Kavanaugh Hearing Once Again in Question as Christine Ford Raises New Concerns

18:42

Madeleine Albright, first female US secretary of state, dies aged 84

Martin Pengelly

Madeleine Albright, the first woman to serve equally The states secretarial assistant of state, has died. She was 84.

"Nosotros are heartbroken to announce that Dr Madeleine Albright, the 64th US secretary of state and the starting time adult female to hold that position, passed away earlier today," a statement posted on her Twitter account read.

"The cause was cancer. She was surrounded by family and friends. Nosotros have lost a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend."

Madeleine Albright (@madeleine)

Below is a statement from the family of @Madeleine: pic.twitter.com/C7Xt0EN5c9

March 23, 2022

Albright served as the senior United states diplomat in the assistants of Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001.

As the Guardian's as yet unpublished obituary puts it: "It fell to her to cope with the painful dilemmas presented for the US by the break-up of Yugoslavia and the rise of Islamic opposition in the Heart East."

The obituary, by Godfrey Hodgson, as well notes: "While she fulfilled the role in the administration of President Bill Clinton, she could not take the identify that office usually confers as third in succession to the president because she was not a 'natural born citizen' of the US. Like Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski, secretaries of country in the Nixon and Carter administrations, she had been a refugee from Europe. Like them likewise, Albright came to the job not via business or politics but through an academic groundwork in the study of international relations."

Albright remained a valued analyst and commentator on international affairs. In 2022 she released a book, Fascism: A Warning, in which she chosen Donald Trump "the first anti-democratic president in mod U.s. history".

"In the book I write that there are people who say this is alarmist," she told the Guardian. "It is. That's the purpose. I'yard concerned almost complacency well-nigh information technology. This is a very deliberate warning."

Final month, in an op ed for the New York Times, she said Vladimir Putin of Russia would make a grave mistake if he invaded Ukraine.

Hither'due south our interview with Albright from 2018. More follows.

Updated at 7.05pm GMT

ix.05pm GMT 21:05

Evening summary

It has been a very decorated news mean solar day in Washington. Here's where things stand.

• Joe Biden has arrived in Brussels, where he will come across with Nato and European leaders to discuss their response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine before traveling to Warsaw, Poland. The administration will announce a new sanctions regime on Thursday targeting Russian political leaders and oligarchs, according to national security advisor Jake Sullivan.
• Madeleine Albright, the beginning female U.s. secretarial assistant of state, died of cancer on Midweek. She was 84.
• Ketanji Dark-brown Jackson is still taking questions from senators on the Judiciary Commission, where she has defended herself against attacks past Republicans that she is soft on crime. The committee is expected to stop questioning Jackson later tonight and hopes to agree a vote on her nomination early on side by side month. For updates throughout the evening, read the full news story here.
• The supreme court threw out Wisconsin'south new state legislative maps on Wednesday, in a "ruling that boosts Republicans and takes aim once more at one of the last remaining provisions to protect voting discrimination."
• The Alabama Republican congressman Mo Brooks said on Tuesday Donald Trump asked him to "rescind" the 2022 ballot after Trump un-endorsed Brooks in the Alabama Senate race.
  

For more updates on the state of war in Ukraine, delight follow our global live blog here.

Updated at ix.06pm GMT

8.47pm GMT 20:47

In a argument, former president Barack Obama, hailed her "trailblazing career".

Barack Obama (@BarackObama)

As the first adult female to serve as America'south top diplomat, Madeleine Albright was a champion for democratic values. Michelle and I send our thoughts to the Albright family and everyone who knew and served with a truly remarkable woman. pic.twitter.com/8jj3GYZXbB

March 23, 2022

In a articulation statement, old president Nib and secretary Hillary Clinton said her decease was an "immense loss to the world in a time when nosotros need the lessons of her life the most."

Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton)

I will always be deeply grateful for the wonderful friendship Bill and I shared with @madeleine and the unfailingly wise counsel she gave us over so many years.

Then many people around the earth are alive and living improve lives because of her service. https://t.co/aw8HK71sbt

March 23, 2022

8.35pm GMT 20:35

It's now senator Josh Hawley'south turn to ask Jackson questions. He's repeating many of his allegations from yesterday, pressing Jackson to say that she regrets not punishing child sex activity crimes offenders more than harshly.

"What I regret is that in a hearing about my qualifications to be a justice on the Supreme Court, we accept spent a lot of fourth dimension focusing on this small subset of my sentences," she said.

