NEW YORK
Clinton vote story untrue
A trending story that claims Hillary Clinton won a total of 57 counties in the presidential election is untrue. The Associated Press finds that Clinton won 487 counties nationwide, compared with 2,626 for President-elect Donald Trump. The story appeared on several viral content sites that cater to some of Trump’s supporters. It also falsely claimed that Clinton outpaced Trump by more than 2 million votes in the five counties that comprise New York City, which the story said accounted for the entirety of her lead in the national popular vote. An AP count finds that Clinton beat Trump by roughly 1.5 million votes in New York City. Nationwide, Clinton holds a popular vote lead of more than 2 million.
OAKLAND, Calif.
Fire appears unintentional
Investigators said Tuesday a warehouse fire in Oakland that killed 36 people did not appear to have been set intentionally and may have been caused by a refrigerator or other electrical appliance. Details about a possible cause emerged as fire crews nearly completed their search for bodies in the most lethal building fire in the U.S. in more than a decade. The death toll remained at 36 and was not expected to go higher. The founder of the arts collective that used the warehouse said Tuesday he was “incredibly sorry.”
DETROIT
Vote recount now in doubt
Michigan’s presidential recount suddenly became in doubt Tuesday as a state appeals court said the Green Party candidate’s poor showing disqualified her from seeking a second look at the votes. Meanwhile, the fate of a statewide recount push in Pennsylvania must wait at least until Friday, when a federal judge has scheduled a hearing. President-elect Donald Trump narrowly defeated Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in both states and Wisconsin, which started its recount last week.
WASHINGTON
Spending bill has extra role
Republicans controlling Congress on Tuesday slipped into a must-pass spending bill unrelated legislation that’s designed to speed confirmation next year of retired Gen. James Mattis to be President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of defense. The spending measure would keep the government running through April. Under current law, Congress would need to pass legislation next year to grant Mattis an exception from a law that requires a seven-year wait for former members of the military to serve in the post. Tuesday’s provision would speed up action on the waiver though Democrats could still filibuster it.
Compiled from wire reports