JUICE — Florida Politics' Juicy Read — 12.14.20 — Election Certification — DeSantis Detractor Caught Lying - Roger Stone, Loomer, Rubio, Vaccines..

 

"STOP THE STEAL!"

 

Today is the day the 2020 presidential election is expected to be officially certified, making former vice president Joe Biden the next President of the United States.

President Trump and his team have been trying to make the case for widespread voter fraud, but all of their legal efforts have fallen short in courts across the nation, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

Trump supporters have all stood by the president as countless instances of voter fraud have been uncovered, and as hundreds of Americans have come forward to swear to their witnessing of voter suppression and voter fraud.

But just as it appears as if all of Trump’s legal remedies are about to expire, a last-ditch effort was made this weekend to press upon the Supreme Court to hear several “emergency filings” made by Trump’s attorneys.

Long-time GOP operative and Trump amigo Roger Stone led a large group of Trump faithful at the latest “Stop the Steal” event in Miami, Florida.

The event was peaceful, even though a couple of BLM protestors showed up. Stone led a chant of “NO JUSTICE! NO PEACE!

And then Conservative Journalist Laura Loomer addressed the crowd. Loomer dropped the mic with her call to action. MUST-READ

 

Rick Scott @SenRickScott-’I'm glad @Nasdaq is taking this important step to shut Chinese-based companies out of U.S. exchanges.No American dollar should be invested in companies clearly linked to the CCP that don’t abide by US laws.

Marco Rubio @marcorubio -Like something from a futuristic movie #Huawei is developing surveillance systems that can identify your ethnicity based on facial recognition & alert the government when they are gathering somewhere in a group

Debbie Wasserman Schultz @DWStweets- Someone tell @tedcruz his legal services won’t be needed in front of #SCOTUS.

Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell @RepDMP-From West Kendall, Goulds, and Naranja, to Homestead, Florida City, Islamorada, Marathon, and Key West...it is has been a sincere privilege to advocate for you, to have your voices heard at the highest levels of government. Thank you for putting your faith in me #FL26.

’ Rep. Anthony Sabatini @AnthonySabatini-Congress should REJECT the electoral votes from the states that violated the Constitution

Daniella Levine Cava @MayorDaniella-After receiving 2 negative COVID tests and consulting with my physician, I have been cleared to end quarantine. Rob and I are so grateful to all who have sent well wishes, kind notes, and soup over the last few weeks.

Rep. Matt Gaetz-@RepMattGaetz-If China is able to help Democrat politicians gain power, Democrats will look the other way on China's malign influence.

“Supreme Court Rejects Texas Lawsuit Challenging Four Battleground State Election Results” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Supreme Court on Friday rejected a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and supported by President Trump that sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election results of four battleground states — Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin. In a brief order Friday evening, no justice indicated endorsement of Texas’ arguments filed in a suit on Monday, saying the Lone Star State lacked standing to pursue the case and “has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another state conducts its elections.” “The State of Texas’s motion for leave to file a bill of complaint is denied for lack of standing under Article III of the Constitution,” the Supreme Court wrote in an unsigned order, dismissing all other claims as moot. “Texas has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another State conducts its elections,” the order added. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas wrote in a brief statement expressing their view that the court does “not have the discretion to deny the filing of a bill of complaint in a case that falls within our original jurisdiction,” granting Texas to file its challenge under a rarely-used procedure for interstate disputes. However, the two justices stressed that they “express no view on any other issue,” and “would not grant other relief.”

“Rebekah Jones Caught Lying On Police Body Cameras” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – After the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) was forced to release the footage on two body cameras worn by state law enforcement officers that executed the search warrant of fired state worker Rebekah Jones’ home earlier this week, it was clear that police acted professionally and that Jones lied. The FDLE was serving the search warrant as part of an ongoing investigation into whether Jones illegally accessed a state messaging system in hopes to urge other state employees to speak out against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ response to the COVID pandemic. According to the videos, the “coronavirus data scientist” was caught in one of at least two lies after taking 23 minutes to answer the door. Jones previously stated that police waited 13 minutes while she put on clothes, but the video shows that she was not telling the truth. The second lie, and undoubtedly the most egregious, was when Jones screamed that one of the police officers pointed a gun at her face and at her children. The video that jones release from a camera she propped up prior to opening the door for police, catches her claims that the officers pointed the gun at her kids, but not the entire verbal interaction with police.

