rollcall--2020-01-22--When it comes to Trump’s future, ‘the people’ would rather decide it themselves

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats should be concerned by polls that show more Americans support letting voters decide the president ’ s fate and not a one-sided impeachment process , Winston writes .
( Caroline Brehman/CQ Roll Call file photo ) OPINION — Abraham Lincoln closed the Gettysburg Address on a hopeful note , promising a “ new birth of freedom ” so that “ government of the people , by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.
” Today , as the Democrats push their partisan impeachment forward in the Senate chamber , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beleaguered president in the midst of the Civil War are worth remembering .
It ’ s worth remembering that a government of the people must , by definition , be formed by the people .
Impeachment , as the framers saw it , was a constitutional necessity to protect the country from presidential corruption , but it was also meant to be a rare avenue for Congress to embark on and in only the most dire of circumstances because impeachment is , de facto , the overturning of a national election .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an alternative to impeachment , and it ’ s called an election .
Thomas Jefferson said , “ Should things go wrong at any time , the people will set them to rights by the peaceable exercise of their elective rights.
” It ’ s a truth Democrats have decided to ignore in their loathing of this president and rush to placate their angry base .
Speaker Nancy Pelosi tried to excuse the Democrats ’ decision to move forward without the bipartisan support she had insisted was essential to a successful impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open the debate on impeachment , she said , “ Today we are here to defend democracy for the people.
” A month after the vote , Pelosi said in a statement that the House “ upheld its Constitutional duty to defend democracy For The People.
” When naming the House impeachment managers , she claimed Democrats were defending the Constitution as they sought “ the truth for the American people.
” “ As we make that history , we will be making progress for the American people , ” Pelosi said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” tone of earlier statements .
But is the Democrats ’ one-sided impeachment really driven by their concern “ for the people ” when the people see them literally celebrating impeachment with gold signing pens on silver trays and partisan parades through the Capitol halls ?
The harsh and personal tone of their complaints against President Donald Trump belies their claims of seriousness and reluctance .
At the core , do Democrats even understand what people really want ?
Over the past two months , there has been plenty of polling on whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and want him removed from office .
The numbers have moved modestly up and down , pro and con , depending on the week , the sample and how the question was asked .
Despite months of impeachment efforts in the House , polls now show Democrats have failed spectacularly to persuade half the country of the rightness and necessity of this impeachment .
The latest RealClearPolitics polling average on the question put support for impeachment and Trump ’ s removal at 47.3 percent , with 47.5 percent taking the opposite position .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest number for removal has been 51 percent , and the highest for not removing was also 51 percent .
Having failed to convince a significant majority of voters on the validity of their impeachment effort , Democrats begin Senate proceedings this week in a difficult position , if their goal is to find the two-thirds majority needed to convict the president .
But the problem Democrats face may be worse than the standard polling questions seem to suggest .
The Oct. 31-Nov.2 Winning the Issues survey looked into the issue of impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most polls , people are given only two options : favor or oppose impeachment , with some surveys including “ removal from office.
” Winning the Issues gave them an option that we hoped would give us some insight into how people value their right to vote and what impact impeachment would have on that vote .
We asked people which statement came closest to their views : “ Voters — not Congress — should decide whether President Trump should be removed or reelected in next year ’ s election.
” “ Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from office.
” Our findings in early November didn ’ t represent good news for Democrats — by a 49 percent to 39 percent margin , respondents supported letting the voters decide .
But our latest Dec. 28-30 survey ought to give Democrats serious pause .
By a larger margin than we saw last fall , voters believed the election should decide Trump ’ s future — 55 percent to 35 percent .
Despite high viewership of the House impeachment hearings and Democrats ’ almost total control of the political narrative , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe they should be the ones to decide , not partisan politicians .
This inherent belief in the validity of the ballot over a political impeachment process crossed many key voter groups .
Most important , the survey found independents , the “ majority makers , ” favored letting voters decide by a huge 23-point margin , 53 percent to 30 percent .
Here ’ s how a few other groups broke down .
• Voters with less than a 4-year college degree : 58 percent to 31 percent Suburban women , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall , favored letting voters decide 51 percent to 35 percent , something that should concern Democratic leaders .
People who had an unfavorable view of both parties , about 20 percent of the country , were the most disposed to letting voters decide , 60 percent to 28 percent .
These numbers don ’ t mean the electorate ’ s concerns over the impeachment allegations have disappeared .
But with the election just over nine months away , Democrats ’ argument for it is steadily losing standing with voters at exactly the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort will only be successful if they win the argument that continuing the Trump presidency is so detrimental to the country that people are willing to give up their vote .
During Watergate , “ the people ” eventually came to that conclusion .
In the Clinton impeachment , they did not .
Nancy Pelosi and her impeachment caucus have spent months wrapping themselves in the Constitution and portraying themselves as protectors of democracy always “ for the people.
” Unless something dramatic happens during the Senate trial to change their minds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left the decision to them .

OPINION — Abraham Lincoln closed the Gettysburg Address on a hopeful note, promising a “new birth of freedom” so that “government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
Today, as the Democrats push their partisan impeachment forward in the Senate chamber, the sentiments expressed so eloquently by a beleaguered president in the midst of the Civil War are worth remembering. It’s worth remembering that a government of the people must, by definition, be formed by the people.
Impeachment, as the framers saw it, was a constitutional necessity to protect the country from presidential corruption, but it was also meant to be a rare avenue for Congress to embark on and in only the most dire of circumstances because impeachment is, de facto, the overturning of a national election.
These same Founding Fathers also understood that there is an alternative to impeachment, and it’s called an election. Thomas Jefferson said, “Should things go wrong at any time, the people will set them to rights by the peaceable exercise of their elective rights.” It’s a truth Democrats have decided to ignore in their loathing of this president and rush to placate their angry base.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi tried to excuse the Democrats’ decision to move forward without the bipartisan support she had insisted was essential to a successful impeachment.


rollcall--2020-01-23--Mayors see historic opportunity in presidential race

Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg , a Democratic presidential candidate , touted a $ 1 trillion infrastructure plan at the U.S Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington on Thursday .
( Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call ) A promise to repair potholes won ’ t get a laugh at most presidential campaign events .
Speaking Thursday at a national convention of mayors three blocks from the White House , the former New York mayor seeking the Democratic presidential nomination made a rousing pronouncement that he would invest in road and bridge maintenance .
“ I call it the pothole fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guffawed .
Nationally , Bloomberg and former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg have been met with some skepticism as they argue that managing a city is a good dress rehearsal for the Oval Office .
That wasn ’ t a problem when they addressed the winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors .
“ This is a time to bring to the highest office in the land the perspective that only a mayor , only my fellow mayors , can offer , ” Buttigieg said Wednesday .
Bloomberg and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York is the biggest city in the country ; South Bend , with a population of just over 100,000 , isn ’ t even the biggest in Indiana .
But both candidates used the opportunity to to flesh out similar pitches that their hands-on experiences balancing budgets and answering to constituents gave them unique insights into the country ’ s needs .
Bloomberg focused on the rollout of a $ 1 trillion infrastructure plan , which he said would funnel money to local leaders who would be empowered to make their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities .
He also highlighted mayors serving in senior positions on his campaign .
Buttigieg also touched on infrastructure and summarized other policy proposals that he said would “ make Washington look more like America ’ s best-run cities and towns.
” Those proposals include increased investment in Community Development Block Grants that local leaders could direct to their own priorities .
The message was well-received by a group that has traditionally gotten short shrift in presidential contests .
A sitting mayor has never been elected to the presidency , and the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the job was Calvin Coolidge — who had also served as a governor and vice president .
The other former mayor in the still-crowded presidential field is Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , who ran Burlington for eight years in the 1980s before he came to Congress in 1991 .
Conventional wisdom states that governors make the best presidential candidates , with executive experience that is often contrasted to senators ’ speechifying to empty chambers .
But with only one governor remaining in this year ’ s contest — former Massachusetts Gov .
Deval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity to make their case .
And if you ask other mayors , it ’ s a good one .
“ Mayors get things done , ” said McKinley L. Price , the mayor of Newport News , Virginia .
“ Having a mayor as a president would be a good thing .
No doubt about it.
” That ’ s not to say that either candidate is on a glide path , even with the friendly audience in Washington .
The event came as Buttigieg struggles to find a breakout moment in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feverish campaign schedule in recent weeks following a dip in the polls .
Bloomberg , who entered the race late and is skipping the Iowa and Nevada caucuses and the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries , has meanwhile surged into the top tier of candidates , thanks in part to the $ 248 million he has already spent on television advertising .
Several of the mayors in attendance said they had not been paying much attention to the crowded primary — they have their own cities to run .
“ I try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Harry Sidhu , the Republican mayor of Anaheim , California .
Others said that they likely had more nuanced views than most voters about controversies in both candidates ’ mayoral records .
“ A mayor ’ s going to take more criticism because you ’ re so close to the residents , and you are in the weeds on a lot of different issues that , inevitably , criticism surfaces that is different from a senator or a governor , ” said Steven Fulop , the Democratic mayor of Jersey City , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had not endorsed a candidate yet , but he was “ inclined to go with someone who has mayoral experience.
” But that doesn ’ t mean they were prepared to overlook those issues , including Bloomberg ’ s use of stop-and-frisk policing in New York City and Buttigieg ’ s record of strained relations with minority groups in South Bend .
Some also questioned whether either candidate was prepared .
“ The experience that a mayor can bring to the race , I think it ’ s significant and important , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Valdivia , who was briefly a Republican candidate for the House in 2014 .
“ But do I think they have the firepower , especially Mayor Pete ?
I wish him a lot of luck .
”

