Top Items:
Washington Post:
Hawley's move to contest electoral college vote certification ensures drawn-out process — Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced Wednesday that he will object next week when Congress convenes to certify the electoral college vote before President-elect Joe Biden's victory is cemented …
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Kyle Cheney / Politico:
How Congress and coronavirus could quash Trump's Electoral College gambit — President Donald Trump's last-gasp bid to overturn his 2020 election defeat appears doomed on Jan. 6, when Congress is set to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory. — But the byzantine process …
Jonathan V. Last / The Triad:
You Should Be Angry. — Before we get started: Shortly after I finished writing today's newsletter, Josh Hawley announced that he is going to buck Mitch McConnell and join House Republicans to force a roll-call vote on whether or not to accept the Electoral College votes.
Discussion:
The Hill, Associated Press, Missouri Independent, Fox News, The Americano, IJR, Big League Politics and BGR
CNN:
GOP senator to delay affirming Biden victory by forcing votes on Electoral College results — (CNN)Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley said Wednesday he will object when Congress counts the Electoral College votes next week, which will force lawmakers in both the House and Senate to vote …
Discussion:
Business Insider, Washington Times, The Hill, Reuters, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Associated Press, Fox News, Washington Examiner, Patterico's Pontifications, Al Jazeera, Wall Street Journal, NPR, National Review, NBC News, Breitbart, Crooks and Liars, abc7NY, Raw Story, Balloon Juice, Conservative News Today, No More Mister Nice Blog, Big League Politics, WINK NEWS, IJR, Bloomberg and BuzzFeed News
Burgess Everett / Politico:
‘No realistic path’: McConnell rejects standalone stimulus check increase
‘No realistic path’: McConnell rejects standalone stimulus check increase
Michelle Brunetti Post / Press of Atlantic City:
Van Drew says he will object to Electoral College results
Van Drew says he will object to Electoral College results
Catie Edmondson / New York Times:
‘No Realistic Path’ for Quick Vote on $2,000 Checks, McConnell Says
‘No Realistic Path’ for Quick Vote on $2,000 Checks, McConnell Says
Discussion:
Business Insider, NBC News, Washington Examiner, Fox News, ABC News, Axios, Sara A. Carter, Associated Press, Washington Post, The Guardian, The Daily Signal, The National Interest, COURIER, The Daily Caller, The Western Journal, NewsNation Now, Raw Story, New York Post, Big League Politics, Mediaite, CNBC, Colorado Newsline, CBS Pittsburgh and Newsy
Lachlan Markay / The Daily Beast:
Ted Cruz's Georgia Runoff Fundraising Is Actually Going to His Campaign. He's Not Alone — The runoff is a gold mine for politicians. And now that they can run Facebook ads in Georgia, they're rushing for it. — Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) needs your help to keep the U.S. Senate in Republican hands.
Discussion:
Raw Story, The Intellectualist and Mock Paper Scissors
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James Arkin / Politico:
Strong early-vote turnout gives Dems hope in Georgia runoffs — Early voting in the Georgia Senate runoffs is breaking records — and Democrats have reasons for hope in the numbers. — More than 2.3 million people have voted as of Tuesday morning through mail-in ballots or in-person early voting …
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Why A Split Verdict In Georgia Isn't That Crazy
Why A Split Verdict In Georgia Isn't That Crazy
Discussion:
Washington Post, CNN, National Memo, The Daily Beast, Fortune and Washington Times
NBC News:
Feds probing if Nashville bomber believed in lizard people conspiracy — Investigators are exploring several conspiracy theories as potential motives behind the Christmas Day bombing outside an AT&T building in Nashville, including evidence that the bomber believed in lizard people …
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Natalie Allison / The Tennessean:
Girlfriend warned Nashville police Anthony Warner was building bomb a year ago, report shows
Girlfriend warned Nashville police Anthony Warner was building bomb a year ago, report shows
Discussion:
USA Today, The Lid, The Daily Caller, New York Post, Sara A. Carter, ABC News, Associated Press, New York Times, UPI, Crooks and Liars, Conservative News Today, Axios, Law & Crime, Outside the Beltway, Liberty Unyielding, KDFX-TV, National Review, CNN, WKRN-TV, HotAir, Lawyers, Guns & Money, WTVF-TV, TheBlaze, justoneminute.typepad.com, Raw Story, RedState, Towleroad Gay News, Slate, Mediaite, The Week, The Western Journal, NPR, The US Sun, Washington Examiner and The Hill
Washington Post:
McConnell says push for $2,000 stimulus checks has “no realistic path to quickly pass the Senate” — The Senate leader said the measure would be too costly, would not be targeted towards needy, and help families that are living comfortably. — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) …
Discussion:
New York Magazine, USA Today, POLITICUSUSA, IJR, The Week, The Daily Caller, The Hill, Washington Times, Newsy and CBS San Francisco
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Jason Sattler / USA Today:
I underestimated Biden in 2020 and have hope for 2021. Post-Trump detox is just the start.
