U.S.The IndependentLocal newspapers turn on Lauren Boebert as 68 state politicians demand investigation into Capitol riot role
The demand for an investigation into Lauren Boebert gained traction after 68 elected officials from Colorado wrote to House speaker Nancy Pelosi, condemning the representative's alleged association with “right-wing groups that supported the insurrection of Capitol Building." Ms Boebert is the representative for Colorado's third congressional district in Congress. “We have heard overwhelmingly from our constituents, therefore her constituents, that there is deep concern about her actions leading up to and during the protests that turned into a violent deadly mob," said the letter signed by officials, including mayors, county commissioners and town council members, reported the Steamboat Pilot & Today newspaper.
PoliticsAssociated PressFlorida man sued for not paying up after betting on Trump
A friendly $100 wager over the 2020 Presidential election has landed in a Florida small claims court. Before the election, Sean Hynes, a Trump supporter from St. Petersburg, reached out to Jeffrey Costa, an acquaintance who is a Biden supporter from Atlanta. The deal was sealed on Facebook Messenger: If Trump won, Costa would pay $100.
U.S.The WeekFBI says over 100 people arrested for Capitol siege, including 'liberal activist,' Confederate flag bearer
FBI Director Christopher Wray, in his first public comments since the Jan. 6 violent siege of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Trump, said Thursday that law enforcement has arrested more than 100 people in connection with the assault and is aware of "an extensive amount of concerning online chatter" ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's Jan. 20 inauguration. Most of those arrested so far have been far-right militants, off-duty police, retired military personnel, GOP officials, QAnon adherents, and white supremacists. For example, the man photographed carrying a Confederate battle flag through the Capitol, Kevin Seefried, and his son, Hunter Seefried, surrendered to the FBI in Delaware on Thursday, the Justice Department said.
EntertainmentArchitectural DigestMore Inside Artist Jorge Pardo's Transformed Bushwick Carriage House
When it came to the lighting in his home, Pardo drew inspiration from the insides of fruits, nuts, and seeds, as well as sea creatures and machine parts. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
- PoliticsReuters Videos
‘The president bears responsibility’ -McCarthy
Representative McCarthy will not be joining at least six House Republicans voting to impeach President Trump, saying "impeaching the president in such a short time frame would be a mistake, no investigations have been completed, no hearings have been held," but does not believe President Trump is free from fault. "He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding," McCarthy said, adding that "he must accept his share of responsibility." McCarthy said that a fact-finding mission and censure resolution from Congress "would be prudent."
PoliticsThe WeekCapitol rioters intended to 'capture and assassinate elected officials,' prosecutors say
Federal prosecutors in a new court filing reportedly point to "strong evidence" that rioters who stormed the Capitol building last week aimed to "capture and assassinate elected officials." The prosecutors included this assessment while asking a judge to detain Jacob Chansley, one of the men who was arrested and charged following the deadly Capitol riot, Reuters reports. "Strong evidence, including Chansley's own words and actions at the Capitol, supports that the intent of the Capitol rioters was to capture and assassinate elected officials in the United States government," the prosecutors wrote.
U.S.Associated PressWaitress credited with helping boy after noticing bruises
A Florida waitress who noticed bruises on an 11-year-old boy flashed him a handwritten note asking him if he needed help, and when he nodded yes, she called the police, authorities said. Orlando police credited Flaviane Carvalho, a waitress at Mrs. Potato Restaurant, with coming to the boy's aid on New Year's Eve when the child's parents weren't looking. Police took the boy to a hospital where doctors found bruises on his face, earlobes and arms.
PoliticsThe IndependentTrump Jr wanted for questioning by DC attorney general over alleged inaugural funds abuse
Donald Trump Jr is wanted for questioning as part of an investigation into the alleged misuse of his father's 2017 presidential inauguration funds. Washington DC attorney general Karl Racine said Mr Trump Jr had been notified of the request, which was sent after new evidence emerged in court filings earlier this week. They allege that the Presidential Inaugural Committee “improperly wasted its fund” when it paid almost $50,000 (£37,000) to the Loews Madison for a block of hotel rooms on behalf of the Trump Organization.
