Graham Not on Senate Floor During Confirmation Vote
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) didn’t wear a tie for the occasion for the confirmation vote for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the first black woman on the Supreme Court — which meant he wasn’t allowed on the Senate floor and voted “no” from the cloakroom, CNN reports.
Graham was wearing a tie at a press conference earlier but apparently took it off.
Mark Kelly Keeps Up Torrid Fundraising Pace
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) kept up his torrid fund-raising pace in the first three months of the year, bringing in $11.3 million and expanding his cash on hand to $23.2 million, KPNX reports.
Top Prosecutor Says Trump Criminal Probe Is Ongoing
“Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Thursday that his office’s criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump, his company and its leadership continues, despite the resignation earlier this year of two senior prosecutors,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The team working on the investigation was going through documents, interviewing witnesses and ‘exploring evidence not previously explored.’ He said while the law required secrecy during the investigation, he would tell the public when it had ended.”
Select Committee Weighs Calling Trump for Interview
“The Jan. 6 select committee is preparing to broach its most consequential decision yet: Whether and when to call Donald Trump for an interview,” Politico reports.
Said Chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS): “We’ll be talking about the likelihood of a Trump interview in the not too distant future.”
Senate Confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson
“The Senate on Thursday confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to be elevated to the pinnacle of the judicial branch in what her supporters hailed as a needed step toward bringing new diversity and life experience to the court,” the New York Times reports.
“Overcoming a concerted effort by conservative Republicans to derail her nomination, Judge Jackson was confirmed on a 53-47 vote, with three Republicans joining all 50 Democrats in backing her.”
The support of three Republican senators took the suspense out of the vote, but it was truly historic nonetheless.
Russians Brought Dress Uniforms for Parade in Kyiv
“Russian soldiers advancing on Kyiv brought parade uniforms with them, seeming to expect a victory in less than two days,” Insider reports.
“The official said the soldiers left them behind when withdrawing from the Kyiv area, after weeks of trying without success to take the Ukrainian capital.”
Alabama Senate Passes ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill
The Alabama Senate passed its own version of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law Thursday after a surprise amendment to a transgender bathroom bill, AL.com reports.
Russia Is Recruiting Mercenaries to Ukraine
“As Russian troops retreat from northern Ukraine and focus operations on the country’s east and south, the Kremlin is struggling to scrape together enough combat-ready reinforcements to conduct a new phase of the war,” the New York Times reports.
“Moscow initially sent 75 percent of its main ground combat forces into the war in February, Pentagon officials said. But much of that army of more than 150,000 troops is now a spent force, after suffering logistics problems, flagging morale and devastating casualties inflicted by stiffer-than-expected Ukrainian resistance.”
Shanghai Seethes in Covid Lockdown
New York Times: “As the coronavirus races through Shanghai, in the city’s worst outbreak since the pandemic began, the authorities have deployed their usual hard-nosed playbook to try and stamp out transmission, no matter the cost. What has been different is the response: an outpouring of public dissatisfaction rarely seen in China since the chaotic early days of the pandemic, in Wuhan.”
“The crisis in Shanghai is shaping up to be more than just a public health challenge. It is also a political test of the zero tolerance approach at large, on which the Communist Party has staked its legitimacy.”
Europe Decides It’s Too Early for Second Boosters
“European regulators concluded on Wednesday that it is ‘too early’ to administer second booster shots of a coronavirus vaccine to the general population in the European Union, but added that the extra doses could be given to adults aged 80 and older,” the New York Times reports.
Senate Votes to Strip Russia of Favored Trade Status
“The Senate voted 100-0 on separate bills Thursday stripping Russia of its most-favored-nation trade status and approving a ban on Russian oil imports to punish Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, several weeks after the House cleared both pieces of legislation,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Washington Post: “The direct impact of the bills on the course of the conflict is likely to be negligible. They largely reinforce moves that President Biden has already made to ban energy imports and remove trade preferences from Russia. But they represent a significant gesture signaling ongoing bipartisan interest in supporting Ukraine’s quest to maintain its independence amid deadly aggression from its larger neighbor.”
Republican Registrations Surge In Pennsylvania
“Republicans are registering formerly Democratic voters at four times the rate that Democrats are making the reverse conversion in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, a warning sign for Democrats as they try to keep control of the U.S. Congress,” Reuters reports.
“The Republican gains in Pennsylvania, home to a critical U.S. Senate race, follow a pattern seen in other states that could have competitive contests in November’s elections, as high levels of disapproval with President Joe Biden’s handling of his job are helping narrow the long-held advantage held by Democrats in numbers of registered voters.”
Jackson’s Will Soon Be a Justice-in-Waiting
“Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will suddenly find herself with a lot of time on her hands if the Senate fulfills expectations and confirms her to the U.S. Supreme Court this week,” Bloomberg reports.
“The busiest six weeks of Jackson’s life are likely to turn into a three-month wait once she wins approval to occupy a Supreme Court seat that won’t open until late June or early July. Justice Stephen Breyer said in January he will retire when the court’s current term ends.”
NBC News Journalists Upset by Jen Psaki Hire
“NBC News journalists are troubled by and have expressed dismay to network executives about MSNBC’s intention to hire White House press secretary Jen Psaki when she exits the Biden administration,” CNN reports.
Pelosi Tests Positive for Covid
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday but “is currently asymptomatic.”
Pelosi attended an event with President Biden at the White House yesterday.
Republicans Pledge to Investigate Biden’s Brother
While conservative heat has for three years focused on the past business activities of President Biden’s son Hunter, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told CBS News this week that newly obtained banking records raise similar concerns about first brother James Biden.
Said Grassley: “We have people with the Biden name, dealing with Chinese business people that have a relationship to the Communist Party. I think James Biden was very much a part of this.”
New Russian Land Mine Poses Special Risk in Ukraine
“Russian forces in Ukraine appear to be using a new type of weapon as they step up attacks on civilian targets: an advanced land mine equipped with sensors that can detect when people walk nearby,” the New York Times reports.
