National Politics Archives

Pelosi introduces legislation to grant Congress’ highest honor to police who protected Capitol during insurrection

February 11, 2021 3:37 PM CNN Newsource

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced legislation on Thursday to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to US Capitol Police officers and law enforcement personnel who protected the Capitol during the violent insurrection on January 6, the highest honor that Congress can bestow. “The outstanding heroism and patriotism of our heroes deserve and demand our deepest appreciation,”

Trump is already shaping the 2022 Senate battle

February 11, 2021 3:11 PM CNN Newsource

The 2022 election cycle could extend the Republican Party’s embrace of former President Donald Trump, despite the fears of some Republicans who hope to return to a party organized around conservative principles rather than his personality. Senate Republican candidates across the country are already portraying themselves as the next generation leaders of his movement, strongly

Impeachment managers are finishing their case against Trump at Senate trial

February 11, 2021 3:07 PM CNN Newsource

House impeachment managers charged Thursday that the insurrectionists carried out their attack on the US Capitol on behalf of former President Donald Trump, in their final day of arguments at his impeachment trial. The managers used their last day before the Senate to focus on Trump’s history of celebrating violence among his supporters and his

House Del. Stacey Plaskett makes history at Senate impeachment trial

February 11, 2021 3:05 PM CNN Newsource

When lead House impeachment manager Jamie Raskin introduced Stacey Plaskett at the Senate trial of former President Donald Trump, he highlighted the historic role she is playing as part of the prosecution. “This is a moment of special pride for me,” said the Democratic congressman from Maryland, noting that Plaskett is “the first delegate ever

White House meeting with airline execs as it considers testing domestic travelers for Covid

February 11, 2021 2:42 PM CNN Newsource

The White House is holding a meeting with major airline executives on Friday amid industry uproar over the possibility of testing domestic travelers for coronavirus, multiple sources tell CNN. The virtual meeting is among the first the new administration has held with airlines, financially crippled by the pandemic and wary of new travel restrictions that

Former Republican officials float possibility of forming ‘center-right’ party

February 11, 2021 1:45 PM CNN Newsource

A group of more than 100 former Republican officials have discussed the possibility of forming a “center right” party due to their unhappiness with the direction of the GOP under former President Donald Trump and the likelihood he’ll be acquitted at the end of his second impeachment trial, according to Republicans who participated in the

Biden’s 100-day plan to reopen schools meets with a messy reality

February 11, 2021 1:22 PM CNN Newsource

President Joe Biden’s pledge to reopen most American schools within his first 100 days in office is in danger of going off the rails as teachers’ unions hold firm on their demands for new safety measures amid conflicting messages from the administration and public health leaders. White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday said

White House now says Biden ‘will not rest until every school is open five days a week’

February 11, 2021 1:15 PM CNN Newsource

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that President Joe Biden’s goal is to have schools open five days a week in-person, but stressed the administration would follow the guidance of science and medical experts on how to safely reopen. “The President will not rest until every school is open five days a week.

Biden prepares rollback of controversial Trump-era policy on migrants at southern border

February 11, 2021 12:58 PM CNN Newsource

The Biden administration is preparing plans for the gradual entry of migrants forced to remain in Mexico under a controversial Trump-era policy, according to three Homeland Security officials. President Joe Biden has committed to ending the policy, informally known as “remain in Mexico.” Over the last week, the administration has been in ongoing discussions about

McCarthy defends attending his son’s wedding amid peak of pandemic in December

February 11, 2021 12:46 PM CNN Newsource

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is defending his decision to attend his son’s wedding in California in early December amid the resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the state, writing in a Facebook post he didn’t regret the decision. In the post, he said the original plan for his son to have 300-guest wedding was ditched

Biden administration extends fair housing protections to LGBTQ Americans

February 11, 2021 11:19 AM CNN Newsource

Protections under the Fair Housing Act will now cover LGBTQ Americans, the Biden administration announced Thursday, a move that allows the federal government to investigate complaints of housing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The new policy by the Department of Housing and Urban Development represents one of the earliest federal anti-discrimination changes

What is ‘incitement’ — and what does it mean for Trump’s impeachment defense?

February 11, 2021 11:05 AM CNN Newsource

The allegation of “incitement” is central to the impeachment case House Democrats are making against former President Donald Trump because it ties his words and actions to the January 6 insurrection on Capitol Hill. The article of impeachment passed by the House in January reads, in part: “Donald John Trump engaged in high Crimes and

Impeachment managers slated to wrap up their case against Trump at Senate trial

February 11, 2021 10:48 AM CNN

House impeachment managers will finish arguing their case on Thursday that former President Donald Trump incited an insurrection one day after they showed violent and disturbing video footage of the attack on the US Capitol as they urged senators to convict at the Senate trial. The managers plan to conclude their case against Trump by

Biden speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping for first time as President

February 11, 2021 10:19 AM CNN Newsource

President Joe Biden spoke with China’s President Xi Jinping for two hours late Wednesday, their first call since Biden took office. “Last night, I was on the phone for two straight hours with Xi Jinping,” Biden said Thursday as he met with a bipartisan group of senators to discuss infrastructure in the Oval Office. “And

GOP senators signal they plan to acquit Trump despite visceral presentation by House Democrats

February 11, 2021 9:37 AM CNN Newsource

The House impeachment managers presented senators with videos of their colleagues fleeing a pro-Trump mob, which breached the US Capitol shouting “stop the steal.” They showed the rioters searching for then-Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and rummaging through the senators’ desks on the chamber floor.

The impeachment trial’s virtual reality

February 11, 2021 9:14 AM CNN

Before former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, many Capitol Hill Republicans had argued it was futile to force them to relive the January 6 insurrection because they were already witnesses who knew the facts. But by weaving together riveting snippets of video, body camera footage and never-before seen surveillance tapes, Democratic impeachment managers proved Wednesday

Building the big one: Behind the scenes of Biden’s $1.9 trillion bet

February 11, 2021 9:10 AM CNN Newsource

On January 5, as results came in from the Senate runoff election in Georgia, the texts between President-elect Joe Biden’s senior staff went late into the night and into the next morning. With the Senate majority on the line, and full control of Washington in their grasp, the outcome of the two Georgia races would

Lindsey Graham has a very bad take on the Senate impeachment trial

February 11, 2021 9:08 AM CNN

Minutes after the second day of former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial concluded Wednesday night, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeted this: “The ‘Not Guilty’ vote is growing after today. I think most Republicans found the presentation by the House Managers offensive and absurd.” Really? What part, exactly, was offensive and absurd? The 13-minute video

New details on Capitol’s day of terror are devastating indictment of Trump

February 11, 2021 9:07 AM CNN

Impeachment prosecutors took senators on a wrenching journey inside the horror of the US Capitol insurrection, making a devastating case that Donald Trump had plotted, incited and celebrated a vile crime against the United States. Their previously unseen video evidence showed a bloodthirsty mob defiling Congress, heroism from overpowered police officers pleading for backup, high-profile

Biden to meet with senators on infrastructure amid Trump’s impeachment trial

February 11, 2021 8:17 AM CNN Newsource

President Joe Biden on Thursday will meet with a bipartisan group of senators to discuss rebuilding America’s infrastructure, a show of how the White House looks to move ahead with its agenda despite former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial. The senators — whom the White House has so far declined to name — will