The Missouri senator continues to interrupt her, challenging Jackson to explain the reasoning why an offender who collected illegal images by mail versus the internet may confront a lighter sentence. In a warning to viewers, Hawley is being explicit equally he discusses these cases, describing the offenses in particular.

She tries to explain once again, as she has repeatedly throughout the mean solar day, how the sentencing process works.

"Then you're not going to answer my question?" Hawley asked.

"I've already answered your question," she replied.

Updated at viii.40pm GMT

eight.07pm GMT xx:07

Trump and Brooks fall out over Jan 6

Martin Pengelly

The Alabama Republican congressman Mo Brooks said on Tuesday Donald Trump asked him to "rescind" the 2022 election, remove Joe Biden from the White House and reinstate Trump.

Mo Brooks. Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

The boggling statement came in an angry response to a withdrawn endorsement by the onetime president. Trump had been angered that Brooks was insufficiently toeing his line on calling the 2022 election a fraud.

Brooks' statement on Trump'south demands is at present likely to be of involvement to the January 6 committee. That panel is investigating Trump'southward lie about electoral fraud in his defeat by Biden, efforts to align members of Congress to object to election results, a rally near the White Business firm on 6 Jan 2022 which Trump and Brooks addressed, and the mortiferous attack on the U.s. Capitol which followed.

On Wednesday, later Trump withdrew his endorsement, Brooks said he was still in the Alabama race as the only true Trumpist candidate. He also claimed to have known he risked losing the former president's endorsement by telling him "the truth", and added: "I echo what has prompted President Trump's ire."

"The merely legal way America can forbid 2020'south election debacle is for patriotic Americans to focus on and win the 2022 and 2024 elections then that nosotros have the power to enact laws that will give us honest and accurate elections.

"President Trump asked me to rescind the 2022 elections, immediately remove Joe Biden from the White Firm, immediately put President Trump back in the White House, and hold a new special election for the presidency.

"As a lawyer, I've repeatedly brash President Trump that 6 January was the concluding election contest verdict and neither the U.s. constitution nor the United states Lawmaking [the laws of the United states] allow what President Trump asks. Period."

Brooks also said "I took a sworn adjuration to defend and protect the Usa constitution", an oath he said he would "pause … for no human being".

However, Brooks has until now been one of Trump's well-nigh ardent supporters including on and effectually the events of Jan half-dozen.

8.03pm GMT 20:03

Back to Hart 216, where senator Ben Sasse had an interesting exchange with Jackson nearly cameras in the supreme court. It'south ane of the many interesting merely less high-profile issues senators have raised during the confirmation process. On Tuesday, senator Richard Blumenthal laid out the case for assuasive cameras in the courtroom, arguing that it improves transparency and allows more Americans and not but those in DC to observe the hearings.

Jackson told him it was something she would take to discuss with the other members before weighing in on.

Today, Sasse offered an opposing view, arguing that allowing cameras into the courtroom would change the way the justices deliberate. Using the present hearing as an example, he said cameras were a "huge part of why this institution doesn't work well."

Nolan D. McCaskill (@NolanDMcCaskill)

"A huge part of why this establishment doesn't work well is because we have cameras everywhere," Sasse said. "I think we should recognize that the jackassery nosotros frequently run across effectually here is partly considering of people mugging for short-term camera opportunities." https://t.co/sh4Y9ssgrA

March 23, 2022

"I call back we should recognize that the jackassery we often see around here is partly because of people mugging for short-term camera opportunities," he said.

7.50pm GMT 19:50

Reactions and remembrances are pouring in for the United states'due south offset "Madame Secretary".

Here's a statement from former president George W Bush-league, accompanied by his painting of Albright.

Anthony DeRosa (@Anthony)

Argument from former President George Due west. Bush on Madeline Albright, which included an oil painting by Bush-league of Albright picture show.twitter.com/zAdesM2ETx

March 23, 2022

Recalling the speech Obama gave when he awarded her the medal of freedom:

Jill Lawrence (@JillDLawrence)

Obama on Albright: "Once, at a naturalization ceremony, an Ethiopian homo came up to her and said, 'Only in America can a refugee encounter the Secretarial assistant of State.' And she replied, 'Only in America tin a refugee go the Secretary of State.'"https://t.co/zZ8kbtVXMu

March 23, 2022

After her decades of promoting affairs and peace, Albright died as war raged anew in Europe

Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe)

Oh, Madeleine Albright. What an incredible loss. I wish she had lived to see the finish of this terrible war. 💔

March 23, 2022

Updated at 7.52pm GMT

vii.34pm GMT nineteen:34

Supreme courtroom blocks Wisconsin voting maps

At that place is a lot of news this afternoon.

