OnPolitics: Will GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy be the next House Speaker?

Happy hump day, OnPolitics readers.

More on the two suspects accused of impersonating law enforcement agents: A federal magistrate Tuesday rejected prosecutors' request to detain Arian Taherzadeh and Haider Ali, who were arrested last week for offering personal gifts, including rent-free apartments, to at least two members of the Secret Service.

The two allegedly posed as federal law enforcement agents to gain access to the agency, but U.S. Magistrate G. Michael Harvey questioned their ability to follow through on the lavish gifts.

Harvey also said there is no evidence that Taherzadeh, 40, and Ali, 35, tried to infiltrate the Secret Service or posed a risk to national security.

"There has been no showing that national security information has been compromised," he ruled.

The suspects were scheduled for release Wednesday morning for proper placement in home confinement with family members. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said the government would possibly appeal Harvey's ruling.

Defense lawyers argued for release of alleged impersonators: Attorneys representing Taherzadeh and Ali said prosecutors had spun "the wildest conspiracy theories imaginable" by grossly exaggerating claims against their clients.

It's Amy and Chelsey with today's top stories out of Washington.

GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy shoots for House speaker amid divided party

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is treading a thin line between the moderate and far right wings of his party in an attempt to climb the ladder to House speaker, a role currently occupied by political opponent and fellow representative from California, Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

But maintaining a balance between the conservatives who attend white nationalist rallies, the traditionalists weary of RINO accusations ("Republicans In Name Only") and the few House Republicans who have publicly denounced former President Donald Trump will prove tricky.

A GOP House majority could ensure McCarthy the role he's openly coveted for so long, but heavy opposition from one Republican faction toward another could hurt the party's chances during the November midterm elections.

"If he tries to silence the crazies, they will turn against him, possibly denying him a majority in the House vote on the speakership," said Jack Pitney, a government professor at Claremont McKenna College in California. "If he doesn't try to silence the crazies, the party will suffer reputational damage, and non-crazy Republicans will start looking for another leader."

If Republicans triumph in November, experts say McCarthy has a good chance at the speaker role.

"McCarthy has strong support because he is a prolific fundraiser and has tremendous depth on policy," said Alice Stewart, who served as the chief spokeswoman for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s 2016 presidential campaign. "The wildcard is the new incoming GOP member class, who could be campaigning on an anti-establishment, non-vote for McCarthy, platform. If that were to happen, anything's possible."

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• Kyiv or Kiev? Ukrainian language experts say the distinctions between Russian and Ukrainian spellings and pronunciations, particularly of cities, are vital to recognizing the two countries as separate.

• Meadows' NC voter card revoked: Mark Meadows has been removed from North Carolina's voter rolls as the State Bureau of Investigation continues a probe into allegations the former White House chief of staff committed election fraud.

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Is Russia committing genocide? Biden thinks so.

President Joe Biden called Russia's attack on Ukraine a "genocide" on Tuesday while talking with reporters before heading back to the White House from Iowa.

The statement comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin said peace talks had reached a "dead end" and Russian troops will not leave Ukraine until the Kremlin's goals are accomplished.

“It’s become clearer and clearer that Putin is trying to wipe out the idea of being Ukrainian,” Biden said.

Death count rises: Over 10,000 civilians have been killed in city of Mariupol since the beginning of the invasion in February, Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said Monday. That number could reach more than 20,000 in Mariupol alone, according to Boychenko.

How do you prove genocide? Harold Hongju Koh, an international law professor at Yale Law School, told USA TODAY that in order to prove genocide, there has to be a high level of intent.

"The tricky part of it which is relevant to the President's statement yesterday is if I kill one person, that's homicide," he said. "If I kill that person with the intent to destroy every person of that persons ethnic group, then it could be a part of genocide, but you don't know."

Leading the league: San Francisco Giants' Alyssa Nakken becomes the first female coach on the field for a Major League Baseball game. Check out more coverage of this season from USA TODAY's Sports team.-- Amy and Chelsey

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Republican Kevin McCarthy wants to be House Speaker of a divided party