Summary
- The situation in Ukraine continues to unfold. Follow our live blog here for more updates on the possibility of a Russian invasion.
- The Texas attorney general has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the mask mandate with air travel.
- Jurors in former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s libel case against the New York Times received notifications during their deliberations that the judge planned to dismiss the case.
- Investigators found that Ryan Zinke, the interior secretary for Donald Trump, misused his position to advance a development project in his Montana hometown and lied to an agency ethics official about his involvement.
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Report: Biden expected to ask for more than $770bn in 2023 defense budget
Reuters is reporting that Joe Biden is expected to ask Congress for a defense budget exceeding $770bn for the next fiscal year.
The figure surpasses the record budget requests by former president Donald Trump.
Sources tell Reuters that the majority of these funds are going toward the Pentagon’s budget for spending on salaries, tanks and F-35 jets made by Lockheed Martin Corp, in addition to funds for the energy department’s nuclear weapons programs.
While the nuclear modernization effort – modernizing the nuclear “triad” of ballistic missile submarines, bombers and land-based missiles – is seen as a “must pay”, other top priorities of this budget include shipbuilding, developing capabilities in space and missile warning.
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Jurors in Sarah Palin's New York Times case received notification of judge's dismissal during deliberations
The day before a jury rejected former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s claims that the New York Times maliciously damaged her reputation by erroneously linking her campaign rhetoric to a 2011 mass shooting in Arizona, US District Judge Jed Rakoff ruled that he would dismiss the case because Palin was unable to prove actual malice.
But because Palin was planning to appeal, the judge allowed the jury to continue to deliberate on a verdict. The next day, they returned in favor of the New York Times.
Today Rakoff revealed that several of the jurors received notifications of his decision during their deliberation, the Daily Beast is reporting.
The jurors assured the court’s law clerk that the notifications hadn’t “affected them in any way or played any role whatever in their deliberations,” but Rakoff said that parties could “promptly initiate” a joint phone call to determine if “further proceedings are appropriate.”
In a statement announcing his lawsuit against the Biden administration over the mask mandate for air travel, Texas attorney general Ken Paxton argued that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not go through Congress to issue the mandate, which makes it illegal.
“Biden’s repeated disregard of the individual liberties of Texans is not only disrespectful to the US Constitution, it is also troublesome that any president thinks they can act above the law while hardworking Americans standby,” said Paxton said. “President Biden cannot continue governing through executive edicts. Now is the time to strike down his administration’s air-travel mask mandate.”
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A mild drama is playing out in the senate right now over the vote to confirm eight of Joe Biden’s nominees for US attorney.
Dick Durbin, chair of the judiciary committee, asked for unanimous consent, but Tom Cotton, a Republican senator from Arkansas, is holding out because he wants to know why four US marshals who defended the Portland courthouse in 2020 have been denied justice department representation.
Cotton, on the floor, says he’s holding up the votes because he wants information about why four US Marshalls who defended the Portland courthouse in 2020 have been denied representation by DOJ in lawsuits. Says he won’t “roll over” and allow them to be “hung out to dry”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 16, 2022
Cotton:"Marshals are represented in court as they should be & we can go back to fast-tracking DoJ nominees.But until we get that outcome,we won't be fast-tracking nominees because I will continue to stand up for these brave men of law enforcement who deserve better from this DoJ" pic.twitter.com/izeN58Bq5e
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) February 16, 2022
Majority leader Chuck Schumer has added his two cents, saying that it hasn’t been since 1975 that the senate held a roll call vote to confirm a US attorney. But there was actually a senate roll call vote in December.
Actually, there was a Senate roll call vote on a US Attorney nominee in December (Rachel Rollins of Massachusetts, confirmed 12/8/21.) https://t.co/VYAllky1dN
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) February 16, 2022
Texas sues Biden administration over mask mandate
The Texas attorney general sued the Biden administration today over a government mask mandate requiring that masks be worn in airports, on airplanes and on other modes of transit.
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton and congresswoman Beth Van Duyne filed a lawsuit jointly challenging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention transit mask rules, which have been in place since February 2021 and are set to expire on 18 March.
“Masks on planes are unnecessary,” Van Duyne tweeted, while Paxton tweeted that “masks on planes are not only silly, but illegal too.”
Sued the CDC today. Masks on planes are unnecessary. Thanks to @TPPF for helping make this happen so we can continue the fight to end mandates and bureaucratic control of American lives!
