| Welcome to The Daily 202! Tell your friends to sign up here. Via the Associated Press: On this day in 1965, the first U.S. combat troops arrived in South Vietnam. About 3,500 Marines landed to defend the U.S. air base at Da Nang. | | |  | The big idea | | The West is willing to feel considerable pain over the Ukraine invasion |  Fuel prices rose above $5 a gallon at a Shell gas station in Seattle on Monday. (David Ryder/Bloomberg News) | | | Just-announced steps by President Biden, the European Union, and the United Kingdom to restrict or outright ban Russian energy imports show a surprising willingness to endure considerable economic disruptions in order to pressure Russia to end its war in Ukraine. This move turns Moscow's biggest economic lever into a weapon against it. It's also a gamble by NATO members that there's enough global outrage at the onslaught unleashed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to sustain political support for punishing Russia -- even at the cost of higher energy prices and other aftershocks. "This is a move that has strong bipartisan support in Congress and I believe the country," Biden said just minutes ago. "We will not be part of subsidizing Putin's war." Over the past week, the president had come under bipartisan pressure from Congress to do more, and more harshly, to punish Russia. Notably, some of the appeals came from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). | | The United States gets a small fraction of its oil from Russia, but the impact of further unsettling global energy markets is likely to result in already-high gas prices even higher, increasing the political danger for Biden and Democrats in this year's midterm elections. | | Much will depend on how the new limits are imposed and enforced – and how quickly alternatives can be brought online to limit the damage to Western economies already feeling the strain of an offensive that has killed thousands and displaced millions in the heart of Europe. Gas prices are already rising quickly in the U.S., averaging $4.17 per gallon today. A month ago the average was $3.62. A year ago it was $2.77. My colleagues Jeff Stein, Tyler Pager and Sean Sullivan report: "The United States has already deployed a number of economic measures to hurt Russia, including imposing sanctions on its central bank and oligarchs close to Putin. The administration up to now had sought to protect global energy markets from the impact of banning Russian oil and gas, while keeping a wary eye on soaring gas prices in the United States." | | U.S. prices are nothing compared to Europe, which has relied heavily on Russian oil and natural gas for years – but now says it can cut demand for Moscow's gas by two-thirds before the end of the year and be independent of Russian fossil fuels "well before 2030." "We simply cannot rely on a supplier who explicitly threatens us," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement. "We need to act now to mitigate the impact of rising energy prices, diversify our gas supply for next winter and accelerate the clean energy transition." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, meanwhile, was expected to announce plans to ban all Russian oil imports – but not natural gas. The restrictions will be phased in over the coming months. | | Kwasi Kwarteng, business and energy secretary for the United Kingdom: |  | | | | | The announcements came just one day after Russia – its own economy reeling from unprecedented sanctions from the U.S. and its allies – publicly toyed with the idea of cutting more energy exports to Europe. But the strain had been building for weeks. | | At the New York Times, Stanley Reed explained how what Europe long saw as "a mutually beneficial business relationship" with Russia soured gradually then appears to have become poisoned by the Ukraine invasion. "In recent months, though, Russia has appeared to exacerbate an already tight natural gas market by declining to provide Europe with any gas above contracted amount. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last month, European gas prices have risen to astronomical levels, comparable to more than $500 a barrel for oil. High gas prices have also sent electricity prices much higher, putting pressure on both consumers and businesses," Reed wrote. As recently as Monday, the White House had publicly signaled some ambivalence about restricting imports of Russian energy. "No decision has been made at this point by the president about a ban on importing of oil from Russia," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. "Those discussions are ongoing internally and also with our counterparts and partners in Europe and around the world." Biden discussed prospects for targeting Russian oil and gas during a videoconference Monday with French President Emmanual Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Johnson. And the administration has been talking with other potential oil and natural gas providers. In addition to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Biden officials have reached out to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, despite longstanding enmity spurred by his repression of his political opposition at home. A delegation met with the strongman over the weekend. My colleagues Annie Linskey, Samantha Schmidt, and Ana Vanessa Herrero report Maduro gave his own readout of the meeting Monday night. "The meeting was 'respectful' and 'very diplomatic,' Maduro said, and the two countries 'agreed to work on an agenda moving forward.' He said Venezuela's state-owned