| Welcome to The Daily 202! Tell your friends to sign up here. On this day in 1942, the Associated Press tells me, the Voice of America made its first broadcast to Europe. It went through the BBC in London. | | |  | The big idea | | U.S. cautions Ukraine on aid as public support slips |  President Biden and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky speak in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 21. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post) | | | Top officials from the Departments of Defense and State as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development just wrapped up a visit to Ukraine, delivering a warning of sorts about American aid at a time when Republicans are driving a drop in public support for Kyiv. During their trip last week, leaders from the offices of inspector general from all three entities delivered a message that might be translated as: Be prepared to account for everything we give you. And keep fighting corruption. Tracking American military and economic assistance and helping Ukraine expunge rot from its government aren't new initiatives. Both have gone on for at least a decade. But let's just say the Republican takeover of the House hasn't exactly diminished the urgency of knowing what went where. The official acting as the State Department's inspector general, Diana Shaw said in a joint statement the trip "afforded us the opportunity to directly communicate American taxpayer expectations of transparency and accountability to the Ukrainian government." "The importance of that message cannot be understated," Shaw continued. The State Department, working with the Pentagon and USAID, "is committed to rooting out any fraud, waste, or corrupt activities that would divert the assistance so pivotal to Ukraine's ultimate success." The official acting as the USAID inspector general, Nicole Angarella, said in the same joint statement: "It is critical for the American people to have confidence in the integrity of taxpayer dollars sent to support Ukraine and its people." | | "The OIG leaders also underscored the need for independence, transparency, and accountability in Ukrainian institutions, including having adequate systems, staffing, and resources in place to ensure the integrity of government operations," the statement said. That includes anti-corruption efforts. And the Americans "emphasized the importance of receiving timely and transparent access to information from the government of Ukraine to enhance the OIGs' ability to conduct independent audits and investigations related to U.S.-funded programs and operations." That or, one supposes, their ability to answer questions from Congress. | | There are a lot of mechanisms, both in government and the private sector, already in place for tracking American and allied aid. The inspectors general — you can think of them as internal investigators — laid out many of them earlier this month. And in a recent conversation with The Daily 202, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said he was not especially worried about American weapons ending up on the black market "in no small part because the Ukrainians are using everything we send them." "I have conveyed repeatedly and directly to Ukrainian leaders concerns that we must continue to strengthen the transparency and accountability measures for all American aid going to Ukraine," Coons said. (The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and Poland-based U.S. forces are racking weapons and aid, he noted.) But the context for the OIGs' visit includes mounting opposition from Republicans to sending more assistance to help Ukraine beat back Russia. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) warned last year the GOP would not write a "blank check" to Kyiv. Former president Donald Trump — perhaps diminished in his control of the GOP, but surely not dismissed — has repeatedly expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Trump wing of the party has been noticeably more opposed to Ukraine aid. | | The Pew Research Center's latest polling found "[a]s Russia's invasion approaches its first anniversary, Americans largely back some sort of aid, but support for the Biden administration's approach is fading, especially among Republicans," she reported. More findings from Meryl: | - Four in 10 Americans approve of Biden's approach.
- About a quarter of Americans say too much aid is flowing to Ukraine, "up six percentage points since September and 19 points since March, shortly after the war began."
- 31 percent say the United States is giving the right amount.
- One-fifth would support additional aid, while 20 percent said they were not sure.
| | "The share of Americans who believe the United States has provided too much support through economic assistance and weapons is greater among Republicans, 40 percent, even as GOP leaders remain divided," Meryl reported. We won't really know how much congressional support has ebbed until the next vote. But Biden hasn't slowed aid to Ukraine since the midterm election. Quite the opposite. And in this conflict, yesterday's red line can become tomorrow's green light. | | |  | Politics-but-not | | | Click through to submit ideas for potential inclusion in our weekly roundup of stories you might not find in other political newsletters. Read more » | | | | | |  | What's happening now | | Justice Department searching Biden's Rehoboth home as part of classified documents case |  Secret Service agents are seen in front of President Biden's Rehoboth, Del., home in 2021. (Shannon Mcnaught/AP) | | | "The Department of Justice is conducting a search Wednesday of President Biden's vacation home in Rehoboth, Del., as part of its ongoing investigation of his retention of classified documents, said Biden's personal attorney, Bob Bauer," John Wagner reports. | - "In a statement, Bauer said the search was 'planned' and is being conducted with Biden's 'full support and cooperation.'"
