Tipsheet: Independents souring on impeachment underscores risk for Democrats

View in your browser     Independents souring on impeachment underscores risk for Democrats BY JONATHAN EASLEY New public opinion polls are moving against Democrats on impeachment, as independents sour on the House inquiry and increasingly express opposition to the hearings that have consumed Washington in recent weeks. The new data comes as a surprise to many Democrats, many of whom believe the roster of witnesses have offered damning testimony about President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. Read the full story here     Democrats work to bring labor on board trade deal BY CRISTINA NIV ELIS and RAFAEL BERNAL Labor unions voicing skepticism about the updated North American trade agreement are becoming a final obstacle to the deal that House Democrats and the White House are seeking to iron out. Read the full story here     Trump, GOP skeptical Pelosi will go through with impeachment BY ALEXANDER BOLTON New polling showing public opposition to impeachment has some Republicans along with officials in the White House voicing skepticism that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will go through with a vote on articles of impeachment. Read the full story here     Impeachment witnesses come under threats, harassment BY RACHEL FRAZIN Two weeks of public testimony has revealed new, damaging details of the Trump administration’s dealings with Ukraine, but witnesses who come before Congress and the American people have had to pay a price. Read the full story here       House, Senate reach deal on fiscal 2020 spending figures BY NIV ELIS and JORDAIN CARNEY Top negotiators from the House and Senate have reached a long-stalled deal on top-line spending figures for the fiscal 2020 bills. Read the full story here     House Armed Services Committee Chairman: Ethics investigation into Nunes 'likely' BY RACHEL FRAZIN   House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said Saturday that top House Intelligence Committee Republican Devin Nunes (Calif.) should face an ethics probe due to accusations that he met with a former Ukrainian prosecutor who is central to the impeachment inquiry. Read the full story here     Giuliani quips he has 'insurance' if Trump throws him 'under the bus' BY TAL AXELROD President Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani remarked Saturday that he has “insurance” if the president tries to turn on him while defending their relationship amid the ongoing House impeachment inquiry. Read the full story here     Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after fever, chills BY RACHEL FRAZIN Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized on Friday night after she experienced chills and fever during the day, but her symptoms have died down, the court said in a statement. Read the full story here     Pence, second lady make unannounced trip to Iraq to visit US troops BY TAL AXELROD Vice President Pence and second lady Karen Pence made an unannounced trip to Iraq on Saturday to visit troops stationed there for the Thanksgiving holiday. Read the full story here     Amazon files lawsuit against Pentagon's decision to award $10B contract to Microsoft BY TAL AXELROD Amazon filed a lawsuit in federal court Friday to dispute the Pentagon’s decision to award a lucrative cloud computing contract to rival Microsoft. Read the full story here     A case for impeaching all living presidents of the United States BY JONATHAN TURLEY Opinion | Every year, shoppers wait for the next big thing in holiday gifts. The “must have” this year, at least for 43 percent of them, is the impeachment of President Trump. Like frenzied shoppers, Democrats are rushing to obtain impeachment before Christmas, despite pursuing an impeachment that seems designed to fail with an incomplete and conflicted record. It also is the narrowest impeachment in history that conspicuously omits thus far the crimes that Democratic leaders in Congress insisted for years would be proven by the Russia investigation but ultimately were not. Read the full story here     The Democratic ticket Trump doesn't want in 2020 BY DOUGLAS MACKINNON Opinion | Pete Buttigieg’s recent popularity surge in Iowa and New Hampshire has many speculating that President Trump could face a Democratic ticket in 2020 that he doesn’t want and fears the most — the South Bend, Ind., mayor and another candidate recently in the spotlight, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. Read the full story here     The Associated Press: She can’t vote, but 2020 Democrats want her support anyway BY MICHELLE L. PRICE One of the most sought-after presidential endorsements in a key early voting state is from a woman who cannot vote. As Democrats jockey for support in Nevada, a meeting with Astrid Silva, a 31-year-old immigrant rights activist who has become a public face of the “Dreamers,” is a can’t-miss early stop. Read the full story here     Reuters: Legal experts say U.S. court ruling on White House counsel could encourage witnesses to talk in impeachment probe BY JAN WOLFE A court ruling expected on Monday could give cover to former national security advisor John Bolton and other administration officials to cooperate in the impeachment inquiry against U.S. President Donald Trump, legal experts said. Read the full story here     CNN: Seven hours in the air with Sondland after he implicated Trump in his impeachment testimony BY ZACHARY COHEN Sondland left the Hill about an hour before our flight was set to board and had a 40 minute drive to the airport. He made it in time with a few minutes to spare, even answering a few questions from reporters waiting outside the airport terminal.  This was the moment when Sondland was first confronted by the question everyone wanted to know: was he going to resign? Read the full story here     NYT: A Split Decision From Congress Will Leave Voters With Final Say on Trump BY PETER BAKER Unlike Presidents Richard Nixon or Bill Clinton, President Trump will face an election after his impeachment battle if he isn’t removed from office. Read the full story here     Washington Post: Trump’s GOP support hardens despite damning impeachment testimony BY PHILIP RUCKER After two weeks of extraordinary open hearings that Democrats envisioned as their best opportunity to shape public opinion on impeachment, President Trump claims to be impervious to the cascade of damaging revelations because of hardening Republican opposition to his removal from office. Read the full story here   Did a friend forward you this email? 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