Ticker
Inside Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump's epic bromance
Senate Democrats file ethics complaint against Hawley, Cruz
Florida bank says it has closed Trump's accounts
Fauci says it's 'liberating' working under Biden
Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem is a stunning vision of democracy
Is Donald Trump's brand 'radioactive' or will he reinvent himself once again
Joe Biden sworn in as 46th president on family Bible his son Beau used
Amerika
Senate Democrats file ethics complaint against Hawley, Cruz
Democrats are requesting an investigation into the pair of senators over their objections to the election results. A group of Senate Democrats filed an ethics complaint Thursday against GOP Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, over their Jan. 6 efforts to object to the 2020 presidential election results.


Joe Biden urges Americans to join together in appeal for unity
Joe Biden on Wednesday made an appeal for unity to Americans across the political spectrum in his inaugural address as the 46th president of the United States, seeking to turn the page on the divisions of the Trump era. Biden described unity as the path forward in order to contain the coronavirus, restore the U.S. economy, address the effects of climate change, deliver racial justice and mend deep divisions that were laid bare over the last four years.
Republican says she will introduce impeachment articles against Biden
Grieving congressman leads push to impeach Trump
Democrats formally charge president with inciting insurrection
Republican senators Hawley and Cruz face calls to resign
Pro-Trump dark money groups organized the deadly rally

Woman reportedly in critical condition after shots are fired at U.S. Capitol
A woman has been shot inside the U.S. Capitol after a crowd of rioters breached the building's entry on Wednesday. The woman was in critical condition after being shot in the chest, according to CNN. Pro-Donald Trump rioters stormed the building in the afternoon, following an angry speech delivered by the president ahead of the Electoral College vote to certify President-elect Joe Biden's win.

Official plane used by Trump will fly to Scotland just before Biden inauguration
The murk surrounding Donald Trump’s likely whereabouts on his last day as president has thickened considerably with news that an official plane he has used in the past is due to fly to Scotland the day before Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Senate GOP opposition grows to Electoral College challenge
The Senate Republicans opposed to certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s win are heading toward a hefty defeat on Wednesday. The only remaining question is this: how badly do they lose? Just 11 GOP senators have signaled support for separate efforts led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). That makes 13 supporters — and many more have come out swinging against it.

Georgia Republican senator had ‘no idea’ she posed with neo-Nazi
The campaign of the Georgia Republican senator Kelly Loeffler is disavowing a photo circulating on social media of her posing with a longtime white supremacist at a recent campaign event, with less than a month to go until the runoff elections that will determine the balance of the US Senate.

Rudy Giuliani is said to have discussed a pardon with Trump
Rudolph W. Giuliani, President Trump’s lawyer who has led the most extensive efforts to damage his client’s political rivals and undermine the election results, discussed with him as recently as last week the possibility of receiving a pre-emptive pardon before Mr. Trump leaves office, according to two people told of the discussion.

Joe Biden is projected to win the 2020 presidential election
Joe Biden is projected to win the 2020 presidential election, defeating Donald Trump in a nail-biter of a race sure to remain contentious given the country’s bitter partisan divide and the president’s reckless and unfounded claims voter fraud. Major news networks projected that Biden, a former Delaware senator and vice president during Barack Obama’s administration, would win Pennsylvania, pushing him over the 270 electoral-vote threshold. Counting continues in several states, where Biden is leading or expected to win.

Democrats debate fate of Trump probes if Biden wins
House Democrats are weighing how to move forward with a flurry of ongoing probes and future investigations if President Trump loses. The big question hanging over Democrats, who are expected to keep the majority in the House, is whether to lean into post-election investigations that could detract from their legislative priorities under a Joe Biden presidency and risk further dividing the electorate.

Pompeo's wife and son made personal requests of State Dept staff
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s wife and son reportedly sent personal requests to department officials. The emails come as both Congress and the Office of Special Counsel are overseeing investigations into allegations of personal misuse of government resources by the secretary and his wife. While emails previously indicated that Susan Pompeo, asked top State Department staffers to work the week of Christmas in order to finish their personal holiday cards, the new emails reportedly show additional cases when Susan Pompeo instructed staff to complete personal tasks.

Joe Biden plans special commission to suggest reforms
Joe Biden has confirmed he would appoint a special commission to study the US court system over 180 days, if he is elected next month, to provide reform recommendations relating to the supreme court and beyond.

Democrats to boycott committee vote on Amy Coney Barrett's nomination
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee will boycott Thursday's committee vote on Judge Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination. The plan comes as the 10 Democratic senators on the panel have been discussing how to protest the GOP plan to confirm Barrett next week to the seat held by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Glenn Greenwald slams Schiff over Biden emails on Fox
Intercept founder Glenn Greenwald called Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) "the most pathological liar in all of American politics" accusing the House Intelligence Chairman in an interview on Fox News of fabricating "accusations at the drop of a hat the way other people change underwear."

