“McConnell warns Republican senators to stay healthy or risk their lame-duck agenda; Sen. Chuck Grassley’s Covid-19 diagnosis helped derail a Senate vote, raising concerns that the virus could keep the Senate from working next month”: Julie Tsirkin, Leigh Ann Caldwell, and Haley Talbot of NBC News have this report.

“Census Snags May Delay Results Beyond Trump Administration; Extra processing could prevent the president from excluding unauthorized immigrants from Electoral College reshuffling”: Paul Overberg of The Wall Street Journal has this report.

“Four Years of the Trump Administration in Court. One Word Stuck in My Head. A succession of Trump policies reflected the administration’s spite and heartlessness.” Linda Greenhouse has this essay online at The New York Times.

“Court upholds hog verdict; Smithfield announces settlement”: Gary D. Robertson of The Associated Press has this report on a ruling that a partially divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued today.