That wasn’t a problem when they spoke Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, to the winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
“This is a time to bring to the highest office in the land the perspective that only a mayor, only my fellow mayors, can offer,” Buttigieg said.
Bloomberg and Buttigieg come from vastly different communities — New York is the biggest city in the country; South Bend, with a population of just over 100,000, isn’t even the biggest in Indiana.
Similar pitches
But both candidates used the opportunity to to flesh out similar pitches that their hands-on experiences balancing budgets and answering to constituents gave them unique insights into the country’s needs.
Bloomberg focused on the rollout of a $1 trillion infrastructure plan, which he said would funnel money to local leaders who would be empowered to make their own decisions about what is best for their communities. He also highlighted mayors serving in senior positions on his campaign.


rollcall--2020-01-23--Trump administration restricts U.S. travel for pregnant foreigners

The rule issued by the State Department goes into effect Friday .
( Photo by Caroline Brehman/CQ Roll Call ) The State Department issued a new rule Thursday that will make it more difficult for pregnant women abroad to obtain visas to the United States , an attempt to curb what the White House is calling `` birth tourism . ''
The department will grant visa officers more discretion to deny nonimmigrant visas to women they believe are entering the United States specifically to obtain citizenship for their child by giving birth here , a State Department spokesperson told reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule , which goes into effect Friday , primarily targets B-1 and B-2 visas granted to foreigners who want to temporarily visit the United States for medical care , tourism or business purposes .
But U.S. embassies and consulates have documented trends that show an increasing number of B visa applicants whose stated purpose of travel was to give birth in the United States , the State Department spokesperson said .
The department did not provide a number of how many people with B visas have given birth in the U.S. White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ necessary to enhance public safety , national security , and the integrity of our immigration system.
” “ The birth tourism industry threatens to overburden valuable hospital resources and is rife with criminal activity , as reflected in Federal prosecutions , ” she said in a statement .
`` Closing this glaring immigration loophole will combat these endemic abuses and ultimately protect the United States from the national security risks created by this practice . ''
Jeffrey Gorsky , a former State Department official who advised consular officers overseas on visa laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule “ pretty bogus '' and said it will be difficult for the government to enforce .
“ Many of these women who are giving birth in the United States for purposes of getting citizenship for their child , are probably not showing up at the consular offices nine months pregnant , ” he said .
“ Most of these women probably had their visas many months or even years beforehand.
” Dr. Sumathi Narayana , a family medicine physician based in New York , said she fears the new rule will harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment .
“ I think any delays in care that are not medically indicated are problematic and this could lead to complications in birth , ” she said , adding : `` This is a cruel and racist rule that violates people 's rights and it 's targeting people of color who are pregnant and potentially in a dire situation.
” But Mark Krikorian , executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies , an organization that advocates for lower immigration levels , defended the new guidelines as a reasonable security measure .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to actually look into whether a woman is coming here for the right reasons or if it 's clear that they 're only coming to give birth , '' he said .
Krikorian said that in addition to consular officers being able to deny pregnant women B visas , Customs and Border Protection officers at U.S. port of entries and airports should also be granted the same authority .
The Center for Immigration Studies in a report issued last month estimated that approximately 33,000 births occur each year to women who arrived in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then left the country .
The new rule states that pregnant women seeking medical treatment in the U.S. “ must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the consular officer , their arrangements for such treatment and establish their ability to pay all costs associated with such treatment.
” Consular officers are being directed against asking visa applicants outright if they are pregnant or planning to become pregnant once they are in the U.S. , the State Department said .

The State Department issued a new rule Thursday that will make it more difficult for pregnant women abroad to obtain visas to the United States, an attempt to curb what the White House is calling “birth tourism.”
The department will grant visa officers more discretion to deny nonimmigrant visas to women they believe are entering the United States specifically to obtain citizenship for their child by giving birth here, a State Department spokesperson told reporters during a background briefing.
The final rule, which goes into effect Friday, primarily targets B-1 and B-2 visas granted to foreigners who want to temporarily visit the United States for medical care, tourism or business purposes. But U.S. embassies and consulates have documented trends that show an increasing number of B visa applicants whose stated purpose of travel was to give birth in the United States, the State Department spokesperson said.
The department did not provide a number of how many people with B visas have given birth in the U.S.
White House Stephanie Grisham said the new rule was “necessary to enhance public safety, national security, and the integrity of our immigration system.”
“The birth tourism industry threatens to overburden valuable hospital resources and is rife with criminal activity, as reflected in Federal prosecutions,” she said in a statement. “Closing this glaring immigration loophole will combat these endemic abuses and ultimately protect the United States from the national security risks created by this practice.”


rollcall--2020-01-23--Do Republicans hate or respect Adam Schiff? Maybe it's both

Reps. Adam B. Schiff , D-Calif. , left , the lead House impeachment manager who 's drawn unexpected praise from some Republicans , is seen in the Capitol before the continuation of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on Thursday , January 23 , 2020 .
( Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call ) To President Donald Trump and his House Republican allies , Rep. Adam B. Schiff is public enemy no .
1 .
But as the lead House impeachment manager makes his case against Trump in the Senate , he ’ s drawn some surprising compliments from a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say that Trump will stop attacking the California Democrat , whom he calls “ Shifty Schiff , ” or that other Republicans won ’ t use Schiff as the scapegoat for all the things they think are wrong with House Democrats ’ impeachment charges .
But knowing the House is seeking Trump ’ s removal from office regardless of what they think , some Republicans acknowledge Schiff , a former federal prosecutor , is the best person to present Democrats ’ case .
“ Adam Schiff , any of my friends or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest , that somehow he ’ s not up to it , are wrong .
He is up to it , ” Sen. Kevin Cramer said .
“ I think he presents in a very good fashion .
I think that he ’ s not very factual , he ’ s not confined to truth , but he ’ s a very good presenter .
He ’ s got a good mind , obviously.
” Speaker Nancy Pelosi “ made a good strategic move in moving the impeachment inquiry over to his committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him be the head manager , ” the North Dakota Republican and former House member added .
Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham complained on Twitter Tuesday amid debate over the trial rules that “ having Adam Schiff lecture the Senate about fairness and due process is like listening to an arsonist talk about fire prevention.
” But as the South Carolina Republican ran into Schiff leaving the Capitol Wednesday after the House impeachment managers ’ first day presenting , he shook his hand and gave him a compliment .
“ Good job .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Graham said .
Again for the cameras On Thursday before the trial resumed , a reporter told Graham , who was addressing press before the television pool camera , that he heard he had some nice words for Schiff .
Before the reporter got his question out , the senator chimed in to elaborate on his compliment .
“ He ’ s well spoken , did a good job of creating a tapestry , taking bits and pieces of evidence and emails , and giving a rhetorical flourish , making the email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little over the top , ” Graham said .
“ But quite frankly , I thought they did a good job of taking bits and pieces of the evidence and creating a quilt out of it.
” Graham ’ s praise is noteworthy for multiple reasons .
He ’ s one of Trump ’ s most vocal supporters in the Senate but he was also once responsible for presenting arguments for removing a president , serving as an impeachment manager in former President Bill Clinton ’ s trial .
Graham has raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s claims so far in the trial , but when it comes to the job he ’ s doing as a presenter , the former lawyer and military prosecutor had nary a bad word to say .
Senate Democrats , of course , had plenty of compliments for Schiff as well .
But what stood out to Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer is that Republicans were paying attention to the presentation , particularly in the last two hours as Schiff summed up the evidence on Wednesday .
“ I like to watch my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t want to be there .
And so for some of it , they are looking the other way , they may be chatting with somebody , ” he said .
“ Schiff had such power in his speech that he almost forced them to look at him and listen and just about every Republicans ’ eyes were glued on Mr. Schiff .
So it was a powerful rendition.
” Too ‘ smooth ’ for others Despite Schumer ’ s claims , many Senate Republicans only had negative things to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s smooth , he ’ s slick .
...
He ’ s a known liar — a public liar , ” Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said .
“ Anybody can sit up there and talk , drone on for two and a half hours not even with a slip of the tongue .
Hats off to him , ” the Wisconsin Republican said , sarcastically .
Johnson , unlike other senators , has a reason to be personally frustrated with Schiff , as he ’ s been dragged into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and was even named during House manager ’ s presentation to the Senate on Wednesday .
The senator was in Kyiv and attended Ukrainian President Voldomyr Zelenskiy ’ s inauguration in May and attended meetings with key witnesses in the impeachment case that have come up in testimony .
Still , other Republicans had similar criticisms .
Texas Sen. John Cornyn also derogatorily described Schiff as “ smooth.
” But overall Senate Republicans ’ attacks on Schiff were mild compared to Trump , who has accused Schiff of treason , and House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ censure him on the House floor .
Several senators , like Joni Ernst , complained that Schiff and the House managers were too repetitive .
“ It ’ s on repeat , ” the Iowa Republican said .
“ I keep hearing the same message over and over again coming from the House members .
And I ’ m still waiting to hear their overwhelming evidence.
” Even Cramer , who thinks Schiff is doing a good job presenting , shared in that complaint .
But he acknowledged there ’ s probably some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same facts .
“ They tend to overstay their welcome and and overplay their hand , ” he said .
“ And I don ’ t know if that ’ s the lack of planning , I don ’ t know if that ’ s legal [ strategy ] , I don ’ t know if that ’ s punitive .
I don ’ t know what it is , or if it ’ s just excitement and zeal .
I think a little bit of it … maybe there ’ s another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 100 senators.
” A few Republicans declined to weigh in either way on how Schiff and his team were performing .
“ I think that I won ’ t make a judgment about how the House is doing their stuff ’ til I compare it to what the defense does , ” Iowa Sen. Charles E. Grassley said .
Schiff , for his part , was just glad that Senate decorum rules requiring senators to stay silently seated during the trial meant they at least had to hear him out .
Addressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floor remarks , Schiff noted “ how rare it is , extraordinary it is , for House members to be able to command the attention of Senators sitting silently for hours — or even for minutes for that matter.
” Katherine Tully-McManus and Griffin Connolly contributed to this story .

