Saturday News: “The Coronavirus Is Evolving Before Our Eyes”; “Biden’s plan can build a bridge to a better economy”; “Even the Guy MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Wants for a Coup Is Confused”; “Mary Trump: My Uncle ‘Enjoyed Every Second’ Of Capitol Riot”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, January 16.

• Deaths Hit 2 Million, U.K. Steps Up Warnings: Virus Update
• India Starts Vaccinating Its 1.3 Billion People
• How British Scientists Found the More Infectious Variant
• Putin has the power to crush Navalny when he returns to Russia. He’ll be the loser if he does.
• U.S. forces in Afghanistan cut to 2,500, lowest level since 2001
• Ice flies African asylum seekers to Nairobi in last-minute deportation push (“Immigration and Customs Enforcement has stepped up removals of Africans and could send a final flight on Tuesday”)
• State Department Steps Up Claims Covid-19 May Have Escaped From Chinese Lab (Just remember, crazy Mike Pompeo’s in charge over there…)
• CDC Says U.K. Virus Strain May Become Dominant in U.S.
• As NASA and NOAA warn of climate emergency, they weather last-minute denial by Trump appointees
• Most Democrats and Republicans think the government should make climate change a priority
• Leading QC says Scottish ministers can seek ‘McMafia’ order into Donald Trump’s finances
• Worst Secretary of State Ever (No doubt, Pompeo has been a disaster and a nightmare.)
• The world will take away a tragic truth from Biden’s inauguration (“When the world watches on Wednesday, it will take away a tragic truth: Two great icons of US democracy, the Capitol and the White House, must now be sealed inside a vast cage to protect them from the people they serve.”)
• Biden must find words for a wounded nation in inauguration like no other
• U.S. Now Says No Direct Evidence Of ‘Kill/Capture Teams’ So Far In Capitol Riot
• Poll: Majority Of Americans Blame Trump For Violence At Capitol (It’s astounding that anyone doesn’t blame Trump for what happened.)
• The Coronavirus Is Evolving Before Our Eyes (“The virus is mutating as expected. We can still stop it.”)
• Covid-19 Vaccine Leaders Waited Months to Approve Distribution Plans
• Biden to deploy FEMA, National Guard to set up Covid vaccine clinics across the U.S.
• Outgoing CDC Director Warns Of Pandemic’s Peak: ‘We’re About To Be In The Worst Of It’
• Biden Asks Americans to ‘Mask Up’ for 100 Days, Criticizing GOP
• Biden’s Big New Covid Relief Plan Deserves Support
• Biden’s rescue plan is only the first step (“The Biden team says it will follow up its ambitious plan with more support.”)
• Joe Biden’s plan can build a bridge to a better economy
• Two rioters claim Capitol officer told them, ‘It’s your house now,’ FBI says
  
• State leaders say volatile mix of far-right, white supremacist groups could challenge law enforcement
• Scoop: Gina Haspel threatened to resign over plan to install Kash Patel as CIA deputy
• A pillow salesman apparently has some ideas about declaring martial law (Hello, FBI?)
• Photos capture notes from Trump ally leaving the White House on Friday.
• Even the Guy MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Wants for a Coup Is Confused
• Sorry, I Don’t Have the RAM in My Head to Process the MyPillow Guy’s Opinions on Martial Law
• With Mall, bridges and streets closed in D.C., the nation prepares for a celebration of democracy mostly devoid of its citizens
• A hidden reason that Joe Biden is trying to go big (“But still another reason, one that has been less remarked-upon, is that many Democrats have lived through what happened when former president Barack Obama inherited another major economic crisis from another Republican president.”)
• Republicans Are Headed for a Bitter Internal Showdown (“G.O.P. leadership would like to blunt President Trump’s influence over the party. Mr. Trump wants to punish those who have crossed him. The next campaign will most likely represent a pivotal test of the party’s direction, and a series of clashes looms.”)
