Everyone was texting Mark Meadows to get then President Trump’s attention on January 6, 2021 in the hopes that he would get his violent supporters to stop their attack on the capitol. Alas, that gamer took 187 minutes to stop playing games.

In yet another extreme departure from reality and into the stuff of sci-fi, several presenters and attendees at the ReAwaken America Tour fell ill after the Dallas, Texas, event—but, instead of putting the blame where it obviously lies (we are in the middle of a viral pandemic), they claim their sickness came from an anthrax attack.  The far-right, conservative, and QAnon-friendly ReAwaken America Tour featured the biggest names in Q, alongside several big-name conservative figures: My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, Eric Trump, disgraced former national security adviser Michael Flynn, podcaster Joe Oltmann, Trump adviser Roger Stone and attorney Sidney Powell, and Jovan Hutton Pulitzer, a celeb in the Big Lie circuit who claims he has the ability to prove whether ballots from the 2020 election were real or fake.  Dozens of people at the event claimed they became ill after gathering in a green room during the event—suspiciously just as the new omicron variant of COVID-19 began to surge around the globe.

This series documents stories from the Herman Cain Awards subreddit, tracking the COVID mis- and disinformation on Facebook that is leading to so many deaths. Today’s cautionary tale leaves behind a furious brother.

We've long known that Republican Rep. Jim Jordan was in contact with Donald Trump on Jan. 6, the day Trump and his allies mounted a last-ditch attempt to erase an American presidential election rather than acknowledge Joe Biden's victory. The select House committee investigating the insurrection has now formally asked Jordan to come testify about those communications and other contacts with insurrection organizers. In a letter to Jordan, the committee requests his «voluntary cooperation.» «We understand that you had at least one and possibly multiple communications with President Trump on January 6th. We would like to discuss each such communication with you in detail. And we also wish to inquire about any communications you had on January 5th or 6th with those in the Willard War Room, the Trump legal team, White House personnel or others involved in organizing or planning the actions and strategies for January 6th.» Jordan's name has come up repeatedly in press reports after Jordan at first admitted multiple contacts with Trump before or during the violence, only to backtrack after it became clear such contacts would be material evidence in the investigation of Trump's role in the violence. An ally of Trump's schemes to overturn the election, it’s almost certain that Jordan will refuse to voluntarily testify—which may lead to the spectacle of a House select committee subpoenaing one of its own members. Jordan is the second House Republican to receive a letter from the committee requesting evidence and testimony. Rep. Scott Perry, a prolific conspiracy theorist also believed to have direct involvement with Trump's attempt to overturn the election, has also been asked to voluntarily appear. Both requests highlight the intimate role that certain Republican members of Congress are believed to have played in attempting to overthrow the legitimate United States government rather than give up elected power.

On Wednesday, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization for Pfizer’s antiviral drug treatment Paxlovid for use against COVID-19. Data from clinical trials indicated that when taken within five days after the onset of symptoms, the pill is 88% effective in reducing the chance of severe illness resulting in hospitalization. And, because the drug is available as a pill which is taken twice a day for five days, it’s not just a treatment that can be administered in a clinical setting. This EUA extends to at-home care. Pfizer says that it is “ready to start immediate delivery in the U.S.” That includes delivery of the 10 million doses that have been pre-purchased by the U.S. government. The drug is authorized for the use by those age 12 and older who are suffering mild to moderate symptoms, and who have tested positive for COVID-19. As the drug becomes available, the focus will be getting the drug to those most in danger of severe illness, but if the record of effectiveness and safety from the trials holds up in real-world tests against omicron and other variants, Paxlovid could easily become the standard of treatment. Pfizer reports that it has ramped up production and hopes to have enough for 80 million to 120 million courses of treatment in 2022. The timing of this release could have been better—because earlier availability is always better. But it certainly could have been worse. As the U.S. is facing a surge of omicron cases, an at-home pill that cuts the rate of hospitalization to one-tenth of what it might have been could be just the medical miracle the nation needed.

With three weeks left to go in open enrollment in the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) for most states, the Biden administration has already achieved record enrollments. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Wednesday that the “Open Enrollment Period is outpacing all previous years, a historic high of more than 13.6 million people already enrolled in health insurance coverage for 2022 through HealthCare.gov and State-based Marketplaces (SBMs).” What’s more, 92% of the people enrolling in the states using the federal exchange have received premium tax credits for their plans, thanks to the American Rescue Plan (ARP), which expanded premium eligibility. That’s more than 400,000 people so far who would not have qualified for the credits before the ARP. Since President Joe Biden took office, more than 4.6 million previously uninsured people got coverage through Obamacare.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) made a decision today that can only be considered one thing to thousands of people… a Christmas miracle.  In a stunning reversal, the DOJ‘s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) ruled to allow inmates released from prison at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to remain free even after the federal CARES Act, a coronavirus health emergency, concludes.  The OLC determined that the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has the “discretion to permit prisoners in extended home confinement to remain there."