I underestimated Biden in 2020 and have hope for 2021. Post-Trump detox is just the start.
Discussion:
Chicago Sun-Times, National Review, Wall Street Journal and Newsbusters
Rachel Siegel / Washington Post:
Here's how $2,000 stimulus checks would work, and who would qualify
Here's how $2,000 stimulus checks would work, and who would qualify
Discussion:
CBS News, The Hill, Talking Points Memo, New York Post, IJR, Washington Times and Raw Story
Taryn Ryder / Yahoo Entertainment:
Dr. Drew reveals COVID-19 diagnosis months after apologizing for downplaying coronavirus — Celebrity doctor Drew Pinsky has tested positive for COVID-19. Pinsky, known as “Dr. Drew,” is “under surveillance” according to a message shared on his Instagram account.
Tom Nichols / The Atlantic:
Trump Could Still Start a Last-Ditch War With Iran — Donald Trump is intent on creating as much chaos as possible on his way out of the White House. Could that include saddling Joe Biden with another war in the Middle East? — We already know that Trump is thinking about attacking Iran.
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Robert Burns / Associated Press:
US bomber mission over Persian Gulf aimed at cautioning Iran
US bomber mission over Persian Gulf aimed at cautioning Iran
Discussion:
U.S. Central Command, The Daily Caller, New York Post and Political Wire
Jennifer Bendery / HuffPost:
Biden's Team Tells Senate Democrats To Send Him Judicial Nominees ASAP — The president-elect wants recommendations for all existing district court vacancies by Jan. 19, says his incoming White House counsel. — President-elect Joe Biden is signaling that he's ready to move quickly with nominating judges once he's sworn into office.
Discussion:
Reason and Political Wire
Katherine Rosman / New York Times:
Hilaria Baldwin Talks About Her Heritage, Spain, Boston, Alec and Instagram — Accused of a “decade long grift where she impersonates a Spanish person,” the entrepreneur and spouse of Alec Baldwin talks about Spain, Boston, her children, Instagram and more.
