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Outside Supreme Court, crowd amplifies abortion arguments
Read full article: Outside Supreme Court, crowd amplifies abortion argumentsIt's a crowded scene outside the Supreme Court, where hundreds of abortion debate partisans are trading chants while justices hear highly anticipated arguments inside.
Congress votes to reinstate methane rules loosened by Trump
Read full article: Congress votes to reinstate methane rules loosened by TrumpCongressional Democrats have approved a measure reinstating rules aimed at limiting climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas drilling, a rare effort by Democrats to use the legislative branch to overturn a regulatory rollback under President Donald Trump.
Democratic-led House makes conservation push with lands bill
Read full article: Democratic-led House makes conservation push with lands billRepublicans said the wilderness area designations would restrict use of those lands and make them more susceptible to catastrophic forest fires. It is one of the largest land-protection packages Congress has ever considered and covers almost 3 million acres of public lands, overwhelmingly in Colorado, California, Washington and Arizona. The ideological split over the bill was evident as the congressional delegation from Colorado debated the measure on the House floor. The legislation encompassed bills from Rep. Joe Neguse and DeGette that would affect more than 1 million acres of public lands in the state. “I prefer public lands with many uses," he said.
Drug executives: Big jump in vaccine supply is coming soon
Read full article: Drug executives: Big jump in vaccine supply is coming soonCOVID-19 vaccine makers tell Congress to expect a big jump in the delivery of doses over the coming month. The companies insisted Tuesday, Feb. 23, at a hearing that they will be able to provide enough vaccine for most Americans by summer. By the end of March, Pfizer and Moderna expect to have provided the U.S. government with a total of 220 million vaccine doses, up sharply from the roughly 75 million shipped so far. AdLooking ahead to summer, Pfizer and Moderna expect to complete delivery of 300 million doses each, and J&J aims to provide an additional 100 million doses. “The most pressing challenge now is the lack of supply of vaccine doses,” Rep. Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat, said as she opened the hearing.
Convict Trump or face dire democracy damage, prosecutors say
Read full article: Convict Trump or face dire democracy damage, prosecutors sayTrump is accused of inciting the invasion, which prosecutors said was a predictable culmination of the many public and explicit instructions he gave supporters long before his White House rally that unleashed the Jan. 6 attack. Even out of office, Democrats warned, Trump could whip up a mob of followers for similar damage. Even out of the White House, the former president holds influence over large swaths of voters. The first president to face an impeachment trial after leaving office, Trump is also the first to be twice impeached. His lawyers say he cannot be convicted because he is already gone from the White House.
What to Watch: Democrats to argue Trump alone incited mob
Read full article: What to Watch: Democrats to argue Trump alone incited mobWhile the Democrats have appealed to the senators’ emotions, Trump’s lawyers have tried to tap into raw partisan anger. REPUBLICANS TO WATCHSix Republican senators voted with Democrats on Tuesday not to dismiss the trial on constitutional grounds. AdCassidy was the only one who did not side with Democrats in a similar vote two weeks ago. He said after the vote Tuesday that he thought Democrats had a better argument and that Trump’s team had done a “terrible” job. He said he will watch the additional arguments as an impartial juror and then decide whether to convict.
The Latest: Republicans criticize Trump lawyers' performance
Read full article: The Latest: Republicans criticize Trump lawyers' performance(Senate Television via AP)WASHINGTON – The Latest on former President Donald Trump's second Senate impeachment trial (all times local):6:35 p.m.Senate Republicans had sharp criticism for former President Donald Trump’s lawyers after the opening of his second impeachment trial. Many said they didn’t understand Trump’s lawyers’ arguments as they sought to persuade the Senate to dismiss the trial on constitutional grounds. ___4:20 p.m.One of the lawyers heading former President Donald Trump’s defense at his second impeachment trial is conceding that Trump lost the election to Joe Biden, a fact that Trump himself has refused to acknowledge. Ad___1:40 p.m.President Joe Biden is planning to largely ignore the impeachment trial of his predecessor and plans to focus on the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Opening arguments from the House Democrats start Wednesday, and Trump’s lawyers are expected to mount their defense starting on Friday.
EXPLAINER: What's next after House impeachment vote
Read full article: EXPLAINER: What's next after House impeachment voteWhat is certain for now is that the impeachment trial will be held after Trump has already left office. But it's still unclear exactly how the trial will proceed and if any Senate Republicans will vote to convict Trump. In the House, 10 Republicans joined Democrats in voting to impeach Trump, including Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican. Every single House Republican voted against Trump's first impeachment in 2019. DIFFERENT CHARGES, DIFFERENT IMPEACHMENTThis impeachment trial is likely to differ from the last one in many ways.
Pelosi's nine impeachment managers hope to 'finish the job'
Read full article: Pelosi's nine impeachment managers hope to 'finish the job'WASHINGTON – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tapped nine of her most trusted allies in the House to argue the case for President Donald Trump’s impeachment. Pelosi hasn’t yet said when she will send the article of impeachment to the Senate. Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette, another manager, says the nine prosecutors plan to present a serious case and “finish the job” that the House started. REP. TED LIEU, CALIFORNIALieu, who authored the article of impeachment with Cicilline and Raskin, is on the Judiciary and Foreign Affairs panels. She is also a member of the House Judiciary Committee, and is a former lawyer and member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Chaos, violence, mockery as pro-Trump mob occupies Congress
Read full article: Chaos, violence, mockery as pro-Trump mob occupies CongressOn Wednesday, hallowed spaces of American democracy, one after another, yielded to the occupation of Congress. There was a heavy police presence at the Capitol on Thursday morning, including officers from D.C., Maryland and Virginia and the D.C. National Guard. Trump told his morning crowd at the Ellipse that he would go with them to the Capitol, but he didn’t. Video footage also showed officers letting people calmly walk out the doors of the Capitol despite the rioting and vandalism. Shortly after being told to put on gas masks, most members were quickly escorted out of the chamber.