POLITICO Playbook: Biden embraces the left, while McCarthy may purge a member on the right  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  BREAKING OVERNIGHT: House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY and his top lieutenants are leaning toward removing Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) from the House Education …

EXCLUSIVE: Attorney Lin Wood under investigation over whether he voted illegally in November, officials say  —  ATLANTA — He has been one of the most vocal, visible and controversial critics of the integrity of Georgia's election.  —  Attorney Lin Wood filed lawsuits and held rallies …

Capitol riot suspect asks court's permission to vacation in Mexico - and gets it  —  A woman accused of participating in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol asked a federal judge for permission to leave the country on vacation later this month - and got it.  —  In a Monday court filing …

Scoop: Schiff lobbying Newsom to be California's next AG  —  Rep. Adam Schiff is quietly lobbying Gov. Gavin Newsom and his allies to appoint him California's next attorney general, according to people familiar with the matter.  —  Why it matters: If Newsom selects Schiff …

Top House Republican demands Psaki apologize over ‘disgraceful’ Space Force quip  —  The House Armed Services Committee's top Republican is calling on White House press secretary Jen Psaki to “immediately apologize” for her response to a Space Force question in Tuesday's briefing.

Trump aides made a late request to Team Biden to extend their parental leave.  They said no.  —  After four years in the Trump administration, Vanessa Ambrosini was looking forward to three months of parental leave when she and her husband welcomed a baby a week before Christmas.

Biden Doesn't Need and Shouldn't Want the Votes of the Sedition Caucus or the Obstructionists  —  The presidents and the Democrats have a mandate to govern.  —  President Biden is being told that, in the interest of “unity and bipartisanship,” he must cooperate with Senate Republicans …

In Rare Public Statement, Congressional Aides Call for Trump's Conviction  —  More than 370 Democratic aides issued an unusual public appeal, notable because congressional staff members rarely publicly express their own views.  —  WASHINGTON — More than 370 Democratic congressional aides …

Manhattan district attorney considering prosecuting Stephen Bannon following his pardon by Trump in federal fraud case  —  NEW YORK — The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is weighing whether to bring a state court case against Stephen K. Bannon, who was indicted on federal fraud charges …

As GameStop stock crumbles, newbie traders reckon with heavy losses  —  The Reddit forum that helped kick off the frenzy has given way to anxiety, financial bloodshed and infighting  —  As GameStop's stock plunged 60 percent Tuesday, the online horde that had raced to invest in the …

Lawmakers aim to dissolve ‘draconian’ law that placed heavy financial burden on Postal Service  —  A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House and Senate introduced legislation that would provide the Postal Service much-needed financial relief by doing away with a mandate that required …

‘Their goal is to destroy everyone’: Uighur camp detainees allege systematic rape  —  Women in China's “re-education” camps for Uighurs have been systematically raped, sexually abused, and tortured, according to detailed accounts obtained by the BBC.  You may find some of the details in this story distressing.

The Down Side to Life in a Supertall Tower: Leaks, Creaks, Breaks  —  432 Park, one of the wealthiest addresses in the world, faces some significant design problems, and other luxury high-rises may share its fate.  —  The nearly 1,400-foot tower at 432 Park Avenue, briefly …

In First White House Interview, Joe & Jill Biden Talk Marriage, Family, Prayer — and the Challenges Ahead  —  The new president and first lady open up about their initial days after returning to Washington, D.C., and starting the nation's next chapter: “We have problems, but we also have enormous opportunities”

The GOP Might Still Be Trump's Party.  But That Doesn't Mean There's Room For Him.  —  Throughout his presidency, Donald Trump crossed lines that no other president has come close to.  And if there was ever any doubt, the final months of his presidency put that to rest.

Eric Trump hits out at Scottish plan to debate his father's golf courses  —  Donald Trump's son Eric has lashed out at Scottish politicians ahead of a parliamentary debate on whether to launch an investigation into the financing of his father's resorts.  —  The debate in the Scottish parliament …

Slain FBI Agents Worked in ‘A Dark Place’  —  Child sex cases took them to ‘places most people could never imagine even exist’  —  Daniel Alfin and Laura Schwartzenberger worked in very dark places.  Serving a warrant in the dark on a suspected child abuser was just one of them.

Amazon.com Announces Financial Results and CEO Transition  —  Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos will transition to role of Executive Chair in Q3, Andy Jassy to become Chief Executive Officer of Amazon at that time  —  SEATTLE—(BUSINESS WIRE)— Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) …

The Challenge of Going It Alone  —  The last time we had a Senate divided at 50/50 was back in 2001.  It only stayed that way until May of 2001 when Vermont Republican Sen. Jim Jeffords switched parties, giving Democrats 51 seats.  —  But, the make-up of the Senate was much less polarized than it is today.

Trump gets an important backer in his bid to live at Mar-a-Lago  —  Some of the neighbors don't want him around.  —  But former president Donald Trump just found a big ally in his quest to call his Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, home during his post-presidency.

Coronavirus is in the air — there's too much focus on surfaces … A year into the pandemic, the evidence is now clear.  The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted predominantly through the air — by people talking and breathing out large droplets and small particles called aerosols.

Fox News Ratings Free Fall Is a ‘Self-Inflicted Wound,’ Insiders Say  —  IN THE BASEMENT  —  The network fell behind CNN and MSNBC in key ratings figures for the first time in 20 years—a remarkable plunge that has staffers worried and critics gloating.  —  Signaling a seismic shift …

The Clarifying Power of AOC's Storytelling  —  Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez went live on Instagram last night to describe in vivid, harrowing detail her experience during the Capitol insurrection.  Facing the camera, speaking passionately and clearly, she spent several minutes recounting …

Proud Boys Dealt Another Blow as Feds Crack Down  —  The Proud Boys' former lawyer says he's taking the name back.  —  The far-right Proud Boys have been thrown into a tumult in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot, with the group's leaders facing criminal charges, their chairman exposed as an informant …

Ron DeSantis's Florida is the unsung success story of coronavirus  —  Beginning Jan. 20, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo acquired a new problem.  He cannot very well blame President Biden for his performance on the coronavirus, so he now lacks a federal scapegoat toward which to deflect blame for his own shortcomings.

White House open to narrowing who qualifies for stimulus checks but keeping payments at $1,400 per person  —  The White House is open to narrowing eligibility for the next round of stimulus payments but not lowering those payments below $1,400 per person, according to a White House spokeswoman.

Global democracy has a very bad year  —  The pandemic caused an unprecedented rollback of democratic freedoms in 2020  —  Global democracy continued its decline in 2020, according to the latest edition of the Democracy Index from our sister company, The Economist Intelligence Unit.