1/ A state judge in Illinois ruled that Trump had engaged in insurrection and disqualified him from the state’s primary ballot. Trump appealed Judge Tracie Porter’s decision to ban him for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Illinois is the third state where Trump has been disqualified under the 14th Amendment, which bars insurrectionists from running for office. Rulings in all three states have been stayed pending appeals, which means Trump will still be on the Republican ballot when Illinois holds its primary March 19. (Bloomberg / Axios / CNN / New York Times / NBC News)

2/ A federal judge temporarily blocked a new Texas law that would allow state police to arrest, jail, and prosecute migrants suspected of illegally crossing the U.S. border. The law, Senate Bill 4, was set to take effect March 5, but U.S. District Judge David Ezra issued a preliminary injunction after the Justice Department and the American Civil Liberties Union sued to stop the law from being enforced, arguing that it’s unconstitutional and could lead to racial profiling. Ezra wrote in his opinion that the federal government “will suffer grave irreparable harm” if the law took effect because it could inspire other states to pass their own immigration laws, creating an inconsistent patchwork of immigration regulations. Texas appealed the ruling to the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. (Texas Tribune / Axios / Associated Press / New York Times / Washington Post / ABC News)

3/ The House passed a temporary funding bill to avert a partial government shutdown and extend funding for one week, sending the measure to the Senate, where it is expected to pass. It’s the fourth time that Congress has been forced to pass a stop-gap funding measure to avoid a shutdown despite Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreeing on a 2024 fiscal year budget last May. Far-right Republicans in the House, however, revolted against a bipartisan spending deal and ousted McCarthy instead. (Washington Post / CNN / Bloomberg / Axios / Politico /

1/ Mitch McConnell will step down as the Senate Republican leader in November. The 82-year-old is the longest-serving Senate leader in history and has faced a series of recent health issues, including a concussion, a fall that required him to use a wheelchair periodically to get around, and at least two episodes where he momentarily froze in front of the media. Aides, however, said McConnell’s announcement was unrelated to his health. “One of life’s most under appreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” McConnell said. “So I stand before you today […] to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.” McConnell’s legacy includes blocking Obama from filling a vacant Supreme Court seat in 2016 with Merrick Garland. The decision directly led to the confirmation of three Trump-nominated Supreme Court justices – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett – creating the most right-leaning court in nearly a century, which went on to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022, ending the national right to abortion. McConnell also helped guide 234 Trump-appointed judicial nominees to the bench, shifting the balance of the judiciary towards conservatives for the next generation. McConnell has called the Garland decision “the single most consequential thing I’ve ever done.” [Editor’s note: So long snake!] (Associated Press / NPR / NBC News / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / CNN / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)

2/ The Supreme Court agreed to decide whether Trump is immune from prosecution for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election to remain in power. Arguments are set for the week of April 22 – a schedule that would permit a ruling with enough time for a trial before the November election – to consider an unanimous appeals court ruling, which rejected Trump’s assertion that he’s immune from federal prosecution for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump has repeatedly argued that his actions related to the Jan. 6 insurrection were part of his “official” duties as president and he therefore can’t be prosecuted without first being impeached and convicted by Congress. Since the Senate acquitted Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection, Trump has claimed he’s now subject to “double jeopardy.” He faces four felony counts brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith, including conspiring to defraud the U.S., conspiring to obstruct ...

1/ Biden suggested that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could begin as soon as next week, saying talks were “close but not done yet.” Negotiators are nearing an agreement that would halt Israel’s military operations in Gaza in exchange for the release of many of the more than 100 remaining hostages being held by Hamas. Biden also confirmed that Israel had agreed to pause fighting in Gaza during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, which begins in two weeks. He added that Israel risks losing “the overwhelming support of the vast majority of nations” if its “incredibly conservative” government continues down its current path. Israel, however, said it was “surprised” by Biden’s optimism of a ceasefire deal. Meanwhile, an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington to protest Israel’s war in Gaza. Aaron Bushnell livestreamed his self-immolation on social media, declaring that he “will no longer be complicit in genocide […] I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it’s not extreme at all.” Bushnell repeatedly yelled “Free Palestine” until he collapsed to the ground. (Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / Bloomberg / NPR / CNN / Axios / CNN)

✏️ Inside the Democratic rebellion against Biden over the Gaza war. “Biden’s campaign has been surprised by the depth of anger and frustration over Israel. ‘We are getting hurt more than we anticipated’ by Biden’s support for Israel, one senior campaign adviser said.” (Reuters)

