Biden preemptively pardons Fauci, Milley, Jan. 6 committee members
In the final hours of his tenure, President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons for potential targets of the Trump administration. On Monday, Jan. 20, Biden preemptively pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly four decades — including during the COVID-19 pandemic during President-elect Donald Trump’s first administration.
He also pardoned now-retired Gen. Mark Milley, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during Trump’s first term, and has publicly warned he believes Trump is a fascist. Milley has also been heavily criticized by Republicans for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
President Biden also issued preemptive pardons for members of Congress who served on the Jan. 6 Committee — including former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, who Trump has vowed retribution against.
President Joe Biden’s statement
Our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy.
Yet alarmingly, public servants have been subjected to ongoing threats and intimidation for faithfully discharging their duties.
In a statement, President Biden said, “Our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy. Yet alarmingly, public servants have been subjected to ongoing threats and intimidation for faithfully discharging their duties.”
Biden added, “These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.”
Reaction from both sides of the aisle
The president also made clear the preemptive pardons are not meant to imply any wrongdoing; rather, they’re meant to provide protection for these individuals. Some Democrats argued against preemptive pardons, including Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who served on the House Jan. 6 Committee.
Some Trump supporters have also spoken out against the pardons, like Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R, who claimed in a post on X that those pardoned Monday are guilty of crimes.
Special counsel Jack Smith resigns as fight to block Trump report continues
Special counsel Jack Smith resigned from the Department of Justice after concluding investigations into two criminal cases involving President-elect Donald Trump. His resignation ends a contentious chapter in the Justice Department’s efforts to prosecute a former president.
Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor, led investigations into Trump’s handling of classified documents and alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Both cases faced significant legal setbacks.
A Trump-appointed federal judge in Florida dismissed the classified documents case, citing issues with Smith’s appointment. Separately, the Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have broad immunity for actions taken while in office, which stalled the election-related case.
Smith’s departure became public in a DOJ court filing on Saturday, Jan. 11, where officials also sought to overturn an order from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon temporarily blocking the release of Smith’s final report.
Cannon, also appointed by Trump, restricted the Justice Department from sharing findings related to the investigations. The DOJ argued that the judge overstepped her authority and filed an emergency motion with a federal appeals court to reverse the order.
The Justice Department plans to release portions of the report related to the election investigation but will withhold sections on the classified documents case due to ongoing legal proceedings involving Trump associates.
Trump’s November election victory complicated the cases further, as DOJ policy bars the prosecution of a sitting president. Smith dropped both cases but defended their merits, citing “unprecedented circumstances” in court filings.
Throughout the investigations, Trump denied wrongdoing, labeling the probes politically motivated. Following Smith’s resignation, Trump criticized him for achieving “nothing” and accused him of targeting political opponents.
Garland appointed Smith in 2022 to ensure independence in the investigations. Smith, known for prosecuting war crimes at The Hague and high-profile corruption cases, brought charges against Trump that marked the first federal criminal cases against a former U.S. president.
JD Vance, Christopher Wray speak on Jan. 6 ahead of Trump inauguration
Incoming Vice President JD Vance and outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray shared their thoughts on President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to pardon those convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol. The interviews come just one week before Trump’s inauguration.
Vance addresses Trump’s plans to pardon Jan. 6 convictions
In his first interview since leaving the Senate, Vance addressed Trump’s plans to pardon those convicted of storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“I think it’s very simple,” Vance told Fox News Sunday. “Look, if you protested peacefully on January the 6th and you’ve had Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned. And there’s a little bit of a gray area there but we’re very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law and there are a lot of people, we think, in the wake of January the 6th who were prosecuted unfairly. We need to rectify that.”
Vance also spoke of executive orders concerning illegal immigration on day one of the Trump administration and of being hopeful there soon will be a cease-fire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas.
After Vance’s interview aired on Fox, the vice president-elect responded to a critic on X saying Trump will be looking at each case concerning Jan. 6 individually.