“2020 Election: Rubio Questions Democrat effort to Address Abortion, Gay Marriage in Supreme Court” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – President Donald Trump’s ongoing effort to contest the 2020 election results has created even more tension between Republicans and Democrats after Texas announced a lawsuit against four battleground states in the hopes of blocking their certification of election day results. To add fuel to the fire, Florida’s Attorney General Ashley Moody also announced that the sunshine state was joining the lawsuit in support of the Lone Star state, and a number of Republican lawmakers have also thrown their support behind the move. To no one’s surprise, Democrats across the country voiced their anger, calling the move an attempt to suppress voters and reject the will of the American people. However, Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) took to social media to question Democrats’ apparent hypocritical view on how issues, like Abortion and same-sex marriage, should be pursued in the U.S. Supreme Court. On Twitter, Senator Rubio commented that “according to the left & their partners in the legacy media, the Supreme Court was the appropriate place to legalize abortion & redefine marriage, but it has no business taking up claims regarding a presidential election.” “According to the left & their partners in the legacy media, the Supreme Court was the appropriate place to legalize abortion & redefine marriage, but it has no business taking up claims regarding a presidential election,” stated Sen. Rubio.

“Pelosi Defends Swalwell, Dismisses ‘Any Concerns’ Despite Reports Linking Him To Chinese Honeytrap Spy” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) defended Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) Thursday, saying she doesn’t “have any concern,” despite a bombshell report revealing the member of the Intelligence Committee was compromised by an alleged Chinese spy. “I don’t have any concerns about Mr. Swalwell,” Pelosi said during her weekly news conference. “There are those in the Congress who believe, and I am among them, that we should be seeing what influence the Chinese — I’ve been fighting them, as you know, for over 30 years — in terms of their undue influence in universities in our country, and the overtures they try to make to members of our Congress,” she added. On Tuesday, Axios revealed that a Chinese national named Fang Fang or Christine Fang was an operative for China’s Ministry of State Security, the country’s top intelligence organization, and targeted up-and-coming local politicians, including Swalwell. Fang reportedly helped fundraise for Swalwell’s 2014 campaign and even managed to install one intern in his office. The House Speaker insisted that she along with Committee leaders and Republican leadership were all informed at the same time by intelligence agencies in the spring of 2015 regarding Fang’s plot to infiltrate the U.S through Swalwell, calling it “unfortunate” that the House Minority leader is making “an issue of this.”

“Longest-serving marijuana crimes inmate in US released from Florida prison amid 90-year sentence” by USA Today’s Gary White – For the first time in more than 31 years, Richard DeLisi will be able to spend Christmas with family members. DeLisi, described as the longest-serving inmate for nonviolent marijuana crimes in the nation, walked out of South Bay Correctional Facility in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Tuesday morning as a free man. Richard DeLisi, left, is greeted by his lawyer Chiara Juster and his brother, Ted DeLisi after his release from prison on Tuesday. Sentenced in 1989 to a 90-year term in a Polk County courtroom, DeLisi left prison ahead of his scheduled June 2022 release. “It actually feels like 10 times better than wonderful,” DeLisi, 71, told The (Lakeland, Fla.) Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. “It was so unjust what they did to me. I just hope that I can help other people that are in the same situation.” DeLisi and his older brother, Ted DeLisi, were convicted in 1989 of trafficking in cannabis, conspiracy to traffic in cannabis and a violation of the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act. Judge Dennis Maloney sentenced both brothers to three consecutive 30-year sentences, well beyond the recommendations in judicial guidelines.

