The Commentariat -- January 2, 2021

Afternoon Update:

David Sanger, et al., of the New York Times: "Three weeks after the [Russian hacking] intrusion came to light, American officials are still trying to understand whether what the Russians pulled off was simply an espionage operation inside the systems of the American bureaucracy or something more sinister, inserting 'backdoor' access into government agencies, major corporations, the electric grid and laboratories developing and transporting new generations of nuclear weapons. At a minimum it has set off alarms about the vulnerability of government and private sector networks in the United States to attack and raised questions about how and why the nation's cyberdefenses failed so spectacularly.... The breach was not detected by any of the government agencies that share responsibility for cyberdefense -- the military's Cyber Command and the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security -- but by a private cybersecurity company, FireEye."

Will Sommer & Asawin Suebsaeng of the Daily Beast: "Many of Donald Trump's most dogmatic supporters see a mass protest in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 ... as their last chance to disrupt President-elect Joe Biden's win.... 'Be there, will be wild!' Trump tweeted on Dec. 19.... 'I'm thinking it will be literal war on that day,' one popular comment posted last Wednesday read. 'Where we'll storm offices and physically remove and even kill all the D.C. traitors and reclaim the country.'... Two people familiar with the matter say that in recent days, Trump has told advisers and close associates that he wants to keep fighting in court past Jan. 6 if members of Congress, as expected, end up certifying the electoral college results."

Alayna Treene of Axios: "A growing number of Republican senators -- led by Ted Cruz — announced [Saturday] they also will object to certifying state Electoral College votes on Wednesday and called for resurrecting an Electoral Commission to conduct an emergency audit of the results.... Republicans involved include Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), as well as Sens.-elect Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)."

Gillian Brockell of the Washington Post: When Vice Presidents Richard Nixon & Al Gore presided over a joint session of Congress to announce their own defeats.

Ben Tobin of the Louisville Courier Journal: ... Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's Louisville home has been vandalized following his blocking of $2,000 stimulus checks to most Americans. As of Saturday morning, messages like 'where's my money' and other expletives were written with spray paint across the front door and bricks of the Kentucky Republican's Highlands residence." ~~~

~~~ Kayla Galloway of ABC-7 Los Angeles: "A home in San Francisco belonging to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was vandalized early Friday morning with an apparent reference to lawmakers' failed efforts to provide Americans with $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks. The graffiti was found on the garage door of Pelosi's home overnight with the phrases '$2K', 'Cancel rent!' and 'We want everything.' As of early Friday afternoon, the garage door was covered with black garbage bags. The vandals also left fake blood and what appears to be a pig head outside the House Speaker's San Francisco home."

~~~~~~~~~~

Joanna Walters of the Guardian: "... in dueling New Year's Eve declarations, [Donald] Trump boasted of accomplishments in office, calling them 'historic victories' despite his resounding loss in November's election and a pandemic that has never been under control and is entering its darkest phase with record deaths in parallel with chaotic early vaccine distribution. [Joe] Biden praised healthcare workers on the front lines and looked ahead to his prospects of delivering what he has promised will be a transformative first 100 days in office in terms of dealing with the coronavirus, the battered economy, global re-engagement by the US and taking action on the climate crisis."

The Last Days of the Mad Kaiser

Richard Fausset of the New York Times: "President Trump took to Twitter Friday evening to make the unfounded assertion that Georgia's two Senate races are 'illegal and invalid,' an argument that could complicate his efforts to convince his supporters to turn out for Republican candidates in the two runoff races that will determine which party controls the Senate.... Mr. Trump made his assertion about the Senate races in a Twitter thread in which he also made the baseless claim that 'massive corruption' took place in the general election, 'which gives us far more votes than is necessary to win all of the Swing States.'"' The Hill's story is here.

Betsy Klein, et al., of CNN: "... Donald Trump is spending his final days in office attacking leadership within his own party, this time the second-highest ranking Republican in the Senate.... Trump, back at the White House after his Mar-a-Lago holiday with no public events on his schedule, attacked Sen. John Thune, a South Dakotan who is the No. 2 Senate Republican, in an afternoon tweet on New Year's Day. 'I hope to see the great Governor of South Dakota @KristiNoem, run against RINO @SenJohnThune, in the upcoming 2022 Primary. She would do a fantastic job in the U.S. Senate, but if not Kristi, others are already lining up. South Dakota wants strong leadership, NOW!' he wrote in a tweet. Trump has railed against Republican leadership broadly multiple times this week, but this time is naming names.... 'Yeah, well, finally an attack tweet. What took him so long?' a calm and soft-spoken Thune told reporters as he was leaving the Capitol after the vote to override Trump's veto of the defense bill. 'It's fine, that's the way he communicates.'"

** Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "The Senate on Friday voted overwhelmingly to override President Trump's veto of the annual military policy bill as most Republicans joined Democrats to rebuke Mr. Trump in the final days of his presidency. The 81-to-13 vote was the first time lawmakers have overridden one of Mr. Trump's vetoes. It reflected the sweeping popularity of a measure that authorized a pay raise for the nation's military. The margin surpassed the two-thirds majority needed to force enactment of the bill over Mr. Trump's objections, and only seven Republicans voted to sustain the veto. The House passed the legislation on Monday in a similarly lopsided 322-to-87 vote that also mustered the two-thirds majority required. The vote ended a devastating legislative week for Mr. Trump, effectively denying him two of the last demands of his presidency. Senate Republican leaders on Wednesday had declared that there was 'no realistic path' for a vote on increasing stimulus checks to $2,000 from the current $600, a measure Mr. Trump had pressed lawmakers to take up." Politico's story is here.

Burgess Everett of Politico: "Multiple Senate Republicans unloaded on an effort led by Sen. Josh Hawley to challenge Joe Biden's election victory as the party hurtles toward its most consequential confrontation with Donald Trump of his entire presidency.... 'I think it's awful. I am going to support my oath to the Constitution. That's the loyalty test here,' said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) called Hawley's move 'disappointing and destructive. And borrowing from Ben Sasse it's ambition pointing a gun at the head of democracy.' Sasse (R-Neb.) said this week that 'adults don't point a loaded gun at the heart of legitimate self-government.' 'I'm going to vote to certify the election,' said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) of Hawley's effort. 'I don't think it's a good idea and I don't understand his reasoning.'"

