Biden White House Sandbags Staffers, Sidelines Dozens for Pot Use  —  In some cases, staffers were informally told by transition officials some past marijuana use would be overlooked, only to be told later that they were being asked to resign. … Dozens of young White House staffers have been suspended …

The Science of Making Americans Hurt Their Own Country  —  The National Intelligence Council has released an unclassified repor t assessing, retrospectively, foreign threats to the 2020 election.  It has a few twists and turns: The Iranian government attempted to run some kind of online influence campaign …

Kevin McCarthy, Fetch  —  Some dog lovers believe that what makes their canine companions wonderful is their ability to “live in the moment”—meaning that, although they can be trained and obedient, and can learn to recognize and remember things they love and things they fear …

Ex-wife of Trump Org executive has spoken to investigators ‘multiple times’ … The ex-wife of a Trump Organization executive has spoken “multiple times” with investigators from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, she told NBC News, as the probe into Donald Trump's financial dealings intensifies.

Cuomo's First Accuser Raises New Claims of Harassment and Retaliation  —  In her first extensive interview, Lindsey Boylan sheds new light on a toxic workplace, as insiders detail the campaign to discredit her.  —  On the morning of December 13, 2020, Lindsey Boylan sat in the passenger seat …

Yes, Capitol Rioters Were Armed.  Here Are The Weapons Prosecutors Say They Used  —  In the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, a popular narrative has emerged: that because rioters did not fire guns that day, they were not really “armed.”  —  But a review of the federal charges …

How to rebuild trust in Georgia elections  —  Campaigning across our great state during the last nine weeks of 2020, I reminded Georgians of Sen. Chuck Schumer's giddy prediction: “Now we take Georgia, then we change America.”  He promised to clear a path for the Left in its march to grow government and shrink our freedoms.

POLITICO Playbook: Don't call it a crisis  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  Whenever people in power start to police how the press describes an issue of major public concern — one those in power are charged with fixing — we should be at our most skeptical.  —  For the Biden administration …

Stephen Brown, editor in chief of POLITICO Europe, is dead at 57  —  Stephen Brown, the editor in chief of POLITICO Europe and a former news correspondent who reported widely from Europe and South America for Reuters for more than a quarter-century, died Thursday in Brussels.  He was 57.

Mary Trump has her next act — and believes her uncle's guilty of sedition  —  Another Trump has decided to enter the political arena following the 45th president's departure from office.  It's just not the one most people expected.  —  Mary Trump, a ferocious critic of the uncle she's called cruel …

Get Ready for the Herschel Walker Experience  —  Georgia Republicans get ready for the next phase of the Trump Wars.  —  Ask any football fan about the worst trades in NFL history and the one player they will all mention is Herschel Walker.  —  Back in 1989 the Dallas Cowboys traded …

Trump Official Charged In Capitol Riot Has Family Ties to Argentina's Military Junta  —  Federico “Freddie” Klein, a Trump appointee, repeatedly praised the Argentinian military junta of the 1970s and 80s while working at the State Department.  —  CJ  —  A Trump administration official who's …

Judge refuses to delay, move trial of ex-cop in Floyd death  —  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge on Friday denied a defense request to delay or move the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd's death after a $27 million settlement for Floyd's family raised concern about a tainted jury.

Xiaojie Tan dreamed of traveling the world and celebrating her 50th birthday with her daughter.  Then the Atlanta shooter ended her life  —  Trevor Hughes Romina Ruiz-Goiriena Cara KellyUSA TODAY  —  ATLANTA — On her 50th birthday, Xiaojie Tan would have gathered with her only child …

Former lobbyist accuses Rep. Tom Reed, a potential Cuomo challenger, of sexual misconduct  —  Nicolette Davis said she was 25, on her first networking trip as a junior lobbyist for an insurance company, when she felt the 45-year-old congressman's hand on her back.

Son of Atlanta Shooting Victim Calls ‘Bullshit’ on Sex Addiction Claim  —  Police have not ID'ed her, but 23-year-old Randy Park says his mother was killed—and he's not buying the suspect's line on why six Asian women are dead. … ATLANTA—Randy Park said he learned of his mother's murder …

Scoop: Biden has ambassadors list in hand  —  President Biden is reviewing a list of finalists as he prepares to nominate a series of ambassadors to key embassy postings, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.  —  Why it matters: The new president has promised to restore alliances …

Racist anti-Asian hashtags spiked after Trump first tweeted ‘Chinese virus,’ study finds  —  As the coronavirus spread across the globe last February, the World Health Organization urged people to avoid terms like the “Wuhan virus” or the “Chinese virus,” fearing it could spike a backlash against Asians.

