1 House Minority Leader Says Democrats Will Move To Impeach DHS Secretary Noem If She's Not Fired
House Democratic leaders announced yesterday that they will move to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem if President Trump does not fire her. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a joint statement with Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar demanding Noem's removal. The push has gained momentum since Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, and more than 160 of the 213 House Democrats have now signed on to an impeachment resolution. It’s not just Democrats, either; Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski called for Noem to resign yesterday. The furor continues to build, as ABC News reported yesterday that a report sent to Congress by the Department of Homeland Security says that two agents fired their weapons at Pretti. It also reportedly said that Pretti didn’t try to reach for his own weapon in the incident.
2 At Least 42 Dead From Winter Storm Fern As Hundreds Of Thousands Remain Without Power
Winter Storm Fern has killed at least 42 people across the country and left hundreds of thousands without power as bitter cold continues to grip the eastern United States. The storm dumped deep snow across more than 1,300 miles from Arkansas to New England while coating parts of the South in dangerous ice. More than 480,000 homes and businesses remained without power yesterday, with the worst outages in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Nashville saw its highest number of outages ever recorded, with a peak of 230,000 customers losing electricity. According to energy company estimates, some areas in Mississippi may not have power restored until Sunday. Another winter storm could hit parts of the East Coast this weekend, with even lower temperatures in some areas.
3 Fed Not Expected To Change Interest Rates Today
The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady when its two-day meeting concludes today, keeping its benchmark rate in the current range of 3.5-percent to 3.75-percent. The pause would follow three consecutive quarter-point cuts late last year. Market watchers see virtually no chance of a rate cut as officials monitor inflation, which remains above the Fed's 2-percent target. The meeting comes amid political drama, including a DOJ probe into Chair Jerome Powell and a Supreme Court case involving Governor Lisa Cook.