Democrats are ramping up efforts to impeach President Trump for pressing the president of Ukraine to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Nearly 90% of House Democrats now support impeachment. On Thursday, a declassified version of a complaint by an anonymous whistleblower was released, detailing his concerns about Trump’s July phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky. In the complaint, the unnamed whistleblower — who has been identified as a CIA official — accused the president of “using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.” The complaint also revealed details about how the White House attempted to “lock down” all records of Trump’s phone conversation with Zelensky by moving a transcript of the call to a standalone computer system reserved for codeword-level intelligence information. The whistleblower wrote in his complaint, “According to White House officials I spoke with, this was 'not the first time' under this Administration that a Presidential transcript was placed into this codeword-level system solely for the purpose of protecting politically sensitive — rather than national security sensitive — information.” For more on the unfolding scandal, we speak with James Risen, senior national security correspondent for The Intercept.
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'A hugely consequential first move': Biden offers to extend nuclear START treaty with Russia
In a move applauded by anti-war activists, U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday reportedly offered Russian President Vladimir Putin a five-year extension of the New START treaty just days before the pact—the only remaining nuclear arms control agreement regulating the two largest nuclear arsenals in the world—is set to expire.
"President Biden's offer signals a welcome return to serious diplomacy that provides a path to a safer and more secure future for all."
—Derek Johnson, Global Zero
Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley facing ‘expulsion or censure’ after Ethics complaint filed: report
Senate Democrat filed ethics complaints against Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) after their unsuccessful effort to overthrow the 2020 election.
A letter sent to the Ethics Committee chairs Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and James Lankford (R-OK) requested "expulsion or censure" for the members after their election overthrow attempts spun a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Alabama man who breached the Capitol said he was directed by Alex Jones to be there: report
William Watson, 23, who has been charged federally with violent entry and civil disorder after being part of the mob that breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, told federal agents that he departed for D.C. from Alabama on Jan. 5 to "support the patriots, support Trump, support freedom," AL.com reports.
"I guess the overriding thing for why we were there that day is because they were certifying the fraudulent election that day, and so we wen to protest that," Watson said, adding that he was directed by InfoWars host Alex Jones to meet at the Capitol at 1 p.m.
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