Biden speaks with parents of Tyre Nichols; McDaniel retains RNC post: recap
Ronna McDaniel won a fourth term as RNC chairwoman Friday.
Stay up-to-date on everything politics:Sign up for the On Politics newsletter
As GOP decides how closely to embrace Trump, Ronna McDaniel wins contentious election to stay party chair
Nancy Pelosi: ‘I have absolutely no intention to watch the deadly assault on my husband’
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi doesn’t plan to watch the newly released video footage that shows the violent October attack on her 82-year-old husband Paul Pelosi.
“I have not heard the 911 call…and I have absolutely no intention to watch the deadly assault on my husband,” she said in brief remarks to reporters Friday afternoon.
She said his health is “coming along” as he continues to recover from head and hand injuries that required surgery and a nearly weeklong hospital stay.
Pelosi said she wouldn’t be making any other statements about the case.
– Candy Woodall
Biden has not seen Tyre Nichols video, White House says
President Joe Biden has been briefed, but not seen the video footage of a traffic stop that led to the death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black driver, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday.
Nichols, an avid skateboarder and FedEx worker who had a 4-year-old son, was pulled over on Jan. 7. He died three days after being hospitalized in critical condition after what police initially described as “confrontations” with officers.
Jean-Pierre said that nobody at the White House has seen the video footage of Nichols traffic stop.
“He’s going to be regularly briefed,” Jean-Pierre said. “He’s going to be monitoring the situation. As the case continues to develop, clearly he’ll be keeping a close eye.”
– Joey Garrison and Rebecca Morin
Elon Musk meets with White House officials to talk electric vehicles
Tesla CEO Elon Musk met with senior White House officials on Friday to discuss advancing electric vehicles, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Jean-Pierre said Musk met with Mitch Landrieu, senior advisor to the president, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff John Podesta. They discussed how the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act could advance electric vehicles and “increase electrification more broadly.”
Musk has been critical of Democrats and President Joe Biden, who did not initially acknowledge Tesla’s role in U.S. electric vehicle manufacturing when talking about electric vehicles. Biden, who has advocated for more electric vehicles, began publicly acknowledging Tesla’s role after Musk’s complaints.
When asked whether this marks a “turning of the page” of the relationship between Musk and Biden administration, Jean-Pierre said “the outreach and the meeting says a lot of how important the president thinks the bipartisan infrastructure legislation is and how the inflation Reduction Act is” as it relates to electric vehicles.
– Rebecca Morin
McDaniel favored to win the RNC chair
Incumbent RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is favored to win the RNC chair election but has faced contentious challenges as the party wrestles with its future in the shadow of former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump.
California attorney Harmeet Dhillon, seeking McDaniel’s job, has racked up endorsements from prominent Republicans, including Florida governor and potential 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. Trump himself has stayed neutral in the race.
Meanwhile, more than 100 of the 168 actual GOP committee members have expressed support for McDaniel, more than enough to give her a victory and another two-year term.
The committee will hold its secret-ballot election during a general session on Friday, capping their three-day winter meeting at Dana Point, California.
FBI Director Wray ‘appalled’ by video of Tyre Nichols traffic stop
FBI Director Chris Wray said Friday he was “appalled” after viewing the video of a Memphis police traffic stop that led to the death of a 29-year-old Black man.
“I will tell you I was appalled,” Wray said, referring to the video set to be released Friday involving Tyre Nichols’ encounter with five Memphis police officers.
Federal authorities have opened a civil rights investigation into Nichols’ death.
Both Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland appealed for “calm” in advance of the video’s scheduled release.
– Kevin Johnson
What we know about Tyre Nichols’ death:Memphis to release footage of traffic stop that led to death
Santos, who lied about being Jewish, recognizes Auschwitz anniversary
New York Republican Rep. George Santos, who previously claimed he was the grandson of Holocaust survivors, took to the House floor Friday afternoon to acknowledge the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. The representative has admitted to embellishing his resume and religion, called himself Jewish before pivoting to say he’s “Jew-ish.”
Santos, during his one-minute floor speech, acknowledged his staffer’s grandmother who is a 93-year-old Auschwitz survivor.
“Antisemitism is a plague in this nation and it is undoubtedly up to us to ensure this kind of tragedy is never to be seen again,” he said.
– Rachel Looker
Santos recalls Holocaust:NY Rep. George Santos, who lied about being Jewish, recognizes Auschwitz anniversary
Biden announces Jeff Zients as new chief of staff as Ron Klain steps down
President Joe Biden announced Friday that Jeff Zients, who steered the response to the COVID-19 pandemic during the first year of his administration, will replace Ron Klain as the new White House chief of staff.
“I’m confident that Jeff will continue Ron’s example of smart, steady leadership, as we continue to work hard every day for the people we were sent here to serve,” Biden said in a statement.
Ron Klain stepping down, Jeff Zients in, as White House chief of staff, President Biden announces
‘This was criminal’: Former Memphis police officers arrested, face murder charges in Tyre Nichols’ death
Tyre Nichols’ family, lawyer Ben Crump speak after seeing ‘appalling’ footage from arrest
quietly met last week with students and civil rights organizers to solicit ideas on how the Biden administration can lift up young Black men.
In the private meeting, attendees detailed ways the White House can help young men of color improve their livelihoods. Harris also wanted to know how the White House can assist young Black men with overcoming stigmas.
– Francesca Chambers and Mabinty Quarshie
pleaded not guilty last month to six charges, including attempted murder. Police have said DePape told them there was “evil in Washington” and he wanted to harm Nancy Pelosi because she was second in line to the presidency. His case is pending.
– The Associated Press
How the Pelosi attack unfolded:A break-in, a conversation, a 911 call, then violence
Biden calls for ‘peaceful protests’ before release of body camera footage in Tyre Nichols case
President Joe Biden said the family of Tyre Nichols deserves a “swift, full and fair investigation” into his death and called for “peaceful protests” after five former Memphis police officers were charged Thursday with second-degree murder.
“Outrage is understandable, but violence is never acceptable,” Biden said in his first statement on the Nichols case. “Violence is destructive and against the law. It has no place in peaceful protests seeking justice.”
Nichols, 29, died Jan. 7 after a police traffic stop that resulted in “two confrontations with police,” according to Memphis police. Nichols “complained of a shortness of breath,” police said. Video from police-worn body cameras of the interaction is scheduled for release Friday evening. Nichols was Black. The five officers charged in the case are also Black.
“We cannot ignore the fact that fatal encounters with law enforcement have disparately impacted Black and Brown people,” Biden said, renewing his call for policing reform legislation that stalled in Congress last year.
– Joey Garrison
Memphis police incident: ‘This was criminal’: Former Memphis police officers arrested, face murder charges in Tyre Nichols’ death