| | | | | | | Presented By Emergent BioSolutions | | | | Axios Sneak Peek | | By the Axios Politics team ·Feb 06, 2022 | | Welcome back to Sneak. We're entering the grind period of the political year. Smart Brevity™ count: 937 words ... 3.5 minutes. Edited by Glen Johnson. | | | | | | 1 big thing: Shadow Jan. 6 committee nears finale |  | | | Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photos: Kevin Dietsch, Anna Moneymaker, Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Eric Thayer/Bloomberg, Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images | | | | House Republicans, conducting their own investigation of the Jan. 6 insurrection, plan to accuse the Capitol security apparatus of "negligence at the highest levels," Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) tells Axios' Andrew Solender. Why it matters: By placing blame on the building's top security officials, this shadow investigation gives the GOP an alternative frame for discussing the 2021 Capitol assault. Banks told us the GOP investigators — who consist of exiles denied seats on the formal Jan. 6 committee, controlled by Democratic leaders — have "absolutely" uncovered new information. - The group plans to issue a report, including legislative recommendations, before this fall's midterms.
Reality check: The strength of security surrounding the Capitol building had been enough to protect it from assault since the British burned it in 1814. - That period encompassed the Civil War, the civil rights and Vietnam protests, as well as the disputed 2000 presidential election.
- The only time it was breached, and the Confederate flag carried through its corridors, was after President Trump encouraged a crowd on the Ellipse to march on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
State of play: The information the group has gathered will determine what aspects of the Capitol assault warrant further scrutiny from a potential Republican majority, a source familiar with the probe told Axios. Keep reading. |     | | | | | | 2. Scoop - Pelosi pal pegged for Italy |  | | | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Photo: Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images | | | | President Biden is considering Stephen Robert, a former Wall Street executive with close ties to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to be U.S. ambassador to Italy, Axios' Hans Nichols has learned. Why it matters: The president has struggled with and waited to fill the post — despite the desirability of living in Rome. The ambassadorial residence, Villa Taverna, boasts a pool, private gardens and a three-story wine cellar, nestled in the catacombs below. - Democratic donors and diplomats had speculated the president was keeping the position open for Pelosi, if the Italian American decided not to run for re-election.
- Her recent public announcement that she plans to run for an 18th full term this fall — and, now, the potential nomination of her ally — douses that thinking.
The intrigue: The speaker has pressed the White House to nominate Robert and signaled he's a priority for her. - A White House official said a final decision isn't close to being made.
Between the lines: Robert, 80, was chairman and CEO of Oppenheimer & Co., a New York investment firm. - He also served as chancellor of Brown University from 1998-2007.
Keep reading. | | | | | | | | 3. Charted: Who sanctions Russia, and why |  Note: "Rest of world" includes Argentina, Indonesia, Latvia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Nations. Data: Castellum.AI and Atlantic Council's Economic Statecraft Initiative; Chart: Jacque Schrag/Axios The vast majority of global sanctions against Russia stem from its invasion of Crimea in 2014 — a violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity that Moscow is now threatening to repeat on a far larger scale in the remainder of the country, Axios' Zachary Basu writes. Why it matters: Top Biden officials openly admit costs imposed on Russia since 2014 have failed to deter President Vladimir Putin. That's why the U.S. and its allies are preparing sanctions that would "start at the top of the escalation ladder and stay there." - The goal would be forcing Putin to carefully consider the scale of economic pain he's willing to swallow.
Zoom in: Sanctions data aggregated by Castellum.AI and the Atlantic Council's Economic Statecraft Initiative reflect the many shades of malign behavior triggering sanctions from 11 countries, the European Union and the United Nations. - The Global Sanctions Dashboard shows the U.S. maintains 822 sanctions on Russian entities and individuals. They include challenges for the destabilization of Ukraine, use of chemical weapons and support for dictators in Syria, Venezuela and Belarus.
- Within the past year, the Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Russia for the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, as well as interference in the 2020 election.
- Only a sliver of total global sanctions on Russia is related to corruption, but calls to target oligarchs who hide their wealth in the West have grown significantly because of the current crisis.
Keep reading. | | | | | | | | A message from Emergent BioSolutions | | We Go to protect against public health threats | | |  | | | | Emergent develops, manufactures and delivers protections against critical health threats — from fighting cholera and smallpox to counteracting opioid overdoses, and manufacturing vaccines and treatments that create a better, more secure world for us all. And that's why We Go. | | | | | | 4. Worthy of your time |  | | | Screenshot courtesy of CNN | | | | 📺 Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) held a rare joint interview today, during which they both endorsed the other. - "It's hypocritical to basically work with a person day-in and day-out, and then when they're in-cycle, you're supposed to be against them because they have an 'R' or 'D' by their name," Manchin said during their appearance on CNN's "State of the Union."
🗣 Numerous Republicans, mostly Trump critics, are condemning the Republican National Committee's censure of Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). 🇷🇺 Russia has mobilized about 70% of the military capacity needed to wage a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the Associated Press, Reuters and other outlets. - White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told ABC News today, "We are in the window" for a Russian invasion.
- He added the U.S. "can't just assume" the Russians will wait until after the Winter Olympics in Beijing conclude.
🎙️ Marc Short, chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence, told NBC's "Meet the Press" this morning it would be "very difficult" to see his former boss appearing for an interview with the Jan. 6 committee. - Short said it would be "unprecedented" to "subpoena a former vice president to talk about private conversations he had with the president."
- He added: "We have significant concerns about the committee."
| | | | | | | | 5. Pic du jour |  | | | Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images | | | | President Biden flew back from Delaware to the White House this afternoon, but this photo from his trip north last Friday is still pretty cool. | | | | | | | | A message from Emergent BioSolutions | | We Go to protect against public health threats | | | | | | | | Emergent develops, manufactures and delivers protections against critical health threats — from fighting cholera and smallpox to counteracting opioid overdoses, and manufacturing vaccines and treatments that create a better, more secure world for us all. And that's why We Go. | | | | 🚀 Thanks for starting your week with us! A reminder your family, friends and colleagues can subscribe to Sneak or any of Axios' other free local and national newsletters through this link. |  | Bring the strength of Smart Brevity® to your team — more effective communications, powered by Axios HQ. | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
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