The Guardian'southward Sam Levine breaks down a conclusion by the supreme court to throw out Wisconsin'south new state legislative maps on Wednesday, in a "ruling that boosts Republicans and takes aim again at one of the last remaining provisions to protect voting discrimination."

The ruling is the latest of many in recent years in which the United states of america supreme court has been hostile to voting rights. In an unsigned ruling, the courtroom took issue with the decision to add together an additional Black-majority state assembly district in the Milwaukee surface area, raising the total in the map to seven. The Wisconsin supreme court picked the plan, fatigued by Tony Evers, the land'due south Autonomous governor, earlier this calendar month.

The land courtroom had taken over the redistricting process after Evers and the GOP-controlled state legislature failed to agree on a plan. The Wisconsin legislature is heavily distorted in favor of Republicans and it is one of the most gerrymandered bodies in the country.

Information technology is nigh impossible for Democrats to win a majority under the current lines. Terminal year, the state supreme court gave Republicans a heave when they announced they would option a map that made the least alter from the current ones. The court picked Evers' map earlier this calendar month from a range of submitted proposals, proverb information technology complied with its directive to make the least possible modify. Information technology gave Democrats i of the all-time possible outcomes, even though Republicans even so would agree their bulk. State Republicans asked the United states of america supreme court to step in anyway.

Updated at eight.11pm GMT

7.25pm GMT nineteen:25

In an aroused appearance, Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican of Texas, came with his chart of sentences handed down by Jackson and which she has said cherrypicks her rulings.

Like Graham, Cruz repeatedly interrupted Jackson as he demanded she define what information technology means to be a woman and so peppered her with questions nigh her sentencing decisions, implying that she was too lenient or somehow sympathetic to kid sex offenders.

CSPAN (@cspan)

Tense exchange betwixt @Sentedcruz & @SenatorDurbin over Cruz accusations of lenient sentences for child pornography cases. motion-picture show.twitter.com/uuNLjL1cib

March 23, 2022

Jackson maintained her sophistication fifty-fifty equally Cruz grew increasingly louder and more irate. When his time expired, he refused to cease speaking and and then began arguing with Durbin, asserting that Democrats were trying to prevent Jackson from answering his question.

Burgess Everett (@burgessev)

Cruz won't let upward on his sentencing questionin. Durbin cuts off Cruz, bangs gavel

"Y'all tin bang information technology as loud as you desire," Cruz says

Durbin turns to the next questioner: "Sen. Coons"

Cruz: "Apparently you lot are very afraid of the American people hearing the answer"

March 23, 2022

Cruz'due south round of questioning did provide one new slice of information. Jackson said she would recuse herself from an affirmative activity example adjacent term that takes upwardly Harvard'southward access policies.

Marianne LeVine (@marianne_levine)

Cruz asks Jackson if confirmed whether she plans to recuse from Harvard affirmative action instance. She replies : "That is my programme"

March 23, 2022

Updated at 7.39pm GMT

6.57pm GMT 18:57

State department remembers Albright as a 'trailblazer'

Reacting in realtime to news of the death of Madeleine Albright, state section spokesman Ned Price reflected on her life and legacy.

"The touch that Secretary Albright ... had on this building is felt every single mean solar day in just about every single corridor," he said, speaking from Foggy Bottom. "She was a trailblazer equally the first female secretary of country and quite literally opened doors for a large element of our piece of work force."

ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics)

Madeleine Albright, first woman to serve as U.S. sec. of state, has died from cancer at 84, co-ordinate to her family.

"The impact that Sec. Albright....had on this building is felt every single day in just nearly every single corridor," Ned Price says. https://t.co/qKHJki3AIj pic.twitter.com/2ZSXp0lD8i

March 23, 2022

Updated at seven.04pm GMT

6.42pm GMT xviii:42

Madeleine Albright, first female United states secretary of state, dies aged 84

Martin Pengelly

Madeleine Albright, the first adult female to serve equally US secretary of state, has died. She was 84.

"We are heartbroken to announce that Dr Madeleine Albright, the 64th Usa secretary of state and the first woman to hold that position, passed away earlier today," a statement posted on her Twitter account read.

