newsweek--2020-12-20--Arizona GOP Chair Calls for Trump to 'Cross the Rubicon' in Tweet Shared by Michael Flynn

Kelli Ward , the chair of Arizona 's Republican Party , urged President Donald Trump to `` cross the Rubicon '' in a Saturday tweet , referencing the historical act by Julius Caesar which led to the Roman civil war and Caesar becoming a dictator .
Retired General Michael Flynn , who was recently pardoned by Trump , shared Ward 's tweet Sunday .
Trump and his supporters have baselessly claimed that President-elect Joe Biden won the 2020 election due to widespread voter fraud .
There is no evidence to support these allegations , and state and federal judges have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed by the president and his supporters .
Even judges appointed by Trump have pointed out that his attorneys have not provided evidence to back their claims .
But many Republicans are still hoping the president will successfully overturn the election results .
`` Mr. President @ realDonaldTrump - we are with you in # Arizona .
We are working every avenue to stop this coup & to stop our Republic from crumbing .
Patriots are united .
Those who are against us are exposing themselves .
# Liberty & # freedom are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GenFlynn , '' Ward tweeted .
Flynn later retweeted Ward , writing : `` .
@ kelliwardaz has a great feel for the people of Arizona and America .
She continues to # FightForTrump With courage and conviction . ''
Trump pardoned Flynn , who briefly served as his national security adviser at the outset of 2017 , in late November .
The retired general had twice pleaded guilty to charges that he had lied to the FBI regarding conversations he 'd had with a top Russian diplomat .
But in January , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the Justice Department announced in May that it would drop all the charges against Flynn .
This decision led to significant criticism , as many saw the move as resulting from presidential pressure .
Trump then pardoned Flynn on November 26 .
Since his pardon , Flynn has continued to vocally back the president and repeat false claims that the election was `` rigged . ''
Flynn has urged Trump to send in the military to `` rerun an election '' in swing states that went for Biden .
`` People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's something that we 've never done .
Martial law has been instituted 64 times , '' Flynn told Newsmax last week .
Ward 's use of `` cross the Rubicon '' raises questions .
The historical context of the phrase relates to Caesar 's undemocratic ascension to become Rome 's dictator and the start of a civil war .
Newsweek reached out to Ward to ask what she intended to suggest with the hashtag , but she did not immediately respond .
Although Trump still has not accepted the results of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Majority Leader Mitch McConnell—have now recognized Biden 's victory following the Electoral College vote last Monday .
Some GOP lawmakers have suggested they will attempt one more long-shot effort to overturn the results when Congress formally counts the electoral votes on January 6 .
Although some Republican lawmakers may object to the tallies from battleground states , this effort is largely expected to fail .
McConnell and other GOP Senate leaders have urged their colleagues not to sign on to any such efforts by House Republicans .

Kelli Ward, the chair of Arizona's Republican Party, urged President Donald Trump to "cross the Rubicon" in a Saturday tweet, referencing the historical act by Julius Caesar which led to the Roman civil war and Caesar becoming a dictator. Retired General Michael Flynn, who was recently pardoned by Trump, shared Ward's tweet Sunday.
Trump and his supporters have baselessly claimed that President-elect Joe Biden won the 2020 election due to widespread voter fraud. There is no evidence to support these allegations, and state and federal judges have consistently dismissed or rejected dozens of lawsuits filed by the president and his supporters. Even judges appointed by Trump have pointed out that his attorneys have not provided evidence to back their claims. But many Republicans are still hoping the president will successfully overturn the election results.
"Mr. President @realDonaldTrump - we are with you in #Arizona. We are working every avenue to stop this coup & to stop our Republic from crumbing. Patriots are united. Those who are against us are exposing themselves. #Liberty & #freedom are on the line. #CrossTheRubicon @GenFlynn," Ward tweeted.
Flynn later retweeted Ward, writing: ".@kelliwardaz has a great feel for the people of Arizona and America. She continues to #FightForTrump With courage and conviction."
.@kelliwardaz has a great feel for the people of Arizona and America. She continues to #FightForTrump With courage and conviction. @realDonaldTrump@POTUS https://t.co/rj2UZJbQBi — General Flynn (@GenFlynn) December 20, 2020
Trump pardoned Flynn, who briefly served as his national security adviser at the outset of 2017, in late November. The retired general had twice pleaded guilty to charges that he had lied to the FBI regarding conversations he'd had with a top Russian diplomat. But in January, Flynn moved to withdraw his guilty plea, and the Justice Department announced in May that it would drop all the charges against Flynn. This decision led to significant criticism, as many saw the move as resulting from presidential pressure. Trump then pardoned Flynn on November 26.
Since his pardon, Flynn has continued to vocally back the president and repeat false claims that the election was "rigged." Flynn has urged Trump to send in the military to "rerun an election" in swing states that went for Biden.
"People out there talk about martial law like it's something that we've never done. Martial law has been instituted 64 times," Flynn told Newsmax last week.
Ward's use of "cross the Rubicon" raises questions. The historical context of the phrase relates to Caesar's undemocratic ascension to become Rome's dictator and the start of a civil war. Newsweek reached out to Ward to ask what she intended to suggest with the hashtag, but she did not immediately respond.
Former General Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump’s recently pardoned national security adviser, speaks during a protest of the outcome of the 2020 presidential election outside the Supreme Court on December 12 in Washington, D.C. Tasos Katopodis/Getty
Although Trump still has not accepted the results of the election, leading Republican lawmakers—including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell—have now recognized Biden's victory following the Electoral College vote last Monday. Some GOP lawmakers have suggested they will attempt one more long-shot effort to overturn the results when Congress formally counts the electoral votes on January 6.
Although some Republican lawmakers may object to the tallies from battleground states, this effort is largely expected to fail. McConnell and other GOP Senate leaders have urged their colleagues not to sign on to any such efforts by House Republicans.


