Josh Hafner

USA TODAY

Another day, another Trump Twitter tirade. Thursday morning's edition hit on Vanity Fair and journalists in general before the president-elect spouted a particularly bold falsehood. "If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act?" Trump tweeted. "Why did they only complain after Hillary lost?"

Of course, they didn't. The same Internet that gives Trump a platform also leaves his statements vulnerable to fact checks: Both the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence formally accused Russia of using hacking to influence the election on Oct. 7, a month before Election Day.

And Trump himself discussed the notion of Russian hacking as early as July. Perhaps he simply forgot.

It's For the Record, the politics newsletter from USA TODAY.

Trump spokesman: Don't undermine this election by asking whether Russia undermined this election

So all this coverage is starting to bug Trump & Co., who allege it to be a story peddled by Democrats (except that Republicans in Congress say it has merit, too). Trump spokesman Jason Miller dismissed findings of more than a dozen intelligence agencies that concluded Russia was behind the hacking, describing "continued efforts to try to de-legitimize the election."

NBC News went so far as to report Thursday that Russian president and Trump mural mate Vladimir Putin was personally involved in hacking efforts to upend the election. It cited two unnamed "senior U.S. intelligence officials," though, so take it with a grain of salt.

All this complicates things for Trump's secretary of state pick Rex Tillerson, a Texas oil baron with the name of a Texas oil baron who just so happens, strangely enough, to be acquaintances with Putin. Expect that to put a kink in his confirmation hearings.

And Trump? Well, he just likes Russians in general. The rich ones who buy his condos, at least.

Business dealings show Trump <3 wealthy Russians

Our own Oren Dorell took a dive into Trump's business dealings, which show how he spent decades courting rich Russians to buy his luxury high rises. After bankruptcies made it tough for Trump to raise funds in the U.S., he turned to Moscow. Real estate brokers in Dubai, Florida and New York told USA TODAY that Trump's properties still lure high-end buyers from Russia and other countries as well.

Donald Trump Jr. talked about his father's growing Russia ties in a 2008 address to investors, the Russian daily Kommersant reported.

“We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia," Trump Jr. said a the time. "There's indeed a lot of money coming for new-builds and resale reflecting a trend in the Russian economy and, of course, the weak dollar versus the ruble."

The Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment for the article.

Montana congressman tapped to oversee federal land

Trump on Thursday nominated Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke to oversee the nation's federal land and natural resources as Interior secretary. Zinke, a former Navy SEAL and early Trump supporter, will aid the administration's goals to preserve the nation's natural beauty, repeal "bad regulations" and "use our natural resources to create jobs and wealth for the American people," Trump said.

As a congressman, Zinke's voting record puts him at the bottom of the League of Conservation Voters' rankings of congressional members. But Barry Russell, CEO of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, thinks Zinke's a swell pick. "Nobody values the importance of public land use better than a Westerner," he said.

Here's everyone picked for Trumps Cabinet so far.

Around the transition

Trump’s vow to undo Obama rules? lol not so fast (USA TODAY)

Electors’ lawyer: Founding Fathers ‘anticipated’ Trump (USA TODAY)

What the intelligence briefing says about Obama's presidency — and Trump's (USA TODAY)

Trump aides promote Rex Tillerson's global experience (USA TODAY)

Here comes Putin Claus here comes Putin Claus right down Putin Claus Lane

White House reporters gathered this week for their yearly holiday party and the annual reading of the White House Christmas poem (a real thing). Greg Clugston of Salem Radio News strung together all of 2016's happenings in the style of Twas the Night Before Christmas. If you never noticed that Bernie Sanders "looked something like Scrooge," you will now.