Top Items:
Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Trump turns on Pence, McConnell and White House counsel Cipollone in desperate final days — President Trump, in his final days, is turning bitterly on virtually every person around him, griping about anyone who refuses to indulge conspiracy theories or hopeless bids to overturn the election, several top officials tell Axios.
Discussion:
What The Fuck …, Fox News, Washington Post, Politico, BloombergQuint, The Daily Beast, Raw Story, Washington Monthly, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Salon, Vanity Fair, The Daily Caller, POLITICUSUSA, Mediaite, Election Law Blog, New York Magazine, Law & Crime, Digby's Hullabaloo, The Nation, Business Insider, Mock Paper Scissors, HotAir, Alternet.org, No More Mister Nice Blog, Media Matters for America, Crooks and Liars, Talking Points Memo, The Intellectualist, The Guardian, Reason, The Week, Associated Press, Hackwhackers, littlegreenfootballs.com, The Root, Washington Examiner, Washington Times and KTVZ-TV
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Stephen Collinson / CNN:
Trump threatens 30-day reign of destruction on the way out of office
Trump threatens 30-day reign of destruction on the way out of office
Discussion:
Fox News, Forbes, Al Jazeera, Florida Politics, NPR, Outside the Beltway, Vanity Fair, Breitbart, Bloomberg, Raw Story and Lucianne
Barbara Starr / CNN:
Pentagon anxiety rises as officers wait for Trump's next unpredictable move
Pentagon anxiety rises as officers wait for Trump's next unpredictable move
Discussion:
Just Security, The Bulwark, Alternet.org and Raw Story
New York Times:
Trump Pardons Two Russia Inquiry Figures and Blackwater Guards — The pre-Christmas wave of 20 pardons and commutations are not likely to be the last before Mr. Trump leaves office on Jan. 20. — In an audacious pre-Christmas round of pardons, President Trump granted clemency on Tuesday …
Discussion:
The Sun, Law & Crime and Mediaite
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CNN:
Trump announces wave of pardons, including Papadopoulos and former lawmakers Hunter and Collins — (CNN)President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a wave of lame duck pardons, including two for men who pleaded guilty in Robert Mueller's investigation, as well as ones for Republican allies …
Discussion:
Townhall and The Intellectualist
Associated Press:
WH virus coordinator Deborah Birx says she will retire — WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus response, said Tuesday she plans to retire, but is willing to first help President-elect Joe Biden's team with its coronavirus response as needed.
Discussion:
Axios, Crooks and Liars, Newsy, New York Times, CBS News, Townhall, Conservative News Today, Mock Paper Scissors, Alternet.org and Raw Story
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Robin Bravender / Business Insider:
Bidenworld is worried Trump will trash tradition and force the president-elect to fire thousands of GOP holdovers on his first day in the White House … - President Donald Trump could complicate President-elect Joe Biden's job by leaving thousands of political holdovers in office when Inauguration Day comes.
Discussion:
CNBC, Politico, Variety and Salon, more at Techmeme »
Zoë Richards / Talking Points Memo:
‘I Will Retire’: Dr. Birx Will Not Seek Role In Biden Administration — Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said on Tuesday that she will not seek a role in President-elect Joe Biden's administration. — She cited concerns about the treatment of her family …
Discussion:
National Review, NPR, RedState, USA Today, Washington Examiner, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Hill, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, IJR, The Daily Caller and New York Post
Mike Brest / Washington Examiner:
Deborah Birx announces intent to retire citing treatment of family over Thanksgiving trip
Deborah Birx announces intent to retire citing treatment of family over Thanksgiving trip
Hans Nichols / Axios:
Joe Biden finally announces White House spot for longtime aide Bruce Reed
Joe Biden finally announces White House spot for longtime aide Bruce Reed
Discussion:
Politico, Fox News, Conservative News Today, Washington Examiner, New York Post and Bloomberg
Ben Collins / NBC News:
As Trump meets with QAnon influencers, the conspiracy theory's adherents beg for dictatorship — On Friday, President Donald Trump met with current and former advisers in the Oval Office, including retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, and one person familiar with the meeting said Flynn advocated …
Discussion:
ABC News and Great American Politics
Los Angeles Times:
