usatoday--2020-01-31--What to watch for in three crucial counties during the Iowa caucuses

DES MOINES — With so much happening on Caucus Day — there are more than 1,700 caucus precincts statewide , 28 national and international satellite locations and expected record-breaking turnout — keeping track of results in real time will be overwhelming .
Here 's a way to focus in on Monday : Watch what 's unfolding in three counties where voting patterns could signal trends across Iowa and the nation — trends that could prove critical to the outcome of the presidential race .
The three key counties , which the Des Moines Register has profiled over the course of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Clinton County , in eastern Iowa , which could be a bellwether for more rural and micropolitan parts of the states with strong union ties and blue-collar roots .
• The uber-progressive Johnson County , which will give insight into the progressive battle between U.S. Sens .
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren , as well as youth turnout .
• Polk County , where returns will spotlight the state ’ s largest Democratic base as well as suburban precincts surrounding Des Moines that were critical to the 2018 Democratic surge .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spotlight turned to places like Clinton County , with a mostly white and aging population .
The county , which borders the Mississippi River , supported Trump in 2016 .
Voters there had not chosen a Republican for president since Ronald Reagan sought reelection in 1984 .
Clinton County was among 31 Iowa counties that flipped from Obama to Trump , with many of them clustered in eastern Iowa and along the Mississippi River .
Their communities were built on manufacturing and have been hit hard by declines in population and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may resonate in similar counties across the country .
That could be a critical point for candidates who want to argue they 're best positioned to win back blue-to-red swing states in the industrial Midwest like Michigan and Pennsylvania .
More : How do the Iowa caucuses work and how they are different than a primary ?
Clinton County 's largest turnout has typically been in the city of Clinton 's 22nd precinct , said county party chairman Bill Jacobs .
`` That 's kind of the heart of the town , really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Dewitt 's 2nd precinct as a place where the results will be more reflective of the county 's preferences overall , he said .
DeWitt has about 5,300 people and sits 20 miles west of Clinton .
`` We have a large number of activists in that precinct , and it ’ ll be really well run , '' Jacobs said .
`` It ’ s our largest ( precinct ) , in terms of the number of people who show up outside of the city proper . ''
Two precincts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could show how Iowa 's rural voters are leaning on caucus night : The Elk River-Hampshire-Andover and Spring Rock-Wheatland precincts are ones to watch , Jacobs said .
More : Could multiple candidates 'win ' the Iowa Democratic caucus ?
New rules make it possible .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Warren are the only campaigns to open field offices in the area , Jacobs said , though Sanders has staffers there .
Sanders , running on a populist agenda with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinton County 's caucus night support in 2016 .
Jean Pardee , a longtime county party leader and Clinton resident , said she 's interested to see whether Sanders ' support holds or tapers off , or if his supporters `` feel they got so burnt last time '' they stay home entirely .
`` Earlier , I thought Bernie was doing well , had a solid base .
But I 'm not sure that ’ s being totally maintained , '' she said .
`` Apparently , at least some of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has ties to the area 's union and blue-collar roots , also entered the race as a known commodity after his previous presidential runs in 1988 and 2008 .
Clinton County is among the places his campaign officials have said they expect to do well .
`` The other ( way to win ) is who beats the expectations , which is probably ( U.S. Sen. Amy ) Klobuchar or Warren , '' Jacobs said .
`` I think the expectations of Warren are definitely lower than they were a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lt. Gov .
Patty Judge both said they also will be watching to see if Klobuchar beats expectations , particularly among the county 's more rural voters .
`` She 's our girl next door , '' Judge said .
`` She 's worked hard here . ''
Local party leaders say they expect rural caucus participation to skyrocket as part of increased participation statewide .
Jacobs said Clinton County party officials are preparing for turnout to surge by a minimum of 25 % at local precincts .
He said 66 people caucused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , and he is watching to see whether attendance hits 100 people this year .
At the even smaller Spring Rock-Wheatland precinct , 30 people caucused in 2016 .
Jacobs said he 's hoping to see 50 people turn out there this year .
Jacobs said he is reluctant to speculate which candidate will emerge from rural precincts like those .
But if turnout grows substantially over 2016 , he said it will show there is `` a dissatisfaction with the Republican Party and with Donald Trump , in particular , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be key to Iowa Democrats ' chances of flipping the state from red to blue in the 2020 general election .
As Democratic presidential candidates vie for Iowa ’ s progressive vote , they 're battling to lock down supporters in what 's known colloquially as the “ People ’ s Republic ” of Johnson County .
Johnson County has a higher percentage of active registered Democrats — 46.7 % — than any other county in Iowa .
It also boasts a far younger population in large part because of the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a median age of 29.9 years , Johnson is the second-youngest county in a state known for its aging population ( edged only by Story County , home to Iowa State University ) .
Both demographics helped boost Sanders ' overall support on caucus night in 2016 .
Though he won about half of the vote statewide , Sanders finished at nearly 60 % in Johnson County to Hillary Clinton 's 40 % , one of his best showings in the state .
Young voters broke hard for Sanders in 2016 , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lead among young likely Democratic caucusgoers in Iowa this year , according to recent Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Polls .
Pay attention to Iowa City 's 5th precinct , where many University of Iowa students will caucus .
Organizers have paid to rent the Englert Civic Theatre , a large venue , to accommodate an expected surge in turnout .
The results in this precinct will signal whether Sanders has maintained his 2016 student support or whether others have wrested it from him .
Iowa City 's 23rd precinct is also key , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa City 's east side , where many of the city 's full-time residents live .
Though still ardently liberal , these caucusgoers are more likely to be university faculty and staff rather than students .
A precinct like the 23rd will have a high turnout of older caucusgoers and people finished with their post-secondary education .
`` What really makes us the most liberal county in the state is the faculty and staff , '' said John Deeth , a member of the Johnson County Democrats ' executive committee .
But Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Penn-East Lucas N , for example , is a precinct southeast of North Liberty , a suburban area .
Results may look different there than in city precincts .
Results in the suburbs surrounding Iowa City may show how moderate Democrats in a very liberal area are feeling , come caucus night .
Organizers predict Sanders and Warren , two of the most progressive candidates in the 2020 Democratic primary field , will win big in Johnson County .
`` We 're not expecting any surprises : Warren and Sanders are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Nick Pryor , president of the University of Iowa College Democrats .
`` But how it breaks down , that 's what I 'm really interested to see . ''
Sanders and Warren led the latest Iowa Poll at 20 % and 17 % , respectively .
Among those younger than 35 , Sanders led Warren 36 % to 20 % .
If the polling remains that close on caucus night , Johnson County could be the place where one of them gains an edge over the other .
Since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote totals in addition to the traditional state delegate equivalents , candidates can compete to win the `` popular '' vote as well as the delegate count .
Previously , Iowa 's caucus rules dissuaded candidates from concentrating too heavily in one area because the available number of delegates they could win was capped .
Now that candidates get credit for every person who shows up to caucus for them , their campaigns could choose to run up the score in places where they know they 're likely to do well to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
If there 's any county where it makes sense to do that , it 's Johnson , where local party leaders have argued for years that they 're apportioned fewer delegates than their population and turnout deserve .
Watch to see whether Warren or Sanders wins the popular vote here — if they drive up the score enough , it could ultimately help them swing the final statewide popular vote tally in their favor .
White , educated , suburban women drove election turnout in 2018 , helping to flip seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa House and the U.S. House .
They 're also akey constituency for Democratic presidential candidates seeking to win caucus support and boost turnout in the 2020 general election .
The debate over health care has been especially pertinent in these suburban neighborhoods outside of Des Moines .
In 2018 , candidates won in part by running hyper-disciplined campaigns focused on protecting 2010 's Affordable Care Act and its insurance coverage for people with preexisting conditions .
But Democratic presidential candidates like Sanders and Warren are pushing the party further to the left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All . ''
The candidate who can energize suburban voters in the caucuses could make the case they 're best positioned to continue the momentum of 2018 into 2020 .
Polk County , which includes Iowa 's capital city of Des Moines , is the state 's most populous — a fact that makes it worth watching on its own .
About 12 % of the state 's precincts are in Polk County .
But a little less than half of Polk County residents live in Des Moines .
The rest of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exurban areas .
To capture the sentiment among suburban voters , watch Ankeny 's 12th precinct , said Ankeny Area Democrats chair Mary McAdams , who recently endorsed Warren .
The northern Des Moines suburb has grown by more than 42 % since the 2010 census , when precinct lines were last determined , according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates .
There are now 1,300 registered Democrats in Ankeny 's 12th .
In addition to its size , the precinct will likely be `` representative of what 's happening in the suburbs at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive director Judy Downs .
Another precinct to watch is Des Moines ' 62nd , a large area that includes parts of the Waterbury , Ingersoll Park , Westwood and Linden Heights neighborhoods , where local party leaders , activists and donors are concentrated .
That makes it a bellwether for candidates ' support among some of Iowa 's most engaged Democrats , Downs said .
Polk County Democrats chair Sean Bagniewski said he expects Polk County 's results to be available relatively early in the night , close to 8 p.m. Buttigieg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paths to victory in Polk County , Bagniewski said .
He and Downs expect Biden to fare better in rural counties than in Polk County as a result of his organizing and messaging .
Johnston Area Democrats chair Dave Vawter , who is a precinct captain for billionaire businessman Tom Steyer , said he anticipates some lower-polling candidates to “ come out with support that the national media has not ... anticipated.
” He pegged Klobuchar as someone to watch .
“ I still think Klobuchar could actually do pretty well , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Midwesterner and she 's more than qualified for the position.
” “ It would surprise me if the front-runners who were leading ... six months ago win the caucus , ” Downs said .
