The Hill Articles: December 17, 2019

White House counsel didn’t take lead on Trump letter to Pelosi: reports Trump endorses Riggleman in Virginia House race Lisa Page responds to ‘vile’ Trump attacks: ‘Being quiet isn’t making this go away’ Trump’s GOP allies huddle at White House on eve of impeachment vote House panel sets guidelines for historic impeachment vote Schumer says he’ll ask for votes on calling Mulvaney, Bolton to testify Protesters rally against Trump in multiple cities on eve of impeachment vote Senate reaches compromise on religious freedom watchdog funding LA Times editorial board blasts Trump letter to Pelosi: ‘A uniquely bad, dishonest president’ Schumer on Trump’s Pelosi letter: ‘He’s obviously under a great deal of duress’ Pelosi announces Porter, Haaland will sit on Oversight panel New Zealand raises minimum wage, affecting about 250,000 workers Pelosi calls Trump impeachment letter ‘ridiculous’ and ‘really sick’ Overnight Defense: Senate sends $738B defense bill to Trump | Bill establishes Space Force, federal paid parental leave | House approves $1.4T spending package Trump intervened to cut Puerto Rico’s Medicaid funding in spending bill: report Senate Democrats press GOP chairmen over Ukraine allegations Conservative commentator: Sanders is ‘only one’ who could take on Trump in debates McConnell sets up spending votes for Thursday Hillicon Valley: Election security funding gets mixed response | Facebook tests community fact checking | Lawmakers look to block Chinese pick for IP organization | Secret court judge rebukes FBI over surveillance warrants Avenatti pleads not guilty to trying to extort Nike Another election cycle, another health-care debate Booker will not appear on primary ballot in Vermont Toxic McConnell-Schumer relationship strains impeachment talks GOP leadership: Initial phase of impeachment trial could run two weeks Pelosi on eve of impeachment vote: ‘In America, no one is above the law’ Overnight Health Care — Presented by Rare Access Action Project — Repeal of ObamaCare taxes costs $373B | Trade deal leaves PhRMA out in the cold | Health officials approve sale of low-nicotine cigarettes Stefanik defends Roby ‘for bringing her son to work’ after Post op-ed Why a $15 minimum wage would hurt employees House Democrats appeal order in Trump’s lawsuit over NY tax returns Nearly all Democrats expected to back articles of impeachment Heisman trophy winner inspires donation to impoverished hometown Overnight Energy: House Dems propose halt to drilling on public lands | Former Van Drew staffers land jobs at Energy committee | Defense bill passes without key measures on ‘forever chemicals’ Maine Democrat announces he’ll vote for only one article of impeachment against Trump Saagar Enjeti rips Booker’s petition urging DNC to change debate qualifications On The Money: House approves massive $1.4T spending package | House panel advances Trump’s new NAFTA | Trump expected to attend World Economic Forum in January A wealth tax is a tax on business Ford invests $14.5 billion in new and electric vehicles Facebook bans ‘black salve’ user groups from the social media platform New federal funds for election security garner mixed reactions on Capitol Hill Burping cows are a global problem. The solution may be…seaweed? Former FBI director: Trump spreading distrust of agency is ‘not American’ It’s time to hit the off switch for solar, wind power tax breaks Facebook to test community fact checking program Jane Fonda lashes out at GOP energy policies, praises Green New Deal House Dems propose halt to drilling on public lands in broad climate bill Health officials authorize low-nicotine cigarettes for public sale Klobuchar plans to open fundraisers to the press Krystal Ball: ‘Media is actually starting to take Bernie seriously’ Majority of Hispanic Caucus votes against spending bill with wall funds Controversy erupts over gay Jesus character in Netflix comedy special US diplomat William Taylor to leave Ukraine post at the beginning of January Giuliani: Trump remains ‘very supportive’ of my efforts to dig up dirt in Ukraine Schumer rejects McConnell plan to delay vote on impeachment witnesses Police investigating after 16-year-old girl allegedly kidnapped in the Bronx US Virgin Islands delegate vies for impeachment manager position How globalization may explain consistently low inflation rates Judge