newsweek--2020-12-20--Nico Vega Slams Use of Its Song 'Beast' in 'Fight for Trump' Video Shared by President

Alternative rock band Nico Vega criticized a `` fight for Trump '' video , shared by President Donald Trump Saturday , for using one of its songs .
`` To be clear , Nico Vega does not support the use of our song 'Beast ' in Trump 's recent video , '' Nico Vega said in a statement posted to Twitter Saturday night .
`` We have love and empathy for all people of all backgrounds , races and beliefs , and we feel sick how all Americans ' fears and vulnerabilities have been exploited over the last four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We will not participate in a form of propaganda that pits Americans against one another . ''
Trump posted a one-minute and 39-second video advertisement titled `` Fight for Trump !
Save America—Save the World '' to his Twitter account on Saturday .
The video features footage of people in Great Britain , Hong Kong , Nigeria , South Korea , India and Israel allegedly chanting `` fight for trump '' while waving American flags and holding up posters in support of the president .
Nico Vega 's song `` Beast '' is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. are shown protesting , driving and boating while waving Trump flags .
In its statement on Twitter , the alternative rock band noted : `` The meaning of this song is to love thy neighbor .
To stand up for the underdog and to rise together around the commonality of love .
Without division ! ''
Through his 2016 and 2020 campaign , Trump has been confronted by multiple artists—including Neil Young , Steven Tyler , Rihanna , Adele , Elton John , the Rolling Stones , Queen and Pharrell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during his rallies .
The president shared the video on the same day he urged his Twitter followers to join `` wild '' protests in Washington , D.C. on January 6 , when lawmakers will count Biden 's 306 to 232 win among state electoral votes .
The president referred to a report from White House adviser Peter Navarro alleging there was `` more than sufficient '' evidence to claim Trump won the election .
The president later urged Republican congressional leaders to to not acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden 's victory .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He lost all six swing states , by a lot .
They then dumped hundreds of thousands of voters in each one and got caught , '' Trump tweeted .
`` Now Republican politicians have to fight so that their great victory is not stolen .
Do n't be weak fools ! ''
Newsweek reached out to Trump 's re-election campaign but did n't hear back in time for publication .

