Scoop: West Wing fears COVID spread after Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis attends WH party  —  President Trump's lawyer Jenna Ellis has informed associates she has coronavirus, multiple sources tell Axios, stirring West Wing fears after she attended a senior staff Christmas party on Friday.

Pfizer's Vaccine Offers Strong Protection After First Dose  —  The Food and Drug Administration's first analysis of the clinical trial data also found that the coronavirus vaccine worked well regardless of a volunteer's race, weight or age.  —  WASHINGTON — The coronavirus vaccine …

In new lawsuit, Texas contests election results in Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania  —  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block the battleground states from casting “unlawful and constitutionally tainted votes” in the Electoral College.

Republican Sen. Pat Toomey calls Trump's campaign to overturn Pennsylvania election ‘completely unacceptable’  —  Sen. Pat Toomey said Tuesday that it's “completely unacceptable” for President Donald Trump to pressure state lawmakers to overturn Pennsylvania's election result …

Presidential Transition Live Updates: ‘Safe Harbor’ Day Arrives, the Deadline to Resolve State Election Challenges  —  Today is the deadline for all state-level election challenges to be completed.  President-elect Joe Biden will tap a retired four-star Army general to be the first Black secretary of defense.

Sorry, Gen. Lloyd Austin.  A Recently Retired General Should Not Be Secretary of Defense.  —  After a tumultuous four years, we need civilian leadership and a return to normalcy.  —  Mr. Golby has been a special adviser to Vice Presidents Joe Biden and Mike Pence.

Christopher Krebs sues Trump campaign, lawyer Joe diGenova for defamation  —  The former top U.S. cybersecurity official responsible for securing November's presidential election sued the Trump campaign and one of its lawyers for defamation Tuesday, asserting that they conspired to falsely claim …

Michael Flynn judge says pardon doesn't mean ex-national security adviser is innocent  —  A federal judge dismissed Michael Flynn's prosecution Tuesday after President Trump's pardon, but said the act of clemency does not mean the former national security adviser is innocent of lying to FBI agents …

Exclusive: Suspected Chinese spy targeted California politicians  —  A suspected Chinese intelligence operative developed extensive ties with local and national politicians, including a U.S. congressman, in what U.S. officials believe was a political intelligence operation run …

Trump blows a hole in the GOP on his way out  —  Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the presidential election have met with defeat in every swing state and in nearly every court where his cases have been heard.  But Trump's campaign to pressure GOP elected officials to support his baseless claims …

Kellyanne Conway Signs Multi-Million Deal for White House Memoir: Report  —  CASHING OUT  —  Former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway has signed a multi-million dollar deal to write a book about her time in the White House, the Daily Mail reports.  The exact price tag is unknown …

The $124 billion Supreme Court case that could throw the housing market into turmoil, explained  —  Collins v. Mnuchin is an early test of just how much chaos the Supreme Court's new majority is willing to impose on the government.  —  SHARE All sharing options

“The caller was inside the house”: Former election security chief unloads on Trump “threat”  —  Christopher Krebs, the nation's former top election security official, tells “Axios on HBO” that President Trump is spreading disinformation, which he described as a form of domestic “threat” …

Senate stimulus negotiations at risk of collapsing over whether companies can be sued for outbreaks  —  Democrats want protection for workers but Republicans warn of lawsuit frenzy, and debate is weighing on negotiations  —  The economic relief package attracting bipartisan interest in Congress …

Christopher Nolan Rips HBO Max as “Worst Streaming Service,” Denounces Warner Bros.' Plan  —  To many insiders, WarnerMedia's blindsiding of talent and their reps with news that it would send 17 films directly to HBO Max in 2021 felt like an insult.  —  For many in the movie business …

Trump appointee who oversees Voice of America refuses to cooperate with Biden transition team  —  A Trump appointee with a short but controversial record of overseeing Voice of America and other federally funded news agencies has declined to cooperate with president-elect Joe Biden's representatives …

Florida police raid home of former state Covid-19 data scientist  —  (CNN)Florida police raided the home of a former state coronavirus data scientist on Monday, escalating a feud between the state government and a data expert who has accused officials of trying to cover up the extent of the pandemic.

The Marines And The Racist Porn Actor Who Tried To Start A ‘Modern Day SS’  —  Four neo-Nazis arrested on gun charges wanted to spark a race war, prosecutors said, and their potential targets included Black Lives Matter protesters.  —  In 2016, Liam Collins, then just a teenager living in New Jersey …

Next Attorney General Must Lead ‘Salvage Operation’ At Justice, Insiders Say  —  Veterans of the Justice Department are waiting with anticipation for President-elect Joe Biden to unveil his choice to serve as attorney general, a decision that has weighty consequences for civil rights and public confidence in the troubled department.

Neal Katyal and the Depravity of Big Law  —  The United States has a political class that mistakes its professional norms for ethics.  Mainstream political journalists mindlessly grant anonymity to professional liars.  Elected officials put collegiality and institutional procedure over the needs and interests of their constituents.

The Silence of Pope Francis  —  Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai goes to jail—and his shepherd is missing in action.  —  Jimmy Lai has embraced his destiny.  Last Wednesday the founder of one of Hong Kong's most popular newspapers, Apple Daily, was arrested on ginned-up fraud charges.

Fudge emerges as frontrunner to lead housing agency  —  The Ohio congresswoman had previously been lobbying for the position of Agriculture secretary.  —  Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Rep. Marcia Fudge wave to attendees of a campaign event in Cleveland.  David Dermer/AP Photo

Panel blasts Fort Hood leaders, Army after disappearance, death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen; 14 fired or suspended  —  WASHINGTON - An independent investigation into tragedies at Fort Hood, including the bludgeoning murder of Spc. Vanessa Guillen, found that leadership at the Army's largest base created a …