“ It 's going to surprise me if there is n't some story or some surprising win.
” In addition to the recent population increase in Ankeny , Democratic turnout in recent local elections has also been up .
As a result of both , Bagniewski expects two Ankeny precincts to have three times as many caucusgoers as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent spate of Democratic victories in local suburban elections is evidence of an engaged voter base .
Meanwhile , the Iowa suburbs have seen record growth in the last decade .
McAdams said it 's been difficult to find caucus sites big enough to accommodate anticipated crowds , but that people shouldn ’ t complain .
“ It is what it is .
We redistrict every 10 years and there 's growth , ” she said .
“ There 's nothing you can do except turn out for the future so that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's based on past turnout , so you can kind of say , ‘ Hey , where was everybody in 2016 ?
’ We 're paying for that now.
” She said her team has worked 'round the clock to ensure this year ’ s caucuses run smoother than in 2016 .
They 've recruited and trained more people and invested in larger spaces — even if that means that 60 percent of Ankeny voters will have to travel slightly outside their own precincts to caucus .
“ They ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ We have worked our butts off to make that not happen.
” In the six months leading up to Iowa 's first-in-the-nation caucuses , the Des Moines Register ’ s chief political reporter , Brianne Pfannenstiel , and other Register journalists have told the stories of Clinton , Johnson and Polk counties and their residents as they sort through messages and messengers .
This unique journey through history , economies and culture has brought Register subscribers to a county that flipped from supporting President Barack Obama to candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberal politics and a third that has growing suburbs .
The decisions made by voters in these three Iowa counties in 2020 could signal decisions that will be made in similar places across Iowa and the nation and prove key to the outcome of the 2020 presidential election .
The series features deep research and rich storytelling from Pfannenstiel and reporters Kim Norvell , Shelby Fleig and Robin Opsahl , combined with compelling imagery from political team photographer Kelsey Kremer and data journalism from Tim Webber .
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at bpfann @ dmreg.com or 515-284-8244 .
Follow her on Twitter at @ brianneDMR .
Kim Norvell covers Elizabeth Warren and growth and development for the Register .
Reach her at knorvell @ dmreg.com or 515-284-8259 .
Shelby Fleig covers Amy Klobuchar , news and features for the Register .
Reach her at shelbyfleig @ dmreg.com or 515-214-8933 .
Robin Opsahl covers political trends for the Register .
Reach them at ropsahl @ registermedia.com or 515-284-8051 .

Brianne Pfannenstiel, Kim Norvell, Robin Opsahl and Shelby Fleig, Des Moines Register

Iowa caucus: What to watch for in 3 crucial Iowa counties Monday night
Show Caption Hide Caption Iowa caucus: Just how much influence does it have on the primary? The Iowa caucus is sure to be competitive this year. But what makes caucuses different from primaries? Just the FAQs
DES MOINES — With so much happening on Caucus Day — there are more than 1,700 caucus precincts statewide, 28 national and international satellite locations and expected record-breaking turnout — keeping track of results in real time will be overwhelming.
Here's a way to focus in on Monday: Watch what's unfolding in three counties where voting patterns could signal trends across Iowa and the nation — trends that could prove critical to the outcome of the presidential race.
The three key counties, which the Des Moines Register has profiled over the course of the 2020 caucus cycle, are:
Clinton County, in eastern Iowa, which could be a bellwether for more rural and micropolitan parts of the states with strong union ties and blue-collar roots.
The uber-progressive Johnson County, which will give insight into the progressive battle between U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, as well as youth turnout.
Polk County, where returns will spotlight the state’s largest Democratic base as well as suburban precincts surrounding Des Moines that were critical to the 2018 Democratic surge.
2020 Iowa caucus: Democratic Party leaders expect 'biggest ever' turnout Hear from Democratic party leaders in Clinton, Johnson and Polk counties about what they're doing to prepare for caucus night. Kelsey Kremer, kkremer@dmreg.com
Clinton County
When Republican President Donald Trump was elected, the spotlight turned to places like Clinton County, with a mostly white and aging population. The county, which borders the Mississippi River, supported Trump in 2016. Voters there had not chosen a Republican for president since Ronald Reagan sought reelection in 1984.
Clinton County was among 31 Iowa counties that flipped from Obama to Trump, with many of them clustered in eastern Iowa and along the Mississippi River. Their communities were built on manufacturing and have been hit hard by declines in population and the economy.
Clinton's caucus night winner may resonate in similar counties across the country. That could be a critical point for candidates who want to argue they're best positioned to win back blue-to-red swing states in the industrial Midwest like Michigan and Pennsylvania.
More: How do the Iowa caucuses work and how they are different than a primary?
Precincts to watch
Clinton County's largest turnout has typically been in the city of Clinton's 22nd precinct, said county party chairman Bill Jacobs.
"That's kind of the heart of the town, really," he said.
But look to Dewitt's 2nd precinct as a place where the results will be more reflective of the county's preferences overall, he said. DeWitt has about 5,300 people and sits 20 miles west of Clinton.
"We have a large number of activists in that precinct, and it’ll be really well run," Jacobs said. "It’s our largest (precinct), in terms of the number of people who show up outside of the city proper."
Two precincts in even less populous parts of the county could show how Iowa's rural voters are leaning on caucus night: The Elk River-Hampshire-Andover and Spring Rock-Wheatland precincts are ones to watch, Jacobs said.
More: Could multiple candidates 'win' the Iowa Democratic caucus? New rules make it possible.
Ride along on a Clinton County, Iowa, tour, from decaying stores to a revived riverfront Clinton County Democratic Party Chairman Bill Jacobs takes us on the tour he gives to local organizers to help them learn more about their community. Kelsey Kremer, kkremer@dmreg.com
Candidates to watch
Former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Warren are the only campaigns to open field offices in the area, Jacobs said, though Sanders has staffers there.
Sanders, running on a populist agenda with an outsider's mentality, earned half of Clinton County's caucus night support in 2016.
Jean Pardee, a longtime county party leader and Clinton resident, said she's interested to see whether Sanders' support holds or tapers off, or if his supporters "feel they got so burnt last time" they stay home entirely.
"Earlier, I thought Bernie was doing well, had a solid base. But I'm not sure that’s being totally maintained," she said. "Apparently, at least some of it is going to Warren."
Biden, who has ties to the area's union and blue-collar roots, also entered the race as a known commodity after his previous presidential runs in 1988 and 2008. Clinton County is among the places his campaign officials have said they expect to do well.
"The other (way to win) is who beats the expectations, which is probably (U.S. Sen. Amy) Klobuchar or Warren," Jacobs said. "I think the expectations of Warren are definitely lower than they were a few months ago."
Pardee and former Lt. Gov. Patty Judge both said they also will be watching to see if Klobuchar beats expectations, particularly among the county's more rural voters.
"She's our girl next door," Judge said. "She's worked hard here."
Watch for rural voter participation
Local party leaders say they expect rural caucus participation to skyrocket as part of increased participation statewide. Jacobs said Clinton County party officials are preparing for turnout to surge by a minimum of 25% at local precincts.
He said 66 people caucused at the rural Elk River-Hampshire-Andover precinct in 2016, and he is watching to see whether attendance hits 100 people this year. At the even smaller Spring Rock-Wheatland precinct, 30 people caucused in 2016. Jacobs said he's hoping to see 50 people turn out there this year.
Jacobs said he is reluctant to speculate which candidate will emerge from rural precincts like those. But if turnout grows substantially over 2016, he said it will show there is "a dissatisfaction with the Republican Party and with Donald Trump, in particular," that could benefit Democrats overall.
That could be key to Iowa Democrats' chances of flipping the state from red to blue in the 2020 general election.
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Johnson County
As Democratic presidential candidates vie for Iowa’s progressive vote, they're battling to lock down supporters in what's known colloquially as the “People’s Republic” of Johnson County.
Johnson County has a higher percentage of active registered Democrats — 46.7% — than any other county in Iowa. It also boasts a far younger population in large part because of the University of Iowa in Iowa City. With a median age of 29.9 years, Johnson is the second-youngest county in a state known for its aging population (edged only by Story County, home to Iowa State University).
Both demographics helped boost Sanders' overall support on caucus night in 2016.
Though he won about half of the vote statewide, Sanders finished at nearly 60% in Johnson County to Hillary Clinton's 40%, one of his best showings in the state.
Precincts to watch
Young voters broke hard for Sanders in 2016, according to exit polling. And he continues to lead among young likely Democratic caucusgoers in Iowa this year, according to recent Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Polls.
Pay attention to Iowa City's 5th precinct, where many University of Iowa students will caucus. Organizers have paid to rent the Englert Civic Theatre, a large venue, to accommodate an expected surge in turnout.
The results in this precinct will signal whether Sanders has maintained his 2016 student support or whether others have wrested it from him.
Iowa City's 23rd precinct is also key, according to local organizers. It is on Iowa City's east side, where many of the city's full-time residents live.
Though still ardently liberal, these caucusgoers are more likely to be university faculty and staff rather than students. A precinct like the 23rd will have a high turnout of older caucusgoers and people finished with their post-secondary education.
"What really makes us the most liberal county in the state is the faculty and staff," said John Deeth, a member of the Johnson County Democrats' executive committee.
But Johnson County is more than just Iowa City. Penn-East Lucas N, for example, is a precinct southeast of North Liberty, a suburban area. Results may look different there than in city precincts. Results in the suburbs surrounding Iowa City may show how moderate Democrats in a very liberal area are feeling, come caucus night.
