The latest instalment of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has begun, kicking off another four-day jamboree of grandstanding speeches, culture war grievances, and MAGA electioneering.

       The event will once more be headlined by Donald Trump, who will make its keynote address on Saturday before heading off to South Carolina for the state primary.

       As the event began, sexual assault allegations against chairman Matt Schlapp resurfaced in new court filings. He refused to comment when approached for comment by The Independent.

       Nikki Haley will not be there but did deliver a defiant message to Republicans this week as she pledged to fight on in the battle for the GOP presidential nomination.

       Meanwhile, Fox News commentator Jessica Tarlov has called the House impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden “embarrassing” after repeated witnesses appeared to weaken Republican claims that the president is corrupt.

       Speaking after an appearance on Capitol Hill by the commander-in-chief’s brother, James Biden, who accused the GOP of “flat-out lying” about his family, Tarlov said: “This is the path that they’ve chosen to take, and honestly I’m surprised that they have this high of a threshold for humiliation.”