oil company, once recovered, is prepared to ramp up production 'for the stability of the world.'" | | |  | What's happening now | | Ukraine says Russia is still disrupting evacuations |  Abandoned vehicles of those who fled sit on the road before the destroyed bridge as people continue to leave the town of Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) | | | "Ukraine accused Russia on Tuesday of shelling evacuation routes designated for civilians seeking to flee after Russia said its troops would observe a temporary cease-fire in several besieged Ukrainian cities to allow safe passage," David L. Stern, Karla Adam, Amy Cheng and Ellen Francis report. Other key updates: | Proposed aid for Ukraine has surpassed $12 million as lawmakers shape budget bill | | "The apparent growth of the Ukraine aid also illustrated eleventh-hour negotiations underway among lawmakers as they try completing the long overdue $1.5 trillion government spending measure by Friday," the Associated Press's Alan Fram reports. | Senators introduce bill to prevent Russia from liquidating gold to withstand sanctions | | "The sanctions against Russia have frozen the country's foreign exchange assets, but its stockpile of gold could be a lifeline," Axios's Sophia Cai reports. "A measure to close the loophole is yet another indication Congress is looking to get ahead of the Biden administration on punitive measures against Russia." | New York Times will pull reporters out of Russia | | It became the first major American news organization to announce it will pull staff out of Russia in response to the country's increasing crackdown on journalism. The crackdown includes a new law against "fake" news that threatens those who accurately refer to the invasion of Ukraine as an "invasion" — rather than a "special military operation" — with a prison sentence of up to 15 years, Jeremy Barr writes. | Longtime Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio charged with conspiracy in Jan. 6 attack | | "Tarrio, 38, who lives in Miami, joins Oath Keeper founder Stewart Rhodes as the two most high-profile individuals charged by the Justice Department in connection with the attack," Spencer S. Hsu and Devlin Barrett report. | | |  | Lunchtime reads from The Post | | Protestors of pandemic restrictions meet with lawmakers | | Dozens of cars and trucks began looping the 495 Beltway on Sunday to protest the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Leaders of this "People's Convoy" met with Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) this morning to voice frustrations with workplace vaccine mandates and other measures designed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, Ellie Silverman, Karina Elwood and Lori Aratani report. | This Arizona lawmaker is speaking to white nationalists, calling for violence — and setting fundraising records |  Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff) speaks at a Save America Rally before former president Donald Trump began speaking on Jan. 15, 2022, in Florence, Ariz. (Ross D. Franklin/AP) | | | Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers is "a Republican lawmaker who represents tens of thousands of constituents and has found a rising national profile as a face of the radicalized wing of the GOP," Beth Reinhard and Rosalind S. Helderman report. The political and financial incentives of going to extremes: "After losing her earliest races as a mainstream Republican, she moved farther and farther right until she beat an incumbent by campaigning as the more conservative choice. Now, after a year of fanning bogus allegations about election fraud and other false claims, she is the most successful fundraiser in the Arizona state legislature." | As tech platforms pull out, Russian gig workers are left behind | | "Tens of thousands of Russian video game streamers on Twitch, gig workers on Upwork, adult-content creators on OnlyFans and computer programmers working on contract have all lost their livelihoods, at least temporarily," Nitasha Tiku and Gerrit De Vynck report. What happened: "The gig work companies acted in response to demands from lawmakers and public sentiment against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Some cited the restrictions that sanctions had placed on processing payments and depositing funds in Russian banks." | This billionaire-backed group is enlisting Trump supporters to hunt for voter fraud (using discredited techniques) | | The Voter Reference Foundation, "led by a former Trump campaign official and founded less than a year ago, has dismissed objections from election officials that its methodology is flawed and its actions may be illegal," ProPublica's Megan O'Matz reports. "But with its inquiries and insinuations, VoteRef, as it is known, has added to the volume in the echo chamber." What it does: VoteRef publishes the names, birthdates, addresses and voting histories (not including how they voted) of millions of voters. Then it claims to find a "significant discrepancy between the number of voters and the number of ballots cast," though elections officials say that's not accurate. | | |  | The Biden agenda | | Biden to clear the way for crypto oversight |  The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) | | | Biden plans to sign an executive order this week ordering a sweeping review of the federal government's approach to cryptocurrencies, Tory Newmyer reports. | - The measure, in the works for months, aims to impose some structure on what has been a fractured response from various regulators to the rise of digital assets.