University of Iowa: What issues do college-age Democrats care about most? University of Iowa students share what issues are most important to them as they consider who to support in the 2020 Democratic Iowa caucuses. Kelsey Kremer, kkremer@dmreg.com
Candidates to watch
Organizers predict Sanders and Warren, two of the most progressive candidates in the 2020 Democratic primary field, will win big in Johnson County.
"We're not expecting any surprises: Warren and Sanders are going to do well with young voters," said Nick Pryor, president of the University of Iowa College Democrats. "But how it breaks down, that's what I'm really interested to see."
Sanders and Warren led the latest Iowa Poll at 20% and 17%, respectively. Among those younger than 35, Sanders led Warren 36% to 20%.
If the polling remains that close on caucus night, Johnson County could be the place where one of them gains an edge over the other.
Watch the popular vote
Since the Iowa Democratic Party will release the raw vote totals in addition to the traditional state delegate equivalents, candidates can compete to win the "popular" vote as well as the delegate count.
Previously, Iowa's caucus rules dissuaded candidates from concentrating too heavily in one area because the available number of delegates they could win was capped. Now that candidates get credit for every person who shows up to caucus for them, their campaigns could choose to run up the score in places where they know they're likely to do well to help cushion losses in other parts of the state.
If there's any county where it makes sense to do that, it's Johnson, where local party leaders have argued for years that they're apportioned fewer delegates than their population and turnout deserve.
Watch to see whether Warren or Sanders wins the popular vote here — if they drive up the score enough, it could ultimately help them swing the final statewide popular vote tally in their favor.
Polk County
White, educated, suburban women drove election turnout in 2018, helping to flip seats from Republican to Democrat in both the Iowa House and the U.S. House. They're also a key constituency for Democratic presidential candidates seeking to win caucus support and boost turnout in the 2020 general election.
The debate over health care has been especially pertinent in these suburban neighborhoods outside of Des Moines. In 2018, candidates won in part by running hyper-disciplined campaigns focused on protecting 2010's Affordable Care Act and its insurance coverage for people with preexisting conditions. But Democratic presidential candidates like Sanders and Warren are pushing the party further to the left in the debate over "Medicare for All."
The candidate who can energize suburban voters in the caucuses could make the case they're best positioned to continue the momentum of 2018 into 2020.
Precincts to watch
Polk County, which includes Iowa's capital city of Des Moines, is the state's most populous — a fact that makes it worth watching on its own. About 12% of the state's precincts are in Polk County.
But a little less than half of Polk County residents live in Des Moines. The rest of its nearly 500,000 people reside in suburban and exurban areas.
To capture the sentiment among suburban voters, watch Ankeny's 12th precinct, said Ankeny Area Democrats chair Mary McAdams, who recently endorsed Warren. The northern Des Moines suburb has grown by more than 42% since the 2010 census, when precinct lines were last determined, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. There are now 1,300 registered Democrats in Ankeny's 12th.
In addition to its size, the precinct will likely be "representative of what's happening in the suburbs at large," said Polk County Democrats executive director Judy Downs.
Another precinct to watch is Des Moines' 62nd, a large area that includes parts of the Waterbury, Ingersoll Park, Westwood and Linden Heights neighborhoods, where local party leaders, activists and donors are concentrated. That makes it a bellwether for candidates' support among some of Iowa's most engaged Democrats, Downs said.
Polk County Democrats chair Sean Bagniewski said he expects Polk County's results to be available relatively early in the night, close to 8 p.m.
Local Democratic group organizer: 'I can do some damage in Ankeny, Iowa' Mary McAdams, chair of the Ankeny Area Democrats, talks about the power of political organizing on the local level. Kelsey Kremer, kkremer@dmreg.com
Candidates to watch
Buttigieg, Sanders and Warren each have clear paths to victory in Polk County, Bagniewski said. He and Downs expect Biden to fare better in rural counties than in Polk County as a result of his organizing and messaging.
Johnston Area Democrats chair Dave Vawter, who is a precinct captain for billionaire businessman Tom Steyer, said he anticipates some lower-polling candidates to “come out with support that the national media has not ... anticipated.”
He pegged Klobuchar as someone to watch.
“I still think Klobuchar could actually do pretty well,” he said. “She's a Midwesterner and she's more than qualified for the position.”
“It would surprise me if the front-runners who were leading ... six months ago win the caucus,” Downs said. “It's going to surprise me if there isn't some story or some surprising win.”
Watch for busy caucus sites
In addition to the recent population increase in Ankeny, Democratic turnout in recent local elections has also been up. As a result of both, Bagniewski expects two Ankeny precincts to have three times as many caucusgoers as they did in 2016.
He said a recent spate of Democratic victories in local suburban elections is evidence of an engaged voter base. Meanwhile, the Iowa suburbs have seen record growth in the last decade.
McAdams said it's been difficult to find caucus sites big enough to accommodate anticipated crowds, but that people shouldn’t complain.
“It is what it is. We redistrict every 10 years and there's growth,” she said. “There's nothing you can do except turn out for the future so that you get more delegates for the future — it's based on past turnout, so you can kind of say, ‘Hey, where was everybody in 2016?’ We're paying for that now.”
She said her team has worked 'round the clock to ensure this year’s caucuses run smoother than in 2016. They've recruited and trained more people and invested in larger spaces — even if that means that 60 percent of Ankeny voters will have to travel slightly outside their own precincts to caucus.
“They’re not going to be crowded this time,” she said. “We have worked our butts off to make that not happen.”
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About this project
In the six months leading up to Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses, the Des Moines Register’s chief political reporter, Brianne Pfannenstiel, and other Register journalists have told the stories of Clinton, Johnson and Polk counties and their residents as they sort through messages and messengers.
This unique journey through history, economies and culture has brought Register subscribers to a county that flipped from supporting President Barack Obama to candidate Donald Trump, one that embraces deep liberal politics and a third that has growing suburbs. The decisions made by voters in these three Iowa counties in 2020 could signal decisions that will be made in similar places across Iowa and the nation and prove key to the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
The series features deep research and rich storytelling from Pfannenstiel and reporters Kim Norvell, Shelby Fleig and Robin Opsahl, combined with compelling imagery from political team photographer Kelsey Kremer and data journalism from Tim Webber.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR. Kim Norvell covers Elizabeth Warren and growth and development for the Register. Reach her at knorvell@dmreg.com or 515-284-8259. Shelby Fleig covers Amy Klobuchar, news and features for the Register. Reach her at shelbyfleig@dmreg.com or 515-214-8933. Robin Opsahl covers political trends for the Register. Reach them at ropsahl@registermedia.com or 515-284-8051.


usatoday--2020-02-03--GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she 'cannot vote to convict' Trump – live impeachment trial updates

The Senate impeachment trial has resumed .
House impeachment managers and President Donald Trump 's defense team have completed their closing arguments .
Senators are now allowed to give short speeches .
Refresh this page for updates .
WASHINGTON – Sen. Lisa Murkowski , R-Alaska , said she “ can not vote to convict ” President Donald Trump during a speech on the Senate floor Monday .
“ I can not vote to convict , ” she said .
“ The Constitution provides for impeachment , but does not demand it in all instances.
” Instead , the senator said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of voters when they go to the polls in nine months .
Denouncing the conduct of both parties , Murkowski said Democratic House lawmakers `` failed in its proceedings '' while casting Trump ’ s behavior as “ shameful and wrong .
She has not previously taken a public position on the final impeachment vote on Wednesday , when lawmakers will decide whether to acquit Trump or convict and remove him from office .
“ The House rushed through what should have been one of the most serious , consequential undertakings of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , self-imposed deadline , ” she said .
Murkowski was also critical of the Senate and the “ rank partisanship ” in the body during the impeachment proceedings .
She slammed the “ hypocrisy ” of her colleagues who took opposite positions on impeachment than they did during President Bill Clinton ’ s impeachment .
Sen. Joe Manchin , D-W.V.
, called for the Senate to censure President Donald Trump , explaining Monday he was deeply torn about how he would vote on articles of impeachment later in the week .
Censuring Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disapproval of his actions but would not remove him from office .
The Senate votes on whether to acquit Trump or convict and remove him from office on Wednesday .
“ I see no path to the 67 posts required to impeach President Trump and I have n't since this trial started , ” Manchin explained in a speech on the Senate floor .
`` However , I do believe a bipartisan majority of this body would vote to censure President Trump for his actions.
” He said censure “ would allow this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ formally denounce ” Trump ’ s actions with Ukraine .
Rep. Jason Crow : Democrat reads from children 's Constitutions during the Trump impeachment trial Manchin , a key Democratic vote representing a state Trump won , has refused to say how he will vote Wednesday .
`` I remain undecided on how I will vote , '' he said .
`` I am truly struggling with this decision and will come to a conclusion reluctantly , '' he said .
A draft resolution of a censure resolution , which Manchin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would `` condemn '' Trump 's conduct `` in the strongest terms . ''
It could not be introduced until after the end of the impeachment vote on Wednesday .
The resolution acknowledges Trump 's pressuring of another country to open politically motivated investigations and obstructing Congress ' investigation into his conduct in Ukraine .
Manchin 's resolution also looks past impeachment and Ukraine , saying the `` Senate now moves on to other matters of significance . ''
Any effort to censure Trump would likely face an uphill battle .
If Manchin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it adopted by unanimous consent , it would likely be blocked in the GOP-led Senate .
If it were introduced like any other resolution , it would likely be referred to the relevant committee and simply be ignored by Republicans .
Sen. Joni Ernst : Sen. Joni Ernst says her comments on impeaching Joe Biden were 'taken out of context' After his speech , Manchin acknowledged to Politico the effort would likely be dead on arrival but said he ’ d been trying to gain support from Republicans for “ a while.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to censure him .
