Jan. 17, 2021 03:46AM EST
In photos: D.C. and U.S. states on alert for violence ahead of Biden inauguration
Security has been stepped up in Washington, D.C., and in states across the U.S. as authorities brace for potential violence this weekend.
Driving the news: Following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by some supporters of President Trump, the FBI has said there could be armed protests in D.C. and in all 50 state capitols in the run-up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration Wednesday.
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbWVkaWEucmJsLm1zL2ltYWdlP3U9JTJGMXRDZUJsajJBdE1sdnpHZFNMSlFDUzlfbjEwJTNEJTJGMjAyMSUyRjAxJTJGMTclMkYxNjEwODUzNDQ0NDA2LmpwZyZhbXA7aG89aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZpbWFnZXMuYXhpb3MuY29tJmFtcDtzPTkyNCZhbXA7aD0xZjdiYzg0MWFiZDdmNWE3YTJjNGEwOTNiYWI5NTRjNDkzNjVkNzNlMjcyMjQ2ZjM2ZDhkMDgwOTkzNWJiMTNkJmFtcDtzaXplPTk4MHgmYW1wO2M9MjI1NTMwNTA4MCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE2MjY2Mjg0NDB9.f12jo7Km3J3DiPAh24F_R7lVspqy6SArfZ-wxFh62ks/img.jpg" id="1ea89" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3c83f9768455b959bebd02f883ac05bf"> <div>Members of the National Guard at a street junction in Washington, D.C., Jan. 16. Trump has <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1000362403788159" target="_blank">appealed for calm</a> and there's been no major trouble so far, though <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/16/capitol-protests-live-updates-inauguration-security/" target="_blank">the Washington Post</a> notes most rallies are planned for Jan. 17. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images</div><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbWVkaWEucmJsLm1zL2ltYWdlP3U9JTJGbVhSbndyQ19mZHF2eXBFcl9rdG81NHlhb0lrJTNEJTJGMjAyMSUyRjAxJTJGMTclMkYxNjEwODUzMDg4MzI5LmpwZyZhbXA7aG89aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZpbWFnZXMuYXhpb3MuY29tJmFtcDtzPTkwMiZhbXA7aD03YTY3MDlkZDg4MDA2MzM4MjFiMTBiMjFlMGM0YTZjMTYyNTNlNWM2NGY3NGE5MTc4ZmQwZjc5OWUwYTQxZjFjJmFtcDtzaXplPTk4MHgmYW1wO2M9MjA2Nzg3NjIzOCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE2NTI1MjE3NTJ9.7GJeWW20UfHgV3qG-mLuPbtCmeatWW4XW_NwloUi4i8/img.jpg" id="70e51" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="633fcd9b422c000d96cd36bcf602e52e"> <div>Minnesota officials have beefed up security at the State Capitol in St. Paul Jan. 16, deploying the National Guard and blocking off surrounding roads to protect the building, per Axios Local reporter <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/" target="_blank">Torey Van Oot</a>. The scene remained quiet, with fewer than two dozen Trump supporters showing up to protest, <a href="https://twitter.com/adlavinsky/status/1350561207346987009?s=21" target="_blank">reporters in the area</a> note. Photo: Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images</div><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbWVkaWEucmJsLm1zL2ltYWdlP3U9JTJGRFhsbUJBckxIMWowZmR5dXFFVDlvaldjVFhBJTNEJTJGMjAyMSUyRjAxJTJGMTclMkYxNjEwODQ5ODAzMzg2LmpwZyZhbXA7aG89aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZpbWFnZXMuYXhpb3MuY29tJmFtcDtzPTg4NCZhbXA7aD1jYzI2MGMxZDFlMzg1YmMzYmI1NGU2ZmZkYjkzMDM5YzkyODFhMWM0MmRmYzBiZTUwOTYzNDBkMjljZmE2MDAwJmFtcDtzaXplPTk4MHgmYW1wO2M9Njg1ODkxMDI2IiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMTEzODkwNH0.sAQNvbTcbTs1XgNOT4toNDffYVwFVCRhRhLyBQSg23k/img.jpg" id="82847" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="22f52d8b5540549b9052ad1e285f211f"> <div>Trump supporters at a small rally outside the state capitol in Austin, Texas, Jan. 16. Authorities have closed state government buildings to the public through Jan. 20 after learning of plans for "armed protests" there, the <a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/01/16/austin-capitol-protest-updates/4182787001/" target="_blank">Austin American-Statesman</a> reports. Photo: Sergio Flores/Getty