“First batch of vaccines sent out across U.S., including in Florida” by Click Orlando’s Jerry Askin – After the FDA and the CDC approved a new COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, the first shipments now are heading to Florida, including to Advent Health Orlando. Hospital leaders and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis say the state is ready as video of FedEx planes were seen sending out the first batch of vaccinations across the U.S. “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” DeSantis said. Shipments could arrive at Advent Health Orlando as early as Monday morning. Hospital leaders told us plans are in place to give out the vaccine this week to frontline workers and doctors who are most at risk. Meantime, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said he expects about 20 million doses to go out across the U.S. this month. “And then we think we’ll be up to 50 million total vaccinations of, of people by the end of January and a 100 million shots in arms by the end of February,” Azar said. In Florida, DeSantis said the first shipment coming to Florida will include about 180,000 doses. Most of it will go to hospitals, then CVS and Walgreens to vaccinate residents and staff long-term care facilities, and also the Department of Health. Meantime, Seminole County leaders told News 6 it’s prepping now to possibly receive about 8,000 to 10,000 doses during the second shipment.

“Task Force Recommends Stricter Virus Measures for Florida” by Associated Press – A White House Coronavirus Task Force report for Florida recommended stricter measures for stopping the virus including mask wearing at all times in public, increased physical distancing by reducing capacity or closing indoor spaces at restaurants and bars and limiting gatherings outside of immediate households. The Dec. 6 report obtained by the Center for Public Integrity also urged leaders to begin warning about the risks of gathering during the December holiday season. “Florida has seen stability in new cases, an increase in test positivity, and increasing hospitalizations and deaths, indicating unrelenting community spread and inadequate mitigation,” the Dec. 6 report said. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has ruled out further business restrictions or a mask mandate aimed at stopping the virus’ spread. “No one’s losing their job because of a government dictate. Nobody’s losing their livelihood or their business,” DeSantis said earlier this month at an elementary school in Kissimmee. The White House Coronavirus Task Force is chaired by Vice President Mike Pence, and Dr. Deborah Birx serves as its response coordinator. The task force’s reports are sent to governors across the U.S. Two newspapers last week sued DeSantis’ administration for failing to make public the weekly reports about coronavirus conditions in the Sunshine State put together by the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

“Second of two Florida Keys brothers arrested in Mexico for fatal Stock Island shooting” by Local 10’s David Dwork – Authorities in northern Mexico apprehended a suspect from the Florida Keys wanted for a fatal shooting. 31-year-old Mayque Gomez was arrested Friday night, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. He is the second of two brothers to be arrested in connection to the shooting that took place on June 15 on Stock Island. 35-year-old Jose Louis Gomez was taken into custody in July, also in northern Mexico. Jose Louis was extradited to the Monroe County Detention Center in August, and efforts are ongoing to extradite Mayque, police said. The brothers are wanted for the shooting death of Jose Clemente, 45, from Stock Island. A second victim in the shooting, 43-year-old Ilecer Noa, survived. All four men lived on Stock Island at the time of the shooting. Both brothers have a $1.6 million bail, according to police.

“Florida man arrested in 1998 kidnapping, rape after DNA on cigarette links him to case: police” by Fox News’ Stephen Sorace – A Florida man was arrested Wednesday in the 1998 kidnapping and rape of a 22-year-old woman after DNA collected from a discarded cigarette last month linked him to the case, investigators said. James Byrd, now 60, was arrested in Marion County on charges of armed kidnapping and sexual battery in the 22-year-old case, Tampa police said. "As is clear in this case, we have never considered an investigation as a 'cold case' and we work every case until each one can be successfully solved," Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said in a statement. Investigators used genetic genealogy to link Byrd to the March 1998 incident, police said. Byrd, then 38, had offered a ride in his blue pickup truck to a woman he saw walking near Columbus Drive and Interstate 4, the Tampa Bay Times reported, citing a police report. The woman agreed. Byrd then pulled out a six-inch knife and threatened the woman before raping her and leaving her by the roadside, according to the report. The woman, now in her 40s and living out of state, gave police a description of the man, and DNA evidence was collected and preserved at the time, FOX13 Tampa reported. But no arrests were made. In 2015, the DNA was linked to two other sexual assault investigations in Hillsborough County from 1999, the station reported. However, investigators still could not identify a suspect.

