MTG Celebrated Lincoln’s Birthday With A Full-Throated Call For Secession

INSIDE: Tucker Carlson ... Jimmy Carter ... George Santos

(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo.

Lincoln Rolling In His Grave

Welcomed back to the House GOP fold by Speaker Kevin McCarthy and now a leading light in his conference, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) celebrated Presidents Day – which sadly lumps together Washington and Lincoln – by advocating for secession.

Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 @mtgreenee

We need a national divorce. We need to separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government. Everyone I talk to says this. From the sick and disgusting woke culture issues shoved down our throats to the Democrat’s traitorous America Last policies, we are… https://t.co/Azn8YF1UUy

We’ve spent the last two years nonchalantly kicking around whether the 14th Amendment’s Insurrection Clause really means what it says and should be applied to the House Republicans who sanctioned, ratified, supported, and enabled Trump’s insurrection attempt. And now we have a sitting member of Congress using the occasion of Lincoln’s birthday to call for secession.

This is not a drill. This is not civics cosplay. This is where we are.

Kevin McCarthy’s Secret Pact With Tucker Carlson

Just days after legal filings confirmed (as if we needed it) the corrupt core of the Fox News apparatus, we learned that the speaker of the House is giving special access to the Capitol’s security footage from Jan. 6 to none other than Tucker Carlson. The new but not surprising revelation came from Axios’ Mike Allen.

Todd Zwillich @toddzwillich

Extraordinary by any standard. McCarthy: -begged Trump to call off 1/6 rioters -told members Trump should resign, then -flew to MAL to rehab Trump -threatened cos that cooperate w 1/6 panel -reused to honor subpoena —>now using Carleson to erase the coup attempt & insurrection

Mike Allen @mikeallen

🚨NEW in @axios AM: @SpeakerMcCarthy has given @TuckerCarlson exclusive access to 41,000 hours of Capitol surveillance footage from 1/6 Carlson producers were on Capitol Hill last week to begin digging through the trove 📺 Excerpts begin in coming weeks https://t.co/cJmD6MGsWE

Jan. 6 committee chair Bernie Thompson was having none of it:

Patricia Zengerle @ReutersZengerle

Statement from Rep. Bennie Thompson, who chaired the Jan6 committee, on @axios report @SpeakerMcCarthy is giving special access to Jan 6 videos to Fox host.

Succinct headline: KEVIN MCCARTHY MAKES SENSITIVE SECURITY FOOTAGE AVAILABLE TO THE INSURRECTIONISTS’ PROPAGANDIST

Some Choice Cuts From The Dominion Lawsuit Against Fox News

So many juicy morsels from the epic Dominion filing last week in its defamation case against Fox News. In case you missed these:

• Trump tried to get on the air for Lou Dobbs show on Jan. 6:

  Annie Grayer @AnnieGrayerCNN

  Buried in the Dominion filing: Donald Trump dialed into Lou Dobbs’ show on 1/6 trying to get on air but Fox would not let him. 1/6 committee didn’t know Trump had made this call, according to a source familiar with the panel’s work.

  

• Fox News exec sent Mike “Pillow Guy” Lindell a make-up gift:

  Will Sommer @willsommer

  A fascinating detail about Fox's relationship with MyPillow tycoon Mike Lindell, their most important advertiser — after Lindell insulted Fox in a Newsmax appearance, Fox sent him a gift and a handwritten note from their CEO to win him back.

  

Inside The Georgia Special Grand Jury Investigating Trump

The AP interviewed the foreperson of the Atlanta DA Fani Willis’ special grand jury.

James O’Keefe Resigns From Project Veritas

James O’Keefe went out in blaze of ridiculousness: a 45-minute video to staff in which he wiped away tears, quotedˆ Ayn Rand, and concluded with a paraphrase of Shakespeare’s Henry V (“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers and sisters.”)

Just a note that this may not yet be over. The feckless board of Project Veritas wants none of the blame nor the credit for O’Keefe leaving, according to the NYT:

But the board also left open the possibility of working things out with Mr. O’Keefe. “We did not fire him, nor do we want him to resign,” the board statement said. “We would like to continue conversations with James to resolve internal matters rather than litigate them publicly.”

Biden To Kyiv

US President Joe Biden (L) walks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) in front of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral during an unannounced visit, in Kyiv, on February 20, 2023. (Photo by Evan Vucci / POOL / AFP) (Photo by EVAN VUCCI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

A quick rundown of the weekend’s biggest surprise:

• Anne Applebaum: Biden Went to Kyiv Because There’s No Going Back

• The Tick Tock: Biden’s Surreal and Secretive Journey Into a War Zone

• PHOTOS

One somber note: Biden’s visit was significant on many levels, but the most concerning news of the past few days has been the emerging fear of China supplying Russia with more advanced and lethal weaponry:

Phillips P. OBrien @PhillipsPOBrien

There is alot to Blinken saying this publicly that needs to be unpacked. The 1st reason is the USA must be very concerned that China is actually going to supply significant military support to Russia. So far, most have said that China was more helping around the edges.

Theresa Fallon @TheresaAFallon

Blinken said US is “vy concerned”🇨🇳is considering supplying🇷🇺w/weapons & ammunition in🇺🇦. Blinken warned that such support would have “serious consequences” for the US relationship with Beijing during a meeting on the sidelines of #MSC2023. https://t.co/hWu2LQ5xmv

Jimmy Carter Goes Home For The Last Time

The Carter Center announced the former president would eschew further medical treatment and spend his remaining days at home under hospice care.

At 98, Carter is the longest lived former President. At 77 years, his marriage to Rosalynn is the longest presidential marriage. It has been 42 year since Carter left the White House. To put that in some perspective, more time has passed since Carter left office than between World War II and his presidency.

Carter biographer Jonathan Alter offers his perspective on an “epic American life.”

Wisconsin Supreme Court Election Day

Your handy-dandy guides to today’s free-for-all primary election for a pivotal open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which has been controlled by the GOP since 2008:

• 5 Points On The Wisconsin Election That Could Have Consequences For 2024

• A Ballot Initiative Incentive Seeks To Lure Out Republican Voters For Critical Wisconsin Court Election

Turkey Earthquake Death Toll Passes 46,000

The region where more than 46,000 have died since the historic Feb. 6 earthquake was rocked by a powerful 6.3 magnitude aftershock Monday.

Perfect: George Santos Talks To Piers Morgan!

Piers Morgan Uncensored @PiersUncensored

"I ran in 2020 for the same exact seat for Congress... and I got away with it then." George Santos tells Piers Morgan why he thought he could get away with lying about his background and education. @piersmorgan | @Santos4Congress | @TalkTV | #PMU

---

Thanks for reading today’s Morning Memo. You can find the TPM members’ commenting section here.