Top Items:
Zeynep Tufekci / The Atlantic:
‘This Must Be Your First’ — On the evening of September 11, 1980, my mom was approached by a neighbor who held rank in the Turkish military. He told her to stock up on bread and rice. “Oh, another coup,” she immediately groaned. The neighbor was aghast—he wasn't supposed to tell anyone what was coming.
Discussion:
Boing Boing, Conservative News Today, New York Times, Scripting News and Election Law Blog
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Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Kelly Loeffler disqualified herself at Sunday night's debate — Of all the vile ways that Republicans have sought to justify President Trump's effort to overturn his election loss, one of the worst is the ubiquitous claim that Trump is merely pursuing his legal right to contest the results.
A.B. Stoddard / The Bulwark:
What If Trump Is Trying To Break the GOP? — The future of the Republican party is an endless series of loyalty tests and Trump family vendettas. Good luck. — It's hard for Republicans to think straight these days. Stop the count, no, wait—do a recount. Elections are rigged and fraudulent.
Discussion:
New York Daily News, ABC News, Politico, HotAir, NBC News, Washington Examiner, Raw Story, New York Times and Daily Kos
Greg Bluestein / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Why Kemp won't call a special session to illegally overturn Georgia's election — Gov. Brian Kemp has already defied President Donald Trump's calls to illegally overturn Georgia's election results. Now he and other Republican leaders are shooting down an effort by pro-Trump legislators …
Discussion:
New York Post, secure.campaigner.com, Wall Street Journal, UPI, The Week, Bloomberg, Washington Examiner, BuzzFeed News, The Hill and Washington Times
Chris Cillizza / CNN:
How Kelly Loeffler got backed into admitting Donald Trump lost — (CNN)Since coming to the Senate in January, Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler has been the single biggest supporter of President Donald Trump's agenda. But even she knows the jig is up when it comes to his ongoing attempts to contest an election that he quite clearly lost.
Discussion:
Georgia Recorder, Business Insider, The Nation, Bloomberg, Daily Kos, New York Post, The Daily Caller, Twitchy, IJR, National Review, CBS News, The Guardian and Politico
Charles P. Pierce / Esquire:
Kelly Loeffler Did Her Best Robot Rubio Impression at the Georgia Senate Debate
Kelly Loeffler Did Her Best Robot Rubio Impression at the Georgia Senate Debate
Discussion:
CNN
Jeff Amy / Associated Press:
Georgia governor again rejects lawmakers replacing electors
Georgia governor again rejects lawmakers replacing electors
Discussion:
Mad Mimi, Fox News, POLITICUSUSA, HotAir, Washington Times, Townhall, Washington Post, Washington Examiner and CNN
Dave Boucher / Detroit Free Press:
‘The people have spoken’: Michigan judge rejects lawsuit from disavowed Trump attorney — A Michigan federal judge has ruled against a sweeping legal bid to overturn election results in the state, determining the lawsuit brought by an ally of President Donald Trump was riddled with “theories …
Discussion:
The Hill, HotAir, CNBC, Associated Press, Reason, WXIA-TV, Washington Examiner, Raw Story, The Week, POLITICUSUSA, The Right Scoop, Forbes and Lucianne
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Adam Klasfeld / Law & Crime:
Judge Removes Tentacle of ‘Kraken’ Election-Toppling Bid in Michigan: ‘The People Have Spoken’ — Slapping down one of the so-called “Kraken” cases pushed by pro-Trump lawyers Sidney Powell and Lin Wood, a federal judge in Michigan cut off one of the arms of their efforts to overturn battleground elections.
Discussion:
Business Insider, TheBlaze and The American Independent
Adam Klasfeld / Law & Crime:
Federal Judge Dismisses Georgia ‘Kraken’ Suit Hours After Sidney Powell Failed in Michigan — Hours after failing in a similar lawsuit in Michigan, pro-Trump attorneys Sidney Powell and Lin Wood lost their effort to decertify Georgia's election before a federal judge who called their bid the most audacious he had ever seen.
