Trump Picks Scott Pruitt, Climate Change Denialist, to Lead E.P.A.  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump has selected Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma attorney general and a close ally of the fossil fuel industry, to run the Environmental Protection Agency, signaling Mr. Trump's determination …

John Kelly, Retired Marine General, Is Trump's Choice to Lead Homeland Security  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump has settled on Gen. John F. Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general whose son was killed in combat in Afghanistan, as his choice for secretary of homeland security …

The Comet Ping Pong Gunman Answers Our Reporter's Questions  —  WASHINGTON — Edgar M. Welch, 28, of Salisbury, N.C., was arrested Sunday after firing a gun inside a pizza restaurant in Washington as he investigated false claims in online articles that the pizzeria was at the center of a child sex slave ring, the police said.

Jarrett: Trump's victory felt like ‘a punch to the stomach’  —  Senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett said Wednesday that President-elect Donald Trump's surprise victory on Election Day was “like a punch to the stomach” and “soul-crushing,” but that the mood inside the White House has improved since then.

The Last, Greatest Deal  —  For nearly 17 months on the campaign trail, Trump did what no American politician had attempted in a generation, with defiant flair.  Instead of painting a bright vision for a unified future, he magnified the divisions of the present, inspiring new levels of anger and fear within his country.

Federal judge kills recount effort in Michigan  —  A federal judge has stopped the hand recount of nearly 5 million ballots in Michigan, a decision that seems to secure Donald Trump  —  's narrow victory in the traditionally blue state.  —  U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith …

Study: Clinton-Trump coverage was a feast of false equivalency  —  U.S. media organizations are locked into such a negative mind-set that they portrayed Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton as equally pernicious and scurrilous pretenders to the presidency.  That, at least, is the conclusion …

Schumer: If Republicans destroy our health system, we won't throw them a lifeline  —  THE MORNING PLUM:  —  The emerging GOP plan to repeal Obamacare on a delayed schedule — and then maybe kinda sorta replace it later — has raised a big question: Will Democrats help Republicans pass …

Trump picks wrestling magnate Linda McMahon to lead Small Business Administration  —  Donald Trump has picked Linda McMahon, co-founder of pro wrestling company WWE, to lead his Small Business Administration, his transition team said Wednesday.  —  The 68-year-old McMahon was a major Trump backer during his campaign.

Black employees file class-action lawsuit against CNN, Turner  —  This was posted on Wednesday, December 7, 2016 by Rodney Ho on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog  —  Former and current black employees on Tuesday filed a class action lawsuit against Atlanta-based CNN, Turner Broadcasting …

How Branstad to Beijing could reshape Iowa's political landscape  —  Should Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad be named ambassador to China - a strong possibility, it appears - it'll be big news in Washington and Beijing.  —  But don't overlook its impact in Des Moines.

Empowered by Trump, Ohio legislature passes ‘heartbeat’ bill that would ban most abortions  —  Ohio lawmakers passed a bill late Tuesday that would prohibit abortion as soon as a fetal heartbeat can be detected — at around six weeks, before many women realize they are pregnant.

Sandy Hook denier arrested after death threats made to parent of victim … A Florida woman who believes the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting was a hoax was arrested Monday on charges she threatened the parent of a child killed in the 2012 school shooting.

Denzel Washington blasts media for selling ‘BS’  —  He was at the center of a fake news story, but Denzel Washington says it's the mainstream media that's selling “BS.”  —  “If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed.  If you do read it, you're misinformed,” Washington …

Bad Santa?  Boy claims he was body shamed by St. Nick  —  FOREST CITY, N.C. (WLOS) - It's practically straight out of a “Bad Santa” movie.  —  A North Carolina mother wants the local Santa Claus fired after saying things that put her 9-year-old son in tears.

No, Senate Democrats Can't Use The ‘Nuclear Option’ To Confirm Merrick Garland  —  Having watched continued control of the White House slip away, progressive activists are now furiously searching for ways to rescue Merrick Garland's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

US Steel wants to accelerate investments, bring back jobs, CEO says  —  US Steel CEO: All we've been looking for is fairness  —  United States Steel would like to accelerate its investments and hire back laid-off employees now that Donald Trump will be occupying the Oval Office, CEO Mario Longhi told CNBC on Wednesday.

Sofía Vergara sued by her own embryos  —  MORE FROM:  —  The battle over Sofia Vergara's embryos took an extraordinary turn Tuesday — when a right-to-live lawsuit was filed on behalf of the fertilized eggs against their mom.  —  The female embryos are listed as plaintiffs “Emma” …