1. Biden eases ahead in Georgia; Trump attacks election process

• As Joe Biden gained a slight lead in Georgia as of early this morning, President Donald Trump and his allies are calling foul on the vote counting and beginning the process to initiate recounts and challenge the results in court.
• With his pathway to reelection appearing to shrink, Trump on Thursday floated the prospect of voter fraud to argue that his rival was trying to seize power. It amounted to an extraordinary effort by a sitting American president to sow doubt about the democratic process.
• “This is a case when they are trying to steal an election, they are trying to rig an election,” Trump said from the podium of the White House briefing room.
• The president’s remarks deepened a sense of anxiety in the U.S. as Americans enter their third full day after the election without knowing who will serve as president for the next four years. His statements also prompted a rebuke from some fellow Republicans, particularly those looking to steer the party in a different direction in a post-Trump era.
• Neither candidate has reached the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House. But Biden eclipsed Trump in Wisconsin and Michigan, two crucial Midwestern battleground states, overtook the president in Georgia early Friday and was inching closer to doing the same in Pennsylvania, where votes were still being counted.
• While we could know today which candidate won more electoral votes, recounts and court challenges could drag out the results for weeks.
• Read more HERE.

2. Ivey extends mask order, makes changes for business occupancy

• Alabama is extending a public health order requiring face masks in public but lifting occupancy limits on stores and other places as deaths and hospitalizations from the coronavirus pandemic worsen in the state, the governor announced Thursday.
• Gov. Kay Ivey said during a Capitol news conference that the mask mandate and new order will last through Dec. 11. The Republican governor said she was trying to balance health concerns — as the state faces an uptick in cases — with economic ones such as alleviating some of the financial damage to retailers and restaurants. Extending the mask order was needed to keep people safe and as well as allowing some aspects of life to go on more normally, she said.
• “I understand folks are bone dead tired of the mask. I’m tired of it too but asking for the mask mandate is just a minimal ask to keep us safe so our business can stay open and people that are employed can keep working,” said Ivey.
• Alabama’s death toll from the coronavirus pandemic topped 3,000 this week as both cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations continued rising. Since the pandemic began, more than 200,000 Alabamians have tested positive. Health officials have credited the mask order with a drop in daily case numbers since it was first announced, but have also expressed concern about state numbers beginning to creep upward.
• Read more from Kim Chandler HERE.

3. Marshall announces historic $60 Million settlement with Terminix

• The state has reached a $60 million settlement with Terminix International over illegal business practices targeting Alabama consumers, Attorney General Steve Marshall said Thursday.
• “A historic settlement, not only as to the recovery that will take place, but more importantly as to the scope of the fraud that we found with Terminix and what it did for consumers across the state,” Marshall said during a press conference.
• An investigation by Marshall’s office and the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries revealed that Terminix engaged in a pattern of collecting annual termite protection premiums from Alabama consumers, but failed to deliver or provide the termite protection services promised in consumers’ contracts.
• As a result, many homes and businesses have suffered termite infestations and some families have been forced to leave their homes, Marshall said.
• Marshall said this is the largest Alabama-specific settlement case the state has ever been involved in.
• Read more from ADN’s Caroline Beck HERE.

4. Twin Senate runoffs in Georgia could shape Senate Majority

• The outcome in several contested states will determine whether Joe Biden defeats President Donald Trump. But if the Democratic challenger wins, the ambitions of a Biden presidency could well come down to Georgia.
• Georgia, long a Republican stronghold — but one with rapidly changing demographics — could be the site of two runoffs on Jan. 5 to settle which party would control the Senate.
• Should Democrats win them, Biden would be dealing with a majority in the Senate, increasing his chances for passing legislation and securing major appointment confirmations. Otherwise, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, could wield the power to block Biden.
• Other races in North Carolina and Alaska also hold the potential to reshape the balance of power, but Georgia offers the more likely prospect.
• In Georgia, two runoff elections would mean a campaign on an almost national scale, with tens of millions of dollars spent by both sides.
• Read more HERE.

5. Inside Alabama Politics

• No election drama in Alabama
• Marsh talks future of Senate leadership
• State House security changes discussed
• Allow the Legislature to call its own special sessions?
• Graddick Out: Behind the Scenes
• The curious process behind the latest Ethics Commission ruling
• Remember the Governor’s Gambling Commission?
• Lobbyist on lobbyist fight
• How the Montgomery tax referendum was passed
• Staffing up with Tuberville, Carl and Jones

• For those considering a subscription, now is a great time! Much like PoliticoPRO or Rivals, Inside Alabama Politics is our premium subscription service in which paid subscribers have first access to exclusive stories and the famous IAP rumors and rumblings.
• And I’ll throw in a bonus: new subscribers will receive one of the sweet ADN mugs pictured below.
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