Today's politics recap
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Joe Biden spoke to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy this afternoon. The call came one day after the US delivered its written response to Russia’s demands on Ukraine, as Vladimir Putin builds up his troop presence along the border. Zelenskiy said he and Biden discussed recent diplomatic efforts to avoid a Russian invasion and the Ukrainian president thanked his American counterpart for ongoing US military assistance.
- The US has asked the UN security council to meet and discuss Russia’s threats to Ukraine. “The members of the security council must squarely examine the facts and consider what is at stake for Ukraine, for Russia, for Europe, and for the core obligations and principles of the international order should Russia further invade Ukraine,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN.
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Supreme court Justice Stephen Breyer confirmed he will retire after more than 27 years on the bench. In a letter to Biden, Breyer said he will officially step down when the court adjourns for its summer recess in late June or early July. Breyer’s departure will give Biden his first supreme court seat to fill.
- Biden reiterated his commitment to nominating a Black woman to the court, which will mark a historic first for the US. Appearing at the White House alongside Breyer, Biden said, “I‘ve made no decision except one. The person I will nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity and that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States supreme court.”
- The White House said Kamala Harris will play a “central role” in selecting the supreme court nominee. “The vice-president will play a central role in this process and the president intends to consult with her very closely,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. “Obviously, she has a long history as a former attorney general, as a member of the judiciary committee and he respects her opinion greatly.”
– Joan E Greve and Maanvi Singh
Updated
After flouting local health guidelines to dine inside a New York restaurant after testing positive for Covid-19, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin has reportedly returned to the restaurant.
The Washington Post reports:
Elio’s, an Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side, has faced blowback after Palin dined indoors at the establishment on Saturday, in violation of the city’s dining mandate for people to show proof of vaccination. The Manhattan judge in Palin’s defamation trial against the New York Times revealed Monday that the proceedings would be delayed because the Republican tested positive for the virus. It’s unclear when Palin first tested positive.
Even though local guidelines advise people who test positive to be in isolation for five days after their positive test, Palin returned to the restaurant on Wednesday night. In photos posted to Mediaite, the first to report the news, the former Republican vice-presidential nominee, who has said she would only get vaccinated against the coronavirus “over my dead body,” was seen dining at a heated outdoor area of the restaurant. The city’s vaccine requirement does not apply for outdoor dining.
Luca Guaitolini, a manager for the restaurant, told CNN that Palin dined outdoors on Wednesday so that staff could be protected against infection.
Here’s more context:
After a Tennessee school board banned the teaching of the Holocaust novel Maus, grabbing international headlines, it responded in a statement defending its decision, saying the novel was removed from the curriculum because “of its unnecessary use of profanity and nudity and its depiction of violence and suicide.”
The board said the book was “too adult-oriented” for use in its schools.
The board’s decision to remove the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel, which depicts author Art Spiegelman interviewing his father about his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp, comes on Holocaust Remembrance Day, amid a recent rise in antisemitic incidents. It also comes as conservative school boards across the country move to ban the teaching the history of slavery and racism, sex and LGBTQ issues.
Read more:
The White House is disputing reporting that Biden told Zelenskiy a Russian invasion was certain.
The report is “completely false”, said national security council spokesperson Emily Horne. “President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February,” she said. “Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false.”
This is not true. President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February. He has previously said this publicly & we have been warning about this for months. Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false. https://t.co/chkFOhwWHn
— Emily Horne (@emilyhorne46) January 27, 2022
Updated
US calls for UN security council meeting to discuss Ukraine crisis
The US has asked the UN security council to meet and discuss Russia’s threats to Ukraine.
“The members of the security council must squarely examine the facts and consider what is at stake for Ukraine, for Russia, for Europe, and for the core obligations and principles of the international order should Russia further invade Ukraine,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN.
“This is not a moment to wait and see. The council’s full attention is needed now, and we look forward to direct and purposeful discussion on Monday,” she said.