Alex Padilla becomes California's first Latino U.S. senator, replacing Kamala Harris — Alex Padilla, a Los Angeles Democrat who once developed software for satellites but later rose through local and state political office to become California secretary of state, was chosen Tuesday …
Discussion:
Washington Post, California Governor, FiveThirtyEight, The Root, UPI, CNBC, One America News Network, Twitchy and Reuters
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Shawn Hubler / New York Times:
Alex Padilla Will Replace Kamala Harris in the Senate — Gov. Gavin Newsom of California selected Mr. Padilla to serve the final two years of Ms. Harris's term. Mr. Padilla will be the first Latino senator to represent the state. — SACRAMENTO — Alex Padilla, California's secretary of state …
Discussion:
Al Jazeera, Press Enterprise, HotAir, The 19th, Washington Examiner, Raw Story, The Federalist, ABC7 and New York Post
Los Angeles Times:
Newsom to name Assemblywoman Shirley Weber to succeed Padilla as California secretary of state
Newsom to name Assemblywoman Shirley Weber to succeed Padilla as California secretary of state
New York Times:
Transition Live Updates: Biden Criticizes Trump on Russian Hack and Calls for More Virus Aid
Transition Live Updates: Biden Criticizes Trump on Russian Hack and Calls for More Virus Aid
Discussion:
New York Magazine, New York Post, Washington Times, Power Line and Washington Post
Politico:
Newsom appoints Alex Padilla to fill Harris' Senate seat
Newsom appoints Alex Padilla to fill Harris' Senate seat
Discussion:
NBC News, Vox, Los Angeles Times, The Daily Beast, KUSI-TV, CNN, Business Insider, Fortune, The Nation, Associated Press, Breitbart, CBS Sacramento, Deadline, Power Line, KNSD-TV, Patterico's Pontifications, NPR and Fox News
David Enrich / New York Times:
Trump's Longtime Banker at Deutsche Bank Resigns — Rosemary Vrablic, who oversaw hundreds of millions of dollars in loans to President Trump's company, will leave the bank next week. — President Trump's longtime banker at Deutsche Bank, who arranged for the German lender to make hundreds …
Benjamin Wermund / Houston Chronicle:
Texas AG Ken Paxton urged White House to revoke Harris County COVID relief — FILE- In this Sept. 10, 2020, file photo, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at the Austin Police Association in Austin, Texas. Paxton on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, announced a multi-state lawsuit against Google …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
RELATED:
CREW:
Ken Paxton urged Mnuchin to revoke CARES Act aid given to Texas, new records show
Ken Paxton urged Mnuchin to revoke CARES Act aid given to Texas, new records show
Discussion:
The Texas Tribune, ABC13 and Raw Story
Philip Bump / Washington Post:
The dishonest heart of the challenge to the 2020 election results
The dishonest heart of the challenge to the 2020 election results
Discussion:
Detroit News and Raw Story
Nick Niedzwiadek / Politico:
Trump nominates Hope Hicks, Ric Grenell to government posts — President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced plans to appoint another slate of top allies to various government boards, yet another sign that his time in office is winding to a close. — The president named Hope Hicks to be a member …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Political Wire
RELATED:
Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
Senior Trump advisers prepare to launch policy group
Senior Trump advisers prepare to launch policy group
Discussion:
The Hill and Political Wire
The Daily Beast:
Trump Tells Sidney Powell He Won't Name Her ‘Special Counsel’ — The president has met with the conspiracy theorist lawyer recently. But he is not yet buckling to one of her wishes. … Donald Trump informed the conspiracy-theory-driven MAGA attorney Sidney Powell on Monday that he does …
Becket Adams / Washington Examiner:
AOC is right — When Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is right, she's right. — She's also an embarrassing hypocrite, but that doesn't mean she's wrong. — The New York representative went on a righteous tear Monday after it became clear that Congress was going to pass a massive …
Discussion:
The Pipeline, HotAir and Roll Call
RELATED:
Eric Levitz / New York Magazine:
The Left's Most Naïve Cynics Have Turned on AOC
The Left's Most Naïve Cynics Have Turned on AOC
Discussion:
HotAir and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Don't let Mitch McConnell get away with his vile rewriting of history — As Congress passed a new $900 billion economic rescue package on Monday night, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) offered a choice bit of spin on how we got to this moment: … Getting the story right here is highly consequential.
