White House tells federal agencies to proceed with plans for Trump's February budget in latest sign of election defiance  —  Directive is latest sign that Trump aides are acting as if he won the election and won't leave office on Jan. 20  —  The White House budget office has instructed federal agencies …

The Jolt: The ‘orchestrated’ push to discredit Georgia's election sparks more GOP infighting  —  By Jim Galloway - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Patricia Murphy - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Greg Bluestein - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tia Mitchell - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Barr Hands Prosecutors the Authority to Investigate Voter Fraud Claims  —  The attorney general said that he had authorized “instances” of investigative steps but that inquiries should not be based on specious claims.  —  WASHINGTON — Attorney General William P. Barr …

Official who once called Obama a ‘terrorist leader’ takes over Pentagon policy  —  Anthony Tata, a retired brigadier general whose nomination for a top Pentagon job collapsed this summer due to Islamophobic tweets and other controversial statements, began overseeing policy for the Defense Department on Tuesday.

Republican National Committee staff blindsided by layoffs  —  (CNN)A round of layoffs at the Republican National Committee Monday blindsided staff, three sources familiar with what happened told CNN, as President Donald Trump continues his legal push to contest Joe Biden's victory.

Supreme Court appears wary of striking down Obamacare  —  The Supreme Court on Tuesday signaled it's unlikely to tear down Obamacare over a Republican-backed lawsuit challenging the landmark health care law.  —  The justices' lines of questioning during a two-hour-long argument session suggest …

Trump Forms PAC in Hopes of Keeping Hold on G.O.P.  —  The PAC can accept donations from an unlimited number of people and spend to benefit other candidates, allowing the president to retain influence in a party remade largely in his image.  —  President Trump is has formed …

As an ex-president, Trump could disclose the secrets he learned while in office, current and former officials fear  —  As president, Donald Trump selectively revealed highly classified information to attack his adversaries, gain political advantage and to impress or intimidate foreign governments …

One in five COVID-19 patients develop mental illness within 90 days - study  —  LONDON (Reuters) - Many COVID-19 survivors are likely to be at greater risk of developing mental illness, psychiatrists said on Monday, after a large study found 20% of those infected with the coronavirus are diagnosed …

Growing Discomfort at Law Firms Representing Trump in Election Lawsuits  —  Some lawyers at Jones Day and Porter Wright, which have filed suits about the 2020 vote, said they were worried about undermining the electoral system.  —  Like many big law firms, Jones Day, whose roots …

How ‘SNL’ recreated Kamala Harris' white suit in under 90 minutes  —  When Kamala Harris took the stage in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday night around 8:30 p.m. to address the nation as its new vice president-elect, she did so wearing a white Carolina Herrera suit that nodded to the suffragette movement.

Republican challenge to Maricopa County election involves fewer than 200 ballots, attorneys say  —  Maria Polletta Andrew OxfordArizona Republic  —  Republican officials behind a lawsuit alleging poll workers “incorrectly rejected” votes cast in person on Election Day will make their case …

Be Alarmed  —  I hope I am over wary; but if I am not, there is, even now, something of ill-omen amongst us.  —Abraham Lincoln, Lyceum Address, January 27, 1838 I know, I know.  Donald Trump is a petulant child, and congressional Republicans are just humoring him.

One pollster's explanation for why the polls got it wrong  —  Voters line up to cast their ballots at a polling station in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on November 3.  Xinhua/Joel Lerner via Getty Images  —  The kind of people who answer polls are really weird, and it's ruining polling.

Felony charges filed against 19-year-old who allegedly bought rifle for Kyle Rittenhouse  —  When Kyle Rittenhouse allegedly shot and killed two people and seriously wounded another man in August during racial justice protests in Kenosha, Wis., he used an assault rifle that authorities said a friend had bought for him.

Joe Biden hits the phones, calls European leaders  —  The wait to speak to Joe Biden is over for several European leaders.  —  The U.S. president-elect's first call to a foreign head of government was to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, but European leaders didn't have to wait too long to get their turn.

Schumer and McConnell reelected to leadership posts  —  Senate lawmakers reelected party leaders in closed-door elections on Tuesday, signaling no big changes following the Nov. 3 elections.  —  Despite disappointing results in the Nov. 3 election, Senate Democrats reelected Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York as head of the caucus.

'We're not some demonic cult': Democrats fume over faulty messaging  —  House Democrats have the majority and are ripping each other to shreds.  Senate Democrats fell short for the third cycle in a row, but are only grousing about getting out-messaged by Republicans.

Nine legal experts say Trump's lawsuit challenging election results in Pennsylvania is dead on arrival  —  Kevin McCoy Kristine Phillips Dennis Wagner Donovan SlackUSA TODAY  —  President Donald Trump's campaign launched its broadest challenge yet to the results of the election that appears destined …

Amy Klobuchar considered for Biden Cabinet posts including attorney general and Agriculture secretary  — Sen. Amy Klobuchar is being floated for a possible Cabinet post within President-elect Joe Biden's administration.  — Her name has risen on the list of possible Cabinet appointees since Election …

Biden-voting counties equal 70% of America's economy.  What does this mean for the nation's political-economic divide?  —  Even with a new president and political party soon in charge of the White House, the nation's economic standoff continues.  Notwithstanding President-elect Joe Biden's …

US permits emergency use of coronavirus antibody drug  —  The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of a coronavirus antibody treatment for certain patients.  —  On Monday, the FDA approved Eli Lilly & Co's bamlanivimab drug based on trial data that showed a lowered rate …

With North Dakota hospitals at 100% capacity, Burgum announces COVID-positive nurses can stay at work  —  In an attempt to alleviate some of the staffing concerns, Burgum announced that the state health officer has amended an order that will allow health care workers with asymptomatic cases …