It should come as no surprise that energy companies are threatened by climate change mitigation. Saving the planet but offsetting profits apparently sounds so unappealing that companies like Florida Power & Light (FPL) will do anything to keep shareholders happy and their pockets lined. A recent investigation from the Miami Herald and Floodlight found that FPL would rather splurge on candidates willing to do the company’s bidding than look toward a greener future. FPL donated $10,000 to the political committee of Jennifer Bradley to get the Republicans to push a bill targeting net metering. Net metering allows customers with solar panels (or any other renewable energy source) to offset their utility bills by selling excess energy back to a power company. FPL sent a lobbyist to hand-deliver Bradley a company-drafted bill that she turned around and filed in November. Bradley wasn’t the only lawmaker that appears to have been targeted by FPL: An identical bill was filed by Rep. Lawrence McClure in the Florida House. McClure has, of course, benefitted from FPL’s generosity to candidates the company can manipulate. According to filings detailing campaign donations from the 2020 election cycle, McClure racked up thousands from PACs and CCEs affiliated with FPL, including donations from its parent company’s PAC. NextEra, which owns FPL, spent $2,000 on the candidate alone through its Florida PAC. And McClure’s Conservative Florida political committee received $10,000 from Voice of Florida Business PAC, which pushes FPL’s agenda. FPL is notorious for throwing money at lawmakers in an effort to get its way, especially when it comes to solar panels. In 2016, FPL backed a failed ballot measure that would make installing rooftop solar panels costlier and more hassle.

It should come as no surprise that energy companies are threatened by climate change mitigation. Saving the planet but offsetting profits apparently sounds so unappealing that companies like Florida Power & Light (FPL) will do anything to keep shareholders happy and their pockets lined. A recent investigation from the Miami Herald and Floodlight found that FPL would rather splurge on candidates willing to do the company’s bidding than look toward a greener future. FPL donated $10,000 to the political committee of Jennifer Bradley to get the Republicans to push a bill targeting net metering. Net metering allows customers with solar panels (or any other renewable energy source) to offset their utility bills by selling excess energy back to a power company. FPL sent a lobbyist to hand-deliver Bradley a company-drafted bill that she turned around and filed in November. Bradley wasn’t the only lawmaker that appears to have been targeted by FPL: An identical bill was filed by Rep. Lawrence McClure in the Florida House. McClure has, of course, benefitted from FPL’s generosity to candidates the company can manipulate. According to filings detailing campaign donations from the 2020 election cycle, McClure racked up thousands from PACs and CCEs affiliated with FPL, including donations from its parent company’s PAC. NextEra, which owns FPL, spent $2,000 on the candidate alone through its Florida PAC. And McClure’s Conservative Florida political committee received $10,000 from Voice of Florida Business PAC, which pushes FPL’s agenda. FPL is notorious for throwing money at lawmakers in an effort to get its way, especially when it comes to solar panels. In 2016, FPL backed a failed ballot measure that would make installing rooftop solar panels costlier and more hassle.

Senate Democrats held a “Zoom caucus” Tuesday night, and the big question was whether Sen. Joe Manchin would attend. He did, but little progress seemed to be made, according to various sources to CNN and Politico. Manchin continued his specious claims about inflation and the deficit. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stuck to his intent to force votes on both President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better (BBB) Plan and on voting rights and elections reform, setting up a possible filibuster reform fight with Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. "I know we are all frustrated at this outcome,” Schumer said of their failure to pass the bill by his Christmas deadline and Manchin’s announcement on Fox News Sunday that he couldn’t support BBB. “However, we are not giving up on BBB. Period. We won't stop working on it until we pass a bill,” he said, according to CNN’s sources. Those sources said Manchin stuck to his ill-informed guns. “Inflation is a serious issue. These programs will cost more than they are saying. I can't add to the debt,” he reported said. CNN’s sources “added that Democrats spoke up and took issue with Manchin's characterizations.” Because that has worked so well.