drops hate crime charges against man charged with fatally stabbing black man Van Drew refuses to talk party switch House panel advances Trump’s new NAFTA Judge blasts FBI over misleading info for surveillance of Trump campaign adviser Former Van Drew staffers land jobs at Energy and Commerce Committee McConnell, Schumer to start impeachment trial negotiations this week Trump campaign poll: Impeachment unpopular in swing districts DCCC raises more than $9M in November Surrounding yourself with green could help relieve chronic pain November 2019 just became the second hottest November ever Blue Dog Coalition boots Van Drew Facebook details location tracking after pressure from senators Hoyer predicts House Democrats will gain seats next year Biden campaign releases his medical history Child pays off lunch debt for over 120 classmates with stand selling cider, cocoa and cookies Trump says McConnell can decide on witnesses for Senate trial The Trump administration’s missed opportunities on youth homelessness ’60 Minutes’ producer alleges CBS News retaliated after she reported inappropriate behavior Majority of Americans say media treats LGBTQ people fairly McConnell on impeachment: ‘I’m not impartial about this at all’ Missouri officials adding plaques to Andrew Jackson statues noting he owned slaves, supported Trail of Tears Trump says he takes ‘zero’ responsibility for expected impeachment What America’s Thinking: December 17, 2019 O’Rourke says he’ll focus on flipping Texas state House in 2020 US prosecutor says Lev Parnas received $1M from Ukrainian oligarch’s lawyer Bipartisan lawmakers urge Trump to oppose Chinese nominee to lead intellectual property body Trump calls for halt to impeachment in scathing letter to Pelosi on eve of vote Getting back to basics on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act Biden will be only candidate at center stage in Democratic debate Read: Trump letter to Pelosi objecting to impeachment process Collins says she plans to reveal reelection plans ‘this week’ Starbucks clarifies Twitter user ‘MuellerDad69’ is not firing employees for saying ‘Merry Christmas’ FEC grants Bloomberg request to delay financial disclosure House approves massive $1.4T spending package Analysis: Repeal of ObamaCare taxes in bipartisan spending deal costs $373B Ford adding thousands of jobs around Detroit, investing $1.45B Trump expected to attend World Economic Forum in January: reports Manafort hospitalized while serving prison sentence Both sides make their closing arguments on Trump impeachment articles McConnell: Senate trial should not include witnesses Lobbying World Actress Hilarie Burton says she walked away from Hallmark job after ‘diverse casting’ requests were ignored Ginsburg on Trump’s call for court to end impeachment: ‘The president is not a lawyer’ Schiff says Pence refusal to declassify aide’s testimony ‘raises profound questions’ It’s up to businesses to lead the sustainability agenda New Jersey Democrats slam Van Drew: ‘He doesn’t have a chance’ Teaching kids about gender nonconformity Possible mass grave sites identified for Tulsa race riots Senate sends $738B defense bill to Trump’s desk British election answers nagging questions — and sends message across Atlantic Trade deal leaves PhRMA out in the cold Bannon on Republican party: ‘We’ve got to find our AOCs’ Recently jailed Maria Butina rewarded with new show on Russia Today Panel: NYT still doesn’t understand Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren Sanders surrogate: Unions worried about electability should look to polls The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Presented by UANI — House panel debates terms for impeachment vote Panel: Bernie Sanders grabs the lead in California, Did Michael Bloomberg end Pete Buttigieg? Krystal and Saagar challenge Deval Patrick Senior Advisor on corporate background Bernie Sanders Surrogate Eric Blanc: A dire warning for unions considering Joe Biden Justice Democrats: DCCC failures revealed with Jeff Van Drew With holidays approaching, new SNAP rule hurts families and fails businesses Saagar Enjeti: Cory Booker’s whining reveals Dem’s blackout of Yang, Tulsi’s diversity Krystal Ball: Bernie Sanders’ never been closer to winning, even the media noticed Democrats introduce bill to study impact of sex trafficking law Krystal & Saagar: NYT forced to correct Cenk Uygur