Trump pressured Georgia official to ‘find’ votes; Ga. lieutenant gov condemns ‘inappropriate’ call

BY JACK CROWE

January 04, 2021

Good morning and welcome to the News Editor's Roundup, a weekly newsletter that will ensure you're up to date on the developments in politics, business, and culture that will shape the week's news cycle — as well as those that might escape mainstream attention.

Trump Pressured Georgia Official to 'Find' Votes to Overturn Election Results

President Trump pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" the votes necessary to overturn his election loss in the state, at one point warning him that he is taking "a big risk" if he declines to do so.

In audio of the phone call obtained by the Washington Post, Trump is heard urging Raffensperger to overturn the election results favoring President-elect Joe Biden and insisting that he won the state.

Raffensperger and his office's general counsel repeatedly told the president during the call that they believed their tally showing Biden with a slim 11,779-vote advantage in Georgia was accurate.

"So look. All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state," Trump says on the call.

Georgia Lieutenant Governor Condemns Trump's 'Inappropriate' Call with Secretary of State

Georgia lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan has criticized President Trump's Saturday phone call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which Trump asked the state election chief to "find" additional votes to overturn election results in the state.

"I am 100 percent certified to tell you that it was inappropriate. And it certainly did not help the situation," Duncan told CNN's Alisyn Camerota on Monday. "It was based on misinformation, it was based on, you know, all types of theories that have been debunked and disproved over the course of the last ten weeks."

Pelosi Reelected Speaker of the House

Nancy Pelosi won reelection as Speaker of the House Sunday afternoon.

House members voted to reelect Pelosi in a 216-208 party line vote on Sunday, the first day of the 117th Congress.

The vote left little room for error given Democrats' razor-thin majority in the lower chamber and coronavirus quarantine measures that threatened to prevent several members from making it to the floor for the vote.

McConnell, Pelosi Homes Vandalized after Senate Stalls on $2,000 Stimulus Checks

The homes of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were vandalized on Friday and Saturday after a proposal for $2,000 direct stimulus payments to Americans failed in the Senate.

"WERES [sic] MY MONEY" was graffitied on the front door of McConnell's home in Louisville, Ky. in what appeared to be white spray paint Saturday morning. "MITCH KILLS THE POOR" was written on a window.

The Louisville Metro Police Department is investigating the vandalism and has not identified any suspects yet.

British Judge Denies U.S. Request to Extradite Julian Assange

A British judge has rejected the U.S. request to extradite Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, citing suicide risk.

Assange has been charged in the U.S. with 17 counts of espionage over a 2010 document dump on the Wikileaks site, which revealed classified American military and diplomatic documents.

District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled on Monday that Assange's mental health prevented extradition to the U.S.

"I find that the mental condition of Mr. Assange is such that it would be oppressive to extradite him to the United States of America," Baraister said. Assange is "a depressed and sometimes despairing man" with the "intellect and determination" to commit suicide despite preventative measures.

Larry King Hospitalized with Coronavirus

Legendary talk-show host Larry King has been hospitalized with the coronavirus for over a week, according to multiple reports.

King, 87, is being treated at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He is in isolation and is not currently allowed to receive visits from his three sons, CNN reported.

King hosted CNN's Larry King Live for 25 years until stepping down in 2012. In the 1970s, the Brooklyn native hosted the radio program The Larry King Show. Since leaving CNN, King has hosted Larry King Now on Hulu.