Alternative rock band Nico Vega criticized a "fight for Trump" video, shared by President Donald Trump Saturday, for using one of its songs.
"To be clear, Nico Vega does not support the use of our song 'Beast' in Trump's recent video," Nico Vega said in a statement posted to Twitter Saturday night.
"We have love and empathy for all people of all backgrounds, races and beliefs, and we feel sick how all Americans' fears and vulnerabilities have been exploited over the last four years," the band continued. "We will not participate in a form of propaganda that pits Americans against one another."
To be clear, Nico Vega DOES NOT support the use of our song “Beast” in Trump’s recent video. Please read the attached screenshot for our full statement. https://t.co/jijBNp7cjS pic.twitter.com/k2qatmT66U — Nico Vega (@nicovega) December 20, 2020
Trump posted a one-minute and 39-second video advertisement titled "Fight for Trump! Save America—Save the World" to his Twitter account on Saturday.
The video features footage of people in Great Britain, Hong Kong, Nigeria, South Korea, India and Israel allegedly chanting "fight for trump" while waving American flags and holding up posters in support of the president.
Nico Vega's song "Beast" is playing in the background as Trump supporters in the U.S. are shown protesting, driving and boating while waving Trump flags.
In its statement on Twitter, the alternative rock band noted: "The meaning of this song is to love thy neighbor. To stand up for the underdog and to rise together around the commonality of love. Without division!"
The band Nico Vega slammed the use of its song 'Beast' in a 'Fight for Trump' video shared by the president Saturday. Here lead singer Aja Volkman performs in 2014 in Berlin. Photo by Frank Hoensch/Redferns via Getty Images/Getty
Through his 2016 and 2020 campaign, Trump has been confronted by multiple artists—including Neil Young, Steven Tyler, Rihanna, Adele, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Queen and Pharrell Williams—for using their music in advertisements and during his rallies.
The president shared the video on the same day he urged his Twitter followers to join "wild" protests in Washington, D.C. on January 6, when lawmakers will count Biden's 306 to 232 win among state electoral votes.
The president referred to a report from White House adviser Peter Navarro alleging there was "more than sufficient" evidence to claim Trump won the election.
Peter Navarro releases 36-page report alleging election fraud 'more than sufficient' to swing victory to Trump https://t.co/D8KrMHnFdK. A great report by Peter. Statistically impossible to have lost the 2020 Election. Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2020
The president later urged Republican congressional leaders to to not acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden's victory.
"He didn't win the Election. He lost all six swing states, by a lot. They then dumped hundreds of thousands of voters in each one and got caught," Trump tweeted. "Now Republican politicians have to fight so that their great victory is not stolen. Don't be weak fools!"
He didn’t win the Election. He lost all 6 Swing States, by a lot. They then dumped hundreds of thousands of votes in each one, and got caught. Now Republican politicians have to fight so that their great victory is not stolen. Don’t be weak fools! https://t.co/d9Bgu8XPIj — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2020
Twitter noted his tweets contained "disputed" information.
Newsweek reached out to Trump's re-election campaign but didn't hear back in time for publication.


newsweek--2020-12-20--GOP Senator Confirms $600 Stimulus Checks in COVID Relief Bill Headed for Vote

The next coronavirus relief bill will include $ 600 stimulus payments to eligible U.S. adults , Wyoming Republican Senator John Barrasso said Sunday .
The Senate Republican Conference chair provided updates about lawmakers ' stimulus negotiations during an interview with Fox News anchor Chris Wallace , as partisan discussions near an expected conclusion after months in limbo .
`` This gets done today .
No more delays .
We 're not leaving until we have relief for the American people , '' Barrasso told Wallace of the legislation , which aims to provide economic support to state and local governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will allocate roughly $ 900 billion in federal funds to various initiatives that endeavor to do this more directly , including unemployment benefits plans and the Paycheck Protection Program .
`` People are hurting , people need help , and there are two things we need to do to write this final chapter on coronavirus , '' Barrasso continued .
`` And the one is to get people vaccinated ... but we need to provide help for the American people who have been struggling until we get enough people vaccinated that we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer additionally confirmed lawmakers ' intentions to vote on a COVID-19 relief proposal before the end of Sunday evening .
In a statement detailing the afternoon 's meeting schedule for members of the House , his office noted that `` votes are expected in the House today related to government funding and further Coronavirus relief legislation . ''
Congressional leaders have struggled to reach agreements on several of the bill 's key terms , causing a standstill that persisted through the latter half of the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to circulate on whether it would include another round of direct payments .
The Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act , a bipartisan bill passed shortly after the COVID-19 outbreak began in March , offered an initial round of stimulus checks to U.S. adults who qualified .
Those payments totaled as much as $ 1,200 per individual , with additional sums allocated to caretakers with dependents of a certain age .
Many have argued that $ 600 stimulus payments are not substantial enough to provide Americans with necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate and severe financial consequences to local businesses .
Last week , more than 750,000 Twitter users responded a survey posted by Democratic New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expressing frustration over the insufficient funding amount .
Newsweek reached out to Barrasso 's office for further comment but did not receive a reply in time for publication .

