Fallout boy

In what looked eerily like a ransom video, Donald Trump last night sort of kind of conceded the election, condemned Wednesday's violence at the U.S. Capitol, and vowed an "orderly transition." He never mentioned President-elect Joe Biden's name in the two-and-a-half-minute video and has since tweeted that he will not attend Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20. The video's release came not after Trump realized the scope of the damage of the riots he caused—which reportedly "pleased" him—but after he realized he could personally face legal trouble. He is said to have initially been against making the video and agreed to it only after it became clear that prosecutors intended to scrutinize his comments to supporters before the coup. —The Daily Beast

• — Get ready for Impeachment 2.0. Calls have increased for Vice President Mike Pence to replace Trump through the 25th Amendment. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has even tried to push the matter by speaking with Joint Chiefs Chair Mark Milley about keeping access to the nation's nuclear weapons away from Trump. But while Pence is reportedly angry with the president, who denounced him and essentially put his life in jeopardy on Wednesday, nothing has happened yet. Meanwhile, a congressional push for impeachment is gaining steam, with some support from Republicans, including Sen. Ben Sasse. —Axios
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• — Investigations are proceeding. Authorities are beginning to file charges against some of the insurrectionists who breached the Capitol, working to identify them with help from the internet, identification tools, and the general public. Some crimes, such as unlawful entry or assault, will be easier to investigate and prosecute. Others, like incitement and conspiracy, are much more complicated, in no small part because one of the potential targets of prosecution is the president himself. —Politico
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• — The resignations keep on coming. Education Sec. Betsy DeVos has resigned her position, citing Trump's "unconscionable" rhetoric as an "inflection point" for her. Really? She just noticed now? Hope Hicks is considering leaving too. Meanwhile, the administration has formally asked all of its political appointees to submit resignation letters by Inauguration Day, finally taking a step expected months ago to clear the way for Biden to start filling the government with his own staff as soon as he enters the White House. —Politico
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• — Hawley catches hell. A businessman who helped bankroll Sen. Josh Hawley's first campaign denounced him yesterday as a "political opportunist" who used "irresponsible, inflammatory, and dangerous tactics" to incite the insurrection. Former Sen. Jack Danforth, once a mentor to Hawley, said supporting him was "the worst mistake I ever made in my life." Simon & Schuster canceled a contract with Hawley for a book the publisher expected to release in June. And a fellow senator, Chris Coons, called on Hawley and his partner in crime, Sen. Ted Cruz, to resign. —Missouri Independent
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• — Sidney gets served. Former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell was sued for defamation by the voting-machine company she repeatedly claimed switched votes to favor Biden as part of a vast international scheme. The complaint filed today by Dominion Voting Systems Inc. seeks $1.3 billion from Powell, who filed numerous unsuccessful court cases seeking to overturn the election results. —Bloomberg
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• — Restraining the commander-in-chief. High-ranking national security officials have spent the last couple days scrambling to figure out how to keep Trump from inciting further violence at home or abroad. Specific fears within the natsec and intelligence communities range from fears that the president will throw the U.S. into a military confrontation with another country, to anxieties that he will divulge classified intelligence on his way out. Some of us have worried about those things for four years. —The Daily Beast

WSJ Ed Board: Resign, President Trump

"We know an act of grace by Trump isn't likely. In any case this week has probably finished him as a serious political figure. He has cost Republicans the House, the White House, and now the Senate. Worse, he has betrayed his loyal supporters by lying to them about the election and the ability of Congress and [Vice President Mike] Pence to overturn it. He has refused to accept the basic bargain of democracy, which is to accept the result, win or lose. It is best for everyone, himself included, if he goes away quietly." —The Wall Street Journal

Ed. Note: THE TOPLINE disagrees strongly with points made in this editorial regarding the Russia investigation and the first impeachment of the president. However, we have chosen to include it here because it is noteworthy for having been published by the pro-Trump Wall Street Journal editorial board.

MORE: Donald K. Sherman: It's time for Congress to expel Trump's enablers from its ranks —The Daily Beast

Covid's deadliest day yet

Dr. Anthony Fauci predicted yesterday that the daily death toll from COVID-19 will continue to rise for weeks to come, as officials across the country reported yet another daily record for deaths—more than 4,000. The total for the pandemic in the U.S. has surpassed 365,400. Fauci said the high toll is likely a reflection of increased travel and gatherings over the holidays. "We believe things will get worse as we get into January," he said, while stressing that it is still possible to "blunt that acceleration" by strictly adhering to public health measures like social distancing and mask wearing. —The New York Times

MORE: Biden to speed release of coronavirus vaccines, ending Trump practice of holding back shots for second dose —Associated Press

London: Don't forget about the Russian hack

"Our state adversaries have increasingly raised the stakes in cyber as they have across other battlefields because the American response has been muted, inconsistent, and decidedly restrained. Consequences must exist to make the risk an adversary assumes in attacking us unworthy of the gain." —Douglas London on CNN

Douglas London is a former chief of operations at the CIA's Information Operations Center. He is currently an associate professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and a fellow at the Middle East Institute.