Images</div><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbWVkaWEucmJsLm1zL2ltYWdlP3U9JTJGMThwUDRTc19fSXhzNUE3VFQ5R0M4bWZEVnd3JTNEJTJGMjAyMSUyRjAxJTJGMTclMkYxNjEwODQ5NTcwMDIxLmpwZyZhbXA7aG89aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZpbWFnZXMuYXhpb3MuY29tJmFtcDtzPTg0OCZhbXA7aD03MGM1Mjc5MTAwOWNkZGNmYzhiNDQ5NTc1M2Q5MTgzMmRiYjVjZjdkN2NiNWY0ZWYyNDRiNzViY2FmNGYyZmZjJmFtcDtzaXplPTk4MHgmYW1wO2M9MzQ0OTI4MDE1IiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjY2MTIzOH0.rqizngq3RWINfIOLjJ4JhZmOaWxSra7HsgfUM46o7xQ/img.jpg" id="519ba" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ad86b30670dea490fb86837e0bf4df30"> <div>An "OFF LIMITS" sign at the steps of the Capitol Building in Frankfort, Kentucky, on Jan. 16. Gov. <a href="https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=557" target="_blank">Andy Beshear (D) announced</a> the state capitol will close Jan. 17, noting there have been "domestic terror threats against state capitols all over the United States." Photo: Jon Cherry/Getty Images</div><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbWVkaWEucmJsLm1zL2ltYWdlP3U9JTJGRko3WkVUbi1wYTVQdkZaQ25rWnc1UElHYngwJTNEJTJGMjAyMSUyRjAxJTJGMTclMkYxNjEwODUwMjEwNzU5LmpwZyZhbXA7aG89aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZpbWFnZXMuYXhpb3MuY29tJmFtcDtzPTY4MiZhbXA7aD1jOWNhOGJkOGI5YWMyNWRjMmEzMTM2ZWE4M2Y4ZmQ0NDAzMzljZjdlZTBjMzVkOGUzNDljZGUxMzZlZWQ4M2QxJmFtcDtzaXplPTk4MHgmYW1wO2M9MTIzOTM1MjU1MiIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE2MzM2NDA3MjF9.JJywGqwuLGHV3LIC2XBXCBryhZqDgWgmF5UWVxBWnCA/img.jpg" id="1e4af" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="900ee48aad9eeb758ff0c7808c1bd405"> <div>A lone Trump supporter in Salem, Oregon, on Jan. 16. Oregon State Police were doing frequent patrols and the state's National Guard was on standby, but only a handful of protesters showed up and there were no reports of trouble, the <a href="https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2021/01/16/quiet-morning-oregons-capitol-only-two-protesters/4166900001/" target="_blank">Statesman Journal</a> notes. Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images</div><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbWVkaWEucmJsLm1zL2ltYWdlP3U9JTJGNmxTTFRwVkNWYWI2Mm0xbng5RFBHU25rVGhNJTNEJTJGMjAyMSUyRjAxJTJGMTclMkYxNjEwODUxMzIwODQyLmpwZyZhbXA7aG89aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZpbWFnZXMuYXhpb3MuY29tJmFtcDtzPTgwMCZhbXA7aD1lNGUxZDUyNzNjYWU4NzMyNTRhZjU0ZTIyYWE4MzBkMDliMjZlZmI1NjM2M2JkODVhZmUzN2Q5ZTkyZDE3OTk2JmFtcDtzaXplPTk4MHgmYW1wO2M9MTE1NTcyOTM5OSIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE2NTIxODg0NTR9.1mkcLl2tj9jxZBslkVEfDtMc90aCXlKBAZEizWxzzPo/img.jpg" id="77a9f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f6c978ff094617c81cbeed8fa85dad01"> <div> A sign on Jan. 14 notifies the public that the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg is closed to visitors. The city's Mayor <a href="https://twitter.com/thecityofhbg/status/1350192783571693568" target="_blank">Eric Papenfuse said</a> traffic will be restricted around the Capitol complex Jan. 17 and there'll be a strong police presence in the area. Photo: Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images</div><blockquote><p>PHOENIX: All quiet this morning at the Arizona State Capitol complex. A second line of fencing is up + barbed wire. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CapitolWatch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CapitolWatch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NewsNationNow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NewsNationNow</a> <a href="https://t.co/tB17SqucZP">pic.twitter.com/tB17SqucZP</a></p>— Nancy Loo (@NancyLoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/NancyLoo/status/1350468780049145864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote><p>Gov. Gavin Newsom has activated 1,000 Cal Guard Soldiers and Airmen to protect lives and property and our 1st Amendment rights to peaceful free speech and assembly before Inauguration Day next week.