Michigan state legislature closes offices due to 'credible threats of violence'

Law enforcement recommended the Michigan legislature close its offices.

President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe Biden in 39 days.


Michigan legislature closes offices due to 'credible threats of violence' ahead of Electoral College meeting

Ahead of Monday’s meeting of Michigan’s 16 electors at the state Capitol in Lansing, officials announced the state legislature's office buildings will be closed due to "credible threats of violence."

The decision to close the state House and Senate offices — while the presidential electors convene in the Senate chamber to cast their votes for President-elect Joe Biden, who carried the state by more than 154,000 votes — came from a recommendation from law enforcement, officials said.

But the decision was not motivated by anticipated protests outside the capitol, according to a statement from Amber McCann, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey.

"The Senate has closed its own workspaces tomorrow based upon recommendations from law enforcement. The decision was not made because of anticipated protests, but was made based on credible threats of violence," McCann said late Sunday night, without adding any details about the threats.

"Senate leadership does not have the authority to close the Capitol. That decision is made by the Capitol Commission," she continued.

A spokesperson for Lee Chatfield, Speaker of the Michigan House, confirmed that the closures apply to the lower chamber as well.

Amid the "safety concerns," state lawmakers will be working remotely on Monday, a Democratic member of the House tweeted.

-ABC News' Kendall Karson


'Small portion of GOP' are 'appeasing' and 'patronizing' Trump because they're 'scared of his Twitter power': Cedric Richmond

Incoming White House Senior Adviser Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond, appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, but revealed very little about the incoming Biden transition plans for vaccine distribution or dealing with the newly announced investigation of Hunter Biden’s taxes. However, Richmond stressed in his interview that Republicans were very aware that Biden would be president on Jan. 20.

When asked about congressional Republicans largely refusing to recognize President-elect Biden’s victory, Richmond pushed back, saying it was a small portion of the party afraid of Trump.

"They recognize Joe Biden's victory. All of America recognizes Joe Biden's victory. This is just a small portion of the Republican conference that are appeasing and patronizing the President on his way out because they are scared of his Twitter power and other things. And so when it's time to govern, if we can't cooperate -- if Republicans won't meet us halfway, we will go to the American people, and we will continue to push our agenda. But this country is in far too much turmoil. And this pandemic, the economic aspects and health aspects really caused for America to get on one page -- solve this crisis and start to move forward. So -- we're not going to let them slow us down,” he said.

"I talk to Republican members of Congress all the time, and they say one thing privately, they say another thing publicly. But the one thing I will tell you is they realize he lost this election," Richmond added.

- Molly Nagle


'The legal theory put forward by his legal team and by the president is an absurdity': Chris Christie

Former New Jersey governor and ABC News political contributor Chris Christie, criticized President Donald Trump and his allies' efforts to overturn President-elect Joe Biden's election victory during "This Week"'s Powerhouse Players Roundtable discussion on Sunday.

"The legal theory put forward by his legal team and by the president is an absurdity," Christie said. "The reason why the Supreme Court didn't take it is because it's an absurd idea to think that any state or any number of states, no matter how good they are, can challenge another state's right to run the election as they see fit. And, also, there's no evidence," he added.

Christie also denounced what he called were "attacks" by the president on "decent Republican governors."

"What's gotten even worse ... is the attacks by the president on good, hardworking, decent Republican governors," he said. "He's calling them corrupt, and also telling people things that aren't true," Christie said, mentioning the president's recent comments about Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

The president tweeted in November that Kemp was "hapless" and should "overrule his obstinate secretary of state," Brad Raffensperger -- also a Republican backer of Trump -- after the latter has refused to intervene to help Trump.

"The governor's done nothing," Trump also said in a Fox News interview. "He's done absolutely nothing. I'm ashamed that I endorsed him."

On Dec. 12, the president tweeted, "Who is a worse governor, @BrianKempGA of Georgia or @dougducey of Arizona???" as part of a series of tweets blasting both governors since the presidential election.



'While I don't agree with the court's decision, I accept it': Al Gore, 20 years ago today

Former Vice President Al Gore, 20 years ago today said, "Let there be no doubt. While I strongly disagree with the court's decision, I accept it."

Twenty years ago during the 2000 presidential election, the campaigns of George W. Bush and Al Gore fought in court for a chaotic 36 days over a ballot recount in Florida and certification of final results. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately intervened, reversing a state Supreme Court ruling, to end the counting and effectively deliver the presidency to Bush.

At the center of the controversy were irregularities in the way ballots were marked -- so-called "hanging" or "dangling" chads -- which famously required interpretation of voter intent.


Biden nominees and appointees speak on why they're called to serve

Biden and Harris formally introduced newly nominated and appointed members of their administration from Wilmington, Delaware, Friday afternoon, showing off several familiar faces, be it from the Obama administration or from Capitol Hill.

For director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, a position which does not require Senate confirmation, Biden picked Susan Rice. Rice served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and later as national security adviser in the Obama administration.

In her remarks, Rice laid out the path of her ancestors on both sides who overcame adversity -- a paternal great grandfather who was born a slave in South Carolina and maternal grandparents who immigrated from Jamaica with no education and worked to send their children to college, leading to her mother’s role in creating the Pell Grant.

“Now at the foot of yet another bridge between crisis and opportunity, I'm honored and excited to take on this role. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris's vision for our future is expansive but achievable," Rice said, stressing her excitement to serve again and the need to develop policies that break down racial barriers that hold all Americans back.

Rep. Marcia Fudge, who has represented Ohio's 11th Congressional District for the last 12 years has been tapped for secretary of Housing and Urban Development and talked about the importance of housing in America and the need to give people hope amid  America’s ongoing crisis.

“Perhaps most importantly of all, we will help people believe once again that their government cares about them, no matter who they are. That we understand their problems, as the president-elect often recalls his father's words,” she said.

Biden's nominee for secretary of agriculture, Tom Vilsack, seemed to address some of the criticism of his previous tenure at USDA (he held the same Cabinet position he's nominated for throughout the Obama administration) by promising to deal with systemic inequities.

Vilsack also mentioned his support for Rep. Jim Clyburn's 10/20/30 plan, an effort the South Carolina congressman said aims to help counties that had a poverty level of more 20% for more than three decades. Those communities would receive at least 10% of federal funds from a specific program. When asked in 2019 if he considered the measure a form of reparations, Clyburn said the measure "absolutely" is.

Biden's pick for secretary of veterans affairs, Dennis McDonough, former President Barack Obama's White House chief of staff, pledged to make the department more inclusive to all veterans, particularly women, veterans of color and members of the LGBTQ community.

Biden's appointed Katherine Tai to U.S. trade representative, who began by recalling her parents' immigrant story of her father, a researcher at Walter Reed, and her mother, who still works at the National Institutes of Health developing treatments for opioid addictions. She also stressed the role trade can play to create opportunities and lift people out of poverty and the need to rebuild relationships around the globe.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle, John Verhovek and Beatrice Peterson