Top Items:
Washington Post:
Russian hackers penetrated U.S. electricity grid through a utility in Vermont, U.S. officials say — A code associated with the Russian hacking operation dubbed Grizzly Steppe by the Obama administration has been detected within the system of a Vermont utility, according to U.S. officials.
RELATED:
Mikael Thalen / Infowars:
Washington Post Stirs Fear After False Report of Power Grid Hack by Russia — Story quickly falls apart after investigation finds claims to be inaccurate — The Washington Post reported Friday that the U.S. power grid had been hacked by the same Russian actors accused of breaching the DNC - the only problem, the grid wasn't hacked.
Burlington Free Press:
Russia penetrated Burlington Electric utility company computer — Russian hackers penetrated a Burlington Electric laptop, according to Commissioner Chris Recchia of the Vermont Public Service Board. — Burlington Electric Department is owned by the city of Burlington.
Discussion:
Engadget and emptywheel
Matthew Wisner / Fox Business:
Alan Dershowitz: If Keith Ellison is Appointed DNC Chair, I Will Resign My Membership — As the debate continues over the Obama administration's handling of the U.N. resolution condemning Israeli settlements, there are signs it is causing a divide within the Democratic Party.
RELATED:
Nikita Vladimirov / The Hill:
Dershowitz: I'll leave Democratic Party if Ellison becomes DNC chair
Dershowitz: I'll leave Democratic Party if Ellison becomes DNC chair
Discussion:
alan.com, Vox and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Claudia Rosett / The Hill:
Obama settling old grudges — but not against Russian, Israeli leaders
Obama settling old grudges — but not against Russian, Israeli leaders
Discussion:
Politico, Hot Air and Washington Post
Elliot Smilowitz / The Hill:
Trump tweets: Happy new year to my enemies who ‘lost so badly’ — on Saturday tweeted out a taunting New Year's greeting to those who opposed him. — “Happy New Year to all, including to my many enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don't know what to do. Love!”
Discussion:
RedState, The Gateway Pundit and Politicus USA
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Rebecca Morin / Politico:
Trump tweets Happy New Year to his ‘many enemies’ who ‘lost so badly’ — President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday tweeted a New Year's message to his supporters and his “many enemies.” — “Happy New Year to all, including to my many enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don't know what to do.
Bloomberg:
Trump Said to Weigh Aide's Husband for Top Legal Job — Corporate lawyer George Conway in line for solicitor general — Conway has handled high-profile clients for law firm — President-elect Donald Trump is considering George Conway, a long-time corporate lawyer and the husband …
Discussion:
BizPac Review
RELATED:
Jeremy Diamond / CNN:
Kellyanne Conway's husband on short list for top US lawyer job
Kellyanne Conway's husband on short list for top US lawyer job
Discussion:
Josh Blackman's Blog and Mediaite
Nikita Vladimirov / The Hill:
Trump considering Conway's husband for solicitor general: report
Amber Phillips / Washington Post:
N.C.'s outgoing GOP governor appears to make one last attempt to stick it to the Democrat who beat him — With just one day to go before he leaves office, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) threw a legal hail mary to the U.S. Supreme Court in another apparent effort to undermine his Democratic successor's ability to govern.
Discussion:
Raleigh News & Observer, electionlawblog.org, NPR and Raw Story
RELATED:
Paulina Firozi / The Hill:
Judge halts North Carolina law stripping incoming Dem governor's power
Judge halts North Carolina law stripping incoming Dem governor's power
Discussion:
Townhall.com, Politico, Political Wire, Associated Press, Daily Kos and RedState
Sarah K. Burris / Raw Story:
Conservative radio host caught in lie that Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang at Obama Inauguration — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — Conservative radio host Ben Ferguson, asserted that the woman that quit the Mormon Tabernacle Choir because she refused to sing for President-elect Donald Trump …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Jan Chamberlin and Salt Lake Tribune
Washington Post:
Trump refuses to face reality about Russia — ALTHOUGH PRESIDENT Obama's sanctions against Russia for interfering with the U.S. presidential election came late, his action on Thursday reflected a bipartisan consensus that penalties must be imposed for Moscow's audacious hacking and meddling.