“Melania Trump fuels rumors of Mar-a-Lago move after touring Florida school” by Page Six’s Mara Siegler – Donald Trump and First Lady Melania are also planning to settle down in Florida after they leave the White House. A source tells Page Six the First Lady toured Pine Crest school, located in Fort Lauderdale, about forty minutes away from Mar-a-Lago. Tuition at the ritzy private school is $35,150 for grades nine through twelve and requires personal and business tax returns for enrollment. Judging from The Donald’s past reluctance, that could be a snag, though we doubt they’d hit any serious problems. A promotional video on the school website says they teach and value “empathy integrity, character.” Ariana Grande, Bethenny Frankel, and Kelsey Grammer are alumni. A source recently told People of Melania’s search for the best school for their son Barron, now aged 14. “They have looked all over Palm Beach County and neighboring Broward County for just the right place. There are several options, and they will decide soon,” the source said. Ninth grader Barron currently attends St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in a DC suburb. Meanwhile, Donald and Melania changed their official address from NYC to Florida last year. Sources tell Page Six the couple plans to live in, or close to, Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, which will become his political base after he leaves the White House in January.

“Ivanka Trump is eyeing Florida to kick-start her political career and could opt to run for Senate, sources say” by Business Insider – Ivanka Trump is considering to "run for something" and is eyeing Florida as a potential place to kick-start her political career, sources close to her told CNN on Friday. The first daughter, who has plenty of experience campaigning for her father, is drawn to The Sunshine State not only because her family owns property there — but also because it offers a good political opportunity, a source told CNN. Florida voted for President Trump in the 2016 and the 2020 presidential election. "Ivanka definitely has political ambitions, no question about it," the source told CNN. "She wants to run for something, but that still needs to be figured out." One possibility for the first daughter could be to run for the US Senate, Adam C. Smith, the former Tampa Bay Times political editor, told CNN. "Marco Rubio is up for reelection in 2022 and is expected to run again," he said, according to CNN. "But I wouldn't think Rubio would deter her if she wanted to run. The last time Marco Rubio ran against a Trump in Florida, in the 2016 presidential primary, Rubio was crushed by 19 percentage points." However, Ivanka would need to have resided in Florida for at least two years before the election. Another source close to the first daughter cautioned against reading too much into her political ambitions, noting that he and Kushner had been looking for a new home in Florida for a while.

“When electors meet at Florida Capitol, Trump will gain victory in lost election” by Herald Tribune’s John Kennedy – In a brief ceremony Monday at the Florida Capitol, President Trump will win a victory in the election he has lost. Trump, who has contested President-elect Joe Biden’s seven million-plus vote victory in the nation’s popular vote and 306-232 Electoral College win, will be officially awarded Florida’s 29 electoral votes. Trump carried Florida by 374,852 votes in the Nov. 3 presidential election, more than three times his victory margin in the state four years earlier, when he captured the White House. This time, despite Florida’s support, he’ll be exiting office on Jan. 20. In state capitals across the nation, 538 electors are scheduled to meet Monday to cast their votes, with Congress slated to vote on certifying these results Jan. 6. Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be inaugurated two weeks later. “It is as of right now a bittersweet moment from the standpoint of, with the inauguration planned just a month down the road and the uncertainty that exists about (Trump) getting sworn back in, it’s incredibly disappointing,” said Florida GOP Chair Joe Gruters, a Sarasota state senator who is one of Trump’s 29 Florida electors. Like virtually all of Trump’s allies, Gruters won’t publicly acknowledge the president’s defeat. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has endorsed Trump’s persistent efforts to overturn the November election, which has included dozens of failed lawsuits across six states.

