Biden's transition moves ahead

By Meg Wagner and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 8:00 p.m. ET, December 7, 2020
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7:33 p.m. ET, December 7, 2020

Biden picks retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to be his secretary of defense, source says

From CNN's Jake Tapper

Gen. Lloyd Austin
Gen. Lloyd Austin Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/FILE

President-elect Joe Biden has selected retired Gen. Lloyd Austin, the former commander of US Central command, to be his secretary of defense, a source familiar with the decision tells CNN.

If confirmed by the Senate, Austin would be the first Black man to lead the Department of Defense.

In addition to serving as commander of United States Central Command, Austin previously served as the vice chief of staff of the Army.

Politico was first to report on Biden's selection of Austin.

6:45 p.m. ET, December 7, 2020

Biden will receive the President's Daily Brief tomorrow

From CNN's Jasmine Wright

President-elect Joe Biden will receive the President’s Daily Brief separately from Vice President-elect Kamala Harris tomorrow before the pair introduce the health nominees and appointees for their incoming administration.

Biden and Harris will then participate in a virtual meeting with civil rights leaders, according to the transition team.

7:05 p.m. ET, December 7, 2020

Biden says he will name his defense secretary nominee on Friday

From CNN's Jeff Zeleny and Jasmine Wright

US President-elect Joe Biden pulls down his face mask as he talks with reporters as he leaves the Queen Theater on Monday, December 07, in Wilmington, Delaware.
US President-elect Joe Biden pulls down his face mask as he talks with reporters as he leaves the Queen Theater on Monday, December 07, in Wilmington, Delaware. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

President-elect Biden will announce his defense secretary nominee on Friday, but he is not expected to unveil his attorney general pick this week, an official tells CNN.

An announcement regarding economic Cabinet positions is expected on Wednesday.

But an attorney general announcement will likely not be made until next week — at the earliest, the official said.

A statement to the pool went out clarifying earlier confusion from Biden’s comments made on Monday afternoon. Biden had said earlier Monday that he planned to announce his nomination for secretary of defense on Friday and attorney general this week.

“President-elect Biden will announce additional members of his cabinet before Christmas, including his nominee for Secretary of Defense and members of his economic and domestic cabinet before the end of this week," the statement said.

4:45 p.m. ET, December 7, 2020

Trump plans return trip to Georgia in support of runoff candidates

From CNN's Ryan Nobles

US President Donald Trump holds up his fist as he leaves the stage at the end of a rally to support Republican Senate candidates at Valdosta Regional Airport in Valdosta, Georgia on Saturday, December 5.
US President Donald Trump holds up his fist as he leaves the stage at the end of a rally to support Republican Senate candidates at Valdosta Regional Airport in Valdosta, Georgia on Saturday, December 5. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump is planning a return trip to Georgia in support of the GOP candidates in the state’s Senate runoff election, a GOP source familiar with the plans tells CNN.

The date and time of his visit are still being worked out.

Trump visited the state Saturday to rally in support of Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler ahead of January's Senate runoff elections.

Vice President Mike Pence is also scheduled to visit the state Thursday for an event in support of the GOP candidates, a Republican source involved in the Georgia Senate runoffs tells CNN. The event is expected to take place in Augusta.

Politico was first to report Trump and Pence’s trip to Georgia.

3:23 p.m. ET, December 7, 2020

Biden transition team is yet to see a detailed plan for vaccine distribution, doctor says 

From CNN's Naomi Thomas

The Biden advisory board and transition team have not yet seen a detailed plan for vaccine distribution and it is concerning them, according to one of its members, Dr. Celine Gounder. 

“I think that the President-elect and the Vice President-elect really do see this as a moment for the nation to heal, to come together, to unite in common cause against the virus,” Gounder said during the 2020 TIME Person of the Year Debate webinar. “So that is certainly going to be an important through line through all of what we’re doing moving forward.” 

Gounder said the transition team has begun having meetings with the current administration to get an inside look at the data and plans. 

“I will say we have yet to see a detailed plan for vaccine distribution. That’s not to say it doesn’t exist, but we have yet to see such a plan,” said Gounder, an infectious disease specialist at NYU Langone Health.

“And we are concerned about that given that we have not seen very detailed plans for testing and other measures throughout this pandemic,” she said.

Gounder said tests were purchased for and sent to states but are, in some cases, still sitting in warehouses because there wasn’t a good system distributing and making use of them. 

“It’s not to say that it will be a repeat of history with vaccines, but we are concerned,” she said. “And we are very much looking forward to seeing those plans in the near future.”  

