Four new members of Congress have expressed their views on what can be accomplished in the new Congress, with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) supporting D.C. statehood and home-rule, but not the changes the D.C. Council put forward. President Biden has said he would not veto the Republican-led resolution to roll back these changes, which have been criticized by Republicans for lowering the maximum sentences for certain crimes. If passed, the resolution could soon be enacted.
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The House Ethics Committee has voted to create an investigative subcommittee to investigate allegations of misconduct by Representative George Santos. The panel, chaired by Rep. Jackie Speier, will have the authority to review documents, take testimony, and issue subpoenas. The subcommittee will report its findings and recommendations to the full Ethics Committee, which will then decide whether to take further action.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has granted Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson exclusive access to Capitol Police security videos from the January 6th attack on the Capitol, sparking controversy. McCarthy has promised to eventually make the footage available to the public, but has stated that it must first be screened by Capitol police to ensure the security of the Capitol building. Carlson has been airing conspiracy theories about the attack, and the footage is expected to be released to the public in the coming weeks.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have written a letter to Fox Corp. and Fox News executives, urging them to stop pushing baseless claims and “grave propaganda” about the 2020 presidential election. Documents from a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit filed against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems revealed that Fox News commentators endorsed false claims about the election. Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch acknowledged this in the documents, and Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a professor at the Yale School of Management, warned of possible shareholder lawsuits and an SEC investigation.
Attorney General Merrick Garland is set to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday to discuss the Justice Department's accomplishments over the past year, including combating violent crime and hate crimes, working with Ukraine against Russia, and protecting reproductive freedom. He will also be asked to explain the department's stance on a variety of issues, including civil rights, immigration, and gun control. The hearing is expected to last several hours and will be streamed live on the Senate Judiciary Committee's website.
The House of Representatives convened a select committee on China, made up of both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, to investigate the technological, economic, and military threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party. FBI Director Christopher Wray and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois both stressed the importance of bipartisanship in order to effectively address the issue. The committee is expected to continue its investigation into the CCP's activities in the coming months.
Chicago is set to hold a hotly contested mayoral election on Tuesday, with incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot facing off against four other contenders, including progressive Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson. Lightfoot has had a contentious relationship with teachers’ and police unions, while Johnson is endorsed by the Chicago Teachers’ Union. With no candidate expected to top the 50% necessary to avoid a runoff, the race is expected to go to an April 4 runoff between the top two vote-getters.
Nigeria's main opposition parties have called for a revote of the 2023 presidential election, citing widespread violence, rigging, intimidation of voters, and doctoring of results. They have urged the international community to intervene and the Nigerian government to take steps to ensure a free and fair election, which has been widely criticized by international observers. Partial results from the election show an early lead for the ruling party, but the opposition parties have decried the results as "heavily doctored and manipulated."