Top Items:
Adam Entous / Washington Post:
Secret CIA assessment says Russia was trying to help Trump win White House — The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency, rather than just to undermine confidence in the U.S. electoral system, according to officials briefed on the matter.
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, Politicus USA, Mediaite, Daily Kos, NBC News, Defense One, Towleroad and Political Wire
RELATED:
Martin Matishak / Politico:
Obama orders ‘deep dive’ of election-related hacking — President Barack Obama has ordered a “deep dive” into the cyberattacks that plagued this year's election, the White House said Friday. — Obama has asked the intelligence community to deliver its final report before he leaves office.
Fred Barnes / Weekly Standard:
Learn from His Mistakes
Discussion:
Betsy's Page and Sabato's Crystal Ball
Katie Bo Williams / The Hill:
White House orders intelligence report of election cyberattacks
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Law News, Daily Kos and Washington Post
Chris Strohm / Bloomberg:
Obama Orders Investigation Into Election-Related Hacking
Discussion:
Politico, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Talking Points Memo and Washington Free Beacon
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Plans Major Social Security Cuts — We'll have a story coming shortly on what I just mentioned a short time ago: that Republicans are now planning to pass major cuts to Social Security this year. Specifically, this bill is being introduced by Rep. Sam Johnson, Chairman of the House Ways …
Discussion:
Suburban Guerrilla …
RELATED:
Joseph Lawler / Washington Examiner:
Key GOP lawmaker introduces Social Security reform plan — A Republican lawmaker introduced legislation Thursday to shore up Social Security's finances and boost benefits for low-income workers without raising taxes, a conservative version of reform that could gain attention under unified GOP government next year.
Discussion:
Politicus USA
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Going for the Big Enchilada — Republicans apparently aren't going to be satisfied with phasing out Medicare. They're going to try to pass huge cuts to Social Security this year too. Not Bush-style partial phaseout but just big, big cuts. And you're out of luck even if you're a current beneficiary.
Tierney Sneed / Talking Points Memo:
Key House GOPer Introduces Bill With Major Cuts To Social Security — A key House Republican on the issue of Social Security introduced a bill Thursday that would impose major cuts to the program. The bill, the Social Security Reform Act of 2016, was introduced by Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) …
Discussion:
Forbes and The Mahablog
Bloomberg:
Trump Team's Memo Hints at Broad Shake-Up of U.S. Energy Policy — Advisers seeking to identify staff involved in climate policy — Advisers to President-elect Donald Trump are developing plans to reshape Energy Department programs, help keep aging nuclear plants online and identify staff …
RELATED:
David Wright / CNN:
Conway on Trump ‘Apprentice’ role: He'll do it in his spare time — (CNN)Kellyanne Conway on Friday defended President-elect Donald Trump's decision to remain an executive producer on NBC's “Celebrity Apprentice” even as he takes office, arguing that “presidents have a right to do things in their spare time.”
RELATED:
Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:
Trump blasts early voting: ‘Many things can go wrong’ — Donald Trump on Friday expressed support for restricting voting rights. — Stumping for Louisiana Senate candidate John Kennedy, Trump urged supporters to help elect the Republican state treasurer to the U.S. Senate …
Kristin Salaky / Talking Points Memo:
Trump Hits Early Voting: Who Knows What Happens When Polls Are ‘Locked’
Discussion:
TheBlaze
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Expected to Pick Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers to Run Interior — If confirmed by the Senate, she would lead administration's efforts to open up federal lands and waters to fossil-fuel development — WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump is expected to tap Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers …
Discussion:
New York Times, Mother Jones, Political Wire, Hot Air, RedState, Politico and Morning Consult
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Robby Soave / Hit & Run:
Leftist Students Shouted ‘F*ck You B*itch’ at the Gay Director of a Pro-Trans Movie, Boys Don't Cry — There was a time not so long ago when the people shouting “f**k you bitch” at a gender-fluid gay filmmaker would have been bigoted right-wing conservatives.