Since Russia is a veto-wielding member of the security council, the group has not been able to take any action following its several previous meetings on the Ukraine crisis.
Updated
In call with Zelenskiy, Biden "reaffirmed the readiness" to respond if Russia invades
In a readout of Joe Biden’s call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the US president, “underscored the commitment of the United States to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and reaffirmed a readiness to “ respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine”.
“President Biden noted the United States has provided Ukraine with over half a billion dollars in development and humanitarian assistance in the last year, and is exploring additional macroeconomic support to help Ukraine’s economy amidst pressure resulting from Russia’s military build-up,” per the read-out.
Here’s not in the official statement:
A Russian invasion is now virtually certain once the ground freezes, Biden said to Zelensky, a senior Ukrainian official told @mchancecnn. Kyiv could be “sacked," Russian forces may attempt to occupy it, “prepare for impact”, Biden said, according to this official.
— Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) January 27, 2022
A Ukrainian official told CNN that Biden was anticipating that an invasion is certain, and told Zelenskiy to prepare.
As my Guardian colleagues reported earlier today, Russia is, for now, open to more talks but the stakes have escalated:
Russia has said it is willing to continue talks with the US over European security, but is not optimistic about their prospects after Washington and Nato allies again rejected a key part of Russia’s proposed new order for post-cold war security.
Tensions have soared in recent weeks as Russia massed more than 100,000 soldiers and heavy weapons at its border with Ukraine, raising fears of an invasion.
“We continue to see, including in the last 24 hours, more accumulation of credible combat forces arrayed by the Russians in again, the western part of their country, and in Belarus,” said John Kirby the defence department spokesman on Thursday.
Alaska’s governor Mike Dunleavy has joined Texas governor Greg Abbott in suing the Biden administration and the Department of Defense over a vaccine mandate for the National Guard.
From the AP:
The Pentagon has required COVID-19 vaccination for all service members, including the National Guard and Reserve. Attorneys for the two governors, in an amended lawsuit dated Tuesday, say that when National Guard members are serving the state, the federal government has no command authority. The lawsuit said the mandate is an unconstitutional overstepping of bounds.
The case dealing with Alaska and Texas guard members is an amended version of the challenge filed by Texas earlier this month.
More than 220 members of the Texas Air National Guard and about 40% of Texas Army National Guard members are refusing to be vaccinated for “either religious accommodation needs or otherwise,” according to the lawsuit. About 8% of Alaska Air and Army National Guard members have not received a first dose of any COVID-19 vaccine and of these members, “more than 90% have requested a medical or religious exemption, yet no such exemptions have been granted.”
“A small number of additional Alaska National Guard members are refusing any COVID-19 vaccine,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit names as defendants President Joe Biden, the Department of Defense and military officials.
Today so far
That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
-
Joe Biden spoke to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy this afternoon. The call came one day after the US delivered its written response to Russia’s demands on Ukraine, as Vladimir Putin builds up his troop presence along the border. Zelenskiy said he and Biden discussed recent diplomatic efforts to avoid a Russian invasion and the Ukrainian president thanked his American counterpart for ongoing US military assistance.
- Supreme court Justice Stephen Breyer confirmed he will retire after more than 27 years on the bench. In a letter to Joe Biden, Breyer said he will officially step down when the court adjourns for its summer recess in late June or early July. Breyer’s departure will give Biden his first supreme court seat to fill.
- Biden reiterated his commitment to nominating a Black woman to the court, which will mark a historic first for the US. Appearing at the White House alongside Breyer, Biden said, “I‘ve made no decision except one. The person I will nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity and that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States supreme court.”
- The White House said Kamala Harris will play a “central role” in selecting the supreme court nominee. “The vice-president will play a central role in this process and the president intends to consult with her very closely,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. “Obviously, she has a long history as a former attorney general, as a member of the judiciary committee and he respects her opinion greatly.”
Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Updated
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said that Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s team had seen the US response to Russia’s demands before it was delivered to the Kremlin yesterday.
