January 1, Impeachment Redux

This Day in History | 1851

Fire ravages the Library of Congress, destroying important books including two-thirds of Thomas Jefferson’s personal collection. 

Good Morning Middle Americans. 

Merry Christmas and a happy third night of Hanukkah

Even though it looks like the first impeachment of president Trump landed with a thud, House Democrats are not giving up. At least, according to lawyers for the House Judiciary committee.   They say a second impeachment may be necessary if they uncover new evidence.  When will it ever end? 

Also today, Boeing has finally fired its CEO. Dennis Muilenburg has badly bungled the company’s handling of two deadly “737 Max” crashes. 

Finally today, you might remember a story about a 911 dispatcher who told a drowning woman to ‘shut-up’ while she was begging for help, will not face charges.   What do you think? That’s not the kind of customer service you’d expect from 911.

Read all about it. 

– Fraser Dixon

House Counsel Suggests Trump Could be Impeached Again

(Politico) – The House is open to the prospect of impeaching President Donald Trump a second time, lawyers for the Judiciary Committee said Monday.

House Counsel Douglas Letter said in a filing in federal court that a second impeachment could be necessary if the House uncovers new evidence that Trump attempted to obstruct investigations of his conduct. Letter made the argument as part of an inquiry by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals into whether Democrats still need testimony from former White House counsel Don McGahn after the votes last week to charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Find out more about the prospect of a second impeachment here

Boeing Ousts its CEO After Two Deadly 737 Max Crashes

(AP) — Boeing ousted CEO Dennis Muilenburg on Monday with no end in sight to the crisis that has engulfed the vaunted American aircraft manufacturer since the crash of two of its 737 Max airliners.

The Boeing board had supported Muilenburg for months despite calls for his resignation from lawmakers and relatives of the passengers killed. 

When it became clear in recent days that federal regulators would not certify the grounded Max to fly again by year’s end as Muilenburg had hoped, the board finally abandoned him.

Board members decided to remove him on a conference call Sunday, according to a person familiar with the events who discussed the private deliberations on condition of anonymity.

Read more about the Boeing CEO’s firing here

911 Dispatcher Who Told a Drowning Woman to ‘Shut Up’ Will Not Face Charges

(CNN) – The Arkansas 911 dispatcher who scolded a woman crying on the phone before she drowned will not face criminal charges, an internal investigation ruled.

A Fort Smith Police investigation into Debra Stevens’ death found that while the 911 dispatcher “violated policy by being rude to Stevens at times,” she hadn’t violated the law in her response.

CNN is not naming the dispatcher because she has not been charged and we were unable to reach her.

The dispatcher, police said, “performed her duties as required and was not negligent in her response.”

Read more here