Republicans carry ballot gains to state Houses
(NYTimes) — Buoyed by strong election showings on the national level, Republicans appear poised to break up Democratic control of state governments in Minnesota and Michigan, and even have a shot at taking full control of the Pennsylvania Legislature. Coupled with unexpected gains in Democratic strongholds like Vermont, the results of Tuesday’s elections point to a strengthening of the Republican Party’s grip on power at the state level. If the current returns hold, Republicans would have a state government trifecta — control of the governor’s office and both legislative chambers — in 23 states. Democrats would have 15, a loss of two from the last election cycle.
Newsom moves quickly to counter Trump in California
(NYTimes) — One day after Donald Trump declared victory in the presidential race, Gov. Gavin Newsom resurrected efforts in California to thwart the president-elect by asking state lawmakers to preempt potential Republican actions that could impact the Democratic-led state. California leaders have long seen themselves as a bulwark against right-wing extremism, and Newsom has positioned himself nationally as one of Trump’s loudest critics. They could soon be joined in legislative efforts by other Democratic-led states such as Washington, especially given the federal power that Republicans could wield next year if they win the House in addition to the Senate and the White House.
Jan. 6 defendants are already angling for pardons from Trump
(NYTimes) — The legal consequences of President-elect Donald Trump’s victory start with the likelihood that the cases against him will sputter out but could also extend to the cases of hundreds of his supporters who are being — or have been — prosecuted for storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly promised to pardon some of the 1,500 people charged in connection with Jan. 6, sometimes suggesting that his clemency might extend to leaders of far-right groups like the Proud Boys and to other defendants who assaulted police officers. It remains unclear whether or how fully he will fulfill those vows.
Giuliani’s delay in handing over prized assets makes judge livid
(NYTimes) — A U.S. judge on Thursday, having grown exasperated with Rudy Giuliani, said he had heard enough excuses. “What can be delivered right now?” Judge Lewis J. Liman asked, after peppering lawyers for Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, with questions about some of his most prized possessions. The items were supposed to be handed over last week to begin paying off a $148 million judgment to two former Georgia election workers whom Giuliani had defamed. The deadline came and went, and nothing was turned over. On Thursday, the judge set the latest “final” deadline, brushing aside repeated arguments that the possessions should remain with Giuliani while the case was under appeal.
European leaders meet to consider a world in flux
(NYTimes) — A long-planned gathering in a sports arena in Budapest, Hungary, took on unexpected urgency Thursday as European leaders contended with the election victory of Donald Trump and the collapse of Germany’s ruling coalition, two pressing issues that added to the tumult of a world already thrown off balance by the war in Ukraine. Adding to the drama was the fact that the meeting was being held in Hungary, whose authoritarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, has long been at odds with mainstream European leaders over a host of divisive issues, including Ukraine and immigration, and is an ardent supporter of Trump’s.
Civilian terror: Russia hits Ukrainian cities with waves of drones
(NYTimes) — As Russian troops march relentlessly forward with fierce assaults in Ukraine’s east, Moscow is unleashing a different form of terror on civilians in towns and cities: a wave of long-range drone strikes that has little precedent in the 32-month-old war. Over the past two months, there was only one night when Russia did not launch swarms of drones packed with explosives at targets far from the front, including near-nightly attacks aimed at Kyiv, the capital. In October, the Ukrainian military said it tracked a record 2,023 unmanned aircraft against civilian and military targets, with the vast majority shot down or disabled by electronic warfare systems.
Hurricane Rafael churns through the Gulf of Mexico after hitting Cuba
(NYTimes) — Hurricane Rafael was moving over the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday as a Category 2 storm, a day after it made landfall in western Cuba with heavy wind and rain, knocking out power across the island. The storm is expected to keep moving to the west over the next day, but forecasters are still less certain about where it goes after that, as it approaches the United States or possibly Mexico. Heavy rain from the storm caused flooding and landslides in some parts of Jamaica this week. Residents woke Wednesday to more flooding that had left some roads impassable.
Fed chair says he won’t leave if Trump asks
(NYTimes) — Would Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell step aside if asked to do so by President-elect Donald Trump? Powell had a one-word answer on Thursday: “No.” Could Trump fire or demote him if he refuses to go? Same answer. Trump appointed Powell to the post in 2018 but soon soured on him when he resisted the then-president’s calls to lower interest rates. Trump’s advisers concluded that firing or demoting Powell would be difficult if not impossible. Since leaving office, Trump has continued to criticize the Fed, leading to speculation that he could try again to fire Powell — or pressure him to resign. Powell’s term ends in May 2026.
Trump agenda faces a fiscal reckoning
(NYTimes) — No tax on tips? Lower corporate taxes? No tax on Social Security benefits? The slew of tax cuts President-elect Donald Trump proposed in loosely defined slogans over the course of his campaign will face a fiscal reckoning in Washington. While Republicans are poised to control both chambers of Congress, opening a path for Trump’s plans, the party is now grappling with how far they can take another round of tax cuts. Trump’s ambitions will compete with the signature giant tax package from his first term. Large swaths of that tax cut expire next year, setting up an expensive debate that could overshadow Trump’s other goals.
Canada shuts TikTok’s offices over national security risks
(NYTimes) — The Canadian government Wednesday directed video app TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, to close its offices in the country because of national security risks. The app, hugely popular around the world, will still be available for people to use in Canada, according to François-Philippe Champagne, the innovation minister. Canadian law provides for extra official scrutiny of foreign investments that could endanger national security, Champagne said. TikTok said it intends to challenge the order in court. TikTok faces an outright ban in the United States as soon as January, over government concerns about security, data privacy and misinformation.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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