✏️ Biden Faces ‘Uncommitted’ Vote in Michigan’s Primary. “A protest vote against President Biden’s policies on Israel will show the extent of Democratic divisions, while Donald Trump is favored to win again as Nikki Haley presses on.” (New York Times)

✏️ Biden’s Stance on Israel-Hamas War Sows Reelection Risks. “Tuesday’s primary in the crucial swing state of Michigan may deliver a symbolic rebuke to the president’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Much of its sizable Arab-American population blames Biden for siding with Israel and failing to stop the fighting. Many younger voters and Black Americans agree, and there’s a grassroots push to vote ’uncommitted’ instead of endorsing the president, who has no serious challengers for the Democratic nomination.” (Bloomberg)

‌✏️ In Michigan Primary, Voters Vent Anger at Biden Over Gaza. “Michigan is home to the largest percentage of Arab-Americans in the U.S., many concentrated in Dearborn, represented in Congress by Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the lone Palestinian-American member of Congress. She and the city’s Arab-American mayor have backed the ‘uncommitted’ protest.” (

1/ The judge presiding over Trump’s classified documents case denied a request from federal prosecutors to block Trump from making false claims that FBI agents were prepared to kill him during the search of Mar-a-Lago for classified documents in 2022. Special counsel Jack Smith had asked Judge Aileen Cannon to limit Trump’s ability to comment on law enforcement that searched Mar-a-Lago, calling Trump’s statements “intentionally false and inflammatory” and said they could “expose those agents, some of whom will be witnesses at trial, to the risk of threats, violence, and harassment.” Cannon, however, denied Smith’s request, calling the request “wholly lacking in substance and professional courtesy.” Cannon accused prosecutors of not discussing with Trump’s lawyers before making their request for a potential gag order after Trump baselessly claimed that FBI agents were “authorized to shoot” him while executing a court-authorized search warrant at Mar-a-Lago “Because the filing of the Special Counsel’s Motion did not adhere to these basic requirements, it is due to be denied without prejudice,” adding, “it should go without saying that meaningful conferral is not a perfunctory exercise.” (Politico / CNN / Axios / USA Today / CBS News / Associated Press / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News)

2/ Trump was repeatedly booed and heckled at the Libertarian National Convention after he asked members for their support. Within minutes of speaking, Trump turned on the third party, mocking its poor electoral record in presidential elections even as asked attendees to “nominate me or at least vote for me […] What’s the purpose of the Libertarian Party of getting 3 percent […] You should nominate Trump for president only if you want to win.” Both Trump and Biden have expressed concern about third-party threats, including Robert F Kennedy Jr., in an election expected to be decided by a narrow margin in a handful of states. (CNN / Axios / Reuters / Politico / Washington Post)

1/ A third Alabama fertility clinic stopped its vitro fertilization program following the state Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are children. By classifying “cryopreserved embryos” as children, the ruling opens families, clinics, and doctors up to wrongful death lawsuits. Biden called the ruling “a direct result of the overturning of Roe v. Wade,” adding: “The disregard for women’s ability to make these decisions for themselves and their families is outrageous and unacceptable.” The Biden campaign directly blamed Trump for the state court’s ruling, saying “What is happening in Alabama right now is only possible because Donald Trump’s Supreme Court justices overturned Roe v. Wade.” Tim Scott, who is among Trump’s possible picks for VP, dodged a question about the ruling, saying “ I haven’t studied the issue,” while Nikki Haley, who initially said she agreed that “embryos are babies,” she said she didn’t support the court’s decision. Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, meanwhile, acknowledged that the situation is “hard” for women, and when asked what he would say to women who won’t have access to IVF treatment, he replied: “That’s unfortunate.” (CNN / Politico / NBC News / Axios)

✨ Why should I care? As an individual, this ruling may seem distant, especially if IVF isn’t a personal concern. However, its implications reach far beyond fertility clinics, and reflects a shift in how legal systems intersect with medical ethics and personal choices. If the core of American democratic values lies in the principles of liberty, personal autonomy, and the pursuit of happiness, then this ruling challenges those values by imposing legal definitions that restrict individual choices in matters of reproductive health. Moreover, it sets a precedent that could extend beyond Alabama’s borders, influencing policies in other states and reshaping the national discourse on reproductive rights and healthcare. Today, it’s IVF treatments; tomorrow, it might be another aspect of healthcare or personal liberty.

Unsettled questions: What happens if patients are no longer able or willing to pay embryo storage fees? What if stored embryos are damaged as a result of a freezer malfunction? What happens if an embryo transfer results in a miscarriage?

