What if the Jan. 6 insurrection had succeeded in illegally installing Trump?  —  What if Donald Trump were illegally installed for a second term?  Election stealer would then have moved quickly to consolidate power, with Republican help.  —  View Comments

Ben Smith Is Leaving The Times for a Global News Start-Up  —  Mr. Smith will help start a new organization with Justin Smith, the chief executive of Bloomberg Media.  —  Ben Smith, the media columnist for The New York Times, is leaving the paper to start a new global news organization with Justin Smith …

No Way to Grow Up  —  American children are in crisis.  —  American children are starting 2022 in crisis.  —  I have long been aware that the pandemic was upending children's lives.  But until I spent time pulling together data and reading reports, I did not understand just how alarming the situation had become.

Kelly Ernby, former Orange County GOP state Assembly candidate and deputy D.A., dies of COVID-19  —  Kelly Ernby, a political newcomer who ran for an Orange County state Assembly seat two years ago as a Republican, died this week of COVID-19.  In addition to political activism …

Manchin: There are ‘no negotiations’ on Biden spending bill ‘at this time’  —  Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) told reporters Tuesday that he isn't involved in any serious talks at this time about reviving President Biden's sweeping climate and social spending bill, underscoring the lack of progress …

Biden disapproval hits new high as voters give him bad grades on economy, new CNBC/Change poll says  — President Joe Biden's overall disapproval rating reached a new high in December as more voters signaled their unhappiness with his handling of the economy and the Covid pandemic.

Statement from DA David Soares  —  ALBANY, NY - Albany County District Attorney David Soares announced today that a thorough and independent review of the investigation into the allegations against former Governor Andrew Cuomo has concluded.  —  “While many have an opinion regarding …

Elizabeth Holmes Found Guilty of Four Charges of Fraud  —  Here's what you need to know:  —  Elizabeth Holmes is found guilty of four counts of fraud.  —  SAN JOSE, Calif. — Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the failed blood testing start-up Theranos, was found guilty of four of 11 charges …

A Record 4.5 Million Americans Quit Their Jobs in November  — Vacancies decreased but remain elevated at 10.6 million  — Quits exceeded 1 million in leisure and hospitality alone  —  A record 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs in November while openings remained elevated, highlighting persistent churn in the labor market.

Ron Johnson escalates attack on vaccines: ‘Why do we think that we can create something better than God?’  —  Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) this week doubled down on his campaign to promote the so-called “natural immunity” that occurs after one has been infected by Covid-19.

The smoking gun that Liz Cheney is looking for on Trump comes into view  —  For weeks, Rep. Liz Cheney has hinted that the House select committee examining Jan. 6 might urge the Justice Department to consider prosecuting Donald Trump.  The grounds for this criminal referral might be that Trump obstructed the …

Hogan declares 30-day state of emergency as state enters its ‘most challenging time’ of the pandemic  —  Gov. Larry Hogan declared a 30-day state of emergency that mobilizes the National Guard to assist state and local health officers at testing and vaccine sites and authorizes the state Department …

POLITICO Playbook: The election reform idea gaining currency on the right  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  TODAY'S BIG EVENT: Senate Democrats will hold a virtual meeting at 12:45 p.m. It will be the first opportunity of the new year for all 50 caucus members to talk about where Build Back Better 2. stands …

Capitol rioter compares attacks on her to treatment of ‘Jews in Germany’  —  Jenna Ryan, a Texas realtor who has sought to parlay her role in the Capitol riot into a career as a right-wing media personality, posted a tweet in March last year that quickly went viral.

Why The Republican Party Isn't Concerned With Popularity  —  After Mitt Romney lost the 2012 presidential election, the Republican National Committee published what became known as the “GOP autopsy report,” an effort to identify and address the party's ongoing political weaknesses.

The Radicalization of J.D. Vance  —  As he runs for the Senate, the ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ author has gone from media darling to establishment pariah.  Is his new, fiery, right-wing persona an act?  Or is something more interesting going on?  —  Let's start with the beard.  J.D. Vance didn't used to have one.