Impeachment

USA Today reports: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., proposed Thursday to start the trial in February, after preliminary statements are filed by House prosecutors and Trump’s defense team. He argued the slight delay would offer time for Trump’s legal team to familiarize themselves with the case. “At this time of strong political passions, Senate Republicans believe it is absolutely …

The Associated Press reports: President-elect Joe Biden plans to unveil a sweeping immigration bill on Day One of his administration, hoping to provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status, a massive reversal from the Trump administration’s harsh immigration policies. The legislation puts Biden on track to deliver on …

From the editorial board of the Salt Lake Tribune: He could have voted with the rest of the Republican members of the Senate of the United States to acquit the president of the United States on both of the articles of impeachment brought by the House of Representatives. He could have rationalized it — to himself, to his party, to …

Arizona Central reports: Citing her concern for the Constitution as well as the conduct of future presidents, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema will vote Wednesday to convict President Donald Trump on the impeachment charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The decision by Sinema, a moderate Arizona Democrat who was seen as a swing vote, was one of the last …

Politico reports: Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.), who faces a tough reelection race in Alabama, will vote to convict President Donald Trump on both articles of impeachment. Jones made the announcement hours before the Senate is expected to acquit Trump over charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. “Senators are elected to make tough choices. We are required to …

The Washington Post reports: Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.), a moderate who is friendly with the White House, on Monday asked his colleagues to consider censuring President Trump as it concludes the Senate impeachment trial. Manchin has prepared a censure resolution for fellow senators to consider in the coming days, which would be a less severe rebuke than removal from …

USA Today reports: House impeachment managers and President Donald Trump’s legal team will make their closing arguments Monday as senators prepare to vote on whether to convict or acquit the president on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Those two articles of impeachment were approved by the Democratic-controlled House on Dec. 18 after a two-month inquiry into …

Politico reports: Ahead of a tight vote on whether to hear new witnesses in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, the Senate is preparing for the possibility that this crucial roll call has an asterisk in the history books: it ends in a tie. And it’s a scenario that would suddenly put a spotlight on Chief Justice John Roberts. For weeks, …

NPR reports: President Trump’s impeachment trial moves Wednesday to its next phase: written questions from senators. For up to 16 hours spread over two days, senators from both parties will submit questions to House managers prosecuting the case as well as Trump’s defense lawyers; U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, who is presiding over the trial, will read the questions aloud …

Axios reports: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that he believes Hunter Biden is a relevant witness in President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, adding that it could be an opportunity for Biden to clear himself. The state of play: Senate Democrats and Republicans are jockeying over whether to call witnesses — and, if so, who would take …

The New York Times reports: Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, told a closed-door meeting of Republicans that he does not currently have the votes to block Democrats from calling witnesses at the trial because some Republicans remain uncommitted, according to people familiar with the meeting. In making the statement, Mr. McConnell — who had with him a “whip count” …

NBC News reports: President Donald Trump on Sunday suggested House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., will pay a “price” for his role in the impeachment saga. “Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN, and probably a very sick man,” Trump tweeted. “He has not paid the price, yet, for what he has done to our Country!” The president posted …

Politico reports: Senate GOP leaders are strongly considering a move to quickly end President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial next week if a motion to call additional witnesses is defeated, according to three top Republican senators. The Republican strategy — which is still fluid — could mean senators have limited time between key procedural votes and the final vote on whether …

NBC News reports: Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, indicated Saturday that he is “likely” to vote to call witnesses in Trump’s impeachment trial, but would not commit to doing so just yet. “I think it’s very likely I’ll be in favor of witnesses but I haven’t made a decision finally yet and I won’t until” arguments on both sides are done, …

Just in from the House Judiciary Democratic Press: Today, Managers for the U.S. House of Representatives filed a 28,578-page trial record with the Secretary of the Senate for the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. The trial record serves as the evidentiary foundation informing the Senate impeachment trial and provides a permanent accounting to the Senate and the public of …

NBC News reports: President Donald Trump’s lawyers will begin to make their case in his defense on Saturday as the Senate impeachment trial concludes its first week of arguments. The defense phase of the trial follows three days of arguments against the president from House impeachment managers. Trump’s lawyer Jay Sekulow said on Friday that Saturday’s arguments, which are expected …

Talking Points Memo reports: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) pledged Friday to release the trove of impeachment-related documents that the White House has barred, should she become president. The remarks come as Senate Democrats push for the chamber to vote next week to allow a slate of witnesses and documents be made available in its impeachment trial. It is unclear if …

ABC News reports: Two-thirds of Americans in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll say the U.S. Senate should call new witnesses at Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, and the public is divided on his removal from office – even as Trump’s approval rating has rallied to match his career high. Forty-four percent now approve of Trump’s performance in office; 51% disapprove, …

The Washington Post reports: House managers plan Friday to turn their attention to the obstruction-of-Congress charge against President Trump on their third and final day of opening arguments in the historic impeachment trial focused on the president’s conduct toward Ukraine. After the managers, led by Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.), wrap up their presentation, lawyers for Trump will get an …

Raw Story reports: Republican senators received a violently metaphorical threat before the impeachment vote. One of President Donald Trump’s confidantes said GOP senators were warned not to vote for impeachment — or else, reported CBS News. “Vote against the president and your head will be on a pike,” senators were told, according to the confidante. It’s not clear who delivered …