Today's Top Political and Coronavirus News Compilation - Monday, February 22, 2021

Below are some of the top political news stories of the day:

U.S. Supreme Court sets the stage for release of Trump tax returns
Donald Trump suffered a major setback on Monday in his long quest to conceal details of his finances as the U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for a New York City prosecutor to obtain the former president's tax returns and other records as part of an accelerating criminal investigation.

Updated 4:00 PM CST

What the Supreme Court ruling means for Manhattan DA's Trump criminal investigation

Trump: Supreme Court tax return decision a ‘continuation of the greatest political witch hunt’
U.S. House budget committee approves $1.9 trillion covid-19 aid bill

Supreme Court rejects Trump election challenge cases

Trump lashes out after Supreme Court decision on his financial records

How the 50-50 Senate limits Democratic ambitions
Voting machine company sues My Pillow and its pro-Trump chief (Lindell) over election claims

Here's What's Next in the Trump Taxes Investigation - NY Times

Dems push carriers to stop hosting Fox, OAN, Newsmax

Court to take up Trump immigration, abortion referral rules

Merrick Garland treads carefully on Durham probe, Hunter Biden questions at confirmation hearing

Democrats draft plan for commission to investigate January 6 insurrection

New York AG says Trump Supreme Court tax ruling won’t affect her probe of company

Khamenei: 'Iran will not yield to pressure' may increase uranium enrichment to 60 percent

Sen. Kennedy presses Garland on implicit bias
Nominee Garland says politics won't influence DOJ criminal probes

Donald Trump ordered to hand over tax returns to prosecutors

AG nominee Garland vows Capitol riot will be top priority

John Kerry 'colluded' with Iran to undermine Trump, report says

Republican senators take aim at Paris agreement with new legislation

Biden's Agenda To Come Into Sharper Focus, Even As Trump Plots His Comeback

Republicans demand equal representation on 1/6 Commission

Trump told confidants he would skip CPAC if Pence was attending

Supreme Court denies election appeal from Pennsylvania Republicans

Stormy Daniels' defamation case against Trump shot down by Supreme Court

States paying billions in fraudulent unemployment claims

Plan to lower Florida's flags for Rush Limbaugh causing controversy, consternation

DeSantis crushes Rubio, Scott in Florida GOP poll

Left-wingers target $15 minimum wage foes Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin
Analysis: Fed's Powell set table for Biden economy, but will he stay for dessert?

House GOP tell Biden ‘far-left’ immigration agenda is creating border crisis: ‘gravely irresponsible’

SCOTUS rejects appeals from GOP, Trump over 2020 voting rules

READ: Clarence Thomas' dissent in Pennsylvania election decision

Biden to order flags to half staff to mark 500K virus deaths

Merrick Garland: Handling of Jeffrey Epstein case was ‘horrendous’

'Divisive' race theory training forced on San Diego County healthcare workers

Biden to make it easier for smallest businesses to take out a PPP loan
New Jersey governor signs legislation legalizing recreational cannabis

After 13 federal executions, Garland expects return to moratorium

Family urges Biden admin to make release of imprisoned Americans condition for any deal with Iran

Virginia lawmakers vote to abolish the death penalty
Supreme Court to review Trump curbs on abortion clinics, immigration

New York Rangers: Russian star targeted for support of Navalny, denies assault allegation

Meghan McCain attracts backlash for comments on Fauci and vaccine access

Biden administration rolls back Trump-era citizenship civics test

Politics live updates: Garland says deaths of Black Americans could spur investigations of police

NY Dem says Cuomo nursing home scandal is impeachable offense, as governor blames Trump for vaccine woes
About a third of Texans still facing disrupted water supplies

2 key GOP senators oppose Neera Tanden's nomination to lead Biden's budget office

After weather crisis, Texas Democrats lay groundwork to finally flip state

Moderate House Democrat says GOP must be defeated in '22 to save democracy

Merrick Garland says he does not support defunding the police

Thomas pens strong dissent from Supreme Court decision not to hear PA election case

