The Memo: Former Trump White House lawyer predicts crushing defeat at Supreme Court  —  A former attorney for the Trump White House predicts that the Supreme Court will rule unanimously against the 45th president on his claims to be immune from criminal prosecution.

Senate Republicans block bipartisan border package, scuttling deal they had demanded from Democrats  —  Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan border package Wednesday, scuttling months of negotiations with Democrats on legislation intended to cut back record numbers of illegal border crossings.

Putin interview with Tucker Carlson shows Kremlin outreach to Trump's GOP  —  MOSCOW — As Russian state television propagandists salivated over Tucker Carlson's interview with President Vladimir Putin, the first of Carlson's falsehoods about his visit to Moscow was punctured, fittingly enough …

Behind the border mess: Open GOP rebellion against McConnell  —  The Republican leader told POLITICO that his critics “had their shot” already.  But conservatives are not done whacking him over the immigration-for-Ukraine aid implosion.  —  Conservative hardliners once celebrated Mitch McConnell …

The Road to the General Election  —  NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll  —  Biden Competitive with Trump, Haley... Biden Opens Up Lead if Trump is Convicted  —  President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump remain in a statistical tie among registered voters nationally.

Matt Gaetz says he misses Kevin McCarthy after House fails to impeach Mayorkas  —  WASHINGTON — Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said Tuesday he missed the former Speaker of the House he helped depose after Republican lawmakers failed to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by a thin margin.

After Libs of TikTok posted, at least 21 bomb threats followed  —  The FBI and local law enforcement said bomb threats across the country have tied up government resources even when they turn out to be hoaxes.  —  Last March, police in Coralville, Iowa, investigated a bomb threat targeting a junior high school.

Former GOP representative mulling comeback bid in Montana  —  Denny Rehberg, who served in the House from 2001 to 2013, is considering a run for the seat Matt Rosendale is expected to vacate.  —  A familiar name might be returning to the ballot in Montana — after an nearly 12-year absence from politics.

The right-wing misreading of ‘Blazing Saddles’ is so telling  —  Editor's Note: Noah Berlatsky (@nberlat) is a freelance writer in Chicago.  The views expressed here are his own.  View more opinion on CNN.  —  CNN —  On social media at least, Mel Brooks' classic “Blazing Saddles” …

Biden sets tighter standards for deadly soot pollution from tailpipes, smokestacks  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is setting tougher standards for deadly soot pollution, saying that reducing fine particle matter from tailpipes, smokestacks and other industrial sources could prevent thousands of premature deaths a year.

Lankford Reveals Threat from ‘Popular Commentator’ Over Border Security Negotiations  —  ‘If you try to move a bill that solves the border crisis during this presidential year, I will do whatever I can to destroy you’  —  Senator James Lankford (R-OK), who has been the lead Republican negotiating …

Man awarded $25 million after Oklahoma newspaper mistakenly identified him as sports announcer who made racist comments  —  An Oklahoma jury awarded a man $25 million on Monday after finding the state's largest newspaper defamed him when they mistakenly identified him as the announcer …

Russia Is Boosting Calls for ‘Civil War’ Over Texas Border Crisis  —  An all-encompassing Russian disinformation campaign is using everything from bots to lifestyle influencers to powerful state-run media to sow division in the United States.  —  A Russian disinformation campaign …

Justice Department Announces Charges and Arrest in Two Separate Illicit Technology Transfer Schemes to Benefit Governments of China and Iran  —  For Immediate Release  —  Cases Mark One-Year Since Launch of Disruptive Technology Strike Force  —  In two separate cases out of U.S. Attorneys' Offices …

Alleged aspiring militia “sniper” with plans to attack agents at border arrested  —  A Tennessee militia member who told an undercover federal agent that the U.S. is “being invaded” by migrants was planning to travel to the southern border with a stockpile of weapons and commit acts of violence …

Jeanine Pirro Stuns Fox News Co-Hosts by Calling Black Colleague an ‘Oreo’  —  During a Fox News segment on how New York Mayor Eric Adams applauded his “chocolate” administration, things got a bit awkward.  —  Fox News host Jeanine Pirro called her Black colleague an “Oreo” …

Durbin calls for Thomas recusal in SCOTUS case on Trump ballot eligibility  —  “Justice Thomas should recuse himself so there's no question of bias,” Durbin posted on social media.

Democrats have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win the border fight — will they take it?  —  2024 is looking to be the year America's most durable political alliances come unglued.  —  The Trump era is driving a deep rethink of what makes a Democrat and what makes a Republican.

Inside the deadly new GOP plan to rapidly privatize Medicare  —  Want to invest in a scam that lets you make billions with virtually no risk?  If you're morbidly rich, all you have to do is to open or buy an insurance company that's offering Medicare Advantage plans.

Pluralistic: The CHIPS Act treats the symptoms, but not the causes (07 Feb 2024)  — The CHIPS Act treats the symptoms, but not the causes: Monopoly destroyed America's high-tech capacity.  — Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.  — This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2023