WEATHER ALERT
Dismantling of federal efforts to monitor election interference creates opening for foreign meddling
Read full article: Dismantling of federal efforts to monitor election interference creates opening for foreign meddlingPresident Donald Trump's administration has disbanded an FBI task force focused on investigating foreign influence campaigns and placed on leave several election security employees at the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency.
Justice Department's independence is threatened as Trump's team asserts power over cases and staff
Read full article: Justice Department's independence is threatened as Trump's team asserts power over cases and staffPam Bondi had insisted at her Senate confirmation hearing that as attorney general, her Justice Department would not “play politics.”.
Idle buses, empty Border Patrol boats: Arrests for illegal crossings fall in the Rio Grande Valley
Read full article: Idle buses, empty Border Patrol boats: Arrests for illegal crossings fall in the Rio Grande ValleyBorder Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley have seen a sharp drop in apprehensions along the southern border since the new administration started.
Justice Department asks court to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams
Read full article: Justice Department asks court to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric AdamsThe Justice Department has asked a court to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Who is Danielle Sassoon, the US attorney who resigned rather than drop charges against Eric Adams?
Read full article: Who is Danielle Sassoon, the US attorney who resigned rather than drop charges against Eric Adams?Danielle Sassoon had served just three weeks as interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York when she penned a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi saying she could not follow a directive to drop the office’s corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Given Christianity's dominance in US, Trump raises eyebrows with anti-Christian bias initiative
Read full article: Given Christianity's dominance in US, Trump raises eyebrows with anti-Christian bias initiativeChristianity is by far the largest faith in America, and Christian conservatives have a strong grip on the levers of government.
New York isn't alone when it comes to granting driver's licenses to immigrants without legal status
Read full article: New York isn't alone when it comes to granting driver's licenses to immigrants without legal statusU.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced legal action against New York officials over a 2019 state law allowing immigrants to obtain state-issued driver’s license regardless of legal status.
Attorney General Pam Bondi rails against New York leaders as she announces immigration lawsuit
Read full article: Attorney General Pam Bondi rails against New York leaders as she announces immigration lawsuitPresident Donald Trump’s newly installed attorney general, Pam Bondi, is going after New York leaders over the state’s immigration policies.
Trump's former personal lawyer defends him at a Senate hearing and decries 'partisan lawfare'
Read full article: Trump's former personal lawyer defends him at a Senate hearing and decries 'partisan lawfare'President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, Todd Blanche, criticized the criminal cases against the Republican as “partisan lawfare” during his confirmation hearing to become the No. 2 Justice Department official.
Senate confirms Gabbard as Trump's director of national intelligence after Republicans fall in line
Read full article: Senate confirms Gabbard as Trump's director of national intelligence after Republicans fall in lineThe Senate has confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence.
Trump ally Steve Bannon pleads guilty and avoids jail time in border wall fraud case
Read full article: Trump ally Steve Bannon pleads guilty and avoids jail time in border wall fraud caseConservative strategist Steve Bannon has pleaded guilty to a fraud charge related to duping donors who gave money to a private effort to build a wall along the U.S. southern border.
With firings and lax enforcement, Trump moving to dismantle government's public integrity guardrails
Read full article: With firings and lax enforcement, Trump moving to dismantle government's public integrity guardrailsIn the first three weeks of his administration, President Donald Trump has moved with brazen haste to dismantle the federal government’s public integrity guardrails that he frequently tested during his first term.
Trump says he's firing Kennedy Center board of trustees members and naming himself chairman
Read full article: Trump says he's firing Kennedy Center board of trustees members and naming himself chairmanPresident Donald Trump says he's firing members of the board of trustees for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and naming himself chairman.
The Latest: The Pentagon will deploy roughly 1,500 more troops to the southern border
Read full article: The Latest: The Pentagon will deploy roughly 1,500 more troops to the southern borderThe Pentagon will deploy roughly 1,500 more active duty soldiers to the southern border to support President Trump’s expanding crackdown on immigration, a U.S. official said Friday.
