Haberman book: Flushed papers found clogging Trump WH toilet  —  While President Trump was in office, staff in the White House residence periodically discovered wads of printed paper clogging a toilet — and believed the president had flushed pieces of paper, Maggie Haberman scoops in her forthcoming book, “Confidence Man.”

U.S. Inflation Accelerates to 40-Year High  —  Consumer-price index rose at 7.5% annual rate in January  —  U.S. inflation accelerated to a 7.5% annual rate in January, reaching a new four-decade high as strong consumer demand and pandemic-related supply constraints kept pushing up prices.

CNN Poll: Most Biden detractors say he's done nothing they like since becoming president  —  (CNN)Nearly 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of how Joe Biden is handling his presidency, with most of that group saying there's literally nothing Biden has done since taking office that they approve of.

How organizers with police and military expertise may be helping Ottawa convoy protest dig in  —  Those involved with organizing protest include former RCMP and military officers  —  For nearly two weeks anti-vaccine mandate demonstrators and their big rigs have entrenched themselves …

Politics drives the end of covid mitigation.  It should — but that's too bad  —  Welcome to The Daily 202!  Tell your friends to sign up here.  According to the Associated Press: On this day in 1936, Nazi Germany's Reichstag passed a law investing the Gestapo secret police with absolute authority, exempt from any legal review.

Tesla sued by civil rights agency for operating ‘racially segregated workplace’  —  The automaker denies the allegations  —  Tesla has been sued by a state civil rights agency for operating what it describes as a “racially segregated workplace” in California.

The Cynical Spectacle of Sarah Palin's Lawsuit Against the New York Times  —  In an age when every arena of politics and media is infused with remorseless combat, James Bennet has a rare distinction: The former New York Times editorial page editor has been circled by ideological packs on left and right with equal ferocity.

Oscars: COVID-19 Vaccination Will Not Be Required for In-Person Attendees (Exclusive)  —  The Academy intends to require just a negative PCR test and a negative rapid antigen test on the day of the event, unlike the SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards, which will require proof of vaccination.

Facebook Has a Superuser-Supremacy Problem  —  If you want to understand why Facebook too often is a cesspool of hate and disinformation, a good place to start is with users such as John, Michelle, and Calvin.  —  John, a caps-lock devotee from upstate New York, calls House Speaker Nancy Pelosi …

Montana senator criticizes fellow Democrats for not appealing to rural Americans more  —  (CNN)Montana Sen. Jon Tester criticized fellow Democrats for not appealing to Middle America more and said Democrats need to “show up” in those places if they want to win elections.

Dems face a sobering possibility: Build Back ... never  —  Build Back Never?  The thought has crossed Democrats' minds.  —  President Joe Biden's $1.7 trillion social and climate spending plan is dead as written, rejected by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).  The Senate is moving onto a host …

Senate passes bill ending forced arbitration in sexual misconduct cases  —  The measure now heads to the president's desk to be signed into law.  —  A bill that would eliminate forced arbitration agreements for sexual assault and harassment survivors in the workplace was approved in the Senate …

The Hawks, Lobbyists And Dictator Who Are Pushing Joe Biden To Spark A Historic Famine In Yemen  —  White House aide Brett McGurk, Republican lawmakers and the United Arab Emirates want to restore a Trump-era terror designation for the Houthi militia.  —  President Joe Biden's national security team …

EARN IT earns a markup  —  With help from Rebecca Kern and Leah Nylen  —  Editor's Note: Morning Tech is a free version of POLITICO Pro Technology's morning newsletter, which is delivered to our subscribers each morning at 6 a.m. The POLITICO Pro platform combines the news you need with tools …

Black female lawmakers warn against pitting Supreme Court candidates against each other  —  At the forefront of their minds: Making sure the eventual nominee is not tainted by Democratic infighting ahead of expected GOP attacks on her qualifications and judicial philosophy

The Times may publish documents about Project Veritas, a court says.  —  A state appeals court said that a judge's order preventing publication of the documents would not be enforced until a formal appeal could be heard.  —  The New York Times is free to publish documents pertaining …

House Republicans Press Biden DOJ on Soft Sentence for Floyd Arsonist  —  House Republicans are pressing the Justice Department to explain why it advocated a reduced sentence for an arsonist who killed a father of five during the 2020 George Floyd riots.  —  Rep. Chip Roy (R., Texas) …