Light News

Romney's Excellent Senate Floor speech
https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1225137980714688512
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4852630/senator-romney-president-trump-guilty-appalling-abuse-public-trust

If you want to thank Senator Romney for his courage, honesty, and integrity in voting guilty on Article 1 of the impeachment, his phone number is: (202) 224-5251
https://www.romney.senate.gov/contact

Sen. Romney to vote to convict Trump on charge of abuse of power (but not obstruction of Congress), becoming the first Republican to break ranks
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2020/02/05/sen-romney-to-vote-to-convict-trump-on-charge-of-abuse-of-power-becoming-the-first-republican-to-break-ranks/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/impeachment-vote.html
https://www.npr.org/2020/02/05/801695409/watch-live-trump-on-brink-of-acquittal-by-u-s-senate

Democratic Senator of Alabama Sen Doug Jones says he will vote to convict Trump. He knows he may lose his re-election so he's going out with a "Fuck Trump" bang.

.@Sendougjones: "I did not run for the Senate hoping to participate in the impeachment trial of a duly elected President, but I cannot and will shrink from my duty to defend the Constitution and to do impartial justice."
https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1225115734734508038

.@Senkamalaharris: "When the framers wrote the Constitution, they didn't think someone like me would serve as a United States Senator. But, they did envision someone like Donald Trump being President of the United States, someone who thinks he is above the law..."
https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1225103624315064320

.@RepKClark: "When someone won't even shake the hand of the Speaker of the House, it tells you where the president's priorities lie, and they are squarely with himself not with the American people." #sotu
https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1225096845548052480

In Russia, something happened at the Institute for the Study of Nuclear Reactors. The authorities called it "little pollution in the snow", the background radiation is increased, in several areas announced the extension of school holidays "due to flu" . Authorities are asking not to go out on street
http://ulnovosti.ru/content/6/Na_NIIARe_neshtatnaya_situaciya_Zhiteley_Dimitrovgrada_prosyat_ne_vyhodit_iz_domov/

Fred Guttenberg, the father of a high school freshman killed in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was removed from the audience at Trump's State of the Union after shouting out during the president's speech.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article239976003.html

The Trump Administration Quietly Gave CBP More Power to Conceal Information
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/the-trump-administration-quietly-gave-cbp-more-power-to-conceal-information/

Trump Didn’t “Lift People Off Welfare.” He Cut Them Off.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/02/the-trump-economy-has-been-terrible-for-the-poor.html

Not keeping Mookie Betts (he's going to the Dodgers) has to be considered an organizational failure. Angels-Dodgers-Minnesota-Boston trade unbelievable. 3 of the last 4 MVP award winners are now playing in the metro area of Los Angeles.

Rep. Tim Ryan: "I just walked out of the #StateOfTheUnion. I’ve had enough. It’s like watching professional wrestling. It’s all fake."
https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1224892837000445954

#ImWithFred trends after a grieving father was removed from the State of the Union. Here's his story
https://www.newsweek.com/imwithfred-trending-grieving-father-state-union-address-1485769

Three years ago today, the Falcons took a 28-3 lead on the Patriots in Super Bowl LI. You know the rest.

The lack of outrage over giving this racist, misogynistic award is telling
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/05/whats-next-giving-presidential-medal-freedom-david-duke/

Yep, and I personally prefer Pete over Biden and I'm saying, all these candidates need to stop attacking Biden's PROGRESSIVE RECORD: Mayor Pete likes to call me part of the old failed Washington. Was it a failure when I helped pass Obamacare, the Paris Agreement, the Violence Against Women Act, or the assault weapons ban? I have a stronger record of passing big, progressive legislation than anyone running.
https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1225111846207684608

The President's reprehensible behavior was on full display in last night's #SOTU speech. His dastardly words and deeds continue to divide our Nation. Today, Senators must hold this #ImpeachedPresident accountable or be held accountable on Election Day.
https://twitter.com/RepAlGreen/status/1225120500541743104

The Ukraine scheme was only ever one facet of the Trump administration's misconduct. Remember the Trump Hotel, DOT Sec. Chao promoting her family's shipping company, the oil lobbyist running the Interior Dept., and the coal lobbyist at EPA? We're still investigating those, too.
https://twitter.com/weareoversight/status/1225121042240286721

Majority of Tracked Migrants Sent Back to El Salvador by the U.S. Were Killed
https://www.thedailybeast.com/majority-of-tracked-migrants-sent-back-to-el-salvador-by-the-us-were-killed

One Democratic narrative that died in Iowa: no matter how much money, no much matter hype, there is no "white working class" populist surge on the left. It does not exist. Will not exist. We should forget it. Look to the 2018 midterms, people. Look to amping POC turnout.
https://twitter.com/tomwatson/status/1225083515215192068

In China, Baby Tests Positive For Coronavirus Just 30 Hours After Birth
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/china-coronavirus-in-china-baby-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-just-30-hours-after-birth-2175468

🍂Selena Adera🍂 on Twitter: "Are you saying that supporters of Beto, Kirsten, Kamala, Cory, Joe, Elizabeth, Pete, and Amy didn't caucus for the campaign that spread lies about their candidates?🤣🤣
https://www.twitter.com/Selena_Adera/status/1224867822876098560

490 dead, 24,324 cases of coronavirus confirmed on Chinese mainland
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-02-05/490-dead-24-324-cases-of-coronavirus-confirmed-on-Chinese-mainland-NPlwOfap8c/index.html

Plane in emergency landing after Instagram attention seeker shouted he had coronavirus. An amateur musician said he thought it would be ‘good publicity’ to film himself shouting that he had coronavirus on a plane carrying 243 passengers.
https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/05/plane-emergency-landing-instagram-attention-seeker-shouted-coronavirus-12184135/

Matt Duss was fired from Think Progress for invoking age-old canards about Jewish control of money and politics. He also faced additional scrutiny for publishing Nazi-era propaganda posters and rejecting U.S./Israel alliance. He's in line to be Sander's National Security Advisor."
https://www.twitter.com/Claire_Voltaire/status/1224909178923147264

The true insanity in all of this is the number of Senators who are saying "Yeah he did it, but I don't think it's impeachable."

