Politics

Republicans Cautiously Laid Out Their Attacks On Ketanji Brown Jackson While Democrats Praised Her Historic Nomination
Both parties praised Jackson as an impressive nominee while previewing the political battle that will play out in future hearings.

A Possible Senate Change To CDC Leadership Has Public Health Experts Worried
“This is a really bad idea,” one public health expert said. “It just creates an opportunity for people to grandstand.”

ICE Is Creating A New Policy For Subpoenaing Reporters After Trying To Force BuzzFeed News To Turn Over Information
After Congress demanded changes, ICE officials will now have to get approval from senior leaders before issuing an administrative subpoena to members of the media.

An Ex-Cop Pleaded Guilty To Conspiracy In The Jan. 6 Attack And Agreed To Cooperate Against His "Father Figure" Colleague
Jacob Fracker had been set to face a jury in April. His codefendant Thomas Robertson is still headed to trial.

Trump’s Campaign Was Ordered To Pay $350,000 For Trying To Enforce An “Unenforceable” Nondisclosure Agreement
A former staffer unsuccessfully tried to sue Trump, but his campaign’s effort to enforce a legally unsound NDA was the wrong move, an arbitrator found.

The Government Missed A Key Deadline In A Jan. 6 Conspiracy Case. Then Things Got Messy.
Prosecutors acknowledge they violated a defendant’s right to a speedy trial. It’s not clear if that’ll tank their ability to press more charges against him.

Some Ukrainians Can Be Exempt From A Trump-Era Policy That Expels Immigrants At The Border
As with other immigrants and asylum-seekers, border authorities have been told they can make exceptions for Ukrainians on a case-by-case basis.

Everyone Was Surprised By The Senate Passing Permanent Daylight Saving Time. Especially The Senators.
An inspiring story about how presumptuous Senate staffers can accidentally make history.

Which Republican Is Popping Up Most In Early 2024 Presidential States? Tom Cotton, Officials Say.
Republican officials in Iowa and New Hampshire say they’ve already seen loads of the Arkansas senator. “He’s much more personable than he comes across on TV.”

What You’re Feeling Isn’t A Vibe Shift. It’s Permanent Change.
I was born during the longest period of global stability. Now, it appears all of that is fleeting.

Congress Has Vowed To Redouble Ukraine Support After Zelensky's Personal Appeal
US lawmakers left the Ukrainian president's speech determined to do more, even without a no-fly zone. “There’s no way that you can’t come out of that meeting without contemplating what more the United States can do to help."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Urged The US To “Do More” As Russia Devastates His Country
In a rare virtual speech to Congress, Ukraine’s president made a plea to Congress and President Joe Biden to take more aggressive action to stop Russia’s invasion.

This Ukrainian Mother Buried Both Of Her Sons Just Six Days Apart
“God takes the very best ones.”

Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich Invested At Least $1.3 Billion With US Financiers, Secret Records Show
European governments have frozen the Russian oligarch’s assets, including mansions and a soccer team. But how much he poured into the US has stayed secret.

Congress Might Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
The Senate agrees: Turning clocks back is “dumb.”

Ex–Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio Will Stay In Jail For His Jan. 6 Conspiracy Case
Prosecutors argued Tarrio was a danger to the community and posed a risk of tampering with witnesses and evidence.

A Judge Found Everything Wrong With Trump's Latest Strategy For Fighting A Defamation Lawsuit
Trump’s effort to invoke New York’s anti-SLAPP law against writer E. Jean Carroll’s case was legally unsound and “dilatory,” the judge concluded.

How Much Did You Change The Last Two Years? It’s A Small Part Of Why Things Feel Unsettled.
The unsettled nature of the individual, and the unsettled nature of what we’re even living in, undergirds a tiny part of the chaotic, anarchic, deeply emotional way news gets talked about these days.

The Biden Administration Has Been Planning To Tell Mexico That A Trump-Era Policy Could Soon End And Attract More Immigrants To The Border
Returning to prepandemic practices could “seriously strain” border resources and lead to a challenging humanitarian situation in northern Mexico, a draft Department of Homeland Security document warns.

The War In Ukraine Exposes The World's Utter Reliance On Fossil Fuels
“The role of oil and gas in the global economy is very deeply embedded, so any shift is going to take a long time,” one expert said.

Bipartisan Bill Aims To Stamp Out Human Rights Abuses At Conservation Projects
Lawmakers say a new bill — prompted by a 2019 BuzzFeed News investigation — would “signal to the world that the United States demands the highest standards of respect for every human life.”

Trump Was Mostly Absent From The First Jan. 6 Trial. That Could Change.
“It’s not about Trump,” defendant Guy Reffitt, found guilty for joining the insurrection, texted a few weeks earlier.

Florida Republicans Are Creating An Office Of Election Crimes As Trump's Fraud Claims Continue To Spread
The bill comes as Republicans continue to prop up Donald Trump’s lies about election fraud.

An Elections Official Who Promoted 2020 Conspiracy Theories Has Been Indicted For Election Tampering
Tina Peters, who is running for secretary of state, is alleged to have been part of a scheme that resulted in secure elections information being posted online.

The Anti-Mandate Truckers Outside DC Scored An Audience With Republican Senators
“My hope is that we never have to progress to a bigger and bigger statement,” protest organizer Brian Brase said.

The First Jan. 6 Defendant To Go To Trial Was Found Guilty On All Counts
Prosecutors accused Guy Reffitt of Wylie, Texas, of being the “tip of the mob’s spear.”

Biden Announced The US Will Ban Imports On Russian Oil
“The decision today is not without a cost here at home. Putin’s war is already hurting American families at the gas pump,” the president said.

Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio Has Been Charged With Conspiracy In The Jan. 6 Insurrection
Tarrio was arrested on Tuesday at his home in Miami.

The Defense In The First Jan. 6 Trial's Closing Argument: Maybe The Evidence Is Fake
The jury is set to begin deliberating in Guy Reffitt's case on Tuesday.

“Our Duty”: Ukrainian Surgeons Are Operating On Russian Soldiers Wounded In Ukraine
“I think we should help them but of course sometimes the feeling I have about it is horrible,” Vitaliy, a surgeon in Kyiv, told BuzzFeed News. “It feels like I’m doing something wrong.”