January 1, Trump’s Senate Impeachment Looms Large

This Day in History | 1936

The first issue of Life Magazine is published. 

Good morning Middle Americans!

This week’s public impeachment hearings on Capitol Hill landed with a dud. Despite a dramatic closing statement with tears welling in his eyes, Rep. Adam Schiff failed to deliver any kind of significant proof that could convince Republicans to go along with the Democrats’s impeachment push.  House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy even wonder out loud if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would even call a vote on articles of impeachment. 

But that would probably be a bigger defeat for Pelosi than have the articles pass to the Senate where Republicans will most certainly vote them down. That is unless Sen. Mitch McConnell want to use the impeachment process as leverage over President Trump. Something to think about. 

Also today we have a story about an ex-CIA officer who has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for spying on the US for China. And, you’ve heard of Florida Man and Florida Woman, get ready to meet Florida Dog. This one took his owners car for a bit of joy ride. 

Read all about it !

– Fraser Dixon

Trump: “I Want a Trial”

(Mediaite) – In a lengthy interview with Fox & Friends Friday morning, the first since impeachment inquiry hearings appear to have wrapped up, PresidentDonald Trumpproclaimed “I want a trial,” in the matter of Trump’s alleged plot to seek domestic political help from a foreign entity.

In a question designed to praise Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump quickly turned to the overall ordeal. “The bottom line is, all of those witnesses, they’re all shifty Schiff’s,” he noted, adding “don’t forget there was no due process. You can’t have lawyers. We couldn’t have any witnesses.”

He then said “we want to call the whistleblower. But you know who I want as the first witness> Because frankly, I want a trial. You know, I think–”

Brian Kilmeade followed “You want a trial?”

Trump replied “Oh, I would! Look, number one, they should never, ever impeach.”

Watch the interview here

Ex-CIA Officer Gets 19 Years for China Spy Conspiracy

(NBC News) – A former CIA officer who pleaded guilty to an espionage conspiracy with China was sentenced Friday to 19 years in prison. 

Jerry Chun Shing Lee was a spy who significantly damaged national security, intelligence officials said.

Sources familiar with the case told NBC News that Lee is suspected of funneling information to China that caused the deaths or imprisonment of approximately 20 American agents, in one of the worst intelligence breaches in decades.

Lee, 55, appeared in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Friday. He previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit espionage. But prosecutors and defense lawyers disagreed about the extent of the crime.

Read more here

Florida Dog Drives Car in Circles for Nearly and Hour

(CNN) – Anne Sabol’s cul-de-sac in Port St. Lucie, Florida, is fairly quiet.

Well, it was, until a dog hopped in its owner’s running car, kicked it in reverse, drove in circles for an hour and smashed a neighbor’s mailbox before safely exiting the vehicle without so much as a scratch.

But Sabol didn’t know who was behind the wheel when she first spotted the car, whirling around the block like an inept student driver might.

“At first I thought I saw somebody backing up, but then they kept going, and I’m like, ‘OK, what’re they doing?'” she told CNN affiliate WPBF.