<a href="https://t.co/uuB8w6TYGh">https://t.co/uuB8w6TYGh</a></p>— The California National Guard (@CalGuard) <a href="https://twitter.com/CalGuard/status/1350135436677529606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote><p>Today, 9,500 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 46 states, 3 territories and DC are supporting civilian authorities responsible for the inauguration. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Inauguration2021?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Inauguration2021</a> <a href="https://t.co/SiyLbh6xJN">pic.twitter.com/SiyLbh6xJN</a></p>— National Guard (@USNationalGuard) <a href="https://twitter.com/USNationalGuard/status/1350571028976525314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote><p>Photos of the Day: National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from all 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia are supporting law enforcement through the 59th Presidential Inauguration. More: <a href="https://t.co/26phd2dYnw">https://t.co/26phd2dYnw</a> 📷: <a href="https://t.co/oeZbLLd52Z">https://t.co/oeZbLLd52Z</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Inauguration2021?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Inauguration2021</a> <a href="https://t.co/GPL2L1W08s">pic.twitter.com/GPL2L1W08s</a></p>— National Guard (@USNationalGuard) <a href="https://twitter.com/USNationalGuard/status/1350125703681990663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2021</a></blockquote></div>
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Jan. 16, 2021 07:46PM EST
Axios AM New Washington Deep Dive on Biden's plans
The Axios subject-matter experts brief you on the incoming administration's plans and team.
Jan. 16, 2021 07:38PM EST
Rep. Lou Correa tests positive for COVID-19
Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) announced on Saturday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Why it matters: Correa is the latest Democratic lawmaker to share his positive test results after sheltering with maskless colleagues during last week's deadly Capitol riot. But he did not specify whether his diagnosis was connected to the siege.
<p><strong>What they're saying: </strong>"Yesterday, I tested positive for COVID-19. I will be responsible & self-quarantine, away from my family, for the recommended time," Correa tweeted.</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>"While I’ll miss the much-anticipated inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, I look forward to working with the new Admin to unite our country!"</li></ul><p>The U.S. Capitol's <a href="https://www.axios.com/congress-coronavirus-capitol-breach-mob-d0d98d33-1595-4244-898f-73959a346001.html" target="_blank">attending physician</a> reportedly <a href="https://twitter.com/scottwongDC/status/1348302078498713601" target="_blank">warned lawmakers last week</a> that they <a href="https://twitter.com/AliceOllstein/status/1348303355454631937" target="_blank">may have been exposed</a> to someone with a coronavirus infection as they hid from a pro-Trump mob breaching the building on Wednesday.</p><p><strong>The big picture: </strong>At least <a href="https://www.axios.com/rep-pramila-jayapal-covid-19-capitol-hill-riot-1a7cda3c-973f-4376-97ad-f4eb3306a28c.html" target="_blank">three Democratic lawmakers</a> have announced they've tested positive for COVID-19 after locking down during the Jan. 6 riot.</p></div>
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Jan. 16, 2021 07:03PM EST
Far-right figure "Baked Alaska" arrested for involvement in Capitol siege
The FBI arrested far-right media figure Tim Gionet, known as "Baked Alaska," on Saturday for his involvement in last week's Capitol riot, according to a statement of facts filed in the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia.
The state of play: Gionet was arrested in Houston on charges related to disorderly or disruptive conduct on the Capitol grounds or in any of the Capitol buildings with the intent to impede, disrupt, or disturb the orderly conduct of a session, per AP.