| Fed expected to hike rates by a quarter of a percentage point | Tyre Nichols's memorial delayed until afternoon because of inclement weather | | "The memorial for Tyre Nichols has been delayed until 2 p.m. Eastern time because of inclement weather and travel delays, organizers said. An ice storm shuttered Memphis schools Tuesday and canceled flights to the city's airports — including the one Ben Crump, the Nichols's family attorney, was supposed to take Tuesday evening," Emily Davies reports. | House GOP moves to oust Ilhan Omar from Foreign Affairs Committee | | "House Republicans are readying to oust Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from serving on the House Foreign Affairs Committee as early as Wednesday, fulfilling a pledge years in the making," Marianna Sotomayor reports. | | |  | Lunchtime reads from The Post | | Can Ruben Gallego's Senate campaign energize Latino voters in Arizona? |  Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) meets supporters at a campaign event at Grant Park in Phoenix on Saturday. (Cassidy Araiza for The Washington Post) | | | "While the election is 21 months away, Gallego is looking to build on the strong Latino support he has received in his Phoenix-area district — and he is not taking that support as a given. Arizona is home to about 1.2 million eligible Latino voters, who represent about one-fourth of the electorate, but hundreds of thousands are either not registered to vote or they're on the rolls but don't vote, according to voter records and census data. Gallego wants to target Latino voters who typically don't participate and are disillusioned and distrustful of politicians," Sabrina Rodriguez reports. | He lost to George Santos. Now he's trying to make up for it. | | "The man who lost to George Santos looks like a winner. Chin up. Good humor. Clean-shaven, sparkly-eyed. Navy suit, flag pin, walnut-hued wingtips. Robert P. Zimmerman has dreamed for 40 years of being a congressman, and so Robert P. Zimmerman is still acting like a candidate, even as his would-be constituents greet him with a sympathetic tilt of the head, as if to say: I'm sorry for our loss," Dan Zak writes. | Police reform talks are back in Congress, but little hope for a deal | | "Video of the beating of Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police has revived talk of police reform efforts that fizzled out in the Senate in 2021. But Republican lawmakers expressed little optimism for reaching a compromise, despite the renewed conversations and widespread outrage that Nichols's death has engendered," Liz Goodwin, Marianna Sotomayor and Leigh Ann Caldwell reports. | Jane Roberts' legal recruiting work involved officials whose agencies had cases before the Supreme Court |  From left, Maureen Scalia, with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, his wife Jane Sullivan Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito and his wife Martha Bomgardner, Justice Elena Kagan and Justice Neil Gorsuch attend George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School dedication of a statue of the late Supreme Court justice on Oct. 4, 2018, in Arlington, Va (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post) | | | "Jane Roberts, the wife of Chief Justice John Roberts, acknowledges having represented a wide variety of public officials — including senior Justice Department officials and Cabinet members — as they transitioned to jobs in the private sector, according to testimony in an arbitration hearing to resolve a lawsuit filed by an ex-colleague against her former legal recruiting business," Politico's Hailey Fuchs and Josh Gerstein report. | Bias and human error played parts in FBI's Jan. 6 failure, documents suggest | | "There was no single failure. Agents ignored warning signs flashing in the open on social media and relied on confidential sources who either knew little or failed to sound the alarm. Still, even recently, bureau officials have played down not preventing the worst assault on the Capitol since the War of 1812," the New York Times's Adam Goldman and Alan Feuer report. | - "Other agencies, like the Homeland Security Department, the Secret Service, and in particular, the Capitol Police, also had major roles in analyzing intelligence and protecting the Capitol in advance of Jan. 6 — and all failed to secure top officials. But the F.B.I. had a unique part to play given its superior investigative reach and mandate to prevent acts of terror."
