North Carolina's elections board has called for a new congressional election in the disputed 9th District. Republican candidate Mark Harris narrowly beat Democrat Dan McCready in November, but the board had refused to call the election amid widespread allegations of fraud committed by Harris' campaign. In a hearing Thursday, Harris denied knowledge of any "improper activities," but called for a new election because "the public's confidence ... has been undermined." Earlier in the week, state investigators and the board said they had "evidence" that proved "a coordinated, unlawful and substantially resourced absentee ballot scheme operated during the general election." A witness also said she was paid to take absentee ballots by McCrae Dowless, who consulted for Harris' campaign.

Roger Stone, former adviser to President Trump and longtime Republican operative, appeared in federal court on Thursday to explain why his "conditions of release should not be modified or revoked in light of the posts on his Instagram account," per a demand by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson. Stone, who is facing charges of witness tampering, obstruction, and making false statements, posted a photo of Jackson on Instagram that suggested he wouldn't receive a fair trial, and that featured a crosshairs next to the judge. Testifying on Thursday, Stone called the post "an egregious, stupid error," and apologized for his "lack of judgment." Jackson issued a full gag order on Stone's case, telling him he is barred from publicly commenting on the matter, "period."

The federal prosecutors who signed a plea agreement with Florida millionaire Jeffrey Epstein broke the law, a judge said Thursday. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra ruled that the prosecutors involved in the sex-trafficking case, including then-Florida prosecutor and current Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, violated the Crime Victims' Rights Act by not keeping Epstein's victims informed about the agreement, per Politico. After the deal, which resolved a case in which Epstein was accused of building a "cult-like network" of girls coerced into sexual acts, Epstein ultimately served 13 months in prison. Acosta agreed to seal the plea deal, which meant dozens of Epstein's accusers never knew about the deal or were able to testify against him. The Labor Department did not comment on the ruling.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Thursday she supports reparations for black Americans affected by slavery. "We must confront the dark history of slavery and government-sanctioned discrimination in this country that has had many consequences, including undermining the ability of black families to build wealth in America for generations," she said, calling for "systemic, structural changes to address that." She did not detail any specific policy plans. While some politicians, like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), have said a reparations plan would be too "divisive," fellow 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) recently backed the idea, saying she would "change policies ... and make real investments in black communities."

Peter Tork, bassist and keyboardist for The Monkees, died on Thursday. He was 77. In 2009, he was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare cancer affecting his head and neck. Known for their hits "Daydream Believer" and "I'm a Believer," The Monkees had four No. 1 albums and a television show that ran from 1966 to 1968. The group, comprised of Tork, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith, released the movie Head in 1968, and later that year, Tork left the band. He participated in several reunion tours, both before and after Jones died in 2012. Tork's last solo record, "Relax Your Mind," came out in 2018.