2/ Biden suggested that the current Republicans in Congress are “worse” than the “real racists” he served with as a senator in the 1970s, including segregationist Strom Thurmond. Biden said Thurmond did “terrible things,” but “at least you could work with some of these guys.” Biden added that the current generation of Republicans have “become a party of chaos and division […] These guys do not believe in basic democratic principles.” The comments come as Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans have continued to block an aid package for Ukraine and Israel, which already passed the Senate. Johnson, meanwhile, called Biden’s remarks “outrageous.” Biden also took aim at Trump for comparing his legal problems to the persecution of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in jail last week. “Where the hell does this come from? If I stood here 10-15 years ago you all would have thought that I should be committed,” Biden continued, adding that Trump’s comment – “It is a form of Navalny [… It is a form of communism, of fascism” – was “astounding.”...

1/ The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created through in vitro fertilization are “children” under the state’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act. The Alabama ruling permits three couples to sue for wrongful death after their frozen embryos were destroyed in an accident at a fertility clinic. The state Supreme Court ruled that “unborn children are ‘children,’” including “extrauterine children,” and covered under the state’s Wrongful Death of a Minor law. “Even before birth, all human beings have the image of God, and their lives cannot be destroyed without effacing his glory,” Chief Justice Tom Parker wrote. The court’s ruling threatens the entire IVF industry in the state since the standard medical procedure during treatment is to extract multiple eggs from a woman, fertilize them to create embryos, transfer one embryo into the uterus in order to maximize the chances of successful implantation, and then store the remaining embryos that were genetically normal. The White House press secretary said the Alabama ruling was “exactly the type of chaos that we expected when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and paved the way for politicians to dictate some of the most personal decisions families can make.” Meanwhile, the University of Alabama at Birmingham health system paused all IVF procedures following the court decision due to fear of criminal prosecution and lawsuits. (CNN / Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times / NPR / NBC News / AL.com)

2/ Trump privately told advisers and allies that he supports a 16-week national abortion ban, but wants to wait until after he secures the Republican presidential nomination to discuss his views publicly. “Know what I like about 16?” Trump reportedly told a source. “It’s even. It’s four months.” Trump, however, said he does support three exceptions: rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. The Trump campaign, meanwhile, called the reporting “fake news,” but declined to say what, if any, national-level abortion policy Trump does support. (New York Times / Politico / NBC News / Associated Press)

3/ The former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens has “extensive and extremely recent” contacts with Russian intelligence agencies

1/ For the third time, the U.S. vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13 in favor with the U.S. against. The U.K. abstained from voting. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. called the resolution “wishful and irresponsible,” adding that “demanding an immediate, unconditional ceasefire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring about a durable peace.” The U.S., meanwhile, proposed its own resolution, which instead calls for a “temporary ceasefire” linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas. (NPR / CNN / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press)

2/ The Biden administration is preparing “major sanctions” against Russia in response to the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Russia claims that Navalny lost consciousness and died after taking a walk in the Arctic prison, where he was serving a combined prison sentence of more than 30 years on charges of extremism and fraud that he denied. “Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, it’s clear that President Putin and his government are responsible for Mr. Navalny’s death,” National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby said. The “substantial package” of financial penalties will “come on the eve of the two-year anniversary of the Ukraine war,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan added. Biden, meanwhile, said “Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death.” (Politico / ABC News / Bloomberg / Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times / NBC News)

3/ The Supreme Court declined to take up a case challenging an admissions policy aimed at encouraging diversity at a Virginia high school. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, often ranked the best high school in the country, changed its admissions process in 2020 to boost racial diversity at the school. The new process ended the application fee, allotted a number of seats proportionally among the district’s middle schools, removed standardized tests, and shifted to a more holistic evaluatio...

1/ The first of Trump’s four criminal trials will start March 25. Justice Juan Merchan set the trial date after denying Trump’s attempt to dismiss the 34 felony charges, which center on allegations that Trump falsified business records to cover up hush money payments to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election. Trump’s lawyer, meanwhile, “strenuously” objected to the trial date, claiming the decision is “election interference” because “Trump is going to now spend the next two months working on this trial instead of out on the campaign trail running for president.” The trial is expected to last six weeks and Trump will be required to attend his Manhattan criminal trial in person. (Politico / New York Times / NBC News / NPR / CNBC / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Axios / Associated Press)

