Palast goes to michigan after a judge shuts down a recount of the president ial vote in the state. And thiss trumpville is their hero, the man who shut down the recount. Your Republican Attorney general of michigan. He issued an order saying no one would be allowed to look at the ballots and over half the precincts, 59 , and the detroit area. The very place that most of the vote had gone missing. Amy and we will look at john kelly who has been tapped by trump to have the department of Homeland Security as commander of southern command, he oversaw u. S. Military prison at guantanamo. All of that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. It is official. Donald trump has chosen the ceo of the Worlds Largest oil company and a man with no political experience for the top cabinet position. This morning, trump tweeted i have chosen one of the truly great Business Leaders of the world, Rex Tillerson, chairman and ceo of exxonmobil, to be secretary of state. Environmental groups have widely condemned the nomination. Exxon is facing multiple lawsuits over its role in covering up the Science Behind climate change. Tillerson is also known to have close ties to russian president Vladimir Putin who awarded , tillerson the countrys order of friendship decoration in 2013. Both Senate Democrats and republicans have expressed concern and opposition to tillersons nomination, which comes only days after president obama ordered a review of russias role influencing the president ial election. The cia has reportedly already concluded russia intervened in the election to help trump win. One of the focuses of the Senate Confirmation hearings will be exxons 500 billion Oil Exploration partnership with the russian Governments Oil company, rosneft. Considered the largest oil deal in history, the partnership can only go through if the u. S. Lifts sanctions against russia, which the Obama Administration imposed over russias intervention in ukraine. To hear our full interview about Rex Tillerson with 350. Org cofounder bill mckibben, friends of the earth president erich pica, and president of the center for International Environmental law carroll muffett, go to democracynow. Org. In more news on cabinet picks, donald trump has officially asked Goldman Sachs president gary cohn to be director of the National Economic council. Cohn will become the third Goldman Sachslinked member of trumps cabinet. Steven mnuchin, trumps pick for treasury secretary, was a secondgeneration Goldman Sachs executive. Stephen bannon, trumps chief strategist, is also a former Goldman Sachs executive. The Trump Transition Team also officially announced monday that retired fourstar marine general john kelly is trumps pick for secretary of Homeland Security. And the New York Times has reported trump is considering former hewlettpackard ceo Carly Fiorina for director of national telligence. Senate majority leader republican Mitch Mcconnell of kentucky and House Speaker republican paul ryan of wisconsin have both announced their support for an investigation into whether russia intervened in u. S. President ial election to help trump win. Chairman of the Intelligence Committee republican richard burr of North Carolina and the chair of the Armed ServicesCommittee Republican senator john mccain of arizona are leading the inquiry. On monday, white house spokesman josh earnest said the Obama Administration also supports the congressional investigation. 10 Electoral College electors nine democrats and one republican have sent a letter to cia director James Clapper demanding an intelligence briefing on russian efforts to elect donald trump before the Electoral College meets on december 19. Hillary Clintons Campaign has backed their request. Donald trump has called the cias conclusions of russian interference ridiculous. We will have more on the possibility of russian interference in the election with democratic california elector christine pelosi, the lead author of the letter to intelligence director James Clapper. In syria, aleppo is on the brink of full into the Syrian Government. On monday, Syrian Government forces backed by russian airstrikes and fighters from other regional allies, including lebanons hezbollah militia, continue to advance on the remaining rebel held neighborhoods. In government held sections of aleppo, some people poured into the streets to celebrate what is expected to be the most decisive battle in the fiveyear civil war. Antigovernment rebels report Syrian Government troops carrying out summary killings during the ongoing offensive. The United Nations says at least 82 civilians, including women and children, have been shot on site by Syrian Government troops in recent days. In more news on syria, u. S. Defense secretary ash carter has announced the pentagon will be sending 200 additional u. S. Soldiers to fight isis militants in syria. The new troops will join at least 300 u. S. Soldiers already fighting in syria. On monday, defense secretary ash carter also visited israel for a ceremony marking the United States delivery to israel of two u. S. Built Lockheed Martin f35 fighter jets, regarded as the most advanced military aircraft in the world. Israel now becomes the only country outside the United States to have operational f35 fighter jets. This is secretary carter speaking monday at the Nevatim Air Base in the southern negev desert. Israels desert. The stealth fighters are the first 50 aircraft that will help build the future of the israeli air force. And that is thanks to and stored memorandum of understanding we signed this year in which the u. S. Pledged an unprecedented 38 million in Security Assistance over the next decade. And as of today, israel is our first and only friend in the region that is flying f35. It is my honor to be here marking the delivery of these planes to americas closest friend and ally in the region. Amy each Lockheed Martin f35 jet costs more than 100 million, a price tag donald trump recently criticized, tweeting the f35 program and cost is out of control. Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military purchases after january 20th. More than 5 trillion worth of investments are now pledged to be divested from fossil fuels. The analysis, issued monday, details how nearly 700 institutions and nearly 60,000 individuals from across 76 nations have committed to divest their assets from the fossil fuel industry. This is mark ruffalo speaking at a News Conference in new york city. If you keep your money in the fossil fuel industry, youre hurting your children, youre hurting the future generations, and you are hurting your selves. You cant say that you care about your children or your grandchildren and keep pouring money into this system. Amy that is actor markgraf alone. Mark ruffalo. At Standing Rock in north dakota, native american elders fighting the Dakota Access pipeline have extinguished the seven council fires, which has been burning for months at the main resistance camp, and young native water protectors have relit a new fire, the all nations fire, as part of the continued resistance to the 3. 