Politics A.M.: FEC spares Trump but fines tabloid publisher for hush-money payment to ex-Playboy model who claimed affair with him

Here's where GOP lawmakers have passed new voting restrictions around the country; To build a crowd for a pro-Trump rally, Nevada GOP consultant sought help from Proud Boys; Democrat wins New Mexico special election for U.S. House, overcoming a Republican emphasis on rising crime; McConnell backs Trump's legal challenges; Biden urges Americans to wear masks to protect against the coronavirus; Biden commemorates the 100th anniversary of Tulsa race massacre ; Trump team's effort to explain away Lafayette Square hits yet another snag, one year later; Video indicates how McCarthy and Luntz mixed friendship and business; The organized far-right threat on Jan. 6 comes into sharper focus; At Tulsa event, Biden announces Harris will lead push for voting protections in response to states' recent ballot restrictions ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Introductory offer: Get one year of digital access for just $29.   View offer Sign up for this newsletter Read online The most important politics stories today.     (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Playboy) FEC spares Trump but fines tabloid publisher for hush-money payment to ex-Playboy model who claimed affair with him The decision came in response to a complaint that the company's $150,000 payment to Karen McDougal months before the 2016 election was an illegal in-kind corporate contribution to Trump's presidential campaign. By Felicia Sonmez ●  Read more »   Here's where GOP lawmakers have passed new voting restrictions around the country While Texas Democrats stymied legislation in their state that would have created new hurdles in the voting process, at least 14 states have enacted new laws this year that tighten the rules around casting ballots By Elise Viebeck ●  Read more »   To build a crowd for a pro-Trump rally, Nevada GOP consultant sought help from Proud Boys The move, facilitated by an activist with connections to the group, showed the effort to demonstrate grass-roots energy behind Trump and spread his falsehoods about the election. By Michael Scherer ●  Read more »   Democrat wins New Mexico special election for U.S. House, overcoming a Republican emphasis on rising crime The victor appears to have benefited from the early vote in a district Joe Biden won by 23 points in 2020. By David Weigel ●  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT   McConnell backs Trump's legal challenges; Biden urges Americans to wear masks to protect against the coronavirus The president-elect plans to focus heavily on the pandemic while the president, who has not conceded the election, presses ahead with legal challenges in states where he is trailing in the vote count. By Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner and Paulina Firozi ●  Read more »   Biden commemorates the 100th anniversary of Tulsa race massacre The president is scheduled to visit the site of a once-prosperous Black business district and neighborhood that was ravaged by a White mob in one of the worst episodes of racial violence in U.S. history. By Felicia Sonmez and John Wagner ●  Read more »   Trump team's effort to explain away Lafayette Square hits yet another snag, one year later The Trump administration has given differing and at times contradictory accounts of why protesters were cleared outside Lafayette Square on June 1. Analysis ●  By JM Rieger ●  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT   Video indicates how McCarthy and Luntz mixed friendship and business House GOP leader appears to have participated in pollster's focus group while staying in his apartment. Analysis ●  By Glenn Kessler ●  Read more »   The organized far-right threat on Jan. 6 comes into sharper focus Even as Republicans continue to deflect to the left. Analysis ●  By Philip Bump ●  Read more »   At Tulsa event, Biden announces Harris will lead push for voting protections in response to states' recent ballot restrictions The first president to travel to Tulsa and participate in events to remember the 1921 massacre of Black residents, he also unveiled policies intended to narrow the wealth gap between Black and White Americans. By Tyler Pager and Annie Linskey ●  Read more »     We think you'll like this newsletter Check out Coronavirus Updates for news to help you stay safe and informed during the pandemic. Access to all stories in the newsletter is free. Sign up »

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