Scoop: McConnell leans toward convicting Trump  —  There's a better than 50-50 chance that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would vote to convict President Trump in an impeachment trial, sources tell Axios.  —  What they're saying: “The Senate institutional loyalists are fomenting a counterrevolution” …

Mikie Sherrill claims Congress members gave ‘reconnaissance’ tours day before Capitol raid  —  In a live webcast Tuesday evening, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-11, made a startling claim that other members of Congress led groups of people through the Capitol Building on a “reconnaissance” …

Pence Reached His Limit With Trump.  It Wasn't Pretty.  —  After four years of tongue-biting silence that critics say enabled the president's worst instincts, the vice president would not yield to the pressure and name-calling from his boss.  —  WASHINGTON — For Vice President Mike Pence, the moment of truth had arrived.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Says She Had A “Very Close Encounter” On The Day The Capitol Was Stormed And Thought She Would Die  —  WASHINGTON — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in an Instagram Live on Tuesday night that she had a “very close encounter” on Jan. 6, the day of the violent insurrection …

New York City Will End Contracts With Trump Over Capitol Riot  —  The mayor said the city would cancel contracts with the Trump Organization for two ice skating rinks, the Central Park Carousel and the Trump Golf Links in the Bronx.  —  New York City is terminating its contracts …

Biden to nominate Samantha Power to lead foreign aid agency  —  WASHINGTON — Signaling a dramatic new direction for U.S. foreign assistance, President-elect Joe Biden is expected to announce Wednesday that he will nominate former U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power to head the U.S. Agency …

‘It was like looking at evil’: The Capitol attack through the eyes of the Massachusetts delegation  —  WASHINGTON — On the day Congress was set to count the electoral votes certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory, Representative Seth Moulton was one of the first members …

Trump's approval rating craters in final days  —  Tarnished by last week's riot at the Capitol, Donald Trump is ending his presidency with his lowest-ever poll numbers.  —  A new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll pegs Trump's approval at just 34 percent, the lowest in four years of tracking opinions of the president's job performance.

House freshman divided over Capitol siege  —  The freshmen class of House Republicans has been fighting since last Wednesday's Capitol assault, creating a clear split just over a week after being sworn in.  —  What we're hearing: On Tuesday, Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene …

Four years ago, I wondered if the media could handle Trump.  Now we know.  —  One way or another, Donald Trump will soon be gone from the White House.  And that, to quote Prince Hamlet, is “a consummation devoutly to be wished.”  —  As the remaining moments dwindle, I find myself thinking back to Nov. 8, 2016.

Pelosi Names Impeachment Managers  —  Washington, D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi today named Impeachment Managers.  —  “Tonight, I have the solemn privilege of naming the Managers of the impeachment trial of Donald Trump,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  “It is their constitutional and patriotic duty …

Georgia man arrested following Capitol insurrection has died by suicide  —  Investigators: Christopher Georgia killed by a gunshot wound  —  An Alpharetta man who was among those arrested following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday has killed himself, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office.

Majority back impeachment and are concerned about more D.C. violence — CBS News poll  —  Even as they widely condemn the violence at the Capitol last week, Americans say there could be more in the days to come: 74% think it at least somewhat likely that there could be more acts …

Video shows retired Navy SEAL boasting of ‘breaching the Capitol’  —  The Navy veteran said he wanted lawmakers to be left “shaking in their shoes.”  —  Retired Navy SEAL boasts of ‘breaching the Capitol’  —  A video posted to Facebook by Adam Newbold following the Jan. 6 attack …

Congressman Mo Brooks Rebuts Vicious & Scurrilous Fake News Media and Socialist Democrat Attacks  —  Washington, DC— Tuesday,Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) issued the below statement in response to scurrilous Fake News Media and Socialist Democrat attacks related to his January 6th “Save America” rally speech:

U.S. Executes Lisa Montgomery for 2004 Murder  —  She was the first woman to be put to death by the federal government since 1953 and had been the only woman on federal death row.  —  WASHINGTON — The Trump administration early Wednesday morning executed Lisa M. Montgomery …

A Republican Journey  —  A longtime GOP member of Congress bids his party goodbye.  —  It was 1958.  I had turned 21, just a year past graduation from the University of Oklahoma, member of the student senate, one of the “Ruf-Neks” who lead the football team onto the field at the start of every Sooners game.

Kojo Nnamdi Show To End Production This Spring After 23 Years On Air  —  The Kojo Nnamdi Show's 23-year-run on WAMU will end this spring, the station announced today.  The last live show will air Thursday, April 1.  Nnamdi will continue to host The Politics Hour on Fridays and he will host a series of live events for the station.

The Great Unraveling  —  The old order is dead.  What comes next?  —  5 hr ago  —  Thought comes before action.  Words come before deeds.  Media that profits from polarization will stoke it.  Lies — maybe harmless for the moment, maybe even noble — create a lying world.  —  I've known this for a while.

Republicans want reconciliation.  Here's what they need to do first.  —  A WEEK after the shocking Jan. 6 invasion of the Capitol by an angry mob, Republicans are suddenly calling for unity.  “We must work together to lower the temperature and unite the country,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.).

Secret Service launches massive security operation to protect Biden inauguration  —  The Secret Service and federal law enforcement agencies are spending the final days of the Trump administration bracing for a possible violent assault against the Jan. 20 inauguration, launching a security mobilization …