Ohio's U.S. Sen. Rob Portman won't run for re-election; Republican cites ‘partisan gridlock’  —  Republican Rob Portman will not seek a third term in the U.S. Senate in 2022, he told The Enquirer - a move that will unsettle politics in both Greater Cincinnati and Washington D.C.

Rudy Giuliani Sued by Dominion Voting Systems Over False Election Claims  —  The suit against Mr. Giuliani, a lawyer for former President Donald Trump who pushed to overturn the election results, accuses him of carrying out “a viral disinformation campaign.”

Some Trump aides stuck with him till the end.  Now they're screwed.  —  Four days into his post-presidency life, Donald Trump has insulated himself from the outside world.  —  Unseen by the public and unusually quiet as key parts of his policy legacy are dismantled by the new administration …

Supreme Court dismisses emolument cases against Trump  —  CNN analyst explains Emoluments Clause to Trump  —  Washington (CNN)The Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a case concerning whether former President Donald Trump violated provisions of the Constitution that bar a president from profiting from a foreign government.

CDC director says federal government does not know how much Covid vaccine the U.S. has  — The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Sunday that the federal government doesn't know how much coronavirus vaccine the nation has.  — “I can't tell you how much vaccine …

Meet Trump's Pro-Insurrection “Intellectuals”  —  We should have known January 6 was coming, because Trumpism's “intellectual” wing called for it, for weeks.  —  Last December, Ross Douthat suggested that “there are two Republican Parties.”  One of them governs dutifully, “certifying elections …

It's time to stand up against the muzzling of America  —  Have you checked your social credit score lately?  You might want to.  Mine seems to have taken a nosedive this month.  You might want to see how yours is doing.  —  Everyone knows what a credit score is.  But social credit scores are new.

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Retains Neutralizing Activity Against Emerging Variants First Identified in the U.K. and the Republic of South Africa  —  Out of an abundance of caution, Moderna launches clinical program to boost immunity to emerging variants  —  Manuscript posted to preprint server …

Jim Acosta: I've never seen Trump this alone  —  New York (CNN Business)Donald Trump spent his last moments as President sad and alone, according to Jim Acosta, who led CNN's coverage of Trump during his presidency.  —  In his farewell to Washington on Wednesday morning …

Members are quitting ‘sad’ Mar-a-Lago after Trump loses  —  New York (CNN Business)Many once-loyal members of Mar-a-Lago are leaving because they no longer want to have any connection to former President Donald Trump, according to the author of the definitive book about the resort.

MAGA media looks to turn White House briefing room into a battlefield  —  Eric Bolling, the conservative host of Sinclair Broadcast Group's “America This Week,” would travel regularly to Donald Trump's White House, interviewing the former president seven times and occasionally attending press briefings.

Undercounting of Covid-19 deaths is greatest in pro-Trump areas, analysis shows  —  Tens of thousands of Covid-19 deaths are going unreported in the U.S., with far more missed in counties that strongly supported former President Trump, according to new research.

Merck Scraps Covid-19 Vaccine Candidates  —  The two shots generated comparatively weak immune responses in early-stage studies  —  Merck & Co. said Monday that it is halting development of its two experimental Covid-19 vaccines, after early clinical-trial data showed the shots generated …

Evidence Piles Up for Trump's Impeachment Trial  —  Each day seems to bring another egregious example of the former president's attempt to subvert the truth and democracy.  —  One of the courtroom highlights of the recent Netflix film “The Trial of the Chicago 7” involves …

Biden Plans to Tap California Labor Chief Julie Su as DOL Deputy  —  Listen  —  President Joe Biden plans to nominate California Labor Secretary Julie Su for the No. 2 position at the U.S. Labor Department, after a chorus of progressives had called for her to land the agency's top job …

U.S. sends carrier into South China Sea as Chinese bombers fly near Taiwan … The U.S. sent an aircraft carrier strike group into the disputed South China Sea the same day China dispatched a fleet of 13 warplanes — including nuclear-capable bombers — into the southwestern corner of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

Oregon Bill Would Enable People to Vote from Prison  —  The reform would be a historic step for national efforts to end felony disenfranchisement.  Prison is not about “the loss of citizenship,” said one incarcerated advocate.  —  Lawmakers in Oregon introduced legislation this month that would enable people in prison to vote.

Biden signs order overturning Trump's transgender military ban  —  President Biden signed an executive order on Monday overturning the Trump administration's ban on transgender Americans serving in the military.  —  Why it matters: The ban, which allowed the military to bar openly transgender recruits …

Liz Cheney Should Step Away From Leadership For The Sake Of GOP Voters  —  There is no reason to leave Cheney in her leadership position.  In fact, it's negligence for Republican leaders to keep her there.  —  Liz Cheney's problems are piling up, according to Politico.

“Fight for Trump”: Video Evidence of Incitement at the Capitol  —  How direct is the connection between what President Donald Trump communicated to his supporters and their actions in laying siege to the U.S. Capitol?  Videos recorded by many individuals over the course of the day provide some answers.

Fight over the rules grinds the Senate to a halt, imperiling Biden's legislative agenda  —  When President Biden took office last week, he promised sweeping, bipartisan legislation to solve the coronavirus pandemic, fix the economy and overhaul immigration.  —  Just days later …

Bridget Kelly, Author Of Infamous ‘Time For Some Traffic Problems’ Email, Is Running For Office  —  The former Chris Christie staffer is hoping to go from Bridgegate to Bergen County Clerk.  —  “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.”  Those eight words in an email set in motion the scandal known as