Episode 1: A premeditated lie lit the fire  —  Beginning on election night 2020 and continuing through his final days in office, Donald Trump unraveled and dragged America with him, to the point that his followers sacked the U.S. Capitol with two weeks left in his term.

Scoop: Gina Haspel threatened to resign over plan to install Kash Patel as CIA deputy  —  CIA Director Gina Haspel threatened to resign in early December after President Trump cooked up a hasty plan to install loyalist Kash Patel, a former aide to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), as her deputy …

‘Hell, Yes,’ Republicans Are Headed for a Bitter Internal Showdown  —  G.O.P. leadership would like to blunt President Trump's influence over the party.  Mr. Trump and his allies want to punish those who have crossed him.  A series of clashes looms.  —  As President Trump prepares …

Atlanta Prosecutor Appears to Move Closer to Trump Inquiry  —  The Fulton County district attorney is weighing an inquiry into possible election interference and is said to be considering hiring an outside counsel.  —  ATLANTA — Prosecutors in Georgia appear increasingly likely to open …

Biden fills out State Department team with Obama veterans  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is filling out his State Department team with a group of former career diplomats and veterans of the Obama administration, signaling his desire to return to a more traditional foreign policy …

John Weaver, former McCain aide, acknowledges “inappropriate” messages  —  John Weaver, a veteran Republican operative who co-founded the Lincoln Project, declared in a statement to Axios on Friday that he sent “inappropriate,” sexually charged messages to multiple men.

Alex Azar resigns as Health and Human Services Secretary, citing Capitol mob  —  Alex Azar, the Health and Human Services Secretary, resigned earlier this week, citing the violent Capitol riot inflamed by President Donald Trump in his resignation letter obtained by NBC News.

Leading QC says Scottish ministers can seek ‘McMafia’ order into Donald Trump's finances  —  One of Scotland's leading QCs has directly contradicted First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's claims that the Scottish Government is not responsible for the decision on whether to seek an Unexplained Wealth Order …

Biden's stimulus plan will harm those who need the most help  —  If you thought help for the coronavirus was on the way, think again.  President-elect Joe Biden's plan to provide economic relief is going to cause a lot of pain and waste a lot of money on people who do not need it.

A former president Trump won't ‘need to know.’ Cut off his intelligence.  —  Susan M. Gordon was the principal deputy director of national intelligence from 2017 to 2019.  —  Every former president in the modern era has benefited from a unique national security perk after leaving the White House …

Conspiracy theories and a call for patriots entice veterans at the Capitol  —  The day President Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol, Jeremy Michael Brown, a retired Special Forces soldier with multiple combat tours, was in Washington, D.C., dressed for battle in body armor, boots and a Kevlar helmet.

Capitol Police intelligence report warned three days before attack that ‘Congress itself’ could be targeted  —  Three days before thousands of rioters converged on the U.S. Capitol, an internal Capitol Police intelligence report warned of a violent scenario in which “Congress itself” …

‘Destroy Trump’: Breitbart Staffers Seethe After Capitol Riot  —  “This is banana republic shit,” wrote one editor at the staunchly pro-Trump outlet, in response to colleagues downplaying or excusing the violence during last week's MAGA mob. … Editors and reporters at the staunchly pro …

Capitol Attack Could Fuel Extremist Recruitment For Years, Experts Warn  —  An ideological jumble of far-right extremists and hate groups flourished under President Trump and claimed new energy after the attack on the Capitol.  Now they are debating their next moves.  —  Overthrowing the government.

What TV Can Tell Us About How the Trump Show Ends  —  For years, struggling with how to think about this crazy presidency, people have compared the Donald Trump administration to reality TV.  The tropes showed up daily: the shameless overstatement, the manufactured conflict …

James Murdoch blasts US media for unleashing ‘insidious forces’  —  Comments from Rupert's son are his strongest rebuke of industry practices since leaving the family business  —  James Murdoch has castigated the US media for the “toxic politics” threatening American democracy …

“After Me, Baby, You're Gonna Be Ruined for Anyone Else”: Donald Trump Refused to Take ‘No’ From Women—And Then From America Itself  —  Donald Trump is leaving office with a reputation marred by two impeachments, multiple scandals, and a violent assault on the U.S. Capitol.

We're Just Finding Out How Bad the Riot Really Was  —  As terrifying as it was to watch the attempted coup unfold on January 6, the news that afternoon offered some cause for relief.  Although the U.S. Capitol was overrun, few injuries were initially reported.  At first, it appeared that only one woman died in the melee.

The Bobbsey Twins, The CIA, and Me  —  In first and second grade, I was OBSESSED with Bobbsey Twins books.  It was not enough to read every book in the series.  I wanted to BE a Bobbsey Twin.  (It wasn't just the Bobbsey Twins.  I did the same with Little House on the Prairie).

Democrats wrestle with length of Trump trial  —  Democratic lawmakers eager to punish President Trump for his role in fomenting last week's deadly attack on the Capitol are grappling with how elaborate and lengthy a Senate trial should be, as President-elect Joe Biden ramps up pressure …

North Texan Jenna Ryan Tells CBS 11 She Deserves Pardon After Arrest For Alleged Role In Capitol Riot  —  CARROLLTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - North Texas realtor Jenna Ryan, who was seen in photos and video at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, arrived home Friday, Jan. 15 after turning herself in to authorities earlier in the day.

Trump Is on the Verge of Losing Everything  —  President Trump's second impeachment, like the other repudiations he has suffered, feels provisional.  He is never quite banished.  He is impeached, but Senate Republicans refuse to convict or even allow evidence into his trial.

In Trump's last days, a spree of environmental rollbacks  —  Rules affect oil and gas drilling, mining and logging, along with energy efficiency standards and restrictions on toxic chemicals  —  The Trump administration has gone on a spree of environmental rollbacks in its final days …

Kudlow Criticizes Trump for Handling of Riot, Treatment of Pence  —  President's top economic adviser faulted his boss for recent actions, praised administration policy legacy on taxes and trade  —  WASHINGTON—President Trump's top economic adviser criticized his boss's handling of the riot …

Online far-right movements fracture in wake of Capitol riot  —  Online far-right movements are splintering in the wake of last week's Capitol riot, as some radical anti-government movements show signs of disillusionment with the relatively hands-off approach of some QAnon conspiracy theorists amid warnings of future violence.

Inside Twitter's Decision to Cut Off Trump  —  Jack Dorsey, the chief executive, had reservations about locking the president's account.  But the calls for violence that his tweets provoked were too overwhelming.  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Jack Dorsey, Twitter's chief executive …

Ivanka's political future comes into sharper focus  —  The president's daughter isn't making concrete moves.  But Republicans say that moves are being made in anticipation of her running.  —  When Donald Trump incited a mob riot on Capitol Hill last week, he didn't just complicate …

Trump weighing a pardon for Steve Bannon  —  President Donald Trump is considering granting a pardon to Steve Bannon, his former White House chief strategist and top campaign aide, who was charged with swindling donors to a private crowdsourcing effort to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border …

NY prosecutors interview Michael Cohen about Trump finances  —  NEW YORK (AP) — New York prosecutors conducted an hourslong interview Thursday of Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, asking a range of questions about Trump's business dealings, according to three people familiar with the meeting.

‘I cannot wait to leave this job’ — Acting Defense Secretary Miller has zero f-ks left … Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller has apparently dropped his proverbial pack after expending the last f-k he has left.  —  “I mean, I cannot wait to leave this job, believe me,” …