votes of becoming Florida’s governor, was discovered by police at a Miami hotel early Friday morning in a room with bags of possible crystal meth and in the company of a man who appeared to have overdosed, according to a police report.

Police said they were called to the Mondrian South Beach early Friday and found paramedics treating 30-year-old Travis Dyson, of Miami, for an apparent heart attack.

Police said Mr. Gillum, who was not arrested, was too intoxicated to answer questions. The former Tallahassee mayor denied using drugs in a Friday statement.