Trump's Justice Department ends Biden-era task force aimed at seizing assets of Russian oligarchs
Read full article: Trump's Justice Department ends Biden-era task force aimed at seizing assets of Russian oligarchsThe Trump administration's Justice Department has disbanded a Biden-era program aimed at seizing the assets of Russian oligarchs as a means to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
After prayer breakfast, Trump creates task force to root out 'anti-Christian bias'
Read full article: After prayer breakfast, Trump creates task force to root out 'anti-Christian bias'President Donald Trump says at a private religious group's Washington prayer breakfast he's forming a commission on religious liberty.
New Attorney General Pam Bondi orders review of Trump cases as she takes over the Justice Dept.
Read full article: New Attorney General Pam Bondi orders review of Trump cases as she takes over the Justice Dept.New Attorney General Pam Bondi has ordered a review of the federal prosecution of Donald Trump as she unveiled a series of directives designed to overhaul a Justice Department the president has claimed is biased against conservatives.
Association representing thousands of FBI agents appeals to Congress to protect their jobs
Read full article: Association representing thousands of FBI agents appeals to Congress to protect their jobsThe association representing thousands of FBI agents is urging congressional leaders to protect the jobs of employees at risk of punishment or possibly termination over their participation in investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Trump's FBI chief pick, Kash Patel, insists he has no 'enemies list' and won't seek retribution
Read full article: Trump's FBI chief pick, Kash Patel, insists he has no 'enemies list' and won't seek retributionKash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, is insisting to deeply skeptical Democrats that he does not have an “enemies list” and that the bureau under his leadership would not seek retribution against the president’s adversaries or launch politically motivated investigations.
Voting rights groups are concerned about priorities shifting under Trump's Justice Department
Read full article: Voting rights groups are concerned about priorities shifting under Trump's Justice DepartmentThe Justice Department appears poised to take a very different approach to investigating voting and elections.
Kash Patel’s podcast persona: Staunch Trump defender and fierce critic of the FBI he could soon lead
Read full article: Kash Patel’s podcast persona: Staunch Trump defender and fierce critic of the FBI he could soon leadKash Patel positioned himself as a steadfast Donald Trump loyalist well before the president picked him to run the FBI.
Pardons by Trump and Biden reveal distrust of each other and wobbly faith in criminal justice system
Read full article: Pardons by Trump and Biden reveal distrust of each other and wobbly faith in criminal justice systemA day that began with the outgoing president’s pardon of lawmakers and his own family ended with the incoming president’s pardon of supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol.
Republican senators are mostly quiet on Trump's sweeping pardons of Jan. 6 rioters
Read full article: Republican senators are mostly quiet on Trump's sweeping pardons of Jan. 6 riotersMany Republicans on Capitol Hill do not agree with President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon and commute sentences for more than 1,500 people charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Key career officials at Justice Department reassigned to different positions, AP sources say
Read full article: Key career officials at Justice Department reassigned to different positions, AP sources sayThe Justice Department has reassigned key senior officials across multiple divisions as part of a leadership shakeup ahead of the expected confirmation of President Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi.
Inside the intimate inauguration: Close-up encounters between political rivals, some awkward
Read full article: Inside the intimate inauguration: Close-up encounters between political rivals, some awkwardA president’s inaugural address is a time-honored spectacle: A makeshift grandstand is erected next to the Capitol and hundreds of thousands people line the National Mall.
Merrick Garland exits with his record under scrutiny and the Justice Department bracing for upheaval
Read full article: Merrick Garland exits with his record under scrutiny and the Justice Department bracing for upheavalAttorney General Merrick Garland came in with a mission to calm the waters at the Justice Department and restore its reputation for independence after four turbulent years during Donald Trump's presidency.
Biden won't enforce TikTok ban, official says, leaving fate of app to Trump
Read full article: Biden won't enforce TikTok ban, official says, leaving fate of app to TrumpPresident Joe Biden won’t enforce a ban on the social media app TikTok that is set to take effect a day before he leaves office, a U.S. official says.
Who could buy TikTok? Only a few parties are serious about offering
Read full article: Who could buy TikTok? Only a few parties are serious about offeringThe supremely popular TikTok could be banned on Jan. 19 under a federal law that forces the video sharing platform to divest itself from its China-based parent company, ByteDance, or shut down its U.S. operations.
