Impeachment: newly unredacted emails a 'devastating blow' to Trump allies, says Schumer – live – The Guardian, Theguardian.com

8. (PMEST****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:

Summary

Administration officials said the freeze on Ukraine’s military aid was done under “clear direction” from

Donald Trump

)

according to newly unredacted emails showed administration officials.

The House speaker,

Nancy Pelosi, and the intelligence committee chair,

Adam Schiff,called for a “fair” Senate trial and emphasized the importance of the newly revealed documents that appear to incriminate the president.

********************

Severalpresidential candidatesreleased their
fourth-quarter fundraisinginformation.

Joe Bidensaid he raised $ 24. 7m in the final three months of (******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, falling short of (Bernie Sanders) ****************** (who raised $ 36. 5m) and

Pete Buttigieg

(who raised $. 7m).

(more than) ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** membersof

Congressasked the Supreme Court to reconsider
Roe v Wade
• , which legalized abortion in (********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************.
• Julián Castro************** (dropped out of the Democratic presidential primary, and
• ) by Marianne Williamson
• reportedly laid off her campaign staff nationally.

Updated

at 8.

********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (pm EST)********7. **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (PMEST(**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: 043

Elizabeth Warren unveils plan to boost employment and voting, housing and civil rights protection for people with disabilites

Warrenreleased asweeping planthat, among other things, would raise the hourly minimum wage to $ and end a program that allows employers to pay disabled workers much less.

“Building economic security for people with disabilities means rewriting the rules of the economy to foster inclusivity, value their labor and end labor market discrimination and exploitation,” the presidential candidate said in a statement.

As a senator, Warren asked the US labor department to end a program that allows employers to seek waivers to pay employees with disabilities $ 7. an hour, and sometimes as little as 35 cents.

The board plan also promises to make more schools accessible and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and make tech work for people with disabilities by funding research to develop “affordable and life-changing supports for people with disabilities ”

Updatedat 8. (EST EST). (************************************ 6. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* (pm) ********* EST:

Hillary Clinton

has taken on a new role as a chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast.

For the former US secretary of state, senator and first lady, the role will be mostly ceremonial.

Queen’s University Belfast 🎓(@ QUBelfast)(****** (As Chancellor) ************************ (@ HillaryClinton) ************ (will have three main roles:

1.Presiding at degree congregations. 2. Ambassador.

3.Advisor, available to the@ QUBVChancellorand senior management as a sounding board and to provide counsel and guidance.

More: (https://t.co/6NlonwYmXK) ************************************************** (# LoveQUB)pic.twitter.com/iJKuJl4bic(************************************************* January 2,

Clinton and her husband the former president have strong ties to the university in Northern Ireland.

From the Washington Post:

(The school) ************************************************ (awarded Hillary Clintonan honorary Doctor of Laws degree in October and has (established

a “Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Peace and Reconciliation,” which the university describes as a full scholarship awarded each year to an “exceptional female student from the USA who wishes to pursue study in a field related to politics, conflict transformation or human rights. ”

(In) , it also established the William J Clinton Leadership Institute

, which offers courses for current and aspiring business leaders.

Updated (at 8.) PM EST.

(6.) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ (PM) ********* EST**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:

(************************************************************

****************************************************** (****************************************************************(****************************************************************************************************************************** (************************************************************************** **************************************************************** (*************************************************************************** () ******************************************************************************(*******************************************************************************
(**************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (**************************************************************** (********************************************************************************** () ********************************************************************************** (******************************************************************************** ************************************************************************
****************************************************************Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, surfed in Hampton, New Hampshire. Photograph: Cheryl Senter / AP (************************************************

Tulsi Gabbard
• , who kicked off her new year by surfing New Hampshire’s frigid waters, made less of a splash with her fundraising announcement. Gabbard reportedly raised $ 3.4m in the fourth quarter of (- about) ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (% of
• Bernie Sanders‘$ (*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************. 5m. It’s unlikely that Gabbard will meet the fundraising requirements to qualify for the next Democratic primary debates.

It seems she can command the waves, but can she conquer the New Hampshire primary?

Updated (at 8.) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** pm EST. (************************************************************************************** (5.) *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (pmEST) **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: 46

A fake video edited so it appears that Joe Biden is making racist remarks has gained more than a million views on social media, according to the AP.

