Trump told RNC chair he was leaving GOP to create new party, says new book  —  In his new book, Jonathan Karl shares what Trump said before backing down.  —  In an angry conversation on his final day as president, Donald Trump told the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee …

U.S. Covid Deaths Get Even Redder  —  The partisan gap in Covid's death toll has grown faster over the past month than at any previous point.  —  As 2020 wound down, there were good reasons to believe that the death toll during the pandemic's first year might have been worse in red America.

Notes on an Authoritarian Conspiracy: Inside the Claremont Institute's “79 Days to Inauguration” Report  —  The sun rises on January 6, 2021 while a nation is in crisis.  —  Michigan's presidential electors are in dispute after a mysterious fire in Detroit destroyed thousands of mail-in ballots …

CNN Poll: Majority of Americans say Biden isn't paying attention to nation's most important issues  —  (CNN)One year out from the 2022 midterm elections, 58% of Americans say President Joe Biden hasn't paid enough attention to the nation's most important problems, as a majority disapproves …

Mitch McConnell spent decades chasing power.  Now he heeds Trump, who mocks him and wants him gone.  —  How one of Washington's longtime Republican power players succumbed to the preeminence of the 45th president  —  As President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 …

Obama denounces Trump, GOP for ‘active hostility toward climate science’  —  Obama calls for action at COP26 climate summit: ‘We are nowhere near where we need to be yet’  —  Former President Barack Obama on Monday urged world leaders to ramp up efforts to combat climate change …

US seizes $6 million in ransom payments and expected to charge Ukrainian over major cyberattack  —  Here's everything you need to know about ransomware  —  (CNN)Law enforcement officials have seized an estimated $6 million in ransom payments, and the US Justice Department is expected …

We Can't Wait for Universities to Fix Themselves.  So We're Starting a New One.  —  I left my post as president of St. John's College in Annapolis to build a university in Austin dedicated to the fearless pursuit of truth.  —  So much is broken in America.  But higher education might be the most fractured institution of all.

Trump will ‘probably’ announce 2024 plans after midterms: ‘A lot of people will be very happy’  —  Trump to Fox News: 'A lot of great people who are thinking about running are waiting for that decision, because they're not going to run if I run'  —  Trump teases press with 2024 hints

Capitol rioter Evan Neumann applies for asylum in Belarus, local media says  —  MOSCOW — A man who allegedly participated in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 and is wanted by the FBI is now seeking asylum in Belarus, the country's state media reported Monday, presenting him as a …

Big Bird got ‘vaccinated’ against COVID-19, drawing outrage from Republicans  —  Big Bird ruffled some conservatives' feathers this weekend by announcing that he had been vaccinated against COVID-19.  —  The beloved Muppet tweeted on Saturday that he had gotten the shot …

When Keeping It ‘Woke’ Gets Racist, Liberals Should Say So  —  A Republican won Virginia's governorship last week after campaigning on a vow to “ban critical race theory in our schools.”  —  On one level, this was an odd campaign promise.  Properly defined, critical race theory (or CRT) …

Republican wave builds to take back the House  —  Republicans could hardly be better poised to recapture the House majority.  —  Increasingly aggressive redistricting, a diverse slate of candidates raking in record-breaking amounts of cash and a political atmosphere that just keeps getting …

Satellite images show China built mock-ups of US warships  —  BEIJING (AP) — Satellite images show China has built mock-ups of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and destroyer in its northwestern desert, possibly for practice for a future naval clash as tensions rise between the nations.

School closures haunt Democrats as frustrated parents cast their votes  —  Rice University college basketball player (1986-1989)  —  WASHINGTON — The father was furious.  “Figure it out, or get off the podium,” he shouted at school board members in Loudoun County, Va.

Countries' climate pledges built on flawed data, Post investigation finds  —  Malaysia's latest catalogue of its greenhouse gas emissions to the United Nations reads like a report from a parallel universe.  The 285-page document suggests that Malaysia's trees are absorbing carbon four times faster …

Biden is considering shutting down ANOTHER oil pipeline despite soaring energy prices: Republicans demand Michigan's Line 5 be kept open to avoid a further rise in energy bills this winter  — President Joe Biden's Administration is considering shutting down the Line 5 oil pipeline that links Superior …

Ranking the most liberal and conservative law firms among the top 140, 2021 edition  —  One of my most popular posts remains “Ranking the most liberal and conservative law firms.”  That post is from 2013, and an update is long overdue.  —  At the outset, “ranking” a firm or calling it …

Democrats call on New Jersey Republican to concede gubernatorial race  —  New Jersey Democrats are calling on Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli to concede last week's election, saying that his silence since the race was called for Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is “an assault on the integrity of our elections.”

Elon Musk faces a $15 billion tax bill, which is likely the real reason he's selling stock  — Elon Musk faces a tax bill of more than $15 billion in the coming months on stock options.  — Musk asked his 62.7 million Twitter followers over the weekend whether he should sell 10% of his Tesla holdings.

Aaron Rodgers let his team down  —  The Green Bay Packers lost a winnable football game on Sunday night thanks to Aaron Rodgers.  —  The standout quarterback refused to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, caught the virus, and wasn't eligible to play in his team's Sunday evening matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Six Degrees From Brookings: How a Liberal Think Tank Keeps Coming Up in the Russian Collusion Investigation  —  The latest indictment by Special Counsel John Durham has created a stir in Washington as the investigation into the Russian collusion scandal exposed new connections to the Clinton campaign.

Fed's Quarles Will Resign at End of Year  —  Randal Quarles's term as vice chairman for bank supervision expired last month  —  Federal Reserve governor Randal Quarles said Monday he would resign his position around the end of this year.  —  Mr. Quarles's resignation will open up another seat …

Right-wing operatives deploy massive network of fake local news sites to weaponize CRT  —  Judd Legum, Tesnim Zekeria, and Rebecca Crosby  —  Last Tuesday night, Glenn Youngkin (R) was elected the next governor of Virginia.  At 9:15 PM, Garrit Lansing, president of WinRed …

Bill Clinton Saved His Presidency.  Here's How Biden Can, Too.  —  Mr. Penn is a former adviser and pollster to President Clinton and Hillary Clinton.  Mr. Stein is a former president of the New York City Council.  —  Swing voters in two blue-leaning states just sent a resounding wake …