To President Donald Trump and his House Republican allies, Rep. Adam B. Schiff is public enemy No. 1. But as the lead House impeachment manager makes his case against Trump in the Senate, the California Democrat has drawn some surprising compliments from a few GOP senators.
That’s not to say that Trump will stop attacking the man he calls “Shifty Schiff,” or that other Republicans won’t use Schiff as the scapegoat for everything they think is wrong with the House Democrats’ impeachment charges.
But knowing that the House is seeking Trump’s removal from office, regardless of what they think, some Republicans acknowledge that Schiff, a former federal prosecutor, is the best person to present the Democrats’ case.
“Adam Schiff, any of my friends or colleagues that think [or] suggest that somehow he’s not up to it are wrong. He is up to it,” North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer said. “I think he presents in a very good fashion. I think that he’s not very factual, he’s not confined to truth. But he’s a very good presenter. He’s got a good mind, obviously.”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi “made a good strategic move in moving the impeachment inquiry over to his committee so he could chair it and having him be the head manager,” added Cramer, who previously served three terms in the House.


rollcall--2020-01-23--Green card gridlock: When will Congress agree on a solution?

On Dec. 18 , immigration reform stalwart Richard J. Durbin ’ s announcement on the Senate floor about a rare bipartisan breakthrough flew largely under the radar , overshadowed in the chaotic flurry of impeachment .
Durbin , an Illinois Democrat , and Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah had dueled two months earlier over unanimous consent requests on the Senate floor , and had since been deadlocked .
Each had pushed for his own solution to an important but often overlooked symptom of the broken U.S. immigration system : the employment-based green card backlog .
Because of it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from India — wait in limbo , sometimes for decades .
A version of Lee ’ s legislation — the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act ( HR 1044 ) — had quietly passed the House earlier in the year with bipartisan support .
When Lee tried to bring the legislation to the Senate floor for an immediate vote , Sens .
Charles E. Grassley and Rand Paul objected .
Durbin had introduced his own legislation ( S 2603 ) that he felt tackled the problem more holistically .
But when he later sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Lee ’ s turn to block it .
Paul also had a legislative fix on the table ( S 2091 ) .
Then came the December compromise between Lee and Durbin , who had become the two opposing poles of the backlog issue .
“ We ’ ve come up with a proposal that moves us in the right direction , ” Durbin said of his agreement with Lee .
“ These families affected by this backlog are really going through hardship and concerns that no family should face .
The sooner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Outside Congress , in online forums , debate over how to fix the problem grew tense and , at times , heated .
Immigrant advocacy groups , lawyers and policy experts specifically zeroed in on the logjam of employment-based green cards — and often found themselves in the unusual position of opposing each other .
Meanwhile , on Capitol Hill , the compromise from Lee and Durbin remains in a holding pattern while the two lawmakers determine whether they have succeeded at clearing the path of further objections .
Every year , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards based on various categories — to immediate relatives of citizens , refugees and asylum-seekers , and to foreign workers on temporary visas .
Since 1965 , there ’ s been a limit to how many spots can be given to applicants from any one country .
Family reunification has always been the main priority of the U.S. immigration system , so the bulk of green cards go to people sponsored by family members already in the country .
A small share of total green cards — around 140,000 — are reserved for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration law .
No one country can be allotted more than 7 percent of the total work visas , which feed into the employment-based green card pipeline ( although visas left over in one category can roll over to another ) .
Despite changes in the economy and labor market , this upper limit of 7 percent has remained the same since 1990 .
The problem is that the number of green card petitions approved tends to far exceed that 7 percent limit .
So petitioners from a country over that threshold are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 500,000 people who applied for key employment-based categories of green cards in 2018 are in the current backlog , according to an estimate by the libertarian Cato Institute .
Work visas like the H1-B are intended for temporary workers in science and technology fields .
But these visas have become a key steppingstone to citizenship for immigrants with the resources to study at American colleges or who ’ ve been recruited by U.S. employers in science and technology-related fields .
Indians have increasingly come to the United States since the 1960s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following the tech boom that started in the mid-1990s .
They now make up the bulk of green card applicants in the employment-based category , followed by Chinese .
Because they quickly come up against the 7 percent annual limit , most Indians will probably wait 10 or more years to obtain their green cards , according to Cato .
The ones who applied in 2018-19 , however , may face a line up to 50 years long .
Many of these individuals develop deep ties to America while waiting .
They bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They enroll children in school .
And yet , true stability is precariously at arm ’ s length .
Their American lives run on three-year extensions of their work visas , because even if their green card petitions are approved , it may be decades before the actual green cards are granted .
The wait has immense costs — lawyers ’ and application fees , but also lost wages , promotions and other opportunities , in addition to the vulnerability to wage exploitation .
More intangibly , it comes with grave uncertainty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holder in the green card backlog dies during the wait , the person ’ s spouse and family lose their place in line — and can find themselves without legal status .
That ’ s what happened to Sunayana Dumala , the wife of Srinivas Kuchibhotla , a young engineer killed in a 2017 hate crime .
In a recent Kansas City Star op-ed advocating for Lee ’ s legislation , Dumala explained what it felt like to be stuck .
“ We can not travel back to our home countries for funerals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our parents ’ medical needs , because we fear being stuck abroad and uprooting our lives , ” she wrote .
“ Children born overseas who accompanied their parents to the U.S. are ‘ aging out ’ of green card applications and may need to leave the country .
Self-deportation is the only alternative to living this life of constant fear .
But is that really a choice ?
” While many on both sides of the aisle agree about the severity of this group ’ s predicament , they diverge on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sought to phase out country quotas for employment-based greencards , creating a first-come , first-served system .
It also proposed raising country quotas for family-based green card categories from 7 to 15 percent .
But , because many Republicans generally oppose increased immigration , the bill would not increase the total green cards given annually .
“ At first glance , you say , ‘ Oh this is awesome — it gets rid of per-country limits , ’ ” immigration lawyer Charles Kuck recently recalled on his podcast .
“ But because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country limits , it has a serious effect on people already going through the immigration process , and it comes at a particularly inopportune time.
” Any proposal to bring more immigrants to the country is a nonstarter for hard-line immigration restrictionists .
But disagreement about the impact of Lee ’ s bill has split even immigration proponents into two camps .
Advocates of the bill believe it rectifies a past wrong , giving Indians their rightful place in line , while critics emphasize that it does so by shifting the burden of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ categories , instead of eliminating it .
Ira Kurzban , a prominent immigration lawyer and professor at University of Miami , pointed out that the country caps were instituted in 1965 to have a more equitable immigration system .
The immigration law passed that year also removed bars on immigrants from Africa , the Middle East and Asia .
While the caps had an unintended effect in creating the backlog , they actually opened up immigration to Indians in the first place , Kurzban argued .
In an analysis he circulated , Kurzban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burden of the backlog , its nationals actually get more than their 7 percent share every year because of an oft overlooked loophole : While each country is allotted 7 percent , unused shares from low-demand countries like Iceland can be given out to high-demand countries , including India .
Kurzban further estimated that Lee ’ s original bill would actually increase the total backlog for employment-based residency to 1.1 million by 2029 — and increase wait times to 17 years , for everyone .
“ Do the math , ” he wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other critics also worry that in a first-come , first-served system , since backlogged Indians would get all the green cards over the next few years , they would edge out applicants from other countries .
When Paul objected last summer , he asked for a carve-out for health care workers — nurses from , for example , the Philippines — who would be one of the groups facing long waits due to Lee ’ s original bill .
Other critics brought up the potential disadvantage his bill could further cause for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban and longtime immigrants from , say , Latin America at risk of losing temporary protections that let them stay and work in the United States .
“ The answer is not to fight over the few visas given each year ; the answer is to have a larger number of visas to the benefit of the U.S. economy , ” Kurzban wrote in his blog post .
“ Simply , we need more visas.
” Other experts aren ’ t so sure about the forecasts of deleterious effects and believe that Lee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the current political reality to address the problem .
David Bier , Cato ’ s immigration policy analyst , estimates about 50 percent of the applicants in 2018 were Indian but received only 13 percent of the total green cards issued .
He calculated that Lee ’ s legislation , if implemented , would resolve the backlog in eight years — during which time only Indians would get green cards for around four years .
“ Opponents of the legislation claim that this is unfair , yet new Indian applicants who applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the bill for almost eight years , and if the law isn ’ t passed , then they would face a half a century wait ( ultimately , nearly half would give up before then ) , ” he wrote in a blog post .
Aman Kapoor is the co-founder of Immigration Voice , a group of Indians lobbying for a solution to the green card backlog .
He has lived in the United States for 17 years .
He and his family received approval for their residency application in 2007 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ green cards .
Even before Durbin formally put a hold on Lee ’ s legislation in mid-October , Kapoor and his group launched a media blitzkrieg accusing the Illinois senator of discriminating against Indians by not allowing Lee ’ s bill to be taken up .
They argued any amendments he intended to tack on would amount to a “ poison pill ” that would alienate Republicans and ultimately kill the bill .
“ Senator Durbin ’ s argument against the bill is no different from the arguments presented by those against removing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in an email statement at the time .
Durbin ’ s bill would lift country caps and , among other changes , add enough additional green cards to almost entirely cover the backlog in the employment-based and family-based categories .
After analyzing the measure , Cato ’ s Bier concluded it “ probably contains the best legal immigration reforms overall since the comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate in June 2013.
” But Durbin ’ s bill reinforced a backlash from Indians on the green card waiting list and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not politically viable because it would raise the level of immigration overall — a prospect that many Republicans in the Senate will not even entertain .
The rhetoric got so bad that immigration attorney Leon Fresco , a former senior Senate staffer who considers himself the architect of the Lee legislation , stepped away from his role as adviser to Immigration Voice .
“ I can ’ t be part of it because I need to maintain professionalism .
I would never advise anyone to be as personal as they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ However , I get why people are frustrated.
” But Durbin ’ s bill did have its supporters , and they , too , spoke up .
Lakshmi Sridaran , interim executive director of South Asian Americans Leading Together ( SAALT ) , a progressive advocacy group , wrote an op-ed in an Indian American publication asking South Asians to oppose Lee ’ s bill and support Durbin ’ s .
In her view , Lee ’ s version was akin to giving immigrant groups scraps to fight over — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a bigger pie .
She also said Lee ’ s bill , and the rhetoric around it , set up hierarchies among the immigrant community of who is more or less deserving of citizenship .
“ It ’ s not just the backlog issue but that this is one part of a very broken immigration system , ” she says .
“ I don ’ t think the groups advocating for this bill are interested in an inclusive organizing strategy , but a political strategy to win.
” She and other opponents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they believe to be an imperfect bill passes , pressure to pursue longer-term , systemic changes in the immigration system would fizzle out .
In Congress , where the track record for passing immigration legislation is quite poor , there may not be a chance to return and fix things .
A handful of immigrant groups , including the advocacy network , United We Dream , support SAALT ’ s position .
In December ’ s compromise with Lee , Durbin tacked on amendments to the bill that would do three main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the United States switch jobs and travel without losing status ; carve out a quota for applicants from abroad ; and put a check on big Indian IT firms that have been found to abuse the H1-B applications process .
“ So , this bill offers some concessions to both sides of the issue — to the groups advocating for the rights of people stuck in green card backlogs , and those advocating for the rights of new immigrants to come to the U.S. from abroad , ” Julia Gelatt , policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explained via email .
But many remain dissatisfied .
SAALT ’ s Sridaran lamented the compromise legislation fails to raise the total number of green cards .
And Immigration Voice asked its supporters to call Durbin ’ s office , to warn that if the compromise bill does not pass , “ Durbin , and Durbin alone , will be solely responsible for ethnic cleansing of Indian-American immigrants from the US.
” Lee ’ s office said the lawmaker was working to build consensus , but there will likely not be any movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proceedings have concluded .
“ Whether or not this bill will go anywhere : It ’ s usually safest to predict that Congress doesn ’ t have the will to tackle something as contentious as immigration reform .
That seems particularly true as the Senate grapples with impeachment and considers a response to the emerging conflict with Iran , ” Gelatt said .

