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‘Here’s my defense. On time and perfect. Check it out.’: |
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© Getty Images Via The Hill’s Brett Samuels, “Attorneys for former President Trump on Monday argued in a new brief that the Senate should quickly dismiss the impeachment article filed against him when his trial begins this week.” https://bit.ly/3aDAlHC The gist of Trump’s defense, according to his lawyers: “Trump's post-presidency trial is unconstitutional, and that even if senators disagreed, Trump's speech ahead of the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol was protected by the First Amendment and did not meet the threshold of an impeachable offense.” Excerpt from the brief: "The Article of Impeachment presented by the House is unconstitutional for a variety of reasons, any of which alone would be grounds for immediate dismissal. Taken together, they demonstrate conclusively that indulging House Democrats hunger for this political theater is a danger to our Republic democracy and the rights that we hold dear." |
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Rest in peace, congressman: |
| Via The Dallas Morning News’s Gromer Jeffers Jr., Texas Republican Rep. Ron Wright died last night from COVID-19 at the age of 67. http://bit.ly/36VRxqV Wright’s office wrote in a statement: “Congressman Wright will be remembered as a constitutional conservative. He was a statesman, not an ideologue. Ron and Susan dedicated their lives to fighting for individual freedom, Texas values, and above all, the lives of the unborn. As friends, family, and many of his constituents will know, Ron maintained his quick wit and optimism until the very end. Despite years of painful, sometimes debilitating treatment for cancer, Ron never lacked the desire to get up and go to work, to motivate those around him, or to offer fatherly advice.” More on Wright’s death: http://bit.ly/36VRxqV |
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Another open Senate race in 2022: |
| Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) announced that he will not seek reelection in 2022. https://bit.ly/2Nb8iao Shelby said in a statement: “Today I announce that I will not seek a seventh term in the United State Senate in 2022. For everything, there is a season … Although I plan to retire, I am not leaving today. I have two good years remaining to continue my work in Washington. I have the vision and the energy to give it my all.” Did this news come as a surprise? Not really…: “Shelby's announcement follows months of speculation that he was eyeing retirement, including the Associated Press reporting on Friday that he had indicated that he would not run again.” |
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| It’s Monday — welcome back. I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com — and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook. Did someone forward this to you? Want your own copy? Sign up here to receive The Hill's 12:30 Report in your inbox daily: http://bit.ly/2kjMNnn |
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Remember how everyone wondered what an impeachment trial would look like last time?
Well, at least we don’t have those questions this time…?: |
| Former President Trump’s second impeachment trial of his presidency is starting tomorrow over whether to convict Trump over his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Will Trump testify?: No. The impeachment managers invited him to testify, but Trump’s lawyers declined. How long will it last?: Trump’s first trial lasted 21 days, but this trial is expected to be even shorter. It could wrap up in just a few days. https://bit.ly/3aIvm8F The chances that Trump will be convicted: Very little considering that 17 Republican senators would need to vote to convict. Trump’s defense: “Mr. Trump’s lawyers have indicated that they once again intend to mount a largely technical defense, contending that the Senate “lacks jurisdiction” to judge a former president at all after he has left office because the Constitution does not explicitly say it can. Though many legal scholars and a majority of the Senate disagree, Republicans have flocked to the argument in droves as a justification for dismissing the case without weighing in on Mr. Trump’s conduct.” Full explanation from The New York Times’s Nicholas Fandos: https://nyti.ms/3oTJUre |
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| HOW THE TRIAL WILL PUT GOP DIVISIONS ON FULL DISPLAY: |
| Via The Hill’s Jonathan Easley: https://bit.ly/3aJFyOm |
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| FIVE WAYS THE TRUMP IMPEACHMENT TRIAL WILL DIFFER FROM A COURT TRIAL: |
- Senators are both judge and jury
- There is no standard of proof
- There are no rules of evidence
- The punishment is political
- Impeachment verdict can’t be appealed
Context and details for each from The Hill’s John Kruzel: https://bit.ly/36VRWd3 |
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Interesting read — ‘Where Democrats and Republicans agree on Trump’: |
| Via Politico’s Andrew Desiderio, “Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial in as many years has Democrats and Republicans in rare agreement: Most senators want to get it over with, and they want the former president to go away.” https://politi.co/2YZqdUp What Democrats think is the best strategy: “Democrats see the best way to achieve that goal as voting to convict Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection and barring him from ever holding office again.” What Republicans think is the best strategy: “And Republicans, particularly those nervous about Trump’s continued stranglehold on the GOP, just don’t want to poke the bear.” Meanwhile, there are still reminders at the Capitol: 
© Twitter Op-ed: https://bit.ly/36VLdzF |
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Today in undoing the last administration: |