• Congressional Republicans balk at Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief plan, complicating push for quick passage
• The seditionists made clear what their attack was about: White supremacy
• Trump’s final full week in office ends with US in disarray (“America finally seems ready to see the President head for the exit”)
• Live Updates: Police Investigating Whether Lawmakers Gave Mob Members Tour of Capitol Before Riot
• Mary Trump: My Uncle ‘Enjoyed Every Second’ Of Capitol Riot
• Capitol Police intelligence report warned three days before attack that ‘Congress itself’ could be targeted
• Kudlow Criticizes Trump for Handling of Riot, Treatment of Pence
• Mike Pence Has Nowhere to Go (Yeah, he’s done politically…all that slavish loyalty to Trump got him exactly NOTHING. Pathetic.)
• Pence, occupying a leadership void, calls Harris to offer assistance — as Trump plans his Inauguration Day getaway.
• Deep cleaning, packing supplies, and a concession: The Trumps plan their White House exit (“There hasn’t been a peaceful transition of power, but there will be a transition.”)
• Trump Is on the Verge of Losing Everything
• Manhattan DA expands criminal investigation into Trump Organization finances to include family compound in Westchester County
• Atlanta Prosecutor Appears to Move Closer to Trump Inquiry
• Impeachment trial tests Trump’s grip on Senate GOP
• Joe Biden Sounds Like Bernie Sanders at Right Time
• Martin Luther King gave his life fighting the same forces stirred by Trump
• GOP divided over Liz Cheney’s future
• Amy Coney Barrett Set To Hear Case Against Shell—Her Dad’s Employer for 29 Years (“Trump’s new Supreme Court justice hasn’t recused herself.” That’s a no-brainer case for recusal.)
• Trump Is Putting the Machinery of Death Into Overdrive
• Outcry as Trump officials to transfer sacred Native American land to miners (“Critics condemn ‘callous betrayal’ after Trump officials set in motion transfer of Oak Flat to Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton”)
• White women’s role in white supremacy, explained (“Women at the Capitol riot are just the latest reminder of a long history.”)
• The Boogaloo Bois Prepare for Civil War
• White Christian Nationalists Want More Than Just Political Power (The most dangerous people in America, arguably on the planet.)
• James Murdoch blasts US media for unleashing ‘insidious forces’ (James Murdoch’s father is HEAVILY to blame for this.)
• Inside Twitter’s Decision to Cut Off Trump (“Jack Dorsey, the chief executive, had reservations about locking the president’s account. But the calls for violence that his tweets provoked were too overwhelming.”)
• Media suddenly shifts its tone on Trump — but that’s not courage, it’s cowardice (“After the Capitol assault and impeachment 2.0, mainstream media turns on Trump: Way too little and way too late”)
• ‘I cannot wait to leave this job’ — Acting Defense Secretary Miller has zero f-ks left
• Despite Parler backlash, Facebook played huge role in fueling Capitol riot, watchdogs say
• Donald Trump appeal says government should defend E Jean Carroll lawsuit
• Why veterans of the military and law enforcement joined the Capitol insurrection
• Leaked Parler Data Points to Users at Police Stations, U.S. Military Bases (Disturbing.)
• Defense Official: Scores Of Current And Former Military Probed In Extremism Cases
• Capitol Attack Could Fuel Extremist Recruitment For Years, Experts Warn (“An ideological jumble of far-right extremists and hate groups flourished under President Trump and claimed new energy after the attack on the Capitol. Now they are debating their next moves.”)
• Trump weighing a pardon for Steve Bannon
• NRA files for bankruptcy, says it will reincorporate in Texas (They will not be missed in Fairfax.)
• “After Me, Baby, You’re Gonna Be Ruined for Anyone Else”: Donald Trump Refused to Take ‘No’ From Women—And Then From America Itself (Donald Trump basically epitomizes the worst aspects of men and of humans more generally.)
