FDA Grants Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine Emergency Authorization, Launching Nationwide Distribution and Vaccination Effort

The FDA approved Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine for emergency use Friday, officially beginning a nationwide mass vaccination effort in an attempt to overcome the coronavirus pandemic.

Its approval follows a key FDA panel’s overwhelming vote to endorse the vaccine’s safety and efficacy. President Donald Trump called for the agency to approve Pfizer’s earlier Friday, telling its director, Dr. Stephen Hahn, to “get the dam vaccines out” as soon as possible.

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Northam Imposes Curfew, New Mask Requirement, Updated Gathering Limits for Virginia

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam issued increased statewide restrictions during a press briefing Thursday afternoon to combat rising coronavirus numbers in the Commonwealth as the Christmas holiday approaches.

Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, December 14th, a modified stay-at-home order will be in place with a curfew for all Virginians from midnight to 5 a.m. The only exceptions are getting food and goods, seeking medical attention as well as traveling to and from work.

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U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Texas’ Lawsuit Seeking to Block Four Swing State Electors from Voting for President

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday rejected the state of Texas’ lawsuit seeking to overturn presidential election results in four key swing states.

“The State of Texas’s motion for leave to file a bill of complaint is denied for lack of standing under Article III of the Constitution,” the nation’s highest court ruled in a decision released Friday eveninf. “Texas has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another State conducts its elections. All other pending motions are dismissed as moot.”

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Virginia to Stop Accepting Online Training for Concealed Handgun Permits

Virginians will no longer be able to get concealed handgun permits through online classes after January 1, 2021. A law passed last March by the General Assembly amends Virginia Code § 18.2-308.02 to require in-person firearms training or safety courses.

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FDA Advisory Panel Approves Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine, Clearing Way for Final Authorization and Distribution

The FDA’s vaccine advisory panel voted 17-4 to approve Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine for use, clearing the way for its approval and distribution nationwide.

After scouring over Pfizer’s data during the multi-hour meeting Thursday, the panel ensured that it was safe for the hundreds of million Americans expected to receive it in the coming months and voted to recommend approval. Though the panel’s decision is merely an advisory one, the FDA is expected to heed its recommendation and approve Pfizer’s vaccine as early as Friday.

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CDC Predicts Up to 362,000 People Could Die from COVID-19 by January

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicted that up to 362,000 could die from COVID-19 by Jan. 2, their website said Wednesday.

The CDC’s forecast projected 12,600 to 23,400 people will die of coronavirus “over the next four weeks,” according to the website. The forecast projected 332,000 to 362,000 total virus deaths by Jan. 2.

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‘Intentional Erasure’: Black Lives Matter Fractures Over Power as Chapters Split from Network

Black Lives Matter has fractured in recent weeks as local chapters allege national leaders have withheld funding while shifting the direction of the movement.

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was founded on the premise of empowering local chapters and activists on the ground, but in recent months those leaders have complained national leadership is centralizing power, according to Politico. Ten local chapters of the BLM Global Network Foundation announced Nov. 30 that they would sever ties with national leadership in a statement entitled “It is Time for Accountability.”

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Portland Autonomous Zone Is ‘Stockpiling Weapons’, Has Armed Patrols, Police Say

Portland’s autonomous zone, which is moving into its third day, has been “stockpiling weapons” and has instituted armed patrols to defend the walled-in city occupation, authorities said.

Since the encampment began, rioters have increased fortifications around city streets, assaulted residents, and law enforcement has noticed the presence of “armed sentries” patrolling intersections, according to a press release from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB).

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YouTube to Remove Videos Challenging 2020 Election, but ‘Russia Collusion’ Videos Left Uncensored

Tech giant and Internet video pioneer YouTube this week announced that it will begin to remove videos challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election, a policy it plans to enforce even as numerous videos remain up challenging the outcome of the 2016 election in which Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton.

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Commentary: Modest and Benevolent Leaders or Maniacs Drunk on Power?

It is not surprising that the political class tried to cancel Thanksgiving and wants to jettison Christmas this year. Americans have been made to live with all kinds of impositions in 2020, putatively for our protection, with no sign they’re going away anytime soon. Instead, the rules have increased relentlessly in number and severity. 

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New Jobless Claims Climb to 853,000, Economists Expected 730,000

The number of Americans filing new unemployment claims increased to 853,000 last week as the economy continued to suffer the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to the Department of Labor.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) figure released Thursday represented a large increase of new jobless claims compared to the week ending Nov. 28, in which there were 712,000 new jobless claims reported. New jobless claims had stayed below 800,000 for more than a month prior to the report.

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106 GOP Members File Amicus Brief in Texas SCOTUS Election Lawsuit

A total of 106 House Republicans on Thursday filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the plaintiffs in Texas v. Pennsylvania, et al, including Tennessee’s U.S. Representatives Mark Green, Tim Burchett, Chuck Fleischmann, David Kustoff, John Rose, with U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA-04) taking the lead.

U.S. Rep. Mark Green (R-TN-07) tweeted, “100+ House Republicans and I have filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to hear the Texas case. The election for the presidency of the United States is too important to not get right.”

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Virginia Governor Watch 2021: Updates on Cox, Hanger, and Carter

It’s been just a little more than ones month since the 2020 general election, but Virginia’s gubernatorial campaigns are in full swing, with old scandals surfacing for Democrats and a new war over the nomination process brewing in the Republican Party.

But that’s not enough gubernatorial news for one week – so here is some more…

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Terry McAuliffe to Run for Second Term as Virginia Governor

Former Governor Terry McAuliffe officially entered Virginia’s 2021 gubernatorial election on Wednesday after months of educated speculation that the long-time Democrat would throw his name into the contest and seek another four years in the Executive Mansion.

McAuliffe, 63, made the announcement during a press conference in front of Miles Jerome Jones Elementary School in Richmond’s southside that was streamed live to his Facebook page.

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