The GOP rallies around Kevin McCarthy ... for now

Kevin McCarthy is unscathed despite his criticism of fellow Republicans; Russia cuts off the gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.

GOP leader Kevin McCarthy defends himself against leaked audio

Alex Wong/Getty Images

• House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy addressed leaked audio from conversations he had following the January 6, 2021, insurrection at a private GOP conference on Monday. [CNN / Manu Raju, Melanie Zanona, and Lauren Fox]
• In a recording released last week, McCarthy said he would ask then-President Donald Trump to resign for his role in inciting the attack on the Capitol. In another recording released Tuesday, McCarthy criticized the rhetoric of right-wing lawmakers. [New York Times / Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin]
• At Monday’s closed-door meeting, McCarthy claimed he never actually asked Trump to resign and was merely discussing all his options. Republicans gave him a standing ovation. [Associated Press / Lisa Mascaro]
• The revelations came at a critical time for McCarthy as he looks to take back control of the House in the 2022 midterms and become speaker. [NBC News]
• For now, it appears the tapes won’t derail those plans. Key Republicans, including Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, committed to sticking with him. [Politico / Olivia Beavers and Sarah Ferris]

Russia cuts off gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria 

• Wednesday, Russia cut off gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria — the most severe response thus far to Western sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. [CNN / Sugam Pokharel and Mark Thompson]
• State-owned Gazprom shut off supply for the two NATO countries for failing to make payments in rubles — a move the EU called "blackmail." [AP / Yesica Fisch, Jon Gambrell, and Vanessa Gera]
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc had prepared for this scenario and is pursuing other options to replace and maintain gas supply. [Reuters / Kate Abnett]
• Russia has threatened to cut off supply to other countries, placing pressure on Europe to find alternative energy sources as it prepares to intensify its sanctions on the Kremlin. [Washington Post]

Monday, in a meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, President Joe Biden privately expressed support for canceling at least some student loan debt. [Washington Post / Seung Min Kim and Marianna Sotomayor]

• Chief White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci said that while “we’re not over the pandemic,” the US is now in a new “transition phase,” in which Americans can “get back to some form of normality.” [CNN / Naomi Thomas and Brenda Goodman]
• A Minnesota report commissioned in response to the death of George Floyd found Minneapolis and its police department engaged in a pattern of racially discriminatory practices. [ABC News / Kiara Alfonseca]
• New Jersey is facing a recall of more than 120,000 pounds of ground beef products over concerns they contain E. coli. No illnesses have been reported. [National Public Radio / Joe Hernandez] 

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Kevin McCarthy “got a standing ovation. He will be speaker.”

[Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) on McCarthy’s private GOP meeting / Politico]

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