Schumer sets up confirmation blitz in Senate

Democrats question TV carriers' decisions to host Fox, OAN and Newsmax, citing 'misinformation'

Florida official tells offices to disregard DeSantis order to lower flags in Limbaugh's honor

President Joe Biden raised more than $22 million to fund his White House transition

Clyburn pushes for Judge J. Michelle Childs to be Supreme Court's first Black female justice, report says
'Mean tweets' threaten Biden budget pick Tanden as U.S. moderates balk

Obama, Springsteen launch eight-episode podcast

Independent report details how police and EMS mishandled Elijah McClain's fatal arrest

Becerra to highlight family's health struggles at confirmation hearing

Sens. Susan Collins and Mitt Romney deal Neera Tanden's OMB nomination another blow

Leftist activist arrested after Capitol riot releasing book
U.S. voices outrage over rocket attacks in Iraq but will not 'lash out'

Myanmar coup: Protesters defy military warning in mass strike

Haaland: Fossil fuels will 'play a major role,' but climate must be addressed

NASA releases 'stunning' images from Perseverance rover on Mars (video)

Europe-bound migrants found amid broken glass, toxic ash

Democrat resigns from Oregon legislature before expulsion vote following harassment allegations
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Posted: 2:38 AM CST

Texas utilities can't stick customers with huge bills after storm: Abbott

Democrats face unity test on Biden's $1.9T bill

Oath Keeper claims she met with Secret Service before Capitol riot

QAnon's corrosive impact on the U.S.

Garland expected to face tough questions during confirmation hearing to be Biden's attorney general

Trump's postmaster general personally ordered USPS overtime cuts: Report

Dems prepare for party-line House vote on Biden's pandemic aid bill

Big factor in COVID votes: Would Dems sink first Biden goal?

Legal experts warn New York Gov. Cuomo’s nursing home scandal may rise to federal level of criminal offense

Former Florida officer arrested after live streaming from inside US Capitol during breach, FBI says

Cindy McCain looks at the future of the Republican Party: "We have got to overcome this"

Paleologos on the Poll: Move over Fox News, Trump voters are shifting toward Newsmax, OANN

Millions still without safe drinking water in Texas

Recall Gavin Newsom organizer 'confident' measure will end up on the ballot this summer

What were the Capitol rioters thinking?

Almost half of Republicans would join Trump party: poll

Federal judges call for increased security after threats jump 400% and one judge's son is killed

Republican governor says Trump 'should not define' the GOP's future

Rep. McCaul defends Texas power grid: 'We're not used to this type of weather'

Texas GOP congressman knocks Cruz for Cancun trip and says when a crisis hits, 'I'm not going to go on some vacation'

Exclusive: Defeated and impeached, Trump still commands the loyalty of the GOP's voters

Sullivan says Biden ready for Iran talks, vows "seen and unseen" response to SolarWinds hack

Biden claimed he was once arrested for trespassing at the Capitol at age 21

State should pay soaring power bills, says Houston mayor

Crist calls on DOJ to investigate DeSantis over coronavirus vaccine distribution

A Looming Disaster: New Data Reveal Where Flood Damage Is An Existential Threat

Snubbed as Obama high court pick, Garland in line to be AG

China urges US halt restrictions, 'interference'

California ex-mayor slams Gov. Newsom’s use of ‘behested payments’ as recall threat nears 1.8M signatures

Steve Scalise Still Refuses to Admit the Election Wasn't Stolen - DB

U.S.'s Blinken vows 'firm action' against Myanmar military

New York backtracks on de Blasio’s plan to close Trump-owned ice rinks

Oath Keeper claims she was VIP security at Trump rally before riot and says she met with Secret Service agents

On death bed, former NYPD officer makes new claims on Malcolm X assassination

Arkansas' Republican governor says he wouldn't support 2024 Trump run

Matt Gaetz calls on Trump to run again in 2024

Washington taps pastors to overcome racial divide on vaccine

Pence declines invitation to speak at CPAC

Shares turn cautious as bond yields, commodities surge

Skyrocketing electric bills are "top priority" for lawmakers, Texas governor says in wake of deadly storm