Discussion:
Business Insider, POLITICUSUSA and The American Independent
David Wickert / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Georgia court rejects latest Trump lawsuit over faulty paperwork — Last week, President Donald Trump's lawyers announced a new lawsuit with blockbuster allegations they said would prove massive voting fraud in Georgia. — But on Monday Fulton County Superior Court rejected the lawsuit …
Discussion:
UPI, Raw Story, The Federalist and Washington Times
Pete Williams / NBC News:
‘Nothing but speculation and conjecture’: Judge swats down GOP lawsuit to decertify Biden's Michigan win
‘Nothing but speculation and conjecture’: Judge swats down GOP lawsuit to decertify Biden's Michigan win
Discussion:
Detroit News, The Atlantic, Washington Post, Forbes, Axios and Accountable.US
Ben Sisario / New York Times:
Bob Dylan Sells His Songwriting Catalog in Blockbuster Deal — Universal Music purchased his entire songwriting catalog of more than 600 songs in what may be the biggest acquisition ever of a single act's publishing rights. — Bob Dylan's memoir “Chronicles: Volume One” …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Week, Variety, The Daily Caller, Althouse, The Wrap, New York Post, KVIA-TV, Boing Boing and EconomicPolicyJournal.com, more at Mediagazer »
Burgess Everett / Politico:
Hawley urges Trump to veto Covid bill absent stimulus checks — If Trump rejects it, a new round of aid could be delayed until after Biden is sworn in. — Sen. Josh Hawley argues that it is “wild” that a Senate GOP proposal and a bipartisan $908 billion plan offers aid but doesn't include more checks.
Discussion:
Raw Story
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Nicholas Rowan / Washington Examiner:
Supreme Court declines to hear transgender bathroom case — The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a case challenging an Oregon school district's policy allowing transgender students to use locker rooms and bathrooms of their choice. — The case, which the court declined without comment …
Discussion:
Politico
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Associated Press:
Supreme Court rejects appeal to limit transgender students
Supreme Court rejects appeal to limit transgender students
Discussion:
CBS News and The Daily Caller
Greg Stohr / Bloomberg:
Supreme Court Turns Away Case on Transgender Student Bathroom Use
Supreme Court Turns Away Case on Transgender Student Bathroom Use
Discussion:
Business Insider, CNN, Common Dreams and Washington Blade
Richard Fausset / New York Times:
Georgia Recertifies Its Results After 2nd Recount Affirmed Biden's Victory — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill face a set of looming challenges this week: breaking a stalemate on coronavirus relief negotiations, pushing through legislation needed to keep the government funded past Friday and neutralizing …
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Post, Raw Story, IJR, CNN, The Intellectualist and The Week
Matthew Lee / Associated Press:
Pompeo to speak in Georgia as Senate run-offs loom — WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plans to deliver a speech extolling the Trump administration's foreign policy this week in Georgia, ahead of key Senate run-off elections in the state that will determine control of the upper chamber of Congress.
Discussion:
The Hill, Axios and Political Wire
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Jordan Libowitz / CREW:
CREW obtains receipts for Pompeo's notorious “Madison Dinners”
Katie Shepherd / Washington Post:
Armed protesters alleging voter fraud surrounded the home of Michigan's secretary of state — Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson had just finished wrapping string lights around her home's portico on Saturday evening and was about to watch “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Reuters, Business Insider, The Root, MLive.com, CNN, Daily Kos, Lawyers, Guns & Money and TheGrio
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Miriam Marini / Detroit Free Press:
Protesters descend on Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's home after dark
Protesters descend on Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's home after dark
Discussion:
Fox News, NPR, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, CBS News, Crooks and Liars, Mediaite, Raw Story, Law & Crime, The Hill, Political Wire, Axios and Genevieve
Brooke Singman / Fox News:
Trump to sign coronavirus vaccine executive order prioritizing Americans over foreign nations — Order reemphasizes the Trump administration's ‘America First’ approach — HHS Secretary Azar: Coronavirus vaccine could be distributed 24 hours after approval
Discussion:
CNBC, Townhall and American Military News
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Jennifer Jacobs / Bloomberg:
Trump Plans to Boost Confidence in Vaccine at Summit
Bryan Alexander / USA Today:
Matthew McConaughey criticizes Hollywood ‘far left;’ says the right is in election ‘denial’ — Matthew McConaughey is doing his best to demonstrate during his current, seemingly unending book promotional tour that he is different from other Hollywood stars who discuss politics.
