The legal assault on democracy is clearly unethical. But the lawyers will probably get away with it.

[View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter]( December 14, 2020 In two respects, today is the day we've all been waiting for. In New York, one of the United States' first coronavirus vaccines was [administered]( to an ICU nurse. And in statehouses across the country, the Electoral College is casting its votes for president of the United States. Thus far, the Electoral College [proceedings]( have presented no surprises. In red states, electors voted for Donald Trump. In blue states—including Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania—electors voted for Joe Biden. By the end of the day, the formal process for electing Biden president will be complete. Some Republicans have suggested this would be the day they put the false claims of election fraud behind them and acknowledged Biden as president-elect. Senate Majority Leader [Mitch McConnell](, Sen. [Lindsey Graham]( (R-S.C.), and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) have all suggested that the Electoral College vote would mark the end of any squabbling over election results. Whether Trump will concede remains to be seen. But even when Biden takes office, the fight to restore our democracy will be far from over. Last Friday, Mother Jones CEO Monika Bauerlein posted her year-in-review column, “[There’s No Quick Fix for Healing Democracy](,” focusing on five tools we as journalists can use to get started. But we can't get to work without your help. On this day when a sitting president is trying—and failing—to overturn the results of an election, it seems like a good time for me to ask you to [support our team’s work with a year-end donation](. Monika writes that we need to raise $350,000 this month, and while I’m not a natural fundraiser, I know the reporting we get to send you each day matters, and that we can’t do it without your support. I can safely speak for all the journalists here when I say that we are deeply grateful for your trust in us to deliver independent investigative journalism with impact, that aims to fix some of what’s broken in our democracy. Thank you for being part of the Mother Jones community. —Abigail Weinberg [Tisbest]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [The Legal Assault on Democracy Is Clearly Unethical. But the Lawyers Will Probably Get Away With It.]( Why pro-Trump attorneys likely won't face sanctions. BY PEMA LEVY SPONSORED POST [Sponsored Content]( [Farming for the Planet: How Farmers, Consumers, and Corporations Embrace It]( Science paves the way. THIS CONTENT WAS PAID FOR AND SPONSORED BY [AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST](. [Trending] [Watch as the first vaccine shots are administered in the US]( BY ISABELA DIAS [Twitter tried to stop Trump's latest election lies from spreading. And then it gave up—again.]( BY NATHALIE BAPTISTE [Exclusive: Read Elizabeth Warren's scathing report on "corrupt" prison audits]( BY MADISON PAULY [FDA chief denies Trump's accusations that the agency slowed vaccine approval]( BY FERNANDA ECHAVARRI [Tisbest]( [Health & Environment] [Special Feature]( [These Ladies Love Natural Gas! Too Bad They Aren't Real.]( An oil industry group went to bizarre lengths to court women. BY REBECCA LEBER [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( [Recharge] SOME GOOD NEWS, FOR ONCE [A Holiday Email Accidentally Sent to the Wrong Recipient Turns Up a Surprise Gift]( Just 17 days left in 2020. Enter the final lap with a story from reader Tammy Maitland of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who writes in to say that instead of trading holiday gifts, she suggested her family “make donations to nonprofit organizations in each other’s names.” But she accidentally emailed a different person with her brother’s name. The unintended recipient was 5,200 miles away in Stockholm (her siblings are in Boston). “He let me know, and I apologized, but a few days later he wrote back to say that he was inspired to make his own donation to an organization that helps homeless children.” “It really gave me a boost that he did that,” she said. “Maybe this story could help people get inspired to make donations if they are able.” And if you’re not able, forward this to one person you know or don’t know. More lifts to enter the week: 100th birthday. Happy centennial to Clark Terry. The trumpeter lit up more than 900 recordings as one of the most prolific musicians in jazz, sharing stages with Count Basie and Duke Ellington, and mentoring Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. “Since your phoenix-like recovery from serial ills—one of the more astonishing and upbeat stories of the year—I’ve found myself thinking a lot about what you have meant and continue to mean to jazz,” Gary Giddins [wrote]( in 2002, when he saluted Terry as musician of the year. “The dramatically launched high notes, the terse, bent tones that round the corner from one note to the next like a motorcycle zooming around a curve…My wish for you on this birthday and every one to follow is good health, good chops, and a full dose of the joy you have given the rest of us all these years.” [Here’s Terry with Peterson in 1965](. Northern lights. The Guardian has published a selection of “the best images” of the breathtaking sky. [Photos here](. Cracking the code. A Zodiac [breakthrough]( of sorts. One of the serial killer’s cyphers has been solved, thanks to a code-breaking team from the United States, Australia, and Belgium. Not much to go on; his letter is light on disclosures and clues, and characteristically boastful, but it’s one fewer mystery, a small step in breaking his shield. I was on the Chronicle staff when the Zodiac film was made and interviewed one of the original detectives and an eyewitness. While re-reporting the story, I discovered something curious stuck between archival photos in the newspaper’s archives. I turned it over to top editors and we agreed to pass it along to handwriting experts and forensics authorities, all on the record and reported. Have a backstory if you’re into not-so-cold cases. I’ll fill you in if you drop a note to recharge@motherjones.com. —Daniel King Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. 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