One was due to the president ’ s comments after the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville , Virginia , the other after Trump ’ s reported comments about African countries in a private meeting .
There have been more than a dozen attempts to censure other presidents in recent history , including Barack Obama , Bill Clinton and George W. Bush .
All failed .
The clearest successful censure was in 1834 against President Andrew Jackson .
Resolutions were adopted three other times , against James Buchanan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they were amended and the original language rebuking the president was altered and obscured , according to the Congressional Research Service .
Shortly before Sen. Joe Manchin , D-W.V.
, said he supported a censure resolution against Trump on Monday , some Republican colleagues panned the idea .
Sen. Marco Rubio , R-Fla. , who said in a statement Friday that “ Just because actions meet a standard of impeachment does not mean it is in the best interest of the country to remove a President from office ” told reporters that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather wait until the election instead of censure .
“ We have an election in nine months , and that 's in my mind , the appropriate way for people to take into account how they feel about what the President did .
It 's the ultimate accountability , ” Rubio said .
“ Removal is not a punishment .
The House managers have said removal is designed to protect the country and that ’ s in the best interest of the country .
I think the best interest in the country will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November in an election.
” Sen. Mike Braun , R-Ind.
, agreed , saying there was “ zero ” desire for a censure resolution and that the “ first time he heard about it ” was from reporters .
He reiterated that so “ many senators had constituents that thought it was ill-founded , because it was so partisan . ''
Sen. Roy Blunt , R-MO.
, simply said that it was “ too late ” for a censure vote .
Parnas focused on impeachment as judge sets his trial Lev Parnas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the impeachment trial against the president he once admired , learned Monday he will face trial Oct. 5 on charges of breaking federal campaign finance law .
But he remained focused on the impeachment trial that entered its final days without any consideration of his bid to testify against Trump .
Asked after Monday 's hearing whether he would continue to seek a plea-bargain deal with prosecutors in his criminal case , Parnas pivoted to the impeachment trial .
`` We 've been the past month trying as strong as possible to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress and the world ... know the truth on what has happened and what is happening '' in a fight against a `` powerful enemy , '' Parnas said .
`` I think the truth will come out , and we will all know and see what President Trump , Attorney General ( William ) Barr , Rudy Giuliani and their cohorts did in the Ukraine situation . ''
Parnas helped Rudy Giuliani , the president 's personal lawyer , seek damaging information in Ukraine about former Vice President Joe Biden , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential race .
Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff , the lead House Democrat prosecuting President Donald Trump , told senators they couldn ’ t wait for voters to decide whether to remove the president in November because he would undermine national security and try to cheat in the election until then .
“ You can ’ t trust this president to do the right thing , not for one minute , not for one election , not for the sake of our country , '' said Schiff , D-Calif. , during closing arguments in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote Wednesday whether to acquit Trump or convict and remove him from office .
Schiff argued Trump wouldn ’ t change , particularly if the Senate acquits him , and pointed out past Trump actions as his evidence : Trump had publicly invited Russia to hack his Democratic opponents ' emails during the 2016 election and they did .
He continued to pursue a lucrative real-estate deal in Russia during the campaign and his personal lawyer went to prison for lying about it .
And the day after special counsel Robert Mueller testified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that campaign , Trump spoke July 25 with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to urge the investigation of his political rival , former Vice President Joe Biden .
The call was at the heart of the impeachment accusation of abuse of power .
“ He has not changed .
He will not change , ” Schiff said .
“ A man without character or ethical compass will not find his way.
” Trump ’ s defense team had said the articles of impeachment , for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers argued that Trump ’ s fate should be left in the hands of voters in November .
But Schiff said the chances that Trump would continue to try and cheat in the 2020 election were 100 % .
“ The scheming persists and the danger will never recede , ” Schiff said .
Schiff closed by arguing the men who wrote the Constitution provided impeachment as a rare but significant tool to remove a president for misconduct .
“ They gave us the tools to do the job , a remedy as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to constrain : impeachment , ” Schiff said .
“ They meant it to be used rarely , but they put it in the Constitution for a reason .
For a man who would sell out his country for a political favor .
For a man who would threaten the integrity of our elections .
For a man who would invite foreign interference in our affairs .
For a man who would undermine our national security and that of our allies .
For a man like Donald J. Trump.
” Taking his turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump in the Senate impeachment trial , Rep. Jason Crow read a passage that he inscribed on a copy of his children ’ s Constitution .
“ Our founders recognized the failings of all people , so they designed a system to ensure that the ideas and principles contained in this document would always be greater than any one person , ” said the Colorado Democrat , a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan .
“ It ’ s the idea that no one is above the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people stand up and fight for it .
Fighting for something important always comes at a cost .
Someday you may be called upon to defend the principles and ideas embodied in our Constitution .
May the memory and spirit of those who sacrificed for them in the past guide you and give you strength as you fight for them in the future.
” Ernst : comments on impeaching Biden 'taken out of context' Sen. Joni Ernst , R-Iowa , said Monday that her comments suggesting Republicans could move to impeach former Vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were elected president were “ taken entirely out of context.
” Ernst said Sunday : `` I think this door of impeachable whatever has been opened .
Joe Biden should be very careful what he ’ s asking for because , you know , we can have a situation where if it should ever be President Biden , that immediately people right the day after he would be elected would be saying , ‘ Well , we ’ re going to impeach him . '
'' On Monday , Ernst walked back her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The point is that the Democrats have lowered the bar so far , ” she said .
“ Regardless of who it is , if you have a different party in the House than that of an elected president , you could have just random comments thrown out there with folks saying , ‘ We ’ re going to impeach . '
'' Sen. Joni Ernst : Iowa Republican says comments on impeaching Joe Biden were 'taken out of context' In an interview Sunday with the Des Moines Register , part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's comments and Trump 's decision to ask Ukraine to investigate his actions overseeing foreign policy in that country show that the president is afraid of running against him .
`` They very much don ’ t want to face me , obviously , '' Biden told the Register .
`` I ’ ve never seen a sitting president and his allies this frightened about who may be the nominee . ''
White House counsel Pat Cipollone closed the defense of President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial by arguing that he did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide who should hold the country ’ s highest office , rather than have the Senate remove him .
“ It is wrong , ” Cipollone said of the impeachment .
“ There is only one answer to that , and the answer is to reject those articles of impeachment , to have confidence in the American people , to have confidence in the result of the upcoming election , to have confidence and respect for the last election and not throw it out.
” Cipollone said the Senate could help end the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three formal inquiries since 1974 , by acquitting the president and leaving the decision about whether Trump should remain in office to the wisdom and judgment of voters in November .
“ I urge you on behalf of every American , on behalf of all your constituents , to reject these articles of impeachment , ” Cipollone said .
“ It ’ s the right thing for our country .
The president has done nothing wrong .
These types of impeachments must end.
” Jay Sekulow , a private lawyer who is part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team , argued that House Democrats pursued a partisan impeachment that the country ’ s founders feared , saying “ it should never happen again.
” “ This is exactly and precisely what the founders feared , ” Sekulow said .
“ This was the first totally partisan presidential impeachment in our nation ’ s history and it should be our last.
” Sekulow said the House essentially tried to usurp power by accusing Trump of abuse of power for his dealings in Ukraine .
And Sekulow said the second article should fail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was for constitutional reasons such as protecting the confidentiality of advice from top aides .
“ What the House Democrats have done to this nation , the Constitution , the office of the president , the president himself and to this body is outrageous , ” Sekulow said .
“ They have cheapened the awesome power of impeachment and unfortunately , of course , the country is not better for that.
” Patrick Philbin , deputy White House counsel , attacked the House ’ s impeachment inquiry as initially invalid and therefore invalidatd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Senate trial of President Donald Trump .
“ In many important and significant respects , they didn ’ t follow the law , ” Philbin said during closing arguments of Trump 's defense team in the impeachment trial Monday .
“ This was a purely partisan impeachment from the start.
” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , declared the impeachment inquiry on Sept. 23 without a vote in the House , as had traditionally happened .
The House voted to authorize the inquiry Oct. 31 and then impeached Trump on Dec. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authority in the Constitution to impeach officials in the executive and judicial branches , which is how Pelosi justified her announcement .
But Philbin argued that Pelosi didn ’ t have the authority to announce the investigation and thus the 23 subpoenas issued before the full House vote were invalid .
Ken Starr to senators : consider the lack of GOP support Ken Starr , a member of President Donald Trump ’ s defense team , suggested Monday that senators should take into account that the House impeached Trump largely along party lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the sole power to impeach a president , but House Democrats should have spent more time on their investigation to persuade Republicans to join them .
Starr , the former independent counsel whose investigation led to the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton , said the House vote to investigate President Richard Nixon was 410 to 4 .
The vote to investigate Clinton was supported by 31 of his fellow Democrats .
But none of Trump ’ s fellow Republicans joined Democrats in authorizing the inquiry or impeaching him .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that doesn ’ t mean anything goes , ” Starr told senators .
“ The question fairly to be asked : why cast my vote to convict and remove the president of the United States , when not a single member of the president ’ s party – the party of Lincoln – was persuaded at any time in the process.
” White House counsel Pat Cipollone said the only appropriate result in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump is to acquit him and let voters decide in November whether to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key conclusion , the only conclusion , based on the evidence and the articles of impeachment themselves and the Constitution , is that you must vote to acquit the president , ” Cipollone said .
“ At the end of the day , this is an effort to overturn the results of one election and to try to interfere in the coming election that begins today in Iowa.
” On Monday , Iowa is holding its caucuses , the first nominating contest of the 2020 election as Democrats begin to decide whom will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only appropriate result here is to acquit the president and leave it to the voters to choose their president , ” Cipollone said .
