House Republicans prepare emergency plan for breaching debt limit  —  The proposal, still under discussion, would direct the Treasury Dept. to prioritize certain payments if the U.S. hits the debt ceiling  —  House Republicans are preparing a plan telling the Treasury Department …

Santos's Lies Were Known to Some Well-Connected Republicans  —  George Santos inspired no shortage of suspicion during his 2022 campaign, including in the upper echelons of his own party, yet many Republicans looked the other way.  —  In late 2021, as he prepared to make a second run …

Biden's ride or die  —  Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. … As he navigates the tricky politics of divided government during a likely reelection campaign, there is one relationship President JOE BIDEN must attend …

Supreme Court Investigators Have Narrowed Leak Inquiry to Small Number of Suspects  —  At least one law clerk is among those suspected of leaking the draft abortion ruling in May  —  Roe v. Wade: Protests Over Leaked Draft of Supreme Court Opinion  —  Created with sketchtool. … 1x

Sweden Says It Has Uncovered a Rare Earth Bonanza  —  The state-owned mining company announced it had found Europe's largest deposit of the vital minerals used in electric vehicles and other green technology.  —  A Swedish mining company said this week that it had found Europe's largest known deposit …

Mitch Daniels ‘more likely’ to run for Senate in Indiana after Club for Growth attacks  —  Republicans close to Mitch Daniels (R) say opposition from the Club for Growth is poised to push the former Indiana governor into the 2024 Senate race.  —  The Club for Growth, a free-market advocacy group …

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg tells CNN that his office's investigation of Trump Org. will continue  —  Investigations into the Trump Organization's business practices are entering a new chapter and will “go as long as the facts and the law require,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told CNN on Friday …

The Cases for and Against Trump  —  Ms. Conway is a Republican pollster and political consultant who was Donald J. Trump's campaign manager in 2016 and senior counselor to him from 2017 to 2020.  She is not affiliated with his 2024 presidential campaign.  —  Donald J. Trump shocked the world …

Adam Kinzinger Holds Nothing Back In McCarthy Review: 'Kevin's a Piece of S**t'  —  Adam Kinzinger held nothing back when reviewing Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the former congressman accusing the Republican leader of being willing to say whatever it takes to get elected.

COVID-19  —  CDC & FDA Identify Preliminary COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Signal for Persons Aged 65 Years and Older  —  Transparency and vaccine safety are top priorities for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Supreme Court takes up Christian postal worker's religious claim  —  WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear an evangelical Christian mail carrier's employment discrimination claim in a case that could force employers to do more to accommodate the religious practices of their workers.

Justice Department announces new rule to regulate pistol-stabilizing braces  —  Attorney General Merrick Garland and Steve Dettelbach, the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced new regulations Friday that would subject pistol-stabilizing braces …

Trump's Attack on NY Sexual Assault Law Called ‘Absurd’ By Judge  —  Former President Donald Trump's argument that a New York law allowing older sex-assault claims violated his constitutional rights was rejected by a judge as “absurd.”  —  US District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan …

George Santos said accused ‘Ponzi scheme’ he worked at was ‘100% legitimate’ when accused of fraud in 2020  —  Republican Rep. George Santos, said a company later accused of running a “Ponzi scheme” was “100% legitimate” when it was accused by a potential customer of fraud in 2020 …

We are overcounting covid deaths and hospitalizations.  That's a problem.  —  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States is experiencing around 400 covid deaths every day.  At that rate, there would be nearly 150,000 deaths a year.

Fighting the Woke Agenda in Congress  —  A congressman proposes a bold approach to pushing back against the Progressive infection in our institutions.  —  We no longer live in a normal America.  The issues that Congress used to take up, like healthcare, the economy, or our withdrawal from Afghanistan …

Americana  —  with David Weigel  —  In this edition: The backstory and goals of the “new Church Committee,” the 2024 GOP jostling over gas stoves, and a talk with Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz about the new House rules.  —  The committee that can turn Fox News segments into subpoenas

Rightwing group pours millions in ‘dark money’ into US voter suppression bid  —  Tax filings reveal advocacy arm of Heritage Foundation spent $5m on lobbying in 2021 to block voting rights in battleground states  —  The advocacy arm of the Heritage Foundation, the powerful conservative thinktank based …

Florida Gov. DeSantis announces prescription drug legislation  —  Goal of FL proposal to decrease costs of prescriptions  —  Fox News Flash top headlines for January 13  —  Florida will seek to provide consumers more flexibility in buying prescription drugs and more information …

Superintendent: 6-year-old's backpack searched before Richneck shooting  —  “At least one administrator was notified of a possible weapon,” Superintendent Dr. George Parker said  —  NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Newport News Public Schools has revealed new information in the shooting of a teacher at Richneck Elementary School.

Buttigieg avoided calls, public appearances on paternity leave, FOIA documents show  —  Buttigeig has faced criticism over the timing of his roughly two-month leave  —  Tucker: Pete Buttigieg is more concerned with equity than the transportation crisis  —  Transportation Secretary Pete …

Wife of Woodbury County elected official faces 52 counts of voter fraud  —  SIOUX CITY — The wife of Woodbury County Supervisor Jeremy Taylor faces 52 counts of voter fraud for an alleged scheme in which she fraudulently filled out absentee ballot requests and voter registration forms …

COVID Leading Cause of Death Among Law Enforcement for Third Year  —  Editor's note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape's Coronavirus Resource Center.  —  COVID-19 remained the top-ranked cause of death among law enforcement officers last year.