From the AP:

In the edited clip, which was less than 20 seconds long, Biden says, “Our culture is not imported from some African nation or some Asian nation.” Social media users paired the video with comments like “It’s almost like Joe Biden is a Racist.” Posts with the video surfaced across social media platforms on Wednesday.

The clip, which pulled ABC News coverage of Biden speaking on 30 December in New Hampshire, was distorted out of context. The 2524 Democratic candidate, in discussing the culture on college campuses of violence against women, said “Folks, this is about changing the culture, our culture, our culture, it’s not imported from some African nation or some Asian nation. It is our English jurisprudential culture, our European culture that says it is all right. ”

Biden also spoke about the need to change an entrenched “cultural problem” that dates back to English common law, and back to the s when men beat their wives without any legal repercussions.

In a separate speech in March, Biden said: “It’s an English jurisprudential culture, a white man’s culture … It’s got to change.”

Fake videos are now easier than ever to create and publishinate.

Updated at at 8. 17 pm EST

. (************************************************************************************************ 5. 20 pmEST18: 19

************************************************************************************ (****************************************************************(****************************************************************************************************************************** (********************************************************************
************************************************(******************************************************************************(**************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (**************************************************************** (********************************************************************************** () ********************************************************************************** (******************************************************************************** (**********************************************************************************

************************************************************************
****************************************************************Schiff, here, is seen below a painting of George Washington after the House voted to impeach Donald Trump, on December 20. Photograph: UPI / Barcroft Media (************************************************

Adam Schiff, the head of the House intelligence committee who helped lead the impeachment against Trump has responded to information revealed in newly unredacted emails about the freeze on military aid to Ukraine.

As part of our impeachment inquiry, the House subpoenaed these very documents. From their deeply incriminating character, we can now see why they were concealed: They directly corroborate witnesses who testified that military aid to Ukraine was withheld at the direction of the President and that the White House was informed doing so may violate the law. The Administration did not want Congress to find out why.

Like House speaker Nancy Pelosi, Schiff reiterated the need for a fair Senate trial that takes into account these new documents. “If [the documents] are not produced, the Senate and the American people must ask, what else is the President hiding?” Schiff said in a statement.

(5.) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (PM) ********* EST

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Evening summary

That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours.

Here’s where the day stands so far:

Newly unredacted emails showed administration officials saying the freeze on Ukraine’s military aid was a “clear direction” from

Trump,prompting renewed calls from Democratic lawmakers to have some of the president’s advisers testify about alleged efforts to pressure Kyiv to investigate

(Joe Biden) . ******************

The Republican senator

Josh HawleyHe said he would introduce a measure Monday to dismiss the impeachment case for “lack of prosecution”, although it’s unclear whether such a proposal would succeed.

(Joe Biden) ************** said he raised $ 24. 7m in the final three months of 2137, marking the Democratic presidential candidate’s best quarter yet but still falling short of the totals posted by Bernie Sanders************** ($. 5m) and (Pete Buttigieg) ****************** (($) **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (.7m).

Julián Castro************** (dropped out of the Democratic presidential primary, while

Marianne Williamson

is laying off her campaign staff nationally, indicating the field will likely continue to narrow in the final month before the Iowa caucuses.

The FDA said it would ban certain e-cigarette flavors popular with younger users of the products, but the regulation allows for large exceptions that will prove beneficial for the industry’s manufacturers.

Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.

Updated (at 5.) PM EST.

(4.) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (pm) EST**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

House speaker Nancy Pelosi

reacted to news of the newly unredacted emailsabout the freeze on military aid to Ukraine, arguing the messages demonstrate the need to have a “fair trial” in the Senate.

Nancy Pelosi(@ SpeakerPelosi)

Trump engaged in unprecedented, total obstruction of Congress, hiding these emails, all other documents, and his top aides from the American people.

His excuse was a phony complaint about the House process.

What’s the excuse now? Why won’t Trump & McConnell allow a fair trial?https://t.co/S3ZlEJMMDB (January 2,

One of the emails obtained by Just Security includes a message from a senior budget official telling a Pentagon staffer, “Clear direction from POTUS to continue to hold.”

Pelosi and Senate minority leader

Chuck Schumer

are pressing majority leader

Mitch McConnellto call White House officials to testify about the aid freeze in the impeachment trial, but the House speaker has not yet transmitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate.