“Arizona Republicans Are Racked by Infighting Over Trump, Coronavirus” by WSJ’s Eliza Collins – The Arizona Republican Party has been racked by infighting as elected officials argue over President Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results and as the GOP governor grapples with a worsening Covid-19 pandemic. The public spats have some worried about the party’s chances going into the next round of elections. The chief disputes are between the party’s establishment and its right wing over whether to keep contesting President-elect Joe Biden’s win in the state, despite no evidence of widespread fraud, and how far to go on restrictions related to the pandemic. After Republican Gov. Doug Ducey defended Arizona’s election system last month, the state GOP chairwoman, Kelli Ward, tweeted that he should #STHU, shorthand for “shut the hell up.” (She later said in a radio interview she meant “shut the heck up.”) Mr. Ducey told reporters: “The feeling’s mutual to her.” On Wednesday, the Arizona GOP Twitter account accused Mr. Ducey of trying to replace Ms. Ward as state party chairwoman. Ms. Ward said in an interview she hasn’t decided what she will do next, adding that Mr. Trump told her he would support her remaining the state GOP party’s leader or running for another position. “The world is my oyster,” she said. Both the White House and the governor’s office declined to comment for this article. Separately, U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican who has pushed for less intervention on the virus, tweeted on Dec. 4 that he worried the governor would force vaccinations and the Republican legislature would allow it, to which Mr. Ducey’s chief of staff responded that Mr. Biggs should “enjoy your time as a permanent resident of Crazytown.”

“Trump Pursues Appointing Special Counsel to Probe Election, Hunter Biden” by WSJ’s Aruna Viswanatha, Rebecca Ballhaus and Sadie Gurman – President Trump has expressed interest in pursuing the appointment of a special counsel to investigate allegations of fraud in the November elections and issues related to Hunter Biden, according to people familiar with the matter. In recent days, the president has directed advisers to look for people who could serve in such a position, one of the people said, as lawsuits and other efforts by Mr. Trump and his campaign to reverse the election results flounder. White House officials and allies of the president on Capitol Hill and elsewhere have also pushed for the appointment of a special counsel, another person familiar with the discussions said. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has told people that the president is interested in pursuing a special counsel to investigate election fraud and wants to act quickly, one of the people said. Senior White House officials have also discussed the possibility of pursuing a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden, expressing frustration over Attorney General William Barr’s handling of investigations into Mr. Biden’s business and financial dealings and concern that the incoming administration of Joe Biden could seek to shut down any probes into Mr. Biden’s son, Hunter, an administration official said. The White House declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Mr. Barr declined to comment. A spokesman for the Biden transition team declined to comment. Joe Biden isn’t implicated in the investigations into Hunter Biden, according to people familiar with the matter.

“Meet the Electoral College, America’s Most Important Voters” by WSJ’s John McCormick – A few famous names are among the 538 Americans about to cast the votes that matter most when electing U.S. presidents. But many are people like Mary Arnold, a retired social worker and a first-time member of the Electoral College. Ms. Arnold, a Democrat from Columbus, Wis., will cast one of her state’s 10 electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden on Monday, when electors nationwide meet in their states. “I was blown away to be asked,” she said. “It never occurred to me that I might be an elector.” Ms. Arnold, who is 72 years old and leads her county’s party organization, said she received a phone call in September from the state Democratic chairman asking if she would like to be an elector. She was told she was selected because she had been a good local leader. She said the occasion will be the first time she gets dressed up since the coronavirus pandemic hit, and she figures she will stop for takeout food to celebrate during her 30-minute drive home from Madison. “I am going to put on makeup for probably the first time in nine months,” she said. The nation’s founders created the Electoral College as a compromise between those who favored a direct popular vote and those who wanted lawmakers to pick presidents. Mr. Biden won the national popular vote by more than seven million ballots, according to the Associated Press. But the number that counts is his electoral vote total, 306, to President Trump’s 232. Mr. Trump has refused to accept the election outcome and pushed dozens of legal challenges, with losses at all levels including the U.S. Supreme Court. His unwillingness to concede has put a spotlight on the mechanics of choosing the president.

