Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) sent messages to all members of Congress terminating their positions, stating “Your performance has not been adequate to justify further employment.” All Democratic and independent members of Congress, as well as two Republicans, found themselves locked out of their offices after everything inside had been confiscated.   read more

The surveillance devices have been broadly adopted by police and federal agencies. But it has raised Fourth Amendment concerns among privacy advocates for its ability to collect data on the targets as well as innocent bystanders. "...Absent proper oversight and safeguards, the domestic use of cell-site simulators may well infringe upon the constitutional rights of citizens to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, as well as the right to free association," the report states.   read more

The DEA records — which leading drug wholesalers had fought in court to keep secret — show the wholesalers shipped ever-higher doses of the pills — a telltale sign of growing addictions — even as the death toll climbed. "These numbers will shake even the most cynical observer," said former Delegate/pharmacist Don Perdue. "Distributors have fed their greed on human frailties and to criminal effect. There is no excuse and should be no forgiveness."   read more

The case could offer some credence to Edward Snowden's claim that he could not have reported the government's domestic surveillance program without facing reprisals. Ellard received attention in 2014 for criticizing Snowden, the former NSA contractor who had leaked secret documents about the surveillance program. Snowden says he went public because he feared retaliation from his superiors if he had raised his concerns with them. Ellard had said that Snowden could have safely come to him.   read more

Opponents said the rule supports the environmental movement's efforts to reduce use of fossil fuels that contribute to global warming. NMA's Quinn argued that it will put tens of thousands of Americans out of work. But an Interior official projected that fewer than 300 jobs would be lost after the regulation takes effect. Sierra Club called the rule "a long overdue step toward guaranteeing every community in America is protected from the toxic water pollution caused by surface coal mining."   read more

Patients who got most of their care from women doctors were more likely to leave the hospital alive than those treated by men. The differences were small. But the all-male research team estimated that there would be about 32,000 fewer deaths each year in the U.S. if male physicians performed at the same level as their female peers. Women doctors were found more likely than men to follow treatment guidelines, provide preventive care more often and communicate more with patients.   read more

The Commerce Dept is slated to make no fewer than five decisions about steel trade soon after the inauguration which will directly affect businesses that Ross has a stake in. “His business contacts are deep and wide. Life could be very complicated for Wilbur Ross if he chooses to hang onto those interests,” said Schulzke. “It’s never happened that a Commerce secretary has been so directly involved in the fallout, and rewards, from previous trade deals,” said a former Treasury Dept official.   read more

State lawmakers introduced more than 200 anti-LGBT bills this year and dozens more have been drafted. “Religious freedom is a fundamental right,” said ACLU's Esseks. “Everybody has the right to believe whatever they want about God and religion, but none of that gives anybody the right to discriminate against other people.” Republicans in Congress, who will hold a majority in both chambers under Trump, may try to pass a law meant to allow anyone to act with impunity based on religious belief.   read more

As Trump tries to burn the media village down, he may just be saving it. His running campaign of Twitter attacks and vows to punish the traditional news media is threatening to put the industry on more solid economic footing, where customers are willing to pay for it more regularly. As the country and the world head into this confusing new era, news organizations are in a position to make a newly urgent pitch: Buying a subscription is tantamount to supporting the pillars of democracy.   read more

Civil rights advocates see a growing wave of intolerance that has been amplified by the victory of Trump. Experts on religious freedom worry Trump’s inauguration leaves the future of the religious freedom law in doubt. The man he has nominated to lead the Justice Dept, Sen. Jeff Sessions, has endorsed Trump’s call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration. As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, Sessions might be less sympathetic to pursuing investigations involving Muslim rights.   read more

The San Ardo Field is the 46th largest oil field in the U.S. The oil is “heavy” and has the consistency of ketchup, but by injecting steam it is heated and extracted more easily. Chevron is the largest operator on the site, producing about 11,000 barrels of oil per day. Measure Z, presented to voters as a ban on fracking and risky oil operations to protect the region’s water, passed with 56% approval on Nov. 8. It prohibits fracking and other procedures deemed a danger to groundwater.   read more

Republicans may be handing wealthy Americans a big tax cut by repealing Obamacare. The "repeal" part of the GOP promise would definitely have one-sided consequences, said researcher Gordon Mermin. "This is a change that helps high-income folks more than everyone else," he said. "People who currently get these premium tax credits are going to lose a lot." More than 8 million consumers could take a significant hit. They would lose financial assistance worth several thousand dollars.   read more

The Justice Dept civil rights division based its lawsuit on a law meant to prohibit religious discrimination and prevent unjustified burdens on people exercising their religion. Vanita Gupta, the civil rights division's chief, said they would continue to “aggressively protect” the rights of communities to live, pray and worship. “We have definitely seen a spike in these cases, in problems when it comes to minority religions,” Azzam Elder, lead lawyer for the community center, said Friday.   read more

The rates correspond with women's use of opioid drugs during pregnancy. This includes use or misuse of oxycodone and other prescription opioid painkillers, and use of illegal narcotics. Newborns whose mothers use these drugs during pregnancy are at risk for seizures, excessive crying, problems with breathing, sleeping and feeding and other withdrawal symptoms. Treatment sometimes includes methadone and babies may need to be hospitalized for weeks or months.   read more

The comic book heroine was abruptly fired from her ambassador job at the U.N. following protests from both inside and outside the world organization that a white, skimpily dressed American prone to violence wasn't the best role model for girls. Critics said the appointment was tone deaf at a time when real women are fighting against sexual exploitation and abuse, and that there were plenty of real heroines that could be the face for gender equality.   read more

Teikmanis was recognized by human rights activists when he found protesters against the Soviet-backed regime not guilty for their part in a non-approved demonstration. In 2005, he was named ambassador to Russia, at one point angering Moscow saying the “Russian state is unfriendly to Latvia.” At a Moscow press conference, he was splattered with fruit juice by two members of the National Bolshevik Party protesting the detention of their leader by the Latvian government.   read more

When CIA said Russia likely sought to influence the U.S. election on behalf of Trump, 10 electors sent an unprecedented letter to Director of National Intelligence Clapper demanding a briefing. Their letter described the Electoral College as a deliberative body whose members have more than an "empty or formalistic task" to cast their votes. "There's been an attack on the integrity of the U.S.," said one elector. "As a person with a background in national security, I take that very seriously."   read more