Catie Edmondson & Maggie Haberman of the New York Times: "A federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit led by President Trump's allies in Congress that aimed to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the results of the election, dealing a blow to lawmakers' last-ditch effort to challenge President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s victory. Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle [-- a Trump appointee --] of the Eastern District of Texas ruled that Republican lawmakers, led by Representative Louie Gohmert of Texas, lacked the proper standing to sue Mr. Pence in the matter.... Mr. Gohmert said in an interview with Newsmax that his lawyers would appeal.... [MB: And now for some euphamistic understatement:] The president was unhappy when he learned that the Justice Department was representing Mr. Pence in a suit that his supporters had filed, and he reached out to the vice president on Friday morning to discuss it, three people briefed on the discussion said.... Mr. Trump was more vocal to advisers than to Mr. Pence about his frustrations over the Justice Department's involvement." An NPR story is here. ~~~

~~~ Earlier. Kyle Cheney & Josh Gerstein of Politico: "Vice President Mike Pence has the unilateral power to decide the outcome of the 2020 election, according to the latest filing in a lawsuit brought by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) and other Republicans mounting a last-ditch bid to overturn the results of the 2020 election. 'Under the Constitution, he has the authority to conduct that proceeding as he sees fit,' Gohmert argues. 'He may count elector votes certified by a state's executive, or he can prefer a competing slate of duly qualified electors. He may ignore all electors from a certain state. That is the power bestowed upon him by the Constitution.'" The Washington Post's story is here; the WashPo story has been updated to report the dismissal of the case. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Yeah, that's definitely the plan, Louie. Which makes it hard to understand why Al Gore didn't pick himself to be the next president in 2000 (especially since he won the popular vote), and why Joe Biden didn't pick Hillary Clinton in 2016 (who also won the popular vote). I guess Al & Joe are just not the Constitutional scholars you are, Louie. ~~~

     ~~~ Matt Haham of Law & Crime: "Election law experts rapidly responded [to] the Gohmert reply by calling its core aim 'breathtaking' and 'preposterous.'"

The Trumpidemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Friday are here.

Christina Maxouris & Jason Hanna of CNN: "The US surpassed 20 million total recorded Covid-19 cases on Friday, hours after the country ushered in 2021 and left behind its deadliest month of the pandemic. The nation also has set a Covid-19 hospitalization record for four straight days. The high counts are a grim reminder that even with 2020 behind us, the pandemic continues to ravage parts of the country. And some leaders warn the worst is still ahead.... More than 125,370 coronavirus patients were in US hospitals Thursday, Covid Tracking Project data shows."

Jeremy Herb & Rachel Janfaza of CNN: "Republican Sen. Mitt Romney on Friday warned the process of distributing vaccines is 'falling behind' in a statement blasting the plan for getting Americans vaccinated, as the critical vaccination roll out process lags. 'That comprehensive vaccination plans have not been developed at the federal level and sent to the states as models is as incomprehensible as it is inexcusable,' Romney ... said in a statement Friday. Romney said the plan to rely on hospitals and pharmacies that are already overburdened was 'unrealistic.' Romney's statement comes as the federal government's Operation Warp Speed had promised that 20 million doses would be administered before January 1. Yet data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from earlier this week shows that just over 12.4 million doses have been distributed, and only 2.79 million have actually been administered."

South Dakota. Danielle Ferguson of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader: "A federal judge says a state court can't use the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to delay a Codington County trial and in the same breath criticized South Dakota's response to the pandemic, saying it has done 'little, if anything,' to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann ordered that unless the Codington County state court resolves Matthew Kurtenbach's May 2019 case by January 15, 2021, Kurtenbach will win a federal petition he filed claiming wrongful imprisonment and a violation of his right to a speedy trial.... Kornmann harshly criticized the state and Gov. Kristi Noem's response to the pandemic and said some state courts could have done more to keep cases moving while protecting parties.... 'South Dakota cannot "take advantage" of its own failures to follow scientific facts and safeguards in entering blanket denials of the rights of speedy trials.'... ~~~

~~~ "An excerpt from the filing: 'The Governor has steadfastly refused to impose a statewide mask mandate. She has often questioned publicly the scientific fact that mask wearing prevents the virus from spreading. she appeared at a dedication ceremony for a large 3M Company in Aberdeen manufacturing plant expansion -- to allow 3M to produce even more N95 respirators needed by front-line healthcare workers -- as the only public official not wearing a mask. Her example significantly encourages south Dakotans to not wear masks. South Dakota is now a very dangerous place in which to live due to the spread of COVID-19. Even a casual observer must note the failure of most residents of South Dakota to wear masks and maintain social distancing.'" MB: Kornmann is a Clinton appointee.

Virginia. Celine Castronuovo of the Hill: "Virginia state Sen. Ben Chafin (R) has died from complications due to COVID-19, his office announced Friday. He was 60. Gov. \Ralph Northam (D) and the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus confirmed the passing of Chafin, who represented the state's 38th district for the past six years.... Northam has reportedly ordered the Virginia state flag to be flown at half-staff until sunset on the day of Chafin's interment."

Eric Schmitt of the New York Times: "The Pentagon has abruptly sent the aircraft carrier Nimitz home from the Middle East and Africa over the objections of top military advisers, marking a reversal of a weekslong muscle-flexing strategy aimed at deterring Iran from attacking American troops and diplomats in the Persian Gulf. Officials said on Friday that the acting defense secretary, Christopher C. Miller, had ordered the redeployment of the ship in part as a 'de-escalatory' signal to Tehran to avoid stumbling into a crisis in President Trump's waning days in office. American intelligence reports indicate that Iran and its proxies may be preparing a strike as early as this weekend to avenge the death of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, the commander of Iran's elite Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Senior Pentagon officials said that Mr. Miller assessed that dispatching the Nimitz now, before the first anniversary this Sunday of General Suleimani's death in an American drone strike in Iraq, could remove what Iranian hard-liners see as a provocation that justifies their threats against American military targets." MB: The Nimitz is one old aircraft carrier: it was launched in 1972.

Michael Balsamo of the AP: "A federal appeals court has cleared the way for the only woman on federal death row to be executed before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. The ruling, handed down Friday by a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, concluded that a lower court judge erred when he vacated Lisa Montgomery's execution date in an order last week.... Meaghan VerGow, an attorney for Montgomery, said her legal team would ask for the full appeals court to review the case and said Montgomery should not be executed on Jan. 12."