Discussion:
Twitchy, Mercury News, The Federalist and Summit News
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Judy Kurtz / The Hill:
McConaughey criticizes Hollywood for ‘arrogant’ attitude toward Trump supporters
McConaughey criticizes Hollywood for ‘arrogant’ attitude toward Trump supporters
Discussion:
Page Six
David A. Weaver / The Hill:
Social Security Administration is preparing to bar 500,000 Americans from getting benefits — Over the weekend, the Social Security Administration (SSA) sent the Trump administration's Office of Management and Budget a proposal that — if similar to a version leaked earlier this year …
Mollie Hemingway / The Federalist:
No, The Georgia Vote-Counting Video Was Not ‘Debunked.’ Not Even Close — A Big Tech-backed ‘fact’ ‘checking’ outfit claimed to debunk explosive evidence for Republicans' claims of significant election problems in Georgia. It didn't. — A Big Tech-backed “fact” “checking” …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, National File, WXIA-TV and Washington Post
Fadel Allassan / Axios:
Federal watchdog finds Peter Navarro violated Hatch Act — The Office of Special Counsel issued a report on Monday finding that White House trade adviser Peter Navarro repeatedly violated the Hatch Act — which restricts government employees from engaging in partisan political activities …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Forbes and Political Wire
New York Times:
The Places That Had the Biggest Swings Toward and Against Trump — Education was a key dividing line, but other things mattered, too. — With most of the slow-to-report votes tallied, we finally have a clearer picture of last month's presidential results.
Heather Long / Washington Post:
Millions of Americans are heading into the holidays unemployed and over $5,000 behind on rent — Economists warn many unemployed families won't be able to pay rent and utilities without more stimulus aid from Congress — Millions of Americans who lost their jobs during the pandemic …
Discussion:
The Week and The Intellectualist
Daniel Barbarisi / Outside Online:
The Man Who Found Forrest Fenn's Treasure — The decade-long hunt captured the world's attention, but when it finally ended in June, everyone still wanted to know: Who had solved the mystery? This week, as legal proceedings threaten his anonymity, a 32-year-old medical student is ready to go on the record.
Discussion:
CBS News, Washingtonian and INSIDER
Jim Geraghty / National Review:
The ‘Safe Harbor’ Deadline Is upon Us — On the menu today: As of tomorrow, under U.S. law, the 2020 presidential election is really, really, really over, under something called the “safe harbor deadline.” The Supreme Court might weigh in on Representative Mike Kelly's suit …
Discussion:
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Law & Crime, TheBlaze, Israpundit, POLITICUSUSA and The Gateway Pundit
Politico:
POLITICO Playbook PM: The government funding plan — UPDATE ... AS WE REPORTED SUNDAY NIGHT, it's now certain that Congress is going to pass a one-week stopgap funding bill, which will avert a shutdown at the end of this week, and give negotiators time to continue to try to cobble together an omnibus bill and Covid relief package.
Discussion:
Roll Call, Forbes, The American Independent, The Nation and Washington Post
Burgess Everett / Politico:
Biden's ambassador to the GOP — Chris Coons was in the final two when it came to Joe Biden's search for a secretary of State. But the president-elect had a simple message when he broke the news that the job would instead go to Tony Blinken. — “I need you in the Senate,” …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, National Review, NBC News, IJR and Washington Times
U.S. Department of Justice:
Cameroonian Operator Charged in Fraudulent Online “Puppy Scam” that Exploited the COVID-19 Pandemic — A criminal complaint unsealed Friday in federal court in Pittsburgh charges Desmond Fodje Bobga for his alleged involvement in a puppy fraud scheme perpetrated against American consumers.
Mike Allen / Axios:
Bob Woodward is writing another Trump book with the Washington Post's Robert Costa — Woodward with Robert Costa. Photo via YouTube. — When Bob Woodward called President Trump to warn him that “Rage” would be “a tough book,” Trump replied, as Woodward recounted on “60 Minutes”: “Well, I didn't get you on this book.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Florida Politics, Washington Examiner and Washingtonian
Astead W. Herndon / New York Times:
The Suburbs Helped Elect Biden. Can They Give Democrats the Senate, Too? — Some Atlanta suburbs that used to be “blood red” went blue in November. But Democrats need strong turnout in January, not just disaffected Republicans seeking to give Trump one final defeat.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, Raw Story and NBC News