“No objections on the Ukrainian side,” Kuleba said in a tweet earlier today. “Important that the U.S. remains in close contact with Ukraine before and after all contacts with Russia. No decisions on Ukraine without Ukraine. Golden rule.”
Joe Biden and Zelenskiy likely discussed the US response during their phone call this afternoon as well. In its response, the White House made clear it still supports Ukraine’s right to pursue Nato membership.
We had seen the written response of the U.S. before it was handed over to Russia. No objections on the Ukrainian side. Important that the U.S. remains in close contact with Ukraine before and after all contacts with Russia. No decisions on Ukraine without Ukraine. Golden rule.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) January 27, 2022
Zelenskiy speaks to Biden and thanks US for military assistance to Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Joe Biden spoke by phone this afternoon about the ongoing efforts to deescalate tensions at Ukraine’s border and avoid a Russian invasion.
“Had a long phone conversation with @POTUS. Discussed recent diplomatic efforts on de-escalation and agreed on joint actions for the future,” the Ukrainian president said on Twitter.
“Thanked President @JoeBiden for the ongoing military assistance. Possibilities for financial support to Ukraine were also discussed.”
Had a long phone conversation with @POTUS. Discussed recent diplomatic efforts on de-escalation and agreed on joint actions for the future. Thanked President @JoeBiden for the ongoing military assistance. Possibilities for financial support to Ukraine were also discussed. pic.twitter.com/pAsQLYAuig
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 27, 2022
Biden and Zelenskiy were expected to speak this afternoon, but the White House has not yet released its own readout of the conversation.
The call came one day after the US delivered its written response to Russia’s demands on Ukraine, as Vladimir Putin builds up troop presence along the border. In its response, the White House made clear that it still supports Ukraine’s right to pursue Nato membership.
Updated
The Guardian’s Jennifer Rankin and Julian Borger report:
Russia has said it is willing to continue talks with the US over European security, but is not optimistic about their prospects after Washington and Nato allies again rejected a key part of Russia’s proposed new order for post-cold war security.
On Thursday, Vladimir Putin’s chief spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said “there isn’t much reason to be optimistic” after the US and Nato rejected Moscow’s demands for a veto on Ukraine’s potential membership of Nato in a co-ordinated response the day before.
Moscow needed time to analyse the US document and would not “rush into assessments”, Peskov added.
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said Moscow’s main concern – the potential for Ukraine to join Nato – had not been addressed, but there was hope “for the start of a serious conversation on secondary issues”.
“There is no positive response in this document on the main issue,” he said.
One of Lavrov’s spokespeople appeared to rule out war with Ukraine, in comments that led to a jump in the value of the Russian rouble, as investors gained confidence that conflict could be avoided.
Joe Biden met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Washington today to discuss the diplomatic efforts to avoid a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“The two discussed joint efforts, including through Nato and the OSCE, to address Russia’s destabilizing military buildup along Ukraine’s borders,” the White House said in its readout of the meeting.
“They also discussed enhancing the US-Norway partnership in tackling a range of challenges, including climate change, ending the Covid-19 pandemic and establishing sustainable health security financing, and humanitarian support for Afghanistan. President Biden thanked the Prime Minister for Norway’s leadership as president of the UN security council this month.”
Biden was also expected to speak to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, this afternoon, but the White House has not yet released any readout from that conversation.
Updated
Senator Joe Manchin said today that he would feel comfortable supporting a supreme court nominee who may be more liberal than he is.
In an interview with West Virginia MetroNews’s Hoppy Kercheval, Manchin said he takes the process of considering a supreme court nominee very seriously and looked forward to meeting the person chosen by Joe Biden.