Senate Democrats held a “Zoom caucus” Tuesday night, and the big question was whether Sen. Joe Manchin would attend. He did, but little progress seemed to be made, according to various sources to CNN and Politico. Manchin continued his specious claims about inflation and the deficit. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stuck to his intent to force votes on both President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better (BBB) Plan and on voting rights and elections reform, setting up a possible filibuster reform fight with Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. "I know we are all frustrated at this outcome,” Schumer said of their failure to pass the bill by his Christmas deadline and Manchin’s announcement on Fox News Sunday that he couldn’t support BBB. “However, we are not giving up on BBB. Period. We won't stop working on it until we pass a bill,” he said, according to CNN’s sources. Those sources said Manchin stuck to his ill-informed guns. “Inflation is a serious issue. These programs will cost more than they are saying. I can't add to the debt,” he reported said. CNN’s sources “added that Democrats spoke up and took issue with Manchin's characterizations.” Because that has worked so well.

The U.S. economy is expanding at a 7% rate over the last three months, up by 5% from the beginning of the year. That number isn’t just three times the expected growth rate in Europe, it almost doubles the rate of growth in China. As reported in The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. economy is genuinely a world-beater. It’s doing so well that for the first time in years, “The force of the American expansion is also inducing overseas companies to invest in the U.S., betting that the growth is still accelerating and will outpace other major economies.” Less than two months into his presidency, Biden pushed through the American Rescue Plan. That plan provided emergency payments to every American, an increase in the Child Tax Credit, extended unemployment payments for those nearing the end of their benefits, lowered the cost of health care subsidies, picked up 100% of COBRA costs, and offered a host of benefits for small businesses that included outright grants. It took the better part of a year to get the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act through Congress, but by that point the economy—bolstered by Biden’s policies, a renewed confidence from business leaders, and a robust rollout of vaccines against COVID-19—had cut unemployment numbers by a full 2%. Rolling into the holiday season, America is enjoying record low levels of unemployment and levels of economic growth that exceed the wildest unfulfilled promises of Donald Trump. But at the same time, CNN reports that President Biden’s approval levels for handling the economy are at record lows. The best economy in 50 years enjoys just a 44% approval rating. Because a disaster-addicted media will find disaster, even if it has to create it.

Republicanism is now fully a fascist movement. The hoax claims that our current elections have been «rigged» against Republicans—claims that continue to be provably false—continue to be used to stoke the convenient fear and outrage of a base that now increasingly believes the party is justified in taking control of the government through the erasure of future election results or, as happened on Jan. 6, through violence. The party is not just anti-democracy: It is demanding adherence to a lie that has already resulted in deaths and will result in more, and purging anyone unwilling to go along. This is the behavior of a cult. It is also the behavior of fascist movements throughout history, movements in which false propaganda is used to rally support for the violent «remaking» of nations. That is the context in which this CNN report on Republican candidates' near-universal adoption of the Big Lie should be considered. CNN does well enough in identifying the absolute falseness of the Republican claims, and a Republican pollster provides the grotesque context: If a Republican candidate openly admits that Donald Trump was beaten not by fraud, but legitimately, «the consequences are probably that you are going to lose» your Republican primary.

On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the finalization of regulations that would boost the current fleet of environmentally friendlier vehicles, resulting in 17% of cars on the road in the country either being an EV or plug-in hybrid. The vehicles impacted by the new standard are light-duty vehicles like passenger cars or trucks that weigh no more than 8,500 pounds manufactured in 2023 and beyond. There will likely be tighter restrictions implemented along the way, as the Biden administration set a goal for 50% of U.S. vehicles to be either EVs or hybrids. EPA Administrator Michael Regan praised his agency’s efforts, which he said resulted from taking science and stakeholders into consideration. “At EPA, our priority is to protect public health, especially in overburdened communities, while responding to the president’s ambitious climate agenda,” Regan said in a press release. “We take a giant step forward in delivering on those goals while paving the way toward an all-electric, zero-emissions transportation future.” According to the Department of Energy, more hybrids certainly make for fewer emissions but still emit significantly more greenhouse gases than EVs. Whereas one EV emits about 3,783 pounds of greenhouse gases annually, a plug-in hybrid releases 5,685 pounds annually, while a standard hybrid releases 6,258 pounds per year.

