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:
The Moderate Voice, Politico, Little Green Footballs, New York Times, Business Insider, The Gateway Pundit, Occupy Democrats, The Verge, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Politicus USA, Engadget, Reuters, Daily Kos, NBC News, Defense One, Towleroad, Political Wire, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Al Jazeera English
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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.
Mark Hosenball / Reuters:
Trump gets one presidential intelligence briefing a week: sources
Discussion:
RedState, Mediaite, USA Today, Common Dreams, Mother Jones, Jezebel, Hullabaloo, Political Wire and Talking Points Memo
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 … and Viking Pundit
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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
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.
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
Johnson, Sam:
Sam Johnson Unveils Plan to Permanently Save Social Security — WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Sam Johnson (TX-03) introduced legislation that will permanently save Social Security, ensuring this vital program continues to work for today's workers and beneficiaries and future generations.
Discussion:
Occupy Democrats
Andrew Biggs / Forbes:
At Last: A New Social Security Reform Plan — Social Security has been a quiet subject for Republicans since the collapse of President Bush's reform efforts in 2005. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Republican Members of Congress were seemingly lining up to present new plans …
Discussion:
New York Magazine
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
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Steve Holland / Reuters:
Exxon CEO is now Trump's secretary of state favorite -transition official
Discussion:
RedState
Wall Street Journal:
Exxon's Rex Tillerson Is Top Candidate for Secretary of State
Discussion:
Mother Jones and Business Insider
Shane Goldmacher / Politico:
Giuliani pulls name from contention for secretary of state
Discussion:
Associated Press, No More Mister Nice Blog and twitchy.com
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 …
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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 …
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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:
Mother Jones, New York Times, 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
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, TheBlaze, Washington Post, The Resurgent and Hot Air
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Andrew Restuccia / Politico:
McConnell, Cramer met to discuss potential Senate run
Discussion:
Say Anything, The Hill, Hot Air, Political Wire and Althouse
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:
CNN
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
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
James Hohmann / Washington Post:
The Daily 202: Trump over performed the most in counties with the highest drug, alcohol and suicide mortality rates — THE BIG IDEA: A new study from Penn State University suggests a relationship between the opioid epidemic and support for Donald Trump. — The president-elect performed better …
Discussion:
Instapundit and Investor's Business Daily
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Steve M. / No More Mister Nice Blog:
COULD BREITBART BREAK WITH TRUMP?
Discussion:
Salon, The Hill, NBC News and Booman Tribune
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, Philly.com, Law News and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion
Gordon Darroch / The Guardian:
Geert Wilders found guilty of inciting discrimination — Court declines to sentence Dutch far-right leader over comments that were ‘demeaning towards Moroccan population’ — The Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders has been found guilty of inciting discrimination against Dutch Moroccans …
Discussion:
Hot Air, Questions and Observations, TheBlaze and Liberty Unyielding
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
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
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