1/ Roughly six hours after pleading not guilty to 34 counts of filing false business records, Trump called the judge overseeing the case “a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family.” Judge Juan Merchan had asked Trump during his arraignment to “please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence or civil unrest, or jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals.” Nevertheless, Trump went ahead and singled out Judge Merchan and Merchan’s daughter, who is president of a digital campaign strategy agency that’s work with Biden, Harris, and other Democrats. Trump also called the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, a “criminal” for, he claims, leaking information about the case. “I never thought anything like this could happen in America,” Trump told supporters at Mar-a-Lago. “The only crime that I’ve committed has been to fearlessly defend our nation against those who seek to destroy it.” (Washington Post / ABC News / New York Times / Reuters)

2/ Pence will not appeal a court order requiring him to testify before the grand jury investigating Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election. Pence’s decision to not appeal means he will likely testify under oath about Trump’s unsuccessful attempts to pressure him into blocking the certification of the 2020 presidential election. Trump could still pursue an appeal to try to block Pence from testifying about their communications ahead of the Jan. 6 election certification. Trump, however, has lost similar cases previously. (NBC News / Politico / CNN / Washington Post)

3/ Wisconsin voters elected a liberal candidate to the State Supreme Court, flipping majority control from conservatives. Janet Protasiewicz’s victory means that the court is likely to reverse the state’s abortion ban and end the use of gerrymandered legislative maps drawn by Republicans. Protasiewicz’s victory also ends 15 years of conservative control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. (NBC News / New York Times / CNN / Washington Post / NPR)

4/ A North Carolina Democratic state lawmaker switched party affiliation, giving Republicans a veto-proof supermajority in the state’s legislature. Tricia Cotham claimed she had been “bullied” for not toeing the party line, saying “They have pushed me out. They’ve made it very clear they do not want me.” Cotham said the turning point came when she was criticized for using the American flag and a prayer-hands emoji on social media and on her vehicles. North Carolina...