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As Joe Biden's inauguration looms -- and as many expect civil unrest -- a number of the Capitol Police's rank and file fear they won't be supported by leadership if they have to use deadly force to protect themselves.

Capitol Police sources tell TMZ ... there's been a lot of chatter lately about officers tasked with guarding the Capitol come Wednesday and whether they're allowed to use deadly force if push comes to shove ... and if so, will they be backed by the Department?

Our sources say the issue came up at a roll call meeting last week, where one USCP officer asked his sergeants in the room, if they find themselves in a life or death situation -- like several cops did on Jan. 6 -- can they do whatever it takes to save their own lives, including the use of deadly force?

And, just as important ... would USCP brass have their backs in the aftermath? We're told the answer they got was NOT reassuring -- more of a wishy-washy response that catered more to optics and the need to accommodate peaceful protesters. In other words, the answer they got was vague and, many say, unhelpful.

There've been several suspensions, firings and resignations from the fallout Jan. 6. Some of the rank and file feel they've been made scapegoats ... and much of the discipline was unfair. All of this, we're told, has negatively affected morale.

It's not lost on the officers that they lost one of their own during the insurrection -- Brian Sicknick, who suffered a fatal injury. And, they heard the story of the officer who was dragged down Capitol steps and beaten. These cops want a clear policy on the right to use lethal force.

Awesome step in the right direction for Delonte West -- the ex-NBAer is now employed by the same rehab facility he received treatment from late last year!!

As we previously reported ... Mark Cuban personally tracked down the 37-year-old at a Dallas gas station in September 2020 and helped the hooper reconnect with his mother.

Together, West's mom and Cuban convinced the former Dallas Maverick to seek treatment at the Rebound therapy center in Florida ... as an attempt to bounce back from hard times.

The progress was clearly visible -- with West smiling from ear-to-ear during activities like horseback riding, frisbee golf and kayaking as he took steps towards recovery.

Now, The Athletic's Shams Charania reports West will continue to surround himself within the Rebound family ... this time, as an employee.

The report also states West has maintained contact with Cuban and his family as he continues to work on his health.

Of course, West was the 24th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft ... playing for the SuperSonics, Mavs, Cavs and Celtics.

The guard fell on hard times in the years following his hoops career ... and members of the NBA community -- including Cuban, Doc Rivers and Jameer Nelson -- have been focused on trying to get West back on his feet.

The recent updates have been positive -- West was even spotted working on his jumper back in November ... and it's clear he has a strong support system behind him.

Hillary Clinton thinks President Trump continues to do Vladimir Putin's bidding, and that his allegiance might be behind the Capitol insurrection.

HC hosted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on her podcast, 'You and Me Both,' and openly speculated Trump might have been on the phone with Russia's President the day of the riots ... going on to say she'd like to see his call records.

Clinton presented no evidence to back up her conspiracy theory but floated it nonetheless, and the Speaker piggybacked ... saying she wants another 9/11-like commission to dig into Trump's Presidency, the riots and potential ties to Russia.

It's clear they both feel Trump is beholden to Putin, and by extension -- so are his followers, who Hillary now refers to as cult members. Not sure if that's an upgrade or downgrade from "deplorables."

It's interesting she brings up Russia again -- a matter many put to bed after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's nearly 2-year-long probe found the Trump campaign wasn't actively conspiring with Russia to influence the 2016 election.

That being said, Putin's still at the front of Hillary's mind after losing the Presidency in the wake of Russian meddling.

Brett Favre is issuing a stern warning to Patrick Mahomes ... telling TMZ Sports the quarterback NEEDS to listen to the doctors when it comes to handling his concussion.

The NFL's most legendary ironman explained ... "I played 321 straight games, it kind of goes against everything I stood for when I played. But, you got to be smart. You've got to be smart."

Favre says he's legitimately worried about the Chiefs star's long-term health ... telling us if Mahomes rushes back to the field after suffering that head injury against the Browns on Sunday, it could have dire consequences.

"When you're in the moment, and you're young, you're bulletproof, man," Favre says. "But, I'm 51 years old and I'm wondering what tomorrow will bring because of concussions more than anything."

Mahomes and the Chiefs play the Bills on Sunday ... and many in Kansas City and around the league are hoping the QB can clear concussion protocol and play in the huge matchup.

But, Favre is stressing the need for Patrick to be honest with doctors and coaches about his symptoms ... and to take it all very seriously.

Of course, caring for head injuries is a cause very near to Brett's heart ... he's expressed concern he might have CTE due to all the hits he's suffered.

Before this pressed little lady became a smash scream queen sensation, she was just another cute toddler staring longingly out the window in Los Angeles, California.

This little lady is best known for starring in multiple slasher films -- she made her debut in a scary holiday film franchise which gained so much popularity she returned for 5 more sequels. Recently, she reprised the role in a 2018 horror movie ... 40 years after the original was in theaters.

When she's not screaming on-screen, she's making audiences scream with laughter, just like in this freaky comedy with Lindsay Lohan.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s loved ones paid their respects to the legendary Civil Rights leader ... on the day America honors the man whose dream for equality in the country is still being fought for today.