Work visas like the H1-B are intended for temporary workers in science and technology fields. But these visas have become a key steppingstone to citizenship for immigrants with the resources to study at American colleges or who’ve been recruited by U.S. employers in science and technology-related fields.
Indians have increasingly come to the United States since the 1960s, but they arrived at an accelerated pace following the tech boom that started in the mid-1990s. They now make up the bulk of green card applicants in the employment-based category, followed by Chinese. Because they quickly come up against the 7 percent annual limit, most Indians will probably wait 10 or more years to obtain their green cards, according to Cato. The ones who applied in 2018-19, however, may face a line up to 50 years long.
Many of these individuals develop deep ties to America while waiting. They bring over spouses and buy homes and cars. They enroll children in school. And yet, true stability is precariously at arm’s length.
Their American lives run on three-year extensions of their work visas, because even if their green card petitions are approved, it may be decades before the actual green cards are granted. The wait has immense costs — lawyers’ and application fees, but also lost wages, promotions and other opportunities, in addition to the vulnerability to wage exploitation. More intangibly, it comes with grave uncertainty about the future.
If a visa holder in the green card backlog dies during the wait, the person’s spouse and family lose their place in line — and can find themselves without legal status. That’s what happened to Sunayana Dumala, the wife of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, a young engineer killed in a 2017 hate crime. In a recent Kansas City Star op-ed advocating for Lee’s legislation, Dumala explained what it felt like to be stuck.


rollcall--2020-01-23--Fear of ICE raids during census could hamper count of immigrants

Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) Fugitive Operations Team members on a raid in Los Angeles .
Some census outreach groups worry the Trump administration may try to deport immigrants they need to count .
( Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images ) As census efforts ramp up this spring , outreach organizations fear that Trump administration officials may try to deport the immigrant communities they need to count .
A network of nonprofits , local governments and advocacy groups has fanned out to help the Census Bureau conduct its decennial count of America ’ s residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after its failed push to add a citizenship question to the census , may continue on-the-ground immigration enforcement efforts in a departure from previous censuses .
A raid by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could easily wreck months of outreach efforts , experts said .
“ It would be really chilling if the Census Bureau had a partnership event in a community with immigrants and ICE showed up , ” said former Census Bureau Director John Thompson .
“ It could be really , really disruptive of getting a good count for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s count of roughly 330 million people living in the United States has already begun — the Census Bureau started Tuesday in remote Alaska — but won ’ t ramp up in earnest until the spring .
Organizations like the Urban Institute have said the fight over the citizenship question , as well as growing government distrust , increase the chances that this year ’ s census will miss millions of people .
That could distort political representation , federal spending and economic growth for a decade , experts have said .
During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bureau came to an understanding to keep immigration enforcement from interfering with the count .
“ There was an informal agreement that ‘ We ’ re not asking you not to enforce the law but just give us some space to get a good count , ’ ” Thompson said .
“ There were a few little incidents but nothing major.
” ICE ’ s predecessor agency , Immigration and Naturalization Services , had an even greater deference to the census .
According to congressional testimony and agency statements leading up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back off raids during the counting process .
The Census Bureau director during the 2000 census , Kenneth Prewitt , said that was one of the norms “ shattered ” under the current administration .
Focus groups conducted by Article 1 , a nonprofit Prewitt advises , suggest that fear and mistrust of the government created “ an unusually fragile moment ” in American history .
Prewitt said the media may bear some responsibility as well : a “ media storm ” around immigration raids could chill participation among millions of undocumented immigrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to strike one match to get this to light ...
There is a lot of fear and mistrust , ” he said .
An ICE spokesperson said in an email that the agency had “ no plans ” to suspend enforcement before or during the census process .
“ ICE ’ s immigration enforcement efforts are focused on targeted individuals illegally present in the U.S. and deportation officers do not perform indiscriminate sweeps in local communities , ” the spokesperson said .
The Census Bureau has not asked ICE to stop immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a statement from a spokesman .
But the agency emphasized that Census Bureau responses will be kept confidential .
`` Our job is to count every person living in the United States once and in the right place , and that ’ s what we ’ ll do , '' the statement said .
`` The U.S. Census Bureau is required by law to protect any personal information we collect and keep it strictly confidential .
We will not share an individual ’ s response with immigration or law enforcement agencies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ factored into an anti-immigrant atmosphere under the Trump administration , said John Yang , president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice .
Yang noted that the Census Bureau ’ s own research shows a rising distrust of government among immigrant communities .
“ That has caused a concern about information sharing within communities , especially vulnerable communities such as Asian American , Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities , ” he said .
Lizette Escobedo , director of census efforts for the national Latino advocacy group NALEO , said she feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ census workers go door-to-door to find people who did not fill out the form on their own .
“ While we haven ’ t heard anything specific , this administration has taken us by surprise in other instances so we aren ’ t taking chances , ” Escobedo said .
NALEO ’ s national drive has focused on getting respondents to respond on their own , through print , over the phone or online .
The Census Bureau estimates about 60 percent of the country will self-respond , pushing millions of people into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Our take has been , let ’ s avoid having to figure out what badge someone is wearing at the door by having people self respond , ” Escobedo said .

As census efforts ramp up this spring, outreach organizations fear that Trump administration officials may try to deport the immigrant communities they need to count.
A network of nonprofits, local governments and advocacy groups has fanned out to help the Census Bureau conduct its decennial count of America’s residents. Some advocates worry the administration, after its failed push to add a citizenship question to the census, may continue on-the-ground immigration enforcement efforts in a departure from previous censuses.
A raid by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could easily wreck months of outreach efforts, experts said.
“It would be really chilling if the Census Bureau had a partnership event in a community with immigrants and ICE showed up,” said former Census Bureau Director John Thompson. “It could be really, really disruptive of getting a good count for certain population groups.”
This year’s count of roughly 330 million people living in the United States has already begun — the Census Bureau started Tuesday in remote Alaska — but won’t ramp up in earnest until the spring.


rollcall--2020-01-23--What day of the Trump trial is it? It turns out there’s no wrong answer

Capitol workers wind the Ohio Clock in the Ohio Clock Corridor in the Capitol .
( Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call ) When did the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump begin ?
This publication says Wednesday , but depending on which news outlet you watch or read , Thursday could be the second , third or fourth day of the Senate ’ s impeachment trial .
C-SPAN is calling Thursday day four of the impeachment trial , counting the proceedings as having begun one week ago when Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. , made his first appearance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news organizations , including CBS News , CNN and the Washington Post , are considering Thursday the third day of the Senate trial , having started counting on Tuesday .
That 's when House impeachment managers led by Intelligence Chairman Adam B. Schiff of California and members of the president ’ s legal defense team made arguments about procedural rules and whether the Senate should call witnesses and subpoena documents .
Like so many things about the Senate , there appears to be no hard and fast rule .
It can get confusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take a different course .
Going forward , this outlet will count Wednesday as the first day of the actual impeachment trial , following the precedent of the official printed records of the 1999 Senate trial proceedings of President Bill Clinton .
Asked about when the trial began , the Senate historical office offered that in the Clinton case , a distinction was made in the bound records between “ Preliminary Proceedings ” printed in volume one and “ Floor Trial Proceedings ” printed in volume two .
The break in proceedings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 , with the second volume of records starting with the up to 24 hours provided for the House impeachment managers to make their presentation of the case in favor of removing Clinton from office .
In the Trump case , that time started when the Senate convened as the court of impeachment on Wednesday afternoon and the chief justice recognized Schiff to begin making the case rather than during Tuesday ’ s floor arguments ahead of the party-line adoption of the procedural resolution offered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roll Call newsroom will hereafter consider Wednesday , Jan. 22 , the start of the Trump impeachment trial and events prior to that date will be recorded as preliminary proceedings .

