Electors demand intelligence briefing before Electoral College vote  —  In its first show of public support for efforts questioning the legitimacy of Donald Trump's victory, Hillary Clinton's campaign said it is supporting a request by members of the Electoral College for an intelligence briefing …

Sam Venable: Santa grants a final wish  —  Eric Schmitt-Matzen looks every bit the part of Santa Claus.  —  His 6-foot frame carries 310 pounds, leaving “just enough of a lap for the kids to sit on,” he says with a gentle Kringley chuckle right out of Central Casting.  —  No fake facial fuzz for this guy.

McConnell rejects special panel for Russian election interference allegations  —  (R-Ky.) on Monday said recent findings by the CIA that the Russian government tied to influence the U.S. presidential election should be investigated by the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Russia Applauds Trump Dream Team as Exxon CEO Eyed for State  —  Tillerson emerges as possible secretary of state under Trump  —  Oilman would join security, defense picks welcomed in Moscow  —  With two decades of deal-making in Russia's vital oil industry under his belt, Rex Tillerson is Vladimir Putin's kind of man.

Trump Said to Postpone Announcement on Future of His Businesses  —  President-elect was set to outline his plans on Dec. 15  —  Transition officials say Trump focused on cabinet selections  —  President-elect Donald Trump is postponing until next month a previously announced news conference …

Pre-existing Conditions and Medical Underwriting in the Individual Insurance Market Prior to the ACA  —  Before private insurance market rules in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) took effect in 2014, health insurance sold in the individual market in most states was medically underwritten.1 …

Did Trump Make a Tactical Error?  —  RUSH: One of the things that Trump did was he took some shots at the intelligence community in his initial reaction to this.  —  And that may be — and I'm not totally decided yet on this, but that may be his first big mistake.

China flies nuclear bomber over South China Sea to ‘send a message’ to Donald Trump  —  China flew a nuclear-capable bomber outside its borders in a show of force less than a week before US President-elect Donald Trump's phone call with the president of Taiwan, it has been reported.

W.Va. official who lost job over racist Michelle Obama remark quietly reinstated  —  A West Virginia government employee who was removed from her position for a Facebook post referring to first lady Michelle Obama  —  as an “ape in heels” will get her job back, according to recent reports.

Trump risks war by turning the One China question into a bargaining chip  —  President-elect Donald Trump has just said that he considers America's One China policy a bargaining chip, to be traded off against other things that the United States wants from China.  In his description:

Donald Trump Interviewed Mitt Romney to ‘Torture’ Him, Roger Stone Says  —  Donald Trump's long-time but informal adviser Roger Stone says the Secretary of State job was dangled in front of Mitt Romney in order to “torture” him for previously opposing the president-elect.

Democrats fear another Trump trouncing  —  As Donald Trump's inauguration draws near, Democrats fear they remain woefully unprepared to fight the new president's agenda.  —  The party loses its standard-bearer once President Barack Obama leaves office, and the Democratic National Committee …

House Benghazi committee files final report and shuts down  —  WASHINGTON — The special congressional investigation into the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi is officially over now that the panel filed its final report the day before the House adjourned for the year.

Former Philadelphia Congressman Chaka Fattah sentenced to 10 years in prison  —  Former U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday, one of the longest terms of incarceration ever imposed on a member of Congress convicted of federal corruption crimes.

Obama to open post-presidency office in World Wildlife Fund headquarters  —  President Obama has been determining what he'll work on once he leaves the White House and now he has a place to do it.  —  Obama has agreed to lease office space in the headquarters building of the World Wildlife Fund …