MLK's sister, Christine King Farris, her son Isaac Newton Farris Jr. and MLK's daughter Bernice King were among the family members who placed a wreath beside the tombstone he shares with his wife, Coretta Scott King.

The family gathered at the King Center in Atlanta for this year's Community Commemorative Service.

The MLK Day holiday -- in honor of his January 15 birthday -- seems more significant than ever after a year of civil unrest, protesting systemic racism and police brutality.

However, in the nation's capital, the MLK Jr. Memorial isn't even open to the public due to the fortification and heightened security following the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Rosie O'Donnell is just days away from being able to declare victory over her longtime nemesis, President Trump, and says the cherry on top would be him standing trial and going to prison.

Rosie was at LAX Monday when she opened up about how she's feeling as Trump's final days in office wind down. Not shockingly, she's thrilled to see him go, but still wants justice for the events of January 6.

She believes Capitol rioters should be punished to the full extent of the law for sedition ... and insists people who compare Jan. 6 to Black Lives Matter protests are way off base. Rosie's also pretty adamant Trump's a shameless criminal -- she hurled an allegation to that effect while discussing the stack of pardons he's about to sign.

Remember, they were enemies for a decade before he entered politics, but Trump infamously took a shot at Rosie during a 2015 Republican debate. He also claimed no one feels sorry for Rosie during a later debate with Hillary Clinton.

There was a mad scramble after January 6 to get ambulances to Washington D.C. for the inauguration, and the federal government inked a multi-million dollar deal to make it happen.

FEMA has hired a company called American Medical Response, Inc. to provide emergency services for Wednesday. The value of the contract -- $10 million.

The deal was signed last Friday and runs through next Monday. AMR offers ground and air ambulances as well as EMT-trained personnel.

The inauguration's already off to a scary start ... as we reported, Monday's rehearsal was interrupted by smoke billowing nearby, leading to a lockdown of Capitol Hill.

D.C. is like an armed camp, with more than 20,000 National Guard troops at the ready. Although the feds now say the inauguration should be secure, they're clearly taking no chances. It's unclear how many ambulances are coming to D.C., but for $10 mil it must be a lot.

The son of Patrick Warren -- the man with mental health issues who was shot and killed by a cop this month -- says he felt betrayed when the officer arrived, because he didn't want an armed police officer dealing with his dad.

Patrick Jr. appeared on "TMZ Live" Monday ... where he talked about the horror of watching his father die in front of the entire family.

As we reported, the family called 911 the day before Patrick Warren was gunned down. A mental health resource officer came out and talked to the man, who was outside praising God and would not come inside the house. The officer sat on the sofa, reasoned with Patrick and they then walked calmly to a car where the officer took the man to a hospital to get checked out. It was peaceful and successful.

Patrick Jr. says the next day they had a similar problem and he called the mental health unit again, expecting a mental health officer would return. Instead, Patrick Jr. says he saw an armed cop with a gun, who almost immediately escalated the situation.

Patrick Jr. says his dad was not violent either day, and he pleaded with the cop not to use his gun.

Sadly, Patrick Jr. says he has a little brother who also has special needs, but now he's afraid to call anyone for help.

The daughter who publicly ID'd her own mother as a bloodied participant in the Capitol riots feels some guilt for calling her mom out ... but says she doesn't regret it, for several reasons.

Helena Duke joined "TMZ Live" Monday to add some context to why she decided to out her mother, Therese Duke, in a viral clip where Therese gets punched by a security guard outside the Capitol after the insurrection.

Helena says her mom lied to her about her whereabouts on January 6 -- claiming she was getting a medical procedure -- so she wouldn't have known Therese attended the riots ... if not for the video of her getting punched.

As for why Therese was in D.C. ... Helena believes Donald Trump radicalized her mother about a year into his Presidency. She says it was "unsettling" how her mom flipped from lifelong Democrat to far-right Republican.

If you missed it ... the day after the riots, Helena commented on the vid of her mother getting punched -- "hi mom remember the time you told me I shouldn’t go to BLM protests bc they could get violent...this you?"

Shortly afterward she went a step further by publicly ID'ing her mom, aunt and uncle as attending the riot.

Therese has since been fired from her job at a Massachusetts hospital ... which stated her termination was linked to her being involved in the Capitol violence.

It looks like Lil Wayne could be let off the hook in his federal gun case by none other than President Trump ... who's reportedly expected to pardon the rapper before his term ends.

Trump's believed to have a pretty lengthy list of names for his final round of commutations and pardons -- an estimated 50 to 100 people -- and according to Fox News ... he'll announce them in a big reveal Tuesday or, at the latest, Wednesday morning before Joe Biden's inauguration.

When he does, it sounds like people anticipate Lil Wayne to be a notable beneficiary of a presidential pardon ... which ya can't help but think is perhaps a thank you for endorsing Trump in the days leading up to the 2020 election.

As you'll recall ... Weezy posed for a photo op with 45 and touted his track record with criminal justice reform, along with the Trump administration's proposed "platinum plan" for helping the Black community.