Live Iowa caucuses updates : Follow along for live coverage from across Iowa , and the world Some senators still quiet about final impeachment vote While a Republican majority in the Senate indicates President Donald Trump will be acquitted Wednesday , how a number of key senators will vote is still up in the air .
Those senators have remained fairly tight-lipped on how they will ultimately vote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would vote on acquittal or conviction , Sen. Joe Manchin , D-W.V.
, told USA TODAY , “ we ’ ve got a vote to make Wednesday.
” Over the weeks , Manchin , whose state supported Trump by a wide margin , has said both sides did a good job of presenting their case but has declined to say how he would vote .
Sen. Doug Jones , another Democrat representing a Trump state , said he is still wanting to hear closing arguments and that he is undecided on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there .
I really do want to hear the arguments and some conversations from colleagues , '' said the Alabama Democrat , who is facing a tough reelection battle .
Another Democrat , Sen. Kyrsten Sinema , D-Ariz. , has remained virtually silent on her thoughts during the weeks-long trial .
She has repeatedly declined to discuss her thoughts throughout the proceedings .
Nancy Pelosi : It was 'sad ' for Mitch McConnell to 'humiliate ' Chief Justice John Roberts Votes from a number of key Republicans also remain to be seen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it would require the backing of at least 67 of the 100 senators .
Sen. Lisa Murkowski , R-Alaska , told reporters she `` would concur '' with Sen. Lamar Alexander 's statement that what Trump did was inappropriate but not impeachable .
However , she would not comment on how exactly she was voting .
When asked whether any Democrats would vote to acquit , Sen. Mike Braun , R-Ind.
, said he thinks it ’ s possible '' a couple '' would vote with Republicans `` at least on obstruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got a real difficult decision because of how heavy Trump carried those particular states , '' he elaborated .
In House Democrats ' closing arguments in the impeachment trial , Rep. Val Demings , D-Fla. , focused on President Donald Trump ’ s alleged pressure on Ukraine to announce investigations into a political rival .
She said the scheme served as the foundation for the Senate trial .
“ President Trump weaponized our government and the vast powers entrusted to him by the American people and the Constitution to target his political rival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our national security and our democracy in the process , ” Demings said .
“ He put his personal interests above those of the country.
” More emails : Trump administration acknowledges emails show Trump 's thinking on Ukraine aid at center of impeachment Demings explained that Trump withheld a coveted White House meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and then $ 391 million in military aid while urging an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden .
She said the pressure began before a July 25 call between Trump and Zelensky , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only after Congress began investigating .
Trump ’ s defense team have said he was justified in seeking the investigation of possible corruption in Ukraine involving Biden and his son .
Rep. Jason Crow : Trump tried to 'cheat ' and should be removed House Democrats prosecuting President Donald Trump in the Senate impeachment trial urged in their closing arguments Monday that senators should convict and remove the president from office .
Rep. Jason Crow , D-Colo. , said Trump tried to `` cheat '' in the 2020 election by inviting a foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I submit to you on behalf of the House of Representatives that your duty demands that you convict President Trump , ” Crow said .
“ If you believe , as we do , and as we have proven , that the president ’ s efforts to use his official powers to cheat in the 2020 election , jeopardize our national security and are antithetical to our democratic tradition , then you must come to no other conclusion that the president threatens the fairness of the next election and risks putting foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump began shortly after 11 a.m. Monday , beginning with closing arguments from Democratic House impeachment managers .
Klobuchar going to Iowa Monday for caucuses Sen. Amy Klobuchar , D-Minn. , was asked whether it was frustrating to be in Washington on the day of the Iowa caucuses .
But she said she ’ d be flying to Iowa at 4 p.m. EST , after the closing arguments in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump are completed about 3 p.m. “ It is what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a constitutional duty to be here , ” Klobuchar said .
“ I ’ m a mom ; I can do two things at once.
” Live Iowa caucuses updates : Follow along for live coverage from across Iowa , and the world She will fly directly to New Hampshire at midnight , after the caucus .
“ I ’ m really excited about how we ’ re doing right now – a few points away from the people you guys talk about , ” Klobuchar said with a smile .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Kennedy does n't think Democrats have made their case Sen. John Kennedy , R-La.
, said when he counts his blessings , he counts Sen. Lamar Alexander twice .
But Kennedy said he disagrees with the Tennessee Republican that the House Democrats have made their case in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump .
“ I don ’ t agree that the prosecution has made its case , ” Kennedy said .
Lamar made a crucial vote Friday not to allow witnesses at the trial , helping push through a party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way for a final vote on acquittal or conviction Wednesday .
‘ He shouldn ’ t have done it ’ : GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander , who scolded Trump on Ukraine , explains why he backs acquittal Alexander told USA TODAY Trump 's dealings with Ukraine were `` a mistake '' and that he `` should n't have done it , '' but ultimately said the president 's conduct did not meet the standard of removal from office .
He said he believed the House proved its case that Trump withheld nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year to pressure Ukraine into investigating his political rivals , notable former Vice President Joe Biden .
Kennedy said he would explain his vote further on the Senate floor either late Monday or on Tuesday .
House impeachment managers and President Donald Trump 's legal team will make their closing arguments Monday as senators prepare to vote on whether to convict or acquit the president on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
Those two articles of impeachment were approved by the Democratic-controlled House on Dec. 18 after a two-month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military aid to pressure Ukraine into announcing investigations for his political benefit – including one involving former Vice President Joe Biden , a Democratic rival in the 2020 election .
Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong and was acting to combat corruption .
His defense team has said the House failed to prove its case , that the abuse of power charge is too subjective and the obstruction of Congress charge robs the president of his right to claim executive privilege in court .
Attorney Alan Dershowitz made the argument , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the allegations were true , they were n't impeachable because they did not constitute a crime .
Last week , the Senate voted 51-49 against issuing subpoenas for additional witnesses and documents , which would have delayed the trial 's conclusion .
Each side will have two hours to argue the case a final time before senators take to the floor to deliver speeches explaining how they view the charges .
With a 53-47 Republican majority in the Senate and a two-thirds vote needed for conviction , it is almost certain the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote on Wednesday .
What we know : Senators will vote Wednesday to acquit or convict Trump Impeachment and 2020 election : Warren , Sanders , Klobuchar and Bennet will have to juggle Trump impeachment trial and the Iowa caucuses Monday The lead House impeachment manager , Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calf.
, said Sunday Democrats `` proved the corrupt scheme that they charged in the articles of impeachment . ''
`` That 's pretty remarkable when you now have senators on both sides of the aisle admitting the House made its case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president be removed from office because he 's been found guilty of these offenses ? '
'' Schiff said on CBS News ' `` Face the Nation . ''
Schiff said even if the Senate votes to acquit , `` it 's enormously important that the president was impeached '' because `` by standing up to this president as we have , by making the case to the American people , by exposing his wrongdoing , we are helping to slow the momentum away from our democratic values . ''
`` But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hook .
We 're still going to go into the Senate this week and make the case why this president needs to be removed , '' he said .
`` It will be up to the senators to make that final judgment and the senators will be held accountable for it . ''
Schiff declined to say if the House would continue to seek testimony from former national security adviser John Bolton , who says in his upcoming book that Trump told him the aid to Ukraine was tied to the investigations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports .
But he said one way or the other , `` the truth will come out . ''
'We want to hear that ' : News of John Bolton 's book casts shadow over Trump impeachment trial Republicans concede Trump should have gone through DOJ GOP Sens .
Joni Ernst of Iowa and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said Sunday that while Trump 's acts were not impeachable , he should have gone through the Department of Justice if he had concerns about Biden and his son 's former position on the board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I think , generally speaking , going after corruption would be the right thing to do , '' Ernst , who declared she will vote to acquit , said on CNN 's `` State of the Union . ''
`` But I think he could have done it through different channels , '' she added , referring to Trump 's decision to have his personal attorney , Rudy Giuliani , handle it .
`` He should have probably gone to the DOJ .
He should have worked through those entities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ route . ''
On NBC News ' `` Meet the Press , '' Alexander said he believed Trump `` called the president of Ukraine and asked him to become involved in investigating Joe Biden . ''
And he said , `` at least in part , he delayed the military and other assistance to Ukraine in order to encourage that investigation . ''
`` I think he should n't have done it .
I think it was wrong , '' said Alexander , who plans to vote for acquittal .
`` If he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son and what they were doing in Ukraine , he should have called the attorney general and told him that , and let the attorney general handle it the way they always handle cases that involve public figures , '' said Alexander , who is not seeking re-election in November 's election .
When asked why he thought Trump did not go to the DOJ , Alexander said , `` Maybe he did n't know to do it . ''
`` I would think he would think twice before he did it again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shouldn ’ t have done it ' : GOP senator who scolded Trump on Ukraine explains why he backs acquittal Republicans keep Biden in the spotlight Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , told Fox News on Sunday that `` the day of reckoning is coming for congressional and Senate oversight of Joe Biden . ''
`` I 'm going to bring in State Department officials and ask them , why did n't you do something about the obvious conflict of interests Joe Biden had ? ''
said Graham , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the matter but has not yet scheduled any hearings .
`` We 're going to get to the bottom of this , '' he said .
`` And I can prove beyond any doubt that Joe Biden 's effort in the Ukraine to root out corruption was undercut , because he let his son sit on the board of the most corrupt company in the Ukraine , and we 're not going to give him a pass on that . ''
In an interview with Bloomberg News , Ernst said Democrats had lowered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if Biden were to become president there would be voices calling for his removal because of Hunter Biden 's connection to Burisma .
`` I think this door of impeachable whatever has been opened , '' Ernst told Bloomberg .