The Commentariat -- January 1, 2021

Kate Sullivan of CNN: "On Joe Biden's first day as President, his White House will issue a memo to halt or delay midnight regulations and actions taken by the Trump administration that will not have taken effect by Inauguration Day, Biden transition spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters on Wednesday. Psaki noted that issuing a regulatory freeze is standard practice for an incoming administration, 'but this freeze will apply not only to regulations but also guidance documents -- documents that can have enormous consequences on the lives of the American people.' The memo will take effect after noon ET on January 20, Psaki said, after Biden is inaugurated. The memo is part of a broader push the Biden transition team has previewed to immediately undo several of outgoing ... Donald Trump's policies." (Also linked yesterday.)

Mike Allen of Axios: "To set the tone for his inauguration the next day, President-elect Biden will lead a memorial to remember and honor lives lost to COVID-19, with church-bell ringings and light shows across the country on Tue., Jan. 19, at 5:30 p.m. ET. The Presidential Inauguration Committee is announcing Thursday morning that a D.C. ceremony, led by Biden, will feature lights around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool -- the first time lighting around the Reflecting Pool has memorialized American lives lost."

The Trumpidemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Thursday are here: "... logistical problems in clinics across the country have put the campaign to vaccinate the United States against Covid-19 far behind schedule in its third week, raising fears about how quickly the country will be able to tame the epidemic." (Also linked yesterday.)

The Rich Get Richer & the Poor Get Poorer. Hamza Shaban & Heather Long of the Washington Post: "The U.S. stock market ended 2020 at all-time highs, enriching the wealthy and capping off a soaring comeback despite a deadly pandemic that has killed more than 340,000 Americans and left millions jobless and hungry. The S&P 500-stock index, the most widely watched gauge, is finishing the year up more than 16 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 7.25 percent and 43.6 percent, respectively. The Dow and S&P 500 finished at record levels despite the public health and economic crises. Wall Street's resurgence has been fueled by the largest federal government stimulus ever, historic support from the Federal Reserve and optimism about how quickly the economy is likely to bounce back next year as coronavirus vaccines become widely distributed. Investors have largely ignored the pain on Main Street, including pronounced unemployment, overrun hospitals and battered small businesses. On the eve of the new year, nearly 20 million people remained on unemployment, a jobs crisis worse than during the Great Recession."

Fred Imbert of CNBC: "The number of people filing for unemployment benefits for the first time unexpectedly fell last week, marking its second straight decline. Initial jobless claims declined by 19,000 to 787,000 in the week ended Dec. 26, the Labor Department said Thursday. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected initial jobless claims to rise to 828,000. The previous week's total for initial claims was upwardly revised by 3,000 to 806,000. Continuing claims, which include those who have received unemployment benefits for at least two straight weeks, fell by 103,000 to 5.219 million for the week of Dec. 19. Data on continuing claims runs on a one-week lag to the initial claims numbers." (Also linked yesterday.)

Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) announced Thursday that he will quarantine after being exposed to someone infected with COVID-19, taking him off the campaign trail just days before his crucial Senate runoff.... While Perdue and his wife tested negative for COVID-19 Thursday, they will still quarantine based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and their doctor's recommendation." (Also linked yesterday.) More on Perdue linked below.

Rachel Janfaza of CNN: "Florida Congresswoman-elect María Elvira Salazar said Thursday that she has tested positive for Covid-19 and will be unable to attend the congressional swearing-in ceremony at the US Capitol on Sunday. Salazar, a Republican, said on Twitter she was admitted to a local hospital with heart arrhythmia, commonly known as an irregular heartbeat, on December 23, before being tested for Covid-19. That test came back positive, she said." (Also linked yesterday.)

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished. Coral Murphy of USA Today: "Distilleries across the U.S. received a surprise fee from the Food and Drug Administration after using their facilities to make hand sanitizer amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 cases began surging in March, distilleries started making hand sanitizer by switching their alcohol production to antiseptic, undrinkable alcohol and giving away bottles to members of their communities. The efforts rose after the country faced a shortage in hand sanitizer.... The CARES Act ... established these facilities must pay user fees under the over the counter monograph drug user fee program.... [Late] Thursday, however, the Department of Health and Human Services appeared to have struck down the FDA fees. 'Small businesses who stepped up to fight COVID-19 should be applauded by their government, not taxed for doing so,' HHS chief of staff Brian Harrison said in a statement posted on Twitter. 'I'm pleased to announce we have directed FDA to cease enforcement of these arbitrary, surprise user fees,' he said. 'Happy New Year, distilleries, and cheers to you for helping keep us safe!'"

Indiana. Bill Hutchinson of ABC News: "The president and CEO of an Indiana hospital has prompted backlash for releasing what medical professionals and health care advocates described as a 'blame the victim' statement about a Black physician who died of COVID-19 after alleging she was mistreated by a doctor and nurses at his medical facility because of the color of her skin. In a press release, Indiana University Hospital president and CEO Dennis M. Murphy described Dr. Susan Moore as a 'complex patient' and said that during her stay at the IU Health North facility in Carmel, Indiana, the nursing staff treating her for coronavirus 'may have been intimidated by a knowledgeable patient who was using social media to voice her concerns and critique the care they were delivering.' Moore, 52, who operated her own family practice, died at another hospital she went to a day after being discharged from IU Health North, her 19-year-old son, Henry Muhammed, told ABC News. Before being sent home from IU Health North, Moore recorded a scathing review of her treatment and posted the video on her Facebook page, saying, 'I put forth, and I maintain, if I was white, I wouldn't have to go through that.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

Wisconsin. Andrea Secedo & Isaac Stanley-Becker of the Washington Post: "An employee at a hospital outside Milwaukee deliberately spoiled more than 500 doses of coronavirus vaccine by removing 57 vials from a pharmacy refrigerator, hospital officials announced Wednesday, as local police said they were investigating the incident with the help of federal authorities.... Each vial has enough for 10 vaccinations but can sit at room temperature for only 12 hours.... The employee acknowledged having 'intentionally removed the vaccine from refrigeration,' the system, Aurora Health Care [of Grafton, Wis.], said in a statement late Wednesday. The employee, who has not been identified, was fired, Aurora Health said. Its statement did not address the worker's motive but said 'appropriate authorities' were promptly notified." ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Todd Richmond of the AP: "Authorities arrested a suburban Milwaukee pharmacist Thursday suspected of deliberately ruining hundreds of doses of coronavirus vaccine by removing them from refrigeration for two nights.... Police in Grafton, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Milwaukee, said the Advocate Aurora Health pharmacist was arrested on suspicion of reckless endangerment, adulterating a prescription drug and criminal damage to property, all felonies. The pharmacist has been fired and police said in a news release that he was in jail. Police did not identify the pharmacist, saying he has not yet been formally charged. His motive remains unclear."

