For one Capitol reporter, Jan. 6 was the final straw — but he had watched a crisis brew for years  —  Andrew Taylor began his journalism career in the late 1980s, clipping newspaper articles for the politics reporters at Congressional Quarterly.  —  This spring, more than 30 years later …

Secret Talks and a Hidden Agenda: Behind the U.S. Defense Deal that France Called a ‘Betrayal’  —  In meeting after meeting with their French counterparts, U.S. officials gave no heads-up about their plans to upend France's largest defense contract.  —  The United States and Australia went …

Trump allies are still spreading a dangerous Jan. 6 myth  —  On Saturday, supporters of former president Donald Trump are holding a rally in Washington, D.C. in support of the Jan. 6 attackers currently detained for their role in that act of domestic terrorism.

They Shunned Covid Vaccines but Embraced Antibody Treatment  —  Championed by doctors and conservative radio hosts alike, monoclonal antibodies for Covid are in high demand — even from those who don't want a vaccine.  —  Lanson Jones did not think that the coronavirus would come for him.

Doctor Who Said Masks Cause Carbon Dioxide Poisoning Has License Revoked  —  A doctor in Oregon has had his license revoked for continually refusing to follow COVID-19 guidelines when dealing with patients and spreading misinformation about face masks.  —  The Oregon Medical Board issued …

McAuliffe, Youngkin locked in tight race for Virginia governor, Post-Schar School poll finds  —  RICHMOND — Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin are locked in a tight race for Virginia governor, with McAuliffe standing at 50 percent to 47 percent for Youngkin among likely voters in a Washington Post-Schar School poll.

Senate Republicans say they will vote to allow a debt default, leaving Democrats scrambling for plan to avert economic crisis  —  Early last year, one of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's longest rivals offered a lesson about why the Kentucky Republican is unfazed by his critics whenever he digs in on a political strategy.

POLITICO Playbook: What the Pentagon knew about that drone attack  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  SCOOP: EX-MEMBERS TELL BIDEN “FINISH THE JOB” — In a letter obtained by Playbook this morning, 21 former House Democrats who lost their seats in 2010 amid GOP attacks over their support …

W.Va. Gov. frustrated over vaccination rate: ‘We just are going to keep lining the body bags up’  —  West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) expressed frustration with his state's vaccination rate, warning constituents that people are either going to get inoculated against COVID-19, or “we're going to keep lining the body bags.”

Fredric March's Misguided Antiracist ‘Reckoning’ at the University of Wisconsin  —  What is it about the University of Wisconsin and race?  The administration's recent decision to move a rock from view because a journalist referred to it with the N-word almost 100 years ago was goofy enough.

California dreaming did not become reality for Republicans  —  California dreaming did not become reality for Republicans.  Back in August, they had high hopes of taking over the governor's mansion and pinned sitting Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom against the ropes.  Then they failed to land the knockout punch.

How not to lobby Brett Kavanaugh  —  The First Amendment protects “the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances.”  So the crowd of 50 or so abortion rights activists who marched on Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh's Chevy Chase home this week …

Alabama Pickers, couple known for reselling and vaccine opposition, both dead of COVID  —  A married Alabama couple known for their reselling videos on YouTube under the name “Alabama Pickers” have both died of COVID.  —  Dusty and Tristan Graham lived in Huntsville, where they would often post videos …

As Populists Decline, the Center-Left Sees Hints of a Comeback  —  A long-struggling political faction has seen surprising gains this year, in part because of changes wrought by the pandemic.  Can it hold on to them?  —  A style of politics long considered in decline is experiencing something …

‘Death panels’ arrive — in COVID-stricken Republican Idaho  —  It may be recalled that one of the chief GOP arguments against the Affordable Care Act in 2010 was that it would institute bureaucratic “death panels” to determine, in the words of former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, whether someone was “worthy of healthcare.”

A scary court victory for Devin Nunes  —  Countless journalists and other professionals have ruined their livelihoods via errant tweets.  Never tweet, the saying goes.  —  Now, courtesy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, comes a baffling new warning for social media types …

General Milley told Trump the George Floyd protests were no big deal  —  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley dismissed the George Floyd riots as “penny packet protests” — insisting they weren't an insurrection because the mobs only “used spray paint,” according to a new book.

Bully Pulpit No More: Jen Psaki's Turn at the Lectern  —  President Biden's press secretary has tamped down the vitriol that colored news briefings during the Trump administration.  She still may not answer your question, though.  —  WASHINGTON — Jen Psaki, President Biden's press secretary …

Chris Christie's nephew's bar mitzvah leads to COVID-19 outbreak, NJ school closure  —  A New Jersey middle school was forced to hold virtual classes on Friday after several students contracted COVID-19 while celebrating the bar mitzvah of former Gov. Chris Christie's nephew, The Post has learned.

Bureau of Land Management headquarters to return to D.C., reversing Trump decision  —  Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on Friday announced the move and said current headquarters in Grand Junction, Colo., would become a “Western headquarters” for the agency  —  The Interior Department will summon …