| Via The Hill’s Morgan Chalfant, “The Biden administration has announced plans to reengage with the United Nations Human Rights Council after the Trump administration withdrew the United States from the body in 2018.” https://bit.ly/2MIRqYM Why: “Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement on Monday described the council as a mechanism to ‘promote fundamental freedoms around the globe.’ He acknowledged that the body is ‘flawed’ and in need of reform but said the decision by the previous administration to withdraw from it in June 2018 ‘created a vacuum of U.S. leadership, which countries with authoritarian agendas have used to their advantage.’ ” |
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From the weekend — Oh how festive!: |
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© Twitter Also from Biden’s Delaware trip this weekend — this is so relaxing to watch: Here’s a slow-mo video of the snow falling on President Biden’s home church. (Via The Washington Post’s Seung Min Kim) Watch: https://bit.ly/3a4w3u9 |
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| LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS | |
I am ALL FOR sharing any good news on the COVID front: |
| For the first time in 2021, the number of new daily coronavirus cases has dropped below 100,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. https://bit.ly/3cVI6LU How many new cases were recorded yesterday: Just less than 87,000 The last time the number of new daily cases was below 100,000: On Nov. 2 Deaths are also wayyy down: “Deaths are also down, according to data kept by The New York Times. It recorded 1,301 deaths on Sunday, compared to 4,101 deaths on Jan. 27 and 4,406 on Jan. 12.” |
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| CASE NUMBERS: |
| Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 27,013,905 U.S. death toll: 463,584 Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y |
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| VACCINATION NUMBERS: |
| Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 42 million shots have been given Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 1.46 million doses. For context: The U.S. population is roughly 331 million Breakdown of the numbers: https://bloom.bg/3iVTPLH |
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| WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN CONGRESS THIS WEEK | |
Spotted: Democrats doing warm-up stretches: |
| Via The Hill’s Jordain Carney, “Democrats are moving quickly to craft a $1.9 trillion coronavirus package as they prepare to hold a vote in the House later this month.” https://bit.ly/2NaZKjR Isn’t the House out this week?: Yes, but “the committees are expected to spend the week drafting legislation in line with President Biden’s $1.9 trillion proposal.” What Democrats are working out: “Democrats will need to work out several internal divisions about the details of the bill as they prepare to move forward.” Including: Income eligibility for the next round of stimulus checks. Where Republicans come in: Democrats are hoping to have GOP support in the final bill, but it’s possible they won’t. “If Democrats try to pass a bill on their own they face a slim margin in the House and no room for error in the Senate, where they would need all of the 50-member Democratic caucus.” What to expect: https://bit.ly/2NaZKjR |
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| WHERE JANET YELLEN STANDS ON THE INCOME THRESHOLD FOR STIMULUS CHECKS: |
| In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that she thinks a $60,000 income threshold would be fair. https://bit.ly/36Q1yWA |
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| HAPPENING TODAY — A VOTE TO LEAD THE VA: |
| The Senate is voting later today on the nomination of Denis McDonough’s to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. https://bit.ly/2NaZKjR |
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Spotted in Washington, DC: |
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© Twitter |
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| The Senate is in. The House is out. President Biden returned to the White House from his weekend in Delaware. Vice President Harris is in Washington, D.C. 8:25 a.m. EST: President Biden leaves Wilmington, Del., and flies back to the White House. 10:15 a.m. EST: President Biden and Vice President Harris received the President’s Daily Brief. 3 p.m. EST: The Senate meets. The Senate’s full agenda today: https://bit.ly/2LzE0Oq 5:30 p.m. EST: The Senate votes on the confirmation of Denis McDonough to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Tuesday: The Hill is hosting a virtual event on “Complex Generics & The Prescription Drug Landscape.” Details and how to RSVP: https://bit.ly/2YIZyLh Thursday: The Hill is hosting an event, “COVID-19 & The Opioid Epidemic.” Details and how to RSVP: https://bit.ly/2N2tlfs |
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| 11 a.m. EST: The White House’s COVID-19 response team held a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/39XuUEm Noon: White House press secretary Jen Psaki is holding a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3jFLGvf 2:30 p.m. EST: President Biden and Vice President Harris virtually tour the State Farm Stadium vaccination site in Glendale, Ariz. Livestream: https://bit.ly/2LuK76u |
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| NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...: | |
| Today is National Molasses Bar Day. |
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Feel like you missed the best commercials? Because SAME HERE.: |
| CNN’s Leah Asmelash pulled together a few of the best Super Bowl commercials. The list (with videos!) https://cnn.it/2YTkL5v |
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| That’s a classy gesture: |
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© Twitter ^ What the Gronk tweet is referring to: Rob Gronkowski apparently dented the Super Bowl LIII trophy while warming up to throw the first pitch at Fenway Park. More of that story from Mass Live: https://bit.ly/3tDPSQv |
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| HERE ARE A FEW PHOTOS OF THE BUCS CELEBRATING THEIR VICTORY: |
| Via USA Today’s Nick Schwartz: https://bit.ly/3tAcph8 |
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| And to brighten your Monday afternoon, here’s a puppy with the tiniest legs: https://bit.ly/3p0vqG2 |
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