— Beth Van Duyne (@Bethvanduyne) February 16, 2022
Just filed my 22nd suit against Biden, this time regarding anti-science, virtue-signaling masks on airlines & airports. Masks on planes are not only silly, but illegal too. Proud to join @TPPF, @robhenneke, @Bethvanduyne in restraining Dems’ lawless gov’t. End the mask mandates!
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) February 16, 2022
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Here’s a little more on the situation with the Senate Republicans and the Federal Reserve nominees.
To recap: The senate banking committee has five nominees for the Federal Reserve board to advance, Republicans have taken issue with one - Sarah Bloom Raskin - and want her to answer more questions. Until they are allowed another session for Raskin to answer more questions, they are refusing to show up to the meetings, which means a vote to advance any of the nominees cannot take place.
The White House has called this move by the Republicans “irresponsible” and stand by their nominee. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the president also supported the decision by Sherrod Brown, chair of banking committee, to keep all five nominees together so they can be voted on together.
Sen. Sherrod Brown rejected Sen. Pat Toomey's demands for Sarah Raskin to answer more questions in order for Rs to provide a quorum to consider Fed nominees in committee
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 16, 2022
"If Toomey gets his way on this, it's the way they will stop nominee after nominee after nominee," he told us
"She responded," Brown said. "189 questions she answered. .. He doesn't like the answers. She doesn't remember everything from five and 10 years ago. Nobody does, but she answered the questions in good faith."
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 16, 2022
"I think she's done everything that she has been asked to do."
The Washington Post has put together an incredible interactive piece on the text messages sent exchanged in the lead-up to and during the deadly 6 January attack on the US Capitol.
The texts revealed the trepidation and dread experienced by those in the inner circle of Donald Trump ahead of the chaos:
The panicked texts started landing in Mark Meadows’s phone long before Jan. 6, 2021.
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 16, 2022
Fox News host Sean Hannity shot off a text on New Year’s Eve, warning the White House chief of staff of mass resignations in the White House Counsel’s Office. https://t.co/3HFI3rCtD0 pic.twitter.com/GognDJqr6d
The ping-pong of private Hannity missives was a far cry from the contents of his show, where he continued to amplify the arguments for electoral objections despite his stated fears. https://t.co/3HFI3rCtD0 pic.twitter.com/QFwH186cAF
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 16, 2022
The frantic and desperate messages exchanged during the attack offer some insight into how Trump insiders were truly reacting that day. Mark Meadows, Trump’s chief of staff, received thousands of text messages that day, many from lawmakers and Trump allies begging him to get Trump to put a stop the mob. “TELL THEM TO GO HOME,” one GOP member texted in all caps.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham texted Mark Meadows, chief of staff for Donald Trump: “Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home. This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.”
These and thousands of other frantic, ephemeral text messages that might have otherwise been lost to history are now key to piecing together the most vivid and comprehensive picture to date of the events surrounding the chaos at the Capitol. https://t.co/3HFI3rCtD0 pic.twitter.com/IzdsBguUzx
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 16, 2022
Facebook promotion for former UK deputy PM Nick Clegg
Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has promoted the company’s top policy executive, Nick Clegg, to president of global affairs, Zuckerberg said in a post on Wednesday, reducing his own role in the company’s policy decisions.
Clegg, who previously served as Britain’s deputy prime minister, had joined Facebook as vice‑president for global affairs and communications in 2018.
He was instrumental in the establishment of the oversight board – a regulatory group that was formed in 2020 to make decisions independent of Facebook’s corporate leadership.
Clegg’s promotion is the latest public shift for the company, which has made a number of substantial changes in recent months as it refocuses its efforts on building out the metaverse – a digital world where users can meet in virtual reality.
Clegg joined the company in 2018, when Facebook was facing intense pressure over its policies during the 2016 US presidential election. . He also helped the company weather controversy around Facebook’s role in the persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar, and most recently the revelations made by whistleblower Frances Haugen.
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Psaki condemns 'totally irresponsible' Senate Republicans
White House press secretary Jen Psaki had strong words yesterday for the Senate Republicans who refused to show up for the the banking committee meeting to advance Federal Reserve board nominees – the Republicans had issue with one specific nominee, Sarah Bloom Raskin, and took this stance rather than vote against the nomination.
Yesterday, Psaki called the move by Republicans a “very extreme step that is totally irresponsible in our view”.
