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:
Politico, Business Insider, BloombergQuint, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Raw Story, Salon, Vanity Fair, The Daily Beast, New York Magazine, Election Law Blog, CNN, POLITICUSUSA, The Nation, HotAir, No More Mister Nice Blog, Alternet.org, Mediaite, Law & Crime, Media Matters for America, The Guardian, Mock Paper Scissors, Crooks and Liars, The Week, Reason, Hackwhackers, The Intellectualist, Associated Press and The Root
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Jonathan Swan / Axios:
“Sadly, Mitch forgot”: Trump trashes McConnell in astonishing email to GOP senators — President Trump lashed out at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday night for acknowledging Joe Biden won the election, sending a slide to Republican lawmakers taking credit for saving McConnell's career with a tweet and robocall.
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:
Jacobin, New York Times, Slate, Raw Story, New Republic and Breitbart, more at Mediagazer »
Stephen Collinson / CNN:
Trump threatens 30-day reign of destruction on the way out of office — (CNN)Joe Biden will be president in 30 days. Until then, the question is how much damage can be done by a vengeful, delusional soon-to-be ex-President swilling conspiracy theories, whose wild anti-democratic instincts …
Discussion:
Fox News, NPR, Forbes, Washington Post, Florida Politics, Breitbart, Outside the Beltway, Al Jazeera, Vanity Fair, Bloomberg and Raw Story
Barbara Starr / CNN:
Pentagon anxiety rises as officers wait for Trump's next unpredictable move — (CNN)It's like a low murmur just below the surface. “We don't know what he might do,” says one officer in the Pentagon. “We are in strange times,” says another officer. Some senior military officers are trying …
Discussion:
Just Security, Alternet.org, Raw Story and The Nation
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
McConnell: Senate to return Dec. 29 for potential Trump veto override vote
McConnell: Senate to return Dec. 29 for potential Trump veto override vote
Discussion:
Fox News, Politico, Roll Call, Conservative News Today, National Review, HotAir, American Thinker, Bloomberg, The Week and New York Post
Steven Shepard / Politico:
Poll: Majority wants Pelosi out as House speaker
Poll: Majority wants Pelosi out as House speaker
Discussion:
HotAir, RedState, The Gateway Pundit, Sara A. Carter, Townhall, Business Insider, Mediaite and The Daily Caller
Politico:
Feuds, Zoom and Italian food: How the stimulus got done
Feuds, Zoom and Italian food: How the stimulus got done
Discussion:
Conservative News Today, NPR, Business Insider, Breitbart, Twitchy and Fox News
Nicholas Fondacaro / Newsbusters:
Uncontested CNN Guest: ‘There Was a Little Cheating’ to Reelect McConnell
Uncontested CNN Guest: ‘There Was a Little Cheating’ to Reelect McConnell
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion
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, Townhall, Alternet.org, New York Times, Conservative News Today and Raw Story
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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:
USA Today, Washington Examiner, The Hill, CBS News, Breitbart, National Review, The Gateway Pundit, IJR, The Daily Caller, New York Post and Mediaite
Mike Brest / Washington Examiner:
Deborah Birx announces intent to retire citing treatment of family over Thanksgiving trip — Dr. Deborah Birx — , one of the leading public health experts on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, said she intends to retire in the near future, citing the treatment of her family …
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 Post, Washington Examiner, New York Post and Bloomberg
Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
Senior Trump advisers prepare to launch policy group
Senior Trump advisers prepare to launch policy group
Discussion:
Political Wire
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, Calif. — Alex Padilla …
Discussion:
NBC News, Bloomberg, Washington Examiner, USA Today, Axios, The Federalist and HotAir
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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:
CNBC, California Governor, Reuters, UPI, One America News Network and Twitchy
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 …
Discussion:
The Hill, CNN, One America News Network, Raw Story, Juanita Jean's and The Intellectualist
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
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Washington Post:
Washington Football Team settled sexual misconduct claim against Daniel Snyder for $1.6 million — The Washington Football Team paid a female former employee $1.6 million as part of a confidential settlement in 2009, according to a copy of the agreement reviewed by The Washington Post.
Discussion:
Forbes, New York Post, The Daily Caller, Sports Illustrated, Washingtonian and The Week
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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:
Associated Press, The Hill, Defense One and FOX 5 San Diego
Ryan J. Foley / Associated Press:
Iowa Democrat asks House to review 6-vote race, cites errors — Democrat Rita Hart is asking the U.S. House to investigate and overturn the race that Iowa says she lost by six votes, arguing that 22 ballots were wrongly excluded and others weren't examined during the recount.