Wray addresses Trump’s plans to pardon, decision to resign
On 60 Minutes, FBI Director Christopher Wray discussed Trump’s plans to pardon many of the roughly 1,500 people charged with federal crimes in the Jan. 6 riots.
“I do think it’s important to step back and remember that we’re talking about hundreds of people who are convicted, most of them pled guilty of serious federal crimes,” Wray said. “Heck, I think 170 or so of them pled guilty to assaulting law enforcement, dozens of them with dangerous or deadly weapons. And there’s a whole bunch that were convicted of seditious conspiracy.”
Wray also explained his decision to step down three years before the end of his 10-year term. Trump appointed Wray in 2017, during his first administration.
The FBI director then oversaw investigations into Trump, as well as President Joe Biden and Biden’s son Hunter. Trump intends to replace Wray with former aide Kash Patel.
“Well, my decision to retire from the FBI, I have to tell you it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” Wray said. “I care deeply, deeply about the FBI, about our mission and, in particular, about our people.”
He continued, “But the president-elect had made clear that he intended to make a change, and the law is that, that is something he is able to do for any reason or no reason at all. My conclusion was that the thing that was best for the Bureau was to try to do this in an orderly way, to not thrust the FBI deeper into the fray.”
At least 24 dead as strong winds return to fuel California wildfires
Fire crews continue to battle deadly wildfires in Southern California as the death toll rises and strong winds are set to return. And a potential end to the Israel-Hamas war could be in sight as progress was made toward a ceasefire and hostage release deal. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Jan. 13, 2025.
At least 24 dead as strong winds return to fuel Los Angeles area wildfires
At least 24 people are now confirmed dead and dozens more At least 24 people are now confirmed dead and dozens more are missing as multiple fires continue to rage in Southern California. Firefighters said they’re making progress against the wildfires that have now been burning for almost a week in the Los Angeles area.
Still, the threat remains high as dangerous Santa Ana winds will pick up again starting Monday, Jan. 13.
Weary fire crews said it’s not safe enough in many areas to assess the true total damage. Three fires continued to burn into Monday, Jan. 13: the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires, all of which broke out last Tuesday, Jan. 7.
The Palisades Fire remained the biggest and least contained, at more than 23,000 acres with only about 13% containment. Officials expanded evacuation orders for the Palisades Fire as it moves east, threatening the Brentwood and Encino areas.
The Eaton Fire was just over 14,000 acres and 27% contained on Monday. According to CalFire, the two fires are now the second and fourth most destructive in state history.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said flames destroyed more than 7,000 buildings in the Eaton Fire alone. Investigators are only about a quarter of the way through their damage assessment.
The county is now under a public health emergency over smoke and particulate matter, which could cause long-term harm.
Progress made in Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks, officials say
Mediators with the U.S., Qatar and Egypt said they’ve made significant progress in brokering a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. However, nothing has been finalized just yet.
The deal would result in the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip ever since the terror group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
It is believed there are a total of 98 hostages; however, as many as three dozen are feared dead.
Officials briefed on the negotiations said there was a breakthrough in Doha early Monday morning following talks between Israel’s spy chiefs, President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff and Qatar’s prime minister.
In addition, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden spoke about the cease-fire deal on the phone Sunday, Jan. 12.
Officials said negotiators for Israel and Hamas took a proposed final draft of the deal back to their leaders for approval. However, this is not the first time a deal to end the war has been closely considered. The U.S. has said several times over the past year that a deal was imminent, only for it to fall through.
An Egyptian official said an agreement will likely take a few more days and both sides are aiming for a deal before Trump’s inauguration next Monday, Jan. 20. However, Hamas said there are still issues it says need to be resolved, including an Israeli commitment to ending the war and details about the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the hostage-prisoner exchange.
JD Vance, Christopher Wray speak on Jan. 6 ahead of Trump inauguration
Incoming Vice President JD Vance and outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray shared their thoughts with Fox News and CBS News with just one week until President-elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day.