`` We can have a situation where if it should ever be President Biden , that immediately , people , right the day after he would be elected would be saying , 'Well , we ’ re going to impeach him . '
'' 'Is that true ? '
: Here are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial

Bart Jansen, Christal Hayes and William Cummings, USA TODAY

GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she 'cannot vote to convict' Trump – live impeachment trial updates
Show Caption Hide Caption Impeachment trial: Senate motion to call witnesses fails With the vast majority of senators voting along party lines, a motion to call witnesses failed in the U.S. Senate in Trump's impeachment trial. USA TODAY
The Senate impeachment trial has resumed. House impeachment managers and President Donald Trump's defense team have completed their closing arguments. Senators are now allowed to give short speeches. Refresh this page for updates.
WASHINGTON – Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she “cannot vote to convict” President Donald Trump during a speech on the Senate floor Monday.
“I cannot vote to convict,” she said. “The Constitution provides for impeachment, but does not demand it in all instances.”
Instead, the senator said “we must trust the judgement” of voters when they go to the polls in nine months.
Denouncing the conduct of both parties, Murkowski said Democratic House lawmakers "failed in its proceedings" while casting Trump’s behavior as “shameful and wrong. She has not previously taken a public position on the final impeachment vote on Wednesday, when lawmakers will decide whether to acquit Trump or convict and remove him from office.
“The House rushed through what should have been one of the most serious, consequential undertakings of the legislative branch simply to meet an artificial, self-imposed deadline,” she said.
Murkowski was also critical of the Senate and the “rank partisanship” in the body during the impeachment proceedings. She slammed the “hypocrisy” of her colleagues who took opposite positions on impeachment than they did during President Bill Clinton’s impeachment.
Democrats had hoped Murkowski would be one of a handful of Republican senators to vote for allowing the trial to hear from witnesses on Friday. But her ultimate decision not to back witnesses led to a narrow vote to reject further testimony, pushing the trial into final arguments and a deciding vote Wednesday.
- Nicholas Wu
Sen. Manchin calls for Senate to censure Trump
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., called for the Senate to censure President Donald Trump, explaining Monday he was deeply torn about how he would vote on articles of impeachment later in the week.
Censuring Trump would formally express the Senate’s disapproval of his actions but would not remove him from office. The Senate votes on whether to acquit Trump or convict and remove him from office on Wednesday.
“I see no path to the 67 posts required to impeach President Trump and I haven't since this trial started,” Manchin explained in a speech on the Senate floor. "However, I do believe a bipartisan majority of this body would vote to censure President Trump for his actions.”
He said censure “would allow this body to unite across party lines” and “formally denounce” Trump’s actions with Ukraine.
Rep. Jason Crow: Democrat reads from children's Constitutions during the Trump impeachment trial
Manchin, a key Democratic vote representing a state Trump won, has refused to say how he will vote Wednesday.
"I remain undecided on how I will vote," he said. "I am truly struggling with this decision and will come to a conclusion reluctantly," he said.
A draft resolution of a censure resolution, which Manchin's office provided to USA TODAY, would "condemn" Trump's conduct "in the strongest terms." It could not be introduced until after the end of the impeachment vote on Wednesday.
The resolution acknowledges Trump's pressuring of another country to open politically motivated investigations and obstructing Congress' investigation into his conduct in Ukraine.
Manchin's resolution also looks past impeachment and Ukraine, saying the "Senate now moves on to other matters of significance."
Any effort to censure Trump would likely face an uphill battle. If Manchin attempted to introduce the resolution and have it adopted by unanimous consent, it would likely be blocked in the GOP-led Senate. If it were introduced like any other resolution, it would likely be referred to the relevant committee and simply be ignored by Republicans.
Sen. Joni Ernst: Sen. Joni Ernst says her comments on impeaching Joe Biden were 'taken out of context'
After his speech, Manchin acknowledged to Politico the effort would likely be dead on arrival but said he’d been trying to gain support from Republicans for “a while.”
“It’s a shame,” he told Politico.
Trump has already faced two failed attempts to censure him. One was due to the president’s comments after the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the other after Trump’s reported comments about African countries in a private meeting.
There have been more than a dozen attempts to censure other presidents in recent history, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. All failed.
The clearest successful censure was in 1834 against President Andrew Jackson. Resolutions were adopted three other times, against James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln and William Howard Taft, but they were amended and the original language rebuking the president was altered and obscured, according to the Congressional Research Service.
- Christal Hayes
Some GOP pour cold water on censuring Trump
Shortly before Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., said he supported a censure resolution against Trump on Monday, some Republican colleagues panned the idea.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who said in a statement Friday that “Just because actions meet a standard of impeachment does not mean it is in the best interest of the country to remove a President from office” told reporters that even with that view, he would rather wait until the election instead of censure.
“We have an election in nine months, and that's in my mind, the appropriate way for people to take into account how they feel about what the President did. It's the ultimate accountability,” Rubio said. “Removal is not a punishment. The House managers have said removal is designed to protect the country and that’s in the best interest of the country. I think the best interest in the country will be served by the American people in November in an election.”
Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., agreed, saying there was “zero” desire for a censure resolution and that the “first time he heard about it” was from reporters.
He reiterated that so “many senators had constituents that thought it was ill-founded, because it was so partisan."
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-MO., simply said that it was “too late” for a censure vote.
- Savannah Behrmann
Parnas focused on impeachment as judge sets his trial
Lev Parnas, the man who eagerly offered to testify in the impeachment trial against the president he once admired, learned Monday he will face trial Oct. 5 on charges of breaking federal campaign finance law.
But he remained focused on the impeachment trial that entered its final days without any consideration of his bid to testify against Trump.
Asked after Monday's hearing whether he would continue to seek a plea-bargain deal with prosecutors in his criminal case, Parnas pivoted to the impeachment trial.
"We've been the past month trying as strong as possible to be able to help the Senate, Congress and the world ... know the truth on what has happened and what is happening" in a fight against a "powerful enemy," Parnas said.
"I think the truth will come out, and we will all know and see what President Trump, Attorney General (William) Barr, Rudy Giuliani and their cohorts did in the Ukraine situation."
Parnas helped Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer, seek damaging information in Ukraine about former Vice President Joe Biden, one of Trump's rivals in the 2020 presidential race.
- Kevin McCoy
Rep. Adam Schiff: Trump 'will not change'
Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, the lead House Democrat prosecuting President Donald Trump, told senators they couldn’t wait for voters to decide whether to remove the president in November because he would undermine national security and try to cheat in the election until then.
“You can’t trust this president to do the right thing, not for one minute, not for one election, not for the sake of our country," said Schiff, D-Calif., during closing arguments in the impeachment trial.
The Senate will vote Wednesday whether to acquit Trump or convict and remove him from office.
Schiff argued Trump wouldn’t change, particularly if the Senate acquits him, and pointed out past Trump actions as his evidence: Trump had publicly invited Russia to hack his Democratic opponents' emails during the 2016 election and they did. He continued to pursue a lucrative real-estate deal in Russia during the campaign and his personal lawyer went to prison for lying about it. And the day after special counsel Robert Mueller testified about his investigation into Russian interference in that campaign, Trump spoke July 25 with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to urge the investigation of his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. The call was at the heart of the impeachment accusation of abuse of power.
“He has not changed. He will not change,” Schiff said. “A man without character or ethical compass will not find his way.”
Trump’s defense team had said the articles of impeachment, for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, were too vague to enforce. The defense lawyers argued that Trump’s fate should be left in the hands of voters in November.
But Schiff said the chances that Trump would continue to try and cheat in the 2020 election were 100%.
“The scheming persists and the danger will never recede,” Schiff said.
Schiff closed by arguing the men who wrote the Constitution provided impeachment as a rare but significant tool to remove a president for misconduct.
“They gave us the tools to do the job, a remedy as powerful as the evil it was meant to constrain: impeachment,” Schiff said. “They meant it to be used rarely, but they put it in the Constitution for a reason. For a man who would sell out his country for a political favor. For a man who would threaten the integrity of our elections. For a man who would invite foreign interference in our affairs. For a man who would undermine our national security and that of our allies. For a man like Donald J. Trump.”
- Bart Jansen
Crow reads from children's Constitution during impeachment trial
Taking his turn to sum up the House case against President Donald Trump in the Senate impeachment trial, Rep. Jason Crow read a passage that he inscribed on a copy of his children’s Constitution.
“Our founders recognized the failings of all people, so they designed a system to ensure that the ideas and principles contained in this document would always be greater than any one person,” said the Colorado Democrat, a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It’s the idea that no one is above the law. But our system only works if people stand up and fight for it. Fighting for something important always comes at a cost. Someday you may be called upon to defend the principles and ideas embodied in our Constitution. May the memory and spirit of those who sacrificed for them in the past guide you and give you strength as you fight for them in the future.”
- Bart Jansen
Impeachment manager reads childrens' constitution in closing remarks House impeachment manager Jason Crow makes an appeal to parents in the Senate by quoting Prof. Dumbledore and reading note in kids' constitution. USA TODAY
Ernst: comments on impeaching Biden 'taken out of context'
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said Monday that her comments suggesting Republicans could move to impeach former Vice President Joe Biden over Ukraine if he were elected president were “taken entirely out of context.”
Ernst said Sunday: "I think this door of impeachable whatever has been opened. Joe Biden should be very careful what he’s asking for because, you know, we can have a situation where if it should ever be President Biden, that immediately people right the day after he would be elected would be saying, ‘Well, we’re going to impeach him.'"
On Monday, Ernst walked back her comments when speaking to reporters. “The point is that the Democrats have lowered the bar so far,” she said. “Regardless of who it is, if you have a different party in the House than that of an elected president, you could have just random comments thrown out there with folks saying, ‘We’re going to impeach.'"
