memeorandum: Biden to laud economic wins as GOP takes over House (Mike Memoli/NBC News)

6:45 PM ET, January 1, 2023

Top Items:

Trump's New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago: Who was there (and who wasn't)? — The former president made a statement about the state of the nation that was not so uplifting heading into the new year. — PALM BEACH — Former President Donald Trump rang in the New Year on Saturday night …

Discussion: The Hill and Raw Story

Mary Papenfuss / HuffPost:

Trump Dodges Jan. 6 Question, Boasts Of Polls At Mar-A-Lago Party — And his “media availability” turned out to be a bust. — Former President Donald Trump ignored a question about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and boasted of his “fantastic” poll numbers at his New Year's Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

Discussion: Insider, Newsweek, PoliticusUSA, Raw Story and Political Wire

David Moye / HuffPost:

Rudy Giuliani Records Bizarre New Year's Eve Video From Mar-A-Lago — Donald Trump's personal lawyer was drowned out by a cover band playing “Footloose.” — Rudy Giuliani seems to have had a good time ringing in the new year. — If only he could remember what year it actually is.

Discussion: Raw Story and Insider

Jonathan Lemire / Politico:

Biden begins 2023 with a stronger hand to play and an inclination to play it — A year makes a difference after all. — President Joe Biden begins 2023 politically stronger than 12 months ago, bolstered by his party's surprise midterms success, a robust set of legislative accomplishments …

Discussion: PoliticusUSA

Mike Memoli / NBC News:

Biden to laud economic wins as GOP takes over House — Mitch McConnell and other leaders from both parties will join Biden this week to announce a major project funded by the new infrastructure law. — President Joe Biden will open the new year with a bipartisan show of force to tout …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Breitbart, Mercury News, The Hill and NPR

Jill Colvin / Associated Press:

Trump rings in 2023 facing headwinds in his White House run — Donald Trump began 2022 on a high. Primary candidates were flocking to Florida to court the former president for a coveted endorsement. His rallies were drawing thousands. A bevy of investigations remained largely under the radar.

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, The Hill, RedState and 77 WABC

Politico:

POLITICO Playbook: Welcome to 2023 — With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross — DRIVING THE DAY — Happy new year, y'all! — It's the first day of 2023 — time to take stock of where things are, look ahead at where things are headed and focus on building the future we want.

Nicholas Confessore / New York Times:
The Invention of Elise Stefanik

Discussion: Twitchy, BizPac Review, RedState, Insider, Outside the Beltway, Raw Story and Mediaite

Andrea Cavallier / Daily Mail:

Times Square ‘jihadi’, 19, was arrested with chilling manifesto: Ordered family to convert to Islam to avoid ‘hellfire’, told soldier brother ‘you joined ranks of my enemy’ - and apologized to mother for ‘not having been a good enough son’ — Trevor Bickford, 19, of Wells, Maine is accused of slashing two NYPD cops

Discussion: New York Post, Washington Examiner, Breitbart, WMTW-TV, New York Daily News, jihadwatch.org and The Gateway Pundit

Fox News:

Suspect in NYC police stabbing may have Islamic extremist ties — The FBI's counterrorism task force was monitoring the suspect for weeks, police sources say — Coming up on ‘Fox News Sunday’: January 1 — The suspect taken into custody for the stabbing of two New York City police officers may have ties to Islamic extremism.

Discussion: NBC New York, New York Post, PIX11, CBS News, Associated Press, The Daily Caller, RedState and IJR

Null / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Newly elected Georgia House member facing drug charges withdraws from office — A newly elected Republican state lawmaker has withdrawn from office after he was charged with swiping prescription narcotics from a retirement complex where he works.Danny Rampey's decision not to take office triggers …

Discussion: HuffPost

Hope Yen / Associated Press:

Santos should consider resigning, veteran GOP lawmaker says — Even as the House GOP leadership keeps silent, a veteran Republican lawmaker said Sunday that George Santos should consider resigning after the congressman-elect from New York admitted to lying about his heritage, education and professional career.

Discussion: NBC News, Politico, New York Post, 77 WABC, The Hill and Political Wire, more at Mediagazer »

Theresa Maher / The Hill:

GOP governor: Jan. 6 should disqualify Trump from holding office — Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-Ark.) reiterated on Sunday that he preferred a different GOP presidential candidate in 2024 who was not former President Trump, telling ABC's “This Week” that Jan. 6 should disqualify Trump from holding office again.

Discussion: HuffPost, Mediaite, ABC News and Washington Times

New York Times:

As His Life of Fantasy Comes Into Focus, George Santos Goes to Washington — Mr. Santos, under scrutiny for lies about his background, is set to be sworn into Congress on Tuesday even as records, colleagues and friends divulge more about his past. — In two years, George Santos went …

Nigel Gould-Davies / New York Times:

The U.S. Should Define Russia's Red Lines — “What are Putin's red lines?” — This question, asked with growing urgency as Russia loses its war in Ukraine but does not relent in its aggressions, is intended to offer analytical clarity and to guide policy. In reality, it is the wrong question, because “red line” is a bad metaphor.