Top Items:
Axios:
The Electoral College play — As the weaknesses of President Trump's legal cases to overturn Joe Biden's win become clearer, Republicans are talking more about the Electoral College — hinting at an extreme last-chance way for Trump to cling to power. — What we're watching …
Discussion:
Althouse, Associated Press, Alternet.org, HotAir, Real Clear Politics, CBS News, Politico, The Intellectualist and Political Wire
RELATED:
Richard L. Hasen / The Atlantic:
Trump Needs Three Consecutive Hail Mary Passes — Despite the clear math showing that Joe Biden has won the election, President Donald Trump has refused to concede. He has directed his legal team to keep on fighting to try to overturn the results of the election, including in a new 105-page federal-court filing in Pennsylvania.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Washington Post, RedState, Los Angeles Times, electionlawblog.org and Arizona Republic
Howard Kurtz / Fox News:
The endless election: Why both sides keep punching back — Howard Kurtz: No TV network has power to call election for Joe Biden — We are mired in the politics of perpetual payback. — It used to be that presidential elections settled things for awhile, even when power changed hands …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Axios, ABC News, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Nation, alicublog, Conservative News Today, Mediaite, Raw Story, The Guardian, Townhall, USA Today and The Wrap
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
The corrupt bargain between Trump and Republicans is about to unravel — President Trump needs Republicans to help him validate his big lie that the votes of millions of Americans are illegitimate and that the election is being stolen from him. Meanwhile, Republicans need Trump to keep …
WISN:
GOP lawmaker suggests Wisconsin electors choose presidential winner
GOP lawmaker suggests Wisconsin electors choose presidential winner
Discussion:
UpNorthNews, Vox, The Intellectualist, Wisconsin Examiner and The Daily Poster
Benjamin Wittes / Lawfare:
How Hard Is It to Overturn an American Election?
How Hard Is It to Overturn an American Election?
Discussion:
Washington Post, HuffPost, Associated Press, Reason, Los Angeles Times, Townhall, Denver Post, The American Mind, CNBC, CBS Pittsburgh, Alternet.org and Political Wire
NBC News:
Trump may accept results but never concede he lost, aides say — WASHINGTON — There is a growing expectation among President Donald Trump's advisers that he will never concede that he lost re-election, even after votes are certified in battleground states over the coming weeks …
Discussion:
Raw Story and Political Wire
RELATED:
Betsy Klein / CNN:
Trump's public schedules show little interest in work as he protests Biden's legitimate election — (CNN)The President of the United States is absent without leave. President Donald Trump is set to make his first public appearance in six days Wednesday when he visits Arlington National Cemetery …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Newsmax, Jacobin, The Unz Review and Raw Story
Todd J. Gillman / Dallas Morning News:
Dallas' Robert Jeffress, leading pro-Trump evangelical conservative: ‘Biden is president-elect’ — Trump ally concedes that's a ‘bitter pill’ but says ‘Christians are not hypocrites’ and must accept Biden's victory — WASHINGTON — One of President Donald Trump's top evangelical Christian allies …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The American Independent, Raw Story, Mediaite and The Intellectualist
RELATED:
Elizabeth Thomas / ABC News:
Pastor Robert Jeffress, staunch Trump evangelical supporter, calls Biden president-elect
Pastor Robert Jeffress, staunch Trump evangelical supporter, calls Biden president-elect
Discussion:
Religion News Service
Matt Naham / Law & Crime:
Lawyers Litigating for Trump Suddenly Remember Their Licenses Are on the Line If They Lie to a Judge — There's a big difference between a) waving around a stack of affidavits in a safe space and b) bringing your claims before a judge. We saw that difference on Tuesday in the Trump campaign's case in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Discussion:
The Intellectualist and ABA Journal
RELATED:
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
Trump lawyers suffer embarrassing rebukes from judges over voter fraud claims … After that “nonzero” answer, Diamond pressed the Trump campaign lawyer to be more explicit — and he suggestively invoked their standing with the bar: “I'm asking you as a member of the bar of this court …
Bradley P. Moss / The Atlantic:
No Self-Respecting Lawyer Should Touch Trump's Election-Fraud Claims
No Self-Respecting Lawyer Should Touch Trump's Election-Fraud Claims
Discussion:
Associated Press and Salon
Jim Geraghty / National Review:
Where the Post-Election Lawsuits Stand
Where the Post-Election Lawsuits Stand
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Raw Story, Gingrich 360, New York Post and Voter Protection Program
Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Scoop: Divisive Pentagon hire may rush troop withdrawals before Trump's exit — President Trump's newly installed acting Pentagon chief is bringing on a senior adviser in a sign the administration wants to accelerate the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Middle East before the end …
Discussion:
CNN, Vox, NBC News, The Daily Caller, Raw Story, Political Wire, Washington Post and Mediaite
RELATED:
New York Times:
He Sidestepped Pompeo and Got Slapped Down. Now He's the New Pentagon Chief. — President Trump's new acting secretary of defense began a since-aborted diplomatic gambit last month to negotiate with a Somali terrorist group — drawing the ire of the secretary of state.