When did the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump begin?
This publication says Wednesday, but depending on which news outlet you watch or read, Thursday could be the second, third or fourth day of the Senate’s impeachment trial.
C-SPAN is calling Thursday day four of the impeachment trial, counting the proceedings as having begun one week ago when Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., made his first appearance and senators took the impeachment oath.
Many news organizations, including CBS News, CNN and the Washington Post, are considering Thursday the third day of the Senate trial, having started counting on Tuesday. That’s when House impeachment managers led by Intelligence Chairman Adam B. Schiff of California and members of the president’s legal defense team made arguments about procedural rules and whether the Senate should call witnesses and subpoena documents.
Like so many things about the Senate, there appears to be no hard and fast rule.


rollcall--2020-01-23--At the Races: Trial vs. Trail

At the Races: Trial vs. Trail

Welcome to At the Races !
Each week we ’ ll bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call team that will keep you informed about the 2020 election .
Know someone who ’ d like to get this newsletter ?
They can subscribe here .
The impeachment trial we ’ ve all been prognosticating about for weeks is finally here , in all its exhausting , late-night glory .
And yet , on the campaign trail , the conversation remains largely unchanged .
The biggest impact has been on senators running for president or facing competitive reelections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Washington , unable to attend fundraisers or even check their phones for hours on end .
Republicans continue to hammer vulnerable Democrats on impeachment , with the pro-Trump group America First Policies launching an attack ad against Alabama Democrat Doug Jones , the most vulnerable senator facing reelection in 2020 .
But Democrats still largely aren ’ t going there .
While some national Democratic groups and even some Senate candidates are using impeachment in their fundraising emails , voters are likely to hear a lot more from them about prescription drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeachment , as the super PAC Priorities USA made clear in a memo this week .
One key state to watch : Maine , where a majority of likely voters thought President Donald Trump “ abused ” the power of his office , according to a poll conducted last week for Senate Majority PAC , a super PAC allied with Senate Democrats .
More than 70 percent of Mainers wanted the Senate to “ insist ” on seeing fresh evidence and hearing from witnesses .
GOP Sen. Susan Collins has already broken with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — she sided with Democrats to allow for more time to respond to motions made during the trial .
But that doesn ’ t mean she ’ s going to break with Democrats on the big vote , or that it would necessarily benefit her politically to do so .
Like her GOP peers in Arizona and Colorado , she needs to show moderates that she ’ s still an independent thinker while not alienating Trump ’ s base .
In the trial , off the trail : Senators running for president aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chamber for the impeachment trial .
So are vulnerable senators in both parties , whose campaigns have had to adjust to the proceedings , which keep these senators in the Capitol for hours on end .
# CA25 : This cycle , congressional candidates will have to compete with the presidential race for attention , money and TV time .
But candidates running to replace former California Democratic Rep. Katie Hill face an additional challenge : reminding people that there are two elections in the same congressional district on the same day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter confusion is raising concerns , and Democrats are trying to figure out what to do about it .
2022 on the brain : Both parties are targeting six states this year because they want to control the redrawing of congressional maps following the 2020 census .
CQ Roll Call ’ s Michael Macagnone and Jacob Fischler detail the fight for control of state legislatures that will decide on redistricting in a handful of key states .
Trackers gon na track : The DCCC cried foul over the NRCC ’ s use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Office of Congressional Ethics .
Democrats argue that Republicans ’ use of trackers in House hallways to record vulnerable Democrats violates ethics rules that bar official resources from being used for campaigns .
Ethics experts told CQ Roll Call ’ s Chris Marquette that the DCCC may have a point .
Who ’ s that lady ?
A suburban mom named Stacy is getting a lot of attention for being upset about impeachment .
But as we first noted last Friday , she seems to live in 11 different congressional districts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ her starring role in American Action Network ’ s ads , which are attacking House Democrats from Nevada to Maine .
So just who are the people who appear in campaign ads — and how much do political groups have to identify them ?
Revisit our 2018 explainer .
Endorsements : Members of Congress continued to take sides in the presidential race .
Joe Biden nabbed five more House endorsements : Alabama ’ s Terri A. Sewell , Florida ’ s Frederica Wilson and Alcee L. Hastings , Georgia ’ s Sanford D. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ M. Payne Jr. ( One bonus Biden endorsement that ’ s Congress-adjacent : New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen ’ s husband Bill Shaheen , a DNC member , backed the former VP ) .
Three House lawmakers endorsed Mike Bloomberg : California ’ s Harley Rouda , Florida ’ s Stephanie Murphy and Illinois ’ Bobby L. Rush .
And leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus split over the more liberal candidates in the race .
Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal endorsed Bernie Sanders and Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin backed Elizabeth Warren .
Oh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off from taking on sitting House Republicans , the conservative Club for Growth is taking aim at Texas GOP Rep. Kay Granger , Politico reported Thursday .
The group is planning a TV , digital and mail campaign against the congresswoman , the top Republican on the powerful Appropriations Committee .
Granger faces former Colleyville City Councilmember Chris Putnam in the March 3 primary , and he ’ s been putting up a fight so far .
The Texas Tribune has a good primer on the race .
GOP $ $ $ : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Republican fundraising .
But some House Republicans have figured out how to raise eye-popping numbers , including two who have leveraged their national profiles .
Texas Rep. Daniel Crenshaw ’ s campaign told the Houston Chronicle that the freshman lawmaker raised $ 1.6 million in the final fundraising quarter of 2019 .
And former House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes raised $ 2.1 million in the quarter , according to the Washington Examiner .
Jersey style : What was supposed to be one of New Jersey Democrat Josh Gottheimer ’ s tame diner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when a former state Assembly speaker confronted the congressman over impeachment .
Two-way race : Labor lawyer Shannon Liss-Riordan dropped her primary bid in the Massachusetts Senate race , leaving Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III and incumbent Edward J. Markey in the Democratic race .
Thanks , but no thanks : Utah Republican Thom Carter says he won ’ t run for the GOP nod to challenge freshman Democrat Ben McAdams in the state ’ s swingy 4th District .
Carter , the executive director of the Utah Clean Air Partnership , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid concerns about the caliber of current candidates in the crowded primary .
Taking sides : Main Street Partnership PAC became the first national group to back one of Iowa GOP Rep. Steve King ’ s top primary challengers : state Sen. Randy Feenstra .
King has been sidelined in the House due to racist comments , and Feenstra , the top GOP fundraiser so far , is one of five Republicans who have filed to challenge the nine-term congressman .
Main Street Partnership PAC , which describes itself as supportive of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , backed three other House candidates this week : Chele Farley in New York ’ s 18th District , Amanda Makki in Florida ’ s 13th and Sue Rezin in Illinois ’ 14th .
Iowa !
( but not about the caucuses ) : Stu Rothenberg dives into Trump ’ s prospects of winning Iowa in 2020 .
Iowa !
( OK , this one ’ s about the caucuses ) : The Iowa caucuses are less than two weeks away , people !
The Associated Press has a roundup of how presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the impeachment trial ) are deploying their surrogates throughout the state .
We explained in December how being able to tap someone who knows how to make a political pitch to a crowd is one of the values of getting House and Senate members to endorse you .
# AZSEN : National Journal ’ s Josh Kraushaar writes that Arizona GOP Sen. Martha McSally ’ s approach to her 2020 race signals she hasn ’ t learned the lessons of her 2018 loss .
“ Her base-first approach to politics is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ furiously trying to generate support in the worst possible way , ” he writes .
OK , Bloomer : It ’ s no secret that Bloomberg has been blanketing the airwaves with ads for his presidential run .
But his strategy could jack up ad prices for everyone else , Politico reports .
Rest your head : Mike Lindell has been a fixture on the Midwestern campaign trail for Trump and down-ballot Republicans over the past few years .
Now the MyPillow founder “ is becoming less coy about his political future ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Stephen Montemayor writes .
Tryin ’ Ryan ?
: Ohio radio station WKSU takes a look at the 7-way GOP primary in the 13th District , currently occupied by failed 2020 presidential candidate Rep. Tim Ryan , and concludes the Democrat could be up against one of the toughest elections of his career .
Umm … ew : William Figlesthaler , who is vying for the GOP nomination for retiring Florida Rep. Francis Rooney ’ s seat , put his name on “ Drain the Swamp ” urinal screens at the 7,000-seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t use his picture .
That ’ s the number of bills and joint resolutions lawmakers introduced in 2019 — 23 percent more than in 2017 , the first year of the previous Congress .
That show of initiative might be surprising given how little actually becomes law , but as CQ Roll Call ’ s Mike Teitelbaum explains , there can be other incentives to introducing legislation , especially for House freshmen .
Was Hillary Clinton a terrible candidate ?
That ’ s the question Nathan L. Gonzales tries to answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metric developed for Inside Elections .
In California ’ s 25th District , Democrat Christy Smith is using the tagline , “ For once in your life , vote twice !
” to remind voters to vote in both the special election primary to replace former Rep. Katie Hill and the primary for a full term , which are both happening on March 3 .
Smith , a state assemblywoman , told CQ Roll Call in an interview that her finance director was initially joking around when she came up with the tagline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it could resonate with voters .
The slogan is about “ making sure that voters understand that it is not only acceptable , but we ’ d really prefer that they do vote twice , ” Smith said with a laugh .
Montana isn ’ t a competitive part of the Senate battlefield — yet .
Inside Elections rates GOP Sen. Steve Daines ’ reelection Solid Republican .
But despite electing Trump by 20 points in 2016 , Montanans have a history of splitting their tickets .
The same year they backed Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bullock by nearly 4 points .
Two years later , they reelected Democratic Sen. Jon Tester by nearly 4 points — the first time he won with more than 50 percent of the vote .
Democrats also contested the at-large House seat .
So even though Trump will almost certainly again carry Montana by double digits this year , Democrats haven ’ t given up on the 2020 Senate race .
All eyes remain on Bullock , who dropped his presidential bid in December and has repeatedly said he won ’ t run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still time .
The filing deadline is March 9 , about a week after the state party ’ s big Democratic dinner , where Bullock will likely feel some heat to run .
If he stays out , Cora Neumann — one of several Democrats already in the race — could solidify party support in the June 2 primary .
Neuman , who has a Ph.D. in public health and worked with the Global First Ladies Alliance and the State Department ’ s Economic Bureau , hasn ’ t yet filed numbers with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign announced earlier this month it raised more than $ 460,000 between October and Dec. 31 .
Daines starts with an edge , though , not the least of which is financial : He had $ 4.2 million in the bank at the end of September .
For next week , let us know if you ’ d like to learn more about the Arizona Senate race or the South Carolina Senate race .
Email us at attheraces @ cqrollcall.com .
One week before the Iowa caucuses , the Democratic presidential candidates will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Tuesday , the network will host Sanders , Pete Buttigieg , Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer .
And on Wednesday , it will host Biden , Warren , and Amy Klobuchar .
Subscribe now using this link so you don ’ t miss out on the best news and analysis from our team , plus key stories and data that will keep you informed about 2020 races .

