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Monday's Mini-Report, 12.14.20

Today's edition of quick hits.

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Today's edition of quick hits:

* Reaching yet another grim milestone: "The first federally approved coronavirus vaccine was set to arrive at 145 locations across all 50 states Monday, a landmark moment as the nation struggles to contain a virus that's killed 300,000 Americans."

* But there is some good news: "With the prick of a needle, the battle against Covid-19 took what could be a decisive turn Monday as the first federally approved coronavirus vaccine was injected into the arm of an American."

* The process will wrap up soon: "Voting is underway in the Electoral College on Monday to make President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election official."

* A heartbreaking scene: "Vandals tore down a Black Lives Matter banner and sign from two historic Black churches in downtown Washington and set the banner ablaze as nighttime clashes Saturday between pro-Donald Trump supporters and counterdemonstrators erupted into violence and arrests."

* Ahead of Friday's deadline: "House and Senate lawmakers are close to agreement on a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending package for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1 and are planning to file the legislative text on Tuesday, according to sources familiar with the discussions."

* VA scandal: "Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Saturday joined veterans groups in calling for the resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie after an inspector general's report detailed his mishandling of a congressional aide's sexual assault allegation."

* Alfred Bourgeois: "A Louisiana man on death row for more than 15 years for the abuse and murder of his young daughter was executed Friday evening, the second death penalty case in as many days to be carried out by the federal government."

* A scandalous tenure grows more scandalous: "After shocking many in the evangelical movement by endorsing Donald Trump over other Republicans for the 2016 presidential nomination, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. pumped millions of the nonprofit religious institution's funds into Republican causes and efforts to promote the Trump administration, blurring the lines between education and politics."

* Unfortunately, reports like these have been common throughout the Trump era: "National security adviser Robert O'Brien is taking his wife on a holiday tour of the romantic Mediterranean and European capitals, including seeking a private tour of the Louvre despite it being closed because of coronavirus restrictions, people familiar with the trip tell Axios."

* A strange and unexpected story: "A fallout between President Trump and Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, led to the breakthrough that resulted in the Morocco-Israel normalization deal, sources briefed on the matter told me."

See you tomorrow.