An appeals court upholds a $5 million award in a sexual abuse verdict against President-elect Trump  —  A federal appeals court on Monday upheld a jury's finding in a civil case that Donald Trump sexually abused a columnist in an upscale department store dressing room in the mid-1990s.

China Hacked Treasury Dept. in ‘Major’ Breach, U.S. Says  —  The department notified lawmakers of the episode, which it said was linked to a state-sponsored actor in China.  —  A state-sponsored actor in China hacked the U.S. Treasury Department, gaining access to the workstations …

From the Grave, Mondale to Eulogize the Man Who Made Him Vice President  —  Walter F. Mondale died in 2021, but he left behind the eulogy he planned to deliver at former President Jimmy Carter's funeral.  —  Former Vice President Walter F. Mondale thought he would still be around to speak …

How Elon Musk Has Planted Himself Almost Literally at Trump's Doorstep  —  For much of the period since Election Day, the billionaire has been staying at a $2,000-a-night cottage at Mar-a-Lago, giving him easy access to the president-elect.  —  Elon Musk plays many roles with President-elect Donald J. Trump.

Trumpers discover a type of bigotry they oppose (against themselves)  —  Vivek Ramaswamy gives MAGAs a taste of their own medicine.  —  🎊☃️🎁🎇🎄 SUPPORT INDEPENDENT MEDIA THIS HOLIDAY SEASON 🎄🎇🎁☃️🎊

Tesla replaced laid off US workers with foreign workers using H-1B visas that Musk want to increase  —  Tesla has replaced some of its US employees who were let go as part of a big wave of layoffs earlier this year with foreign workers using H-1B visas, which CEO Elon Musk is now campaigning to increase.

Biden Angry That Lawfare Was Too Slow to Destroy Trump  —  In my Sunday Smiles essay, I riffed on this Washington Post retrospective on Joe Biden's presidency and how it soft-pedaled Biden's disastrous policies and all the important questions about who was really in charge over the past few years.

Executive Order Providing for the Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on January 9, 2025  —  By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:  —  Section 1.

Holding the ‘Title of Citizen,’ Carter Carved a New Mold for Ex-Presidents  —  Jimmy Carter redefined what a president can do after departing the White House, leaving a lasting imprint through his work overseas, particularly in the realm of public health.  —  President Jimmy Carter had no idea …

Trump Endorses Mike Johnson to Continue as House Speaker  —  The question of whether the president-elect would back the speaker for another term has hung over Republicans, especially after recent tensions over an end-of-year spending bill.  —  President-elect Donald J. Trump endorsed Mike Johnson …

Trump team orders ‘all intended nominees’ to stop posting on social media ahead of Senate confirmations  —  President-elect Donald Trump's chief of staff Susie Wiles sent a message Sunday ordering nominees to refrain from any posting on social media as Senate confirmation hearings are scheduled to start next week.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott mistakenly sends condolences to late Rosalynn Carter after Jimmy Carter's passing  —  Abbott sent condolences to the Carter family, and specifically extended prayers to Rosalynn Carter, who died in 2023.  —  AUSTIN, Texas — After former president Jimmy Carter died at 100 years old …

Russia rejects Trump's Ukraine peace proposals  —  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected proposals Monday floated by President-elect Trump's allies to end the war in Ukraine, dealing a major setback for the incoming president's hopes to freeze the conflict.

United States Files Complaint Against Dave Inc. and CEO Jason Wilk Alleging Deceptive Practices in Violation of Federal Law  —  For Immediate Release  —  The Justice Department, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), today announced a civil enforcement action against Dave Inc. …

The 118th Congress passed the fewest laws in decades … - Every fiscal deadline led to brinksmanship between the Republican House and the Democratic Senate and White House.  — House Republicans were also beset by infighting and palace intrigue, most notably the ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

The things we got wrong in 2024  —  The News  —  The news media is wrong all the time — though not exactly as its loudest critics claim.  Reputable outlets get most of their facts right, and correct fast when they're wrong.  In fact, one way you can tell a reputable American news media outlet …

Norovirus outbreaks surging across the US: CDC data  —  Norovirus cases are surging across the country this winter, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data.  —  There were 91 outbreaks reported by state health departments during the week of Dec. 5 …

United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves to Step Down January 16, 2025  —  For Immediate Release  —  U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia  —  WASHINGTON - Matthew M. Graves announced today that he is resigning as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, effective January 16 …

House Ethics Committee closes investigations into 4 members  —  The House Ethics Committee closed investigations into at least four members Monday for violating campaign finance rules.  The investigations involved Reps. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), Wesley Hunt (R-Tex.), Ronny Jackson (R-Tex.) …

“This is Trump's America now!”:  MAGA diehards jumpstart a new year of political violence  —  There are already calls for vigilantes to round up “brown folks” to imprison in camps  —  Donald Trump isn't in office yet but his fans are already getting excited about hurting and stealing from people of color.

Whitehouse calls for ‘war machine’ to spar against GOP as DNC chair election looms  —  Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is calling for DNC delegates to consider how the Democratic Party's infrastructure can support a “war machine” to lead attacks against Republicans.

Paid prenatal leave, child influencer protections, no taxes on rent: New 2025 laws … Among the most significant in 2025:  —  Paid prenatal time leave  —  New York will become the first state in the U.S. to offer paid time off for prenatal care or medical care related to a pregnancy.