Justice Stephen Breyer will formally announce his retirement from the Supreme Court. Manchin supported 2 of the 3 nominees from Donald Trump. Manchin talks about whether or not he will support President Biden's nominee to @HoppyKercheval. WATCH: https://t.co/yCFQ3nm85Y pic.twitter.com/HHp8Mrom7Y
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) January 27, 2022
“It’s not too hard to get more liberal than me. So, it would not bother me having a person who was sound in their thought process, had been sound in their disbursement of justice and the rule of law, just because their personal beliefs [are different than mine],” Manchin said.
“As far as just the philosophical beliefs, no, that will not prohibit me from supporting somebody.”
Because of the 50-50 split in the Senate, Biden’s supreme court nominee will need the support of every Democratic member to get confirmed (assuming all Republicans oppose confirmation), so Manchin’s vote is crucial.
Joe Biden’s confirmation that he is still studying the résumés of supreme court candidates and has yet to make his pick will do little to settle nerves among progressives still smarting from Donald Trump’s three supreme court appointments.
Many Democrats want the president to emulate the warp speed with which the Trump administration drove through the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett in less than six weeks following Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death in September 2020.
The Washington Post, citing an anonymous source, said that the majority leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, is aiming for a similar timeline.
Replacing Breyer with a like-minded justice is seen by many Democrats as critical in preserving the already beleaguered rump of liberals on the bench. The retiring justice is one of only three such individuals on the nine-justice court, and they are so outnumbered that the country now faces drastic changes in several key areas from abortion to guns and affirmative action.
Despite the pressure for haste among his party’s members, Biden insisted that he would be “rigorous” in choosing the nominee. He would listen to advice from senators and meet candidates, indicating a selection process that is likely to take weeks not days.
Jen Psaki also criticized some Republicans who are already attacking Joe Biden’s supreme court nominee as “radical”, even though they do not yet know who the nominee will be.
“As you heard the president say directly, he’s going to work in good faith with senators of both parties,” the White House press secretary said at her daily briefing.
But Psaki added that it was important to be clear about some of the “games” Republicans are already playing as Biden begins the search for a nominee to replace Stephen Breyer on the supreme court.
Biden will work "in good faith" with members of both parties to select a nominee to replace Justice Breyer on the Supreme Court, @PressSec says https://t.co/jGLZWsQkuD pic.twitter.com/7DK3fxcjnB
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) January 27, 2022
“We have not mentioned a single name. We have not put out a list. The president made it very clear he has not made a selection,” Psaki said.
“If anyone is saying they plan to characterize whoever he nominates, after thorough consideration with both parties, as radical before they know literally anything about who she is, they just obliterated their own credibility.”
Psaki reiterated that Biden is committed to consulting with members of both parties to ensure his nominee is “worthy of the excellence and decency of Breyer’s legacy”.
Updated
Harris will play 'central role' in supreme court nomination process, Psaki says
Vice-President Kamala Harris is expected to play a “central role” as Joe Biden selects his nominee to replace Stephen Breyer on the supreme court, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
A reporter at the daily White House briefing asked Psaki which members of the Biden administration will be closely involved in the search for a supreme court nominee.
.@PressSec Jen Psaki on Supreme Court nominee selection process: "The Vice President will play a central role in this process." pic.twitter.com/yizd5GMaib
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 27, 2022
“The vice-president will play a central role in this process, and the President intends to consult with her very closely,” Psaki replied.
“Obviously, she has a long history as a former attorney general, as a member of the judiciary committee, and he respects her opinion greatly.”
The press secretary noted that White House chief of staff Ron Klain and some of Biden’s senior advisers, including Cedric Richmond, will also be involved in the process.
Harris had been mentioned as a potential choice for Biden’s nominee, but the White House has downplayed that possibility, saying the president and the vice-president look forward to running for reelection together in 2024.
Russia remains open but ‘not optimistic’ over Ukraine talks
The White House has said it will have a read out later this afternoon after US President Joe Biden is expected to speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The call is being described by the White House as a ‘check in’ rather than about a specific announcement.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Rankin in Brussels and Julian Borger in Washington DC have the latest news wrap on the diplomacy.
