AG Ken Paxton and wife Sen. Angela Paxton went to Utah during Texas freeze  —  While millions of Texans languished in their homes last week without heat, many of them racking up astronomical electricity bills, the state official in charge of consumer protection left to take an out-of-state trip.

Dominion Sues MyPillow, CEO Mike Lindell Over Election Claims  —  The voting-machine maker's lawsuit alleges defamation, seeks more than $1.3 billion in damages  —  WASHINGTON—One of the largest makers of voting machines in the U.S. on Monday sued a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump …

Supreme Court refuses Trump effort to block tax return subpoena  —  The Supreme Court has cleared the way for prosecutors in New York City to receive eight years of former President Donald Trump's tax returns and other financial records as part of an ongoing investigation into possible tax …

Featured CPAC speaker said Judaism is a “complete lie” and referred to Jewish people as “thieving fake Jews”  —  Leading Republican officials are set to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this week along with a virulently anti-Semitic speaker named Young Pharaoh.

Scoop: Trump to claim total control of GOP  —  In his first post-presidential appearance, Donald Trump plans to send the message next weekend that he is Republicans' “presumptive 2024 nominee” with a vise grip on the party's base, top Trump allies tell Axios.

Neera Tanden in deeper jeopardy as 2 Republicans oppose her nomination  —  Neera Tanden's nomination to be President Joe Biden's budget chief is in even more trouble.  —  Sens. Susan Collins and Mitt Romney said on Monday they will oppose Tanden to lead the White House Budget Office …

What About Joe?  —  Why can't anti-Trump become work-with-Biden?  —  There's an interesting piece in Politico today which raises interesting questions.  Its headline: “Anti-Trumpers are done with the GOP.  Where do they go now?”  The subhed: “Scores of Republicans are bolting the party in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Aurora Police did not have basis to stop, frisk or restrain Elijah McClain, investigation finds  —  (CNN)The Aurora, Colorado, police officers involved in the fatal confrontation with Elijah McClain in August 2019 did not have a legal basis to stop him, frisk him or physically restrain him …

Nikki Fried says she won't lower flags to honor Rush Limbaugh despite DeSantis' order  —  TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says she will disregard Gov. Ron DeSantis' order to lower Florida flags at half-staff in honor of conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh who died last week.

Cuomo's Approval Rating Erodes in Wake of New York Nursing Home Scandal  —  But the Democratic governor is still more popular than he was before the pandemic  — 57% of New York voters approve of Cuomo's job performance, down 6 points since it was reported that one of his aides told lawmakers …

FBI Seized Congressional Cellphone Records Related to Capitol Attack … Within hours of the storming of the Capitol on January 6, the FBI began securing thousands of phone and electronic records connected to people at the scene of the rioting — including some related to members of Congress, raising potentially thorny legal questions.

U.S. surpasses 500,000 Covid deaths  —  The U.S. surpassed half a million coronavirus deaths on Monday, reinforcing the magnitude of the pandemic even as more Americans get vaccinated and Covid deaths and hospitalizations are declining.  —  The milestone, based on a tally maintained …

Merrick Garland chokes up discussing family's fleeing of anti-Semitism  —  President Biden's nominee to be the next attorney general, Merrick Garland, got emotional during a hearing while explaining how his family fled persecution over their Jewish identity.

Biden Gets High Marks for COVID-19 Response  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Several weeks into his first term in office, 67% of Americans approve of President Joe Biden's handling of the coronavirus.  Although not as high as his rating on the pandemic, approval of Biden is at the majority level on his overall job …

Maggie Haberman's Next Beat  —  Elisabeth Bumiller, Dick Stevenson and Patrick Healy share Maggie's new role, which will span investigative/enterprise in Washington and Politics.  —  After a phenomenal run covering Donald Trump from his escalator ride in Trump Tower through his second impeachment …

Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen launch podcast on Spotify  —  Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen are making a podcast.  —  Spotify on Monday announced the launch of “Renegades: Born in the USA,” featuring the former president and the legendary rock star in conversation on issues ranging …

‘They were terrorists’: Capitol Police officer recounts Jan. 6 attack  —  “Is this America?  They beat police officers with Blue Lives Matter flags.”  Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn exclusively told ABC News.

Wife of “El Chapo” Arrested on International Drug Trafficking Charges  —  The wife of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera, leader of a Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel, was arrested today in Virginia on charges related to her alleged involvement in international drug trafficking.

Nine Lessons I Learned About Political Reporting While Covering Trump  —  In the fall of 2015, I was having drinks in Washington with a colleague at the time, now-MSNBC host Joy Reid.  (I was working at NBC News.)  Donald Trump was leading in the polls of the 2016 Republican presidential primary.

DeSantis crushes Rubio, Scott in Florida GOP poll  —  In Florida's shadow Republican primary for president, Gov. Ron DeSantis is starting to dominate his once-better-known home state colleagues, Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott.  —  DeSantis's popularity among Republicans has been steadily rising …

Pensacola Navy base mass shooter had accomplices, help from Saudi Arabia, victims claim in terror lawsuit  —  Families of three slain U.S. service members and 13 others wounded in a mass shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola in 2019 alleged Monday that the government of Saudi Arabia facilitated …

TikTokers are trying to prove that snow in Texas is ‘fake,’ pushing a false conspiracy theory  — Conspiracy theories about the snow in Texas keep spreading online.  — TikTok videos show people claiming that snow should melt when heated.  But it actually turns to gas.

Slate Podcast Host Mike Pesca Suspended Following Internal Discussion About Use Of Racial Slur  —  Mike Pesca, host of Slate's daily podcast, The Gist, has been suspended from the company indefinitely according to an internal memo sent to staffers late last night that has been obtained by Defector.

Artemi Panarin taking Rangers leave of absence after Russian hit piece  —  New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin is taking a leave of absence from the team in wake of a politically motivated article from Russia, in which his former Vityaz head coach alleges that the ex-forward …

Texas Pays the Price of the Culture War  —  SAN ANTONIO—The power gave out last Monday night.  When we woke up on Tuesday morning, the temperature in the house was dipping below 50 degrees.  We bundled our toddler in her warm jammies and tiny bubble coat.

Republicans demand equal representation on 1/6 Commission  —  Senior House lawmakers are battling over the contours of a panel inspired by the 9/11 Commission to investigate the deadly Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, with Republicans demanding equal representation.

The GOP is a party without ideas  —  I am a bad man.  —  How do I know that?  —  “Sixty-one percent of Trump supporters...  [and] 38 percent of Republicans, believe that Democrats are mostly bad people whose ideas would destroy the country,” William A. Galston, citing polling by the Ethics …

Victims of Texas winter storms get deadline extensions and other tax relief  —  WASHINGTON — Victims of this month's winter storms in Texas will have until June 15, 2021, to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.

Canada votes to recognize China's treatment of Uighur population as genocide  —  Parliament's move was not supported by Trudeau and likely to raise diplomatic tensions between the two nations  —  Canada has become the second country in the world to describe China's treatment of its Uighur minority …