Trump picks Betsy DeVos for education secretary post  —  Lansing — President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he intends to appoint West Michigan GOP mega donor and philanthropist Betsy DeVos to be his education secretary, putting an ardent supporter of school choice in charge of the nation's education policy.

Donald Trump's New York Times Interview: Full Transcript  —  Following is a transcript of President-elect Donald J. Trump's interview on Tuesday with reporters, editors and opinion columnists from The New York Times.  The transcription was prepared by Liam Stack, Jonah Engel Bromwich, Karen Workman and Tim Herrera of The Times.

Want to Know if the Election was Hacked?  Look at the Ballots  —  You may have read at NYMag that I've been in discussions with the Clinton campaign about whether it might wish to seek recounts in critical states.  That article, which includes somebody else's description of my views …

Gov. Nikki Haley picked to become UN ambassador, sources say … COLUMBIA — President-elect Donald Trump is picking South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to become his U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, The Post and Courier has learned.  —  The move, expected Wednesday …

Burnet County judge apologizes for ‘time for a tree and a rope’ comment  —  The top elected official in Burnet County commented on Facebook that it is “time for a tree and a rope” in a post regarding the arrest of the man suspected of killing San Antonio police Det.

Trump offers housing secretary job to man who wants to gut law banning housing discrimination  —  It would be a bonanza for banks if he succeeds.  —  Remember Dr. Ben Carson, the genius brain surgeon who spent most of his presidential campaign acting as a living demonstration of why great success …

Donald Trump Jr. Held Talks on Syria With Russia Supporters  —  Disclosure of the Paris meetings in October could heighten focus on the president-elect's desire to cooperate with the Kremlin  —  WASHINGTON—Donald Trump's eldest son, emerging as a potential envoy for the president-elect …

Key adviser claims Elton John will play at Trump's inauguration  —  Elton John will perform at Donald Trump's inauguration, claimed a key adviser, who championed the billionaire as the first president ever to enter the White House with a “pro-gay rights” stance.

NY Lawmaker Names Bill To Ban Conversion Therapy After Mike Pence  —  A New York legislator has introduced a bill that would ban the practice of conversion therapy for LGBT people in Erie County, local news station WBFO reported Tuesday.  —  The proposal made headlines Wednesday for its acronym …

Robert De Niro changes tune on Trump  —  Robert De Niro is striking a more diplomatic tone regarding President-elect Donald Trump  —  , whom he previously said he'd like to “punch ... in the face.”  —  “I would only say that we're all hoping, waiting and hoping, that he will lead the country …

Trump adviser received salary from charity while steering Breitbart News  —  Donald Trump's chief White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon accepted $376,000 in pay over four years for working 30 hours a week at a tiny tax-exempt charity in Tallahassee while also serving as the hands-on executive chairman of Breitbart News Network.

Scarborough: Obama came in as ‘Black Jesus’  —  MSNBC's Joe Scarborough on Wednesday said President-elect Donald Trump  —  will benefit from low expectations compared to President Obama, who entered office as “black Jesus.”  —  “Obama came in as black Jesus,” Scarborough, a former GOP congressman, said on “Morning Joe.”

Soros pledges $10M to fight hate crimes  —  Billionaire Democratic donor George Soros says he will commit $10 million from his personal foundation to fight a rise of hate crimes he links to President-elect Donald Trump  —  's “incendiary rhetoric.”  —  Soros, a business magnate and Holocaust survivor …

Police: East End shooter said ‘another piece of trash off the street’ … The 62-year-old man accused of shooting and killing an unarmed teenager on Charleston's East End Monday night was not allowed to have a gun, because of a previous domestic violence conviction.

Journalism faces an ‘existential crisis’ in Trump era  —  CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour has been awarded the Committee to Project Journalists' Burton Benjamin Memorial Award for “extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom.”

Sanders: Difficult to discuss ‘serious issues’ in current media  —  is lamenting that he had to take to the talk show circuit during his White House bid in attempts to discuss “serious issues.”  —  The famously private Vermont senator was a frequent guest on late-night and daytime talk shows …