The next coronavirus relief bill will include $600 stimulus payments to eligible U.S. adults, Wyoming Republican Senator John Barrasso said Sunday.
The Senate Republican Conference chair provided updates about lawmakers' stimulus negotiations during an interview with Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, as partisan discussions near an expected conclusion after months in limbo.
"This gets done today. No more delays. We're not leaving until we have relief for the American people," Barrasso told Wallace of the legislation, which aims to provide economic support to state and local governments, small businesses and individuals. It will allocate roughly $900 billion in federal funds to various initiatives that endeavor to do this more directly, including unemployment benefits plans and the Paycheck Protection Program.
"People are hurting, people need help, and there are two things we need to do to write this final chapter on coronavirus," Barrasso continued. "And the one is to get people vaccinated...but we need to provide help for the American people who have been struggling until we get enough people vaccinated that we can fully get the economy back on track."
Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer additionally confirmed lawmakers' intentions to vote on a COVID-19 relief proposal before the end of Sunday evening. In a statement detailing the afternoon's meeting schedule for members of the House, his office noted that "votes are expected in the House today related to government funding and further Coronavirus relief legislation."
Hoyer releases updated House schedule for its Sunday session today, meeting at 12 Noon followed immediately by a recess until COVID-19 relief/gov't funding deal is ready for floor action: "Members are further advised that votes could occur late into the evening." pic.twitter.com/8Lk8zlOzb8 — Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) December 20, 2020
Republican Congressman John Barrasso confirmed the next COVID-19 relief bill will include $600 direct payments to eligible U.S. adults. The Wyoming senator speaks during a news conference following the weekly meeting with the Senate Republican caucus at the U.S. Capitol on December 15 in Washington, D.C. Rod Lamkey/Pool/Getty Images
Congressional leaders have struggled to reach agreements on several of the bill's key terms, causing a standstill that persisted through the latter half of the year. Public inquiries about the legislation continued to circulate on whether it would include another round of direct payments.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a bipartisan bill passed shortly after the COVID-19 outbreak began in March, offered an initial round of stimulus checks to U.S. adults who qualified. Those payments totaled as much as $1,200 per individual, with additional sums allocated to caretakers with dependents of a certain age.
Many have argued that $600 stimulus payments are not substantial enough to provide Americans with necessary support, especially given the ongoing unemployment rate and severe financial consequences to local businesses. Last week, more than 750,000 Twitter users responded a survey posted by Democratic New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expressing frustration over the insufficient funding amount.
Newsweek reached out to Barrasso's office for further comment but did not receive a reply in time for publication.


newsweek--2020-12-20--College Football Playoffs Announced, 2020 Bowl Game Schedule

The College Football Playoff ( CFP ) committee announced its final rankings Sunday afternoon , which included the top four teams that advance to the playoff for the national championship .
The Alabama Crimson Tide is the No .
1 team , followed by No .
2 Clemson , No .
3 Ohio State and No .
4 The college playoff semifinals will be played in the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl on January 1 , 2021 , and the national championship will be January 11 , 2021 in Miami .
( Note : The Rose Bowl will be played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CFP Semifinal # 1 Rose Bowl Game Presented by Capital One No.1 Alabama vs No .
4 Notre Dame AT & T Stadium • Arlington , Texas 5 p.m. • ESPN CFP Semifinal # 2 Allstate Sugar Bowl No .
2 Clemson vs No .
3 Ohio State Mercedes-Benz Superdome • New Orleans , Louisiana 8:45 p.m. • ESPN Here is the committee 's final ranking ( of 1-6 ) and up-to-date bowl pairings : Alabama has been ranked No .
1 in the CFP rankings 23 times now , more than all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the top spot .
The College Football Playoff matches the No .
1 ranked team vs. No .
4 , and No .
2 vs. No .
3 in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games—the Cotton Bowl , Fiesta Bowl , Peach Bowl , Orange Bowl , Sugar Bowl and the Rose Bowl Game .
This season 's Playoff Semifinals will take place Friday , January 1 , 2021 , at the Rose Bowl Game and the Sugar Bowl .
The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens , Florida .
Last season 's NFL Super Bowl was played at Hard Rock Stadium .
Here are the Bowl Pairings for the 2020 season ( all times ET ) .
They will be unveiled throughout Sunday afternoon .
Keep this page bookmarked to see updated pairings .
CFP Semifinal # 1 Rose Bowl Game Presented by Capital One No.1 Alabama vs No .
4 Notre Dame AT & T Stadium • Arlington , Texas 5 p.m. • ESPN CFP Semifinal # 2 Allstate Sugar Bowl No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio State Mercedes-Benz Superdome • New Orleans , Louisiana 8:45 p.m. • ESPN Capital One Orange Bowl Texas A & M vs North Carolina Hard Rock Stadium • Miami Gardens , Florida 8 p.m. • ESPN

