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Russia is behind the broad, ongoing cyber spy campaign against the U.S. government and private sector, Pompeo says — Russia is behind the massive, ongoing cyber spy campaign against the federal government and private sector, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday …
Discussion:
The Guardian, Washington Monthly, CNN and HotAir, more at Techmeme »
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Pompeo: Russia behind cyber hack of U.S. agencies — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo publicly blamed Russia for the monthslong cyber hack of agencies across the U.S. government. — “This was a very significant effort, and I think it's the case that now we can say pretty clearly …


Pompeo Says Russia Was Behind Cyberattack on U.S. — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is the first member of the Trump administration to publicly link the Kremlin to the hacking of dozens of government and private systems. — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday it was clear that Russia …
Discussion:
Fox News and Mother Jones


Pompeo says Russia ‘pretty clearly’ behind cyberattack on US — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Russia was “pretty clearly” behind the gravest cyberattack against the United States on record, the first administration official to publicly tie the Kremlin to the widespread intrusion …

Secretary of State Pompeo says hack was ‘pretty clearly’ Russian
Discussion:
Business Insider, The Week, Radio Free Europe/Radio … and Washington Monthly


EXCLUSIVE: Lawmakers ask FBI and Federal Election Commission to investigate Jared Kushner-backed Trump campaign company after Insider's reporting … - Two lawmakers demanded that the FBI and the Federal Election Commission open an investigation into whether the Trump campaign violated federal law …
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EXCLUSIVE: Jared Kushner helped create a Trump campaign shell company that secretly paid the president's family members and spent $617 million in reelection cash, a source tells Insider … - Jared Kushner approved the creation of a shell company that spent almost half of the Trump campaign's $1.26B war chest …


Jared Kushner And Trump Basically Stole $617 Million Of Trump Campaign Funds
Discussion:
Washington Post


US plans to shutter remaining consulates in Russia — (CNN)The Trump administration has informed lawmakers of its plan to shutter its two remaining consulates in Russia. — In a notification dated December 10, the US State Department told Congress it intends to close the consulate …
Discussion:
NPR, One America News Network and Bloomberg
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US says it is shuttering last 2 consulates in Russia — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has notified Congress that it intends to shutter the last two remaining U.S. consulates in Russia. — The State Department told lawmakers last week that it would permanently close the consulate …


Chinese dissidents say they're being harassed by a businessman with links to Steve Bannon — Human-rights scholar in New Jersey says he's the latest victim of intimidating protests staged by Guo Wengui — WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The Mandarin-speaking protesters arrived in a convoy …
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Our Perspective on the DOJ Complaint
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Conservative News Today, Bloomberg and The Verge

Secretary Michael R. Pompeo With Mark Levin of The Mark Levin Show
Discussion:
New York Post

Executive For US Video Conference Company Spied On Dissidents At Direction Of Chinese Intelligence, Feds Say
Discussion:
The Western Journal, New York Post, National Review and WPHM


Lou Dobbs Airs Stunning Fact-Check of His Own Election Conspiracies After Company Threatens Legal Action — Fox Business host Lou Dobbs has recently taken to raising questions about voting machine companies, which have been cast as complicit in the supposed grand conspiracy to steal the 2020 election from President Donald Trump.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner


BUSTED? Why the numbers behind Mitch McConnell's re-election don't add up — On a Thursday in August in Louisville, months before the 2020 election, a parade of cars filled with Kentucky Teamster representatives and labor groups, showed their fury at Mitch McConnell's constant blocking of critical COVID aid.
Discussion:
HotAir


FDA approves second Covid vaccine for emergency use as it clears Moderna's for U.S. distribution — Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine is the second approved for use in the U.S. — It will bolster the number of available doses, which states desperately need to fend off the pandemic.
Discussion:
CNN, National Review, NBC4 Washington, IJR, Washington Post, The Sun, The Colorado Sun, abc7NY, Politico and TASS
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FDA Takes Additional Action in Fight Against COVID-19 By Issuing Emergency Use Authorization for Second COVID-19 Vaccine
Discussion:
CBS News, BuzzFeed News, Vox, The Verge, The Hill, New York Post, Boston Herald, New York Magazine, NPR, Townhall, New York Times, CBS San Francisco, WABC and CBS Sacramento

Fauci, NIH yet to get Covid vaccine despite role developing it
Discussion:
ABC News


Analysis: For Republicans, profanity is suddenly scandalous — WASHINGTON (AP) — The definition of a scandal changes quickly in Washington. — Over the course of four years, the nation's capital has careened from crisis to crisis. There was the travel ban, the investigation …
Discussion:
NBC News, The Nation, New Republic, Salon and Alternet.org
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8 Catholic Sisters Die of Covid-19 Within a Week at a Wisconsin Home — They were educators, music teachers and liturgists, living out their remaining years in a retirement residence after lifetimes of service. — They were educators, music teachers and community activists who served tirelessly for those living in poverty.
Discussion:
Catholic Herald and New York Post


‘He called me kiddo’: Jill Biden says Wall Street Journal essay was ‘such a surprise’ — Surprised the Wall Street Journal ran an op-ed attacking Jill Biden's preference to use the title “Dr.”? So was Jill Biden. — On Thursday's episode of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” …
Discussion:
Business Insider, RedState and The Wrap


Row explodes between Pentagon, Biden transition team — WASHINGTON — The U.S. acting defense secretary has canceled planned meetings between Defense Department officials and the Biden transition team. — It's a move the department is categorizing as a temporary delay rather than a wholesale blockade of the incoming administration.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Juanita Jean's and Buttermilk Sky
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Judge skewers GOP over suit targeting newly registered voters in Georgia — The judge questioned the basis for the suit on several grounds, including legal standing, but she also expressed concern that segregating ballots could prompt some potential voters not to cast them.
Discussion:
Law & Crime, Washington Times, Alternet.org and The American Independent


MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Is Throwing Down Big Money to Fuel Pro-Trump Election Challenges — He says he's “not just some pillow guy” to be mocked. He knows Trump is the chosen one because he's familiar with “numbers and charts” and soon even “Trump-haters” will see. — BEAST INSIDE
Discussion:
TheGrio and The Intellectualist


William Barr: ‘One Standard of Justice’ — The departing attorney general talks about John Durham, Robert Mueller, Hunter Biden, Mike Flynn and the flak he's taken from both parties. — The U.S. attorney general is meditating on one of his frustrations with the modern Justice Department …
Discussion:
New York Times, New York Magazine, Alternet.org, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Examiner, Newsmax, Mediaite and emptywheel


Space Force troops to be called ‘guardians’ — Service members in the year-old Space Force will be called “guardians,” Vice President Pence announced Friday. — “It is my honor, on behalf of the president of the United States, to announce that henceforth the men and women …


New York City Will Change Many Selective Schools to Address Segregation — The pandemic prompted the mayor's most significant action yet on integration: a major shift in how hundreds of schools admit students. — Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday major changes to the way hundreds …
Discussion:
RedState, TheGrio, Bloomberg, NBC New York, The Hill and Washington Post


Pence Said Pfizer Vaccine Distribution Was Going ‘Strong.’ States Are Calling Bullshit. — First states heard they were getting less vaccine than expected. Then the finger-pointing started. — As Vice President Mike Pence sat for his COVID-19 vaccine shot Friday morning …
Discussion:
Hampton Roads Daily Press, NPR, Alternet.org and Axios


From A Very Stable Genius to After Trump: 2020 in US politics books … A long time ago, in 1883, a future president (Woodrow Wilson, a subject of this year's reckonings) studied political science at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, in a classroom in which was inscribed the slogan …