Tonight on the readout.

Pretty damn simple.

Our democracy begins and ends the duties of citizenship.

That's our work for the ages.

That's what all of you, I mean this, all of you embody.

Late today, President Biden awarding civilian medals to 20 people,

including the two representatives who led the House January 6th investigation.

Meanwhile, this year's January 6th, electoral certification could face a different,

though less violent disruption.

It can't happen, it turns out, without a speaker.

And Republicans face yet another potentially chaotic speaker election tomorrow.

Also tonight, America's billionaires and near billionaires are preparing to take power

with Trump as their frontman, having convinced

millions of Americans for decades that their own family's financial security is much less

important than allowing the very richest to get even richer.

And we begin tonight with what should be a Happy New Year.

But instead, it's a tragic one, marred by violence and death.

14 people were killed and more than 30 injured when a 42-year-old U.S. citizen and army veteran from Texas

rammed a pickup truck into a crowd during New Year's celebrations on

Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Details continue to emerge about the victims as mourners flocked

to the scene to lay flowers. The dead include Matthew Tenedorio, who according to his mom,

worked at the New Orleans Superdome. She said it was the job of his dreams.

...