- BREAKING: Time Magazine selects the women who came forward with allegations of sexual assault and misconduct against powerful men as their Person of the Year [Time].
- The government runs out of money on Friday unless Congress can agree to a spending measure. A new national poll shows a clear majority of voters say Congress should avoid a government shutdown [Politico].
- Experts who are digging into the GOP tax plan have found glitches and loopholes that could plague lawmakers for years if the legislation is signed into law [Politico].
- Following changes to the tax code, Republicans in Congress plan to turn their sights on welfare reform [Politico].
- President Donald Trump will reportedly recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Some worry the decision could provoke violence. A Palestinian government official says the move would be tantamount to a declaration of war [Reuters].
- The Supreme Court appears to be sharply divided over a case involving a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple [New York Times].
- Longtime Michigan Democrat John Conyers resigns from Congress after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment. He has endorsed his son to take his place [Washington Post].
- The homeless population in the U.S. grew this year for the first time since 2010, mostly due to a jump in the number of homeless on the West Coast [Associated Press].
- Donald Trump Jr. asked a Russian lawyer at the infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting whether she had information on alleged illegal donations to the Clinton Foundation [NBC News].
- The FBI agent kicked off special counsel Robert Muller‘s Russia probe for sending anti-Trump text messages is also reportedly a key player in the FBI investigation that cleared Hillary Clinton in her email scandal [New York Post].
- Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke called on President Trump to shrink the size of two more national monuments in Nevada and Oregon [Washington Post].
- President Trump’s voter fraud commission wants to create a massive database of voters, but experts warn the list could be easily breached by hackers [Washington Post].
- The Senate confirmed Kirstjen Nielsen as the new head of Homeland Security [CNN].
- President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a proposal to create a global private spy network to fight “deep state enemies” who want to undermine his presidency [The Hill].
- One of Donald Trump‘s lawyers argues he cannot be sued in a state court because he is the president. A former contestant on a reality show is suing Trump for defamation [NBC News].
On this day in history:
- 1768 – The first edition of the Encyclopedia Brittanica is published.
- 1790 – The U.S. Congress moves from New York City to Philadelphia.
- 1865 – The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, banning slavery.
- 1877 – The first edition of the Washington Post is published.
- 1884 – The Washington Monument is completed.
- 1973 – The House of Representatives votes 387 to 35 to confirm Gerald Ford as Vice President.
- 1975 – The Senate approved a $2.3 billion emergency loan to save New York City from bankruptcy.