Lee Fang / The Intercept:
Another Official Dismissed at the Pentagon as Trump Continues Unusual Shake-Up … The sweeping dismissal of Pentagon officials, an overhaul that began on Monday with President Donald Trump's sudden firing of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, has continued. The Intercept has learned that Mark Tomb …
Discussion:
Defense One, Raw Story, ABC News, Washington Post and Foreign Policy
Chris Pandolfo / TheBlaze:
Texas Lt. Gov. Patrick offers up to $1 million reward for evidence of voter fraud — 'President Trump's pursuit of voter fraud is not only essential to determine the outcome of this election, it is essential to maintain our democracy and restore faith in future elections'
Discussion:
CBS Dallas / Fort Worth, Alternet.org, Dan Patrick …, New York Post, USA Today, Washington Examiner, The Texas Tribune, The Hill, myfox8.com and ABC13
RELATED:
Timothy Snyder / The Boston Globe:
Trump's big election lie pushes America toward autocracy
Trump's big election lie pushes America toward autocracy
Discussion:
HotAir
New York Times:
The Times Called Officials in Every State: No Evidence of Voter Fraud
The Times Called Officials in Every State: No Evidence of Voter Fraud
Discussion:
Alternet.org, Vox, Business Insider, Florida Phoenix, Washington Examiner, BuzzFeed News, Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, Reason, COURIER, The Guardian, Common Dreams, The Economist, Rolling Stone, Forbes, Al Jazeera, KWTX-TV, The Nation, CNBC, The Intellectualist, The American Independent, UPI, Outside the Beltway, Mediaite, Politico, Progressive Eruptions, Democracy Alliance, Raw Story, IJR, The Hill, Hackwhackers, POLITICUSUSA and Lawyers, Guns & Money, more at Mediagazer »
John R. Bolton / Washington Post:
Time is running out for Trump — and Republicans who coddle him — John R. Bolton served as national security adviser under President Trump and is the author of “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir.” — As of this writing, the Republican Party has not suffered permanent damage …
Discussion:
The Hill, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, VICE, CNN, Tennessee Lookout, New York Post, NBC4 Washington and Fox News
Greg Bluestein / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
An early poll of Georgia's twin Senate runoffs shows tight races — A poll from a Republican-leaning national firm shows neither political party with a clear advantage in the twin January runoffs that are likely to decide control of the U.S. Senate. — The poll showed Kelly Loeffler at 49% …
Discussion:
The Hill, FiveThirtyEight, The American Independent, HotAir and National Review
RELATED:
Paul Steinhauser / Fox News:
Florida's Scott aims at Schumer in TV ad for Georgia runoffs
Florida's Scott aims at Schumer in TV ad for Georgia runoffs
Discussion:
Politico, The Capitolist and Florida Politics
Mona Charen / The Bulwark:
There Is No Return to Normalcy — In defeat, Donald Trump has perfected the grievance-fueled conspiracy machine in the Republican Party. — The day after the firing of the secretary of defense who resisted the use of troops against peaceful American protesters is probably not a great …
Discussion:
Law & Crime, Talking Points Memo, The Guardian, Bloomberg, DCReport.org, Digby's Hullabaloo, Telegraph and Alternet.org
RELATED:
Hayes Brown / MSNBC:
How much does the GOP buy Trump's ‘election fraud’ claims?
How much does the GOP buy Trump's ‘election fraud’ claims?