The College Football Playoff (CFP) committee announced its final rankings Sunday afternoon, which included the top four teams that advance to the playoff for the national championship. The Alabama Crimson Tide is the No. 1 team, followed by No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4
The college playoff semifinals will be played in the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl on January 1, 2021, and the national championship will be January 11, 2021 in Miami. (Note: The Rose Bowl will be played in Arlington, Texas this year)
CFP Semifinal #1
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Capital One
No.1 Alabama vs No. 4 Notre Dame
AT&T Stadium • Arlington, Texas
5 p.m. • ESPN
CFP Semifinal #2
Allstate Sugar Bowl
No. 2 Clemson vs No. 3 Ohio State
Mercedes-Benz Superdome • New Orleans, Louisiana
8:45 p.m. • ESPN
Mac Jones #10 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after a rush by Najee Harris #22 against the Florida Gators during the second half of the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 19, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. After a review, it was determined Harris had scored a touchdown. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Here is the committee's final ranking (of 1-6) and up-to-date bowl pairings:
Alabama (11-0) Clemson (10-1) Ohio State (6-0) Notre Dame (10-1) Texas A&M (8-1) Oklahoma (8-2) Florida (8-3) Cincinnati (9-0) Georgia (7-2) Iowa State (8-3) Indiana (6-1) Coastal carolina (11-1) North Carolina (8-3) Northwestern (6-2) Iowa (6-2) BYU (10-1) USC (5-1) Miami (8-2) Louisiana (9-1) Texas (6-3) Oklahoma State (7-3) San Jose State (7-0) N.C. State (8-3) Tulsa (6-2) Oregon (4-2)
Alabama has been ranked No. 1 in the CFP rankings 23 times now, more than all other teams combined at 19 times ranked at the top spot.
The College Football Playoff matches the No. 1 ranked team vs. No. 4, and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games—the Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl and the Rose Bowl Game.
This season's Playoff Semifinals will take place Friday, January 1, 2021, at the Rose Bowl Game and the Sugar Bowl. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 11, 2021, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Last season's NFL Super Bowl was played at Hard Rock Stadium.
Here are the Bowl Pairings for the 2020 season (all times ET). They will be unveiled throughout Sunday afternoon. Keep this page bookmarked to see updated pairings.
Monday, December 21
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Appalachian State vs North Texas
Brooks Stadium • Conway, South Carolina
2:30 p.m. • ESPN
Tuesday, December 22
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Tulane vs Nevada
Albertsons Stadium • Boise, Idaho
3:30 p.m. • ESPN
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
UCF vs BYU
FAU Stadium • Boca Raton, Florida
7 p.m. • ESPN
Wednesday, December 23
R+L Carriers Bowl
Louisiana Tech vs Georgia Southern
Mercedes-Benz Superdome • New Orleans, Louisiana
3 p.m. • ESPN
Montgomery Bowl
Memphis vs Florida Atlantic
Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, Alabama
7 p.m. • ESPN
Thursday, December 24
New Mexico Bowl
Hawai'i vs Houston
Toyota Stadium • Frisco, Texas
3:30 p.m. • ESPN
Friday, December 25
Camelia Bowl
Marshall vs Buffalo
Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, Alabama
2:30 p.m. • ESPN
Saturday, December 26
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
South Carolina vs UAB
Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, Florida
Noon • ABC
FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl
Liberty vs Coastal Carolina
Camping World Stadium • Orlando, Florida
Noon • ESPN
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
UTSA vs Louisiana
Gerald J. Ford Stadium • Dallas, Texas
3:30 p.m. • ABC
LendingTree Bowl
Western Kentucky vs Georgia State
Ladd-Peebles Stadium • Mobile, Alabama
3:30 p.m. • ESPN
Monday, December 28
Military Bowl Presented by Perspects
TBD
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, Maryland
2:30 p.m. • ESPN
Tuesday, December 29
Cheez-It Bowl
Miami (Fla.) vs Oklahoma State
Camping World Stadium • Orlando, Florida
5:30 p.m. • ESPN
Valero Alamo Bowl
Texas vs Colorado
Alamodome • San Antonio, Texas
9 p.m. • ESPN
Wednesday, December 30
Duke's Mayo Bowl
Wake Forest vs Wisconsin
Bank of America Stadium • Charlotte, North Carolina
Noon • ESPN
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Missouri vs Iowa
Nissan Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee
4 p.m. • ESPN
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Oklahoma vs Florida
AT&T Stadium • Arlington, Texas
8 p.m. • ESPN
Thursday, December 31
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Tulsa vs Mississippi State
Amon G. Carter Stadium • Fort Worth, Texas
Noon • ESPN
Arizona Bowl
Ball State vs San Jose State
Arizona Stadium • Tucson, Arizona
2 p.m. • CBSSN
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
West Virginia vs Tennessee
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium • Memphis, Tennessee
4 p.m. • ESPN
Mercari Texas Bowl
TCU vs Arkansas
NRG Stadium • Houston, Texas
8 p.m. • ESPN
Friday, January 1
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Cincinnati vs Georgia
Mercedes-Benz Stadium • Atlanta, Georgia
12:30 p.m. • ESPN
Vrbo Citrus Bowl
Auburn vs Northwestern
Camping World Stadium • Orlando, Florida
1 p.m. • ABC
CFP Semifinal #1
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Capital One
No.1 Alabama vs No. 4 Notre Dame
AT&T Stadium • Arlington, Texas
5 p.m. • ESPN
CFP Semifinal #2
Allstate Sugar Bowl
No. 2 Clemson vs No. 3 Ohio State
Mercedes-Benz Superdome • New Orleans, Louisiana
8:45 p.m. • ESPN
Saturday, January 2
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
N.C. State vs Kentucky
TIAA Bank Field • Jacksonville, Florida
Noon • ESPN
Outback Bowl
Ole Miss vs Indiana
Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, Florida
12:30 p.m. • ABC
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
Oregon vs Iowa State
State Farm Stadium • Glendale, Arizona
4 p.m. • ESPN
Capital One Orange Bowl
Texas A&M vs North Carolina
Hard Rock Stadium • Miami Gardens, Florida
8 p.m. • ESPN
Monday, January 11
CFP National Championship
TBD vs TBD
Hard Rock Stadium • Miami Gardens, Florida
8 p.m. • ESPN
Canceled Bowl Games
Redbox Bowl
Hawai'i Bowl
Bahamas Bowl
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Quick Lane Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
LA Bowl
Tony the Tiger Bowl
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Guaranteed Rate Bowl