They report: ‘Russia has said it is willing to continue talks with the US over European security, but is not optimistic about their prospects after Washington and Nato allies again rejected a key part of Russia’s proposed new order for post-cold war security.
Tensions have soared in recent weeks as Russia massed more than 100,000 soldiers and heavy weapons at its border with Ukraine, raising fears of an invasion.
On Thursday, Vladimir Putin’s chief spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said “there isn’t much reason to be optimistic” after the US and Nato rejected Moscow’s demands for a veto on Ukraine’s potential membership of Nato in a co-ordinated response the day before.’
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said Moscow’s main concern – the potential for Ukraine to join Nato – had not been addressed, but there was hope “for the start of a serious conversation on secondary issues”.’
Republican party will ‘expose Biden’s nominee’ – RNC chair says
Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), has been giving her reaction on Twitter to the Breyer and Biden press conference.
She says the RNC will do “everything in our power to expose Biden’s nominee” and suggests the president will “nominate an activist judge” who will “rubber-stamp the far left’s political agenda” on the court. The court has a 6-3 conservative majority.
We know Joe Biden – who does not have a single vote to spare in the Senate – will nominate an activist judge who will rubber stamp the far-left’s political agenda. (1/3)
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) January 27, 2022
Earlier this month McDaniel warned how the Republican party could withdraw from traditional presidential televised debates, claiming they are biased against its candidates.
Updated
Today so far
Here’s where the day stands so far:
- Supreme court Justice Stephen Breyer confirmed he will retire after more than 27 years on the bench. In a letter to Joe Biden, Breyer said he will officially step down when the court adjourns for its summer recess in late June or early July. Breyer’s departure will give Biden his first supreme court seat to fill.
- Biden reiterated his commitment to nominating a Black woman to the court, which will mark a historic first for the US. Appearing at the White House alongside Breyer, Biden said, “I‘ve made no decision except one. The person I will nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity, and that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States supreme court.”
- Meanwhile, Biden is expected to speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy this afternoon. The conversation comes one day after the US delivered its written response to Russia’s demands on Ukraine, as Vladimir Putin eyes a potential invasion of the neighboring country. In its response, the White House made clear that it still supports Ukraine’s right to pursue Nato membership.
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Breyer offers optimistic outlook for America's future as he announces retirement
Officially announcing his retirement from the supreme court, Stephen Breyer emphasized the importance of following the principles of the US Constitution to ensure the health of American democracy.
Holding up his pocket Constitution, Breyer said he often gives lectures to students about the court, and he expressed optimism about America’s future, despite the current divisions in the country.
“Of course people don’t agree. But we have a country that is based on human rights, democracy and so forth,” Breyer said. “I’ll tell you what Lincoln thought and Washington thought and what people today still think: it’s an experiment.”
Stephen Breyer says the U.S. is "an experiment that's still going on," based on its Constitution and founding principles
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 27, 2022
"My grandchildren and their children, they'll determine whether the experiment still works. And of course, I am an optimist, and I'm pretty sure it will." pic.twitter.com/Bm0qNqQ6wy
Breyer noted that his wife, Joanna, paid each of their grandchildren to memorize Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to help them understand the value of this “experiment”.
“We are now engaged in a great civil war to determine whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure,” Breyer said.
“My grandchildren and their children, they’ll determine whether the experiment still works. And of course, I am an optimist, and I’m pretty sure it will.”
Updated
Joe Biden said this was a “bittersweet” day for him, as Justice Stephen Breyer announces his retirement from the supreme court after more than 27 years of service.
The president noted that he oversaw Breyer’s confirmation process in 1994, as Biden was chairman of the Senate judiciary committee when President Bill Clinton nominated Breyer for his post.
“I think he’s a model public servant, in a time of great division in this country,” Biden said. “Justice Breyer has been everything his country could have asked him.”
Biden reiterates commitment to nominating Black woman to supreme court
Joe Biden applauded Justice Stephen Breyer’s work on the supreme court over the past 27 years, and he pledged to nominate someone who would follow in his footsteps.