MORE: As U.S. reels from Capitol violence, Russia enjoys the show —Voice of America

The Economist: The alt-riot began online

"The riot at America's Capitol on Jan. 6 was at least partly born on social media. After Donald Trump encouraged his supporters to come to Washington to protest against Joe Biden's certification by Congress as president, platforms such as Parler, Telegram, and Spreely—created as less moderated alternatives to mainstream platforms such as Twitter and Facebook—were awash with calls to swarm the city. Chatter included fantasies of engaging in violence and advice on how to smuggle firearms into Washington, which has some of America's strictest gun-control laws." —The Economist

MORE: 2020 in review: The year disinformation went mainstream —Council on Foreign Relations

It was allowed to happen

The Pentagon placed tight limits on the D.C. National Guard ahead of Wednesday's protests, trying to ensure the use of military force remained constrained, as the Guard carried out a narrow, unarmed mission requested by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to help handle traffic. In memos issued Monday and Tuesday in response to a request from the mayor, the Pentagon prohibited the District's guardsmen from receiving ammunition or riot gear, interacting with protesters unless necessary for self-defense, sharing equipment with local law enforcement, or using Guard surveillance and air assets without the Defense secretary's explicit sign-off. —The Washington Post

• — "A failure of leadership." Despite plenty of warnings of a possible insurrection and ample resources and time to prepare, the Capitol Police planned only for a free speech demonstration. Still stinging from the uproar over the violent response by law enforcement to protests in the city last June, officials also were reportedly intent on avoiding any appearance that the federal government was deploying active duty or National Guard troops against Americans. Congress has launched an investigation of the matter. —Associated Press
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• — Capitol Police chief resigns. Steven Sund, the head of the U.S. Capitol Police, will resign his post in the wake of the failure. He defended his department's response, however, saying that officers "acted valiantly when faced with thousands of individuals involved in violent riotous actions." He added that rioters "actively attacked" Capitol police and other law enforcement officers with metal pipes, discharged chemical irritants, and "took up other weapons against our officers." —Associated Press
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• — Officer dies. Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's office plan to open a federal murder investigation into the death of Brian Sicknick, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who died last night as a result of injuries he sustained fighting off rioters. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered the flags at the Capitol to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Sicknick. The flag atop the White House had not been lowered as of mid-morning Friday. —CNN

MORE: Man pictured with foot on desk in Pelosi's office is arrested —NBC News

Greenblatt: Dismantle right-wing terror

"In the wake of this madness, it has never been more clear: right-wing extremism is a global terror threat, one that directly endangers our nation and jeopardizes our democracy. This is not an exaggeration. It is the embodiment of a clear and present danger. Trump's presidency will end, but extremist groups and the broader movement they occupy will not just disappear. That is why it is absolutely crucial for the incoming Congress and Biden-Harris Administration to work together proactively, deliberately, and swiftly to dismantle this domestic terror threat." —Jonathan Greenblatt in TIME

Jonathan Greenblatt is an entrepreneur and the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League.

MORE: 'What's happening is white privilege': Kid-glove treatment of pro-Trump mob stirs anger —The Boston Globe

Pizza by pulley

Much to his surprise, what began for Good Pizza founder and MBA student Ben Berman as a simple way to "make people smile" and "connect with people a little bit" during the pandemic, has morphed into a fundraiser supporting local charities to the tune of $30,000.

• — Based in Philadelphia, Berman cooks homemade pizza in his apartment and delivers it to strangers via a socially distanced window pulley. Those who are inspired can offer donations, all of which go to charity.
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• — Berman credits "large family memories ... centered around food" as a big part of his inspiration. Having lost his grandmother in April, Berman knows first-hand the devastation the pandemic has wrought.
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• — “I don't want other people to go through that,” he says. His mission now is to share hope and "a little bit of joy" as we make our way through the dark times to the "light at the end of the tunnel." Way to go, Ben! —Karunavirus

I understand that on Thursday morning, less that 24 hours after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Ronna McDowell and Republican Party leadership were meeting at Amelia Island. Trump called in, stating he was sorry to not be there in person. He was greeted with cheers and someone shouted, "We love you." I think it is time for a mass exodus from the GOP. There has never been a better time to form a new political party. —Diane R., Maryland

THE TOPLINE made me cry for the second time since Wednesday: on Wednesday, out of horror and fear that this could be happening to us and, worse, egged on by our president. And yesterday, out of hope that our country is still resilient, self-respectful and respecting, and willing to work hard at being united, so we could again hold our heads high and prove that we still ARE the United States of America, the beacon of democracy and hope for the world. Keep up the good work! —Elaine B., California

Thanks for all you do at THE TOPLINE. This week's events made me realize that if Trump had somehow won the 2020 election, he would have consolidated his power and probably destroyed our Republic. THE TOPLINE has helped in the effort to save our Republic. Now we must all keep working to preserve it. —Tim P., New Mexico

The views expressed in "What's Your Take?" are submitted by readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff or the Stand Up Republic Foundation.