In his first interview since leaving the Senate, Vance spoke to Fox News Sunday of executive orders concerning illegal immigration on day one of the Trump administration and of being hopeful there soon will be a cease-fire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas. Vance was also asked about Trump’s plans to pardon those convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol.
“I think it’s very simple,” Vance said. “Look, if you protested peacefully on January the 6th and you’ve had Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned. And there’s a little bit of a gray area there but we’re very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law and there are a lot of people, we think, in the wake of January the 6th who were prosecuted unfairly. We need to rectify that.”
On 60 Minutes, FBI Director Christopher Wray explained his decision to step down three years before the end of his 10-year term. Trump appointed Wray in 2017, during his first administration.
The FBI director then oversaw investigations into Trump, as well as President Joe Biden and Biden’s son Hunter. Trump intends to replace Wray with former aide Kash Patel.
“Well, my decision to retire from the FBI, I have to tell you it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” Wray said on 60 Minutes. “I care deeply, deeply about the FBI, about our mission and, in particular, about our people. But the president-elect had made clear that he intended to make a change, and the law is that, that is something he is able to do for any reason or no reason at all. My conclusion was that the thing that was best for the Bureau was to try to do this in an orderly way, to not thrust the FBI deeper into the fray.”
Wray was also asked about Trump’s plans to pardon many of the roughly 1,500 people charged with federal crimes in the Jan. 6 riots.
“I do think it’s important to step back and remember that we’re talking about hundreds of people who are convicted, most of them pled guilty of serious federal crimes,” Wray said. “Heck, I think 170 or so of them pled guilty to assaulting law enforcement, dozens of them with dangerous or deadly weapons. And there’s a whole bunch that were convicted of seditious conspiracy.”
After Vance’s interview aired on Fox, the vice president-elect responded to a critic on X saying Trump will be looking at each case concerning Jan. 6 individually.
Special counsel Jack Smith resigns as fight to block Trump report continues
Special counsel Jack Smith, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee the criminal investigations into Trump, resigned from the Department of Justice. While his departure was expected, it comes as Trump and his allies continue efforts to block the release of Smith’s final report on his investigations.
Smith’s resignation was made public Saturday, Jan. 11, in a brief footnote of a DOJ court filing to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon of Florida. She was appointed to the bench by Trump.
Cannon issued an order last week temporarily blocking the DOJ from releasing Smith’s investigation into Trump’s interference in the 2020 election results. The DOJ filed an emergency motion late Friday, Jan. 10, asking a federal appeals court to reverse the order.
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin scrubs New Glenn launch attempt
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin called off the planned launch of its New Glenn rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday morning. The company scrubbed the launch due to a “few anomalies” found during the countdown.
The delay of the rocket’s inaugural attempt to reach orbit could last at least 24 hours or longer. The launch, when it does happen, will include an attempt to land New Glenn’s first stage booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.
In an interview with Reuters before the launch attempt, Bezos said that the booster landing is “the thing we’re most nervous about.”
A wild ending to NFL’s wild-card weekend with 1 more game to go
The NFL’s wild-card weekend saw one wild finish Sunday night. Five teams advanced to the divisional round, and a final wild-card game will be played Monday night.
On Saturday, the Houston Texans defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 in the opening game of wild-card weekend. Then the Baltimore Ravens moved on with a convincing 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills dominated the Denver Broncos 31-7 while the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers 22-10.
Late Sunday night, a last-second field goal — with the ball hitting off the uprights and going through, known as a “doink” — gave the Washington Commanders the 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was Washington’s first playoff win since 2005.
Monday night, the Minnesota Vikings will meet the Los Angeles Rams in a game that was moved from Los Angeles to Arizona due to the wildfires.