No sin is ever forgiven in the brave new woke world  —  Cancel culture just proved itself more powerful than the devil in Prada herself, Anna Wintour.  Years-old tweets you made as a foolish, ignorant teen, and later profusely apologized for, mean you can't be trusted as editor of . . . Teen Vogue.

The Democrats' border crisis is decades in the making  —  Former President Donald Trump brought some order to the border — not with his much-vaunted wall, but with diplomacy.  President Biden has already scrapped that diplomacy, in the process demolishing the border peace and triggering a humanitarian crisis.

For Political Cartoonists, the Irony Was That Facebook Didn't Recognize Irony  —  As Facebook has become more active at moderating political speech, it has had trouble dealing with satire.  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Since 2013, Matt Bors has made a living as a left-leaning cartoonist on the internet.

Did Michigan cover up nursing home COVID deaths like New York?  —  Michigan Governor Whitmer may be in the same trouble that New York Governor Cuomo is dealing with after covering up COVID deaths.  —  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo may not be the only governor who covered up the deaths of vulnerable senior citizens during the pandemic.

Supreme Court conservatives want to topple abortion rights — but can't seem to agree on how  —  (CNN)Conservative Supreme Court justices have demonstrated a desire to reverse prior decisions on abortion rights.  The question, with Chief Justice John Roberts no longer the undisputed swing vote on abortion …

What Will Turnout Look Like Without Trump?  —  Trying to model the make-up of a midterm electorate is always a challenge.  Figuring out which voters will be engaged, which ones will ‘drop-off’, and which ones will be newly added is critical to effective campaigning.

Who Can and Can't Get Vaccinated Right Now  —  Some countries have stockpiles.  Others have nothing.  Getting a vaccine means living in the right place — or knowing the right people.  —  A 16-year-old in Israel can get a vaccine.  —  So can a 16-year-old in Mississippi.  —  And an 18-year-old in Shanghai.

Collins opposes key Pentagon nominee, narrowing confirmation path  —  Collins' position likely means Kahl's nomination will hinge on Sen. Joe Manchin, who remains undecided.  —  Sen. Susan Collins speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on the federal coronavirus response on March 18.

Ross Township woman arrested in connection with violence at U.S. Capitol  —  ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A Ross Township woman was charged Thursday, accused of taking part in the violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.  —  Jennifer Marie Heinl is facing several federal charges including violent entry …

Meghan Markle Didn't Do the Work  —  Looks like Prince Harry married a girl just like the one who married dear old Dad.  We recognized all of it: the desperate unhappiness, the adoration of the masses, the beautiful clothes worn beautifully—but especially the easy and immediate way of reaching …

China to Restrict Tesla Use by Military and State Employees  —  People familiar with the effort cite concerns Tesla cars could be source of national security leaks  —  SINGAPORE—China's government is restricting the use of Tesla Inc.'s vehicles by military staff and employees of key state-owned companies …

‘Here we go again with the theater’: Fauci pushes back on Rand Paul's amateur epidemiology — again  —  From the early days of the coronavirus outbreak, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has positioned himself as the Senate's foremost skeptic of coronavirus expert Anthony S. Fauci.  The two have tussled repeatedly.

12 Republicans vote against honoring Capitol police for protecting Congress  —  House voted 413-12 to award congressional gold medals to all members of Capitol force for their efforts on 6 January  —  A dozen Republicans voted against a resolution honoring US Capitol police for their efforts …

Ron DeSantis on the Pandemic Year: Don't Trust the Elites  —  Influential people in public health, government and the media failed to rise to the moment  —  The Covid-19 pandemic represented a test of elites in the U.S., from public-health experts to the corporate media.  The results have been disappointing.

Sparks fly in the 1st direct, high-level U.S.-China talks of the Biden era  —  Beijing — The top diplomats from the U.S. and China opened a new chapter in bilateral ties on Thursday in what proved to be one of the most undiplomatic episodes in recent memory.

Beware of Books!  —  A new moralism is gripping the literary world, treating grownups like children  —  Literature used to be a place for transgressive ideas, a place to question taboos, and seek naked insights into humanity.  It no longer is.  —  Critics, writers and publishers …

Arizona Senate to hand-count 2.1 million Maricopa County 2020 election ballots  —  Republicans who control the Arizona Senate announced Thursday they now intend to do a complete recount of 2.1 million ballots in the state's most populous county to ensure that President Joe Biden's November win was legitimate.