Trump says Americans 'tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots'
Donald Trump has once again attacked his top public health expert, using a call with campaign staff on Monday to deride Anthony Fauci as “a disaster” and to claim “people are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots” discuss ways to combat the coronavirus.

Andrew Cuomo brushes off AG speculation
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo insisted Monday that he was not interested in becoming attorney general under a potential President Joe Biden, but also said he would help the Democratic nominee “any way I can.”

Anthony Fauci criticises Trump for using his words out of context
Dr Anthony Fauci, the US’s top infectious disease expert, has criticised Donald Trump’s reelection campaign for using his words out of context to make it appear as if he was praising the president’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Fly on Pence's head 'historically a mark of the devil'
Steve Schmidt, a co-founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, declared that a fly that landed on Vice President Pence during Wednesday night's debate "is always seen as a mark of the devil," drawing mockery on social media.

Finally: Facebook has banned QAnon for all times
Facebook is banning all pages, groups, and accounts associated with QAnon, the company announced on Tuesday, in the most significant action taken against the mass delusion that has seeped into the highest level of American politics. “Starting today, we will remove Facebook Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon,” the company said in a press release. “We’re starting to enforce this updated policy today and are removing content accordingly, but this work will take time and will continue in the coming days and weeks.”

Brad Parscale steps down from Trump campaign
Brad Parscale, President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, is stepping away from the re-election campaign, days after he was hospitalised when Florida law enforcement officials said he threatened to harm himself. Parscale, one of Trump’s closest political aides, served as the campaign manager for the re-election effort until July, when he was demoted by Trump after a much-hyped campaign rally in Tulsa attracted an embarrassingly sparse crowd.

Biden raises record funds as aides jab 'train wreck'
Joe Biden broke fundraising records coming out of Tuesday’s acrimonious presidential debate between the Democratic nominee and Donald Trump. The chaotic and unwieldy debate, in which moderator Chris Wallace, from Fox News, struggled to rein in Trump and the president egged on far-right groups, yielded a large fundraising haul for the Democratic campaign.

Brad Parscale hospitalised after self-harm threats
Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Brad Parscale has been hospitalised after he threatened to harm himself, according to Florida police and campaign officials. Police were called to the home in Desota Drive in the Seven Isles community of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, late on Sunday afternoon. The home is owned by Bradley and Candice Parscale.

Democratic donations skyrocket
The imminent confirmation battle over RBG’s seat has prompted Trump to galvanize supporters from the rally stage—“Fill that seat!” they chanted Saturday—while Biden zeroes in on health care and Democrats open their wallets. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, and the future of the nation’s highest court, quickly moved front and center in an election year marked by a pandemic, protests against racial injustice, and impeachment.
Shortnews
Josh Hawley delays quick confirmation
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced on Tuesday he would place a hold on Alejandro Mayorkas, President-elect Joe Biden’s choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Hawley, who has come under fire recently amid allegations that he played a role in the Capitol riot early this month, made the announcement just hours after the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs wrapped its hearing with Mayorkas. The move delays the nomination of a post Democrats have argued is critical to fill immediately to protect national security.
EU leader calls Trump 'political pyromaniac'
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has cancelled a trip to Europe at the last minute after European officials were publicly critical of Donald Trump’s role in last week’s storming of the Capitol. The official reason for the cancellation of the trip, originally to Brussels and Luxembourg, was the need to coordinate with a transition team from the incoming Biden administration, but it comes after the unprecedented attack on American democracy that stunned many world leaders and US allies.
Trump should be removed immediately
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday that Washington policymakers should act immediately to remove President Trump from office just two weeks before his term ends, citing "seditious" acts related to the president's role in encouraging the assault on the U.S. Capitol a day earlier. Pelosi said Vice President Mike Pence should invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump immediately. Short of that, she said, the House will impeach him for a second time.
Biden leads Trump Arizona, Minnesota
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden gained a small lead over President Trump in the battleground state of Arizona and holds a larger 9-point lead over the president in Minnesota, according to a new poll. Biden is backed by 47 percent of likely voters in Arizona, compared to Trump’s 44 percent, according to a CBS News poll released Sunday. Biden’s 3-point lead is within the poll’s margin error. Biden has gained on Trump in Arizona since a similar poll conducted in July found the race tied, with 46 percent of likely voters backing both candidates.
Donald Trump is compromised by the Russians
Former FBI agent Peter Strzok told NBC’s Chuck Todd Sunday that he still believes President Trump to be “compromised by the Russians...I believed at the time in 2016 and I continue to believe that Donald Trump is compromised by the Russians,” Strzok said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And when I say that I mean that they hold leverage over him that makes him incapable of placing the national interest, the national security ahead of his own.”