How Jan. 6 reflections differ among left, right media: Bias Breakdown
It’s been four years since supporters of former President Donald Trump took to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in protest of the 2020 presidential election results. The events of that day continue to make headlines and spark intense debate.
While the Capitol riot is remembered as a pivotal moment in U.S. history, it has become one of the most politically charged events of the modern era. Both the left and the right offer starkly different perspectives on what occurred. This divide is also reflected in the media coverage of the events, which varies depending on the political leanings of the news outlet.
Contrast in Media Coverage
Some left-leaning news outlets suggest Trump is “rewriting” the history of Jan. 6 and highlight efforts to redefine its history.
The New York Times: “‘A Day of Love’: How Trump Inverted the Violent History of Jan. 6”
NPR: “As Trump rewrites history, victims of the Jan. 6 riot say they feel ‘betrayed’”
Politico: “Jan. 6, 2021 is in the rearview. The battle to define it for history is in full swing.”
Some right-leaning news outlets suggest House Republicans are correcting what they call a Democratic narrative and emphasizing another side of the story ignored by some mainstream left outlets.
The way these news outlets wrote about the event differed, depending on political bias.
The New York Times wrote, “Violent rioters — prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned — somehow became patriotic martyrs. This inverted interpretation defied what the country had watched unfold, but it neatly fit the persecution narrative that binds Mr. Trump to many of his faithful. That day was an American calamity.”
The Federalist wrote, “For Democrats and the left, Jan. 6 is the events that vindicates their hatred of Donald Trump and his supporters. They would have us believe it was among the darkest days in our nation’s history…the real tragedy of Jan. 6 wasn’t what happened on that day but what happened afterwards, when the Biden administration weaponized the Justice Department and the FBI to prosecute more than 1,500 people, the vast majority of whom did nothing wrong.”
Diverging Views on the Jan. 6 Committee and Its Impact
The left has largely praised the Jan. 6 Committee for its investigation into the events of that day, which concluded that Trump incited the riot and recommended criminal charges. The committee’s findings were a significant source of criticism against the former president.
The divide is also evident in views on the individuals arrested during the riot. Left-leaning media outlets and figures have largely condemned the actions of the Jan. 6 prisoners, whereas many on the right have called for their release, arguing that they are political prisoners.
Different Narratives of Accountability
The left predominantly holds Trump responsible for inciting the insurrection, while the right often places blame on the lack of proper Capitol security during the breach. Even the deaths related to the events of Jan. 6 have become points of political contention. Four police officers committed suicide in the days and months following the riot, and debates have arisen about whether their deaths should be directly linked to the events of that day. Additionally, Ashli Babbitt, a protester shot and killed by a Capitol police officer inside the Capitol during the riot, has been mentioned primarily by right-leaning sources in discussions about the day’s casualties.
Lawmakers Reflect Different Viewpoints on the Anniversary
As the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack approached, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle took to social media to mark the occasion, offering messages that reflected their political views.
Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar wrote on X: “Four years ago, the electoral vote certification was interrupted by a violent mob. Police officers were injured and killed. Our democracy hung in the balance.” A community note on her post stated: “No officers were killed.”
On the other hand, Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X: “Four years ago today, a military veteran and unarmed protestor, Ashli Babbitt, was murdered in cold blood by a disgraced police officer… We will never forget Ashli.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, posted on X:“It is utterly shameful that the president-elect is considering pardons for January 6 rioters. Pardoning criminals who waved Confederate flags, donned Nazi symbols, assaulted police officers, and tried to halt the democratic process would be a dangerous endorsement of political violence.”
Meanwhile, Georgia Republican Rep. Mike Collins shared on X: “On #ThisDayInHistory in 2021, thousands of peaceful grandmothers gathered in Washington, D.C., to take a self-guided, albeit unauthorized, tour of the U.S. Capitol building.” He added, “Since then, hundreds of peaceful protestors have been hunted down, arrested, held in solitary confinement, and treated unjustly.”
