Daily Dish: 1/13/2017

Hollywood heavyweight Robert De Niro has come to the defense of Meryl Streep, saying her speech at the Golden Globes was "great." The multiple Oscar-winner wrote a letter of support to his "The Deer Hunter" co-star following fallout after her attack on President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday.

The Latest: Trump calls Clinton ‘guilty as hell’

President-elect Donald Trump says Democrats shouldn't be "complaining" about the FBI's handling of Hillary Clinton because she is "guilty as hell" and shouldn't have been allowed to run for president in the first place. Trump seems to be responding to a Justice Department inquiry into the FBI's handling of its investigation into Clinton's private email server, and the FBI's decision to release information about the review days before the election.

Justice Department to investigate FBI handling of Clinton probe

The Justice Department's internal watchdog announced on Thursday it has launched a probe into the department and the FBI's handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server, CNN reported. The announcement follows criticism of the Justice Department's handling of the investigation, particularly on how the public was notified about the controversy, which was a major issue on the 2016 campaign trail.

Feds: Man Threatened Pizzeria Near Comet Ping Pong

Days after a man opened fire in a D.C. pizzeria because police say he believed Hillary Clinton was running a child sex ring there, another man is accused of threatening a pizzeria located on the same block. Court records reviewed by News4 said Yusif Jones of Louisiana called Besta Pizza on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, D.C. and made a threat.

Watchdog to probe Comeya s, FBIa s actions before election

In yet another aftershock from the chaotic presidential campaign, the Justice Department inspector general opened an investigation Thursday into department and FBI actions before the election, including whether FBI Director James Comey followed established policies in the email investigation of Hillary Clinton. Democrats have blamed Comey's handling of the inquiry into Clinton's use of a private email server, and his late-October public letter about the case, as one reason for her loss to Republican Donald Trump.

CIA nominee talks tough against Russia

Donald Trump's pick to run the CIA took a tough stand against Russia on Thursday, distancing himself from the president-elect, who wants to warm relations with Moscow. Rep. Mike Pompeo, a four-term conservative Kansas Republican, spoke at his confirmation hearing before the Senate intelligence committee amid a testy standoff between Trump and the spy community over Russian activities during the president election.

Deny and deflect: Trump comes out swinging first news conference as president elect

Donald Trump was combative and in control at his first news conference in months on Wednesday, sticking to his campaign formula - boasting of his successes, cracking jokes and slamming media he considers hostile. Journalists sat elbow to elbow, knee to knee in the crowded marble lobby of Trump Tower, clamoring with question after question nine days before the Republican is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.

Here are all the Trump Cabinet confirmations hearings scheduled for Wednesday

After the first full day of grilling for President-elect Donald Trump's choices for Cabinet positions, Congress has more hearings scheduled Wednesday. Trump's secretary of state nominee, Rex Tillerson, will testify before the Senate Foreign Relations committee at 9 am.

Intelligence Briefings on Russia Cited Unproven Trump Claims

The chiefs of US intelligence agencies last week presented President Obama and President-elect Donald Trump with a summary of unsubstantiated reports that Russia had collected compromising and salacious personal information about Trump, two officials with knowledge of the briefing said. The summary is based on memos generated by political operatives seeking to derail Trump's candidacy.

In subtle rebuke to Trump, Clinton extols diplomacy

Hillary Clinton, making a rare public appearance after her presidential election loss, offered an impassioned tribute to the power of diplomacy on Tuesday evening, saying the United States will "weather every storm on the horizon" by staying true to its "universal values." While she never mentioned Donald Trump by name, Clinton's short address at the opening of a new State Department museum was a rebuke of the president-elect, who's already broken decades of diplomatic protocol through his interactions with foreign leaders during his transition.