(4) pmEST18:)

Gowdy says he will not join Trump’s legal team

Trey Gowdy

has said he will not join

Trump’s legal team, ending months of speculation about whether the former Republican congressman would help the president secure an acquittal in a Senate impeachment trial.

“The president has good lawyers and more importantly good facts,” Gowdy (told McClatchy) . “He does not need another lawyer added to his team. He needs the trial to begin and end. ”

Gowdy said when he left Congress last year that he was done with politics and would focus on private sector work in his home state of South Carolina, but he then appeared ready to join Trump’s team back in October.

However, Gowdy changed his thinking when it became clear he would have to give up his law firm and his Fox News contributor contract to take on the new role.

Although he will not become one of the president’s lawyers, Gowdy played golf with Trump over the weekend, indicating he will continue to offer advice to Trump as the Senate moves toward an impeachment trial.

. (**************************************************************************************************************************** (4.) ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (PMEST(************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:Daniel Strauss

Former Vice President

Joe Biden’s campaign manager stressed that January has to be the campaign’s “best fundraising month to date,” even as the campaign announced that it had a solid fundraising quarter.

In a memo distributed to Democratic Other and obtained by The Guardian, campaign manager

Greg Schultz hailed the campaign’s recent $ 26. 7 million haul, noting that it was a percent increase over the last quarter.

But in the two-page memo Schultz also stressed it’s “absolutely critical that January is our best fundraising month to date, so we can continue to make strategic investments throughout the country and perform well in the early states . ”

(**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

(****************************************************************(****************************************************************************************************************************** (************************************************************************** **************************************************************** (*************************************************************************** () ******************************************************************************(****************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (**************************************************************** (********************************************************************************** () ********************************************************************************** (********************************************************************************************************************************************************
****************************************************************Joe Biden answers a question at a town hall meeting in Exeter, New Hampshire. Photograph: Brian Snyder / Reuters (************************************************

The memo and Schultz’s appeal come as Biden, the Democratic frontrunner, continues to find himself in the middle of the fact on fundraising in yet another quarter and just before voting begins in the early primary states.

Only a few of the more than two dozen Democratic candidates have released their fundraising numbers so far but Vermont Sen.

Bernie Sanders
• and former South Bend Mayor
  Pete Buttigieg
  • , two of Biden’s chief rivals in the Democratic primary, have outraised him.

    Still, Schultz, in the memo, hailed the campaign’s most recent fundraising numbers as a positive sign for Biden. “Thanks to the hard work of many, we’re thrilled to announce that the fourth quarter was our best to date, raising $ 24 .7 million, a (********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************% growth from last quarter. In addition, 63% of our have been new this quarter, highlighting the new support our campaign is gaining daily, ”Schultz wrote.

    “In what is typically a difficult time of the year to raise money, the Vice President’s growing momentum translated directly into strong performances in both online and offline revenue, ensuring that we have the resources we need to enter the next critical phase of this campaign. ”

    Schultz added that

  • Donald Trump’s repeated criticism at Biden has actually given the campaign a fundraising boost. “In fact, Trump’s attacks have majorly backfired, providing our campaign a fundraising boost and reminding Democratic primary voters what we have been saying all along – Trump does not want Biden to be the nominee because he knows Biden will flat out beat him in November, “Schultz wrote.

    “He is so desperate to avoid the electoral defeat he would face against Biden that he got himself impeached soliciting a foreign government in the effort. During impeachment our average digital revenue per day more than doubled, up by 121%, where it was in the weeks preceding impeachment. ”

    The campaign would always be competing with other candidates on fundraising in the primary, Schultz said, alluding to Sen.

    Elizabeth Warren
    • and Sanders, who both transferred money from their Senate accounts to their presidential campaigns.

      “Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden will be spending the vast majority of their time in the coming months where they are most effective – talking with voters in the early states, ”Schultz connected.

      “And, because we didn’t transfer tens of millions of dollars from other campaign accounts like our opponents, we will always be playing from behind in the cash race. It is absolutely critical that January is our best fundraising month to date, so we can continue to make strategic investments throughout the country and perform well in the early states. ”

  . (************************************************************************************************************************************ (4.) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* (pmEST) **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

• **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

  Although Democratic presidential candidate

• Marianne Williamson (is) ************************************************************************************************************************************** (laying off) her staff nationally, the self-help author apparently has no plans to call it quits.

