1 Trump Tells GOP To "Get Tougher" In Protecting Him In “Phony Investigation”
President Trump is calling the House impeachment inquiry a “phony investigation” and in extended comments at the White House yesterday, he positively unloaded for over an hour. Among his points? Trump labeled California Democrat Adam Schiff a corrupt politician. The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee is leading the impeachment probe.
Trump again insisted that he put no pressure on Ukrainians to investigate Democrats in return for scheduled military aid.
Trump said that Democrats “want to impeach me because it's the only way they're going to win."
He also called the news media corrupt.
Trump also gave the Democrats a very back-handed compliment...saying the thing they have that Republicans don’t is that Democrats "are vicious and they stick together." He added that Dems "don't have Mitt Romney in their midst."
But that’s not all. He also took issue with what he called the “phony Emoluments Clause.” "You people with this phony Emoluments Clause," Trump noted. “It's so illegitimate. This cannot be the way our great founders meant this to be."
2 State Dept. Officials Defy White House Order, Comply With Impeachment Subpoenas
We’re not sure how President Trump feels about it – because he hasn’t tweeted about it – but State Department officials are ignoring the White House with regard to Impeachment subpoenas. So far, five current and former officials are defying the White House directive and have agreed totestify about the efforts of Rudy Giuliani and Trump to “encourage” Ukraine president to open investigations into former VP Joe Biden and others. And for them? It’s not about politics at all. In fact, three of them reportedly are still employed by the State Department. Taking the stand today? William Taylor, the top American diplomat in Ukraine. And if his name’s familiar, he’s the one who said said it was "crazy" that the United States would hold up the release of security assistance to Ukraine on the condition of opening an investigation into Democrats. He’s set to testify behind closed doors.
3 Four Dead As Dallas Tornado Declared An EF-3
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is issuing a disaster declaration following storms in North Texas. As we told you yesterday, a tornado tore through North Dallas – and it’s now been confirmed as an EF-3, sporting winds of 140-miles per hour. It was one of at least three tornadoes confirmed by the National Weather Service. Governor Abbott’s declaration covers 16 counties including Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Ellis, Van Zandt, and Rockwall where severe weather left a swath of destruction Sunday. But Mother Nature’s wrath wasn’t just served in Texas. Officials confirm that four people were killed in Arkansas and Oklahoma as well. The system that moved through Arkansas was the same one that caused major damage to homes and buildings.