“Trump signs stopgap funding bill to avert shutdown at midnight” by CNN’s Clare Foran and Manu Raju – President Donald Trump signed a one-week stopgap funding bill, passed by the Senate earlier Friday, to avert a government shutdown at midnight. The short-term spending bill, which the Senate passed by voice vote, extends government funding by a week to December 18 and is aimed at giving lawmakers more time to reach an agreement on Covid relief and broader funding legislation for a new fiscal year. It passed the House earlier this week. So far, however, stimulus talks remain at an impasse over critical sticking points, creating uncertainty over whether an agreement can be reached. Lawmakers now have just one additional week to work out thorny issues that are currently holding up an agreement or potentially witness the collapse of the talks. A timeline for the stopgap funding bill vote -- and whether it would happen ahead of the critical midnight deadline -- had been uncertain earlier Friday morning amid a series of last-minute holdups. The Senate needed all 100 senators to agree to schedule a vote, and several senators had been making demands that complicated the ability reach an agreement for swift passage. Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican had been objecting to a quick vote on a defense bill but told CNN Friday morning he would let the stopgap funding bill pass later in the day, explaining that his main point was to delay the Senate's vote on the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, for a day.

“Review largely blames Iowa caucus problems on Democratic National Committee” by CNN’s Deanna Hackney – An internal review of the 2020 Iowa caucuses found that the reporting app used in February was largely successful and that the main source of delay in reporting results, as well as other mishaps, was intervention by the Democratic National Committee, according to a report released Saturday. The review, which was commissioned and released by the Iowa Democratic Party and conducted by a group of independent lawyers, examined a collection of thousands of documents and dozens of interviews. The DNC's late request for a feature in the Shadow app, as well as delays in the development and approval of the app, and other issues were to blame for the multiple problems seen in the reporting process during the caucuses, the report says. Among the reasons highlighted in the report as contributing to the then-new app's software outage that didn't allow precincts to report results the night of the caucus was a delay in the approval process by the DNC. Despite the problems before and during the caucuses, the report concluded that the app was not hacked or compromised. The report also laid some of the blame on planning by the Iowa Democratic Party. "The findings of this independent, detailed review of what happened during the 2020 caucuses should speak for itself. In the interest of clarity and public reassurance, the IDP commissioned this self-critical report to help guide conversations as we move forward," IDP Chair Mark Smith said in a news release.

“US agencies investigating hacking of government networks” by CNN’s Brian Fung – The US Commerce Department confirmed Sunday it has been the victim of a data breach. "We can confirm there has been a breach in one of our bureaus," the Commerce Department said in a statement to CNN. "We have asked CISA and the FBI to investigate, and we cannot comment further at this time." The Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency also confirmed the data security incident, telling CNN in a statement, "We have been working closely with our agency partners regarding recently discovered activity on government networks." "CISA is providing technical assistance to affected entities as they work to identify and mitigate any potential compromises," the statement continued. Reuters was first to report on the data breach. The Washington Post reported Sunday that Russian government hackers targeted Commerce as well as the Treasury Department and other government agencies, according to people familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. The paper reported the FBI is investigating and that the same Russia-linked group breached the elite cybersecurity firm FireEye, which just last week disclosed an attack compromising the so-called "Red Team" tools it uses to protect cybersecurity clients, including government customers. CNN has previously reported the Russian-affiliated group, known as APT29, as the suspected culprit behind the FireEye breach, citing a person familiar with the matter.

