January 1, Trump’s Impeachment Ends with Acquittal

This Day in History | 1911

Ronald Reagan is born in Tampico, Illinois.

Good Morning Middle Americans!

It’s a new day! Or is it? President Trump’s impeachment trial is over, but it still feels like he’s starring down the barrel of the House Democrat’s “subpoena cannon”.  The White House is taking a victory lap today, trolling Pelosi, et all with social media red meat. Meanwhile, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler is threatening to subpoena John Bolton, which could reset the whole situation.  So get ready for another round of impeachment. Call it part – duh. 

Mitt Romney’s lone wolf vote against President Trump has put him and the GOP in a tough spot. Sen. Romney still has four years left on his Senate term, so he ain’t going anywhere.

Meanwhile, House Republicans are so upset that Nancy Pelosi ripped up her copy of president Trump’s speech, they are going to waste a whole day, and this 24 hour news cycle on symbolic resolution to condemn her. So instead of focusing on the good parts of the president’s speech – Rep. Matt Gaetz is going after Pelosi’s symbolic scorn, with some of his own. We love you Rep. Gaetz, but the federal deficit just topped one TRILLION dollars. Our prescription drugs and insurance premiums are too damn high!

President Trump’s ratings for his State of the Union dipped again this year. He has not been able to capture the ratings magic of his three.  That said – I don’t think there were very many San Francisco 49’s fans tuned into watch the Kansas City Chief’s victory parade. As President Trump continues to put economic points on the board, a lot of Democrats simply can’t watch the president keep winning. 

Finally today, FBI director Christopher Wray says Russian and foreign interference in our elections process continues.  A good reminder to pay attention at your polling location, demand an analog paper trail.  Russia, Iran, North Korea, China – the Neo-Axis of Evil’s end game isn’t hacking your voting booth. It’s undermining our confidence in the greatest Democracy the galaxy has ever seen. A house divided cannot stand.  

Read all about it !

– Fraser Dixon

Not guilty: Senate Acquits Trump of Impeachment Charges

(AP) — President Donald Trump won impeachment acquittal in the U.S. Senate, bringing to a close only the third presidential trial in American history with votes that split the country, tested civic norms and fed the tumultuous 2020 race for the White House.

With Chief Justice John Roberts presiding, senators sworn to do “impartial justice” stood and stated their votes for the roll call — “guilty” or “not guilty” — in a swift tally almost exclusively along party lines. Trump, the chief justice then declared, shall “be, and is hereby, acquitted of the charges.”

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Special: See how American newspapers covered president Trump’s acquittal here

Mitt Romney Breaks with Republicans, Votes to Convict Trump

(Salt Lake Tribune) – Sen. Mitt Romney voted Wednesday to convict President Donald Trump of abuse of power, arguing that the president violated the trust of the American people and the authority of his office for his own personal and political benefit.

The Utah senator was the only Republican to vote guilty on the first article of impeachment, which failed on a vote of 52 “not guilty” and 48 “guilty.” Romney says he knows the “enormous” repercussions he’ll face from the president, members of his own party and Trump supporters.

Romney insists he had no choice.

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Trump’s TV Ratings for State of the Union Drop

(NY Times) – President Trump put a “Celebrity Apprentice” spin on his State of the Union address on Tuesday, seeding the 78-minute broadcast with surprise reveals and viral moments: a tear-stained reunion of a military family, a snubbed handshake and an impromptu bestowing of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to a guest star, the radio host Rush Limbaugh.

It was the kind of camera-ready spectacle that can translate into big ratings for afternoon talk-show hosts and prime-time reality shows.

This time, though, the Nielsen numbers did not come through.

Roughly 37.2 million Americans tuned in for Mr. Trump’s speech, Nielsen said on Wednesday, the smallest live-TV audience for a presidential address to Congress since Barack Obama’s valedictory State of the Union in 2016.

The viewership on Tuesday was a 20 percent decline from Mr. Trump’s State of the Union last year, and well below the audience for his speeches in 2017 and 2018.

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FBI Director Says Foreign Disinformation Campaigns ‘never Stopped’ After 2016 Elections

(The Hill) -FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday that foreign disinformation efforts against the U.S. “never stopped” after Russian actors used them on social media platforms during the 2016 elections.

The FBI chief also told lawmakers during a House Judiciary Committee hearing that malicious foreign influence campaigns are now targeting more than just elections.

“That is in some ways an even more challenging area, not the least because it never stopped. It happened in 2016 and it’s been continuing ever since then. It may have an uptick during an election cycle, but it’s a 24/7, 365-days-a-year threat,” Wray said of disinformation campaigns.

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