New York Times cites conservative legal pundit with history of smearing the competence of women jurists of color  —  The pundit, Ed Whelan, was also responsible for smearing Christine Blasey Ford by promoting a conspiracy theory that she mistook Brett Kavanaugh for a doppleganger

Select Committee Subpoenas “Alternate Electors” from Seven States  —  Bolton, MS—Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) today announced that, as part of its investigation into the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and its causes, the Select Committee has issued subpoenas to 14 individuals …

Pittsburgh bridge collapse injures 10 on day Biden visits city to talk infrastructure  —  A Pittsburgh bridge collapsed early Friday, injuring 10 people just hours before President Biden visited the city to talk about infrastructure.  —  Pittsburgh Public Safety said a “confirmed bridge collapse” …

Fox News Abandons the GOP on Russia  —  Night after night, the host of the top-rated show on Fox News repeats Vladimir Putin's talking points justifying aggression against Ukraine and opposing U.S. aid to that threatened sovereign country.  Tucker Carlson's influence is felt across right-wing social media …

Pennsylvania court tosses state's mail voting law  —  A Pennsylvania court struck down the state's mail voting law on Friday morning, saying that voters must amend the state constitution before such legislation is legal.  —  “No-excuse mail-in voting makes the exercise of the franchise …

Let Kids Take Their Masks Off After the Omicron Surge  —  Elissa Perkins, the director of infectious disease management in the emergency department of the Boston Medical Center, told me she spent most of 2020 “imploring everybody I could in every forum that I could to mask.”

We Uncovered How Many Georgians Were Disenfranchised by GOP Voting Restrictions.  It's Staggering.  —  Fight disinformation.  Get a daily recap of the facts that matter.  Sign up for the free Mother Jones newsletter.  —  “States are not engaging in trying to suppress voters whatsoever …

Justice touts achievements, tells haters to kiss Babydog's hiney in delayed State of the State address  —  NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED, QUALITY LOCAL JOURNALISM..  —  Gov. Jim Justice on Thursday used his second State of the State address as a victory lap for economic development and tourism in West Virginia …

Poor, Misunderstood Mark Joseph Stern  —  One has to feel sorry for Slate's Mark Joseph Stern, who is being criticized on Twitter and beyond for what was clearly just a big ol' misunderstanding.  There he was on Twitter, minding his own business, when he came across some tweets he disliked …

Activists urge athletes to speak out at Beijing Olympics  —  BEIJING (AP) — Human rights activists issued a call to action against the Beijing Olympics on Friday, imploring athletes and sponsors to speak out against what they call the “genocide games.”  —  Speaking at an online press …

Republicans may prevent Broward's new Democratic lawmaker from participating in annual legislative session after all  —  Republicans who control most of state government aren't prepared to let Broward's newly elected Democratic state representative, Daryl Campbell, take office during the current legislative session.

New data shows Americans more miserable than we've been in half a century  —  The latest release from the General Social Survey shows the toll the pandemic has taken on our mental health  —  When I worked at the Pew Research Center back in the mid-2000s one of our pollsters …

The Big-Name Journalists Who Are Trying to “Both Sides” Covid  —  There is a movement afoot just as insidious as right-wingers refusing to wear masks and get vaccinated.  It's progressives who are fully vaccinated but whose overcautious attitude toward Covid-19 is harming a generation …

‘Quick Reaction Forces’ And The Lingering Mysteries Of The Plot Against The Capitol  —  The Oath Keeper “QRFs” show how things could have been a lot worse, and how much more there is to learn.  —  The Comfort Inn location just off the interstate has three stars on Yelp …

This Wisconsin Lawmaker Is Ready to Quit the GOP Over Trump  —  “He is lying.  He did not win Wisconsin.  And he has provided no proof otherwise.”  —  CJ  —  Kathy Bernier has been a stolidly conservative voice in the Wisconsin Legislature for more than a decade.

Atlis Gym owner Ian Smith will run for Congress against Andy Kim  —  Murphy critic will announce NJ-3 candidacy on Thursday  —  A South Jersey gym owner who gained national prominence for refusing to follow Gov. Phil Murphy's business closures and mask mandates during early months …

Salt Lake Tribune alerts police to threats to staffers after covid  —  The Salt Lake Tribune alerted police to threats that the newspaper received after publishing a Jan. 15 editorial that ripped state leaders for their response to covid-19, according to an email from executive editor Lauren Gustus to subscribers.

Stormy Daniels Sees a Ghost  —  Michael Avenatti, her onetime sidekick, returns to grill her in court on the supernatural.  —  Just after 9 a.m. Friday, Michael Avenatti stood behind a plexiglass-enclosed lectern in a downtown courtroom and questioned Stormy Daniels about her encounters with the undead.

Cyber Ninjas CEO participates in contentious deposition, says he's not ready to turn over audit records  —  Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan says he will not turn over records from the review of Maricopa County's 2020 election until he has a “clear” ruling he can appeal to the highest court.

This Senate Rule Could Stop Democrats From Confirming Biden's SCOTUS Nominee  —  With the Senate split 50-50, the provision of Rule 26 that saved Lindsey Graham in 2020 could now doom a similar Democratic effort in 2022.  —  With Justice Stephen Breyer officially announcing his retirement on Thursday …

In J.D. Vance's primary, nonstop Trump-worship shows the perils of populism  —  Here's an unsettling thought: In GOP primaries, declaring unshakable fealty to the mythology that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump is becoming a bedrock condition of political survival.