Sen. Joni Ernst: Iowa Republican says comments on impeaching Joe Biden were 'taken out of context'
In an interview Sunday with the Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network, Biden said Ernst's comments and Trump's decision to ask Ukraine to investigate his actions overseeing foreign policy in that country show that the president is afraid of running against him.
"They very much don’t want to face me, obviously," Biden told the Register. "I’ve never seen a sitting president and his allies this frightened about who may be the nominee."
- Savannah Behrmann and Nicholas Wu
Trump attorney: 'reject' impeachment, trust voters
White House counsel Pat Cipollone closed the defense of President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial by arguing that he did nothing wrong and the American people should decide who should hold the country’s highest office, rather than have the Senate remove him.
“It is wrong,” Cipollone said of the impeachment. “There is only one answer to that, and the answer is to reject those articles of impeachment, to have confidence in the American people, to have confidence in the result of the upcoming election, to have confidence and respect for the last election and not throw it out.”
Cipollone said the Senate could help end the “era of impeachment,” after three formal inquiries since 1974, by acquitting the president and leaving the decision about whether Trump should remain in office to the wisdom and judgment of voters in November.
“I urge you on behalf of every American, on behalf of all your constituents, to reject these articles of impeachment,” Cipollone said. “It’s the right thing for our country. The president has done nothing wrong. These types of impeachments must end.”
- Bart Jansen
Trump attorney: partisan impeachment is what founders feared
Jay Sekulow, a private lawyer who is part of President Donald Trump’s defense team, argued that House Democrats pursued a partisan impeachment that the country’s founders feared, saying “it should never happen again.”
“This is exactly and precisely what the founders feared,” Sekulow said. “This was the first totally partisan presidential impeachment in our nation’s history and it should be our last.”
Sekulow said the House essentially tried to usurp power by accusing Trump of abuse of power for his dealings in Ukraine. And Sekulow said the second article should fail because Trump’s defiance of subpoenas was for constitutional reasons such as protecting the confidentiality of advice from top aides.
“What the House Democrats have done to this nation, the Constitution, the office of the president, the president himself and to this body is outrageous,” Sekulow said. “They have cheapened the awesome power of impeachment and unfortunately, of course, the country is not better for that.”
- Bart Jansen
Trump attorney: Dems. didn't follow the law in impeaching Trump
Patrick Philbin, deputy White House counsel, attacked the House’s impeachment inquiry as initially invalid and therefore invalidatd the rest of the impeachment leading to a Senate trial of President Donald Trump.
“In many important and significant respects, they didn’t follow the law,” Philbin said during closing arguments of Trump's defense team in the impeachment trial Monday. “This was a purely partisan impeachment from the start.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., declared the impeachment inquiry on Sept. 23 without a vote in the House, as had traditionally happened. The House voted to authorize the inquiry Oct. 31 and then impeached Trump on Dec. 18.
The House has the sole authority in the Constitution to impeach officials in the executive and judicial branches, which is how Pelosi justified her announcement. But Philbin argued that Pelosi didn’t have the authority to announce the investigation and thus the 23 subpoenas issued before the full House vote were invalid.
- Bart Jansen
Ken Starr to senators: consider the lack of GOP support
Ken Starr, a member of President Donald Trump’s defense team, suggested Monday that senators should take into account that the House impeached Trump largely along party lines.
The House, he said, has the sole power to impeach a president, but House Democrats should have spent more time on their investigation to persuade Republicans to join them.
Starr, the former independent counsel whose investigation led to the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton, said the House vote to investigate President Richard Nixon was 410 to 4. The vote to investigate Clinton was supported by 31 of his fellow Democrats. But none of Trump’s fellow Republicans joined Democrats in authorizing the inquiry or impeaching him.
“They’ve got the power, but that doesn’t mean anything goes,” Starr told senators. “The question fairly to be asked: why cast my vote to convict and remove the president of the United States, when not a single member of the president’s party – the party of Lincoln – was persuaded at any time in the process.”
- Bart Jansen
White House attorney: acquit Trump, let voters decide
White House counsel Pat Cipollone said the only appropriate result in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump is to acquit him and let voters decide in November whether to keep him in office.
“The key conclusion, the only conclusion, based on the evidence and the articles of impeachment themselves and the Constitution, is that you must vote to acquit the president,” Cipollone said. “At the end of the day, this is an effort to overturn the results of one election and to try to interfere in the coming election that begins today in Iowa.”
On Monday, Iowa is holding its caucuses, the first nominating contest of the 2020 election as Democrats begin to decide whom will challenge Trump in November.
“The only appropriate result here is to acquit the president and leave it to the voters to choose their president,” Cipollone said.
- Bart Jansen
Live Iowa caucuses updates: Follow along for live coverage from across Iowa, and the world
Some senators still quiet about final impeachment vote
While a Republican majority in the Senate indicates President Donald Trump will be acquitted Wednesday, how a number of key senators will vote is still up in the air. Those senators have remained fairly tight-lipped on how they will ultimately vote on both articles of impeachment.
Asked how he would vote on acquittal or conviction, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., told USA TODAY, “we’ve got a vote to make Wednesday.”
Over the weeks, Manchin, whose state supported Trump by a wide margin, has said both sides did a good job of presenting their case but has declined to say how he would vote.
Sen. Doug Jones, another Democrat representing a Trump state, said he is still wanting to hear closing arguments and that he is undecided on the final vote.
"I'm getting there. I really do want to hear the arguments and some conversations from colleagues," said the Alabama Democrat, who is facing a tough reelection battle.
Another Democrat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., has remained virtually silent on her thoughts during the weeks-long trial. She has repeatedly declined to discuss her thoughts throughout the proceedings.
Nancy Pelosi: It was 'sad' for Mitch McConnell to 'humiliate' Chief Justice John Roberts
Votes from a number of key Republicans also remain to be seen. To convict and remove Trump from office, it would require the backing of at least 67 of the 100 senators.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, told reporters she "would concur" with Sen. Lamar Alexander's statement that what Trump did was inappropriate but not impeachable. However, she would not comment on how exactly she was voting.
When asked whether any Democrats would vote to acquit, Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., said he thinks it’s possible" a couple" would vote with Republicans "at least on obstruction of Congress."
"They've got a real difficult decision because of how heavy Trump carried those particular states," he elaborated.
- Savannah Behrmann, Nicholas Wu and Christal Hayes
Demings: Trump 'weaponized our government'
In House Democrats' closing arguments in the impeachment trial, Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., focused on President Donald Trump’s alleged pressure on Ukraine to announce investigations into a political rival.
She said the scheme served as the foundation for the Senate trial.
“President Trump weaponized our government and the vast powers entrusted to him by the American people and the Constitution to target his political rival and corrupt our precious elections, subverted our national security and our democracy in the process,” Demings said. “He put his personal interests above those of the country.”
More emails: Trump administration acknowledges emails show Trump's thinking on Ukraine aid at center of impeachment
Demings explained that Trump withheld a coveted White House meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and then $391 million in military aid while urging an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden. She said the pressure began before a July 25 call between Trump and Zelensky, and the aid was released Sept. 11 only after Congress began investigating.
Trump’s defense team have said he was justified in seeking the investigation of possible corruption in Ukraine involving Biden and his son.
- Bart Jansen
Presidential impeachment: Clinton, Johnson, Nixon test U.S. democracy Presidents have been impeached, but none have been removed from office due to impeachment. Confusing? Here's how. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Rep. Jason Crow: Trump tried to 'cheat' and should be removed
House Democrats prosecuting President Donald Trump in the Senate impeachment trial urged in their closing arguments Monday that senators should convict and remove the president from office.
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., said Trump tried to "cheat" in the 2020 election by inviting a foreign government to interfere in the election.
“I submit to you on behalf of the House of Representatives that your duty demands that you convict President Trump,” Crow said. “If you believe, as we do, and as we have proven, that the president’s efforts to use his official powers to cheat in the 2020 election, jeopardize our national security and are antithetical to our democratic tradition, then you must come to no other conclusion that the president threatens the fairness of the next election and risks putting foreign interference between voters and their ballots.”
The Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump began shortly after 11 a.m. Monday, beginning with closing arguments from Democratic House impeachment managers.
- Bart Jansen
Klobuchar going to Iowa Monday for caucuses
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., was asked whether it was frustrating to be in Washington on the day of the Iowa caucuses. But she said she’d be flying to Iowa at 4 p.m. EST, after the closing arguments in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump are completed about 3 p.m.
“It is what it is. I’ve got a constitutional duty to be here,” Klobuchar said. “I’m a mom; I can do two things at once.”
Live Iowa caucuses updates: Follow along for live coverage from across Iowa, and the world
She will fly directly to New Hampshire at midnight, after the caucus.
“I’m really excited about how we’re doing right now – a few points away from the people you guys talk about,” Klobuchar said with a smile. “I’m punching way above my weight.”
- Bart Jansen and Christal Hayes
Kennedy doesn't think Democrats have made their case
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said when he counts his blessings, he counts Sen. Lamar Alexander twice. But Kennedy said he disagrees with the Tennessee Republican that the House Democrats have made their case in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
“I don’t agree that the prosecution has made its case,” Kennedy said.
Lamar made a crucial vote Friday not to allow witnesses at the trial, helping push through a party line vote to reject witnesses and clearing the way for a final vote on acquittal or conviction Wednesday.
‘He shouldn’t have done it’: GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander, who scolded Trump on Ukraine, explains why he backs acquittal
Alexander told USA TODAY Trump's dealings with Ukraine were "a mistake" and that he "shouldn't have done it," but ultimately said the president's conduct did not meet the standard of removal from office. He said he believed the House proved its case that Trump withheld nearly $400 million in military aid last year to pressure Ukraine into investigating his political rivals, notable former Vice President Joe Biden.
