memeorandum: EXCLUSIVE: Prominent conservative judge who advised Pence on the 2020 election endorses Biden's Supreme Court nominee (CNN)

3:25 PM ET, February 28, 2022

Top Items:

Ukraine Accuses Russia of Rocket Attack on Civilian Target — Delegations from Kyiv and Moscow met in Belarus, even as Ukraine said dozens were killed in a Russian rocket attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. The Treasury Department announced a freeze on Russian Central Bank assets.

Andrew Romano / Yahoo News:

Poll: 74 percent of Americans call Russia's Ukraine invasion unjustified — 46th and current president of the United States — In the opening days of the war in Ukraine, the fractious American public is remarkably united in opposition to Russia's invasion, with 74 percent saying the breach …

Discussion: Mediaite, Raw Story, The Blue State Conservative and The Political Insider

Associated Press:

Ukraine seeks to join EU as round of talks with Russia ends — KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — An embattled Ukraine moved to solidify its bond with the West on Monday by signing an application to join the European Union, while the first round of Ukraine-Russia talks aimed at ending the fighting concluded with no immediate agreements.

Discussion: The Hill, New York Post and KTLA

Wall Street Journal:

Putin Finds Himself Isolated, Out of Touch as Invasion of Ukraine Sputters — Russia's leader is peddling an alternative narrative to suit his needs, and his behavior is making his inner circle appear uncomfortable — With much of the world moving against him, economic sanctions piling …

Discussion: Washington Post, BizPac Review, Against the Grain, CNN, Associated Press, Foreign Policy and The Kyiv Independent

Washington Post:
The war in Ukraine isn't working out the way Russia intended

Axios:
Russian forces shell civilian areas as first round of peace talks ends

Discussion: Financial Times, Conservative Brief, Politico and Washington Examiner

Michael Rubin / Washington Examiner:
Putin's next invasion will be sooner than you think

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Allahpundit / HotAir:
Russia is taking off the gloves in Kharkiv

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, Instapundit, PolisPandit and Lucian Truscott Newsletter

Associated Press:
Live updates: US official: Belarus may join Ukraine invasion

Discussion: Reuters, Slate, RedState, Leary Letter, UPI, Kyodo News+, Associated Press, Newsy, BizPac Review, Bloomberg, Washington Examiner, The Drive, Associated Press, Daily Kos and Reuters

Illia Ponomarenko / The Kyiv Independent:
Sources: Belarus to join Russia's war on Ukraine within hours

Discussion: Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Politico, CNN, BizPac Review, Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Foreign Policy, Austin Kocher, WFLA-TV, Washington Examiner, Raw Story, Washington Post and Balloon Juice

CNN:
CNN poll: Most Americans want US to do more to stop Russia, but most also oppose direct military action

Discussion: HotAir, New York Post, Townhall, Twitchy, Erick Erickson's Confessions …, National Review, Washington Post, Euractiv and Associated Press

New York Times:

The West's Plan to Isolate Putin: Undermine the Ruble — Measures announced over the weekend aimed at restricting the Russian central bank's ability to support the ruble appear to be having an immediate impact. — By targeting Russia's central bank with sanctions, experts said …

Bloomberg:

U.S. Bans Transactions With Russian Central Bank, Wealth Fund — President Joe Biden's administration on Monday banned U.S. people and companies from doing business with the Bank of Russia, the Russian National Wealth Fund and the Ministry of Finance. — The moves by the U.S. Treasury's Office …

Discussion: The Moscow Times, Washington Examiner, Washington Post, Financial Times, CNBC, Associated Press, Washington Post, CBS News, ABC News, New York Post, Human Events, Voice of America, UPI, HotAir, Metro.co.uk, New York Times and The Guardian

Natasha Turak / CNBC:
Russia central bank more than doubles key interest rate to 20% to boost sinking ruble

Discussion: Reuters, NBC News, Deseret, eurofieldnotes, CDR Salamander, Newslit Daily, BBC, Forbes and TASS, more at Techmeme »

U.S. Department of the Treasury:
Treasury Prohibits Transactions with Central Bank of Russia and Imposes Sanctions on Key Sources of Russia's Wealth

Discussion: Fox News, Reuters, OFAC, UPI, Musings of a Social Worker, Washington Examiner, Reason, CBS News, Daily Kos, The Daily Caller, The Daily Beast, Politico, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, TASS and REFORM.by

Jim Geraghty / National Review:
Watching the Russian Economy Collapse before Our Eyes

Discussion: WAVY-TV

Yun Li / CNBC:
Bill Ackman says it's time for U.S. troops to defend Ukraine and set a ‘real red line’

Discussion: Fox News, American Purpose and Insider

Caitlin Ostroff / Wall Street Journal:
Russia's Ruble, Financial Markets Are Hammered by Sanctions

Discussion: Insider, Washington Post, Breitbart, NPR, Bloomberg, Agence France-Presse, Sky News, Financial Times, CNN, CNBC, The Daily Caller, Nsbb, Edward Slavsquat, HotAir, Talking Points Memo, UPI, New Statesman, Just The News and BBC

Judd Legum / Popular Information:

Two members of Congress spoke at a white nationalist convention. These corporations are supporting their reelection. — Over the weekend, two members of Congress, Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ), addressed a white nationalist convention.