"The cause was cancer. She was surrounded by family and friends. Nosotros have lost a loving mother, grandmother, sis, aunt and friend."

Madeleine Albright (@madeleine)

Beneath is a statement from the family unit of @Madeleine: pic.twitter.com/C7Xt0EN5c9

March 23, 2022

Albright served as the senior United states diplomat in the administration of Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001.

Equally the Guardian's as however unpublished obituary puts it: "It fell to her to cope with the painful dilemmas presented for the Usa by the interruption-up of Yugoslavia and the rise of Islamic opposition in the Heart East."

The obituary, by Godfrey Hodgson, besides notes: "While she fulfilled the role in the assistants of President Bill Clinton, she could not take the place that office ordinarily confers as 3rd in succession to the president because she was not a 'natural born citizen' of the Us. Like Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski, secretaries of state in the Nixon and Carter administrations, she had been a refugee from Europe. Like them also, Albright came to the job not via business or politics simply through an academic groundwork in the study of international relations."

Albright remained a valued analyst and commentator on international diplomacy. In 2022 she released a volume, Fascism: A Warning, in which she called Donald Trump "the first anti-autonomous president in modern The states history".

"In the volume I write that at that place are people who say this is alarmist," she told the Guardian. "It is. That's the purpose. I'm concerned about complacency most it. This is a very deliberate warning."

Final month, in an op ed for the New York Times, she said Vladimir Putin of Russia would make a grave mistake if he invaded Ukraine.

Here's our interview with Albright from 2018. More follows.

Updated at 7.05pm GMT

vi.20pm GMT xviii:20

Jean-Pierre is up now, previewing the president's visit to Brussels and Warsaw. She won't say whether the president has plans to visit the border with Ukraine, citing security concerns. He volition requite a spoken language and affirm the US' commitment to the Nato brotherhood.

She said Biden was non deemed a "close contact" after White House press secretary Jen Psaki tested positive for Covid-19. Biden'south "testing cadency" does not change during travel, she said.

Biden watched portions of the Jackson'south hearing on Tuesday, Jean-Pierre said.

"He couldn't be more proud of her intellect, her grace, grapheme and the value of her experience," she said. "The country is seeing but how qualified judge Jackson is and how she determines cases fairly based solely on the facts and the law."

She said Biden was also impressed by the way she "dismantled bad-faith conspiracy theories" and "fringe smears" that were leveled confronting her.

Asked about the questions raised by senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley about Jackson's tape, Jean-Pierre said the White Business firm is looking at the Senate equally a whole and that their strategy doesn't rely on persuading the two bourgeois senators.

Updated at 6.26pm GMT

6.03pm GMT 18:03

Blinken: Russian forces committed state of war crimes in Ukraine

US secretary of land Anthony Blinken said the US has determined that Russian forces committed war crimes in Ukraine.

"Today, I can denote that, based on information currently bachelor, the U.South. government assesses that members of Russia'due south forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine," Blinken wrote in a lengthy statement.

He said the US has seen "numerous credible reports of indiscriminate attacks and attacks deliberately targeting civilians, as well as other atrocities."

Russian federation's forces accept destroyed apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, disquisitional infrastructure, noncombatant vehicles, shopping centers, and ambulances, leaving thousands of innocent civilians killed or wounded. Many of the sites Russia'due south forces have hit have been clearly identifiable as in-utilise by civilians. This includes the Mariupol maternity hospital, equally the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Man Rights expressly noted in a March eleven report. Information technology also includes a strike that hit a Mariupol theater, clearly marked with the word "дети" — Russian for "children" — in huge letters visible from the sky. Putin'due south forces used these same tactics in Grozny, Chechnya, and Aleppo, Syria, where they intensified their bombardment of cities to intermission the will of the people. Their attempt to do so in Ukraine has again shocked the world and, equally President Zelenskyy has soberly attested, "bathed the people of Ukraine in blood and tears."

Every twenty-four hours that Russia'due south forces continue their brutal attacks, the number of innocent civilians killed and wounded, including women and children, climbs. Equally of March 22, officials in besieged Mariupol said that more than than 2,400 civilians had been killed in that city lone. Not including the Mariupol devastation, the United nations has officially confirmed more than two,500 civilian casualties, including dead and wounded, and emphasizes the bodily toll is likely college.

Updated at 6.09pm GMT

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Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2022/mar/23/biden-ukraine-russia-latest-ketanji-brown-jackson-hearing-senate-republicans?filterKeyEvents=false

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