Today’s edition of quick hits:
* NYC: “The suspect in the New York City subway blast Monday told investigators he detonated a crude bomb after he spotted a holiday display and did it in the name of ISIS to avenge the deaths of Muslims around the world, law enforcement officials said.”
* Trump’s military transgender ban: “A federal judge on Monday rejected President Donald Trump’s request to further delay the ability of transgender people to enlist in the military, and the Pentagon said enlistments would begin on Jan. 1.”
* Alcee Hastings: “The Treasury Department paid $220,000 in a previously undisclosed agreement to settle a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment that involved Florida Democrat Alcee L. Hastings, according to documents obtained by Roll Call.”
* There are six accusers in this case: “A former clerk for Judge Alex Kozinski said the powerful and well-known jurist, who for many years served as chief judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, called her into his office several times and pulled up pornography on his computer, asking if she thought it was photoshopped or if it aroused her sexually.”
* Filling a leadership vacuum: “A year ago, no one would have envisioned President Emmanuel Macron of France as the public face of Western diplomacy in the Middle East. But that is not the case anymore.”
* The vote in this case was, of course, 5 to 4: “The Trump administration may temporarily shield documents concerning its decision to end a program that protected some 800,000 young, undocumented immigrants from deportation, the Supreme Court ruled Friday in a brief, unsigned order. The court said it would consider the matter further, and it set an expedited briefing schedule.”
* Quite a story: “Northern Alaska is warming so fast, it’s faking out computers.” * A notable line from David Brooks: “The rot afflicting the G.O.P. is comprehensive — moral, intellectual, political and reputational. More and more former Republicans wake up every day and realize: ‘I’m homeless. I’m politically homeless.’” * He made a compelling pitch: “A leading progressive activist with Lou Gehrig’s disease appealed to Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to reconsider his support for the Republican tax bill during a flight to Phoenix on Thursday.” Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
