Sen. Dianne Feinstein will lead Democrats as they take on Trump’s Supreme Court nominees; Brian Benczkowski, once dubbed ‘GOP’s go-to guy for hearings,’ helping manage Justice Department transition; Senate will extend existing Iran sanctions, delaying stiffer measures until next year; Republican lawmakers move to restrain President-elect Trump on Russia; If Trump wants to close lobbying loopholes, ethics lawyers have written a proposal to do just that; White House removes petition for climate skeptic’s ouster from Trump transition; Republican governors jubilant about Trump presidency; Trump is back on Twitter with a vengeance; Obama in Athens: ‘The current path of globalization needs a course correction’; Schumer is next top Senate Democrat, adds Sanders to leadership ranks; Warren endorses Ellison for DNC chairman; O’Malley bows out of race;
 
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Jeff Sessions starts to emerge with bigger role in Trump transition
Senator is said to be on short list for defense secretary. His former staff director is helping to manage the Justice Department transition.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein will lead Democrats as they take on Trump’s Supreme Court nominees
Feinstein has taken on the gun industry, the CIA and civil-liberties advocates in her own party during her long tenure in the Senate.
 
Brian Benczkowski, once dubbed ‘GOP’s go-to guy for hearings,’ helping manage Justice Department transition
Brian Benczkowski is a well-regarded lawyer, especially in conservative circles.
 
Senate will extend existing Iran sanctions, delaying stiffer measures until next year
The Senate is expected to pass an extension of existing Iran sanctions in the lame-duck session, leaving the fight over expanding punitive measures for next year.
 
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Republican lawmakers move to restrain President-elect Trump on Russia
Congress, eyeing Trump warming up to Russia, plans early steps to hold the incoming administration in check
 
If Trump wants to close lobbying loopholes, ethics lawyers have written a proposal to do just that
Trump campaigned on a promise to crack down on the influence of special interests in Washington and proposed toughening restrictions on lobbyists.
 
White House removes petition for climate skeptic’s ouster from Trump transition
Note to Trump opponents: you can't use the "We the People" platform to protest the president-elect.
 
Republican governors jubilant about Trump presidency
With the fate of state-level GOP control linked to Trump, governors also are urging discipline.
 
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Trump is back on Twitter with a vengeance
This is an overture to a presidency in which the commander in chief will — at his own behest — telegraph his many moods and grievances to the entire world online.
 
Obama in Athens: ‘The current path of globalization needs a course correction’
The speech represented the third time in as many days that Obama has sought to grapple with the wave of political discontent that swept Donald Trump into the White House.
 
Schumer is next top Senate Democrat, adds Sanders to leadership ranks
Schumer becomes the first New Yorker and first Jewish man to serve as a Senate leader.
 
Warren endorses Ellison for DNC chairman; O’Malley bows out of race
The liberal lawmaker's support adds to a growing list of backers of the Minnesota congressman.
 
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