“(The president) agrees that Republicans are AWOL on the fight against inflation at this pivotal moment for our economy,” Psaki said today. “Everybody understands that we need a full Federal Reserve board, the first one in nearly a decade to tackle inflation and bring prices down for American families.”
She said the president supports the decision by Sherrod Brown, the chair of the banking committee, to keep all five Federal Reserve nominees together rather than split them up to get the other four passed.
“We believe Republicans need to do their jobs and show up and vote,” Psaki said. “They can vote against people. But not showing up is not delivering on the commitment you made to the American people when they voted for you.”
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White House press secretary Jen Psaki fielded a question regarding the criticism over Joe Biden announcing that he planned on nominating a Black woman to the supreme court – even just yesterday, Republicans like senator John Cornyn were opining that they thought it was wrong to pick someone on the basis of their race or gender.
“The supreme court has been around for 230 years and there has never been a Black woman that has served on the supreme court. The president believes that is a problem with past processes, not a lack of qualified black women to serve on the supreme court,” Psaki said today.
“The president is proud of the range of qualified, creditable candidates that he is looking at and he is looking forward to making an announcement soon.”
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White House press secretary Jen Psaki previewed the upcoming trip of vice-president Kamala Harris, who is traveling to Munich, Germany for the Munich Security Conference on later this week.
“She will build on the president’s and the national security team’s intensive engagement with European allies and partners, and continue to emphasize with our partners our ironclad commitment to our Nato allies, underscore our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and reaffirm our shared interests in upholding the principles that have underpinned European peace and security.”
Psaki continued: “She will continue to convey to the rest of the world...our commitment to putting in place severe economic consequences should Russia invade.”
White House press secretary Jen Psaki opened today’s press briefing by coming out strong on the economy, announcing a 3.8% increase in retail sales in January.
She said the uptick in retail sales both “reflects the resiliency of the economy” and underscores “the strength of the American economy as we recover from the pandemic.”
Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is in Israel:
Pelosi leading a CODEL in Israel this week was welcomed at the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem this morning. https://t.co/7CbQe3UD3I
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) February 16, 2022
House Speaker Pelosi with Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy in Jerusalem spoke about the diversity of Israel and of Congress including her CODEL members who were with her inside the Knesset.https://t.co/B3y48OohSf
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) February 16, 2022
A) Pelosi while speaking in Israel: Our delegation is also here to reaffirm America's commitment to a just and enduring two-state solution. One that embraces – enhances stability and security for Israel, Palestinians and their neighbors.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) February 16, 2022
B) Pelosi: In December of 2019, the Hse passed a resolution declaring ‘Only the outcome of a 2-state solution can both ensure the State of Israel’s survival as a Jewish & democratic state and fulfills the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own'
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) February 16, 2022
While lawmakers were unable to come to a consensus on a sanctions bill for Russia this week, it looks like we may have some movement on the issue here:
News: Sens. Shaheen, Portman, Durbin & Cornyn are planning to introduce a non-binding “sense of the Senate” resolution on Russia/Ukraine as early as this afternoon.
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) February 16, 2022
Would need the support of all 100 senators to pass before the Senate leaves for recess.
Investigation finds Trump interior secretary misused position and lied
The interior department’s inspector general said in a report made public today that Ryan Zinke, the interior secretary under Donald Trump, misused his position to advance a development project in his Montana hometown and lied to an agency ethics official about his involvement.
The Associated Press is reporting that Zinke continued working with a foundation on the commercial project in his hometown of Whitefish, Montana after taking office, even though he was supposed to break ties with the foundation upon swearing-in.
Investigators found that while he was in office, Zinke directed his staff to assist him with this project. He sent dozens of emails and text messages, held phone calls and met with developers.
Zinke also gave incorrect and incomplete information to an ethics official who confronted him over his involvement, the report states.
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In response to the order from Joe Biden to turn over the White House visitors’ logs to the House select committee investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol, the National Archives said it will be delivering the requested records within the next 15 days.
Donald Trump and his attorney had once again tried to argue that these records were protected under executive privilege, but only the sitting president can invoke that right.
BREAKING: Letter from @USNatArchives to Trump says that the Archives will be delivering White House visitor's logs, pursuant to Biden's instruction, in 15 days to the House Select Committee. Story TK. https://t.co/e1djGceUKv
— Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) February 16, 2022
Some of the at-home Covid tests that the Biden administration has promised are purportedly on their way.