The president also reiterated his commitment to nominating a Black woman to the supreme court, which will mark a historic first for the US.
President Biden: "The person I will nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity and that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court." #SCOTUS pic.twitter.com/M1e0IJVPWu
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 27, 2022
“I‘ve made no decision except one,” Biden said of his chosen nominee. “The person I will nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity, and that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States supreme court.”
Biden said it was “long overdue” to have a Black woman on the high court, adding, “I made that commitment during the campaign for president, and I will keep that commitment.”
While he has not yet chosen his nominee, Biden said he will review candidates’ qualifications and make a decision “before the end of February”.
Updated
'I’m here today to express the nation’s gratitude to Justice Stephen Breyer,' Biden says
Joe Biden and Stephen Breyer have now appeared in the White House’s Roosevelt Room to address the supreme court justice’s retirement.
The president kicked off the president by recounting Breyer’s decades of service with the court, thanking him for his devotion to upholding the Constitution.
“I’m here today to express the nation’s gratitude to Justice Stephen Breyer for his remarkable career of public service and his clear-eyed commitment to making our country’s laws work for its people,” Biden said.
The letter from Stephen Breyer to Joe Biden was dated today, although news of the supreme court justice’s retirement leaked out yesterday.
“I enormously appreciate the privilege of serving as part of the federal judicial system - nearly 14 years as a Court of Appeals Judge and nearly 28 years as a Member of the Supreme Court,” Breyer wrote in the letter.
“I have found the work challenging and meaningful. My relations with each of my colleagues have been warm and friendly. Throughout, I’ve been aware of the great honor of participating as a judge in the effort to maintain our Constitution and the rule of law.”
Breyer confirms retirement, saying he will step down this summer
Justice Stephen Breyer has confirmed that he will retire from the supreme court, after serving on the bench for more than 27 years.
Breyer made the news official in a letter to Joe Biden, in which the liberal justice said he will step down once the court adjourns for its summer recess in late June or early July.
News of Breyer’s retirement broke yesterday, but neither he nor the White House would confirm his plans until today.
Breyer makes it official: He tells President Biden in a letter that his retirement will take effect at the end of the current term, assuming his successor has been confirmed by then.https://t.co/F5tqW9r4fm pic.twitter.com/YlQRGn3idY
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) January 27, 2022
Breyer’s retirement gives Biden his first supreme court vacancy, and the president has promised to nominate a Black woman for the seat, which would mark a historic first for the US.
Biden has not yet announced his nominee. With Democrats in control of the Senate, which oversees supreme court nominations, Biden’s nominee is expected to be confirmed relatively easily.
Biden and Breyer are scheduled to appear together at the White House at any moment, so stay tuned.
Dick Durbin, the chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, said he spoke to White House chief of staff Ron Klain yesterday morning about Stephen Breyer’s retirement.
According to Durbin, Klain said the White House does not yet have a nominee for Breyer’s replacement, although the administration is “in the process” of selecting the person.
“It’s little early to predict a timetable for this hearing,” Durbin said, per CNN.
Durbin says in Chicago he got a call from Ron Klain about 9:30a Weds. about Breyer's retirement, before news broke. He said he asked Klain if they have a nominee yet. Said they don't and "we're in the process."
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 27, 2022
Durbin: "It's little early to predict a timetable for this hearing"
House majority whip Jim Clyburn suggested that South Carolina judge Michelle Childs could potentially attract some Republican support if she were nominated to replace Stephen Breyer on the supreme court.
“We have two Republican senators from South Carolina. Both of them know Michelle Childs very well, and both of them have spoken highly of her. And the Republicans all over this state think that she is an outstanding jurist,” Clyburn said during a Washington Post live event.