By Simone Pathé, Stephanie Akin and Bridget Bowman
Welcome to At the Races! Each week we’ll bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call team that will keep you informed about the 2020 election. Know someone who’d like to get this newsletter? They can subscribe here.
The impeachment trial we’ve all been prognosticating about for weeks is finally here, in all its exhausting, late-night glory. And yet, on the campaign trail, the conversation remains largely unchanged. The biggest impact has been on senators running for president or facing competitive reelections back home. They have been sidelined in Washington, unable to attend fundraisers or even check their phones for hours on end.
Republicans continue to hammer vulnerable Democrats on impeachment, with the pro-Trump group America First Policies launching an attack ad against Alabama Democrat Doug Jones, the most vulnerable senator facing reelection in 2020. But Democrats still largely aren’t going there. While some national Democratic groups and even some Senate candidates are using impeachment in their fundraising emails, voters are likely to hear a lot more from them about prescription drug costs, Medicare and Social Security than impeachment, as the super PAC Priorities USA made clear in a memo this week.
One key state to watch: Maine, where a majority of likely voters thought President Donald Trump “abused” the power of his office, according to a poll conducted last week for Senate Majority PAC, a super PAC allied with Senate Democrats. More than 70 percent of Mainers wanted the Senate to “insist” on seeing fresh evidence and hearing from witnesses. GOP Sen. Susan Collins has already broken with her party on one vote this week — she sided with Democrats to allow for more time to respond to motions made during the trial. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to break with Democrats on the big vote, or that it would necessarily benefit her politically to do so. Like her GOP peers in Arizona and Colorado, she needs to show moderates that she’s still an independent thinker while not alienating Trump’s base.


rollcall--2020-01-23--Impeachment trial takes vulnerable senators off the campaign trail, too

Alabama Sen. Doug Jones walks to the Senate chamber Wednesday before the start of the impeachment trial .
( Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call ) Sen. Doug Jones ’ campaign is holding an event Friday , but the Alabama Democrat won ’ t be there .
Instead , Valerie Jarrett , an adviser to former President Barack Obama , is hosting the forum on women in leadership in Birmingham .
Jones , the most vulnerable senator in 2020 , will be in the Senate chamber for the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump , alternating between blue and red felt-tipped pens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sitting with him will be other colleagues who face competitive races , either in November or sooner in party primaries .
The most immediate impact of the Senate trial is on the Democratic senators running for president , who are stuck in the nation ’ s capital less than two weeks before the Iowa caucuses .
But the trial also affects vulnerable senators , though with Election Day more than 10 months away , being stuck in the chamber may not hurt their campaigns .
It doesn ’ t necessarily help , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can never get back is time , ” said one Democratic operative who has worked on Senate races .
Rob Jesmer , a former executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee , also said impeachment takes attention away from other issues that could sway persuadable voters .
“ There ’ s not a poll that shows anyone ’ s up for grabs on this , ” Jesmer said .
“ I think it ’ s going to be a frustrating couple weeks.
” The trial could be more of a pressing issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this cycle — seven of the 10 most vulnerable senators in 2020 are Republican .
“ Democratic challengers have a big upper hand right now , ” said one GOP operative working on a high-profile Senate race .
But Jesmer and GOP consultant Josh Holmes dismissed the idea that a trial happening this early in the election cycle would have a tangible impact on campaigns .
“ It ’ s not like this is an August recess , ” said Josh Holmes , former chief of staff and campaign manager to Senate Majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supposed to be back in their states this week , Holmes noted that lawmakers are typically in Washington this time of year , and Republicans want the trial over quickly because they oppose Trump ’ s impeachment .
“ They want it over because they think it ’ s not good for the country , not necessarily for their campaign , ” Holmes said .
Still , Senate campaigns have had to adjust , putting holds on senators ’ calendars in January since it is not clear how long the trial will last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impeachment trial so we worked hard to ensure that I have all the time and attention that I can pay to the impeachment process , ” Sen. Edward J. Markey said off the Senate floor Wednesday .
The Massachusetts Democrat , who is facing a primary challenge from Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III , declined to say whether he was concerned the trial would negatively affect his campaign .
“ My job is to do my job , ” Markey said .
One of the more immediate impacts of the trial could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cutting into call time and preventing senators from attending fundraising events .
Some senators have been forced to cancel or reschedule fundraisers .
The Hill reported that Republicans Dan Sullivan of Alaska , who is up for reelection this year , and Mitt Romney of Utah , who is not , postponed fundraisers originally scheduled for this week .
The NRSC also canceled a fundraiser .
Some vulnerable senators are also pausing fundraising during the trial hours .
Campaigns for the most vulnerable senators in each party — Jones and Colorado Republican Cory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emails while they are in the chamber for the trial .
But the potential losses for these campaigns may not be significant , especially since impeachment has been galvanizing grassroots donors in both parties .
Simone Pathé contributed to this report.Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call on your iPhone .

Doug Jones’ Senate campaign is holding an event on Friday, but the Alabama Democrat won’t be there. Instead, Valerie Jarrett, an adviser to former President Barack Obama, is hosting the forum on women in leadership in Birmingham.
Jones, the most vulnerable senator in 2020, will be in the Senate chamber for the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, alternating between blue and red felt-tipped pens as he takes notes on opening arguments. Sitting with him will be the rest of his colleagues who face competitive races, either in November or sooner in party primaries.
The most immediate impact of the Senate trial is on the Democratic senators running for president, who are stuck in the nation’s capital less than two weeks before the Iowa caucuses. Vulnerable senators are stuck too, although with more than 10 months until Election Day, being stuck in the chamber may not hurt their campaigns.
It doesn’t necessarily help, either.
“The one thing you can never get back is time,” said one Democratic operative who has worked on Senate races.


rollcall--2020-01-23--Burr is giving senators fidget spinners to stay busy during trial

Sen. Richard Burr , R-N.C. , leaves the Senate Republicans ’ policy lunch in December .
He hopes to help out his antsy Senate colleagues with a Carolina cookout .
( Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call ) Sen. Richard M. Burr is trying to help out his antsy Senate colleagues .
The North Carolina Republican is providing an assortment of fidget spinners and other gizmos to his GOP colleagues at this week ’ s Thursday lunch .
Senators have been restless in the hours and hours they ’ re spending at their desks on the Senate floor during the impeachment trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time have been spotted standing behind their desks , pacing in the chamber and even doing quad and neck stretches .
Each week a different Republican senator hosts the lunch , which is always a favorite event .
This week it ’ s Burr ’ s turn .
The Tar Heel State Republican is hosting a “ Carolina Cookout , ” according to a menu obtained by CQ Roll Call .
The Intelligence chairman is serving up what looks like a Fourth of July feast .
Hamburgers , hot dogs , baked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mixed green salad and potato salad will be offered .
And because there ’ s apparently never enough candy or sweets for an impeachment trial , Burr will also be serving up ice cream sundaes .

