“This has been an infuriating week for Texans. The greatest state in the greatest country in the world has been without power. We have food lines, gas lines, and people sleeping at the neighbours’ houses. Our homes are freezing and our lights are out. Like millions of Texans, our family lost heat and power too.

“With school cancelled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends. Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon. My staff and I are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas. We want our power back, our water on, and our homes warm. My team and I will continue using all our resources to keep Texans informed and safe.”

I can hear you… is that an echo?

I can hear you… is that an echo?

Today’s briefing with press secretary is audio-only due to the weather.

Its city against state as New York mayor Bill de Blasio calls for a Department of Justice investigation of New York governor Andrew Cuomo.

In an interview with Morning Joe, De Blasio said Cuomo’s “bullying” of lawmakers criticising the withholding of nursing home death toll numbers wasn’t exactly breaking news withing the Democratic party.

Democratic assemblyman Ron Kim told CNN that Cuomo called him last week to make the “traumatizing” threats, an allegation that an adviser to the governor denied to the outlet.

“Cuomo called me directly on Thursday to threaten my career if I did not cover up for Melissa [DeRosa] and what she said. He tried to pressure me to issue a statement, and it was a very traumatizing experience,” Kim said. Cuomo proceeded to tell the assemblyman that “we’re in this business together and we don’t cross certain lines and he said I hadn’t seen his wrath and that he can destroy me,” Kim told CNN.

DeRosa told lawmakers last week that the state delayed sharing the nursing home death toll over concerns about a Justice Department probe.

That’s some “classic Andrew Cuomo”, said de Blasio.

“A lot of people in New York state have received those phone calls. The bullying is nothing new,” he said.

“It’s very, very sad. No public servant, no person who’s telling the truth should be treated that way.”

Here is some more classic Cuomo: American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic

In hardcover for $18 on Amazon.

While Ivanka and Don Jr aren’t planning on entering the political fray any time soon, Lara (Trump by marriage to Eric) may make a Senate run in North Carolina, according to a new report.

That leaves the family patriarch as the most likely to re-enter politics after he refused to rule out a 2024 presidential bid during his media blitz comeback.

Bloomberg had the scoop, saying Ivanka called Marco Rubio on 2 February to say she doesn’t plan to run against him in 2022.

Don Jr, meanwhile, reportedly also doesn’t plan to run next election cycle despite a push to have him challenge Liz Cheney in Wyoming.

That leaves Lara Trump, who plans to move to Florida but may by a house in her native North Carolina to run for the seat of retiring Senator Richard Burr, according to Bloomberg’s sources.

In a statement released on Thursday, the 97-year-old former senator for Kansas said he would begin treatment on Monday.

“While I certainly have some hurdles ahead, I also know that I join millions of Americans who face significant health challenges of their own,” he said.

Mr Dole represented Kansas from 1969 to 1996, before a White House run challenging incumbent president Bill Clinton.

Oliver O’Connell has the story.

Gilberto Hinojosa, chair of the Texas Democratic party is leading the charge for his ousting, saying Abbot’s “lack of foresight and inability to manage this crisis is part of a repeated pattern.”

Gino Spocchia has the latest.

With the passing of the right-wing radio host who “trafficked in bigotry and cruelty” (as Rolling Stone put it), it’s worth taking a moment to bask in this glorious Simpsons parody of his blustering persona.

Birch Barlow (voiced by Harry Shearer) was first introduced in the 1994 episode “Sideshow Bob Roberts” and went on to become a semi-regular recurring character, superbly sending up conservative whataboutery.

Here’s one for all you fans of flagrant double-standards out there…

Apparently the Houston Police Department have been asked to guard him at the airport when he arrives home.

Trump’s former National Economic Council director was picked up by Fox News mics calling the veep’s criticism of the preceeding administration’s lacklustre vaccination efforts: “Bulls***! Bulls***! Bulls***!”

Kudlow was appearing as a guest pundit on America Reports when the a clip from Harris’s recent Axios on HBO was run, provoking his seething reponse.

Here’s James Crump with the inevitable grovelling apology.