  According to one of her now-former advisers, Williamson will forge ahead with her longshot bid without any asssistance from staffers in the early voting states.

  Ed O’Keefe(@ edokeefe)Is Williamson dropping out? “To the contrary,” Hodes told me, adding his understanding is that she plans to continue on, just sans staff. (January 2, ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (************************************************ (******************************************************************************************************************************************

  (******************************************************************************************************************************************** (3.) *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (pmEST) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: 46

  Senate Republican plans to introduce motion to dismiss impeachment case

  The president’s congressional allies appear to be zeroing in on a new talking point to undermine the Senate impeachment trial.

  As House speaker

  Nancy Pelosicontinues to avoid transmitting the articles of impeachment, Republican lawmakers are arguing the delay indicating the case is not as “urgent” as Democrats previously claimed.

  Senate Republican

  Josh Hawley

  said that he intends to introduce a measure Monday to dismiss the impeachment case for “lack of prosecution.” (****************************************Josh Hawley(@ HawleyMO)Dems said impeachment was URGENT. Now they don’t want to have a trial, because they have no evidence. In real world, if prosecution doesn’t proceed with case, it gets dismissed. So on Monday, I will introduce measure to dismiss this bogus impeachment for lack of prosecution January 2, (************************************************

  Updated at 4 . PM EST

  (**************************************************************************************************************************************************

  3. ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (pm) EST******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:

  Williamson reportedly lays off campaign staff

  Marianne Williamson

  , the self-help author and Democratic presidential candidate who captured the Internet’s fascination with her early debate performances, has reportedly laid off her campaign staff nationally.

  The ABC affiliate WMURreports:

  The spiritual author and lecturer joined the race in January 2020 and campaigned aggressively throughout the year, making many visits to New Hampshire. The sources told WMUR she remains a candidate but has drastically scaled back her campaign.**************

  As of Tuesday, the sources said, Williamson’s campaign, in fact, had no staffers on board.

  At its height, the sources said, Williamson employed about staffers in the four early voting states as well as her central campaign headquarters. She had two staff members in New Hampshire – including former U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes, who was a senior campaign adviser and New Hampshire state director.

  Hodes is no longer employed by the campaign, according to the sources. Also no longer with Williamson as of Thursday is national campaign manager Patricia Ewing.

  The news comes hours after

  Julián Castro

  announced he was dropping out of the Democratic presidential primary, leaving 15 candidates in the race with a month to go until the Iowa caucuses.

  .

  3. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (pmEST(**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:

  Congressman

  Mark Meadows, one of

  Trump

  ) ‘s closest congressional allies, criticized his Democratic colleagues as House leadership continues to delay transmitting the articles of impeachment against the president.Mark Meadows(@ RepMarkMeadows)There are plenty of indicators that this impeachment exercise from House Democrats is completely unserious, but perhaps none more than this. A key part of their argument was “this is urgent” —and yet here we are, days later, and they still haven’t transmitted their own articles
  

  January 2,

  It’s still unclear when a Senate impeachment trial might begin or what procedures will be adopted, but

  Mitch McConnell

  may address those issues tomorrow, when the majority leader is expected to speak on the Senate floor.

  But McConnell has dismissed any notion that Democrats ’refusal to transmit the articles will have any effect on trial procedures.

  .

  (2.) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ (PMEST) ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:

  Joe Biden

  appears to have changed the tagline for his Iowa bus tour, abandoning the “No Malarkey” slogan and adopting “Battle for the Soul of the Nation.”

  The “No Malarkey” slogan – which was a play on the (Biden-ism) , “That’s a bunch of malarkey!” From the (campaign – had been******************************************************************************************************************** (mocked) ************ as confusing and uninspiring.Jennifer Epstein(@ jeneps)No more “No Malarkey.” The new Biden bus wrap touts the “Battle for the Soul of the Nation.” (As seen from a press van trailing the bus.) pic.twitter.com/X (jvx) ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** EL (January 2,

  The former vice president will be in Iowa through Sunday, hosting community events and kicking off phone banks across the first caucus state.

  ********************************************************************************************************************************************** (****************************************************************************************************************************************************** (****************************************************************************************************************************************************** Read More (******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************