- The Ukrainian government and affiliated causes have collected tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency donations since the conflict began.
- Meanwhile, some U.S. policymakers have raised concerns about the potential for Russians to use crypto to dodge sanctions, though others say the relatively small size of the asset market and the traceability of digital tokens makes it an unworkable option for targeted Russians.
| | Notably, the plan will call on federal agencies to analyze whether the United States should issue a fully virtual version of the dollar, which would be issued by the Federal Reserve. | Biden sends Harris to Poland and Romania | | "Biden is dispatching Vice President Harris to Eastern Europe on an urgent mission this week to reinforce Western unity, reassure allies of U.S. protection and promise aid as more than 1 million Ukrainian refugees flee their homes," Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Ashley Parker and Missy Ryan report. Harris's itinerary: | - Thursday: Meet with leaders in Poland
- Friday: Meet with leaders in Romania
| Biden says Americans can order a second round of free coronavirus tests | Biden's approval rating is up after SOTU | | Biden has reached his best approval rating in months following his first State of the Union address according to a new Morning Consult/Politico poll. Other findings: For the first time, more voters than not approve of Biden's handling of the crisis in Ukraine. | White House reaches out to oil-rich Venezuela amid Russia crisis | | |  | Ukraine's size compared to the U.S., visualized | | | "The country covers more territory than any in Europe except Russia, about 233,000 square miles. If you placed it over the eastern United States, it would stretch from Missouri to the Atlantic Ocean and from Ohio to Georgia," our colleagues show. | | |  | Hot on the left | | Clarence Thomas's pick to promote his book says it all |  Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas speaks at the Heritage Foundation on Oct. 21, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | | | "Right-wing judicial activist Leonard Leo has been exerting influence over the Supreme Court for three decades. So why is Clarence Thomas hiring Leo's firm to do public relations?" the Daily Beast's Roger Sollenberger wonders. Who is Leo?: The former head of the Federalist Society and a top fundraiser for right-wing judiciary activist group Why it matters: "What makes Thomas' decision notable is that Leo happens to have a vested interest in the Supreme Court, and his dark money network actively tries to influence rulings." | | |  | Hot on the right | | John Eastman rejects Jan. 6 committee's claims of criminal intent |  Attorney John Eastman gestures as he speaks next to President Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani on Jan. 6, 2021. (Jim Bourg/Reuters) | | | Attorney John Eastman, a key adviser to then-President Donald Trump as he tried to overturn the 2020 election, argued in a Monday court filing that the Jan. 6 panel's arguments would criminalize "good-faith" legal advice, Politico's Kyle Cheney reports. "Trump's decision to heed it — amid conflicting counsel from his advisers — can't be construed as criminal, Eastman argues." (To recap, last week, the committee described evidence of three potential crimes by Trump and Eastman: obstruction of Congress's Jan. 6 session, conspiracy to defraud the United States and violations of D.C.'s code related to fraud.) Eastman's argument: The attorney said that the committee's claim that he might have broken the law contradicts "the fact that Trump was receiving similar legal advice from numerous members of his inner circle," Cheney explains. "That internal debate, Eastman contended, suggests a policy dispute, not a criminal conspiracy." | | |  | Today in Washington | | | Biden and VA Secretary Denis McDonough will speak with VA health care providers and about burn pits and other health issues at 3:30 p.m. in Fort Worth. At 4:30 p.m., Biden and McDonough will deliver remarks on health care. Biden will depart Fort Worth at 6:20 p.m. to return to the White House, where he is scheduled to arrive at 9:20 p.m. | | |  | In closing | | Did you know about the socialist roots of International Women's Day? | | Happy International Women's Day. Gillian Brockell explains how the day got started: "Some point to Russian communist roots; others claim an American origin story. The truth is that it's neither and both. International Women's Day began with a Russian-born Jewish woman in New York City, before traveling to the Soviet Union and back again." Further reading: Here are 7 of history's greatest women-led protests | | Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. | | |