8 billion pipeline. This is Standing Rock sioux tribe member chase iron eyes. It was probably 1000 people still here who are committed to staying until the pipeline is dead. They are committed to staying to protect our treaty rights and to create a new existence for our people. Theyre committed to even protecting american constitutional, civil and human rights. We approach the elders. They told us how to conduct ourselves and to build a new fire. It is all young people who came up. Amy the water protectors are fighting the pipeline over concerns a leak could contaminate the missouri river, which serves as a drinking source for millions. On monday, north dakota officials confirmed that another Pipeline Leak earlier this month has spilled more than 176,000 gallons of crude oil into the ash coulee creek about 150 miles west of Standing Rock. Meanwhile, in more news from Standing Rock, the water protector legal collective reports a north dakota court has convened a federal grand jury and issued at least one subpoena against a water protector at sacred stone camp. Angela bibbens of the collective says it appears the grand jury is focused on the injuries of sophia wilansky, whose left arm was brutally hurt. An account which the police deny. This is angela bibbens. To the convening of the federal grand jury, the water protector legal collective has put together a committee of experienced attorneys who can represent water protectors who have been served with a subpoena. If you are a water protector out there who has been served, please contact our hotline at 6055198180. Amy the Seattle City Council has vote unanimously to advance to discussion a piece of legislation that would see the city break ties with wells fargo over its financing of the Dakota Access pipeline. Wells fargo currently manages 3 billion worth of depository services for seattle. The legislation was proposed by socialist city councilwoman kshama sawant, who spoke about the water protectors at Standing Rock during a City Council Meeting monday. Repression and attacks on private militarized security forces. They have been bitten by attack dogs, pepper spray, subjected to mass arrest including for praying. But they have courageously stood strong and shown will we both organize movements willing to fight, we can win. Elected officials nationwide a way to the activists to stand with them. One clear way the city council can do that is by divesting the city of seattle from wells fargo , which also happens to be one of the Principal Financial backers of the Dakota Access pipeline. Amy that was Seattle City Councilwoman kshama sawant. The Minneapolis City Council is also currently studying ways break financial ties with wells fargo and other banks financing the Dakota Access pipeline and other energy projects. Minneapolis activists locked shut the doors of a new wells fargo branch, which was slated to open monday, demanding the bank divest from the Dakota Access pipeline. Pipeline protesters spreading across United States over the weekend. A military veteran was arrested in live oak, florida, missed a series of protests against the 3. 2 billion natural gas pipeline that is slated to run from alabama through georgia into florida. Meanwhile on monday, two people were arrested after chaining themselves to Construction Equipment in arkansas in efforts to stop the construction of the proposed 440 mile Diamond Pipeline slated to carry oil from oklahoma to arkansas. Land conflicts are growing increasingly deadly worldwide, with triple the number of land rights defenders murdered this year compared to 2015. This according to a new report by pan asia pacific, which details how an average of almost 16 indigenous land defenders, farmers and activists were , killed each month from january until november of this year. In bahrain, an Appeals Court has upheld a nineyear prison sentence against bahraini opposition leader, sheikh ali salman. He is the secretary general of a main bahraini opposition party. His arrest in december 2015 sparked protests and international condemnation. Bahrain is a close u. S. Ally in the gulf, home to the navys fifth fleet. In brazil, president michel temer is facing accusations of soliciting nearly 3 million in Illegal Campaign contributions in 2014. The revelations come only one day after a poll showed the majority of brazilians, 63 , want temer to resign. Michel temer rose to power earlier this year after the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff in a process she and others have called a coup. Back in the United States, the Supreme Court has denied request National Football league settlement with former players who say the leak intentionally concealed the dangers of concussions. Say they will begin receiving settlements of up to 5 million. A New York Times investigation earlier this year revealed the nfl it more than 100 diagnosed concussions that published studies based on flawed data. The investigation also exposes how the nfl shared lobbyists, lawyers, and consultants with the tobacco industry. The Free Alabama Movement reports incarcerated organizer kinetic justice was physically attacked and maced while handcuffed by two Prison Guards at Limestone Correctional Facility in alabama on december 2. Justice was a key organizer in the nationwide prison strike this fall. Since then, he says hes faced multiple transfers between different prisons, as well as retaliation from Prison Guards, including being denied water by prison officials at the kilby correctional facility. To see our full interview with kinetic justice on the nationwide prison strikes, to go democracynow. Org. A new report by the committee to protect journalists reveals at least 257 journalists have been jailed worldwide this year the most since the committee began recordkeeping in 1990. Nearly onethird of the journalists are imprisoned by turkey alone. Since the failed military coup this summer, turkish authorities have executed a widespread crackdown against the press, particularly against kurdish newspapers and journalists. On monday, turkish authorities also rounded up and arrested as many as 200 members of the prokurdish Peoples Democratic party, known as the hdp, after raiding the parties offices in ankara and istanbul. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. In less than one week, on december 19, members of the Electoral College will meet in their respective state capitols to cast ballots to determine who will be the next president. In recent history, the vote of the Electoral College has largely been a formality. But this year, electors in states won by donald trump are facing mounting pressure to reject his presidency. Last week Christopher Suprun of texas became the first republican member of the Electoral College to come out saying he will not vote for trump. He appeared on democracy now this is what the Electoral College is for, so we do not elect a demagogue, somebody who cannot practice the foreignpolicy and National Defense of the country appropriately, and one who has played fast and loose with the rules of conflicts of interest. Amy will on monday, christopher supran made headlines again when he joined with nine democratic members of the Electoral College to ask James Clapper, the u. S. Director of national intelligence, to brief electors before the 19th on how russia may have interfered with the election. The cia has concluded russia intervened in the election to help trump win but the agency , has not released its findings. Reuters is reporting there is yet to be an endorsement because of lack of conclusive evidence that moscow intended to boost trump over hillary clinton. Trump rejected the conclusion saying it is ridiculous that president obama order