newsweek--2020-12-20--Mitt Romney Accuses Trump of Having 'Blind Spot' When It Comes to Russia

Senator Mitt Romney , a Utah Republican , accused President Donald Trump of having a `` blind spot '' when it comes to Russia after the command-in-chief downplayed the threat of an alleged Russian hack targeting top federal agencies .
Trump on Saturday tweeted about the SolarWinds software hack , which compromised federal agencies including the departments of Treasury , Homeland Security , Commerce and others , suggesting that the seriousness of the breach had been overhyped by the media .
He also called into question the consensus that Russia was behind the cyberattack , suggesting that it could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I was disappointed with the president 's comment .
But I think we 've come to recognize that the president has a blind spot when it comes to Russia , '' Romney told NBC News ' Meet the Press on Sunday when he was asked about Trump 's remarks .
`` The reality here is that the experts , the people who really understand how our systems work and how computers work and software and so forth , the thousands upon thousands at the CIA and the NSA and the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Russia , '' the Republican senator said .
Romney described the cyber invasion as `` extraordinary , '' pointing out that the alleged Russian hackers `` basically have the capacity to know what we 're doing . ''
`` They even got into the agency that 's responsible for our nuclear capacities , for our research with regards to nuclear weaponry .
This is an extraordinarily damaging invasion and it went on for a long , long time , '' the GOP lawmaker said .
News of the cyberattack broke last Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had managed to install malware in an update of SolarWinds Orion software .
SolarWinds has said that about 18,000 clients—including government agencies and hundreds of Fortune 500 companies—downloaded the update , potentially compromising their computer systems .
The scope of the breach and its implications remain under investigation , but the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at DHS has warned that the hack poses a `` grave risk '' to the U.S. government .
Trump has consistently downplayed concerns about Russia , and the first two years of the president 's tenure in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election .
Mueller , along with other U.S. intelligence agencies , concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Trump .
However , the special counsel did not find evidence to show that Trump or his campaign officials had conspired with Russia .
Regardless of Mueller 's conclusions , Democrats—and some Republicans—have repeatedly raised concerns about the president 's willingness to defend Russia , and in particular Russian President Vladimir Putin .
Trump has repeatedly expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activity and has insisted that his administration has been exceptionally tough in response to the U.S. rival .
Despite Trump 's effort to downplay the threat of the Russian hack and cast doubt on Russia 's involvement , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top GOP lawmakers have placed the blame squarely on Moscow 's shoulders .
`` This was a very significant effort , and I think it 's the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity , '' Pompeo told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator Marco Rubio , a Florida Republican who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee , also blamed Russia for the cyberattack .
`` Increasingly clear that Russian intelligence conducted the gravest cyber intrusion in our history , '' Rubio tweeted on Saturday .
`` The process of determining its extent & assessing the damage is underway .
Remediation will take time & significant resources .
Our response must be proportional but significant . ''
Reuters reported on Sunday that President-elect Joe Biden 's transition team is already weighing how to respond to Russia in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the table include further financial sanctions targeting Moscow or even a cyberattack targeting Russian infrastructure .
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response .