PoliticsThe WeekTrump's team is reportedly trying to assemble a crowd for a 'major send-off' hours before Biden's inauguration
President Trump is planning to exit the White House on the morning of Jan. 20, a few hours before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in a short distance away, CNN reports. "Eager for a final taste of the pomp of being president, Trump has asked for a major send-off," and "as one of their final acts, Trump's team is working to organize a crowd to see him off on the morning of Biden's inauguration, when he plans to depart Washington while still president" for a flight to Palm Beach, Florida, where his term will officially end at noon. There are 20,000 National Guard troops currently deployed or en route to Washington, D.C., ahead of Biden's inauguration, because the last crowd Trump drew to the White House morphed into an insurrectionist mob that stormed the Capitol.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderBumble removed its political filter after people used it to lure conservatives who were at the Capitol riot into sending incriminating evidence
The dating app Bumble has temporarily removed its political identification filter to prevent "misuse." The move came after women tweeted about using the filter to find conservatives who took part in the Capitol breach, and passing on evidence to law enforcement. Users started to notice that the political filter had been removed on Thursday, and criticized Bumble for appearing to protect the insurrectionists.
U.S.The WeekSecret Service reportedly had to use Obama's bathroom after being barred from Ivanka Trump's
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have spent the past few years living in a six bedroom, 6.5 bathroom rented home in Washington, D.C.'s exclusive Kalorama neighborhood. The family could count high-profile officials and even one former president among their neighbors — as well as their own Secret Service detail, who had to rent a nearby apartment to use the bathroom because they weren't allowed inside the Kushner-Trump home, neighbors and law enforcement sources tell The Washington Post. It's not unusual for Secret Service agents to stay out of the typically expansive homes they're guarding, instead using a garage or auxiliary building as their home base, the Post notes.
PoliticsThe IndependentTrump is back in contact with Steve Bannon and ‘asking him how to overturn election’
Donald Trump is reportedly back in touch with his former chief strategist Steve Bannon who he has been speaking to several times over the phone in the recent weeks, seeking advice on how to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential elections. Mr Bannon is considered one of the main architects of Mr Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and had joined him as an adviser in the White House after the elections. Mr Bannon quit the position in August 2017 after he fell from the good books of the president due to a controversy related to his book.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderA member of Congress says she chose to risk running into Capitol rioters over sheltering with maskless colleagues during the insurrection
Rep. Stacey Plaskett, who serves as a House delegate representing the Virgin Islands, told Buzzfeed News that she opted to shelter in her office instead of with colleagues during the Capitol insurrection last week. In the days since the insurrection, Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Brad Schneider, and Adriano Espaillat have tested positive for COVID-19.
PoliticsUSA TODAYLive politics updates: Freshman GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville says Biden inauguration should be delayed due to COVID
In a coordinated review with the departments of Defense and Homeland Security, the inquiry will examine whether threat-related information was appropriately shared with the U.S. Capitol Police and other agencies in advance of the assault that left five dead, including a Capitol police officer. It said violent extremists were planning an armed uprising in Washington, a plot the attackers described as a "war" to coincide with Congress' certification of Joe Biden's Electoral College victory. D'Antuono has said the information was shared within "40 minutes" with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Forces, which includes the U.S. Capitol Police.
PoliticsThe WeekMelania Trump is reportedly more than ready to leave the White House
First lady Melania Trump is spending her final days in the White House packing, making photo albums, and counting down the minutes until she can move out, CNN reports. With the help of White House staffers, she has been doing this stealthily, as to not upset President Trump — the official told CNN he really didn't think they would be moving, and it's a sensitive subject.
PoliticsBusiness Insider'We're going to pull out all the stops:' A top Senate Democrat says he'll fight to include a $600 federal unemployment benefit in Biden's stimulus plan
Sen. Ron Wyden, incoming chair of the Senate Finance committee, opened the door to modifying the Biden stimulus package during congressional negotiations, particularly on unemployment aid. "I'm going to push hard for what's needed to get people through a very difficult circumstance" Wyden told Insider. "The president-elect served in the Senate, and he knows all of these issues are in negotiation."
U.S.USA TODAYKyle Rittenhouse accused of flashing white power sign at bar; prosecutors want him to stay away from Proud Boys
MILWAUKEE – Prosecutors in Wisconsin have asked a judge to order Kyle Rittenhouse to stay out of bars and away from groups such as the Proud Boys, an extremist group with ties to white nationalism. The request comes a week after Rittenhouse was seen drinking at a tavern outside Kenosha after pleading not guilty – via Zoom from his lawyer's office in Racine – at his arraignment Jan. 5 on homicide and other charges related to the Aug. 25 violence in Kenosha. Rittenhouse, who is free on $2 million bail, had just turned 18 two days earlier.
