Georgia Prosecutors Open Criminal Inquiry Into Trump's Efforts to Subvert Election  —  State officials are being instructed to preserve documents related to “attempts to influence” the Georgia election, just weeks after former President Donald J. Trump asked an official to “find” votes.

'There's Nothing Left': Why Thousands of Republicans Are Leaving the Party  —  Voting registration data indicates a stronger-than-usual flight from the G.O.P. since the Capitol riot, with an intensely fluid period in American politics now underway.  —  In the days after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol …

Proud Boy charged in insurrection blasts Trump's ‘deception’ in new court filing  —  One of the Proud Boys arrested for participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol told a court Wednesday that he was duped by President Donald Trump's “deception” and “acted out of the delusional belief” …

Mike Shirkey caught in hot mic moment, says he stands by points on Capitol attack ‘hoax’  —  LANSING — Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, opened the floor session of the Michigan Senate on Wednesday morning with a prayer.  He spoke of seeking unity, working together and looking to God when people “get off track.”

Tanden pays for belittling Bernie  —  Neera Tanden's ruthless tweets continued to haunt her confirmation process Wednesday as she faced the scorn of Senate Budget Chair Bernie Sanders, another target of her public criticism.  —  In Tanden's second confirmation hearing for her nomination …

Masks should fit better, or be doubled up to protect against coronavirus variants, CDC says  —  Making the seals tighter to prevent leakage can reduce people's exposure by more than 95 percent in laboratory tests.  —  PLEASE NOTE  —  The Washington Post is providing this important information about the coronavirus for free.

State Level Republican Parties Have Gone Crazy  —  The decline of Virginia's once-dominant Republican Party is a case study in how a party's waning electoral appeal is often accompanied by a descent into madness.  Rather than view the Virginia GOP's experience as a cautionary tale, though …

A majority of the people arrested for Capitol riot had a history of financial trouble  —  Trail of bankruptcies, tax problems and bad debts raises questions for researchers trying to understand motivations for attack  —  Jenna Ryan seemed like an unlikely participant in the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Police in dorms, outdoor exercise ban: UC Berkeley extends dorm lockdown with stricter mandates  —  Police officers monitoring dormitory halls, frequent inspections of ID cards — these are among the measures being implemented in a dorm lockdown as UC Berkeley continues to grapple with a spike of COVID-19 cases on campus.

Graham assures Trump of acquittal after rocky start to trial  —  Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of former President Trump's closest Senate allies, reassured Trump Tuesday evening that he will be acquitted on a charge of inciting an insurrection, even though his lawyers received bad reviews after opening arguments.

How Right-Wing Radio Stoked Anger Before the Capitol Siege  —  Shows hosted by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and other talk radio stars promoted debunked claims of a stolen election and urged listeners to “fight back.”  —  Two days before a mob of Trump supporters invaded the United States Capitol …

Greene Gains Popularity With Republican Voters Following Committee Fight  —  Georgia freshman is now as prominent nationwide as House GOP leaders  — 30% of GOP voters view Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene favorably, up 11 points since last week.  — Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney …

Rhode Island Kept Its Schools Open.  This Is What Happened.  —  Some teachers and students got sick.  Principals had to improvise constantly.  But it worked — mostly.  —  To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

Twitter CFO says Trump's ban is permanent, even if he runs for office again  —  (CNN)Former President Donald Trump will not be permitted back on Twitter even if he runs again for office and wins, according to the company's chief financial officer.  —  Asked during an interview …

A Million-Dollar Pardon Offer at the Trump Hotel  —  Soon after the November election, a business colleague of Donald Trump's close ally Corey Lewandowski offered a whistleblower and convicted ex-banker an expensive deal: In exchange for a $300,000 fee up front—plus another $1 million if successful …

StopTheSteal: Timeline of Social Media and Extremist Activities Leading to 1/6 Insurrection  —  Introduction  —  The insurrectionist attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was not spontaneous.  —  The assault that unfolded as Congress convened a joint session to certify the victory of Joe Biden …

Biden to Launch a Pentagon Review of China Strategy  —  A new task force will examine technology, intelligence, allies and the U.S. military footprint  —  WASHINGTON—President Biden is expected Wednesday to launch a Pentagon review of the national security aspects of the administration's China strategy …

Trump's political operation paid more than $3.5 million to Jan. 6 organizers  —  As former President Donald Trump faces a Senate impeachment trial on charges of inciting attacks on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, unanswered questions about the full extent of his ties to a nearby rally the same …

Lie After Lie: Listen to How Trump Built His Alternate Reality  —  The 38-minute video below shows how Donald J. Trump's persistent repetition of lies and calls to action over two months created an alternate reality that he won re-election.  Mr. Trump's words, which were echoed and amplified …

Jia Lynn Yang Named National Editor  —  Jia Lynn, who has edited standout coverage, brings an expertise in empathetic storytelling that wraps the big ideas of the day in deeply human narratives.  Read more in this note from Dean Baquet and Joe Kahn.  —  We are thrilled to announce that Jia Lynn Yang …

Can't Find an N95 Mask?  This Company Has 30 Million That It Can't Sell.  —  Health workers are still being forced to ration protective masks, but small U.S. manufacturers can't find buyers, and some are in a danger of going under.  —  A year into the pandemic, the disposable …

She Lived Through the Capitol Attack.  Now This GOP Staffer Is Calling Out Her Friends' Conspiracies.  —  Leslie Shedd used to politely change the topic when friends would float fringe right-wing conspiracy theories.  Not anymore.  —  As pro-Trump rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol …

Saudi Arabia releases prominent women's rights activist from prison as Biden presses kingdom on human rights  —  BEIRUT — One of Saudi Arabia's most prominent women's rights advocates, Loujain al-Hathloul, was released from prison on Wednesday, her sister said.

Hawley watches trial from visitor's gallery  —  Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo. ), who has come under fire for objecting to Pennsylvania's electoral votes in the 2020 election, watched the afternoon's opening arguments from the visitor's gallery above the Senate floor, where he was spotted …

Aunt Jemima Rebrands As Pearl Milling Company  —  PepsiCo, Inc., today announced the debut of Pearl Milling Company, the new name of the pancake mix and syrup varieties previously found under the Aunt Jemima brand.  —  Pearl Milling Company-branded pancake mixes, syrups, cornmeal, flour …

Nationwide Insurance spent small in public, big in private around the Georgia election … In December, the insurance company Nationwide Mutual gave $5,000 in campaign contributions to Senate Republicans in the Georgia runoff through its political action committee (PAC).

Nearly half the Republicans who will judge Trump bolstered the falsehood that drove the Capitol riot  —  It's convenient for defenders of former president Donald Trump to suggest that the impeachment trial underway in the Senate centers on the speech he gave on the morning of Jan. 6 before a mob …