<ul class="ee-ul"><li>An Arizona judge issued a warrant for Gionet's arrest on Thursday, saying he violated his conditions of release when he left the state to join the riot in D.C., the <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2021/01/14/u-s-capitol-riot-scottsdale-issues-warrant-livestreamer-tim-gionet/4162158001/" target="_blank">Arizona Republic</a> reports. Gionet was facing misdemeanor charges in Scottsdale for allegedly pepper-spraying an employee after refusing to leave a bar.</li><li>Gionet allegedly conducted an approximately 27-minute livestream inside the Capitol and was heard chanting, "Patriots are in control;" "Whose house? Our house;" and "Traitors, traitors, traitors."</li></ul><p><strong>The big picture: </strong>Multiple people across the U.S. have been <a href="https://www.axios.com/federal-charges-capitol-riot-c233e49c-e1a3-4079-afc2-868fca37177c.html" target="_blank">arrested</a> for their participation in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots. </p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>The FBI on Tuesday <a href="https://www.axios.com/capitol-siege-justice-department-fbi-083098bb-28ce-483f-b640-25ccebc44352.html" target="_blank">announced it opened case</a> files for hundreds of people involved in the siege and made charges in over 70 cases as it continues to investigate the deadly Capitol siege.</li></ul></div>
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Jan. 16, 2021 02:00PM EST
Tech scrambles to derail inauguration threats
Tech companies are sharing more information with law enforcement in a frantic effort to prevent violence around the inauguration, after the government was caught flat-footed by the Capitol siege.
Between the lines: Tech knows it will be held accountable for any further violence that turns out to have been planned online if it doesn't act to stop it.
<p><strong>Driving the news: </strong>Facebook on Friday <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2021/01/preparing-for-inauguration-day/" target="_blank">announced</a> new measures aimed at preventing people from using its platform to foment violence. </p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><strong>The company is blocking</strong> the creation of new Facebook events in locations close to the White House, U.S. Capitol and state capitol buildings through Inauguration Day.</li><li><strong>It's</strong> <strong>also reviewing events</strong> related to the inauguration and removing those that violate policies.</li><li><strong>And it's restricting U.S. accounts </strong>that have repeatedly violated Facebook policies from creating live videos or events, Groups or Pages.</li></ul><p><strong>What we're hearing: </strong>Some companies, including Facebook and Twitter, have briefed the Hill on recent talks they've had with law enforcement.</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>The companies are sharing information about troubling material they find on their platforms as well as soliciting threat information from law enforcement so they can act against problematic accounts.</li><li>Facebook also meets regularly with other tech firms to warn each other about security threats they detect on their platforms, said a Facebook source.</li></ul><p><strong>What they're saying: </strong>"We are continuing our ongoing, proactive outreach to law enforcement and have worked to quickly provide responses to valid legal requests," a Facebook spokesperson told Axios.</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>"We are removing content, disabling accounts, and working with law enforcement to protect against direct threats to public safety."</li><li>A Twitter spokesperson said the company is "working closely with law enforcement and federal government partners, including the FBI, [the Department of Homeland Security], and others to help mitigate potential risks."</li><li>The company also says it's expediting law enforcement requests.</li></ul><p><strong>Our thought bubble: </strong>It remains to be seen whether measures like blocking Facebook events still make a difference in thwarting threats. Many bad actors are <a href="https://www.axios.com/the-online-far-right-is-moving-underground-e429d45d-1b30-46e0-82a3-6e240bf44fef.html" target="_blank">moving to less visible platforms</a> and may be unlikely to plan another attack out in the open.</p><p><strong>And Facebook's ads aren't exactly reinforcing </strong>the message of preventing violence. It has run ads for military equipment, including body armor and gun holsters, next to news about the Capitol attack, according to <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/facebook-profits-military-gear-ads-capitol-riot" target="_blank">a Buzzfeed report.