The Jan. 6 puzzle piece that's going largely ignored  —  As Donald Trump and his allies squeezed then-Vice President Mike Pence to single-handedly stop Joe Biden's presidency in the weeks ahead of Jan. 6, they used one particular tool that's been largely ignored ever since.

Donald Trump's Megaphone  —  Fox News news hosts knew that Trump's lies were lies—and they amplified them anyhow.  —  Screw it.  —  I've shown a good deal of restraint since news broke that I left Fox News.  —  I haven't done any TV about it, and I've let a lot of nonsense go by without a response.

Meadows and the Band of Loyalists: How They Fought to Keep Trump in Power  —  A small circle of Republican lawmakers, working closely with President Donald J. Trump's chief of staff, took on an outsize role in pressuring the Justice Department, amplifying conspiracy theories and flooding …

The Two Reasons Trump Is Stronger Than He Looks for 2024  —  Not only is he the undisputed leader of the Republican Party.  He is also indifferent to anything but his own self-interest.  Both are political assets.  —  People who think that Donald Trump's influence on the Republican Party …

Is There a Smoking Gun in the January 6th Investigation?  —  As the Democrats discover what Mark Meadows, Donald Trump, and others did, experts say they must also enact reforms to safeguard democracy—while they still control Congress.  —  Mark Meadows, it seems, is now a bellwether of American democracy.

New York's next mayor wants to save the city from the evils of olive oil  —  NEW YORK — Few American politicians have embraced the role of public health ambassador as comfortably as Mike Bloomberg, who banned smoking in bars and restaurants, outlawed trans fats and unsuccessfully pushed to restrict soda size.

DC Bar Restores Convicted FBI Russiagate Forger to ‘Good Standing’ Amid Irregularities and Leniency  —  A former senior FBI lawyer who falsified a surveillance document in the Trump-Russia investigation has been restored as a member in “good standing” by the District of Columbia Bar Association …

America Is Not Ready for Omicron  —  America was not prepared for COVID-19 when it arrived.  It was not prepared for last winter's surge.  It was not prepared for Delta's arrival in the summer or its current winter assault.  More than 1,000 Americans are still dying of COVID every day, and more have died this year than last.

Someone Offered ‘Harvard’ Jobs to Known Women in India.  It Was a Scam.  —  For over a year, prominent women in India, including journalists, were reeled into a labyrinthine online scam, offering work with Harvard University.  Who targeted them, and why, is a mystery.

How redistricting is shaping the 2022 U.S. House map  —  The march to the 2022 midterm elections is on, as states work to complete their new congressional maps following the 2020 Census.  As of Dec. 15, half of the 50 states have settled on the boundaries for 165 of 435 U.S. House districts.

More Americans than usual have been changing parties.  Why?  —  Here's what our research found  —  As we head into 2022, expect a deluge of predictions about the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.  Will Democrats maintain, widen or lose their slight advantage in the Senate?

Manchin's objections to Build Back Better make no political or policy sense  —  It is hard to believe the White House and progressives offered to cut their key legislative package in half (from $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion) to accommodate Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) …

A QAnon con: How the viral Wayfair sex trafficking lie hurt real kids  —  An Internet mob wanted to rescue a 13-year-old girl.  Instead, they terrified her, derailed real trafficking investigations and incited ‘save the children’ violence.  —  The real Samara Duplessis was sprawled across her comforter, her thumb on Instagram.

Meadows texts show Trump did what GOP (falsely) claimed Clinton did in Benghazi  —  Paging Trey Gowdy!  Where's the bulldog of Benghazi when his country needs him?  —  On Sept. 11, 2012, terrorists attacked the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.  Four Americans died.

MTA manager caught using blow-up doll in apparent attempt to skirt HOV laws  —  Surely, he can't be serious.  —  An MTA manager claims an inflatable doll that's been riding shotgun in his Kia Telluride is there “for the company” — and not to skirt HOV restrictions, as his coworkers suspect.

Louisiana judge to take unpaid leave after home video captures racial slurs  —  A Louisiana judge will go on unpaid leave after a video from her home captured people repeatedly using racial slurs following a burglary attempt, her lawyer said Wednesday.  —  Lafayette City Court Judge Michelle Odinet …

Sinema pops Democrats' filibuster trial balloon on voting rights  —  Kyrsten Sinema supports the elections reform bill that Democrats are considering a year-end push to pass.  She doesn't support a shortcut around the filibuster to get it done.  —  The Arizona moderate is making clear …

In Trump country, a willingness to set aside politics as Biden visits  —  MAYFIELD, Ky. — Cliff Giambrone most certainly didn't vote for President Biden and, in fact, was outside the U.S. Capitol protesting the election results on Jan. 6.  On the trailer hitch on the back of his van …

Two major airline CEOs question the need for masks on planes  —  New York (CNN Business)The CEOs of two of the nation's major airlines say they don't think wearing masks on planes does much to help limit exposure to Covid.  —  The comments from American Airlines (AAL) CEO Doug Parker …

GOP candidates are flocking to Mar-a-Lago to pay Trump for the privilege of hosting their events  —  The Washington Post identified at least 30 events held by GOP candidates or conservative groups at Trump properties through mid-December, more tallied than in any previous year

Longtime CNN producer John Griffin's devices seized 17 months before child sex trafficking arrest  —  Nevada complaint alleges 9-year-old was left with Griffin alone when mother was hospitalized after BDSM tryst  —  Fox News Flash top headlines for December 15  —  WARNING: SOME DETAILS MAY BE DISTURBING