The Hill’s 12:30 Report — New clarity on American journalist’s World Cup death

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–> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.* 

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically.

NEWS THIS MORNING 

Wife of American reporter who collapsed at World Cup reveals his cause of death:

Last week, American soccer reporter Grant Wahl collapsed during a World Cup game in Qatar and died. His wife announced this morning that he died of an aortic aneurysm.

Wahl’s wife, Céline Gounder, said on “CBS Mornings”: “It’s just one of these things that had been likely brewing for years, and for whatever reason it happened at this point in time.” Watch her interview on CBS News 

Gounder also posted a statement: “No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him. His death was unrelated to COVID. His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death.” Read Gounder’s full statement on her husband’s death, the autopsy and the outpour of international support 

WHY THERE WAS ANY QUESTION ABOUT HIS CAUSE OF DEATH: 

Wahl was detained at an earlier World Cup match for wearing an LGBTQ+ pride shirt in the conservative Muslim country of Qatar. Full story from ESPN 

Wahl’s brother Eric said after Grant’s death: “I am gay, I am the reason he wore the rainbow shirt to the World Cup. My brother was healthy, he told me he received death threats. I do not believe my brother just died. I believe he was killed, and I just beg for any help.” 

^ Eric Wahl later said he no longer suspects any foul play.

It’s Wednesday — Christmas Eve is 10 days away! I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. 

🗓 Today marks 10 years

I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since the tragedy in Newtown: 

Ten years ago today, a gunman entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and killed 20 children and six teachers. 

Remembering the victims: Here are photos and bios of each of the victims from that day. From CT Insider 

Biden said in a statement on Wednesday: “We should have societal guilt for taking too long to deal with this problem. We have a moral obligation to pass and enforce laws that can prevent these things from happening again. We owe it to the courageous, young survivors and to the families who lost part of their soul ten years ago to turn their pain into purpose.” 

From the Newtown Bee: “Ten Years Ago Today: The World Begins Responding To School Shootings With Signs Of Support And Gestures Of Kindness.” Read the full piece 

‘10 Years Later, a State Trooper Who Responded to Sandy Hook Looks Back’: From The New York Times’s Elizabeth Williamson 

NBC’s ‘Today’ compiled a list of organizations to honor the victims: List of the 26 charities and organizations 

The children would have been more than halfway through high school today: The New Republic’s Grace Segers pointed out, “The children murdered at Sandy Hook should be HS juniors. They should be preparing for college, experiencing first love, stressing over SAT prep. The educators killed should be helping the next generation. We mourn not only the loss of who they were, but who they could have been.” 

Throwback: Watch former President Obama’s remarks on that day 

🐘 In the GOP 

McConnell’s strategy — Step 1: weaken; Step 2: attack:

“Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is stepping up his attacks on former President Trump as Trump’s support dips.”   

And I’m not just talking one comment: McConnell has directly criticized Trump at least three times in three weeks. For example, McConnell on Tuesday blamed Trump for “candidate quality” hurting Republicans in the midterms. 

Where Trump’s support stands — one GOP senator referred to him as ‘leaking oil’: “A USA Today-Suffolk University poll published Tuesday showed that 61 percent of Republican and Republican-leaning voters want someone else to be the party’s nominee for president in 2024.” The same poll also showed that voters preferred Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) over Trump. 

More on the GOP infighting, via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton 

MEANWHILE — ‘NEW CONTROVERSIES DEEPEN GOP’S “EXTREMIST” PROBLEM’:

Read Niall Stanage’s column in The Hill 

‘RICK SCOTT FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE AFTER BRUISING MIDTERM YEAR’:

The Hill’s Max Greenwood explains

🌈 In the White House 

‘So don’t be afraid to let them show, your true colors’: 

President Biden held a ceremony at the White House on Tuesday to sign the Respect for Marriage Act.  

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS: 

Photo of the ceremony on the White House lawn 

The White House lit up with rainbow colors last night: https://bit.ly/3HByWUe

What song played after Biden signed the bill into law?: Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” Watch 

Cyndi Lauper sang ‘True Colors’: Watch her performance

In Congress 

Ooh! Love an update like this:

Lawmakers have finally reached a deal on framework to fund the government for fiscal 2023. 

Who reached the bipartisan deal?: Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said he reached the deal with Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.). 

From Leahy: “The pain of inflation is real, and it is being felt across the federal government and by American families right now. We cannot delay our work any further, and a two-month continuing resolution does not provide any relief.”  

Timing: Lawmakers must pass a short-term funding bill to buy time to finalize the omnibus. The House is expected to pass a one-week funding bill on Wednesday. 

Where the omnibus stands

🦠 The latest with COVID-19  

LONG COVID IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THOUSANDS OF DEATHS: 

At least 3,544 deaths in the United States are due to long COVID-19, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Details 

TODAY’S COVID-19 NUMBERS: 

Cases to date: 99.2 million 

Death toll: 1,080,472 

Current hospitalizations: 29,854 

Shots administered: 657 million 

Fully vaccinated: 68.9 percent of Americans 

CDC data here.

🐥Notable tweets 

Ouch:

Journalist Matt Laslo tweeted a photo of actress Angelina Jolie on Capitol Hill. “Angelina Jolie meeting with [Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.)] who tells me, ‘I don’t know why she’s here.’” Photo and video of Jolie on Capitol Hill 

Laslo later added: “After their meeting @RepJerryNadler refused to comment about what they discussed.”  

The royal family looks so casual!:

Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, released their family’s 2022 Christmas card. William is wearing jeans, Prince George has his shirt untucked and Princess Charlotte is wearing a romper! Photo

⏱On tap 

The House and Senate are in. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C. 

• 9 a.m.: Biden received his daily briefing. 
• Noon: The Senate holds a roll call vote. Today’s Senate agenda 
• 1 p.m.: First House votes of the day. Today’s House agenda 
• 3:40 p.m.: Biden hosts a small group multilateral meeting with leaders. 
• 5 p.m.: The Senate holds a confirmation vote for an ambassador. 
• 7 p.m.: Biden and first lady Jill Biden host the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit dinner at the White House. Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff attend. 
• 8 p.m.: Last House votes of the day. 
• Just announced — March 19: Actor Adam Sandler receives the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Details 

All times Eastern.

📺What to watch

• 10 a.m.: The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee held a hearing on the FTX collapse. Watch 
• 1:30 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Livestream 
• 2:30 p.m.: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell holds a news conference. Livestream 

🐟 In lighter news 

Today is National Bouillabaisse Day. 

And to continue the holiday cheer, here is quite the festive crew.