</a> </p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Facebook does not allow ads for guns, ammo or explosives, but its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/policies/ads/prohibited_content/weapons" target="_blank">policies</a> permit tactical gear to be advertised to users aged 18 and older. </li></ul><p><strong>Catch up quick: </strong>Other companies have rolled out changes since the Capitol siege to prevent their platforms from being used for a repeat on Inauguration Day.</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><strong>Airbnb <a href="https://www.axios.com/airbnb-blocks-dc-reservations-around-inauguration-6842dd8b-58d4-421a-97b6-5a07954d11ae.html" target="_self">said Wednesday</a></strong><a href="https://www.axios.com/airbnb-blocks-dc-reservations-around-inauguration-6842dd8b-58d4-421a-97b6-5a07954d11ae.html" target="_self"></a> it is canceling existing reservations and blocking new ones in and around Washington, D.C., during inauguration week as federal officials remain on alert for potential violence.</li><li><strong>Twitter has suspended</strong> more than 70,000 accounts for sharing QAnon content, and it has blocked keywords from its search and trending features that break its rules related to civic integrity and glorification of violence.</li><li><strong>Google told advertising partners</strong> Wednesday that beginning Jan. 14, its platforms will block all political ads, as well as any related to the Capitol insurrection. A limited version of its "<a href="https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6015406?hl=en&ref_topic=1626336" target="_blank">sensitive event</a>" policies went into effect after the Capitol attack to help curb ads that could be used to sow confusion, or help lead people to materials that could be used in protests, like mace.</li><li><strong>Snapchat</strong> decided to permanently ban President Trump, citing risks to public safety, Sara <a href="https://link.axios.com/click/22651809.17/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tL3Njb29wLXNuYXBjaGF0LXdpbGwtcGVybWFuZW50bHktYmFuLXRydW1wcy1hY2NvdW50LTA1NDE5ZGQzLWZlZDYtNDYxNC05ZWQwLWMyZDYwNmVmMGU2Mi5odG1sP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1zZW5kdG9fbmV3c2xldHRlcnRlc3Qmc3RyZWFtPXRvcA/5defb1077e55547bb1304ad5B51a50495" target="_blank">scooped</a> Wednesday night.</li></ul></div>
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Jan. 16, 2021 02:00PM EST
Uganda's election: Museveni declared winner, Wine claims fraud
Yoweri Museveni was declared the winner of a sixth presidential term on Saturday, with official results giving him 59% to 35% for Bobi Wine, the singer-turned-opposition leader.
Why it matters: This announcement was predictable, as the election was neither free nor fair and Museveni had no intention of surrendering power after 35 years. But Wine — who posed a strong challenged to Museveni, particularly in urban areas, and was beaten and arrested during the campaign — has said he will present evidence of fraud. The big question is whether he will mobilize mass resistance in the streets.
<p><strong>Driving the news:</strong></p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Wine's home was raided by the military on Friday after he rejected the preliminary results of the election. He was not arrested, but several of his allies were reportedly detained in the aftermath of Thursday's vote.</li><li>Uganda remains under an internet blackout. Both the U.S. and EU canceled plans to dispatch election observers due to government obstruction.</li><li>Since independence in 1962, Uganda has never seen a peaceful transfer of power. </li></ul><p><strong>Go deeper:</strong> <a href="https://www.axios.com/uganda-election-results-bobi-wine-museveni-742dc35d-88fb-48cc-87ea-e30401e78f78.html" target="_blank">The ballad of Bobi Wine</a>.</p></div>
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Jan. 16, 2021 01:45PM EST
Off the rails: Trump's premeditated election lie lit the fire
Beginning on election night 2020 and continuing through his final days in office, Donald Trump unraveled and dragged America with him, to the point that his followers sacked the U.S. Capitol with two weeks left in his term. Axios takes you inside the collapse of a president with a special series.
Episode 1: Trump’s refusal to believe the election results was premeditated. He had heard about the “red mirage” — the likelihood that early vote counts would tip more Republican than the final tallies — and he decided to exploit it.
"Jared, you call the Murdochs! Jason, you call Sammon and Hemmer!”