Discussion:
TheBlaze, Raw Story, Tech Times, BizPac Review, The Week, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Sputnik International, FOX40, Hot Air, Shareblue, Deadline, CNBC, Politicus USA, NPR and The Times of Israel
Associated Press:
Mexican Man Charged With Rape Had 19 Deportations, Removals — A Mexican man accused of raping a 13-year-old girl on a Greyhound bus that traveled through Kansas had been deported 10 times and voluntarily removed from the U.S. another nine times since 2003, records obtained by The Associated Press show.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Power Line and TheBlaze
Gordon Fairclough / Wall Street Journal:
Turkish Authorities Detain Wall Street Journal Staff Reporter Dion Nissenbaum for 2½ Days — American journalist held without access to lawyers or family, leaves Turkey for U.S. after release — Turkish authorities detained a Wall Street Journal staff reporter for 2½ days this past week …
James Risen / New York Times:
If Donald Trump Targets Journalists, Thank Obama — WASHINGTON — If Donald J. Trump decides as president to throw a whistle-blower in jail for trying to talk to a reporter, or gets the F.B.I. to spy on a journalist, he will have one man to thank for bequeathing him such expansive power: Barack Obama.
Discussion:
Viking Pundit and Althouse
Neil MacFarquhar / New York Times:
How Russians Pay to Play in Other Countries — PRAGUE — For a brief moment, it seemed that the powerful adviser's head might roll at the Castle. After he lost his long legal battle over a hefty state fine, the Czech president warned him to pay up or lose his post. — Then a guardian angel materialized from Moscow.
Alina Selyukh / NPR:
U.S. Ethics Chief Was Behind Those Tweets About Trump, Records Show — In November, the typically straitlaced Office of Government Ethics surprised observers with a series of tweets mimicking Donald Trump's bombastic style, exclamation points and all: “Brilliant! Divestiture is good for you, good for America!”
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
The White House:
Behind the Lens: 2016 Year in Photographs — For the eighth and final time, I am presenting my annual Year in Photographs. — All of them were taken either by me or a White House photographer on my staff. For many of the images, I've included the backstory behind the image …
Kenneth P. Vogel / Politico:
Mar-a-Lago sold tickets to New Year's Eve party with Trump — Mar-a-Lago, the pricey private resort in Palm Beach, Florida, sold hundreds of tickets at more than $500 a piece to an annual New Year's Eve extravaganza planned for Saturday night that will feature a very special guest …
Discussion:
Politicus USA, Fox News Insider, Shareblue, Mediaite, Hullabaloo, Post On Politics and Political Wire
Lucas Tomlinson / Fox News:
No US carrier at sea leaves gap in Middle East — For the next week, not only will there be no U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in the Middle East, but there will be no American aircraft carriers deployed at sea anywhere else in the world, despite a host of worldwide threats facing the United States.
Dr. Susan Berry / Breitbart:
Girl Wants Boy Scout Group to say she is a Transgender Boy — An eight-year-old girl in Secaucus, N.J., says Boy Scout officials should treat her as a transgender boy, and let her join a boys' Cub Scout pack. — The child, who is a biological girl but has been living as a “transgender boy” …
Discussion:
BarbWire.com and The Gateway Pundit
John Hayward / Breitbart:
Steve Bannon: ‘Hobbits and Deplorables Had a Great Run in 2016,’ but It's Only ‘Top of the First Inning’ — Stephen K. Bannon, former Breitbart News executive chairman, founding host of Breitbart News Daily, and now chief political strategist for the incoming Trump White House, made a special appearance on the final live show of 2016.
Discussion:
Daily Mail and Politico