It's Friday! We made it. It's been a busy morning following reports that Alexei Navalny, a major Russia opposition leader, died. Here's what's happening: - According to multiple reports, Russia's most prominent opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, died suddenly in prison. He has been poisoned before — and he blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin — leading to questions surrounding his reported death.
- Democrats are feeling emboldened on immigration after former Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) won back his seat, flipping it from red to blue.
- ABC's "Good Morning America" interviewed Prince Harry. He said he's "considered" becoming an American citizen. The 1776 plot thickens!
I'm Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what's coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. |
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Russia's most prominent opposition leader reportedly dead: |
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© DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images |
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Alexei Navalny, the leader of Russian opposition against President Vladimir Putin, has reportedly died in prison Friday, raising international questions. What the Russian Federal Prison Service said happened: Navalny went for a walk. He felt unwell and then lost consciousness. An ambulance crew tried to revive him but was unsuccessful. FWIW, Navalny's team hasn't confirmed the report: Navalny's spokesperson said his team doesn't have confirmation of his death and will report any news once his lawyer arrives at the prison facility. Read the full post from Navalny's spox What to know about Navalny: "Navalny had long been a thorn in the side of President Vladimir Putin, exposing corruption in high places, campaigning against the ruling United Russia party, and orchestrating some of the biggest anti-government protests seen in recent years." (CNN) Why was Navalny in prison?: He was serving a 19-year sentence for extremism. In December, he was moved to a high-security facility near the Arctic Circle, which is known for severe winters. Navalny has been poisoned previously: Navalny was poisoned by a nerve agent in 2020 while on a work trip in Russia. He blamed it on Putin. (NBC News) This is the last video of Navalny: He had a court appearance Thursday. Puck News's Julia Ioffe pointed out that "as you can see, he is in good spirits, joking and making cracks, and apparently healthy." 📹 Watch |
Navalny's mom wrote in a Facebook post: "I don't want to hear any condolences. We saw him in prison on [Feb] 12, in a meeting. He was alive, healthy and happy." (Reuters) From Vice President Harris: "If confirmed, this would be a further sign of Putin's brutality. Whatever story they tell, let us be clear: Russia is responsible, and we will have more to say on this later." Harris's full reaction From former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul: "Guys, I don't know what to say. I'm gonna try to be analytic but I want you to know Alexei Navalny was my friend. I was with his wife last night … So, this is a pretty emotional time for me," McFaul said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "Putin killed Navalny, let's be crystal clear about that." 📹 McFaul's full reaction Alexei Navalny's wife made a surprise appearance at the Munich Security Conference: "We cannot believe Putin and his government," Yulia Navalnaya said. "They are lying constantly. But if it's true, I would like Putin and all his staff, everybody around him, his government, his friends, I want them to know that they will be punished for what they have done with our country, with my family and with my husband. They will be brought to justice, and this day will come soon." (The New York Times) / 📹 Watch Yulia Navalnaya's remarks ➤ The New York Times's Peter Baker noted that "Navalnaya spoke clearly and calmly, with remarkable composure, her face etched with evident pain but under complete control … The audience was captivated and gave her an emotional standing ovation when she finished." From GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley: "Putin did this. The same Putin who Donald Trump praises and defends," Haley posted on X. "The same Trump who said: 'In all fairness to Putin, you're saying he killed people. I haven't seen that.'" |
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'Navalny's death prompts global outrage, with many blaming Putin': NBC News 'World leaders blame Putin's government in Russia for death of Alexei Navalny' : PBS News 'Prominent antagonist of Putin exposed corruption at Russia's highest levels of power': The Washington Post 'Alexei Navalny Wanted to Make Russia a "Normal Country"': Foreign Policy |
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➤ TIDBIT — TUCKER CARLSON HAD A GRAND OLD TIME AT A RUSSIAN GROCERY STORE: |
Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson posted a video of his shopping experience in a Russian grocery store. He praised the country for the low cost of groceries and cleanliness. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) slammed Carlson on Thursday for his glowing review of Russia: "Ah yes, Russia is so much better than the U.S. with all those cheap groceries and lavish subway stations! The Soviets had a term for people like Tucker: useful idiots," Tillis posted. 📹 The controversial Russian grocery store video |
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Joe Manchin said 'naaaah': |
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) just ended the long-running speculation of whether he would mount a third-party presidential bid, announcing that he will *not* run for president in November. Why there was so much speculation: Manchin announced he would not run for reelection to the Senate but wouldn't rule out the possibility of running for president. (The Hill) |
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Dems are having an ah-ha moment: |