<p>President Trump was almost shouting. He directed his son-in-law and his senior strategist from his private quarters at the White House late on election night. He barked out the names of top Fox News executives and talent he expected to answer to him.</p><p>“And anyone else — anyone else who will take the call," he said. “Tell these guys they got to change it, they got it wrong. It’s way too early. Not even CNN is calling it.”</p><p>As the clock ticked over into the first minutes of Nov. 4, Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani ranted to top campaign aides: "There's no way he lost; this thing must have been stolen. Just say we won Michigan! Just say we won Georgia! Just say we won the election! He needs to go out and claim victory." Trump’s campaign manager Bill Stepien later told associates: "That was fucking crazy."</p><p><strong>For weeks, Trump had been laying the groundwork</strong> to declare victory on election night — even if he lost. But the real-time results, punctuated by Fox’s shocking call, upended his plans and began his unraveling.</p><p>Trump had planned for Americans to go to bed on Nov. 3 celebrating — or resigned to — his re-election. The maps they saw on TV should be bathed in red. But at 11:20 p.m. that vision fell apart, as the nation’s leading news channel among conservatives became the first outlet to call Arizona for Joe Biden. Inside the White House, Trump's inner circle erupted in horror.</p><p>Over the next two months, Trump took the nation down with him as he descended into denial, despair and a reckless revenge streak that fueled a deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol by his backers seeking to overturn the election. This triggered a constitutional crisis and a bipartisan push to impeach Trump on his way out the door, to try to cast him out of American politics for good. </p><p>But in four years, Trump had remade the Republican Party in his own image, inspiring and activating tens of millions of Americans who weren’t abandoning him anytime soon. He’d once bragged he could shoot another person on Fifth Avenue and not lose his voters. In reality, many of them had eagerly lined up to commit violence on his behalf.</p><p><strong>As Trump prepared for Election Day,</strong> he was focused on the so-called red mirage. This was the idea that early vote counts would look better for Republicans than the final tallies because Democrats feared COVID-19 more and would disproportionately cast absentee votes that would take longer to count. Trump intended to exploit this — to weaponize it for his vast base of followers.</p><p>His preparations were deliberate, strategic and deeply cynical. Trump wanted Americans to believe a falsehood that there were two elections — a legitimate election composed of in-person voting, and a separate, fraudulent election involving bogus mail-in ballots for Democrats. </p><p>In the initial hours after returns closed, it looked like his plan could work. Trump was on track for easy wins in Florida and Ohio, and held huge — though deceptive — early leads in Pennsylvania and Michigan.</p><p><strong>But as Bill Hemmer narrated</strong> a live "what if" scenario on his election telestrator from Studio F of Fox’s gargantuan Manhattan headquarters, the anchor sounded confused. "What is this happening here? Why is Arizona blue?" he asked on camera, prodding the image of the state on the touch screen, unable to flip its color. "Did we just call it? Did we make a call in Arizona?" Because of a minor communication breakdown, Hemmer's screen had turned Arizona blue before he or the other anchors, Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, found out that Fox’s Decision Desk had called it.</p><p>Trump was steaming and he wanted to see his top aides immediately. His son-in-law Jared Kushner, chief of staff Mark Meadows, campaign manager Stepien, senior strategist Jason Miller, and data cruncher Matt Oczkowski took the elevator up to the third floor of the residence at the White House. They met Trump and the first lady halfway between his bedroom and the living room at the end of the hall. Trump peppered them with questions. What happened? What the hell is going on at Fox?</p><p>Oczkowski told Trump that based on the campaign’s modeling he thought Fox was wrong and “we’re going to narrowly win” by maybe 10,000 votes or less, “razor close.” But the reality was, hundreds of thousands of votes were outstanding in Maricopa County and the picture was too cloudy to be sure. Then Trump told Kushner to call the Murdochs.</p><p><strong>The team had been cautiously optimistic</strong> that they were watching a repeat of Trump’s poll-defying 2016 victory. In the West Wing, mid-level staffers congregated in the hallways buzzing with nervous excitement and anticipation. At the residence about 200 guests — donors, Cabinet secretaries, White House physician Sean Conley, TV boosters Diamond and Silk, and other VIPs — gathered for the official election night party. They munched on beef sliders. Most did not wear masks. “You knew in real time that you were in a superspreader event,” said one attendee.</p><p>Giuliani was stationed at a table amid the party, laptop open, watching the results come in, as if he were Command Central. His son, White House official Andrew Giuliani, sat at his right. Trump's tight inner circle — children Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka, plus his long-time adviser Hope Hicks, White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and a few others — gathered separately in the Old Family Dining Room to watch the returns on TV. Trump's core campaign team monitored precinct-level results from down in the Map Room on the ground floor, the same room where FDR had once tracked fighting during World War II.