Today’s edition of quick hits.
* An ongoing war: “Iran targeted American assets and allies in the Middle East in retaliatory attacks and the U.S.-Israeli bombardment deepened Tuesday, with President Donald Trump claiming Iran’s radar capabilities and its entire navy had been taken out.”
* This hearing did not go well for the beleaguered homeland security secretary: “At least one GOP senator laced into Kristi Noem’s stewardship of the Department of Homeland Security as she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, calling her tenure a ‘disaster.’”
* Speaking of discouraging developments for DHS: “A federal judge has revoked Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s ability to restrict members of Congress from entering ICE facilities. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb ruled that Noem’s requirement that members of Congress give her a week’s notice before entering an immigration facility is illegal, given that it relies on funding Congress warned could not be used to block oversight from lawmakers.”
* In still more DHS news: “The Department of Homeland Security has opened an internal investigation into a report that Gregory Bovino, a senior Border Patrol commander, made disparaging remarks about the Jewish faith of the top federal prosecutor in Minnesota during an immigration operation in the state.”
* Something to look forward to: “Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has agreed to appear before the House Oversight Committee to discuss his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the committee’s chair, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said Tuesday afternoon.”
* A lawsuit worth watching: “Minnesota on Monday sued President Donald Trump’s administration in an attempt to stop it from withholding $243 million in Medicaid spending, warning it may have to cut health care for low-income families if the funding is held back. The lawsuit asked a U.S. court in Minneapolis to issue a temporary restraining order to block the withholding for Medicaid, which is the health care safety net for low-income Americans.” * An investigation worth watching in Minnesota: “The use of a chemical irritant by U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino is among 17 instances of ‘potential unlawful behavior’ by federal agents during Operation Metro Surge currently being investigated for criminal charges, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said Monday.” * Remember last week, when Trump falsely said in his State of the Union address that gas prices are below $2.30 a gallon in most states?: “Gasoline prices in the United States jumped nearly 11 cents a gallon on Tuesday, a sharp increase triggered by the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, which have limited the export of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf region. Should the spike continue, it could become a political headache for the Trump administration as it prepares for midterm elections in November.” See you tomorrow.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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