The Last Days of the Mad Kaiser

Michael Shear, et al., of the New York Times: "Throughout late summer and fall, in the heat of a re-election campaign that he would go on to lose, and in the face of mounting evidence of a surge in infections and deaths far worse than in the spring, Mr. Trump's management of the crisis == unsteady, unscientific and colored by politics all year -- was in effect reduced to a single question: What would it mean for him?... Mr. Trump's unwillingness to put aside his political self-centeredness as Americans died by the thousands each day or to embrace the steps necessary to deal with the crisis remains confounding even to some administration officials. 'Making masks a culture war issue was the dumbest thing imaginable,' one former senior adviser said." This is a longish piece with five reporters on the byline; it oulines Trump's -- and his aides' -- many missteps re: Covid-19. ~~~

~~~ Trump Says He Did a Great Job, & Everybody Is Calling to Thank Him. Amanda Macias of CNBC: "December was the deadliest month for America during the pandemic. Yet ... Donald Trump barely uttered a word about Covid-19's tragic toll. Instead, the president spent the month obsessing over unfounded claims of a stolen election, delaying relief legislation before signing it, weighing in on cable news broadcasts and lashing out at members of his own party. And, on Thursday, the last day of the month and the year, Trump tweeted a video in which he boasted about his administration's response to the pandemic.... In a recorded message released Thursday, Trump took the lion's share of the credit for the unprecedented speed in the development of vaccines calling the feat a 'medical miracle.' 'Thanks to Operation Warp Speed we developed a vaccine in just nine months, we've already begun a nationwide vaccination program, and we're sending the vaccine all over the world. The world will benefit we'll benefit, and everybody's calling to thank me,' the president said. Trump also took a moment to praise his work on the economy, saying that his administration 'built the greatest economy in the history of the world.'"

Hmm. John Kruzel of the Hill: "Vice President Pence on Thursday asked a federal judge to reject a bid by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) and other Republicans to broaden Pence's powers in a manner that would effectively allow him to overturn President-elect Joe Biden's electoral win.... In a Thursday brief to Texas-based U.S. District Judge Jeremy Kernodle, a Trump appointee, Pence said he was not a proper defendant to the suit. 'A suit to establish that the Vice President has discretion over the count, filed against the Vice President, is a walking legal contradiction,' a Department of Justice attorney representing Pence wrote in the filing. Typically, the vice president's role in presiding over the Jan. 6 meeting is a largely ceremonial one governed by an 1887 federal law known as the Electoral Count Act." ~~~

     ~~~ Maggie Haberman & Katie Benner of the New York Times: "The [Justice D]epartment, acting on behalf of Mr. Pence, said that Republican lawmakers, led by Representative Louie Gohmert of Texas, could not invalidate the more than century-old law that governs the Electoral College process to expand an otherwise ceremonial role into one that has the power to reject electoral votes that were cast for Mr. Biden.... The Justice Department also made clear in its filing that it welcomed any comments from the federal judge ... that would clarify that Mr. Pence's role in the election was purely procedural. The White House counsel, Pat A. Cipollone, and the chief of staff, Mark Meadows, were aware the Justice Department was filing on Mr. Pence's behalf before it happened, according to two people briefed on the discussions.... The Justice Department's move to squash an 11th-hour attempt to undo Mr. Biden's victory could put it more at odds with Mr. Trump.... the department under [Acting AG Jeffrey] Rosen has taken a step that Mr. Trump may see as an overt act intended to thwart one of his allies, opening it up to possible retaliation." MB: It does seem that pence is trying to wriggle out of taking any responsibility for Trump's (and of course his own) loss in the vote-counting procedure. If so, Trump surely will dub him a traitor. ~~~

~~~ House Republicans to Vote Against Democracy, Constitution. Jake Tapper of CNN: "Two Republican members of the House of Representatives tell CNN that they expect at least 140 of their GOP colleagues in the House to vote against counting the electoral votes on January 6 when Congress is expected to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory.... Donald Trump's Republican allies have virtually zero chance of changing the result, only to delay by a few hours the inevitable affirmation of Biden as the Electoral College winner and the next president. There have been no credible allegations of any issues with voting that would have impacted the election, as affirmed by dozens of judges, governors, election officials, the Electoral College, the Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the US Supreme Court. But Trump is determined to claim he didn't lose -- which he did, significantly -- and many GOP politicians either share his delusion or fear provoking his wrath -- even if that means voting to undermine democracy. Both a House member and senator are required to mount an objection when Congress counts the votes. Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri said Wednesday he will object, which will force lawmakers in both the House and Senate to vote on whether to accept the results of Biden's victory. Trump has been pushing for Congress to try to overturn the election result as his campaign's attempts to overturn the election through the courts have been repeatedly rejected." MB: Tapper has said on-air that a "handful" of senators are likely to join Hawley. ~~~

~~~ Jonathan Swan of Axios: "In an extraordinary conference call this morning with fellow Senate Republicans, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said his Jan. 6 vote certifying Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election will be 'the most consequential I have ever cast,' according to a source on a call and two other sources briefed on the private remarks.... The conference call came in the wake of Sen. Josh Hawley defying McConnell's wishes and publicly declaring that he'll object to certifying the electoral votes in Pennsylvania and perhaps in other states as well.... A source paraphrased McConnell as saying, 'I'm finishing 36 years in the Senate and I've cast a lot of big votes.' including over war and impeachment. 'And in my view, just my view,' McConnell said, 'this is will be the most consequential I have ever cast.' 'The context was McConnell saying we're being asked to overturn the results after a guy didn't get as many electoral votes and lost by 7 million popular votes,' the source said.... His remarks to his conference are likely to escalate President Trump's anger with him for daring acknowledge Trump's defeat.... Many Republican senators are furious at Hawley for forcing them to take what Trump is setting up as the ultimate loyalty test on January 6th." ~~~

~~~ John Wagner & Rosalind Helderman of the Washington Post: "Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) called the effort in Congress to reverse President-elect Joe Biden's electoral college victory a 'dangerous ploy,' underscoring the challenge President Trump faces in persuading even members of his own party to join it. In an open letter to constituents, Sasse wrote that there is no evidence of fraud so widespread that it could change the results and said he has urged his colleagues to reject 'a project to overturn the election.' 'All the clever arguments and rhetorical gymnastics in the world wo't change the fact that this January 6th effort is designed to disenfranchise millions of Americans simply because they voted for someone in a different party,' Sasse wrote on Facebook shortly before midnight on Wednesday.... His letter followed Wednesday's announcement by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) that he will object next week when Congress convenes to certify the electoral college vote, a move that will force a contentious floor debate that top Senate Republicans had hoped to avoid." (Also linked yesterday.)