Discussion: Politico, Raw Story, BizPac Review, CBS News, Rolling Stone, The Racket News, The Dispatch and Newsweek

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Romney is right: MAGA Republicans are ‘almost treasonous’

Discussion: The Blue State Conservative, PRESS RUN, CNN, USA Today, Raw Story, Jihad Watch, Common Dreams, Robert Reich and Morning Shots

Jonathan Edwards / Washington Post:
Two Republican members of Congress participated in a white nationalist's conference. Mitt Romney called them ‘morons.’

Discussion: Salon, Digressions and Dysfluencies, Right Wing Watch, EgbertoWillies.com, IJR, CNN, HuffPost, Washington Times, The Guardian and Insider

Melissa Weiss / Jewish Insider:

Rep. Ted Deutch to succeed David Harris as American Jewish Committee CEO — The co-chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism has represented South Florida since 2010 — Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) will succeed American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO David Harris when he steps …

Discussion: Deutch, Ted, The Daily Caller and The Capitolist

John Wagner / Washington Post:
Rep. Deutch to leave House to lead Jewish advocacy organization

Discussion: Politico, NBC News, CNN and Washington Times

Jim DeFede / CBS Miami:
Florida Congressman Ted Deutch Not Running For Re-Election

Discussion: RRH Elections, Associated Press, Washington Examiner and The Hill

Nick Cumming-Bruce / New York Times:

Switzerland says it will freeze Russian assets, setting aside a tradition of neutrality. — GENEVA — Switzerland, a favorite destination for Russian oligarchs and their money, announced on Monday that it would freeze Russian financial assets in the country, setting aside a deeply rooted tradition …

Discussion: HotAir, Reuters, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Federal Council, Mediaite, Insider, New York Post, The Guardian, Financial Times, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, The Moderate Voice, Associated Press, The Local, Raw Story, The Daily Caller and Live and Let's Fly

Brian Schwartz / CNBC:

Russian oligarchs move yachts as U.S. looks to ‘hunt down’ and freeze assets — Some of Russia's wealthiest are moving their superyachts, potentially with the hope they can avoid having those items seized. — Data reviewed by CNBC from Marine Traffic shows that at least four massive yachts owned …

David Ferrara / Las Vegas Review-Journal:

VIDEO: Nevada governor, first lady accosted, threatened at Las Vegas restaurant — ......We hope you appreciate our content. Subscribe Today to continue reading this story, and all of our stories. — A video obtained Sunday night by the Las Vegas Review-Journal shows Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak …

Discussion: Raw Story and Political Wire

Axios:

Scoop: Zelensky pushes Biden on no-fly zone — Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging President Biden and NATO to impose a “no-fly zone” over “significant parts” of the country, telling Axios in a statement that Ukraine “can beat the aggressor” if the Western allies “do their part.”

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, The Washington Current, National Review and Political Wire

CNN:

EXCLUSIVE: Prominent conservative judge who advised Pence on the 2020 election endorses Biden's Supreme Court nominee — The Biden White House is getting a major endorsement for Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson from a prominent conservative.

Discussion: Insider

Maxwell Strachan / VICE:

Crypto Exchanges Refuse to Freeze All Russian Accounts — Binance, the world's largest exchange, said “unilaterally” banning users “would fly in the face of the reason why crypto exists.” — MS — Faced with a request by Ukrainian leadership to freeze the accounts of all people in Russia and Belarus …

Discussion: Bloomberg, Nsbb and NBC Los Angeles

Andy Campbell / HuffPost:

Proud Boys Leader Yells Racist Slurs Before Attacking Black Woman — Andrew Walls, 26, was slapped with weapons and assault charges after he was seen on video sucker-punching a woman outside a bar in Akron, Ohio. — A chapter leader in the far-right Proud Boys extremist gang was charged …

Discussion: Akron Beacon Journal, TheGrio, Raw Story and Political Wire

Patty Coller / WKBN-TV:

Local man charged in Capitol riot dies — SHARPSVILLE, Pa. (WKBN) - A local man charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot has died. — Matthew Perna, 37, died February 25. Investigators said that Perna took his own life. — The Mercer County Coroner's Office said Monday his death is under investigation.

Discussion: Raw Story

David Dayen / New York Times:

Larry Summers Shares the Blame for Inflation — Mr. Dayen is the author of two books about Wall Street and the economy. He is also the executive editor of The American Prospect, whose latest issue focuses on the supply chain disruptions of the past two years, and the policies that led to them.

NBC News:

Facebook, Twitter remove disinformation accounts targeting Ukrainians — Facebook and Twitter removed two anti-Ukrainian “covert influence operations” over the weekend, one tied to Russia and another with connections to Belarus, the companies said. — One of the operations …

Discussion: Twitchy, The Federalist, UPI, The Guardian, The Verge, TechCrunch, Lukasz Olejnik on Cyber …, NPR, CBS News and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »

American Greatness:

The Suicide of a January 6 Defendant: ‘They Broke Him’ — Matthew Perna was failed by the country he loved. — Matthew Perna did nothing wrong on January 6, 2021. — The Pennsylvania man walked through an open door on the Senate side of the building shortly before 3 p.m. that afternoon.

Discussion: Washington Examiner