.@WhipClyburn on Michelle Childs as possible replacement of Justice Breyer on the Supreme Court: "We have two Republican senators from South Carolina. Both of them know Michelle Childs very well. And both of them have spoken highly of her." #SCOTUS @PostLive pic.twitter.com/T2c5PdGLGw
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 27, 2022
Clyburn added that Childs’ professional experience and background are unrivaled, saying, “I think that Republicans appreciate that as much as Democrats.”
Clyburn, whose endorsement was crucial for Biden in the South Carolina primary during the 2020 election, has been saying for at least a year that Childs would make an excellent addition to the court.
Updated
Joe Biden promised during the 2020 presidential campaign that he would nominate a Black woman to the supreme court, which would mark a historic first for the US.
Here are some of the women considered leading contenders for the seat:
- Ketanji Brown Jackson: Born in Washington DC and raised in Miami, Florida, Jackson has been a judge of the US court of appeals for the DC circuit since June 2021 after the 51-year-old Harvard graduate replaced the attorney general, Merrick Garland. The DC circuit has historically been seen as a stepping stone to the supreme court.
- Leondra Kruger: A native of Los Angeles, Kruger is an associate justice of the supreme court of California. The 45-year-old was previously the acting principal deputy solicitor general under the Barack Obama administration. Supreme court justice Elena Kagan once called Kruger “one of the best advocates in the Department of Justice”.
- J Michelle Childs: Childs is currently serving as a district judge of the US district court for the district of South Carolina. Appointed by Obama in 2009, the 55-year-old Detroit native has also been nominated by Biden for a seat on the DC circuit court of appeals. Childs was also the first Black woman to become a partner at Nexsen Pruet, LLC, one of South Carolina’s major law firms.
Read the full list of likely contenders here:
Once Stephen Breyer confirms his plans to retire from the supreme court, Senate Democrats are expected to move quickly to confirm his replacement.
Despite the 50-50 split in the Senate, Democrats will likely be able to confirm Breyer’s successor to the court with relative ease.
Joe Biden’s nominee will need the support of all 50 Democratic senators. Although Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have helped to block key components of Biden’s legislative agenda, they have generally deferred to the president when it comes to judicial nominations and are expected to support confirmation.
Biden to address Breyer's retirement this afternoon
Joe Biden will deliver remarks this afternoon on the retirement of supreme court Justice Stephen Breyer, the White House has just announced.
Breyer will be in attendance for the 12.30pm ET event, and the liberal justice is expected to confirm his planned retirement.
News of Breyer’s retirement broke yesterday, but neither he nor the White House would officially confirm his plans until now.
The Guardian’s Martin Farrer and Kate Connolly report:
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany will not move forward if Russia invades Ukraine, the US state department has said, in a significant strengthening of the west’s previous position on the strategically vital gas supply.
As tension ratcheted up over Russia’s military buildup on its neighbour’s eastern border, state department spokesperson Ned Price said on Wednesday night that the Biden administration was “working with Germany” to ensure it could withstand the loss of the pipeline.
“I want to be very clear: if Russia invades Ukraine one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward,” Price told National Public Radio. “I’m not going to get into the specifics. We will work with Germany to ensure it does not move forward.”
Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, who has previously argued in favour of imposing energy sanctions in response to aggression from Moscow, said the future of Nord Stream 2 could be up for discussion as part of a “broad range” of possible responses to Russian aggression.
Biden to speak to Ukrainian president this afternoon
Joe Biden will speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at 2pm ET today, Zelenskiy’s office told CNN.
The call comes as the US and its allies continue diplomatic efforts to deescalate tensions at Ukraine’s border and avoid a Russian invasion of the country.
NEW: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will hold a call with President Joe Biden today at 2pET, Zelensky's office told CNN. @mchancecnn
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) January 27, 2022
The US delivered its written response to Russian demands on Ukraine yesterday, and the White House made clear in its response that it still supports Ukraine’s right to pursue Nato membership.
Officials from Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany met in Paris yesterday to continue diplomatic negotiations, and they agreed to meet again in two weeks in Berlin.