• Alex Azar resigns as Health and Human Services Secretary, citing Capitol mob
• A former president Trump won’t ‘need to know.’ Cut off his intelligence. (Absolutely; Trump’s a major national security risk, as is Jared Kushner.)
• Online far-right movements fracture in wake of Capitol riot
• John Weaver, former McCain aide, acknowledges “inappropriate” messages (“John Weaver, a veteran Republican operative who co-founded the Lincoln Project, declared in a statement to Axios on Friday that he sent ‘inappropriate,’ sexually charged messages to multiple men.”)
• In Tampa Bay area, 2,000 Republicans switch parties in days after Capitol riot
• ‘Destroy Trump’: Breitbart Staffers Seethe After Capitol Riot
• Fox News begins new scare campaign against Biden pandemic relief plan (“Fox News warns of ‘the iceberg of communism'” F*** Fox.)
• “Stop the Steal” organizer Ali Alexander’s pre-January 6 calls for violence: “We’ve got to punch the left in the nose.” “You must fight. … They will kill us.” (“Alexander also said he spoke with Kimberly Guilfoyle the night before the pro-Trump insurrection”)
• Rep. Luria named to House Committee on Homeland Security
• Virginia Hospitals Announce More Than 175,000 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Have Been Administered During First Month of Vaccination Program
• Friday (1/15) Virginia Data on COVID-19 Finds +4,795 Confirmed/Probable Cases (to 422,634), +146 Hospitalizations (to 19,741), +30 Deaths (to 5,656)
• Exhausted vaccine reserve could unravel plans for Phase 1b expansion in Virginia
• [UPDATED 1/15] Fundraising Numbers for 2021 Virginia Democratic Statewide Candidates Coming In…
• Suetterlein Bill Meant to Provide More Flexibility for Schools, Not Kill Snow Days
• McClellan pledges universal child care and preschool if elected governor
• Proposal to end for-profit prison management fails in Virginia Senate
• Jennifer McClellan Releases Early Learning Plan, Calling for Universal Child Care in Virginia
• Delegate accuses Virginia’s attorney general of abuse of power over investigation into Confederate statue removal (“Jeffrey Breit, Stoney’s attorney, said he didn’t see a political motive behind Herring’s authorization. Breit said he also doesn’t consider it a sign that Martin or Herring believe Stoney committed a crime. ‘What you all are seeing is the AG’s office simply allowing the state police to help him do the interviews,’ Breit said. ‘The mayor and I, as his attorney, are not worried about it at all.'” Yep, this is 100% routine.)
• Mason-Dixon Virginia Poll: McAuliffe Clearly the Best Known on the Dem Side; GOP Governor’s Race “appears to be wide open”
• Speaker Nancy Pelosi Endorses Terry McAuliffe for Governor
• In Final Days, Trump’s Viciously Anti-Environment, Pro-Fossil-Fuel Interior Secretary Approves “Right-of-Way” and “Temporary Use Permit” for Fracked-Gas Mountain Valley Pipeline Monstrosity
• Virginia should expand its appeals court, and by extension — justice
• COMMENTARY: Legislature should help preserve, expand Virginia’s tree canopy (We need to do this big time.)
• Virginia officials on edge as pro-gun caravans prepare to converge on Richmond Monday (“Some self-proclaimed militia groups say they’ll stay away to avoid being tied to any potential mayhem.”)
• Enhanced Security and Potential Delays Ahead of Monday Gun Rally
• Natural Bridge Zoo fined for animal welfare violations
• Are You a Virginia Dem/Progressive Candidate Looking for a Union Print Shop? Check Out This Great “Swag” by Gibson Print!
• Richmond-area teachers are up next for COVID-19 vaccines
• More vaccines to start flowing Monday in Pittsylvania-Danville Health District
• Fredericksburg-area teachers start receiving COVID-19 vaccines
• Some rain or snow showers today, then sunshine dominates into next week