Former and future Rep. Tom Suozzi (D) successfully flipped a New York congressional district from red to blue in a special election while running on an immigration platform, an issue Democrats have been shying away from. Why that's notable: Republicans have been bashing President Biden for his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border and it had been considered a weak spot for Democrats. But because Suozzi was successful, emboldened Democrats are eyeing a new "offensive" strategy. Suozzi's message on immigration : He called for more border security and an expansion of legal pathways for immigrants to enter the U.S. How this could play out, via The Hill's Rafael Bernal. |
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And Republicans are having an uh-oh moment:
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House Republicans shrank their three-vote margin to just a two-vote margin when Rep.-elect Tom Suozzi (D) won ex-Rep. George Santos's (R-N.Y.) seat this week. House GOP leaders are already struggling to unite their turbulent caucus, and this will only intensify their headaches. Why this matters: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is already having a hard time uniting his caucus and will have to keep the government funded. How this will change the dynamic in the House, via The Hill's Mychael Schnell and Mike Lillis |
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New reporting — What does Trump really think about abortion? :
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The New York Times's Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan report "Former President Donald J. Trump has told advisers and allies that he likes the idea of a 16-week national abortion ban with three exceptions, in cases of rape or incest, or to save the life of the mother, according to two people with direct knowledge of Mr. Trump's deliberations." Where Trump has stood on abortion: "Trump has studiously avoided taking a clear position on restrictions to abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned in the middle of 2022, galvanizing Democrats ahead of the midterm elections that year. He has said in private that he wants to wait until the Republican presidential primary contest is over to publicly discuss his views, because he doesn't want to risk alienating social conservatives before he has secured the nomination, the two people said." (The New York Times) |
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This was a major reason Republicans started a Biden impeachment probe…: |
"The confidential source at the center of allegations being promoted by House Republicans that President Biden accepted a bribe has been arrested and charged with making false statements to the FBI." Why this is huge: "The allegations risk unwinding the House GOP probe into President Biden. In making their case, GOP lawmakers have frequently pointed to conversations the confidential source, Alexander Smirnov , had with the FBI relaying that the head of Ukrainian energy company Burisma told him he had paid both President Biden and his son Hunter Biden $5 million. The indictment alleges Smirnov made up the allegations given his opposition to President Biden's candidacy." (The Hill) Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, called for Republicans to end their impeachment inquiry into Biden. Raskin's statement |
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Fani Willis finished her testimony: |
"Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) has completed her testimony in a fiery hearing over whether she and her office should be disqualified from prosecuting the 2020 election interference case involving former President Trump," reports The Hill's Ella Lee. What to know about Willis's testimony |
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➤ FIVE REVELATIONS FROM THE EXPLOSIVE WILLIS HEARING: |
- "Willis calls allegations a 'lie'."
- "Willis, [special prosecutor Nathan Wade] stand firm on relationship timeline."
- "Ex-friend contradicts span of romance."
- "Willis paid cash for vacations."
- "Wade disputes defense claim he lied in divorce filings." (The Hill )
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Keep your eyes peeled today: |
A verdict is expected today (!) in former President Trump's civil fraud trial, according to The Associated Press. What to expect: "Trump could be hit with millions of dollars in penalties and other sanctions in the decision by Judge Arthur Engoron, who has already ruled that the former president inflated his wealth on financial statements that were given to banks, insurers and others to make deals and secure loans." (AP) |
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🥜 Celebrate: Today is National Almond Day! …because sometimes, you feel like a nut. 🌟 You're a star, Roy!: Roy , the Labrador Retriever that acted in Budweiser's Super Bowl ad belongs to actors Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. (ESPN) / 📹 Clip of Roy's family watching his big debut 🇺🇸 I mean, the Fourth of July is a great holiday: Prince Harry told ABC's "Good Morning America" (GMA) that he has "considered" becoming an American citizen. From Prince Harry: "American citizenship is something that's crossed my mind, but certainly not something that's a high priority for me right now." 🖥️ Watch Prince Harry's GMA interview |
Yeah…I'm sure this would only strengthen their brotherly relationship … 😳 |
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The House is in. The Senate is out. President Biden is in Ohio, and Vice President Harris at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. (all times Eastern) |
- 2 p.m. : White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre gaggles with reporters aboard Air Force One. 💻 Livestream
- 4:20 p.m.: Biden receives an operation briefing on the train disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, one year after the derailment.
- 4:45 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks to mark the one-year mark since the train derailment in East Palestine. 💻 Livestream
- 9:05 p.m.: Biden arrives in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
- March 25 : Jury selection for former President Trump's hush money trial. What we know
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