Kevin Brueninger of CNBC: "The head of the White House budget office on Thursday refused to direct staff and resources to help with the incoming Biden administration's spending plans, in an escalating dispute over what the office's responsibilities are during the transition process. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought pushed back on accusations of obstruction raised by President-elect Joe Biden's transition team, adding that his agency will not cooperate with alleged efforts to 'dismantle' Trump administration policies.... The letter from Vought, shared publicly on his Twitter account, turns up the heat in the simmering dispute between ... Donald Trump's administration and the incoming Biden team.... Biden spokesman Andrew Bates in a statement called it 'indefensible,' in the midst of a time of economic hardship, 'to hamstring the United States government's ability to prepare a budget and efficiently deliver help to those who need it most, particularly out of explicit, declared partisanship.'" Bates makes clear Vought's letter makes no sense: he claims not to be obstructing the transition while he vows to obstruct the transition.

Brian Fung of CNN: "Microsoft said Thursday that the suspected Russian hackers behind a massive US government security breach also viewed some of the company's source code. The unauthorized access does not appear to have compromised any Microsoft ... services or customer data, the company said in a blog post. But an investigation showed that the attackers took advantage of their access to Microsoft's systems to view company code.... The disclosure highlights the broad reach of the attackers, whom investigators have described as extremely sophisticated and well-resourced. And it suggests that corporate espionage may have been as much a motive as a hunt for government secrets.... But Microsoft said its security practices begin by preemptively assuming that hackers already have access to the company's source code, and protects its services accordingly."

Matthew Choi of Politico: "The Census Bureau will miss a Dec. 31 deadline for reporting data used to determine congressional seats, the agency announced Wednesday. The delay could hinder ... Donald Trump's effort to exclude some undocumented immigrants from the figures used to apportion House seats.... It will be the first time the bureau will miss the deadline since its 1976 implementation.... Census Bureau documents released by the House Oversight Committee earlier this month show the data may not be delivered until late January -- after President-elect Joe Biden gets inaugurated. That would give the Democratic president an opening to cease Trump's efforts to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count." (Also linked yesterday.)

Georgia Senate Race. Michael Kranish of the Washington Post: '... at an October rally in Macon with Trump[, Sen. David] Perdue did not mention specifics about his career, telling the crowd, 'I'm just a dumb business guy from right over that hill. That was followed by Trump promising to make the United States 'the manufacturing superpower of the world. And we will end our reliance on China once and for all.' Trump made no reference to the fact that Perdue, whom he called a 'very successful man,' made much of his fortune by heading Asian operations for a number of companies that relied on Chinese manufacturing of products sold in the United States.... Perdue was a top executive at some of the country's best-known consumer brands, spending years in Hong Kong and Singapore, which he used as bases to travel across Asia to take advantage of the region's lower-cost workforces." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ David Perdue, a Real-Life Simon Legree. Jessica Goodheart of Capital & Main: "Dollar General, which [Sen. David Perdue] ran between 2003 and 2007, rests on a business model of offering low-cost goods at rock-bottom prices while paying workers poorly.... The corporate dictum that wages remain at 5% of gross sales 'placed us at the bottom of a low-paying industry,' Cal Turner Jr., the son of Dollar General's founder, told ProPublica. Perdue presided over a more than 30-fold increase in the number of employee lawsuits filed against the company.... That vast increase mostly appears due to more than 2,000 wage theft cases filed in 2006 by Dollar General managers who claimed they were classified as managers only so that the company could circumvent federal law, which required hourly employees to be paid overtime when working over 40 hours in a single week.... Capital & Main has uncovered new evidence of allegedly discriminatory practices at the company while Perdue was at the helm, including those that singled out pregnant women and African Americans." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: There were plenty of poor white Republican voters in Georgia. I'm surprised that, as far as I know, Ossoff hasn't hammered Perdue for his cruelty to workers.

Way Beyond the Beltway

U.K. Reuters: "The father of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was in the process of applying for a French passport to maintain his ties with the European Union after Brexit. Stanley Johnson, a former member of the European Parliament who voted Remain in Britain's 2016 referendum, told RTL radio he wanted to become a French citizen because of strong family links to France." (Also linked yesterday.)

The Last Day of the Worst Year

     ~~~ Marie: I replaced the original video, which went kaput. We'll see if this one lasts through the tolling of Big Ben.

~~~ Victoria Bekiempis of the Guardian: "While the crystal-encrusted New Year's Eve ball will drop in Times Square at midnight on 31 December, its descent ... will be greeted by empty streets due to Covid-19, and not hundreds of thousands of revelers. New York City authorities have announced that Times Square will not be open to the public on New Year's Eve. The party and live performances will go on, albeit virtually: Those wishing to attend can stream online, or watch on television. This dramatic shift -- New Year's Eve gatherings have taken place at the so-called Crossroads of the World since 1904 -- is not unique to Manhattan.... Some private event organizers have adapted their soirees to meet social-distancing guidelines.... At the same time, there are numerous examples of private people and businesses trying to flout restrictions. Word of planned New Year's Eve parties in Los Angeles spurred immense backlash as the area has been devastated by Covid-19.... There are numerous listings for parties across the US. Some hotel-based events are even advertising buffets." ~~~

~~~ Jenny Gross of the New York Times: "In most cities this New Year's Eve, there will be no roaring crowds, no gatherings for fireworks shows and, let's hope, no strangers kissing at midnight. But, after a year punctuated by disease, unemployment and racial unrest, people around the world, in different circumstances than usual, will still raise a glass and toast the start of 2021. Even in countries where coronavirus cases are low, like Australia, local governments have gone back and forth, making plans and then canceling them again, as they try to balance keeping people safe with allowing them to let loose after a difficult year.... The fireworks display over Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong was also canceled, along with the Lunar New Year parade in February, according to The South China Morning Post. In London, the annual fireworks along the Thames River have been canceled, but Big Ben, which has been silent while undergoing renovation, will chime at midnight.... In Rio de Janeiro, wher revelers usually wear white and flock to the beach, the authorities will block beach access to prevent crowds from gathering."

