House passes $78 billion tax bill in bipartisan vote  —  The House passed a $78 billion tax bill on Wednesday that boosts the child tax credit and reinstates business deductions that were rescinded during the Trump administration, sending the bipartisan, bicameral legislation to the Senate for consideration.

2024 Matchups: Biden Opens Up Lead Over Trump In Head-To-Head, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Haley Leads Biden 1 On 1, But Trails When Third Party Candidates Are Added  —  mail_outline  —  As signs point to the 2024 presidential election being a repeat of the 2020 race between …

The Surprising Twist That Saved Fani ... for Now  —  As the late, great Wilford Brimley declared in Absence of Malice: “Wonderful thing, subpoenas.”  In a divorce action that had dragged out for over two years, Jocelyn Wade had sent a subpoena to Fani Willis to explain why Wade's estranged husband Nathan …

Judge dismisses Disney's lawsuit alleging retaliation by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis  — A judge dismissed a lawsuit Disney filed against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that alleged he retaliated against the company for publicly criticizing a controversial parental rights law the governor backed.

Mark Zuckerberg apologizes to parents at online child safety hearing  —  “I'm sorry for everything you've all gone through,” the Meta CEO said at a Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing called “Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis.”  —  Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized Wednesday …

California introduces first-in-nation slavery reparations package  —  The set of bills notably excludes direct cash payments.  —  SACRAMENTO, California — California state lawmakers introduced a slate of reparations bills on Wednesday, including a proposal to restore property taken by …

Trump's big NY fraud verdict won't come until next week: source  — A verdict in Trump's NY fraud trial won't come until February, a source told Business Insider.  — Judge Arthur Engoron had said he'd try to get it done by the end of January.  That won't happen.

John Podesta to succeed John Kerry as top U.S. climate diplomat  —  The veteran Democratic political strategist will add the role to his duties at a crucial time for President Biden's climate agenda  —  President Biden will tap senior adviser John D. Podesta to replace outgoing U.S. special …

House Republican reported for doing pull-ups at the top of Capitol dome  —  The Capitol Visitor's Center reported Rep. Rich McCormick to the sergeant at arms for “unsafe actions” while on a tour, according to an email reviewed by POLITICO.

Scoop: State Department reviewing options for possible recognition of Palestinian state  —  Secretary of State Tony Blinken asked the State Department to conduct a review and present policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza …

Nikki Haley says Texas can secede from US if it wants but 'isn't going to'  —  That view contradicts centuries of history and precedent.  —  Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley attends a Lady Hawkeyes Tailgate campaign event in Coralville, Iowa, December 30, 2023.

Study finds that once people use cargo bikes, they like their cars much less  —  Even some one-car households ditched vehicles in favor of cargo bike-sharing.  —  Cargo bikes started as something you'd see in images from Europe—bakfiets loaded up with groceries or sometimes kids.

Chinese hackers are determined to ‘wreak havoc’ on US critical infrastructure, FBI director warns  —  Chinese government hackers are busily targeting water treatment plants, the electrical grid, transportation systems and other critical infrastructure inside the United States …

Even Jefferson Davis recognized Section III ‘automatically disqualified him’: Dozens of historians urge Supreme Court to remove Trump from 2024 ballot  —  Even Jefferson Davis, leader of the Confederacy — and his lawyer — knew the insurrection clause in the U.S. Constitution not only disqualified …

Trump spent nearly $30M of his donor contributions on legal fees in just 6 months  —  The total bill is staggering.  And it left one of his primary committees with little cash on hand.  —  Two of Donald Trump's political action committees spent an astonishing $29 million in legal consulting …

Pennsylvania man arrested after allegedly decapitating his father and displaying his head on YouTube  —  In the video, which has since been removed, Justin Mohn says his father was a federal employee and refers to him as a traitor while voicing right-wing conspiracy theories.

Trump's mobilizing his “prayer warriors”: Religion scholar on what MAGA means by “spiritual warfare”  —  Professor André Gagné explains that MAGA's “adoption of aggressive spiritual warfare language” is a warning sign  —  Donald Trump may control the Republican Party — but his power is not 100 percent absolute.

Rep. Ilhan Omar and Members of Congress Call on Biden Administration to Address Human Rights Abuses in El Salvador  —  Washington, D.C. - Today, a group of Members of Congress led by Representative Ilhan Omar sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the Biden Administration …

US veteran accused of tearing down Satanic Temple idol in Iowa Capitol charged with hate crime  —  A U.S. Navy veteran who is accused of tearing down a Satanic Temple statue within the Iowa state Capitol has been charged with a hate crime.  —  Michael Cassidy, a conservative Christian veteran …

FACT SHEET: One Year After Train Derailment, Biden-Harris Administration Continues to Support People in East Palestine, Ohio and Nearby Communities and Hold Norfolk Southern Accountable  —  President Biden to visit East Palestine, Ohio in February  —  One year ago, on February 3, 2023 …

Why Trumpers are losing it over Taylor Swift  —  Swift goes to football games to support her boyfriend, shattering MAGA brains. … MAGA this week at last found its true, final, most hated enemy.  Not Barack Obama.  Not Hilary Clinton.  Not Joe Biden.  Not even Hunter Biden.

A State Supreme Court Just Issued the Most Devastating Rebuke of Dobbs Yet  —  The Supreme Court's eradication of the constitutional right to abortion in 2022's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization had an immediate and devastating impact on gender equality in the United States.

When QAnon fundraises for Kari Lake ... she shows up  —  Former Vice President Mike Pence once backed out of a fundraiser with the couple after their QAnon ties were revealed.  —  Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake is headlining a campaign fundraiser on Friday hosted by two wealthy QAnon supporters …

Bob Menendez's fundraising drops and legal fees skyrocket amid indictments  —  The New Jersey Democratic senator has not yet said if he is running for re-election, as he faces federal bribery and conspiracy charges.  —  Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., has seen his campaign fundraising plummet …