Today’s edition of quick hits.
* The latest in Ukraine: “Russia unleashed ‘a massive rocket attack’ that hit critical infrastructure and residential buildings in 10 regions of Ukraine, the country’s president said Thursday, with officials reporting at least six deaths in the largest such night-time attack in three weeks. Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the barrage that came while many people slept as an attempt by Moscow ‘to intimidate Ukrainians again.’”
* The Georgian protests did not go unnoticed: “Georgia’s ruling party said on Thursday it was dropping a bill on ‘foreign agents’ after two nights of violent protests against what opponents said was a Russian-inspired authoritarian shift that imperiled hopes of the country joining the European Union.”
* Another Norfolk Southern derailment: “A Norfolk Southern train derailed Thursday in Calhoun County, Alabama, hours before company CEO Alan Shaw faced lawmakers to answer questions about a Feb. 3 derailment that led to a toxic chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio.”
* What a mess this was: “The Senate passed a GOP-backed measure on Wednesday that would overturn criminal law changes approved by the D.C. Council, dividing Democrats and drawing sharp rebukes from proponents of statehood for the nation’s capital. The 81-14 vote sends the disapproval measure to President Joe Biden’s desk. The House passed the resolution last month.”
* Risch’s refusal to talk about this is bizarre: “Two years ago, a mob of rioters who believed former President Donald Trump’s lies about the 2020 election viciously assaulted police, smashed out windows, stormed into an office, flipped over a giant conference table and barricaded themselves inside the U.S. Capitol, readying themselves for a fight with police inside a suite of ‘hideaway’ offices for U.S. senators. One of the offices, federal prosecutors recently disclosed, belonged to Republican Jim Risch, the 79-year-old junior senator from Idaho, where Trump is tremendously popular.”
* The final vote was 54 to 42: “The Senate voted on Thursday to confirm Daniel Werfel to be the commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, filling a critical position at the agency as it starts an $80 billion overhaul to modernize its technology and bolster its ability to crack down on tax cheats.”
* AUMF news: “A bipartisan measure to repeal the 1991 and 2002 congressional authorizations for use of military force in the Gulf and Iraq wars is closer to getting a vote on the Senate floor after passage Wednesday by the Senate Armed Services Committee. The vote was 13 to 8.”
* Why doesn’t Fox News just settle the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit? I was glad to see my MSNBC colleague Jordan Rubin tackle the question.
* Best wishes for a speedy recovery: “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was hospitalized and is being treated for a concussion after tripping at a hotel Wednesday night, a spokesman said.”
See you tomorrow.