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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced late Thursday that he has chosen a longtime corporate lobbyist and Republican donor to serve as assistant secretary for tax policy at the Treasury Department as GOP lawmakers prepare to craft another massive giveaway to the rich and major companies.

Ken Kies is currently managing director of the Federal Policy Group, a lobbying firm that was hired last year by Microsoft, the Cruise Lines International Association, the American Automotive Leasing Association, and other corporate interests. If Trump and the incoming Republican Congress succeed in lowering the corporate tax rate to 15%, Microsoft would receive an annual tax break of $4 billion, according to one analysis.

While President-elect Donald Trump has escaped legal jeopardy, Politico reports that one-time Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani is not so lucky.

As Politico's Kyle Cheney tells it on his Blue Sky account, Giuliani faces "a hellish month" in court as he faces two different contempt hearings that could result in what Cheney describes as "severe consequences."

Donald Trump is riding into the White House on a wave of campaign promises, and some of them, if fulfilled, could amount to "child abuse," an ex-prosecutor said.

Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance on Friday said that Trump's promise to conduct a mass deportation program will necessarily mean a return to family separation. The separation actions weighed on Trump's first term due to public sentiment opposing the policy.

Appearing on MSNBC's "Way Too Early" with host Ali Vitali on Friday Morning, conservative columnist Matt Lewis suggested it would be "game over" for Donald Trump if he can't convince recalcitrant GOP House members to re-elect House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).

Speaking with the host, Lewis –– now a contributing columnist for "The Hill" –– was asked about Johnson's chances in the crucial vote to be held later Friday.

"I think it is going to happen because Donald Trump needs this to happen, ultimately he needs to be certified, as you were noting earlier," Lewis told Vitali. "I'm not sure we can certify the president without this election, without Mike Johnson or somebody becoming the speaker."

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"That doesn't mean that Johnson survives 2025," he cautioned. "I think that he's going to have an interesting year. It's almost like, you know, putting together a Rubik's cube –– some people can do it, I could never do it."

Asked about reports that the president-elect would be making calls in support of the current House speaker, Lewis replied, "Well, look, on one hand, I think it is very clear that Donald Trump is incredibly powerful within the Republican caucus. I have never seen such slavish devotion to anybody."

"On the other hand, you've got a couple of factors," he continued. "Number one, Trump's power and influence has never really been that transferable. Look at when he endorses candidates for Senate, they don't always win! Quite often, they lose."

"His track record for a while there wasn't that good, I think he got better later in the game," he added. "The other problem, too, is that you need unanimous -- like, it's such a narrow margin in the House, that Trump could win over 99 percent of House members, he could intimidate them, cajole them. But if you have one or two people, one or two [Rep.] Tom Massies (R-KY) who are stubborn, who are not intimidated, it's game over."

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Citing last year's U.S. Supreme Court decision that stripped federal agencies of their regulatory powers, an all-Republican panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit on Thursday ruled that the Federal Communications Commission lacks the authority to reinstate net neutrality rules.

The panel ruled that broadband is an "information service" instead of a "telecommunications service," which is more heavily regulated under the Communications Act, and said the FCC did not have the authority to prohibit telecommunications companies from blocking or throttling internet content and creating "fast lanes" for certain web companies that pay a fee.

Vice President-elect JD Vance, the Republican Senator from Ohio, is facing criticism both domestically and internationally for endorsing and seemingly defending an op-ed by Elon Musk that is supportive of a far-right German political party reportedly linked to neo-Nazis.

The New York Times late last month described the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, as "a group with ties to neo-Nazis whose youth wing has been classified as 'confirmed extremist' by German domestic intelligence." The paper of record also noted that AfD has been "called a threat to German democracy" by Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz and others.

London-based writer Imogen West-Knights has penned an essay for Slate detailing how many in the United Kingdom are handling the prospect of a second Trump term and she has found that many people across the pond simply want to pretend it's not happening.

In particular, West-Knights has found that many Brits are engaging in a practice that she describes as "concentrated ignoring" in reaction to Trump's victory last year.

Here are the nominees in key categories for the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, which will be handed out on Sunday.

Surreal musical "Emilia Perez" leads all contenders with 10 nods, followed by "The Brutalist" at seven and "Conclave" at six.

The decorated US special forces soldier who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas shot himself in the head before the blast, authorities said Thursday, adding that his motivation was still "unknown."

Matthew Livelsberger, 37, a member of the elite Green Berets, took his own life in the rented vehicle filled with fuel containers and fireworks, which then erupted into flames, officials said.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas will not face a Justice Department investigation over his improper acceptance of extensive gifts and other favors from right-wing billionaires, which he failed to disclose on financial disclosure forms, according to media reports.

Citing questions of legal uncertainty, the body that governs federal courts – the Judicial Conference of the United States – refused to take up a request from Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), who last year urged the organization to refer Thomas for a special counsel investigation.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) is raising alarms over what actions Donald Trump will be urged to take in the aftermath of the New Orleans attack that left 14 dead and dozens injured as the country continues to grapple for answers.

The warning came Thursday as Republicans – led by Trump – continued to falsely claim that President Joe Biden’s “open border policy” is to blame for authorities missing signs that could have thwarted the attack. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) suggested that diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives also played a role.

Two people reportedly died and 18 more were injured when a small plane crashed into a commercial building in southern California minutes after taking off, according to reports.

The plane struck a building near Fullerton Municipal Airport on Thursday afternoon, The New York Times reported. The airport is about 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles.