Explosive new revelations just weakened Trump's impeachment defenses  —  If Mitch McConnell is going to pull off his scheme to turn President Trump's impeachment trial into a quick and painless sham with no witnesses, the Senate majority leader needs the story to be covered …

Joe Biden says he would consider a Republican for his running mate  —  Exeter, New Hampshire (CNN)Joe Biden told voters in New Hampshire on Monday that he would consider choosing a Republican as a running mate, but added, “I can't think of one right now.”  —  Biden discussed the possibility …

Judge dismisses impeachment suit from ex-White House aide  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit from a former White House official who had challenged a congressional subpoena in the impeachment inquiry involving President Donald Trump.

I ignored warnings from friends and family not to marry my husband.  Was I making a big mistake?  —  When I was 20, a man I barely knew proposed without a ring  —  I said yes.  —  Our friends were alarmed about our fast decisions to marry and move from Tennessee to New York City.

Sunbelt Set to Gain Congressional Seats, Data Show  —  Americans are moving to states with warm weather, strong job growth and cheaper housing  —  WASHINGTON—New state population totals released Monday offer fresh signs of how the Sunbelt will gain political power after the 2020 census.

Suspect in Monsey Stabbings Searched Online for ‘Hitler,’ Charges Say  —  Officials said the suspect, who is charged with hate crimes, also expressed anti-Semitic views in his journal.  —  In his journal, prosecutors said, he wrote about Hitler and “Nazi culture.”

West Virginia correctional cadets who gave Nazi salute in photo will all be fired  —  “Now, we must continue to move forward and work diligently to make sure nothing like this ever happens again,” Gov. Jim Justice said in a statement Monday.  —  West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said Monday …

AP Exclusive: Trump ally may have broken Venezuela sanctions  —  MIAMI (AP) — Erik Prince, a major Republican donor and founder of controversial security firm Blackwater, has been referred to the U.S. Treasury Department for possible sanctions violations tied to his recent trip to Venezuela …

Obama, Trump Tie as Most Admired Man in 2019  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Barack Obama and Donald Trump are tied this year as the most admired man.  It is Obama's 12th time in the top spot versus the first for Trump.  Michelle Obama is the most admired woman for the second year in a row.

Ivanka Trump Is a Senior Adviser to the President.  She Should Be Asked Tough Questions.  —  The morning after Donald Trump became only the third president in U.S. history to be impeached, his senior adviser Ivanka Trump — who also doubles as his eldest daughter — sat down for a rare interview with CBS …

This is what it is like to be attacked by the president  —  James Comey is a former FBI director and deputy attorney general.  —  What's it like to be personally and publicly attacked by the president of the United States?  Like many others in and out of government, I have some experience.

Biden Rebounds, Warren Slows, Sanders Rolls: The Latest on the 2020 Money Race  —  An early look at fourth-quarter fund-raising shows Joseph R. Biden Jr. bouncing back, Elizabeth Warren lagging her previous benchmark and Bernie Sanders continuing to haul in cash.

Bret Stephens and the Perils of the Tapped-Out Column  —  New York Times columnist Bret Stephens ambushed and gravely wounded his own career on the evening of Dec. 27 when his piece about—bear with me here—the alleged superior intelligence of Ashkenazi Jews went live on the Times website.

Parnas Pushes to Share His Info With House Intel  —  The ex-Giuliani associate asked for permission to send the contents of an iPhone to Hill investigators.  —  Lev Parnas, a former Rudy Giuliani associate charged with financial crimes, is still sharing material with congressional investigators …

Bronx wind turbine's blades fly off, smashing car and billboard  —  Blades from a wind turbine in Baychester flew off the massive structure Monday, crashing to the street below, according to officials.  —  No one was injured — but a car was smashed and a billboard was knocked down around 1:20 p.m …

Our Year of Trumpschmerz  —  So much for the holidays.  In the quiet of Christmas and New Year's, the President of the United States has repeatedly attacked “Crazy Nancy” Pelosi and her family, inveighed against the “bogus Impeachment Scam” and circulated the alleged name of the C …

Carlos Ghosn Flees Trial in Japan for Lebanon  —  Former Nissan, Renault chief was awaiting trial for alleged financial wrongdoing  —  Carlos Ghosn, the former chief of Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA, unexpectedly left Japan, where he is facing trial for alleged financial wrongdoing …

CIA devised way to restrict missiles given to allies, researcher says  —  LEIPZIG, Germany (Reuters) - The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has devised technology to restrict the use of anti-aircraft missiles after they leave American hands, a researcher said, a move that experts say could persuade …

Pelosi's half right constitutional claim leaves the House all wrong  —  Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe penned an editorial column over the weekend in support of the refusal of Speaker Nancy Pelosi to submit House articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial.

‘Make sure your vote is on target’: Man who stopped Texas church shooter is running for office  —  The man who fired back and saved the lives of his fellow churchgoers in Texas is running for office with the campaign slogan: “Make sure your vote is on target.”

Why This Veteran Is Suing One of the Joint Chiefs for Sexual Assault  —  Twenty-eight-year veteran Kathryn Spletstoser couldn't get the military to take her claims against a decorated Air Force general seriously.  Now she's making those claims in court.  —  Army Lt. Col. Kathryn Spletstoser just wanted to fade into retirement.

Trump's use of homelessness as a political cudgel exposes his cynical disregard for blue states  —  Trump during a visit to California to inspect wildfire damage in November 2018.  SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images  —  It's not coincidental that he's making a big issue out of homelessness in California and New York but not in Florida.

Virginia Beach to hold special session to consider “Second Amendment Constitutional City” resolution  —  The Virginia Beach City Council will hold a pair of special sessions next week to discuss — and vote — on becoming a “Second Amendment Constitutional City.”

Axios AM  —  Subscribe  —  Happy Monday!  — Situational awareness: A Chinese scientist who set off an ethical debate with claims that he had made the world's first genetically edited babies was sentenced to three years in prison because of his research.  (AP)

‘Shattered’: Inside the secret battle to save America's undercover spies in the digital age  —  When hackers began slipping into computer systems at the Office of Personnel Management in the spring of 2014, no one inside that federal agency could have predicted the potential scale and magnitude of the damage.

DNC rejects Yang's request for new polls ahead of next debate  —  The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is rejecting a recent request from tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang to commission new early-state polling ahead of the January presidential primary debate to make up for the lack of surveys during the holiday season.