Bondi says she won't play politics as attorney general but doesn't rule out probes of Trump foes
Read full article: Bondi says she won't play politics as attorney general but doesn't rule out probes of Trump foesPam Bondi, Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, has sought to reassure Democratic senators that her Justice Department would not prosecute anyone for political purposes.
Few US adults confident Justice Department and FBI will act fairly under Trump, AP-NORC poll finds
Read full article: Few US adults confident Justice Department and FBI will act fairly under Trump, AP-NORC poll findsAs President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, gets set for her Senate confirmation hearings, only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” confident the Justice Department will act in a fair and nonpartisan manner during his second term.
Who is Trump's attorney general pick Pam Bondi? The former prosecutor is a close Trump ally
Read full article: Who is Trump's attorney general pick Pam Bondi? The former prosecutor is a close Trump allyIf confirmed to lead the Justice Department, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi would become one of the most closely scrutinized members of Donald Trump’s cabinet.
After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television
Read full article: After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN televisionFormer congressman Matt Gaetz, who withdrew last month as President-elect Trump's nominee to be U.S. attorney general, has landed a job with the One America News Network.
Justice Department ignored some policies when seizing reporters' phone records, watchdog finds
Read full article: Justice Department ignored some policies when seizing reporters' phone records, watchdog findsFederal prosecutors sidestepped some Justice Department rules when they seized the phone records of reporters as part of media leak investigations during the Trump administration, according to a new watchdog report being released as the aggressive practice of hunting for journalists’ sources could again be resurrected.
Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next
Read full article: Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens nextAs Donald Trump’s Cabinet begins to take shape, the nominees offer a preview of how his administration might handle abortion after he repeatedly flip-flopped on the issue on the campaign trail.
Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions
Read full article: Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutionsDonald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers.
Trump's FBI pick has plans to reshape the bureau. This is what Kash Patel has said he wants to do
Read full article: Trump's FBI pick has plans to reshape the bureau. This is what Kash Patel has said he wants to doKash Patel has been well-known for years within Donald Trump’s orbit as a loyal supporter who shares the president-elect’s skepticism of the FBI and intelligence community.
Trump says he'll nominate Kash Patel as FBI director to remake the agency. Here's what happens next
Read full article: Trump says he'll nominate Kash Patel as FBI director to remake the agency. Here's what happens nextDonald Trump’s plan to nominate Kash Patel as FBI director sets the stage for a fresh round of turbulence at a law enforcement agency tasked with protecting the homeland and investigating federal crimes.
Trump taps Kash Patel for FBI director, an ally who would aid in his effort to upend law enforcement
Read full article: Trump taps Kash Patel for FBI director, an ally who would aid in his effort to upend law enforcementPresident-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate Kash Patel to serve as FBI director, turning to a fierce ally to upend America’s premier law enforcement agency and rid the government of perceived “conspirators.”.
Senators took down one Trump Cabinet pick. But the fight over their authority is just beginning
Read full article: Senators took down one Trump Cabinet pick. But the fight over their authority is just beginningThe withdrawal of Matt Gaetz as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general serves as a reminder that the Senate is still relevant when it comes to installing a president’s Cabinet.
Gaetz withdraws as Trump's pick for attorney general
Read full article: Gaetz withdraws as Trump's pick for attorney generalPresident-elect Donald Trump has named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name.
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New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, other allies
Read full article: New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, other alliesFILE - In this Thursday, June 27, 2019 file photo, Paul Manafort arrives in court in New York. President Trump's former campaign manager is to be arraigned on state mortgage fraud charges. Manafort, who led Trump's campaign during a pivotal period in 2016 before being ousted over his ties to Ukraine, was among the first people charged as part of Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though the charges against Manafort did not concern the central thrust of Mueller's mandate — whether the Trump campaign and Russia colluded to tip the election — he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.
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A look at the 29 people Trump pardoned or gave commutations
Read full article: A look at the 29 people Trump pardoned or gave commutationsPresident Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, in Washington. Trump commuted his sentence in July just days before he was scheduled to report to federal prison. A White House news release praised the men as “model prisoners,” who had earned support and praise from other inmates. She was in the White House when Trump signed the overhaul measure, known as the First Step Act, into law. Black was a co-defendant in the case and was also convicted; Trump previously pardoned him.