Public Opinion on Trump’s Role and Consequences for Jan. 6 Rioters
Public opinion on the events of Jan. 6 continues to be deeply divided along political lines. According to a YouGov poll released last week, 79% of liberals polled believe Trump incited violence on Jan. 6, compared to only 11% of conservatives. Meanwhile, a CBS poll released this week found that 72% of Republicans support pardons for those arrested during the riot, compared to 41% of Democrats.
Looking Ahead: How Will History Judge Jan. 6?
The question of how the events of Jan. 6, 2021, will be remembered in the future remains uncertain. As it stands, the portrayal of that day differs greatly depending on political viewpoints and media coverage.
While the full legacy of Jan. 6 has yet to be determined, the political divide over the event—and the impact of that division on public memory—remains evident, even four years later.
Trump vows to pardon January 6 rioters in ‘first hour’ of 2nd term
President-elect Donald Trump promises to pardon Jan. 6 rioters in the “first hour” of his second term. The U.S. Constitution allows the president to grant pardons for federal offenses except in cases of impeachment.
On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in an effort to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election.
1,583 rioters have been convicted of various crimes. They range from trespassing to more serious offenses like assaulting law enforcement officers, destruction of government property, and conspiracy.
On the campaign trail, Trump called January 6th prisoners “patriots.” He also called what the Justice Department did to them “unfair.”
Then, for his Time Magazine “Person of the Year” interview, the magazine asked Trump if he would pardon all the Jan. 6 defendants.
“I’m going to do case-by-case and if they were non-violent, I think they’ve been greatly punished. And the answer is I will be doing that, yeah, I’m going to look if there’s some that really were out of control,” Trump said.
While Trump did not issue a formal pledge to pardon all those involved, his comments sparked controversy.
Adam Schiff, the Democratic congressman from California, opposed the idea of Trump pardoning individuals convicted in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. He appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Jan. 5.
“If the president goes forward with pardoning vast numbers of people involved in that violence,” Schiff said. “He will begin his new administration the way he ended his last administration and that is by celebrating violence against our democracy.”
The Justice Department also released new numbers on the Jan. 6 cases Monday. They say there are approximately 300 cases in which a defendant has been charged but not yet found guilty or entered a plea.
Additionally, nearly 180 of those cases involved serious charges. They include assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement agents or officers or obstructing those officers during a civil disorder. Both of those charges are felony offenses.
Trump’s swearing-in and second term in office will begin on Jan. 20.
Trump seeks immunity in Jan. 6 lawsuit filed by police officers
President-elect Donald Trump is seeking to apply for immunity in a lawsuit filed against him by seven police officers who were injured during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Newsweek reports. A lawyer representing the plaintiffs told Newsweek that Trump plans to apply for presidential immunity this month.
Presidential immunity refers to the legal protections that shield a sitting president from certain types of legal liability while in office.
On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob of Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, attempting to stop the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.
In the lawsuit, Conrad Smith v. Donald J. Trump, the officers allege battery, assault and negligence, claiming that Trump’s rally and “unpermitted march were essential elements of the conspiracy that led to their injuries.”
The officers argue that Trump’s comments encouraging his supporters to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue that day make him responsible for their injuries.
Here’s what Trump said to his supporters at the end of his rally speech on Jan. 6, 2021:
“I think one of our great achievements will be election security. Because nobody until I came along had any idea how corrupt our elections were.
“And again, most people would stand there at 9 o’clock in the evening and say, ‘I want to thank you very much,’ and they go off to some other life. But I said something’s wrong here, something is really wrong, can have happened.
“And we fight. We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.
“Our exciting adventures and boldest endeavors have not yet begun. My fellow Americans, for our movement, for our children, and for our beloved country.
“And I say this despite all that’s happened. The best is yet to come.
“So we’re going to, we’re going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue. I love Pennsylvania Avenue. And we’re going to the Capitol, and we’re going to try and give.