Discussion:
Page Six, Showbiz411, New York Post, Towleroad Gay News, Instapundit, The Federalist, Breitbart, Vanity Fair, The Daily Caller, Variety, Daily Mail, The Guardian, Twitchy, Louder With Crowder, The Daily Beast, Townhall, People.com, Power Line, KDFX-TV, Mediaite, Washington Post, The Week, Us Weekly and Mercury News
Kathy Mccormack / Associated Press:
Governor cancels inaugural, citing mask protests at his home — CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire's Republican governor said Wednesday that he is canceling his outdoor inauguration ceremony next month because of public safety concerns — namely, armed protesters who have been gathering outside …
Discussion:
WMUR
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Summer Concepcion / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Gov Cancels Inaugural Ceremony Over Armed Protesters Outside His Home — New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) on Wednesday announced that he is canceling his outdoor inauguration ceremony next month, citing “ongoing public safety concerns” over armed protesters who have gathered outside …
Isaac Stanley-Becker / Washington Post:
Shots are slow to reach arms as Trump administration leaves final steps of mass vaccination to beleaguered states — Federal and state officials say the pace will soon accelerate, but the logistical challenges are also expected to intensify in the new year — In suburban Milwaukee …
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Stephen Fowler / Georgia Public Broadcasting:
Fact Check: Brad Raffensperger's Brother Is Not A Chinese Tech Executive Named Ron — Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says Georgians should expect to wait in line on Election Day amidst record turnout. — Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger does …
Discussion:
CNN, DickMorris.com, Snopes.com, Crooks and Liars, Forbes and Talking Points Memo
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Greg Bluestein / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Head of Georgia NAACP resigns from Raffensperger's election task force
Head of Georgia NAACP resigns from Raffensperger's election task force
Discussion:
WALB-TV, Business Insider, UPI and WTOC
David Wallace-Wells / New York Magazine:
America's Vaccine Rollout Is Already a Disaster — It's happening all over again. For months, Americans who despaired about the country's coronavirus-suppression efforts looked desperately to the arrival of a vaccine for a kind of pandemic deliverance. Now that it has arrived …
Discussion:
Washington Post
Missy Ryan / Washington Post:
Biden to tap longtime officials for top Pentagon roles — President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate two former senior officials to fill the Pentagon's No. 2 and No. 3 jobs, transition officials said, further signaling the new administration's intent to forge a more predictable foreign policy …
Discussion:
President-Elect Joe Biden, New York Daily News, Politico, The Daily Caller, IJR, Accuracy in Media, The Week and Fox News
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Greg Bluestein / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
In final week, GOP resurfaces Warnock dispute with then-wife — In the final stretch of Georgia's runoff campaign, Republicans have launched an attack ad highlighting police footage from the aftermath of a dispute between Senate candidate Raphael Warnock and his then-wife over her accusation …
Discussion:
HotAir and Washington Times
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OHCHR:
US pardons for Blackwater guards an “affront to justice” - UN experts — A group of UN experts* said the pardons granted to four convicted private security contractors for war crimes in Iraq violated US obligations under international law, and called on all States parties to the Geneva Conventions to condemn the pardons.
Discussion:
Raw Story, Talking Points Memo and The Daily Caller
RELATED:
Stephanie Nebehay / Reuters:
Trump pardon of Blackwater Iraq contractors violates international law - UN
Trump pardon of Blackwater Iraq contractors violates international law - UN
Discussion:
Axios, The Week, The Hill, The New Arab, POLITICUSUSA and The Intellectualist
Axios:
Scoop: Trump administration declassifies unconfirmed intel on Chinese bounties — The Trump administration is declassifying as-yet uncorroborated intelligence, recently briefed to President Trump, that indicates China offered to pay non-state actors in Afghanistan to attack American soldiers …
Transition / President-Elect Joe Biden:
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris Announce Additional Members of White House Staff — Transition Names 100 Accomplished, Diverse White House Staff Members by End of 2020 — WASHINGTON - Today, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris …
Discussion:
The Hill
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Joel Rose / NPR:
Even If It's ‘Bonkers,’ Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon And Other Conspiracy Theories — Toggle more options — A significant number of Americans believe misinformation about the origins of the coronavirus and the recent presidential election, as well as conspiracy theories like QAnon, according to a new NPR/Ipsos poll.
Discussion:
Ipsos, Gizmodo, The Daily Caller, Business Insider and Raw Story
David Brand / Queens News:
Man hospitalized for COVID-19 after Queens Republican club Christmas party — At least one person has been hospitalized for COVID-19 after attending an indoor Christmas dance party hosted by the Whitestone Republican Club earlier this month, the Eagle has learned.
Discussion:
The Hill, Gothamist, Raw Story and Political Wire
Stephanie Giang-Paunon / Fox News:
Oregon mayor tells residents to ignore coronavirus restrictions — Stan Pulliam thinks the economy should open up as usual but with masks and social distancing — Oregon mayor encourages coronavirus lockdown defiance — A Republican mayor in Oregon is encouraging business owners to defy the state's coronavirus restrictions.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner and TheBlaze