Discussion:
New York Times, Politico, Slate, Jacobin, Raw Story, New Republic and Breitbart, more at Mediagazer »
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Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Media resolutions: Do better in 2021
Media resolutions: Do better in 2021
Discussion:
Politico, Raw Story, Washington Examiner, U.S. Congressman Brian Babin … and Alternet.org
Andrew Blankstein / NBC News:
Former Rep. Katie Hill sues ex-husband, Daily Mail, Redstate.com over ‘nonconsensual porn’ — LOS ANGELES — Former congresswoman Katie Hill filed suit in Los Angeles Tuesday against her ex-husband and the owners of Redstate.com and the Daily Mail, saying they had distributed what amounted to …
Discussion:
Axios, The Daily Caller and The Wrap
Mike Stobbe / Associated Press:
US deaths in 2020 top 3 million, by far most ever counted — NEW YORK (AP) — This is the deadliest year in U.S. history, with deaths expected to top 3 million for the first time — due mainly to the coronavirus pandemic. — Final mortality data for this year will not be available for months.
Discussion:
The Hill, Fortune, Associated Press, Defense One and FOX 5 San Diego
The Cook Political Report:
36 Facts About the 2020 Elections — In keeping with our end-of-cycle tradition, we found 36 interesting things to tide you over during the holidays as we take a break. — PRESIDENTIAL: — 1. A president's job approval rating is one of the most consistent (and accurate) predictors of electoral performance.
Discussion:
CNN and Washington Post
Andrew Beaton / Wall Street Journal:
Former AG Loretta Lynch Joins NFL Probe of Escalating Fight Among Washington Football Team Owners — The former U.S. Attorney General is helping the NFL uncover misconduct in the feud between Dan Snyder and the minority owners of the Washington Football Team
Discussion:
The Hill
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Adam Klasfeld / Law & Crime:
Judge Says Lin Wood's Post-Election Lawsuits May Have Violated Several Professional Rules, Orders Him to Respond — Attorney Lin Wood's lawsuits aimed to topple the 2020 election may have violated Delaware's rules of professional conduct, preventing him from representing President Donald …
Substack Blog:
Substack's view of content moderation — Building a system that puts readers and writers in charge — As Substack grows, there is increasing interest in the stance we take on content moderation. It's a complicated issue, so we wanted to take a moment to lay out our position clearly and explain how we got there.
Discussion:
The Verge and TechCrunch, more at Mediagazer »
Molly Fischer / The Cut:
Who Did J.K. Rowling Become? Deciphering the most beloved, most reviled children's-book author in history. — Edinburgh Castle, many centuries old, has been called the most besieged place in Britain. In 2005, on the night Melissa Anelli arrived, it was besieged primarily by children.
Mark Niesse / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Top Trump aide Mark Meadows visits Georgia ballot signature audit — White House chief of staff Mark Meadows made a surprise visit Tuesday to observe Georgia's audit of absentee ballot envelope signatures and ask questions about the process. — Meadows, accompanied by Secret Service agents …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Forbes, Reuters and One America News Network
Lauren Fruen / Daily Mail:
Feds 'want search warrant to obtain Giuliani's emails and electronic communication over his Ukraine dealings in move that may have already been granted by Bill Barr's DoJ' — An investigation into Donald Trump's personal attorney is said to be ‘very active’
Ben Kamisar / NBC News:
DNC will elect new chair at Jan. 21 virtual Winter Meeting — WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee will pick its new chair during its virtual Winter Meeting on Jan. 21, NBC News has learned, one day after President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated.
Discussion:
Associated Press, Washington Post, OpenSecrets.org, New York Times, Townhall, Washington Times, Fox News, Raw Story and Political Wire
U.S. Department of Justice:
Department of Justice Files Nationwide Lawsuit Against Walmart Inc. for Controlled Substances Act Violations — Complaint Alleges Company Unlawfully Dispensed and Distributed Prescription Opioids — In a civil complaint filed today, the Department of Justice has alleged …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, WISC-TV, KUSI-TV, Gizmodo, Associated Press, Denver Post, The Daily Caller, The Week, Law & Crime, UPI, NPR and Townhall
Steve Hendrix / Washington Post:
Israeli government collapses, sending country back to elections for fourth time in two years — JERUSALEM — Israel's fractious coalition government collapsed Tuesday night, forcing the country into its fourth round of national elections in less than two years.