3:03 p.m. ET, December 7, 2020

Some House conservatives urge Trump not to concede following election loss

From CNN's Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb

President Trump’s staunchest defenders on Capitol Hill are urging him not to concede even after President-elect Joe Biden wins the Electoral College vote next week, calling on their party’s leader to battle it out all the way to the House floor in January amid his unsubstantiated claims of widespread election fraud. 

The view of Trump’s defenders is at odds with many top congressional Republicans, including leaders of the Senate, who believe the election will officially be over on Dec. 14 when electors cast their vote and make Biden’s win official — even though the Democrat’s victory in the presidential race has been clear for weeks.  

But conservative House Republicans argue that next week doesn’t mark the end of Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results, which he has failed to do through scores of fruitless lawsuits and brazen efforts to pressure state and local leaders to subvert the will of voters and appoint new slates of electors to the Electoral College. They said that Congress should engage in a full-throated debate over the results in key states over their allegations of fraud, which have yet to be borne out in court.

Asked if Trump should concede after Dec. 14, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio said bluntly: “No. No way, no way, no way.” 

“We should still try to figure out exactly what took place here. And as I said that includes I think debates on the House floor — potentially on January 6,” Jordan, a trusted Trump confidante, told CNN. 

Some context: It is not unusual for a losing candidate’s most fervent supporters to take their case to the House floor – something that occurred after the 2016, 2004 and 2000 presidential races. But it is unusual for the losing candidate to mount a weeks-long public campaign aimed at sowing discord and distrust over a pillar of democracy, something that Trump has done relentlessly since losing the race. 

Even if Trump loses a bevy of GOP support for his unprecedented quest after next week, the backing of his staunchest supporters is likely to only encourage the volatile President to continue his barrage of attacks against the integrity of the elections. 

Lauren Koenig contributed to this report.

3:07 p.m. ET, December 7, 2020

Georgia reaffirms Biden's victory for 3rd time

From CNN’s Lindsay Benson and Jason Morris  

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks during a news conference on Monday, November 30 in Atlanta.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks during a news conference on Monday, November 30 in Atlanta. Brynn Anderson/AP

Georgia has re-certified the results of the presidential election, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a news release.

The results reaffirmed that President-elect Joe Biden as the winner following three counts of ballots.

Monday's certification locks in the state's results for Biden before the Dec. 14 Electoral College vote, though President Trump has continued to c against Raffensperger, a Republican, and called for additional signature verification — which is, at this point, procedurally impossible.

12:23 p.m. ET, December 7, 2020

Federal judge dismisses latest election challenge in Georgia

From CNN's Kevin Conlon

A federal judge in Georgia dismissed two motions on Monday morning brought by attorney Sidney Powell aimed at reversing the election results in that state.  

“The plaintiffs do not have standing to bring these claims,” Judge Timothy Batten ruled from the bench immediately following about an hour of arguments.

Judge Batten also dissolved the temporary restraining order that stopped election officials from clearing the latest election data from Dominion voting machines in Cobb, Gwinnett and Cherokee Counties. Election officials in Georgia have said the machines will be needed for early voting that starts in the Senate runoff election in a week.

Batten further said that the plaintiffs waited too long to take such action. “This suit could have been brought months ago before the election, at the time the machines were adopted. The relief they seek, this court cannot grant.”

Finally, Batten called the relief Powell was seeking “the most extraordinary relief ever sought in any federal court,” as it pertains to elections. “They want to substitute the judgement of this court for that of two and a half million Georgia voters who voted for Joe Biden. This I am unwilling to do.”

1:31 p.m. ET, December 7, 2020

Trump campaign legal efforts may be coming to an end, sources say

From CNN's Kaitlan Collins

President Donald Trump attends a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House on December 3 in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump attends a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House on December 3 in Washington, DC. Evan Vucci/AP

Despite what President Trump has said publicly, there is a sense developing within his legal team and what remains of his campaign staff that their efforts to overturn or delay the results of the election are coming to an end, multiple sources tell CNN. 

Trump said in a 46-minute video released last week that they would continue to file lawsuits, but his legal team has held fewer meetings and strategy calls in the last several days.

Following Rudy Giuliani's hospitalization, staffers only speculated further that it’s a matter of time before their legal efforts come to a halt completely. Giuliani is currently expected to appear via Zoom in front of a hearing with Georgia House delegates Thursday, though whether he ultimately does will depend on his condition, a source said. 

Officials are also aware they are rapidly approaching deadlines that will certify results of the election and final rulings in some of their legal challenges. 

Some campaign staff had their contract extended through the end of the year, but decisions do not appear to have been made beyond that, a person familiar with the matter told CNN.