Sen. Richard M. Burr is trying to help out his antsy Senate colleagues.
The North Carolina Republican is providing an assortment of fidget spinners and other gizmos to his GOP colleagues at this week’s Thursday lunch.
Senators have been restless in the hours and hours they’re spending at their desks on the Senate floor during the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Dozens at a time have been spotted standing behind their desks, pacing in the chamber and even doing quad and neck stretches.
Each week a different Republican senator hosts the lunch, which is always a favorite event. This week it’s Burr’s turn.
The Tar Heel State Republican is hosting a “Carolina Cookout,” according to a menu obtained by CQ Roll Call. The Intelligence chairman is serving up what looks like a Fourth of July feast.


rollcall--2020-01-23--EPA finalizes clean water rollback amid science challenges

President Donald Trump shows a hat that says “ Make Counties Great Again ” before signing an executive order in February 2017 to roll-back of environmental regulations put in place by the Obama administration .
( Aude Guerrucci-Pool/Getty Images file photo ) The Trump administration on Thursday finalized a rule that significantly reduces the federal government ’ s role in regulating waterways , fulfilling a campaign promise to farmers and energy interests and handing a win to conservatives who have pushed for changes to the Clean Water Act regulations .
The rule , which redefines what constitutes “ waters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standards for regulating waterways , a move environmentalists warn will lead to pollution of water that wildlife and people depend on , especially in low-income areas and communities of color .
Several current and former EPA and Army Corps of Engineers employees and scientific advisers oppose the move , charging that political appointees blocked the use of scientific information in writing the rule .
The rule is certain to be challenged by environmental groups and be rescinded if a Democrat wins the presidential election in November .
The Democratic presidential candidates have promised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one of them , Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren , has said she would `` restore the Obama-era water rule that protected our lakes , rivers , and streams , and the drinking water they provide . ''
Thursday ’ s decision builds on the Trump administration ’ s efforts to limit the federal government ’ s role in environmental protections .
The administration last year finalized a separate rule repealing the 2015 Clean Water Rule , commonly called WOTUS , that greatly expanded federal oversight of waterways .
That Obama administration rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over what constituted federally regulated waterways .
Industry proponents such as Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso , R-Wyo.
, and Sen. Joni Ernst , R-Iowa , along with conservative state leaders opposed the previous rule from the beginning , saying it would hamper economic activity in areas near water sources and that it was an overextension of federal authority over states .
Ernst said the new rule will provide “ the predictability and certainty our hardworking farmers , manufacturers , and landowners in Iowa deserve.
” Barrasso praised Trump for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans clean water and clear ” rules .
“ Regulations must follow the law and be easy for Americans to understand , ” he said in a news release .
Republican lawmakers repeatedly tried to use the annual appropriations bills to withhold funds from the EPA to enforce WOTUS regulations .
The agency said the revised definition identifies four “ clear ” categories of waters that the federal government can regulate under the Clean Water Act : the territorial seas and traditional navigable waters , such as the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain lakes , ponds , and impoundments ; and wetlands adjacent to jurisdictional waters .
“ After decades of landowners relying on expensive attorneys to determine what water on their land may or may not fall under federal regulations , our new Navigable Waters Protection Rule strikes the proper balance between Washington and the states in managing land and water resources while protecting our nation ’ s navigable waters , and it does so within the authority Congress provided , ” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said .
The federal government will not regulate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rainfall ; groundwater ; many ditches , including most farm and roadside ditches ; prior converted cropland ; farm and stock watering ponds ; and waste treatment systems , the EPA said .
Betsy Southerland , who worked in different roles at the EPA for three decades , including as director of science and technology in the Office of Water , said the rule is “ scientifically indefensible ” and socially unjust .
“ EPA ’ s final rule limiting federal water quality protections to a very small set of waters and wetlands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water , fisheries , and flood control for communities throughout the U.S. , ” Southerland , who retired from the EPA in 2017 , told CQ Roll Call in an email .
“ This rule transfers the costs of pollution control and wetland protection from miners , oil and gas producers , and land developers who will no longer be regulated to downstream communities who will have to pay to protect themselves.
” Her comments echo those of a group of current and former EPA and Army Corps of Engineers employees who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule was “ controlled solely by political appointees ” at the EPA headquarters who dismissed scientific input , directed expert staff to “ refrain from submitting comments that could be part of the formal administrative record , ” and publicly mischaracterized scientific content .
In the complaint dated Jan. 19 , the 44 employees under the organization Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility demanded that the EPA 's Office of Inspector General ensure that agency experts are allowed to provide “ meaningful ” contributions in the rulemaking and that the political appointees implicated are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Policy and undergo remedial training ” on the topic .
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler , Assistant Administrator David Ross , General Counsel Matt Leopold , Principal Deputy General Counsel David Fotoui , Senior Science Adviser Owen McDonough and other top officials in the EPA ’ s Office of Water violated the agency ’ s Scientific Integrity Policy , the complaint charges , by blocking the agency ’ s best scientific research and its experts from contributing to the new definition of waters of the United States .
“ The environmental and public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be overemphasized , but another casualty is the public ’ s confidence in EPA science , ” PEER science policy director Kyla Bennett , a scientist and former EPA attorney , said in a news release announcing the complaint .
In anticipation of the rule , Madeleine Foote , deputy legislative director at the League of Conservation Voters , called the rule “ an all-out assault on our clean water safeguards ” that would “ turn our streams into dumping grounds for big polluters and destroy ” millions of acres of wetlands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Water Act protections takes us backwards on the progress we ’ ve made in cleaning up our waterways and puts the health of our families at risk for the sole benefit of Trump ’ s corporate friends , ” Foote said .
The latest actions come four days after Trump said he had directed the Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw a separate rule on reservoir and water supply operations proposed in 2016 by the Obama administration .
The Water Supply Rule , which the Army Corps said was meant to clarify its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects for domestic , municipal and industrial water supply , was never completed .
The agency in September paused work on it for six months to further consult with states and local communities that had complained about it .
`` In coordination with the administration and the intent to have a lighter federal touch , the Corps is withdrawing the proposed water supply rule , '' R.D .
James , assistant secretary of the Army for civil works , said Monday .

The Trump administration on Thursday finalized a rule that significantly reduces the federal government’s role in regulating waterways, fulfilling a campaign promise to farmers and energy interests and handing a win to conservatives who have pushed for changes to the Clean Water Act regulations.
The rule, which redefines what constitutes “waters of the United States,” revises decades-old standards for regulating waterways, a move environmentalists warn will lead to pollution of water that wildlife and people depend on, especially in low-income areas and communities of color. Several current and former EPA and Army Corps of Engineers employees and scientific advisers oppose the move, charging that political appointees blocked the use of scientific information in writing the rule.
The rule is certain to be challenged by environmental groups and be rescinded if a Democrat wins the presidential election in November. The Democratic presidential candidates have promised to write stricter clean water rules, and one of them, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, has said she would “restore the Obama-era water rule that protected our lakes, rivers, and streams, and the drinking water they provide.”
Thursday’s decision builds on the Trump administration’s efforts to limit the federal government’s role in environmental protections. The administration last year finalized a separate rule repealing the 2015 Clean Water Rule, commonly called WOTUS, that greatly expanded federal oversight of waterways. That Obama administration rule was written to clarify decades of confusion over what constituted federally regulated waterways.
State authority
Industry proponents such as Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, along with conservative state leaders opposed the previous rule from the beginning, saying it would hamper economic activity in areas near water sources and that it was an overextension of federal authority over states.


rollcall--2020-01-23--Do Republicans hate or respect Adam Schiff? Maybe it’s both

To President Donald Trump and his House Republican allies , Rep. Adam B. Schiff is public enemy No .
1 .
But as the lead House impeachment manager makes his case against Trump in the Senate , the California Democrat has drawn some surprising compliments from a few GOP senators .
That ’ s not to say that Trump will stop attacking the man he calls “ Shifty Schiff , ” or that other Republicans won ’ t use Schiff as the scapegoat for everything they think is wrong with the House Democrats ’ impeachment charges .
But knowing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removal from office , regardless of what they think , some Republicans acknowledge that Schiff , a former federal prosecutor , is the best person to present the Democrats ’ case .
“ Adam Schiff , any of my friends or colleagues that think [ or ] suggest that somehow he ’ s not up to it are wrong .
He is up to it , ” North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer said .
“ I think he presents in a very good fashion .
I think that he ’ s not very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to truth .
But he ’ s a very good presenter .
He ’ s got a good mind , obviously.
” Speaker Nancy Pelosi “ made a good strategic move in moving the impeachment inquiry over to his committee so he could chair it and having him be the head manager , ” added Cramer , who previously served three terms in the House .
Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham complained on Twitter on Tuesday amid debate over the trial rules that “ having Adam Schiff lecture the Senate about fairness and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arsonist talk about fire prevention.
” But as the South Carolina Republican ran into Schiff leaving the Capitol on Wednesday after the House impeachment managers ’ first day presenting , he shook his hand and gave him a compliment .
Again for the cameras On Thursday before the trial resumed , a reporter told Graham , who was addressing the press before the television pool camera , that he heard he had some nice words for Schiff .
Before the reporter got his question out , the senator chimed in to elaborate on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well-spoken , did a good job of creating a tapestry , taking bits and pieces of evidence and emails , and giving a rhetorical flourish , making the email come alive — sometimes effectively , sometimes a little over the top , ” Graham said .
“ But quite frankly , I thought they did a good job of taking bits and pieces of the evidence and creating a quilt out of it.
” Graham ’ s praise is noteworthy for multiple reasons .
He ’ s one of Trump ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was also once responsible for presenting arguments for removing a president , serving as an impeachment manager in former President Bill Clinton ’ s trial .
Graham has raised factual disputes with some of Schiff ’ s assertions so far in the trial , but when it comes to the job he ’ s doing as a presenter , the former lawyer and military prosecutor had nary a bad word to say .
Senate Democrats , of course , had plenty of compliments for Schiff as well .
But what stood out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Republicans were paying attention to the presentation , particularly in the last two hours Wednesday as Schiff summed up the evidence .
“ I like to watch my Republican colleagues , and many of them really don ’ t want to be there .
And so for some of it , they are looking the other way , they may be chatting with somebody , ” he said .
“ Schiff had such power in his speech that he almost forced them to look at him and listen and just about every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Schiff .
So it was a powerful rendition.
” Too ‘ smooth ’ for others Still , many Senate Republicans only had negative things to say about Schiff and his presentation .
“ Anybody can sit up there and talk , drone on for two and a half hours , not even with a slip of the tongue .
Hats off to him , ” he added , sarcastically .
Johnson , unlike other senators , has a reason to be personally frustrated with Schiff , as he ’ s been dragged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reports — and was even named during the House manager ’ s presentation to the Senate on Wednesday .
The senator was in Kyiv and attended Ukrainian President Voldomyr Zelenskiy ’ s inauguration in May as well as meetings with key witnesses in the impeachment case that have come up in testimony .
Other Republicans had similar criticisms .
Texas Sen. John Cornyn also derogatorily described Schiff as “ smooth.
” But overall , the Senate GOP attacks on Schiff were mild compared to Trump , who has accused the California Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who unsuccessfully tried to formally censure him on the House floor .
Several senators , like Joni Ernst , complained that Schiff and the House managers were too repetitive .
“ It ’ s on repeat , ” the Iowa Republican said .
“ I keep hearing the same message over and over again coming from the House members .
And I ’ m still waiting to hear their overwhelming evidence.
” Even Cramer , who thinks Schiff is doing a good job presenting , shared in that complaint .
But he acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House managers repeating the same facts .
“ They tend to overstay their welcome and and overplay their hand , ” he said .
“ And I don ’ t know if that ’ s the lack of planning , I don ’ t know if that ’ s legal [ strategy ] , I don ’ t know if that ’ s punitive .
I don ’ t know what it is , or if it ’ s just excitement and zeal .
I think a little bit of it … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s talking to than the 100 senators.
” A few Republicans declined to weigh in either way on how Schiff and his team were performing .
“ I think that I won ’ t make a judgment about how the House is doing their stuff till I compare it to what the defense does , ” Iowa Sen. Charles E. Grassley said .
Schiff , for his part , was just glad that Senate decorum rules requiring senators to stay silently seated during the trial meant they at least had to hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ G. Roberts Jr. in floor remarks , Schiff noted “ how rare it is , extraordinary it is , for House members to be able to command the attention of senators sitting silently for hours — or even for minutes for that matter.
” Katherine Tully-McManus and Griffin Connolly contributed to this story .