“The Democrats are hopeless –– they never vote for anything. Not even one vote. But we’re going to try and give our Republicans, the weak ones, because the strong ones don’t need any of our help. We’re going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country.
“So let’s walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.
“I want to thank you all. God bless you and God bless America.”
Trump maintains that he told his supporters to protest peacefully.
A federal district court judge must now decide whether Trump has immunity from his actions that day.
The lawsuit also names other individuals, including members of the far-right groups The Proud Boys and The Oath Keepers.
Congress to certify Trump’s win; Biden issues warning to ‘not forget’ riots
Congress prepares to re-affirm President-elect Donald Trump as the next president of the United States on the fourth anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots. And after a weekend of blizzard-like conditions in the Plains and Midwest, a major winter storm aims for the East Coast. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
Congress to certify Trump’s win; Biden issues warning to ‘not forget’ Jan. 6 riots
Senators and members of the House of Representatives will gather to tally the electoral votes of all 50 states and Washington, D.C., confirming Trump will be the 47th president of the United States.
Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Jan. 5, House Speaker Mike Johnson said a major winter storm heading toward the area would not prevent the congressional joint session from counting the electoral votes.
Monday’s joint session comes four years after the certification of votes affirming President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory. Biden’s certification turned into chaos when rioters stormed the Capitol, looking to prevent then-Vice President Mike Pence from presiding over the certification. Many rioters insisted the election was stolen from Trump.
This year, Vice President Kamala Harris will oversee the electoral count of the election she lost and declare Trump the winner. Harris already conceded the race to Trump after he won 312 electoral college votes, surpassing the 270 needed to win the presidency. Harris won 226 votes.
Following the 2021 Capitol attack, Congress passed the Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022. This act clarified that the vice president does not have the power to determine, accept, reject or adjudicate the vote results.
On Sunday, Biden spoke to new Democratic members of Congress about the events that unfolded in 2021 and the importance of the date.
“Tomorrow’s Jan. 6; we gather to certify the results of a free and fair presidential election and ensure a peaceful transfer of power,” Biden said. “It’s a day that [for] most of our history we took for granted, the sixth, but I hope we never take it for granted again.”
Biden wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post on Sunday. In it, he told Americans that while some may no longer want to mention what happened four years ago, it cannot be forgotten.
“We should be proud that our democracy withstood this assault. And we should be glad we will not see such a shameful attack again this year…” he wrote. “The election will be certified peacefully. I have invited the incoming president to the White House on the morning of Jan. 20, and I will be present for his inauguration that afternoon. But on this day, we cannot forget.”
Monday’s proceedings are the last official opportunity for any member of Congress to object to the electoral votes. Following the certification, Trump will be sworn into office on Jan. 20 for his second term. He vowed to pardon those convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 riots.
Biden signs Social Security Fairness Act into law
Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law Sunday. It’s expected to be one of the last major pieces of legislation of his term.
Today, I signed legislation expanding Social Security benefits for millions of teachers, firefighters, nurses, police officers, other public employees, and their spouses and survivors.
The law repeals a rule that limited certain public sector job retirees who collect pensions — such as firefighters, teachers, postal workers and police officers — from also claiming social security benefits.
The new law also eliminates limits on the benefits that surviving spouses can receive after they die.
The Senate passed the bill in December after the House approved it in November with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign this week: Reports
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce his resignation as early as Monday, according to multiple news outlets. It comes as his party, the Liberal Party, is set to hold its national caucus meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 8.
Last month, Trudeau’s finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, publicly announced her resignation in a letter criticizing the prime minister. Since then, calls for his resignation have grown publicly and privately within his own party.
This is just the latest in a series of recent political struggles for the prime minister. In September, Trudeau faced a no-confidence vote in parliament, which later failed.
Trudeau and Trump have been locked in a public back-and-forth over tariffs with Trump threatening to put a 25% levy on Canadian imports.