2/ The district attorney overseeing Trump’s election interference case in Georgia took the stand to defend her romantic relationship with the top special prosecutor in the case. Trump claimed that Fani Willis’s relationship with Nathan Wade created a conflict of interest that warrants removing her from the proceedings. Both Willis and Wade acknowledged that they had a personal relationship, but denied any wrongdoing. Wade testified that their relationship began in early 2022 — after he was hired for the case in Nov. 2021 — and ended in summer 2023. A former friend of Willis’s, however, testified that the relationship began in 2019. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / NBC News)

3/ Israel Defense Forces raided the main hospital in southern Gaza – a site where thousands of Palestinians have been using as a shelter. The IDF said it was conducting an operation to recover the bodies of hostages at Nasser Hospital, the largest functioning hospital in the enclave. Elsewhere, the Biden Administration and “a small group of Middle East partners” have been working on a “comprehensive plan” for durable peace between Israel and the Palestinians, which would include a pathway to a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, nevertheless, warned the U.S. against recognizing a Palestinian state – whether directly or indirectly – saying it “would be a prize for those who planned and orchestrated the Oct. 7 massacre.” The State Department is currently reviewing policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza. Netanyahu, meanwhile, vowed to forge ahead with a “powerful” operation in Rafah whe...

1/ Democrats won a special election and flipped George Santos’ seat in the House. Tom Suozzi defeated Republican Mazi Pilip to take the seat vacated by Santos, who was indicted on a charge of fraud and then expelled from Congress. When Suozzi is sworn in, Republicans will control 219 seats and Democrats will control 213 – meaning Republicans will only be able to lose two votes to pass legislation on party-line votes if all members are present and voting. After New York’s 3rd district flipped from red to blue, Santos texted a group chat with the top New York Republicans in the House: “I hope you guys are happy with this dismal performance and your 10 million for futile Bull Shit cost the party. I look very forward to most of you losing due to your absolute hate filled campaign to remove me from Congress arbitrarily. Now go tell the Republicans Base what you fucking idiots did and good luck raising money next quarter.” (Associated Press / Washington Post / Politico / New York Times / CNN / Daily Beast / Semafor)

2/ House Republicans voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on their second try by a single vote. The vote was 214-213, with three Republicans voting against the impeachment, which alleges that Mayorkas intentionally violated federal immigration laws and blocked congressional oversight of the Department of Homeland Security. Mayorkas is the first cabinet member to be impeached since William Belknap, secretary of war under Ulysses S. Grant, in 1876. Mayorkas is all but certain to be acquitted by the Democratic-led Senate. (New York Times / Washington Post / Axios / CNN / Associated Press / NPR / NBC News)

3/ The head of the House Intelligence Committee warned of a “serious national security threat” and called on Biden to “declassify all information” related to it. While Mike Turner did not provide additional public details, the threat is reportedly related to Russia wanting to put a nuclear weapon into space. Multiple sources familiar with the intelligence characterized it as “very sensitive,” “highly concerning and destabilizing.” Officials also said the capability was still under development, and Russia had not deployed it, yet. In an email to members of Congress, Turner said his committee had “identified an urgent matter with regard to a destabilizing foreign military capability” that should be known by all lawmakers. He encouraged them to come to a SCIF to ...

1/ The Senate approved $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan by a 70-29 vote. Despite efforts by Trump, hard-right Republicans, and House Speaker Mike Johnson to kill the legislation, Senate Republican support for the deal increased overnight, with 22 Republican senators voting in favor of the package. Hours before the vote, Johnson preemptively rejected the legislation and said he would not bring the Senate package to the House floor for a vote. Further, many hard-right Republicans have threatened to oust Johnson if he brings the legislation up in the House. Democrats, however, are limited in their options to bring the legislation to the floor: It would require a bipartisan group of lawmakers getting 218 members to sign on to a discharge petition to circumvent Republican leadership and force a floor vote. Discharge petitions rarely succeed. Biden, meanwhile, called for House Republicans to pass the aid package, saying: “Supporting this bill is standing up to Putin. We can’t walk away now. That’s what Putin is betting on.” (Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / NPR / Associated Press / NBC News / CNN / Bloomberg)

2/ The Supreme Court gave special counsel Jack Smith one week to respond to Trump’s request to delay his federal criminal election subversion trial. Trump is appealing a court ruling that unanimously rejected his claim that he’s absolutely immune from criminal charges for actions he took while in office. Smith, however, has already urged the Supreme Court to resolve the immunity dispute quickly so that Trump’s trial, originally set for March 4, can begin later this year, but the court’s timing suggests that it might take its time reviewing the broader questions related to the issue of immunity. (Politico / New York Times / CNBC / Bloomberg)