German chancellor to visit White House next month
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit the White House next month to meet with Joe Biden and discuss Russian aggression toward Ukraine.
In a new statement, press secretary Jen Psaki said Scholz, who became chancellor last month, will visit the White House on Monday 7 February.
“Chancellor Scholz’s visit provides an opportunity to affirm the deep and enduring ties between the United States and Germany,” Psaki said.
“The leaders will discuss their shared commitment to both ongoing diplomacy and joint efforts to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine.”
Psaki announced earlier this week that Scholz would soon visit the White House, but it had been unclear exactly when his trip would take place.
Updated
After a year in the White House, Joe Biden was limping with a stalled legislative agenda, a tenacious pandemic and Vladimir Putin threatening Ukraine. He was a tired brand in desperate need of a relaunch, a tough ask at the age of 79.
Stephen Breyer has provided it, instantly changing the conversation. A vacancy on the highest court enables Biden to rally the Democratic base and begin to cement a legacy that, despite early ambitions, had recently looked to be in jeopardy.
Although the ideological balance of the court will not change, Biden could choose a young liberal who will serve for decades.
And Biden has raised expectations. At a debate in the 2020 Democratic primary, he declared: “I’m looking forward to making sure there’s a Black woman on the supreme court, to make sure we, in fact, get every representation.”
His judicial appointments so far have been historically diverse, and Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, told reporters after the news of Breyer’s imminent retirement broke that Biden “certainly stands by” his promise.
Once Stephen Breyer confirms his retirement, Joe Biden is expected to move quickly to name his replacement to the supreme court, although Breyer is likely to stay on the bench through the end of the term.
The Washington Post reports:
Biden, whose White House has been long prepared for a potential Supreme Court vacancy, plans to name a replacement in a shorter time frame than the month it took then-President Barack Obama to name Merrick Garland in 2016, according to the person, who requested anonymity to discuss strategy.
That would allow for a confirmation fight to play out in the Senate well before the final Supreme Court decisions come down in June and Breyer formally retires. [Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer] has pledged to move as fast as Republicans did to confirm Amy Coney Barrett in late 2020, a process that took just about a month, although the GOP has more power in a 50-50 Senate to slow down committee consideration, such as by denying a quorum.
Joe Biden has no events on his public schedule today, but he will likely be quite busy at the White House as he addresses a potential crisis in Ukraine and a likely supreme court nomination.
White House officials have been in constant contact with European allies as they attempt to find a diplomatic path to avoid a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Officials from France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia held talks in Paris yesterday, and they agreed to reconvene in two weeks, although the Kremlin has said it is not optimistic about the likelihood of success in the negotiations.
Meanwhile, news broke yesterday that Justice Stephen Breyer intends to retire, giving Biden his first supreme court seat to fill.
However, Breyer has not yet confirmed that he plans to retire, and he may do so today. Stay tuned for news on that front.
And for more updates on the situation in Ukraine, follow the Guardian’s live blog:
Biden to travel to New York to discuss gun violence
Greetings from Washington, live blog readers.
Joe Biden will travel to New York next week to meet with the city’s new mayor, Democrat Eric Adams, and discuss how his administration is working to tackle gun violence.
According to the White House’s travel advisory, Biden will highlight his administration’s “comprehensive strategy to combat gun crime, which includes historic levels of funding for cities and states to put more cops on the beat and invest in community violence prevention and intervention programs, as well as stepped up federal law enforcement efforts against illegal gun traffickers”.
The trip comes after last Friday’s shooting in Harlem that resulted in the death of two New York police officers, Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera.
Biden called Adams on Monday night to express his condolences about the fatal shooting and emphasize his administration’s commitment to helping cities address gun violence.
“President Biden reiterated his admiration for the brave men and women of law enforcement who risk their lives on a daily basis to protect our communities,” press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday.
“And he expressed his firm support for Mayor Adams’s efforts to combat gun violence and violent crime.”
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