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

House Republicans to Vote Against Democracy. Jake Tapper of CNN reported on-air that at least 140 Republican House members will vote against counting Electoral College votes for Joe Biden. As Tapper point out, none of these Republicans, some from the states whose vote count they are opposing, are questioning the validity of their own victories. No link. MB: Assuming there's a print story coming on this, I'll post it.

Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) announced Thursday that he will quarantine after being exposed to someone infected with COVID-19, taking him off the campaign trail just days before his crucial Senate runoff.... While Perdue and his wife tested negative for COVID-19 Thursday, they will still quarantine based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and their doctor's recommendation."

Rachel Janfaza of CNN: "Florida Congresswoman-elect María Elvira Salazar said Thursday that she has tested positive for Covid-19 and will be unable to attend the congressional swearing-in ceremony at the US Capitol on Sunday. Salazar, a Republican, said on Twitter she was admitted to a local hospital with heart arrhythmia, commonly known as an irregular heartbeat, on December 23, before being tested for Covid-19. That test came back positive, she said."

Bill Hutchinson of ABC News: "The president and CEO of an Indiana hospital has prompted backlash for releasing what medical professionals and health care advocates described as a 'blame the victim' statement about a Black physician who died of COVID-19 after alleging she was mistreated by a doctor and nurses at his medical facility because of the color of her skin. In a press release, Indiana University Hospital president and CEO Dennis M. Murphy described Dr. Susan Moore as a 'complex patient' and said that during her stay at the IU Health North facility in Carmel, Indiana, the nursing staff treating her for coronavirus 'may have been intimidated by a knowledgeable patient who was using social media to voice her concerns and critique the care they were delivering.' Moore, 52, who operated her own family practice, died at another hospital she went to a day after being discharged from IU Health North, her 19-year-old son, Henry Muhammed, told ABC News. Before being sent home from IU Health North, Moore recorded a scathing review of her treatment and posted the video on her Facebook page, saying, 'I put forth, and I maintain, if I was white, I wouldn't have to go through that.'"

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Thursday are here: "... logistical problems in clinics across the country have put the campaign to vaccinate the United States against Covid-19 far behind schedule in its third week, raising fears about how quickly the country will be able to tame the epidemic."

Fred Imbert of CNBC: "The number of people filing for unemployment benefits for the first time unexpectedly fell last week, marking its second straight decline. Initial jobless claims declined by 19,000 to 787,000 in the week ended Dec. 26, the Labor Department said Thursday. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected initial jobless claims to rise to 828,000. The previous week's total for initial claims was upwardly revised by 3,000 to 806,000. Continuing claims, which include those who have received unemployment benefits for at least two straight weeks, fell by 103,000 to 5.219 million for the week of Dec. 19. Data on continuing claims runs on a one-week lag to the initial claims numbers."

Kate Sullivan of CNN: "On Joe Biden's first day as President, his White House will issue a memo to halt or delay midnight regulations and actions taken by the Trump administration that will not have taken effect by Inauguration Day, Biden transition spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters on Wednesday. Psaki noted that issuing a regulatory freeze is standard practice for an incoming administration, 'but this freeze will apply not only to regulations but also guidance documents -- documents that can have enormous consequences on the lives of the American people.' The memo will take effect after noon ET on January 20, Psaki said, after Biden is inaugurated. The memo is part of a broader push the Biden transition team has previewed to immediately undo several of outgoing ... Donald Trump's policies."

Matthew Choi of Politico: "The Census Bureau will miss a Dec. 31 deadline for reporting data used to determine congressional seats, the agency announced Wednesday. The delay could hinder ... Donald Trump's effort to exclude some undocumented immigrants from the figures used to apportion House seats.... It will be the first time the bureau will miss the deadline since its 1976 implementation.... Census Bureau documents released by the House Oversight Committee earlier this month show the data may not be delivered until late January -- after President-elect Joe Biden gets inaugurated. That would give the Democratic president an opening to cease Trump's efforts to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count."

John Wagner & Rosalind Helderman of the Washington Post: "Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) called the effort in Congress to reverse President-elect Joe Biden's electoral college victory a 'dangerous ploy,' underscoring the challenge President Trump faces in persuading even members of his own party to join it. In an open letter to constituents, Sasse wrote that there is no evidence of fraud so widespread that it could change the results and said he has urged his colleagues to reject 'a project to overturn the election.' 'All the clever arguments and rhetorical gymnastics in the world won't change the fact that this January 6th effort is designed to disenfranchise millions of Americans simply because they voted for someone in a different party,' Sasse wrote on Facebook shortly before midnight on Wednesday.... His letter followed Wednesday's announcement by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) that he will object next week when Congress convenes to certify the electoral college vote, a move that will force a contentious floor debate that top Senate Republicans had hoped to avoid."

Georgia Senate Race. Michael Kranish of the Washington Post: '... at an October rally in Macon with Trump[, Sen. David] Perdue did not mention specifics about his career, telling the crowd, 'I'm just a dumb business guy from right over that hill. That was followed by Trump promising to make the United States 'the manufacturing superpower of the world. And we will end our reliance on China once and for all.' Trump made no reference to the fact that Perdue, whom he called a 'very successful man,' made much of his fortune by heading Asian operations for a number of companies that relied on Chinese manufacturing of products sold in the United States.... Perdue was a top executive at some of the country's best-known consumer brands, spending years in Hong Kong and Singapore, which he used as bases to travel across Asia to take advantage of the region's lower-cost workforces."

U.K. Reuters: "The father of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was in the process of applying for a French passport to maintain his ties with the European Union after Brexit. Stanley Johnson, a former member of the European Parliament who voted Remain in Britain's 2016 referendum, told RTL radio he wanted to become a French citizen because of strong family links to France."

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The Trumpidemic, Ctd.