White House counsel ducked this question, blaming a gap in the House record: "In what instances did President Trump discuss corruption or burden sharing in relation to Ukraine prior to the date the security assistance was ordered withheld?"
https://twitter.com/KlasfeldReports/status/1225153097087045632

The PATRIOT Act’s most notorious provisions, affecting the privacy of millions of Americans, are expiring. House Republicans are furious over FBI surveillance on Trump’s campaign. And these are two ships passing in the night. | Judiciary Republicans gave FBI Director Christopher Wray the business over the Trump-Russia probe. But they stopped short of committing to junk expiring parts of the PATRIOT Act.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/republicans-hate-surveillance-on-trump-but-sound-like-theyll-renew-the-patriot-act

Bloomberg embraces Obama. Smart move that distinguishes him from idiots Sanders and Warren
https://twitter.com/MikeBloomberg/status/1225151903731982338

White House threatens to veto House bill to provide billions in earthquake relief to Puerto Rico

Manchin on Twitter voting Yes/Convict
https://twitter.com/Sen_JoeManchin/status/1225159956636340225

"House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) taunted Democrats over paper ballots, even though he has voted against legislation to mandate them and Iowa had paper backups that saved the day."
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-cybersecurity/2020/02/05/the-iowa-mess-and-what-it-means-for-cyber-785075

Manchin: "The evidence presented by the House Managers, including video testimony of witnesses under oath in the House of Representatives, clearly supports the charges brought against the President in the articles of impeachment."
https://twitter.com/Sen_JoeManchin/status/1225159956636340225

Romney contacted WH imploring for witnesses and documents - so they could raise reasonable doubt. He wanted Trump to be cleared, but Twitler refused. Now he’s got a Republican, for the first time ever, voting against a sitting president from the same party.
https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1225156393977700353

No senator ever voted to remove a president of his party from office. Until Mitt Romney.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema will vote to convict Trump on both counts. Her statement:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6769001-Sinema-Statement-on-Vote-to-Convict.html

Pete Buttigieg campaign did not pay for Iowa Caucus app
https://apnews.com/afs:Content:8464590602

It increasingly looks like turnout numbers won’t be as high as many party and campaign officials projected, and may be more in line with 2016.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/02/04/us/elections/results-iowa-caucus.html

In re: Romney. His vote won't change the outcome, but it's striking how one man alone can dramatically change the mood, the tone, and the moral character of this final vote

Trump’s Allies Suddenly Care About Decorum And Unity After Pelosi Tears Up SOTU Speech

The Iowa Democratic Party released a new set of results: Buttigieg leads Sanders by 1.3 percentage points with 86 percent of precincts reporting. 8m ago
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/02/04/us/elections/results-iowa-caucus.html

Bernie has been campaigning for 6 years, came 2nd in 2016, and only walked away with ~30% of the vote. Not many people joined him in the 2nd realignment. His current support is almost the ceiling.

White House threatens to veto House bill to aid Puerto Rico earthquake recovery
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/481697-white-house-threatens-to-veto-house-bill-to-aid-puerto-rico
https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/02/05/white-house-threatens-veto-puerto-rico-earthquake-aid-package-ahead-house-vote/

Moments after the acquittal vote, Grassley and Johnson announce their request for Hunter Biden's travel records from Secret Service.
https://twitter.com/kathrynw5/status/1225183166677299200

Audit Finds TurboTax and Others Charged at Least 14 Million Americans for Tax Prep That Should Have Been Free
https://www.propublica.org/article/turbotax-and-others-charged-at-least-14-million-americans-for-tax-prep-that-should-have-been-free-audit-finds

DOJ is finally reviewing a 10-month-old referral from Adam Schiff alleging that Erik PRINCE repeatedly lied during his testimony in the House’s Russia probe. DOJ wrote to Schiff yesterday apologizing for the delay. Unclear what prompted the move.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/05/erik-prince-doj-russia-110955

Draft Executive Order Would Give Trump a New Target: Modern Design
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/arts/design/trump-modern-architecture.html

Pelosi: "There can be no acquittal without a trial, and there is no trial without witnesses, documents and evidence. By suppressing the evidence and rejecting ... a fair judicial process, the Republican Senate made themselves willing accomplices to the President’s cover-up."

32-year-old U.S. citizen dies in border custody in Texas
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/32-year-old-u-s-citizen-dies-border-custody-texas-n1131076

Nielsen says Trump's ratings for the State of the Union were down 20% from last year and well below the numbers in 2017 and 2018. | About 37 million Americans tuned in on Tuesday, the smallest audience of Trump’s tenure.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/business/media/trump-state-of-the-union-ratings.html

Regulators unexpectedly banned broker fees for renters, which in the city have long amounted to as much as 15 percent of the annual lease.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/nyregion/nyc-landlord-rental-broker-fees.html

If you had told me 8 years ago that I would someday be praising the 2012 Republican presidential nominee for being the lone GOP vote to remove the host of Celebrity Apprentice from the White House, I would probably have directed you to the nearest asylum.

The world’s oceans are speeding up — another mega-scale consequence of climate change
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/02/05/worlds-oceans-are-speeding-up-another-mega-scale-consequence-climate-change/