“NY GOP candidate Tenney on House reportedly sending envoys to observe recount in congressional district” by Fox News’ Talia Kaplan – New York Republican candidate Claudia Tenney told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday that because the race in the state's 22nd Congressional District is “so close,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent lawyers who are “supposed to be in an observing role” in the election’s recount, but are getting “very aggressive.” Tenney made the comments referencing a report that the House of Representatives is sending envoys to observe recounts in the close and still uncalled race in New York’s 22nd Congressional District. The contest between incumbent Democratic Rep. Anthony Brindisi and Tenney is the state’s only race that has not yet been certified by the state Board of Elections, the New York Post reported, adding that the House has notified several county board of elections that they’ll be sending envoys to observe the recounts, which is expected to begin on Monday. The contest has been tied up in court since Election Day, with unofficial results showing Tenney with a lead of just 12 votes in the race. “If the judge follows the legal process I think we should prevail,” Tenney said on Sunday. “But what’s happening now, it’s so close that Nancy Pelosi, the current House speaker, has sent lawyers who are supposed to be from the House administration and they're supposed to be in an observing role, not anything more than that, but it looks like they're getting very aggressive.” “They had asked the court to have cameras and electronic equipment so that they could really work on these ballots in a way that we don't think it is fair and that we think could prejudice the opening of these new ballots,” she continued.

“Rep. Jordan raises 'fundamental questions' in Swalwell scandal” by Fox News’ Talia Kaplan – Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, raised what he called “fundamental questions” surrounding allegations that Rep. Eric Swalwell had been compromised by a suspected Chinese spy. Jordan told “Sunday Morning Futures” in an exclusive interview that he wants to find out what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., knew “when she put Rep. Swalwell on the intel committee.” “She [Pelosi] gets all kinds of briefings,” he told host Maria Bartiromo. “She gets briefings I don't get. She gets briefings you don't get certainly, so what did she know when she made that selection?” On Thursday, speaking with FOX Business’ “Mornings with Maria” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., expressed similar concerns and explained why he believes Swalwell, D-Calif., should be removed from the House Intelligence Committee, noting that the Democratic congressman “has access to information that could hurt us” given his alleged “relationship with the Communist Party of China.” The Republican senator warned that Swalwell’s “got our most important secrets” because he serves on the House Intelligence Committee. “This is so basic. Nancy Pelosi cannot allow him to stay on the intelligence committee,” Scott said one day after he sent a letter to the House speaker calling for Swalwell’s removal from the committee. A yearlong Axios investigation revealed links between Swalwell and suspected Chinese spy Fang Fang, aka Christine Fang. The report indicated Fang targeted up-and-coming local politicians, including those who had the potential to become national figures.

“Former WH communications director Alyssa Farah says GA Senate runoffs will play role in Hunter Biden probe” by Fox News’ Julia Musto – Former White House communications director Alyssa Farah asserted Sunday that the result of January's Georgia Senate runoff races would play a role in the future of a probe into Hunter Biden's business dealings. In an interview on "America's News Headquarters" with host Leland Vittert, Farah said she believed the Delaware U.S. Attorney’s Office's investigations into the younger Biden's “tax affairs” should lead to the appointment of a special prosecutor. "But, what's going to matter, frankly, is who is in control of the Senate. I think we've seen that if it's just Democrats, we're not going to get answers to these basic questions around Hunter Biden's business finances," she noted. "So, we've absolutely got to make sure that Republicans keep control of the Senate, so we get answers on [this]." The control of the upper chamber will be decided in a pair of runoff elections on Jan. 5, during which two Republican incumbents in the newly blue state will try to hold their positions. GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler is being challenged by newcomer Raphael Warnock, as Republican Sen. David Perdue battles young Democrat Jon Ossoff. The Senate balance currently leans in favor of Republicans 50-48 seats, with 51 needed for a majority. Should Democrats take the coveted Peach State seats, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris could serve as a tiebreaker, giving both the White House and the Senate to the progressive party. Farah told Vittert that there are two main issues for Georgian voters: the coronavirus pandemic and the economy. "Obviously, the coronavirus is at the forefront and because of Operation Warp Speed, because of the incredible public-private partnership that got us to where we are – that we're going to have millions of vaccines deployed by the end of the month – I think that there's real confidence that we're trending the right way on COVID," she said.