Kurt Bardella/USA Today: Manchin's decision on Build Back Better is a sign no one is afraid of this White House Joe Manchin's stunning announcement on Fox News should show Democrats they need to have a better plan for governing and navigating politics in 2022. From Meadows to Manchin, absolutely nobody is afraid of this White House or of Democrats in general. Republicans, on the other hand, have taken the politics of fear and turned them into a Jedi-level art form. Fear is their weapon of choice, and they love nothing more than using it to bludgeon Democrats over and over and over again. xBingo! This describes the #GreatBarringtonDeclaration signatories perfectly right now. It’s tone policing, a diversion to avoid addressing substantive criticisms. https://t.co/9NUfaDukZq— David Gorski, MD, PhD (@gorskon) December 21, 2021

In the news today: The omicron variant of COVID-19 is looking to be bad news for the unvaccinated—but potentially catastrophic for overworked hospitals. Rethink travel plans, wear masks, and make sure you've gotten your booster if it's time for you to get one. New evidence on the January 6 coup attempt suggests that the reason the National Guard was so slow in coming to lawmakers' aid during the violence was that military officials believed doing so would play into Trump White House plans to use the Insurrection Act to seize power through force. Because that is a thing our military must now take into consideration when Republicans are in office. And as we near the year's end, Sen. Joe Manchin continues to be pilloried as he makes excuses for why he won't vote for key climate and infrastructure legislation no matter how many concessions he extracts from Biden and his fellow Democrats. He says he doesn't want a child tax credit because parents will just use it for drugs. That's right, he drives a Maserati bought with coal money, lives on a boat bought with coal money, and says we can't give his voters food money because they might waste it. He's a frickin' cartoon. Here's some of what you may have missed:

Fresh off his losses in court over harassing the parents of murdered school children, Alex Jones is now suing the Jan. 6 Committee in hopes of stopping investigators from reviewing records that they say are key to understanding precisely who was involved—and how—in Donald Trump’s scheme to overturn the 2020 election results. Unsurprisingly, Jones indicated in his lawsuit filed at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that should he be forced to comply, he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Jones previewed this decision in a recent episode of his right-wing conspiracy-laden entertainment company, Infowars. Jones specifically contends that his communications are protected under the First Amendment because he is a journalist. Notably, when Jones was going through a divorce with his ex-wife Kelly Jones in April 2017, his lawyer at the time, Randall White, told a judge that Jones is “playing a character” on Infowars and that he should be considered a “performance artist.”

Leaked audio that was reportedly made on Dec. 16 during a private lunch in New York City reveals that Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is running for a seat in the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania as a Republican, has some, uh, thoughts on trans rights he apparently didn’t feel he could share on his syndicated talk show, The Dr. Oz Show. Oz reportedly defended J.K. Rowling—the famed Harry Potter writer who has since become infamous for her consistent anti-trans remarks and positions—as being “very brave.” He also reportedly suggested that it’s “not fair” to protect just “one group” of people ... which, sure, right, but no one is suggesting that trans folks are the only people who need and deserve protection. We’re just fighting to make sure an extremely vulnerable population gets protections to begin with. The leaked audio was first obtained by Radar Online, a celebrity gossip website.

In a shocking and disturbing incident, a teacher at a Washington, D.C., elementary school made third-graders pretend to die in gas chambers and shoot their classmates in disturbing reenactments of the Holocaust, according to The Washington Post. While the teacher has not been identified, an email to the students’ parents from Watkins Elementary School’s principal notes that they were placed on leave last week. The teacher has also been accused of making antisemitic comments. According to Principal MScott Berkowitz, the students had been sent to a library class on Friday for a self-directed project during which they were made to simulate the scenes by the instructor as part of their research. The instructor made students simulate digging ditches to serve as mass graves, pretend to board trains to concentration camps, simulate mass shootings, and asked one student play Adolf Hitler. That student was told to pretend to commit suicide at the end of the stimulation, as Hitler did.

Here’s a suggestion for assignment editors at the large national media outlets who have provided us with an endless stream of stories about Trump voters in rural diners over the past half-decade: Try instead reporting on what it’s become like for non-Trump voters in these rural red areas where the politics of menace and thuggery have taken over—sort of an inverted version of the cliché; the rural Biden voter who can barely show his face at the local café. The reality. All around the Trump-loving rural sectors of the nation, daily life has become filled with foreboding, intimidation, threats, and ugliness, all emanating from authoritarian right-wingers directing their aggression at anyone who fails to follow their dictates—and the intensity has been increasing. In the past month, Proud Boys and militia “Patriots” have turned up to harass LGBTQ-friendly teens at libraries, mask-promoting school board members, and mall shops that require masks. White supremacists now openly march in rural capitals, threatening bystanders.