January 1, Biden Stumbles, Buttigieg Shines in 5th Dem Debate

This Day in History | 1980

Millions tune into Dallas on CBS to find out who shot J.R. Ewing. 

Dem Debate Round Up 

Debate exposes divides despite united front on Trump

(ABC News) – The Democratic primary’s top 10 polling candidates appeared in Atlanta and the debate matchup featured a night of mostly civil exchanges over the party’s policy rifts and plenty of tailored pitches as the candidates continued to court a still unsettled electorate less than three months before the first primaries.

*5 take-aways from the 5th Democrat Debate

WATCH: Biden Stumbles with Gaffes on Women and Race 

Impeachment Inquiry Update

Ambassador Drops Bombs

(NPR) – President Trump, Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and much of officialdom was “in the loop” throughout the Ukraine affair, a key witness told Congress on Wednesday in watershed testimony.

Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, rejected the idea that he was part of any back channel or shadow effort.

He said he conferred with the State Department and the National Security Council all this year as he and other envoys worked to try to get concessions for Trump from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Read more about Sondland’s testimony here

FBI seeks interview with CIA whistleblower

(NBC News) – The FBI has asked to interview the CIA whistleblower whose complaint touched off the Ukraine impeachment investigation, a source directly familiar with the matter told NBC News.

The whistleblower has not yet agreed to an interview, the source said.

A law enforcement source said the FBI is not investigating the whistleblower — the bureau wants to talk to him.

Learn more here

DNA Test Shows Hunter Biden is Father of Arkansas Woman’s Baby

(Arkansas Democrat Gazette) – DNA testing has established, “with scientific certainty,” that Hunter Biden is the father of an Arkansas baby, according to a motion filed Wednesday in Independence County on behalf of the child’s mother, Lunden Alexis Roberts.

Biden, son of former vice president Joe Biden, “is not expected to challenge the results of the DNA test or the testing process,” the filing states.

An attorney for Hunter Biden, former Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Find out more about Hunter Biden’s baby mama drama here

Democrats Ponder Huge Tax Hikes

(New York Times) – Much of the Democratic primary race has focused on taxes aimed at the billionaire class — policies devised to reduce inequality and fund progressive goals on health care and education.

But there’s also a less discussed tax increase in leading Democratic policy proposals that would affect not just a tiny sliver of the ultra-wealthy, but also millions of high-income workers. For these people, many of them affluent professionals in Democratic strongholds, it would be the biggest tax increase in recent memory.

This year, American workers and their employers owe a combined 12.4 percent on Social Security payroll taxes for income up to $132,900 (rising to $137,700 in 2020). They owe nothing on earnings above that level.

Read more about the possible tax hike here