The Federal Government has distributed the vaccines to the states. Now it is up to the states to administer. Get moving! -- Donald Trump, in a tweet Wednesday morning, blaming states for chaotic federal vaccination roll-out ~~~

~~~ Isaac Stanley-Becker of the Washington Post: "The largest immunization campaign in U.S. history is off to a slow start, dimming hopes, at the end of a dismal year, of an imminent return to normal. In some places, the vaccination campaign -- among the most complex logistical efforts undertaken in peacetime -- has been marked by chaos and confusion.... The result is the delayed administration of vaccines during the deadliest month of the pandemic so far.... The reasons for the slow start in the United States include a chronic lack of public health funding and the absence of unified communication about the vaccines and their availability. Each state is deciding for itself how to prioritize residents, how to alert people of their place in line, how to sign them up, how to police eligibility, how to promote vaccine acceptance, how to configure immunization sites and how to muster the workforce to get it all done.... President Trump's approach -- furnishing states with vaccines but leaving them largely alone to conduct vaccination -- is at odds with how President-elect Joe Biden is vowing to govern."

Lauren Gambino of the Guardian: "Donald Trump's demand for $2,000 relief checks to Americans struggling financially with the pandemic was all but dead after Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday that a proposal from Democrats had 'no realistic path to quickly pass the Senate'. Declaring that he would not be 'bullied' by Democrats into quickly approving the measure, McConnell effectively denied a final request for legislative action by the president in the waning days of his administration. 'We just approved almost a trillion dollars in aid a few days ago,' McConnell said, referring to the passage of a massive $900bn stimulus package that included $600 direct payments to most American adults. 'It struck a balance between broad support for all kinds of households and a lot more targeted relief for those who need help most'.... '$2000 ASAP!' Trump demanded again on Wednesday before McConnell appeared to extinguish the possibility." The New York Times story is here. ~~~

~~~ Old McConnell Has a Trick, E I E I O. Phil Mattingly of CNN: "Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced legislation Tuesday to combine two additional demands from ... Donald Trump to an expansion of direct stimulus payments as part of the Covid-19 relief package, raising Democratic concern the pathway for expanded stimulus payments would soon be short-circuited. The Kentucky Republican, shortly before adjourning the Senate on Tuesday afternoon, introduced a bill that would combine increased direct payments with a repeal of the online liability protections known as Section 230 and the establishment of a commission to study voter fraud. The latter two issues have been significant drivers of Trump's ire in the wake of his general election loss -- the latter of which with zero evidence presented to this point. While the move doesn't guarantee McConnell will bring the bill up for a vote, it provides a substantive option should time -- and the political winds -- press the chamber in that direction. It's also one that would be all but certain to fail to garner the votes for passage. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York called the bill a 'cynical gambit' and said it would serve as 'a blatant attempt' to ensure the $2,000 direct payments were not signed into law." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Steve M.: "If you're a Republican, you've persuaded your voters that the purpose of government isn't to make ordinary people's lives better -- government just screws up everything it touches anyway, right?... And because [the voters] don't expect to get anything from government except validation of their hatred of liberals and the Democratic Party, they'll be fine. They won't care that the checks didn't go through. They'll still vote for Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the Georgia Senate runoffs. They won't punish Republicans for this in any upcoming elections." Thanks to RAS for the link.

Nelson Schwartz & Gillian Friedman of the New York Times: "Whatever the amount [of the so-called stimulus check], the reality is that most Americans right now are much more likely to save the money they receive.... For the majority of the estimated 160 million individuals and families who will receive it, spending the money is expected not to be a high priority. After an earlier round of $1,200 stimulus checks went out in the spring, the saving rate skyrocketed and remains at a nearly 40-year high. That largely reflects the lopsided nature of the pandemic recession that has put some Americans in dire straits while leaving many others untouched.... Many experts said a truly stimulative package would have earmarked the payments for those who need it most -- the unemployed." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: IOW, the checks, no matter the amount, will be a boon to the financial industry. Either people will leave the funds in their non-interest-bearing checking accounts for the banks to use, or they will add them to savings, money-market, 401(k)s & similar accounts where financial institutions will profit. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker; they're SOL.

Tal Axelrod & Naomi Jagoda of the Hill: "Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that stimulus payments from the most recent coronavirus relief package could begin landing in Americans' bank accounts as early as Tuesday night [i.e., two days ago]. Mnuchin said in a tweet that the Treasury Department had delivered a payment file to the Federal Reserve in association with the package and that 'payments may begin to arrive in some accounts by direct deposit as early as tonight and will continue into next week.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Update: In yesterday's Comments, Bobby Lee says a friend in Georgia has already received the $600. Bobby Lee, a cynic, thinks that on accounta the upcoming senatorial election, checks went out to Georgia first. Nah!

Joseph Guzman of the Hill: "President Trump reportedly plans to hold his annual black-tie New Year's Eve gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., despite the raging coronavirus pandemic that has left more than 330,000 Americans dead.... While there's no official word on how many guests will be in attendance this year, a member of Mar-a-Lago told [CNN] at least 500 reservations have been confirmed so far for the event where attendees reportedly paid about $1,000 per ticket in 2019." MB: Trump doesn't care if the event is a Covid superspreader as long as the checks clear before the guests die. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Brett Samuels of the Hill: "President Trump will return to Washington, D.C., on Thursday afternoon, cutting short his trip to Florida for the holidays. According to the president's daily schedule sent late Wednesday for the following day, Trump and the first lady 'will be leaving Florida for the White House' at 11 a.m. The shift in plans means Trump will not be in attendance at the annual New Year's Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, which guests have already secured tickets for. Trump has attended the annual gathering each of the past three years, typically making brief remarks to guests." MB: Worth bearing in mind: the whole Florida trip flouts CDC guidelines to celebrate the holidays in place.

Rep. Jim Jordan (Rabid-Ohio) asked what one supposes was a rhetorical question when complaining in a tweet about stay-at-home orders necessitated by the pandemic. "What would the Founders say?" asked Jim. Bad news for Jimbo; smarter people than he follow him on Twitter. Amee Vanderpool wrote, "George Washington established quarantine guidelines, travel bans and isolated those infected with smallpox during the Revolutionary War-the colonists even passed a law in 1731 that made reporting the illness mandatory." And Ethan Bearman tweeted, "The Founders passed An Act Related to Quarantine during the 3rd Congress in 1796, signed by PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON. It directed the feds to help states enforce quarantines." MB: My sentiments are with the Rude Pundit: "It would have taken you less than a fucking minute to google this shit and discovered that George Washington ordered quarantines during the small pox epidemic in the 1770s-80s." Thanks to PD Pepe for the link to this HuffPost story. (Also linked yesterday.)