PoliticsThe IndependentTrump news - live: Pence meets FBI and Secret Service without president and promises ‘safe’ inauguration
Donald Trump has reportedly reverted to a “self-pity mode” following the House voting to impeach him for a second time, and this has included turning on some of his closest allies. "Everybody's angry at everyone” inside the White House over the insurrection events that took place at the US Capitol last week, an adviser told CNN. Mr Trump reportedly told aides to not pay Mr Giuliani because he blamed his lawyer for the predicament he finds himself in with an upcoming Senate trial.
PoliticsUSA TODAYThe members of Congress who objected to Joe Biden's Electoral College win amid Capitol riot
With President Donald Trump continuing to erroneously claim he won the election in the lead-up to Jan. 6, several Republican allies planned to fight the results when Congress met to formally count the votes of the Electoral College. States had already certified their Electoral College results, and Biden secured the election with 306 votes to Trump's 232. In the next step of the certification process, the Constitution requires both chambers of Congress to meet before the inauguration to count the electoral votes from every state.
U.S.Business InsiderFBI affidavit details how a Trump supporter turned over evidence to a 'nice FBI lady' and explained walking into 'big boss' Nancy Pelosi's office
An FBI affidavit filed this week details how one Trump supporter who participated in the Capitol siege turned over evidence of his alleged crimes to an FBI agent. In an email to the agent, whom the man addressed as "Nice FBI Lady," he included links to videos that featured his voice and footage recorded inside and outside the Capitol, the affidavit said. The man, Kevin Lyons, also described to agents how he walked into "big boss" Nancy Pelosi's office, the affidavit said.
EntertainmentLA TimesMAGA musician Ariel Pink, spurned by fans, complains to Tucker Carlson: 'People are so mean'
Days after attending a rally that led to a deadly right-wing insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the L.A. indie musician Ariel Pink tried to defend his actions on Fox News host Tucker Carlson's show on Thursday. “I had no choice, there's nothing else for me to do,” Pink said, looking shaken and nervous. Pink, an acclaimed but antagonizing fixture of L.A.'s experimental music scene, has become an unlikely far-right martyr-hero after photos of him attending the Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” rally (with fellow local avant-garde artist John Maus) surfaced.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderMelania Trump didn't know whether she'd be attending Biden's inauguration until the president tweeted that he'd skip it
First lady Melania Trump found out that she wouldn't be attending President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration when her husband tweeted about it, CNN reported on Thursday. Before the president's tweet on January 8, the first lady wasn't sure whether he would break from tradition and refuse to attend, symbolically undermining the peaceful transfer of power. The first lady has largely remained quiet on her husband's campaign to overturn the 2020 election result but appeared to support his efforts by calling for "fair elections" after his loss.
PoliticsUSA TODAYFact check: Trump loses several perks only with impeachment conviction by Jan. 20
The claim: If President Trump is impeached again, he loses many post-presidency perks On Jan. 13, President Donald J. Trump became the only U.S. president to be impeached twice. But even before that, Americans took to social media to deliberate what this could mean for Trump after he leaves office on Jan. 20. For those wondering if it's worth impeaching him this time, it means he: 1) loses his 200k+ pension for the rest of his life, 2) loses his 1 million dollar/year travel allowance, 3) loses lifetime full secret service detail, 4) loses his ability to run in 2024,” Ben Costiloe wrote in a Jan. 8 tweet.
U.S.Business InsiderFlorida is becoming a vaccine tourism destination as foreigners and out-of-staters head there to get a COVID-19 shot
Florida is offering COVID-19 vaccines to adults aged 65 and up, and it's not requiring proof of residency. The governor discouraged vaccine tourism, but he said it's OK for out-of-staters who winter in Florida to get vaccinated. Although many states are now expanding their eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 vaccine, Florida was one of the first to offer the shot to adults aged 65 and older.
CelebrityTheGrioWendy Williams alleges she was raped by 1980s R&B singer
This week while promoting her upcoming Lifetime biopic, Wendy Williams made a stunning admission about an R&B singer who she claims sexually assaulted her at the beginning of her career. In her new film, Wendy Williams: The Movie, which premieres on Jan. 30, the talk show maven will revisit some of the most transformative milestones, including her recovery from substance abuse and her divorce from longtime husband, Kevin Hunter. But perhaps one of the most unexpected revelations is Williams's never-before-told story of a date-rape that she alleges took place while she spent time with R&B singer Sherrick, an artist from the 1980s.
“Governors are being WAY too precious about who gets this vaccine.”
“The federal government needs to give states strict parameters for when their vaccine allocation must be administered.”
“While public health leaders know what must be done, their critical work could be supported by a national COVID-19 Vaccine Corps.”
“The US vaccine campaign is not a disaster. Rather, I think it is predictably mediocre.”
“The best option may be to rely more on private industry.”