</p><p><strong>Trump had spent a bellicose summer</strong> and early autumn railing against mail-in ballots. After a toxic Sept. 29 election debate with Biden, Trump's internal poll numbers nose-dived. He started choreographing election night in earnest during the second week of October, as he recovered from COVID-19.</p><p>His former chief of staff Reince Priebus told a friend he was stunned when Trump called him around that time and acted out his script, including walking up to a podium and prematurely declaring victory on election night if it looked like he was ahead.</p><p>White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller's speechwriting team had prepared three skeleton speeches for election night for all the possible scenarios: a clear victory, a clear loss, and an indeterminate result. But the speechwriters knew that if Trump was facing anything other than a resounding victory, the words would be his alone. This president would never admit defeat or urge patience.</p><p><strong>The top officials tried to force Fox to retract its call.</strong> Kushner called Rupert Murdoch, who said he would see what was going on. Hicks, a former Fox executive, texted current Fox executive and ex-White House staffer Raj Shah. Hicks also gave Fox News president Jay Wallace's phone number to top Trump campaign officials. The Trump campaign's senior-most officials aggressively texted anchors MacCallum and Baier. Throughout the night, a number of Fox commentators friendly to Trump — including Tucker Carlson — questioned the Arizona call on the air. But the call stood.</p><p>Making the situation even more awkward, several high-profile Fox News personalities, including "Judge" Jeanine Pirro, were at the White House while their own network spoiled what was supposed to be a victory party. </p><p>It was shortly after 1 a.m. on Nov. 4 when Trump finally came down from his living quarters to the main corridor on the second floor of his private residence. His inner circle met him halfway. This was the first time most of them had seen the president that night. About a dozen aides and relatives huddled around Trump as he dictated an improvised speech. Stephen Miller sat on a couch furiously typing the president's stream-of-consciousness thoughts. Aides rushed to print out screenshots of cable news graphics showing Trump's illusory early leads in the key Midwest states. By 2 a.m., Trump wanted to know why he couldn't he just say he had won and be done with it. </p><p>The speechwriters sent a draft to Trump’s longtime teleprompter operator, stationed at his laptop in a small room adjoining the East Room. The draft did not include the words that became the most infamous line of his speech: “Frankly, we did win this election.”</p><p>At 2:20 a.m., maskless aides and supporters in the East Room held up cellphones to record Trump, the first lady, Vice President Mike Pence and his wife walking out to waiting cameras as "Hail to the Chief" played. Dozens of American flags lined the backdrop behind them.</p><p>Trump declared victory — and announced that Democrats were perpetrating a giant fraud on the American people. </p><p>Both claims were lies.</p><p><strong><em>About this series:</em></strong> <em>Our reporting is based on multiple interviews with current and former White House, campaign, government and congressional officials as well as direct eyewitnesses and people close to the president. Sources have been granted anonymity to share sensitive observations or details they would not be formally authorized to disclose. President Trump and other officials to whom quotes and actions have been attributed by others were provided the opportunity to confirm, deny or respond to reporting elements prior to publication. </em></p><p><em>"Off the rails" is reported by White House reporter Jonathan Swan with reporting and research assistance by Zach Basu. It was edited by Margaret Talev and Mike Allen. Illustrations by Sarah Grillo, Aida Amer and Eniola Odetunde. Our podcast on the series is called "How it happened: Trump's last stand."</em></p></div>
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Jan. 16, 2021 01:16PM EST
Armin Laschet elected as leader of Merkel's CDU party in Germany
Armin Laschet, the centrist governor of North Rhine-Westphalia, was elected on Saturday as the new leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), defeating the more conservative Friedrich Merz by a 521-466 margin.
Why it matters: Laschet is now the most likely successor to Chancellor Angela Merkel as the standard bearer of the German center-right heading into September's elections. With Merkel preparing to step down after 16 years in power, Laschet is seen as a continuity candidate.
<ul class="ee-ul"><li>The union of the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), will select its nominee to become chancellor in the spring, with Laschet now positioned as the front-runner.</li><li>After the contest, Laschet said that he wanted to ensure that the next German chancellor would be from the CDU/CSU union.</li></ul><p><strong>The big picture: </strong>Laschet will replace Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who had been Merkel's hand-picked successor. She resigned <a href="https://www.axios.com/angela-merkel-next-cdu-leader-chancellor-akk-ef095d2c-ff9e-4d12-871a-36d4589866f4.html" target="_blank">resigned</a> as part chair in 2018 with the CDU losing votes to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and to the Greens on the left.</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>The party has regained strength due to perceptions that Merkel has handled the COVID-19 crisis successfully.</li><li>The CDU/CSU union leads the most recent opinion poll with 37%, followed by the Greens (20%), the center-left Social Democratic Party (15%) and the AfD (10%).</li></ul><p><strong>The bottom line: </strong>Laschet, a Merkel loyalist, has promised to keep the party in the "middle of society," signaling a preservation of Merkel's policies.</p></div>
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