Russia’s Election Hacking, Aleppo Falls to Assad and More You Missed In Politics Today

It’s difficult to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in this country and to break through the clutter, so we’re here to make it easier. Here’s what we at Countable are reading today:

1. "Electoral College Voters Join Growing Calls for Investigation of Russian Election Hacking"

Following the revelation of a secret CIA report that found Russia’s interference in the 2016 election was aimed at boosting Donald Trump’s chances of winning the presidency rather than just undermining public confidence, 10 Electoral College voters have asked for intelligence briefings before they cast their ballots December 19.

Read more at Countable.

2. "Fall of Remaining Syrian Rebel-held Aleppo Districts Appears Imminent"

"The fall of rebel-controlled districts of eastern Aleppo to the forces of President Bashar al-Assad is likely to prove a decisive victory in the five-year civil war. The demise has major symbolic significance and leaves the regime and its foreign backers, Russia and Iran, free to focus their military might on remaining rebel strongholds in the rest of western Syria."

"While rebel commanders and opposition politicians insist the loss of Aleppo won’t mark the end of the uprising, few doubt battlefield fortunes have swung heavily against them, and with the regime possibly hours away from seizing what is left of insurgent-controlled eastern Aleppo, the dynamic of resistance will have to change to guerrilla warfare to the keep the revolution alive."

Read more at Voice of America.

3. "Trump calls fighter jet costs ‘out of control’"

"Trump tweeted Monday morning that "the F-35 program and cost is out of control. Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military (and other) purchases after January 20th.""

"Shares of Lockheed Martin (LMT), which makes the F-35 fighter jets, plunged 4% following Trump's tweet."

Read more at CNN.

4. "Report: Carly Fiorina under consideration for intelligence role with Trump"

"Former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina is apparently in the running for director of national intelligence, the New York Times reported Monday."

"Fiorina, who ran Hewlett Packard as CEO in the previous decade, is meeting with President-elect Trump on Monday to discuss the position, according to the Times. Fiorina previously served on the Central Intelligence Agency’s External Advisory Board."

Read more at the Washington Examiner.

5. "Trump could face Capitol Hill showdown with Tillerson pick"

"Donald Trump won’t get Rex Tillerson as secretary of state without a fight… The President-elect is leaning toward entrusting the ExxonMobil tycoon with the stewardship of U.S. diplomacy, a move that could ignite the first showdown between the pugilistic President-elect and senators in his own party"

"The nomination -- which Trump sources say could come as soon as this week -- would be provocative, given Tillerson's personal relationship with President Vladimir Putin amid an uproar over CIA assessments that Russia likely intervened in the presidential election to help Trump."

Read more at CNN.

— Eric Revell

Photo by Abkhazian Network News Agency