Florida. Bobby Calvan of the AP: "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis begged for patience from anxious seniors waiting their turn to get inoculated against COVID-19, as confusion and frustration arose over the availability of the life-saving vaccine among some of the state's most vulnerable. At vaccination sites across the state, seniors formed long lines -- some camping out overnight with lawn chairs and blankets -- hoping to gain immunity to fight the virus. Before the sun had even risen Wednesday morning, one southwest Florida county's vaccine supply for the day was already accounted for, prompting officials to turn down anyone else who was arriving. Seniors in other parts of the state were frustrated by busy phone lines and websites that would no longer issue new vaccination appointments. DeSantis has prioritized Floridians older than 65 to be next in line for the state's stock of vaccine, now that most health care workers and other first responders are protected against the virus that has infected more than 1.2 million Floridians." ~~~

~~~ Silent Movie: Everything Is Going Very Smoothly. Seniors lined up Wednesday outside the Fort Myers, Florida, Stars recreation complex, to wait overnight for vaccinations. Republicans really know how to govern, don't they?:

New Hampshire. Live Free [of Masks] or Die. Kathy McCormack of the AP: "New Hampshire's Republican governor said Wednesday that he is canceling his outdoor inauguration ceremony next month because of public safety concerns -- namely, armed protesters who have been gathering outside his home in the weeks since he issued a mask order. 'My first responsibility is ensuring the safety of my family and our citizens' Gov. Chris Sununu said in a news release. 'For weeks, armed protesters have increasingly become more aggressive, targeting my family, protesting outside my private residence, and trespassing on my property -- an outdoor public ceremony simply brings too much risk....' In consultation with Attorney General Gordon MacDonald, Sununu said, he and Senate President Chuck Morse, acting House Speaker Sherm Packard [all Republicans] and the Executive Council will be sworn in during a small ceremony Jan. 7."

U.K. James Gallagher & Nick Triggle of BBC News: "The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved for use in the UK, with the first doses due to be given on Monday. There will be 530,000 doses available from next week, and vaccination centres will now start inviting patients to come and get the jab. Priority groups for immunisation have already been identified, starting with care home residents, the over-80s, and health and care workers." (Also linked yesterday.)

The Presidential Transition

Missy Ryan of the Washington Post: "President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate two former senior officials to fill the Pentagon's No. 2 and No. 3 jobs, transition officials said, further signaling the new administration's intent to forge a more predictable foreign policy and revitalize agencies that Biden says have been 'hollowed out' by President Trump. The officials said Biden has selected Kathleen Hicks, a think tank strategist and former senior Pentagon official who is heading Biden's Defense Department transition team, as his nominee to be deputy defense secretary.... The officials said Colin Kahl, who served as a top Pentagon official for the Middle East during the Obama administration and later as Biden's national security adviser, would be nominated to become undersecretary of defense for policy, an influential role that helps shape major security decisions."

Linda Greenhouse of the New York Times tells her Joe Biden story. MB: It's a good one.

The Last Days of the Mad Kaiser

Reuters: "... Donald Trump's pardon of four American men convicted of killing Iraqi civilians while working as contractors in 2007 violated U.S. obligations under international law, U.N. human rights experts said on Wednesday.... The Geneva Conventions oblige states to hold war criminals accountable for their crimes, even when they act as private security contractors, the U.N. experts said. 'These pardons violate U.S. obligations under international law and more broadly undermine humanitarian law and human rights at a global level.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

Max Greenwood of the Hill: "President Trump called for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's (R) resignation on Wednesday, hammering him for refusing to back up the president's claim that he carried Georgia in the November presidential election -- despite his loss by 12,000 votes, a result that has survived multiple recounts and court challenges. '@BrianKempGA should resign from office,' Trump tweeted. 'He is an obstructionist who refuses to admit that we won Georgia, BIG! Also won the other Swing States.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

Josh Hawley, Junior Fascist. John Wagner of the Washington Post: "Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced Wednesday that he would object next week when Congress convenes to certify the electoral college vote, a move that all but ensures at least a short delay in cementing President-elect Joe Biden's victory." Politico's story is here. MB: When little Josh heard Missouri was called the "show-me state," he thought it meant, "Show me! Show me! Everyone should see me!" What an ass. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Kyle Cheney has a longish piece in Politico in which he explores how the new House & Senate could change their rules on January 3 in a way that would prevent Hawley or any of his fellow Trumpophiles-of-convenience from giving pence the option to muck up the Electoral College vote count on January 6.

Michael Crowley of the New York Times: "President Trump was briefed this month about intelligence reports that China had offered to pay bounties to fighters in Afghanistan who attacked American soldiers there, but the information was uncorroborated and comes months after Mr. Trump dismissed as a 'hoax' a C.I.A. assessment that Russia had paid for such attacks.... United States intelligence agencies collect enormous amounts of information, much of which turns out to be false or misleading.... [The information] comes at a time when Trump administration officials, including the director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, have sought to put more pressure on China, partly in the hope of limiting any plans by the incoming Biden administration to ease tensions with Beijing." ~~~

     ~~~ Lara Seligman of Politico: "... the [China] intelligence is 'very thin' -- thinner even than reports that Russia offered payments to the Taliban to target U.S. and coalition troops, which were never corroborated, [a] senior U.S. official told Politico. The official went on to described the recent intelligence as 'rumors' and lacking 'hard evidence.' But the allegations involving Chinese operatives in Afghanistan are being handled very differently [-- i.e., as if they were more, rather than less, credible than the Russia allegations --] by Trump officials than the those involving Moscow earlier this year."

Shayna Jacobs & Jonathan O'Connell of the Washington Post: "The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has retained forensic accounting specialists to aid its criminal investigation of President Trump and his business operations, as prosecutors ramp up their scrutiny of his company's real estate transactions, according to people familiar with the matter. District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. opened the investigation in 2018 to examine alleged hush-money payments made to two women who, during Trump's first presidential campaign, claimed to have had affairs with him years earlier. The probe has since expanded, and now includes the Trump Organization's activities more broadly.... Vance's office has suggested in court filings that bank, tax and insurance fraud are areas of exploration." (Also linked yesterday.)

Another Trump Lie about a Republican. Alex Kasprak of Snopes: "Not long after Newsmax 'broke' this story [that the brother of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was an executive with China's state-owned technology company Huawei]..., Donald Trump referenced it in one of many tweets to Raffensperger on Dec. 29, 2020, broadly interpreting their reporting to mean that the Georgia secretary of state's brother 'works for China[.]'... The thing is, Ron Raffensperger -- who was accurately described by Daily Beast as 'a random man with the same last name who serves as CTO for a subsidiary of the Huawei conglomerate' -- is not Brad Raffensperger's brother."

Marie: I don't usually ask for favors, but now I need some help with a domestic problem. I would like your assistance in composing a short note I can use to decorate the windshields of vehicles parked in my small lot on which I have posted this "No Parking" sign. I'd like to use proper, upper-crustly language in this note, absent profanities & obscenities, to let the drivers of these occasionally-parked vehicles know they are stupid, fucking, god-damned, narcissistic, arrogant assholes. The object is to shame them for life. Any & all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.