Details emerge about New Orleans suspect’s actions in weeks before attack
More details emerged about the man authorities said killed 14 people and injured dozens more when he drove a rented truck into a crowd of revelers in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.
The FBI said Sunday the attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, visited the city twice in the weeks leading up to the deadly act of terrorism and recorded video of the area using Meta Smart Glasses.
The glasses allow users to record video hands-free and can also livestream on Meta platforms. Investigators said Jabbar wore the glasses to capture video while he rode a bicycle through the city’s French Quarter. He reportedly wore the glasses during the attack on Bourbon Street but was not livestreaming.
Authorities also believe Jabbar set fire to a short-term rental house in New Orleans where investigators found bomb-making material. They said he planted two bombs in the French Quarter before the truck attack but neither detonated.
Jabbar was killed after opening fire on responding police officers.
Millions of Americans under blizzard alerts as winter storm moves east
A major winter storm will continue to move through the Mid-Atlantic region today, followed by dangerously cold temperatures spreading across the central and eastern U.S. pic.twitter.com/sogRlbC6Y9
Major cities like Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia are preparing for snowy and icy conditions Monday and into Tuesday, Jan. 7. Meanwhile, parts of Virginia are expecting 5 to 12 inches of snow.
Impacts of this weather system could also be felt in the South, with severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes and damaging winds expected to hit Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and other southern states Monday night.
2025 Golden Globes crown best in movies, television
The 2025 Golden Globes rolled out the red carpet Sunday night for the best and brightest stars of film and television — but only a select few walked away with awards.
In the movie categories, the big winners were the films “Emilia Pérez” and “The Brutalist.” “Emilia Pérez” won four awards, including best musical or comedy. “The Brutalist” took home best drama and two other awards.
Over on the TV side of things, “Shōgun” topped the competition with four awards, including Best TV Drama. “Hacks” won Best TV Series – Musical or Comedy.
It was an especially memorable night for actress Demi Moore, who won her first acting award. She won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for her role as an aging Hollywood star who undergoes a cloning procedure in “The Substance.”
Republicans’ trust in elections jumps after President-elect Trump’s win: Poll
The 2024 election unfolded under mostly the same sets of laws as the 2020 election. However, a new poll has found that this time around, Republicans have a lot more trust in election accuracy.
In an AP poll, 64% of Republicans said they had “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence in the accuracy of the 2024 electoral count, while 60% of Democrats felt the same way.
That’s a major shift from when the AP polled Americans after the 2020 election, when just one-third of Republicans believed President Joe Biden won the election legitimately, compared to 97% of Democrats who thought so.
It was in the aftermath of that election when a mob of people who denied the legitimacy of Biden’s win rioted at the U.S. Capitol during the 2021 electoral vote count on Jan. 6.
And this time around, there haven’t been any actions or organized efforts to challenge the legitimacy of the results.
In 2020, President-elect Trump’s campaign and his allies launched 62 lawsuits challenging vote counts in states across the country after losing the election. In 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris filed zero lawsuits challenging vote counts, conceding her loss the day after the election.
FBI releases new video and info about DC pipe bomb suspect
Nearly four years after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the FBI has released new video and information about the suspect who allegedly planted pipe bombs at the Democratic and Republican National Committee offices the night before. The bombs didn’t detonate, but the FBI said they were “viable” and posed a risk to people.
In the newly released security camera video, the suspect can be seen planting a pipe bomb outside the DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night of Jan. 5, 2021. A second pipe bomb was left close to the RNC headquarters the same night.
The FBI also released new information about the suspect, saying it believes the masked and hooded person is about 5 foot, 7 inches tall, and was wearing Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes.
According to the FBI, fewer than 25,000 pairs of those shoes were sold between August 2018 and the time of the attack.
Investigators are hoping the new video and information, along with a $500,000 reward, can help them solve the years-old mystery. While the bombs were planted the night before the attack on the U.S. Capitol, investigators said there’s no clear link between the events of Jan. 6 and the devices.