| Intel slashes wages, bonuses after disastrous quarterly results | | "Intel shocked employees Tuesday evening with word that it is sharply cutting employee compensation after reporting miserable financial results last week," the Oregonian's Mike Rogoway reports. "The chipmaker said it will slash base pay for employees above its midlevel ranks by at least 5% effective March 1, according to employees who heard the company's announcement. Vice presidents will take a 10% cut, more senior executives will receive 15% less, and CEO Pat Gelsinger will get a 25% reduction in his base pay." | | |  | The Biden agenda | | Biden and McCarthy to convene in high-stakes Oval Office meeting |  President Biden talks with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California after an event in the Rose Garden of the White House on July 26, 2021. (Susan Walsh/AP) | | | "President Biden is welcoming House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to the Oval Office for his first one-on-one meeting with the president. Though the White House has said the two men will discuss 'a range of issues,' the encounter comes amid a tense standoff between the parties on raising the debt ceiling," John Wagner and Mariana Alfaro report. | - "Republicans are insisting on yet-unspecified spending cuts in exchange for their support, a posture they didn't take under President Donald Trump or previous Republican presidents. Biden and the Democrats say they will not allow the U.S. responsibility to pay its bills to become a bargaining chip."
| Giant Alaskan oil project nears final approval | | "Biden administration officials are preparing a key environmental assessment to say the Interior Department can grant partial approval to a major oil drilling project on Alaska's North Slope, known as Willow, setting the stage for one of the administration's most consequential climate decisions," Timothy Puko reports. | Blinken visit deepens Israeli and Palestinian skepticism about U.S. role | | "On one topic, Israelis and Palestinians appear to agree: Both are deeply skeptical, even scornful, of renewed calls made by the Biden administration this week for a two-state solution here. Many called the gesture — at this moment of violence and radicalism — feeble, even farcical," William Booth, Shira Rubin and Sufian Taha report. | | |  | Where cold weather is wreaking havoc across the U.S., visualized | | | "An additional round of ice could hit central and northern Texas, as well as much of Oklahoma and Arkansas, Wednesday into early Thursday," Dan Stillman reports. | | |  | Hot on the left | | What's really in the AP African-American studies class DeSantis rejected? |  Florida leaders and community activists react to speeches during the "Stop The Black Attack" rally against ongoing state legislation at the Florida State Capitol building in Tallahassee on Jan. 25. (Octavio Jones/Reuters) | | | "Most importantly, the curriculum makes a lot more sense if you consider its topline objective: arming students with a range of analytical and critical thinking skills. If you believe that the purpose of a quality education is to prepare kids to thrive in the real world, the AP African American Studies is a win. The subject matter is rigorous, and the texts and other source material are challenging. Isn't that exactly what a twenty-first century education should look like?" Joshua Zeitz writes for Politico Magazine. | | |  | Hot on the right | | For GOP base, battles over coronavirus vaccines, closures are still fiery |  Former president Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) have exchanged barbs in recent days over their handling of the coronavirus pandemic. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) | | | "For many Americans, the relentless focus on covid seems largely a thing of the past: Far fewer are wearing masks, businesses and schools are mostly open, and many people have learned to live with the occasional threat of contracting the virus," Yasmeen Abutaleb, Rachel Roubein and Isaac Arnsdorf report. "But among activist Republicans, immense anger and resentment persists at government policies aimed at curbing the pandemic, such as vaccine mandates, school closures and mask requirements. And as that anger bubbles up in the newly Republican-controlled House and among potential GOP presidential contenders, it is shaping up as a significant part of the party's message." | | |  | Today in Washington | | | Biden will participate in a meeting of the Competition Counsel at 1:15 p.m. At 3:15 p.m., Biden will meet with Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the Oval Office. Biden will host a ceremony at 5 p.m. to honor outgoing White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain and incoming Chief of Staff Jeff Zients. | | |  | In closing | | Stepping on the last train … | | Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. | | |
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