Sen. Shirkey baselessly claims U.S. Capitol riot was ‘staged’ by Trump haters, recording shows  — Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey.  —  Michigan state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey suggested the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was a “hoax” perpetuated by opponents of former President Donald Trump.

'I'm Not a Cat,' Says Lawyer Having Zoom Difficulties  —  The video was immediately shared widely and brought joy to many.  The lawyer, Rod Ponton, said he was happy people got a much-needed laugh.  —  It was a civil forfeiture case hearing like any other hearing, except for the lawyer cat.

‘Woke’ American Ideas Are a Threat, French Leaders Say  —  Politicians and prominent intellectuals say social theories from the United States on race, gender and post-colonialism are a threat to French identity and the French republic.  —  PARIS — The threat is said to be existential.

Suspect In Custody After Multiple People Shot At Allina Health Clinic In Buffalo  —  MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) — A suspect is in custody and multiple people are injured following a shooting at an Allina Health Clinic in Buffalo Tuesday morning.  —  According to the Wright County Sheriff's Office …

White House Walks Back Promise to Open Schools in 100 Days  —  The White House on Tuesday qualified its promise to reopen schools in President Joe Biden's first 100 days in office, saying the administration wants “some” in-person learning “at least one day a week.”

Fox Files Motion to Dismiss Smartmatic's $2.7 Billion Defamation Suit  —  In a court filing, Rupert Murdoch's media company says it had the right to broadcast the debunked claims of election fraud promoted by President Donald Trump's legal team on Fox News and Fox Business.

Republicans came within 90,000 votes of controlling all of Washington  —  The 2020 election was bad for Republicans, full stop.  For the first time since 1932, a president came into office with both chambers of Congress under his party's control, and lost both of them and reelection.

Hold Them All Accountable  —  The people who stormed the Capitol are facing the music.  It's up to us to make sure that the people who incited them do, too.  —  “Must I shoot a simple-minded soldier boy who deserts, while I must not touch a hair of a wily agitator who induces him to desert?

User Clip: House impeachment managers' opening video  —  Video presented by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D) of the events of Jan. 6, 2021.

Exclusive: Ukraine Releases ‘Shock’ Call With Giuliani As Trump's Second Impeachment Trial Begins  —  “Let these investigations go forward,” Rudy Giuliani told the presidential headquarters in Kyiv, Ukraine, his voice turning impatient.  “Get someone to investigate this.”

Bruce Castor: The Disaster Artist  —  Explaining what just happened.  And why.  —  Bruce Castor's opening statement in defense of former President Donald Trump was one of the worst presentations I have ever seen by a public speaker, in any context.  —  On style, he was akin to a checked-out …

What happened with New York Times reporter Donald McNeil?  —  The Constitution protects people from being prosecuted twice for the same offense.  But those “double jeopardy” protections hold no sway in private workplaces like the New York Times, as now-former reporter Donald G. McNeil Jr. discovered …

Trump Partner Exploring Ways to End Relationship With Ex-President's Company  —  Vornado considers step after efforts to sell, refinance office towers misfired, possibly due to Trump stake  —  One of the nation's biggest real-estate investors, which is run by a longtime friend of Donald Trump …

‘I Said The Opposite’: Criticism Of Trump's Impeachment Defense Intensifies  —  Toggle more options  —  A constitutional law professor whose work is cited extensively by former President Donald Trump's lawyers in their impeachment defense brief says his work has been seriously misrepresented.

Is This Beverly Hills Cop Playing Sublime's ‘Santeria’ to Avoid Being Live-streamed?  —  Police officers in Beverly Hills have been playing music while being filmed, seemingly in an effort to trigger Instagram's copyright filters.  —  DT  —  Last Friday, a man entered the Beverly Hills police department …

The Case for Semicolons  —  There are very few opportunities in life to have it both ways; semicolons are the rare instance in which you can; there is absolutely no downside.  —  For several years I have returned, frequently, to a vague memory of reading an article in which a woman recommended eating dessert after every meal.

Rep. Meijer avoids censure after GOP committee deadlock  —  GOP U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer avoided censure by Republican leaders in his west Michigan district after they deadlocked 11-11 Monday night, causing the censure resolution to fail.  —  Meijer, who represents the Grand Rapids area …