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News
Wall Street Journal:
Donald Trump's Cabinet Selections Signal Deregulation Moves Are Coming — Business leaders predict changes may come in everything from overtime pay to power-plant emission rules — Business leaders are predicting a dramatic unraveling of regulations on everything from overtime pay …
RELATED:
Steve M. / No More Mister Nice Blog:
COULD BREITBART BREAK WITH TRUMP?
Discussion:
Salon, The Hill, NBC News and Booman Tribune
Ben Weyl / Politico:
Democrats cave and shutdown threat evaporates — They went right up to the brink, but Senate Democrats said on Friday night that they never intended to shut down the federal government over a dispute about coal miners' benefits. — Though they took a hard line against a GOP proposal to fund …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, The Daily Signal, Washington Free Beacon, Washington Post, TheBlaze, The Resurgent and Hot Air
RELATED:
Andrew Restuccia / Politico:
McConnell, Cramer met to discuss potential Senate run
Discussion:
Say Anything, The Hill, Hot Air, Political Wire and Althouse
Harper Neidig / The Hill:
Giuliani won't serve in Trump administration — Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a longtime Donald Trump — ally, will not be serving in the president-elect's administration. — Giuliani has removed himself from consideration for any position in the new administration, the Trump transition team announced Friday.
Discussion:
ABC News
RELATED:
Shane Goldmacher / Politico:
Giuliani pulls name from contention for secretary of state
Discussion:
Associated Press, twitchy.com and No More Mister Nice Blog
TMZ.com:
T.J. Miller — Arrested for Uber Fight Over Trump ... 'Tis the Season?? — “Silicon Valley” star T.J. Miller got arrested in Hollywood for allegedly making his Uber driver see stars, and not the good rating kind either. — Law enforcement sources tell us T.J.'s driver picked him up from the GQ Men …
Discussion:
LAist, The Guardian, East Bay Times, SFist and Washington Times
Jim Geraghty / National Review:
Obama's Second Term Was a Complete Failure — There's no other way to describe it. — Every December, Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post picks the biggest political loser of the past year. — In 2013, Cillizza's selection was Barack Obama. He cited the botched rollout of Healthcare.gov …
Discussion:
Questions and Observations and CNN
Harper Neidig / The Hill:
Report: Trump wants as many as 5 generals in Cabinet — is considering tapping as many as five generals for his Cabinet, Politico reported Friday. — Trump has already selected three retired top military officers for his administration — Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn for national security adviser …
Discussion:
Business Insider, alan.com and Politico
RELATED:
Edward Morrissey / The Fiscal Times:
Trump's Cabinet: A Conservative About Face Toward Growth and Change
Discussion:
New York Magazine, ewg.org and Vox
Perry Stein / Washington Post:
None of the inauguration protests have their proper permits yet. Here's why. — Groups seeking to protest in the nation's capital the day of, and days around, the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump say they are being kept in limbo because officials have yet to issue permits for demonstrations.
Discussion:
Refinery29, DCist, TheBlaze, Mediaite, Jezebel, France 24, The Guardian and New York Magazine
Jonathan Oosting / Detroit News:
Michigan Supreme Court denies Stein's recount appeal — Lansing — The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday denied Green Party candidate Jill Stein's appeal to restart a partially completed presidential election recount, meaning President-elect Donald Trump's 10,704-vote victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton stands.
Discussion:
Hot Air, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Philly.com and Law News
Matthew Yglesias / Vox:
Let's relocate a bunch of government agencies to the Midwest — Time to shift economic activity from the overcrowded coasts to places that need more of it. — America's post-industrial Midwest is far from being the country's poorest region. To find the direst economic conditions in the United States …
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money
WTTG-TV:
Prince George's Co. liquor board chairman charged with DUI after MGM grand opening — NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The chairman of the Prince George's County liquor board is facing DUI and reckless driving charges after an accident that took place as he was leaving the grand opening …
Discussion:
Raw Story
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