- China flanks Taiwan with military exercises in air and sea (CNN) – Analysts called it a warning to the self-ruled island and its supporter, the United States.
- GOP’s Trump obsession is giving Biden an opening (CNN) – As President Joe Biden sells a popular Covid-19 rescue plan, highlights a quickening national vaccine effort, positions himself to benefit from an economic growth spurt after the pandemic and tackles economic inequity in American society, the GOP seems to be acting out the temperament of the last President.
- Matt Gaetz, Loyal for Years to Trump, Is Said to Have Sought a Blanket Pardon (New York Times) – The congressman was at the time under investigation over whether he violated sex trafficking laws.
- Gaetz fought revenge porn bill, saying ex-lovers can use photos as they see fit, sponsor says (Washington Post) – When Florida legislators passed a bill aimed at preventing people from sharing sexually explicit photos of their ex-partners online, then-state Rep. Matt Gaetz cast one of just two House votes against it.
- Amid federal probe, Matt Gaetz will speak to conservative women’s group at Trump golf course (Washington Post) – “We know firsthand what it is like to be treated unfairly by the main stream media,” Amy Kremer, the group’s chairwoman, said in a statement to The Washington Post that defended Gaetz as “innocent until proven guilty.”
- Expert Witness in Derek Chauvin Trial Says His ‘Force Was Excessive’ (New York Times) – Prosecution witnesses testified that Mr. Chauvin’s restraint of George Floyd did not follow his training or standard police tactics; the defense’s questioning spotlighted the difficulty of real-time decisions.
- Pence launches conservative political group (The Hill) – Pence launched Advancing American Freedom, which he said would defend conservative values while opposing the Biden administration’s agenda.
- Authorities: Navy medic shoots 2, is shot to death on base (Politico) – The two people who were critically wounded by the shooter were airlifted to a hospital, the Frederick police chief said.
- POLITICO Playbook: The question that’s about to dominate politics (Politico) – What is infrastructure?
- Hastings’ death narrows Dem majority, sets off race for his seat (Politico) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will schedule a special election to fill the vacancy created by Hastings’ passing.
- Leaders of Russia and China tighten their grips, grow closer (AP) – Even as they consolidate political control at home, sometimes with harsh measures, they’re working together more substantively than ever in a growing challenge to the West and the world’s other superpower, the United States, which elects its leader every four years.