Discussion:
Washington Post, VICE, Washington Examiner and Forbes
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Why Trump and Republicans Are Plotting to Undermine Democracy
Why Trump and Republicans Are Plotting to Undermine Democracy
Discussion:
CNN, Las Vegas Review-Journal and Digby's Hullabaloo
95.5 WSB:
Georgia will recount all votes in presidential race by hand, Secretary of State says — ATLANTA — Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says the state will begin a full audit of election results in Georgia today. It's the first time this has ever happened in our state.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, TheBlaze, Associated Press, CNN and CBS News
RELATED:
Michael Gold / New York Times:
Covid-19 Live Updates: As U.S. Breaks Hospitalization and Case Records, Even N.Y., N.J. and Connecticut Are Worried — For the first time, new daily cases in the U.S. passed 139,000 and hospitalizations exceeded 61,000. The C.D.C. said masks protect the wearer, too.
Discussion:
Business Insider, The Hill, CNN, NPR, Conservative News Today, TheBlaze, Raw Story, Mediaite, Fox News, The Daily Caller and NBC Chicago
Detroit Free Press:
Trump lawsuit affidavits allege Michigan election misconduct, don't show widespread fraud — Dave Boucher Paul EganDetroit Free Press — Signed and sworn statements from more than 100 people included in a new lawsuit filed in a Michigan federal court by the campaign of President Donald …
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Israpundit, Reuters, Digby's Hullabaloo and Statistical Modeling …
RELATED:
Dave Boucher / Detroit Free Press:
AG Nessel: Trump's baseless elections lawsuits essentially say ‘Black people are corrupt’
AG Nessel: Trump's baseless elections lawsuits essentially say ‘Black people are corrupt’
Discussion:
Law & Crime and Mother Jones
Brad Reed / Raw Story:
Civil war brewing inside Proud Boys as top leader says he's done pretending he isn't a Nazi — The far-right Proud Boys gang has long denied that it is a white nationalist organization and has instead claimed that it only exists to defend “Western Civilization.”
Discussion:
The Daily Beast
Katie Benner / New York Times:
Barr's Decision on Voter Fraud Inflames Existing Tensions With Anticorruption Prosecutors — The department's handling of President Trump's dealings with Ukraine and a potential case against the former interior secretary exacerbated tensions with career prosecutors.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Raw Story and Digby's Hullabaloo
Politico:
Pelosi floats above Democrats' civil war — Shortly before Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team faced a gauntlet of angry Democrats disappointed by the election, they held a private call to strategize. — The message, Pelosi and others agreed, was clear: If they didn't rein in the far left …
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway
Maria Polletta / Arizona Republic:
Judge rejects Trump team's request for secret evidence in lawsuit over Maricopa County votes — An attorney representing President Donald Trump's reelection team, in a lawsuit alleging poll workers “incorrectly rejected” Election Day votes, asked a Maricopa County Superior Court judge …
Discussion:
Fox News, POLITICUSUSA and 12news.com
ABC News:
Biden to name White House chief of staff as soon as this week — Ron Klain is considered to be a leading contender. — Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. — President-elect Joe Biden is expected to name his White House chief of staff as soon as this week, multiple sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Timothy L. O'Brien / Bloomberg:
Why Trump Fears Leaving the White House — Losing the presidency leaves him vulnerable to financial and legal danger. — Donald Trump is the luckiest man alive. Unlike almost, well, everyone, he's been protected from the consequences of his own mistakes his entire life.
Discussion:
Washington Post
Washington Post:
How Biden aims to amp up the government's fight against climate change — A new administration would enlist departments like Transportation, Agriculture and Treasury to advance its climate goals — President-elect Joe Biden is poised to embed action on climate change across the breadth …
Discussion:
Bloomberg and Board of Governors …
New York Times:
Fact-Checked on Facebook and Twitter, Conservatives Switch Their Apps — Since the election, millions have migrated to alternative social media and media sites like Parler, Rumble and Newsmax. — Corey Adam, a political comedian from Minneapolis, joined a mass social media switcheroo last week.
The Daily Beast:
Biden World Fears Trump Will Bring ‘Weird Shit’ to Their Inauguration — Biden events in the COVID era have been sparse and distant by design. But if his supporters do not to come to the inauguration, planners worry Trump fans will fill the void. — President-elect Joe Biden's team …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Politico, HotAir, Twitchy, The Daily Caller, Crooks and Liars, Raw Story, Mediaite and The Root
Andrew Stiles / Washington Free Beacon:
BIGGEST LOSERS: Lincoln-Themed Liberal Super PAC Goes 0-7 in Key Senate Races — The Lincoln Project, a liberal Super PAC founded by shlubby white dudes who weren't very good at sports growing up but compensated for that as adults by owning people on Twitter, went an abysmal -7 in key Senate races …