FBI facing allegation that its 2018 background check of Brett Kavanaugh was ‘fake’  —  A Democratic senator has asked attorney general Merrick Garland to facilitate ‘proper oversight’ into concerns on the investigation  —  The FBI is facing new scrutiny for its 2018 background check of Brett Kavanaugh …

Democrats question Rep. Kevin McCarthy's claim that terrorists are crossing the border: ‘He is either wrong or lying’  —  Speaking outside El Paso on Monday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said border agents he had met earlier that day issued dire warnings that suspected terrorists …

Democrats loved Katie Porter when she bashed Trump.  Now she is making them squirm  —  Democrats loved watching Orange County Rep. Katie Porter skewer Trump administration appointees and corporate executives in congressional hearings.  —  But it felt different when Porter's progressive passion …

Army initially pushed to deny District's request for National Guard before Jan. 6  —  The Army initially pushed to reject the D.C. government's request for a modest National Guard presence ahead of the Jan. 6 rally that led to the Capitol riot, underscoring the deep reluctance of some higher-ups …

N Korea warns US not to ‘cause a stink’ before Seoul meeting  —  SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — In North Korea's first comments directed at the Biden administration, Kim Jong Un's powerful sister on Tuesday warned the United States to “refrain from causing a stink” if it wants to “sleep in peace” for the next four years.

Capitol Police officer suspended after antisemitic document found at checkpoint  —  U.S. Capitol Police suspended an officer Monday after a copy of an infamous antisemitic tract was found near a Capitol Hill security post Sunday, alarming a congressional aide who viewed the document in plain sight at the checkpoint.

Ron Johnson's racism is breathtaking  —  It has become perfectly acceptable in the Republican Party to just go ahead and say the racism out loud — and to do so with apparent pride, and with no fear of consequences.  —  The most recent proof came from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) …

Democrats, Pushing Stimulus, Admit to Regrets on Obama's 2009 Response  —  In pitching President Biden's relief package, Democrats have said their 2009 stimulus efforts under Barack Obama were insufficient.  Those close to Mr. Obama have noticed.  —  As Democrats pushed this month to pass …

Judge: Arizona GOP must pay $18K in groundless election suit  —  PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Republican Party and its lawyers must pay $18,000 in attorneys' fees that taxpayers were forced to pick up late last year to defend government officials against one of the party's failed lawsuits …

Biden should thank Trump, not blame him, for what he left  —  Poor Joe Biden.  It was his misfortune to inherit one of the technological marvels of our time.  —  Before President Biden took office, the Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines had been authorized for use (with another …

Police unions and civil-rights groups are rarely on the same page.  They both see an ally in this Biden Justice Department nominee. … - Vanita Gupta is Biden's nominee to be associate attorney general, the DOJ's No. 3 leadership position.  — Gupta is a civil-rights advocate …

Scoop: Facebook explores paid deals for new publishing platform  —  Facebook will soon begin testing partnerships with a small group of independent writers for its new publishing platform, sources tell Axios.  —  Driving the news: The platform, which includes tools for journalists to build actual websites …

Elliot Page Is Ready for This Moment  —  Elliot Page doesn't remember exactly how long he had been asking.  —  But he does remember the acute feeling of triumph when, around age 9, he was finally allowed to cut his hair short.  “I felt like a boy,” Page says.  “I wanted to be a boy.

Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas Regarding the Situation at the Southwest Border  —  There is understandably a great deal of attention currently focused on the southwest border.  I want to share the facts, the work that we in the Department of Homeland Security …

High-schooler and her mother hacked school records to steal homecoming queen election, police say  —  In a sparkling silver dress, the homecoming queen at J.M. Tate High School in Cantonment, Fla., stood on the football field on a brisk evening in late October to accept her crown.

Coca-Cola, Home Depot come out in opposition to Georgia voting restrictions  —  Civil liberties groups are ratcheting up pressure on major corporations based in Georgia — including Coca-Cola, Aflac, Delta Air Lines, Home Depot and UPS — to oppose a Republican-led effort to make it harder to vote in the Peach State.

Texas Republicans declare war on democracy  —  Opinion by Editorial Board  —  TEXAS IS already one of the toughest states in which to cast a ballot, and Texas Republicans want to make it even harder.  As in many other GOP-dominated states this year, the pretext is restoring faith in the election system …

MAGA voters discovered a new home online.  But it isn't what it seems.  —  As former President Donald Trump's supporters have flocked to alternative social media networks, many are turning to SafeChat, a fast-growing platform known for its tolerance of high-octane MAGA content.

Trump's CFO's ex-daughter-in-law is cooperating with prosecutors and ‘refuses to be silenced,’ her lawyer says  — Jennifer Weisselberg is cooperating with an investigation into Trump's finances, her lawyer says.  — She's the ex-daughter-in-law of Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Org CFO the DA wants to “flip.”

Just Reopen the Schools Now  —  It is entirely possible that when we look back at the coronavirus pandemic decades from now, we may see the gravest catastrophe as a generation of schoolchildren whose formative years were irrevocably stunted.  Even if the year and counting of public-school rollback …

The curious case of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine  —  AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine is facing a crisis of confidence, with one European country after another, as if seized by a fit of panic, temporarily suspending its use over concerns about reports of blood clots in people who received it.

Moderna Announces First Participants Dosed in Phase 2/3 Study of COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate in Pediatric Population  —  Phase 2/3 study expected to enroll 6,750 healthy pediatric participants less than 12 years of age  —  Study will enroll in the U.S. and Canada

AAPI women more than twice as likely to report hate incidents as men, report finds  —  Racism-fueled violence against Asian Americans continues to spike, with women more than twice as likely to be targeted than men, according to a report from the reporting center Stop AAPI Hate published Tuesday.

Vindman twin set for promotion after bad evaluations from Trump appointees  —  Army Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman is set to be promoted to full colonel, despite attempts by loyalists to former President Donald Trump to derail his career following his bit role in the president's first impeachment …

Did the Trump White House Create a Batshit Report on Dominion Voting?  —  WHODUNIT  —  Team Trump was once happy to tout a dodgy dossier on Dominion.  But getting to the bottom of its authorship has Trump legal team vets pointing fingers now that lawsuits are flying.

New Research: She Votes: Women, the Workplace, and Pandemic Politics  —  Read the memo here, the blog post here, and the press release here.  —  The Covid-19 pandemic has upended women's lives, highlighted inequities in health care, education and the economy, and underscored the importance of having women in political office.

President Joe Biden makes dent in partisan divide with COVID-19 response, Iowa Poll finds  —  The majority of Iowans hold favorable feelings toward President Joe Biden a month and a half into his term, despite the state voting to re-elect former President Donald Trump by a margin of 8 percentage points four months ago.

Congressman Urges Safety Probe of Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge  —  Thruway Authority says a bolts issue at the Tappan Zee successor was resolved years ago  —  A Democratic member of Congress has joined calls for a federal probe into safety concerns regarding construction of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in New York.

How Amazon Crushes Unions  —  In a secret settlement in Virginia, Amazon swore off threatening and intimidating workers.  As the company confronts increased labor unrest, its tactics are under scrutiny.  —  RICHMOND, Va. — Five years ago, Amazon was compelled to post a “notice to employees” …

All Mississippians eligible for COVID-19 vaccine starting March 16  —  All Mississippians will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine starting on March 16, Gov. Tate Reeves announced on Monday.  —  Mississippi is the second state to make immunization against COVID-19 available to the maximum number of residents.