Mad Minute stories for January 4, 2017

Seven-year-old Mackenzie Blankenship loves playing the Nintendo Wii U she got on Christmas Eve from her family, but it's not what she found inside the case on Christmas Day from Santa. Krista Greider, Mackenzie's mother says, "She opened the top and her face just kind of went and she looked and she goes, what is this? and I looked over her shoulder and I grabbed it, saw the picture on it and she was just 'why? what is that? why are they naked?" Greider says instead of the colorful, creative video game -- Mackenzie found Sensual Seductions 2 -- a pornographic film released in 2008.

Repealing Obamacare ‘first order of business’

US President Barack Obama has encouraged fellow Democrats to preserve his legacy-defining healthcare law as Republicans moved ahead with their long-sought bid to scrap it in what Vice President-elect Mike Pence called the "first order of business" of Donald Trump's administration. The emerging Democratic strategy is to warn that Republicans risk throwing the entire US healthcare system into chaos by moving to dismantle the 2010 Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, without a plan to replace it.

California’s Anti-Trump Strategy, Featuring Eric Holder, Will Cost $25K Monthly

California legislative leaders on Wednesday said they have retained a team of Covington & Burling attorneys led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to help fend off "potential challenges" from the incoming Trump administration. against potential Republican attacks on California's immigration, environmental and health care policies.

Obama, Pence harden ‘Obamacare’ battle lines at Capitol

Hardening battle lines for the brawl to come, President Barack Obama urged congressional Democrats to "look out for the American people" in defending his legacy health care overhaul, while Vice President-elect Mike Pence stood firm Wednesday in telling Republicans that dismantling "Obamacare" is No. 1 on Donald Trump's list.  "We're going to be in the promise-keeping business," Pence declared at two separate Capitol news conferences.

State, feds want meeting on Pilgrim safety

PLYMOUTH  - State and federal officials are calling on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to hold a public meeting to answer questions on the safety of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant.  The letter, which was sent Wednesday , was signed by Gov. Charlie Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey, Senator Edward Markey and the entire state Congressional delegation, Senate President Stan Rosenberg and legislators from Plymouth, Cape Cod and the islands, They call on the commission to communicate directly with the public about the safety of the nuclear power plant and provide details about recent shutdowns at a meeting in Massachusetts..   "The NRC has an obligation to address the operation of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant and the increased public concerns that continue to plague the plant at a time when it should be showing significant improvements," Healey said in a ... (more)

Elizabeth Warren rails against Donald Trump’s SEC pick

Senator Elizabeth Warren is railing against President-elect Donald Trump's pick to head up the Securities and Exchange Commission. Trump earlier on Wednesday said he wanted Wall Street lawyer Jay Clayton to be the SEC's chairman, calling him "a highly talented expert on many aspects of financial and regulatory law."

GOP House panel: Halt federal money for Planned Parenthood

A Republican-run House panel created to investigate Planned Parenthood and the world of fetal tissue research urged Congress on Wednesday to halt federal payments to the women's health organization. Democrats said the GOP probe had unearthed no wrongdoing and wasted taxpayers' money in an abusive investigation reminiscent of the late Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

Editorials from around New York

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle on the importance of the independent Office of Congressional Ethics and lawmakers' failed attempt to place it under the oversight of the House Ethics Committee. In 2013, 10 members of Congress, three former aides to President Barack Obama, several spouses, and 32 staff members attended an all-expenses-paid conference in Azerbaijan.

The Latest: 3 longtime Pence aides named to White House jobs

Three longtime aides to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence will join him in Washington as he becomes vice president, including one who kept a lucrative state lobbying contract while he also had a paid position with the Republican presidential campaign. Josh Pitcock was announced Wednesday as Pence's chief of staff and an assistant to the president in the Trump White House.

Obamacare repeal date set for February 20th

For almost seven years the Republicans have wanted to see the Affordable Care Act, as known as Obamacare gone. President Barack Obama's signature piece of legislation has been the GOP's prime target and on February 20, 2017 it will be officially repealed when the bill hits President Donald Trump's desk for his signature.

Republicans target Obama rules on methane, coal

House Republican leaders say their top regulatory targets will be President Barack Obama's rules to reduce methane emissions and to lessen the environmental impact of coal mining on the nation's streams From left, Vice President-elect Mike Pence, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La. meet with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, following a closed-door meeting with the GOP caucus to disucss repeal of President Obama's health care law now that the GOP is in charge of White House and Congress.

Ap Fact Check: Trump’s hit-and-miss ‘Obamacare’ tweet

AP FACT CHECK: Taking a swipe at "Obamacare" on Twitter, President-elect Donald Trump correctly identified two of its most pressing problems _ a spike in premiums and high deductibles Vice President-elect Mike Pence leaves a closed-door meeting with the House Republican caucus on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017. Pence promised repeal of President Obama's health care law now that the GOP is in charge of White House and Congress.

Student: Girl slammed to ground was trying to break up fight

The Latest on the federal sentencing of Dylann Roof in the deaths of nine people at a South Carolina church : The Latest on the federal sentencing of Dylann Roof in the deaths of nine people at a South Carolina church : A school resource officer in North Carolina has been placed on leave after a brief video posted online shows him picking up and slamming a female high school student to the ground. A student who was slammed to the ground by a police officer at a North Carolina high school was trying to break up a fight involving her sister, said the 15-year-old who posted video of the incident.

Top Intelligence Officials Call For Russia Hack Investigation

Despite President-elect Donald Trump's repeated denials of election hacking, Democrats are still hoping to launch a full inquiry. Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned U.S. intelligence agencies and the administration of President Barack Obama for stating Russia helped the president-elect win the 2016 election by hacking the Democratic Party.