China calls for a reset in relations with US, report says

GOP rapidly becomes blue-collar party

POLITICO Playbook: Cracks in the Democratic coalition

United Airlines passengers, pedestrians recall horror of watching engine rain debris

Armed bystanders help take down suspected shooter who killed two near New Orleans gun store, police say

Schumer says he's working to find votes to confirm Biden's OMB pick

Why some Texans are getting sky-high energy bills

Sen. Johnson previews Capitol riot hearing: Attack 'was not foreseeable'

Family of boy who died during Texas winter storm sues ERCOT and Entergy for $100 million

These two charts show how much minimum wage workers have fallen behind

Australia won't change planned content laws despite Facebook block: lawmaker

U.N. nuclear chief says Iran to grant ‘less access’ to program

Passenger video shows terrifying moment engine of United Flight 328 was in flames

Merrick Garland will finally face the Senate: Attorney general confirmation hearings start Monday

China-US trade: Beijing urges Washington to remove tariffs

The evidence of Syrian President Bashar Assad and his regime's legacy of war crimes

Everybody wants Joe Manchin

Rep. Scalise: Don't pinpoint blame on Trump

Violence Erupts In Barcelona On 5th Night Of Protests Over Jailed Rapper

Protests swell after Myanmar junta raises specter of force

Myanmar begins general strike in face of military threats

United Airlines engine explosion over Denver prompts company to ground Boeing 777s

Maloney says COVID relief package should help debt-ridden NY

Iran warns Biden as it pushes ahead with plan to cut nuclear inspections

Myanmar gripped by strike as anti-coup protests build

Ocasio-Cortez fundraising for Texas relief reaches $4.7M

7 Poll Workers Killed By Landmine Amid Historic Niger Vote

Boil water advisory lifted in Houston as Texas recovers from winter storms

Transcript: Mayor Sylvester Turner on "Face the Nation,"

1 dead, 4 injured in American Legion club shooting

Transcript: Jake Sullivan on "Face the Nation,"

Nearly 30,000 Macs reportedly infected with mysterious malware

Australia pulls health ads from Facebook after news blackout

Natural Gas Companies Have Their Own Plans To Go Low-Carbon

Bitcoin hits fresh high

Transcript: Mayor Betsy Price on "Face the Nation"

Coronavirus News and Updates:

Updated 4:00 PM CST

A day that will live in infamy: U.S. crosses 500,000th COVID-19 death

AP PHOTOS: US pandemic toll: In 1 year, half a million lives
WHO agrees compensation fund for serious COVAX vaccine side effects

When Does COVID-19 Become A Disability? 'Long-Haulers' Push For Answers And Benefits

Biden upends Trump's calculation of who gets a vaccination

Disparities persist as US tops 500,000 COVID deaths

Vaccine efforts redoubled as US death toll draws near 500K

How can the U.S. make vaccine access more equitable? Here's what a former CDC director says
Teachers may play role in in-school COVID-19 transmission: U.S. CDC

As US surpasses half a million COVID-19 deaths, Latinos struggle with virus' impact

West Virginia's Vaccination Rate Ranks Among Highest In World

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Posted: 2:38 AM CST

U.S. reaches 500,000 deaths from the coronavirus

Gottlieb says downward trend in virus infections "likely to continue"

Beyond 100M: Biden team aiming for bigger vaccine numbers

Fauci: Vaccine distribution should be back on track by midweek after storm delays

As 500,000th Covid death looms, US reaches pivotal moment

White House: China And WHO Need To 'Step Up' On Investigation Into Origin Of Pandemic

Ex-deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger faults China for trying to cover up coronavirus

COVID-19 is circulating in some animals. What does that mean for us?

UK's Johnson to plot path out of lockdown on Monday

Teachers union leader on reopening schools: 'If the NFL could figure out how to do this, let's do it'

Transcript: Scott Gottlieb discusses coronavirus on "Face the Nation"

Russia’s COVID-19 vaccination drive slowly picking up speed

Pandemic's mental health burden heaviest among young adults

Evidence looks good on COVID vaccines cutting transmission: UK minister