Trump also praised Lil Wayne as an activist and a "really nice guy." Weezy got a lot of criticism for their pow wow, but it seems he's on track to reap a big reward for it now.

As we reported ... Wayne pled guilty in federal court last month to illegally possessing a loaded weapon while traveling to Miami on a private jet a year earlier.

The rapper's a convicted felon, so he's facing the possibility of up to 10 years in prison at sentencing ... though he's likely to get far less than that for agreeing to the guilty plea.

Kyrie Irving came through with an incredible gesture for George Floyd's family ... with Stephen Jackson revealing the NBA superstar recently bought them a new home.

Jackson -- who personally knew Floyd and referred to him as his "twin" -- vowed to be a father figure for George's 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, after George's death in May 2020.

But, the ex-NBAer says he's not alone in supporting Floyd's family ... joining Etan Thomas' "The Rematch" podcast to praise other huge names who have stepped up in support.

"I'm just continuing to do what I said I was going to do," Jackson said on the podcast. "I said I was going to be my brother's keeper and take care of his daughter and make sure that her next days are her best days."

"A lot of my friends ... Kyrie Irving bought them a house. Lil Wayne's manager bought them a Mercedes-Benz. Barbra Streisand gave them stock in Disney."

As we previously reported, Lil Baby also stepped up to throw a lavish party for Gianna's 7th birthday ... and Jackson says the kind gestures have helped her deal with the tragic loss of her father.

"I think God has definitely blessed her," Stack continued. "Right now, she's doing the best she's ever done. She's happy."

The proverbial honeymoon phase is over for Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, because they've split up ... TMZ has confirmed.

The two actors called it quits recently, with Ana apparently being the one to break it off with Ben. Word is the uncoupling is amicable, and there are no hard feelings. A source connected to the couple tells TMZ ... Ben is in a good place with his family and career, and not hanging his head over the split.

ADA and Ben were getting along swimmingly for almost a year ... first being linked together back in March of last year, and showing PDA all over town in different settings. Ben even introduced Ana to his kids, and she appeared to have moved in with him too.

The pair met while shooting a movie they were both starring in, "Deep Water," and eventually took a vacay to Ana's native country, Cuba. Things got serious pretty quickly -- not only did Ben integrate her into his family life, but they were regularly walking their dogs together.

The last time Ben and Ana were seen together was this past November.

A Capitol rioter from Texas threatened to shoot his own children if they snitched on him to the feds ... at least according to the FBI.

According to his wife, Guy Reffitt told his son and daughter, "If you turn me in, you're a traitor and you know what happens to traitors ... traitors get shot" ... and it's all spelled out in an affidavit signed by FBI special agent Thomas Ryan.

In the affidavit, obtained by TMZ, the FBI agent says Reffitt was seen in restricted areas of the Capitol during the riots. Reffitt's accused of unlawful entry and obstruction of justice.

Reffitt's alleged threats didn't stop there, according to the feds ... he told his daughter he would "put a bullet" through her phone if she told friends her dad was at the Capitol.

Images of Reffitt from the insurrection show what appears to be a camera on his helmet, and the FBI says he admitted to his son he "stormed the Capitol" and told his family he had to scrub his Go-Pro footage from Jan. 6 because the FBI was on to him.

The guy's wife told the feds he's a member of a right-wing militia group, the Three Percenters, adding she didn't believe he would follow through with his alleged threats and was more disturbed by his extreme rhetoric.

This is 57 for Michelle Obama, who's reflecting on a challenging year, and sending a motivational message to everyone going through the same -- hang in there.

The former First Lady celebrated her birthday Sunday, and thanked her millions of followers for their "lovely birthday wishes" ... while sharing a pensive black-and-white photo of herself.

Michelle added ... "I know this past year has been difficult for us all on so many levels, so I just hope you all are taking care of yourselves and finding joy in the smallest moments."

Her hubby, former Prez Barack, also gave her a bday shout-out ... accompanied by a throwback pic. He captioned it, "Happy birthday to my love, my partner, and my best friend. Every moment with you is a blessing. Love you, Miche."

Of course, a lot of the difficulty Michelle alludes to in her bday message involves the hot-button issues of 2020 that have continued on in the new year -- the coronavirus pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, social justice and protests ... and the contentious election.

Staging preparations for Joe Biden's inauguration were interrupted Monday morning when smoke billowed up nearby ... prompting a lockdown of Capitol Hill.

As multiple groups were meeting to practice for the festivities on Wednesday, smoke was seen rising up behind the Capitol Building ... forcing an evacuation.

According to reports ... Capitol Hill staffers received a message warning of an "external security threat" prior to the dress rehearsal for the inauguration.

Everyone was ordered back inside and instructed to stay away from windows and doors and seek cover if outside.

The good news -- the D.C. Fire Dept. located the fire and put it out ... and nobody was hurt. Our sources say the fire was started at a homeless encampment and is no longer viewed as any sort of threat.

Of course, there is a very strong security presence everywhere in the area -- bolstered by some 20,000 National Guard troops -- and the brief evacuation is a sign of the high alert that remains since the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.