The White House has shipped out 50 million packages of Covid tests as of today, for a total of 200 million tests shipped so far (4 per parcel), Jeff Zients says on a Covid briefing call.
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) February 16, 2022
Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell is making remarks on the senate floor about the situation in Ukraine:
McConnell from Senate floor: "Yesterday, President Biden addressed the country about the ongoing crisis that Russia has created on its border with Ukraine. There was much in the President’s remarks that I appreciated." https://t.co/PaacJ9g33N pic.twitter.com/1KzKnXuO8V
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) February 16, 2022
McConnell:"He was right to candidly remind the Russian people that neither the US, nor NATO,nor Ukraine want a war.He was right to emphasize the world will not shrug or stand idly by if Vladimir Putin tries to invade his neighbor or redraw the map of Europe through deadly force."
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) February 16, 2022
McConnell: "I welcome the President’s deployment of additional forces to the territory of NATO allies situated on our alliance’s eastern flank. I recommended he take such action months ago."
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) February 16, 2022
McConnell: "As a bipartisan group of colleagues and I made clear in a joint statement yesterday, the President would have overwhelming bipartisan support to use his existing executive authorities for tough sanctions against Russia in the event of conflict."
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) February 16, 2022
McConnell concludes: “Whether the Administration is serious about competition with Russia and China will be clear when it submits its FY23 budget request. Our allies and adversaries will be watching."
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) February 16, 2022
The Department of Homeland Security has been training quadruped “robot dogs” to help secure the US-Mexico border, a decision that is sparking concern among human rights groups.
Read more about the issue here:
We reported earlier this week about how Mazars, the longtime accounting firm for the Trump Organization, has cut ties with Donald Trump and announced that the annual financial statements it had prepared for the family business between 2011 and 2020 were no longer reliable.
The Guardian’s Ed Pilkington takes a deeper look at how this marks a significant step in New York’s investigation into Trump’s financial affairs, and how the former president is currently facing 19 legal challenges - six of which involve alleged financial irregularities.
Read more here:
Joe Biden and Olaf Scholz, chancellor of Germany, will hold a call today to discuss Ukraine.
White House: “As part of our close continued coordination with allies, President Biden will hold a secure call today with German Chancellor Scholz today around 2:30 pm ET.”
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) February 16, 2022
We’ll have more details on our Ukraine live blog here.
The federal government runs out of funding on Friday, but the usual will-they, won’t-they politicking game that gets played around a possible government shutdown has been somewhat muted this week with the situation in Ukraine (again, follow our live blog here for more updates).
But yesterday the White House came out strong against Marsha Blackburn, the Republican senator from Tennessee who had been holding out on a three-week stopgap funding bill because she falsely believed that the Biden administration was trying to set aside money to hand out crack pipes - even after administration officials have said that was not the case.
“What is happening here is the potential to hold up the funding of the government and important programs around an issue that is not an issue,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at yesterday’s briefing. “We have been clear that we are not funding crack pipes.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that Blackburn finally dropped her hold on the bill yesterday after receiving a direct letter from Xavier Becerra, the health and human services secretary. Soon after, senate majority leader Chuck Schumer filed cloture on the legislation.
Schumer filed cloture on the motion to proceed to House-passed 3-week CR, ahead of Friday's government shutdown deadline setting up Senate votes for later this week.
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) February 15, 2022
Some other senate Republicans led by Mike Lee of Utah are still digging in their heels on funding, however, over federal vaccine mandates. We’ll have to see how that plays out throughout the rest of this week.
Biden orders Trump White House visitor logs be turned over to Capitol attack committee
Greetings, live blog readers. Happy Wednesday.
Tensions continue to mount in Ukraine with the threat of a Russian invasion still imminent. Follow our live blog here for more updates.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Joe Biden has ordered the National Archives to hand over White House visitor logs of his predecessor to the House select committee tasked with investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol, the New York Times is reporting - once again rejecting the claims of Donald Trump that such records are protected under executive privilege.
Reminder that the authority to invoke executive privilege extends only to the sitting president - which Trump is not. Biden has previously had to order the release of a number of other White House documents and records sought by the committee after Trump and his attorneys attempted to have them withheld as well.
The records currently in question were identified by White House counsel Dana Remus as “entries in visitor logs showing appointment information for individuals who were processed to enter the White House complex, including on Jan. 6, 2021.”
Read more here:
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