rollcall--2020-01-24--Comic Maz Jobrani is seriously funny about politics

Comedian and actor Maz Jobrani has thoughts about Washington , performance in the Trump era and hanging out in the @ @ @ @ @ Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images ) What a time to be heckled by Trump supporters @ @ @ @ @ Iranian American comedian !
Ph.D. dropout and comic Maz Jobrani takes Heard on the Hill @ @ @ @ @ back to school ” to talk Trump hecklers , his least favorite 2020 candidate and @ @ @ @ @ to be in the fake West Wing in the latest Political Theater podcast .
Jobrani @ @ @ @ @ next Friday , Jan. 31 , for a show at the Kennedy Center .
Get @ @ @ @ @ Comedians Not Amused by Voter ID Changes • Hunter Duncan still wants you to know @ @ @ @ @ Hunter • Sheriff Joe Arpaio the Latest Politician to Admit Falling for Sacha Baron Cohen @ @ @ @ @ news alerts and more from Roll Call on your iPhone .

What a time to be heckled by Trump supporters when you’re an Iranian American comedian!
Ph.D drop-out and comic Maz Jobrani takes Heard on the Hill’s Kathryn Lyons “back to school” to talk Trump hecklers, his least favorite 2020 candidate and what it’s like to be in the fake West Wing in the latest Political Theater Podcast.
Show Notes:


rollcall--2020-01-24--Schiff’s emotional closing appeals set expectations for his Friday finale

House impeachment managers Adam B. Schiff , D-Calif. , left , and Jerrold Nadler , D-N.Y. , are wrapping up their arguments in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump .
( Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call ) Rep. Adam B. Schiff ’ s prosecutorial tone changed considerably at the end of the first two days of President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial , a preview that his presentation finale Friday night will feature loftier rhetoric about showing courage and doing what ’ s right , even when it risks a career .
“ Every night we say , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ and every night he outdoes the night before , ” Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown said .
The California Democrat , former federal prosecutor and head impeachment manager has built anticipation for the message he will deliver as the House ends its presentation , and whether it can change minds in a Republican-controlled Senate that has shown every indication it will acquit the president .
So far , Republican senators , while generally praising the 10-term lawmaker ’ s delivery of the House case , have called the closing moments from Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ melodramatic.
” But Schiff and the House managers have focused on making the case to the American people as well as the 100 senators .
Democrats are hoping the public will help pressure at least four Republicans to break party ranks — and risk the wrath of the Republican base — to subpoena more witnesses and documents for the trial .
“ There are lots of constitutional precedents , there are lots of legal and factual arguments to make , but he spoke to the American people 's common sense and appealed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York said .
“ No senator , Democrat or Republican , would deny that it had an effect on the chamber.
” Republicans also picked up on the idea that Schiff was speaking as much to voters as he was senators who have to decide to convict or acquit Trump .
And they predict that it will backfire come November when Trump , unlikely to be removed from office by the Senate , stands for reelection .
“ The idea that a politician says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he 's been so self-centered , I find that to ring hollow , ” Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham said .
As Schiff argued why the Senate should remove Trump from office , the South Carolina Republican said he picked up on “ some animosity toward this president that needs to be resolved at the ballot box , not in the court of impeachment.
” To end the first night of House presentation Wednesday , Schiff evoked the day ’ s evidence about witnesses who would “ stick their neck out ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though it risked their careers .
And he contrasted it with those who were in more powerful positions who did not .
“ I think this is some form of cosmic justice that this ambassador that was so ruthlessly smeared is now a hero for her courage , ” Schiff said of Marie Yovanovitch , the former U.S. envoy to Ukraine .
“ There is justice in that.
” Schiff then softened his language , using the pronoun “ we ” instead of “ you ” to deliver the final line .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know what you are asked to decide may risk yours too , but if they could show the courage , so can we , ” Schiff said .
Sen. Chris Coons , D-Del.
, said Schiff ’ s first night closer was a direct challenge to Republicans .
“ It was delivered in a way that I thought applied to the entire Senate , and was a clear but respectful enough charge , that I hope it has an impact , ” Coons said .
“ I hope some of my colleagues will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , Schiff made the case that senators should remove Trump from office because “ you know that what [ Trump ] did was not right , ” and “ you know you can ’ t trust this president to do what is right for this country .
You can trust he will do what is right for Donald Trump.
” “ He will do it in the next election if he is allowed to .
This is why , if you find him guilty , you must find that he should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Because right matters .
And the truth matters .
Otherwise , we are lost.
” One reason Schiff ’ s appeal to senators isn ’ t registering with Republicans is they feel he ’ s asking them to override the voters ’ choice in 2016 at a time when they ’ re not far from voting whether they trust Trump to continue serving .
That included Sen. Martha McSally , the Arizona Republican who lost her Senate bid in 2018 but was appointed to the Senate in 2019 to fill the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John McCain .
“ I could not disagree more strongly with Schiff and his managers that we can ’ t trust American voters to decide who should be their president , ” she tweeted .
“ They could do without his disdain for opinion of the American people and for the durability of our representative republic.
” Schiff has argued that the country can ’ t wait for voters to decide because Trump may encourage or fail to stand up to foreign powers trying to interfere in the 2020 election .
The argument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ That 's a little bit of ‘ to prove a negative ’ , ” Sen. Bill Cassidy said .
“ We do n't know the future .
He ’ s appealing to an existential anxiety , if you will .
He may be right , but that ’ s just , you know , I have to kind of objectively say that.
” The Louisiana Republican complimented Schiff for moving on from repetitive evidence summation to ask what would it take for senators to remove Trump from office .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me , occasionally does something for their own political gain , the question is at which point does it cross the threshold by which they have to be removed from office , right ?
” Cassidy said .
“ And he ’ s asking that .
That ’ s a good thing to ask.
” But Cassidy , accusing Schiff of weaving “ innuendo ” and extraneous matters into his argument , said it will be tough to convince most Republicans that Trump crossed that threshold .
“ I continue to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us not come with some sort of a predilection ?
That would be hard to say , ” he said .
“ Certainly , I have a predilection on most things.
” Several other Republicans made clear their predilection and said they aren ’ t worried about Trump doing something wrong between now and November .
“ I trust Donald Trump to do what ’ s best for the country , ” Graham said .
Even Democrats aren ’ t sure Republicans can be persuaded .
Brown said he ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schiff has .
“ How are these Republicans that are upset at this behavior—and clearly , lots of them are upset at this behavior—why do they think a not guilty verdict will make him better , will stop him from getting worse ?
” Brown believes he knows the answer to his own questions , however .
“ They know it could end their careers to vote right on this , ” Brown said when asked if Schiff ’ s closing messages were connecting .
“ They know that .
”

Rep. Adam B. Schiff’s prosecutorial tone changed considerably at the end of the first two days of President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, a preview that his presentation finale Friday night will feature loftier rhetoric about showing courage and doing what’s right, even when it risks a career.
“Every night we say, ‘Adam save it for the end,’ and every night he outdoes the night before,” Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown said.
The California Democrat, former federal prosecutor and head impeachment manager has built anticipation for the message he will deliver as the House ends its presentation, and whether it can change minds in a Republican-controlled Senate that has shown every indication it will acquit the president.
So far, Republican senators, while generally praising the 10-term lawmaker’s delivery of the House case, have called the closing moments from Wednesday and Thursday “lecturing” and “melodramatic.”
But Schiff and the House managers have focused on making the case to the American people as well as the 100 senators. Democrats are hoping the public will help pressure at least four Republicans to break party ranks — and risk the wrath of the Republican base — to subpoena more witnesses and documents for the trial.