The Hill's Morning Report — Democrats see red with Manchin's retirement  —  Editor's note: The Hill's Morning Report is our daily newsletter that dives deep into Washington's agenda.  To subscribe, click here or fill out the box below.  —  Close  —  Thank you for signing up!

Trump's right, the system is RIGGED.  In his favor.  —  Imagine being a rich white guy complaining that the legal system is stacked against you. … On Monday, Donald Trump took the witness stand in his civil fraud trial in New York and proved once again that there is a “two-tiered justice system” …

McCarthy Predicts Nancy Mace's Downfall After She Voted Him Out  —  ‘LIVING RENT FREE’  —  Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Thursday ripped into the Republicans who banded together to oust him from his position as House Speaker last month, prophesying that at least one of them could be nearing the end of their political career.

Ramaswamy camp: The RNC sabotaged us in the debate spin room  —  There is bad blood brewing here.  —  Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign accused Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel of trying to limit his campaign's visibility in the post debate spin room, following critical remarks he made of her at the forum.

Federal appeals court calls Biden's ‘ghost gun’ limits unlawful  —  So-called ghost guns are difficult for law enforcement to trace because they can be assembled from kits that can be bought online or at a store without a background check.  —  A federal appeals court on Thursday ruled …

Arizona fake electors led vocal campaign to overturn the 2020 election — they're now part of a ‘robust’ state investigation  —  They called it “The Signing.”  Eleven fake electors for President Donald Trump convened at the state Republican Party headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 14, 2020.

How the GOP muzzled the quiet coalition that fought foreign propaganda  —  The FBI put a pause on briefings with tech companies due to an ongoing lawsuit, adding to a broader breakdown in a system meant to guard against influence operations and to ensure election integrity.

MTG Is Trashing Lauren Boebert as a ‘Whore’ to GOP Colleagues  —  Greene and Boebert have been going at it for nearly a year now.  But Greene's latest move is straight out of the high school cafeteria's playbook. … After Rep. Lauren Boebert helped get Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene kicked …

Putin's long war gamble could be paying off  —  As Russia's invasion of Ukraine nears the end of its second year, a conclusion to the conflict seems as distant as ever.  —  Kyiv's counteroffensive has failed to decisively break through the Russian Army's prepared defenses in Ukraine's southern and eastern regions.

Under new speaker, some Republicans hope impeachment inquiry will lose steam  —  The inquiry stagnated during the 3-week fight to elect a new speaker.  Now, James Comer has sent out new subpoenas as Speaker Mike Johnson strikes a more reserved tone.  —  During the 22-day fight to fill …

Update on Fort Totten Park metal canister investigation  —  WASHINGTON— An area of Fort Totten Park remains closed and fenced, and cement barriers and “no trespassing” signs will remain while the National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Army further investigate the metal canisters …

Did Trump violate campaign finance laws (again)?  —  The most newsworthy part of Barton Gellman's new interview of tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel for the Atlantic is that Thiel is swearing off campaign contributions.  He'd been a big donor to Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, earning a speaking spot at that year's convention.

Former Rep. Adam Kinszinger Says He Would Back Christie Over Other Republican White House Hopefuls  —  'I would support Chris Christie because he's telling the truth,' said Kinzinger  —  Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., on Thursday said he would back Chris Christie for the Republican presidential nomination.

County elections offices receive suspicious envelopes  — County elections offices receive suspicious envelopes  —  OLYMPIA — Envelopes received by elections offices in King, Pierce, Skagit, and Spokane counties were found Wednesday to contain unknown powdery substances.

Billionaire FBI informant Peter Thiel dished about two Kremlin invites to private Putin meetings … It was the perfect hunting ground for a Kremlin operative looking to get his hooks into Peter Thiel, one of the most powerful men in Silicon Valley: an extravagant birthday party with hundreds of guests …

Chris Christie to travel to Israel  —  The former New Jersey governor said he was invited by Israel's foreign ministry and plans to talk to families of the hostages, members of the Israel Defense Forces and government officials.  —  MERRIMACK, N.H. — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie …

FEC Commissioner Calls Out Her GOP Colleagues in Brutal 5-Sentence Takedown  —  SPECIAL TREATMENT  —  FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub on Thursday said her Republican colleagues have effectively put former President Donald Trump “in [a] category by himself” by refusing to investigate …

How Abortion Could Define the 2024 Presidential Race  —  With two election cycles after the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization under our belts, it cannot be denied: Abortion rights are the dominant issue in American politics.  And when supporters of abortion rights …