A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things.
This Is The New Virginia
Jason Miyares, Virginia’s newly inaugurated Republican attorney general, has fired the University of Virginia’s counsel, Tim Heaphy, who was on leave to assist the House Jan. 6 Select Committee in its investigation.
- Miyares’ spokesperson claimed Heaphy’s ouster was unrelated to his involvement with the panel. The spokesperson said the counsel was fired for giving legal advice based on “the philosophy of a university” and not the law.
- Heaphy will continue working with the committee, according to a spokesperson for the panel.
- Miyares also quickly took aim at abortion rights on Friday, withdrawing Virginia’s opposition to Mississippi’s abortion ban, which is currently being considered by the Supreme Court. With Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R) support, the new state attorney general sent a letter to the high court urging it to overturn Roe v. Wade in the Mississippi case.
US Orders Families Of Embassy Staff In Ukraine To Leave
On Sunday, the State Department ordered American families of U.S. embassy workers in Kyiv to leave the country due to the “continued threat of Russian military action” at the border.
- Biden is also considering sending thousands of U.S. troops to Eastern Europe and the Baltics, according to the New York Times, CNN and NBC News. Pentagon officials reportedly laid out the President’s options during his retreat at Camp David this weekend.
- The State Department also changed its travel advisory to Ukraine to “Do not travel,” citing both COVID-19 and the the rapidly escalating situation with Russia.
Wisconsin GOPer Straight-Up Calls For Election Cheating
Wisconsin state Rep. Elijah Behnke (R) was caught on camera telling what appeared to be a group of visitors at the state’s capitol building to “cheat like the Democrats” because — surprise surprise — he believes the 2020 election was rigged and that someone’s “always” going to try to cheat in the elections.
- “You’d love for no fraud to exist, but it’s not going to ever happen,” Behnke said.
- The Republican lawmaker also said he wanted to punch Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) in the face over his COVID-19 policies if he ever encountered the governor in person.
New Mexico Guv Volunteers As Sub Teacher
In a very normal state of affairs, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) registered to get her license as a substitute teacher amid dire school staffing shortages caused by COVID-19.
- The governor volunteered as part of her initiative asking state workers and National Guard troops to fill in as substitutes for pre-K-12 teachers. 50 National Guard members and 50 state employees, including Lujan Grisham, have signed up for the program, according to the governor.
- Lujan Grisham has no prior experience in education, but she told CNN that there aren’t any other options.
Fauci Sounds Hopeful Note On COVID Case Rate
The rate of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is going in the “right direction,” dropping both abroad and in certain areas of the country, such as the Northeast, infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. However, the doctor also warned against getting overconfident given how the virus has taken unpredictable turns before.
NYT To Face Off Against Sarah Palin In Court
Today’s expected to be the first day of the trial in infamous ex-Veep candidate Sarah Palin’s defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, which has been dragged out for four and a half years. Palin is suing the outlet over a 2017 editorial that connected the shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords (AZ) to a map distributed by Palin’s super PAC.
Giuliani And Flynn’s Honorary University Degrees Revoked
The University of Rhode Island’s board of trustees voted to withdraw ex-Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani and ex-Trump adviser-turned-QAnon-celebrity Michael Flynn’s honorary degrees at the school on Friday. The two MAGA cronies no longer “represent the highest level of our values and standards that were evident when we first bestowed the degree,” said the university’s president, who had recommended the move. Giuliani had gotten his honorary degree in 2003, after the 9/11 attacks, and Flynn in 2014, the year he retired from the military.
Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know!
