Politics

Trump's defense team took center stage following three days of methodical and passionate arguments from Democrats, who wrapped up Friday by warning that Trump will persist in abusing his power and endangering American democracy unless Congress intervenes to remove him before the 2020 election. They also implored Republicans to allow new testimony to be heard before senators render a final verdict. … [Read more...] about Republican senator blasts Dems’ impeachment efforts as ‘odd political strategy’

Finally, Counsel to the President Patrick Philbin addressed Democrats’ claim that the White House had, in an act of “blanket defiance,” resisted all subpoenas and requests for evidence without any legal justification. He argued that was false, because “in every instance … there was a legal explanation of the justification for it.” He noted that the Office of Legal Counsel had advised the White House in every case, adding that many of the subpoenas were invalid because they were issued before the House had actually voted to authorize an impeachment inquiry, as required. … [Read more...] about White House Counsel Opens with Facts Schiff Left Out of Impeachment Trial

Wilson and Marshall never clicked. A Princeton professorial hotshot, Wilson was crusading to change the country—and the world. His Fourteen Points peace plan following World War I was so ambitious that French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau sneered, “Why, God Almighty has only ten.” By contrast, Marshall was a wisecracking small-town burgher who had governed as a “progressive with the brakes on.” Marshall’s most memorable vice-presidential moment came from interrupting Senator Joseph Bristow’s grandiose, interminable, speech cataloguing “What this country needs,” again and again. Bored, Marshall blurted out the don’t-rock-the-boat lazy pol’s putdown: “What’s this country needs … is a really good five-cent cigar.” … [Read more...] about The Most Useless Veep in U.S. History (It’s Not Mike Pence)

Collectively, the moves underscore how different issues than those dominating the news cycle seem to be worrying the president heading into the election. While Trump continues to publicly lash out at Democrats over impeachment, he appears keenly aware of vulnerabilities elsewhere on the domestic policy front.  … [Read more...] about Trump’s Got Some Big Election Concerns. Ukraine’s Not One.

Among the subjects to be addressed at these hearings will be proposals to develop policies that establish an independent Board of Ethics and Inspector General, eliminate pay-to-play and self-dealing, institute a complete gift ban for county employees and increase public reporting of what government is doing and why. … [Read more...] about Delaware County Council Announces Ethics Reforms