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:
Mother Jones, The Moderate Voice, Politico, Little Green Footballs, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Business Insider, The Gateway Pundit, Occupy Democrats, The Verge, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Politicus USA, Engadget, Reuters, NBC News, Daily Kos, Defense One, Diane Ravitch's blog, Towleroad, Political Wire, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Al Jazeera English
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.
Mark Hosenball / Reuters:
Trump gets one presidential intelligence briefing a week: sources
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
Kathleen Hennessey / Associated Press:
Obama orders review of election-season hacking
Obama orders review of election-season hacking
Discussion:
The Atlantic and The Resurgent
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
RELATED:
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.
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
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
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, Political Wire, New York Times, Hot Air, Politico, RedState and Morning Consult
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
Exxon's Rex Tillerson Is Top Candidate for Secretary of State
Exxon's Rex Tillerson Is Top Candidate for Secretary of State
Discussion:
Mother Jones and Business Insider
Steve Holland / Reuters:
Exxon CEO is now Trump's secretary of state favorite -transition official
Exxon CEO is now Trump's secretary of state favorite -transition official
Discussion:
RedState
Shane Goldmacher / Politico:
Giuliani pulls name from contention for secretary of state
Giuliani pulls name from contention for secretary of state
Discussion:
Associated Press, No More Mister Nice Blog and twitchy.com
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 …
RELATED:
Kristin Salaky / Talking Points Memo:
Trump Hits Early Voting: Who Knows What Happens When Polls Are ‘Locked’ — It's been more than a month, but President-elect Donald Trump is still raising questions about the presidential election. — In what was supposed to be a stump speech for Republican Louisiana Senate candidate John Kennedy …
Discussion:
TheBlaze
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:
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
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 and Politico
RELATED:
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:
Washington Free Beacon, The Daily Signal, TheBlaze, Washington Post, The Resurgent and Hot Air
RELATED:
Andrew Restuccia / Politico:
McConnell, Cramer met to discuss potential Senate run
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
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
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
RELATED:
Steve M. / No More Mister Nice Blog:
COULD BREITBART BREAK WITH TRUMP?
COULD BREITBART BREAK WITH TRUMP?
Discussion:
The Hill, Salon, NBC News and Booman Tribune
Dylan Byers / CNNMoney:
Donald Trump's ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ deal may include money from brands — President-elect Donald Trump's financial arrangement with “Celebrity Apprentice” could provide him with a cut of the money generated by NBC's product integration deals for the show, a Hollywood source with direct knowledge of the arrangement told CNNMoney.
Discussion:
Media Matters for America and 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