Senator Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican, accused President Donald Trump of having a "blind spot" when it comes to Russia after the command-in-chief downplayed the threat of an alleged Russian hack targeting top federal agencies.
Trump on Saturday tweeted about the SolarWinds software hack, which compromised federal agencies including the departments of Treasury, Homeland Security, Commerce and others, suggesting that the seriousness of the breach had been overhyped by the media. He also called into question the consensus that Russia was behind the cyberattack, suggesting that it could have been carried out by China instead.
"I was disappointed with the president's comment. But I think we've come to recognize that the president has a blind spot when it comes to Russia," Romney told NBC News' Meet the Press on Sunday when he was asked about Trump's remarks.
President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany on July 7, 2017. Senator Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican, said Sunday that Trump has a "blind spot" when it comes to Russia after the president downplayed the SolarWinds cyberattack. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top GOP lawmakers have placed the blame squarely on Moscow's shoulders. SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty
"The reality here is that the experts, the people who really understand how our systems work and how computers work and software and so forth, the thousands upon thousands at the CIA and the NSA and the Department of Defense, have determined that this came from Russia," the Republican senator said. Romney described the cyber invasion as "extraordinary," pointing out that the alleged Russian hackers "basically have the capacity to know what we're doing."
"They even got into the agency that's responsible for our nuclear capacities, for our research with regards to nuclear weaponry. This is an extraordinarily damaging invasion and it went on for a long, long time," the GOP lawmaker said.
News of the cyberattack broke last Sunday, when it was reported that hackers had managed to install malware in an update of SolarWinds Orion software. SolarWinds has said that about 18,000 clients—including government agencies and hundreds of Fortune 500 companies—downloaded the update, potentially compromising their computer systems. The scope of the breach and its implications remain under investigation, but the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at DHS has warned that the hack poses a "grave risk" to the U.S. government.
Trump has consistently downplayed concerns about Russia, and the first two years of the president's tenure in the White House were largely overshadowed by an investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Mueller, along with other U.S. intelligence agencies, concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Trump. However, the special counsel did not find evidence to show that Trump or his campaign officials had conspired with Russia.
Regardless of Mueller's conclusions, Democrats—and some Republicans—have repeatedly raised concerns about the president's willingness to defend Russia, and in particular Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration when confronted with Russia's malign activity and has insisted that his administration has been exceptionally tough in response to the U.S. rival.
Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Sunday accused President Donald Trump of having a "blind spot" when it comes to Russia. Here he speaks alongside a bipartisan group of Democrat and Republican members of Congress on December 14 in Washington, D.C. Tasos Katopodis/Getty
Despite Trump's effort to downplay the threat of the Russian hack and cast doubt on Russia's involvement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top GOP lawmakers have placed the blame squarely on Moscow's shoulders.
"This was a very significant effort, and I think it's the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity," Pompeo told The Mark Levin Show on Friday.
Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, also blamed Russia for the cyberattack.
"Increasingly clear that Russian intelligence conducted the gravest cyber intrusion in our history," Rubio tweeted on Saturday. "The process of determining its extent & assessing the damage is underway. Remediation will take time & significant resources. Our response must be proportional but significant."
Reuters reported on Sunday that President-elect Joe Biden's transition team is already weighing how to respond to Russia in the wake of the hack. Options on the table include further financial sanctions targeting Moscow or even a cyberattack targeting Russian infrastructure.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response.


newsweek--2020-12-20--Ex-CDC Official on Agency and White House Clash Over COVID Response: 'Messaging Won' Over Science