smear, These are the numbers Dems should talk about Gabbard says she needs to raise $1 million by year-end ‘to stay competitive’ Van used as getaway vehicle crashes into store, injures 11 Whoopi Goldberg on fight with Meghan McCain: ‘Sometimes it goes off the rails’ If I get a flu shot why do I sometimes still get the flu? Schumer indicates Democrats will force votes on impeachment trial witnesses Virginia teachers charged with assaulting six non-verbal children Vulnerable Oklahoma Democrat to vote for impeachment Democrats repeat failed history with mad dash to impeach Donald Trump Ex-Trump campaign official Gates sentenced to 45 days in jail GOP lawmaker: ‘No Intel people on our side’ have corroborated claims of Ukrainian 2016 interference Candidates must be honest about the scale of the climate challenge Trump administration preparing to limit sensitive tech exports to China, other nations: report Lisa Page to appear on ‘The Rachel Maddow Show’ Televised Democratic debates going awry — so that picket line is perfect 7 in 10 say Trump should allow top aides to testify in Senate impeachment trial: poll Nadler misses procedural step in impeachment process for family emergency Pass less salt and when you pass it, make it potassium salt Watch live: House Rules Committee meets to set terms for impeachment vote Biden tops Sanders by 9 points in new national poll Air Force general: North Korea ‘Christmas gift’ could be long-range missile test Turkish President Erdoğan calls for resettlement of 1M refugees in northern Syria McConnell shoots down Schumer’s offer on Senate impeachment trial rules Buttigieg unveils first statewide television ad in Nevada Will the federal government’s nonstop spending binge continue? Police officer pleads guilty after telling homeless man to choose between jail or licking a urinal Warren unveils plan to end ‘the flow of dark money’ as president Rising: December 17, 2019 Why are Americans not going to college? White House: Trump ‘poised to sign’ $1.4 trillion spending bill Meghan McCain after confrontation with Whoopi Goldberg: ‘I won’t be quiet’ Why women are cited less often in research than men Deval Patrick senior adviser: ‘Path is narrower but there is a path there’ British watchdog investigating Google takeover of data company Trump’s ‘Phase One’ trade deal undercuts the anti-tariff crowd’s arguments  Trump administration rejects Senate resolution recognizing Armenian genocide Musharraf sentenced to death for treason in Pakistan US to send asylum-seekers to Honduras, preventing claims from being made in America: report Estonian leaders apologize after interior minister calls Finland prime minister a ‘sales girl’ Trump administration announces move aimed to increase organ donations Can the whistleblower’s reputation survive President Trump’s impeachment defense? Union reaches agreement, Democratic debate to proceed as scheduled Why Jeff Van Drew talked of switching parties too soon Judiciary Democrat: Looks like McConnell is ‘rigging’ Senate impeachment trial Study: Vaping damages lungs, but safer than smoking Congress set to pass bill to help terrorism victims win compensation from Palestinian Authority 0.1 percent of immigrants receive asylum at the border Labour’s loss should tell Democrats not to tack too far to the left Pope decrees ‘pontifical secret’ no longer applies to abuse cases Fact-checker: Trump made more false, misleading claims in 2019 than in 2018 and 2017 combined Russian spy ship conducting ‘erratic maneuvers’ off US coast: report The Post muddies the water on war in Afghanistan Former Ohio governor endorses Biden New York Democrat from Trump district says he will vote to impeach Giuliani says he told Trump ‘a couple times’ that ambassador to Ukraine was blocking investigations Let’s not give taxpayer money away to benefit the wealthy Spending bill would extend expired tax breaks George Conway, other conservatives launch effort to block Trump’s reelection Support falls for Trump’s impeachment, removal from office: CNN poll The Hill’s Morning Report – Vulnerable Dems are backing Trump impeachment GOP set to make life difficult for Democrats on impeachment McConnell takes heat from all sides on impeachment Senate GOP eyes punting decision on impeachment trial witnesses On the Trail: The decade of division Democrats secure fast-track to the floor for Canada-Mexico trade deal