Discussion:
Iowa Capital Dispatch, The Hill, Townhall, National Review and The American Independent
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Tom Benning / Dallas Morning News:
Retiring Texas Republican, Rep. Mac Thornberry, chides GOP for ‘mindless sort of obedience’ to Trump — The top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee said Congress ‘was created to be and meant to be a separate independent branch of government.’ — WASHINGTON — Clarendon …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Talking Points Memo, CBS News, The American Independent and Raw Story
Kevin R. Brock / The Hill:
The tangled webs of Christopher Krebs and Russia's cyberattack — Have you ever made a boastful statement and then been undercut by harsh reality? “My kid has never been in trouble in school because we raised him right!” The next day, little Johnny sets a fire in the boys' bathroom.
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.
Eric Levitz / New York Magazine:
The Left's Most Naïve Cynics Have Turned on AOC — Jimmy Dore is undeniably good at swearing. A left-wing comedian turned pundit, Dore has earned himself a considerable YouTube following by giving expletive-laden expression to the rage that many American progressives feel when contemplating …
Discussion:
HotAir and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Nick Miroff / Washington Post:
Several Trump immigration restrictions will remain in place, Biden advisers say, urging patience — Top advisers to president-elect Joe Biden said Monday they will not immediately roll back asylum restrictions at the Mexico border and other restrictive Trump administration policies …
Shay Khatiri / The Bulwark:
The Military Would Not Participate in a Coup. Trump Can't Understand Why. — Politicians from both parties have called on the armed forces to enforce election outcomes. The generals know better. — The president of the United States considered using the military to overturn an election, according to press reports.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Bangor Daily News, Mediaite and The BRAD BLOG
John Cole / PoliticsPA:
NRCC Blasts Lamb For Proxy Vote Shortly After Baby Announcement — It's the holiday season, but the National Republican Congressional Committee isn't exactly in a charitable mood. — The NRCC sent out an email Monday morning criticizing Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Allegheny) for voting by proxy on Sunday.
Discussion:
CBS Pittsburgh
Seanna Adcox / Post and Courier:
SC Gov. Henry McMaster tests positive for COVID-19, will undergo antibody treatment — COLUMBIA — Gov. Henry McMaster tested positive for COVID-19 and will undergo an antibody treatment, his office announced Tuesday. — The 73-year-old Republican governor is experiencing mild symptoms, including coughing and fatigue.
Discussion:
governor.sc.gov, The Hill, The Daily Caller, CNN and The Week
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:
The Wrap
Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times:
Harry Reid made Nevada a presidential battleground. Now he wants more — When Harry Reid met Joe Biden it was 1987. Reid was new to the Senate and had a favor to ask the Judiciary Committee chairman. — “There was a Nevada person that had been nominated to be a federal judge …
Nick Niedzwiadek / Politico:
Trump nominates Hope Hicks, Ric Grenell to government posts — The president has been rewarding his allies with such positions in recent weeks. — 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.
Rex Briggs / The Nevada Independent:
Trump supporters asked me to look into voter fraud in Nevada; what I found debunked what they were alleging — Clark County Election Department personnel process mail in ballots on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. (Jeff Scheid/The Nevada Independent) — Regardless of your political party …
New York Times:
How Cities Lost Control of Police Discipline — In the chaos of 1960s Detroit, a fledgling police union laid the groundwork for a system that, to this day, constrains discipline for officers accused of misconduct. — It took Portland, Ore., almost $1 million in legal fees …
Discussion:
City Journal
Benjamin Weiser / New York Times:
Court Extends Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Term, as Inauguration Nears — A quirk of legal timing had left Audrey Strauss's tenure as acting head of the Southern District of New York set to expire just before the end of the Trump administration. — Six months ago, Audrey Strauss became …
New York Times:
Misinformation Amplifiers Target Georgia Senate Races — The conservative social media personalities that spread baseless rumors of election fraud are starting to focus on the races that will decide control of the Senate. — Two weeks ago, the conservative media personalities Diamond …
Discussion:
Vox and Vanity Fair
Adam Klasfeld / Law & Crime:
President Trump's Post-Election Conduct and ‘Threats’ Violated the Ku Klux Klan Act, Civil Rights Groups Allege — Outgoing President Donald Trump's post-election campaign of “intimidation and coercion of election officials and volunteers” targets Black voters in violation of the Ku Klux Klan Act …
Discussion:
Raw Story