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Pentagon installs 2 Trump allies on defense advisory board
Read full article: Pentagon installs 2 Trump allies on defense advisory boardThe Pentagon has appointed two close political allies of President Donald Trump to a defense advisory board, continuing a purge of the Defense Department in the waning weeks of the Trump administration. The acting secretary of defense, Christopher Miller, said in a written statement Friday that nine members of the Defense Business Board had been replaced with the appointment of 11 new members. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has appointed two close allies of President Donald Trump, Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, to a defense advisory board, continuing a post-election purge in the final weeks of the administration. The Miller statement initially said the nine individuals removed from the board had been serving in ”expired positions," implying they were overdue to leave. But later the Pentagon amended the statement to say some board members had been “terminated.” It gave no reason for the firings.
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The Latest: Aide says Biden will appoint 'COVID coordinator'
Read full article: The Latest: Aide says Biden will appoint 'COVID coordinator'Joe Biden has chosen his longtime adviser Ron Klain to reprise his role as his chief of staff, installing an aide with decades of experience across. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)WASHINGTON – The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):10:45 p.m.Incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain says President-elect Joe Biden will appoint a “COVID coordinator” who will lead the administration’s pandemic response. ___3:25 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden has spoken with the top two Democrats in Congress — but not their Republican counterparts yet. ___1 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden has spoken by phone with Pope Francis as he continues to talk with leaders around the world. Democrats already control the House, and Democrat Joe Biden is the president-elect after beating President Donald Trump in their White House contest.
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WATCH: Trump campaign to hold news conference in Philadelphia
Read full article: WATCH: Trump campaign to hold news conference in PhiladelphiaPresident Donald Trump’s campaign team is slated to speak in Philadelphia on Thursday morning. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and campaign Senior Advisor Corey Lewandowski will be in attendance, according to CNN. With just a handful of states still up for grabs, Trump tried to press his case in court in some key swing states. Biden has an edge over Trump after victories in Wisconsin and Michigan, two key Midwestern battleground states. Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said the president would formally request a Wisconsin recount, citing “irregularities” in several counties.

Trump election campaign press conference in Philadelphia postponed
Read full article: Trump election campaign press conference in Philadelphia postponedPresident Donald Trump’s campaign team was planning on hosting a press conference at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in Philadelphia, but the event has been postponed. The press conference will include Eric Trump, Trump 2020 Senior Advisor Lara Trump, Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, and campaign Senior Advisor Corey Lewandowski. The Associated Press has not called the presidential race yet because neither candidate has secured the 270 Electoral College votes needed for victory. The AP called Wisconson and Arizona for Biden, but several key states remain too early to call: Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina and Nevada. Trump currently trails against former Vice President Joe Biden, who has 238 electoral votes to Trump’s 214.
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EXPLAINER: Why AP hasn’t called Pennsylvania
Read full article: EXPLAINER: Why AP hasn’t called PennsylvaniaWHY AP HASN’T CALLED PENNSYLVANIA:A close margin and a large number of outstanding votes are what’s making the Pennsylvania contest between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden too early to call. State law dictates that a recount must be held if the margin between the two candidates is less than 0.5%. The Pennsylvania secretary of state’s website said Friday that there were about 89,000 more mail ballots to count. It’s not like, ‘Oh, it’s close,’” Trump said during an appearance at the White House. One reason the race tightened: Under state law, elections officials are not allowed to process mail-in ballots until Election Day.
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WHAT TO WATCH: Melania, Pompeo and Trump at GOP convention
Read full article: WHAT TO WATCH: Melania, Pompeo and Trump at GOP conventionWhat to watch at the convention Tuesday:TRUMPTrump appeared frequently during the first day of his partys convention. THE FIRST LADYFirst lady Melania Trump is set to give the marquee address from the Rose Garden. Her speech at the 2016 GOP convention, the night she introduced herself to voters, was well-received but was later found to have included lines that were very close to what former first lady Michelle Obama said in her 2008 speech at the Democratic convention. Two of the presidents children, Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump, are scheduled, along with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Iowa Gov. BIDENUnlike Trump, who planned events to counter the Democratic convention, the Biden campaign has not scheduled their candidate to make appearances during the GOP gathering.