Kyle McGowan and Amanda Campbell , the former chief and deputy chief of staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) respectively , continued to speak out about political pressures impacting the agency 's COVID-19 response on Sunday .
Addressing the Trump administration 's stifling bureaucratic influence during an appearance on NBC News ' Meet the Press , McGowan and Campbell discussed how White House pushback changed the CDC 's approach to pandemic management this year .
Their latest comments followed last week 's New York Times report in which the two first shed light on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` As Amanda and I worked in the spring and summer , we saw more and more , the administration wanting a larger say in the messaging that was coming out of the CDC , '' McGowan told Meet the Press host Chuck Todd during Sunday morning 's interview , referencing the public health bureau 's guidance related to the novel coronavirus and recommended steps to mitigate transmission .
`` When that messaging clashed with the science , the messaging won , '' the former chief continued .
`` And you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the CDC will be able to again talk directly to the American people . ''
Civilians and leaders across the U.S. came to regard the CDC as a principal resource for information about COVID-19 , and how to lower risks of further spread , shortly after the pandemic 's onset last spring .
The agency has issued updated guidance about the viral respiratory disease , its primary modes of transmission , and what people can do to protect themselves in the absence of a widely available vaccine throughout the outbreak .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus ' proliferation are based on CDC recommendations .
In their joint New York Times interview , and again on Sunday , McGowan and Campbell detailed instances where the White House acted as a barrier to the CDC as it attempted to deliver information to the general populous .
Campbell specifically recalled one example of Donald Trump 's opposition prompting an amended approach from the agency in her comments to Todd on Meet the Press .
`` We did see , more and more often , individuals across the administration commenting on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put out .
And , unfortunately , that often led to delays , '' she said .
`` And in some cases ... it let to us having to go back and make changes and do additional guidance in order to provide the right information , and more information , really , to the American people . ''
In July , the CDC released a revised set of guidelines to reopen schools after its initial criteria faced criticism from the president .
`` I disagree with @ CDCgov on their very tough & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump wrote .
`` While they want them to open , they are asking schools to do very impractical things .
I will be meeting with them !
!
! ''
Trump has been subject to widespread criticism himself for the federal government 's response to COVID-19 , which many continue to denounce as a failure given the high incidence of positive cases , hospitalizations and deaths recorded in the U.S. More than 17.6 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 nationwide as of Sunday morning , and nearly 316,300 have died as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University 's data .
Newsweek reached out to the CDC and White House for comments , but did not receive replies in time for publication .

Kyle McGowan and Amanda Campbell, the former chief and deputy chief of staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) respectively, continued to speak out about political pressures impacting the agency's COVID-19 response on Sunday.
Addressing the Trump administration's stifling bureaucratic influence during an appearance on NBC News' Meet the Press, McGowan and Campbell discussed how White House pushback changed the CDC's approach to pandemic management this year. Their latest comments followed last week's New York Times report in which the two first shed light on what they described as ongoing governmental manipulation.
"As Amanda and I worked in the spring and summer, we saw more and more, the administration wanting a larger say in the messaging that was coming out of the CDC," McGowan told Meet the Press host Chuck Todd during Sunday morning's interview, referencing the public health bureau's guidance related to the novel coronavirus and recommended steps to mitigate transmission.
"When that messaging clashed with the science, the messaging won," the former chief continued. "And you know, it's our hope moving forward that the CDC will be able to again talk directly to the American people."
EXCLUSIVE: Former CDC chief of staff says the Trump administration started demanding “a larger say in the messaging that was coming out of the CDC” about Covid-19 in spring.@KMcGowan08: “When that messaging clashed with the science, the messaging won.” pic.twitter.com/BaOcA4HMtj — Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) December 20, 2020
Civilians and leaders across the U.S. came to regard the CDC as a principal resource for information about COVID-19, and how to lower risks of further spread, shortly after the pandemic's onset last spring. The agency has issued updated guidance about the viral respiratory disease, its primary modes of transmission, and what people can do to protect themselves in the absence of a widely available vaccine throughout the outbreak. Many state and local regulations to mitigate the virus' proliferation are based on CDC recommendations.
In their joint New York Times interview, and again on Sunday, McGowan and Campbell detailed instances where the White House acted as a barrier to the CDC as it attempted to deliver information to the general populous. Campbell specifically recalled one example of Donald Trump's opposition prompting an amended approach from the agency in her comments to Todd on Meet the Press.
"We did see, more and more often, individuals across the administration commenting on the guidance that the CDC was trying to put out. And, unfortunately, that often led to delays," she said. "And in some cases...it let to us having to go back and make changes and do additional guidance in order to provide the right information, and more information, really, to the American people."
NEW: Fmr. CDC Dep. Chief of Staff Amanda Campbell says “individuals across the administration” commented on CDC’s Covid guidance through summer 2020.
Campbell: “What was so critical during that time ... was CDC to be able to get information out quickly to the American people.” pic.twitter.com/PKaInaVVgT — Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) December 20, 2020
In July, the CDC released a revised set of guidelines to reopen schools after its initial criteria faced criticism from the president. "I disagree with @CDCgov on their very tough & expensive guidelines for opening schools," Trump wrote. "While they want them to open, they are asking schools to do very impractical things. I will be meeting with them!!!"
Trump has been subject to widespread criticism himself for the federal government's response to COVID-19, which many continue to denounce as a failure given the high incidence of positive cases, hospitalizations and deaths recorded in the U.S. More than 17.6 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 nationwide as of Sunday morning, and nearly 316,300 have died as a result, according to Johns Hopkins University's data.
Newsweek reached out to the CDC and White House for comments, but did not receive replies in time for publication.