Kennedy said he would explain his vote further on the Senate floor either late Monday or on Tuesday.
- Bart Jansen
Closing arguments to begin
House impeachment managers and President Donald Trump's legal team will make their closing arguments Monday as senators prepare to vote on whether to convict or acquit the president on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Those two articles of impeachment were approved by the Democratic-controlled House on Dec. 18 after a two-month inquiry into allegations that Trump held up military aid to pressure Ukraine into announcing investigations for his political benefit – including one involving former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democratic rival in the 2020 election.
Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong and was acting to combat corruption. His defense team has said the House failed to prove its case, that the abuse of power charge is too subjective and the obstruction of Congress charge robs the president of his right to claim executive privilege in court. Attorney Alan Dershowitz made the argument, which many legal scholars dispute, that even if the allegations were true, they weren't impeachable because they did not constitute a crime.
Last week, the Senate voted 51-49 against issuing subpoenas for additional witnesses and documents, which would have delayed the trial's conclusion.
Each side will have two hours to argue the case a final time before senators take to the floor to deliver speeches explaining how they view the charges. With a 53-47 Republican majority in the Senate and a two-thirds vote needed for conviction, it is almost certain the president will be acquitted in the final vote on Wednesday.
What we know: Senators will vote Wednesday to acquit or convict Trump
Impeachment and 2020 election: Warren, Sanders, Klobuchar and Bennet will have to juggle Trump impeachment trial and the Iowa caucuses Monday
Schiff: The House proved its case
The lead House impeachment manager, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calf., said Sunday Democrats "proved the corrupt scheme that they charged in the articles of impeachment."
"That's pretty remarkable when you now have senators on both sides of the aisle admitting the House made its case and the only question is: 'Should the president be removed from office because he's been found guilty of these offenses?'" Schiff said on CBS News' "Face the Nation."
Schiff said even if the Senate votes to acquit, "it's enormously important that the president was impeached" because "by standing up to this president as we have, by making the case to the American people, by exposing his wrongdoing, we are helping to slow the momentum away from our democratic values."
"But I'm not letting the senators off the hook. We're still going to go into the Senate this week and make the case why this president needs to be removed," he said. "It will be up to the senators to make that final judgment and the senators will be held accountable for it."
Schiff declined to say if the House would continue to seek testimony from former national security adviser John Bolton, who says in his upcoming book that Trump told him the aid to Ukraine was tied to the investigations Trump desired, according to news media reports. But he said one way or the other, "the truth will come out."
– William Cummings
'We want to hear that': News of John Bolton's book casts shadow over Trump impeachment trial
Republicans concede Trump should have gone through DOJ
GOP Sens. Joni Ernst of Iowa and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said Sunday that while Trump's acts were not impeachable, he should have gone through the Department of Justice if he had concerns about Biden and his son's former position on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company.
"I think, generally speaking, going after corruption would be the right thing to do," Ernst, who declared she will vote to acquit, said on CNN's "State of the Union."
"But I think he could have done it through different channels," she added, referring to Trump's decision to have his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, handle it. "He should have probably gone to the DOJ. He should have worked through those entities, but he chose to go a different route."
On NBC News' "Meet the Press," Alexander said he believed Trump "called the president of Ukraine and asked him to become involved in investigating Joe Biden." And he said, "at least in part, he delayed the military and other assistance to Ukraine in order to encourage that investigation."
"I think he shouldn't have done it. I think it was wrong," said Alexander, who plans to vote for acquittal.
"If he was upset about Joe Biden and his son and what they were doing in Ukraine, he should have called the attorney general and told him that, and let the attorney general handle it the way they always handle cases that involve public figures," said Alexander, who is not seeking re-election in November's election.
When asked why he thought Trump did not go to the DOJ, Alexander said, "Maybe he didn't know to do it."
"I would think he would think twice before he did it again," he added.
– William Cummings
‘He shouldn’t have done it': GOP senator who scolded Trump on Ukraine explains why he backs acquittal
Republicans keep Biden in the spotlight
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Fox News on Sunday that "the day of reckoning is coming for congressional and Senate oversight of Joe Biden."
"I'm going to bring in State Department officials and ask them, why didn't you do something about the obvious conflict of interests Joe Biden had?" said Graham, who previously pledged to have his committee investigate the matter but has not yet scheduled any hearings.
"We're going to get to the bottom of this," he said. "And I can prove beyond any doubt that Joe Biden's effort in the Ukraine to root out corruption was undercut, because he let his son sit on the board of the most corrupt company in the Ukraine, and we're not going to give him a pass on that."
In an interview with Bloomberg News, Ernst said Democrats had lowered the bar for impeachment to the point that if Biden were to become president there would be voices calling for his removal because of Hunter Biden's connection to Burisma.
"I think this door of impeachable whatever has been opened," Ernst told Bloomberg. "We can have a situation where if it should ever be President Biden, that immediately, people, right the day after he would be elected would be saying, 'Well, we’re going to impeach him.'"
– William Cummings
'Is that true?': Here are questions senators asked during Trump's impeachment trial
Contributing: Bart Jansen, Maureen Groppe and Ledyard King


usatoday--2020-02-03--Rep. Jason Crow reads from his children's Constitutions during the Trump impeachment trial, quotes H

WASHINGTON – Rep. Jason Crow referenced a passage he wrote in his children 's copies of the Constitution during his closing argument in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on Monday .
At the conclusion of his presentation , the Colorado Democrat pulled out two books and explained how he ’ d been carrying copies of his children ’ s Constitutions during the trial .
He wrote an inscription for his children in the books and read it in a wavering voice on the Senate floor : “ Our founders recognized the failings of all people , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ideas and principles contained in this document would always be greater than any one person .
It ’ s the idea that no one is above the law .
But our system only works if people stand up and fight for it .
Fighting for something important always comes at a cost .
Someday you may be called upon to defend the principles and ideas embodied in our Constitution .
May the memory and spirit of those who sacrificed for them in the past guide you and give you strength as you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When Crow read the message , those in the gallery above the Senate floor could see the red-and-white-striped page and the message in ink he 'd left .
During his speech , Crow referred directly to the oaths that lawmakers and the president take to uphold and defend the Constitution .
But senators also take a special oath for an impeachment trial , stating that they would “ do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws.
” Live impeachment updates : Schiff says Trump 'will not change' “ To me , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of service , a commitment to set aside your personal interest , your comfort and your ambition to serve the greater good – a commitment to sacrifice , ” said Crow , a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan .
One reason the United States has thrived for nearly 250 years is that officials have taken oaths and meant them , Crow said .
But he said the impeachment inquiry painted Trump as putting his personal interests above those of the country he swore to protect .
Crow said one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that they won ’ t always be the fastest or strongest .
But he quoted a message from the Professor Dumbledore character in the Harry Potter series that hangs in his son ’ s room : “ It is our choices that show who we truly are , far more than our abilities.
” “ This trial will soon be over , '' Crow said .
`` But there will be many choices for all of us in the days ahead , the most pressing of which is how each of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than our words , our choices will show the world who we really are.
” Sen. Joni Ernst : Iowa Republican says her comments on impeaching Joe Biden were 'taken out of context '

Rep. Jason Crow reads from his children's Constitutions during the Trump impeachment trial, quotes Harry Potter
Show Caption Hide Caption Impeachment manager reads childrens' constitution in closing remarks House impeachment manager Jason Crow makes an appeal to parents in the Senate by quoting Prof. Dumbledore and reading note in kids' constitution. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Rep. Jason Crow referenced a passage he wrote in his children's copies of the Constitution during his closing argument in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on Monday.
At the conclusion of his presentation, the Colorado Democrat pulled out two books and explained how he’d been carrying copies of his children’s Constitutions during the trial. He wrote an inscription for his children in the books and read it in a wavering voice on the Senate floor:
“Our founders recognized the failings of all people, so they designed a system to ensure that the ideas and principles contained in this document would always be greater than any one person. It’s the idea that no one is above the law. But our system only works if people stand up and fight for it. Fighting for something important always comes at a cost. Someday you may be called upon to defend the principles and ideas embodied in our Constitution. May the memory and spirit of those who sacrificed for them in the past guide you and give you strength as you fight for them in the future.”
When Crow read the message, those in the gallery above the Senate floor could see the red-and-white-striped page and the message in ink he'd left.
During his speech, Crow referred directly to the oaths that lawmakers and the president take to uphold and defend the Constitution. But senators also take a special oath for an impeachment trial, stating that they would “do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws.”
Live impeachment updates: Schiff says Trump 'will not change'
Presidential impeachment: Clinton, Johnson, Nixon test U.S. democracy Presidents have been impeached, but none have been removed from office due to impeachment. Confusing? Here's how. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
“To me, an oath represents a firm commitment to life of service, a commitment to set aside your personal interest, your comfort and your ambition to serve the greater good – a commitment to sacrifice,” said Crow, a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One reason the United States has thrived for nearly 250 years is that officials have taken oaths and meant them, Crow said. But he said the impeachment inquiry painted Trump as putting his personal interests above those of the country he swore to protect.
Crow said one lesson he has for his two children is that they won’t always be the fastest or strongest. But he quoted a message from the Professor Dumbledore character in the Harry Potter series that hangs in his son’s room: “It is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
“This trial will soon be over," Crow said. "But there will be many choices for all of us in the days ahead, the most pressing of which is how each of us will decide to fulfill our oath. More than our words, our choices will show the world who we really are.”
Sen. Joni Ernst: Iowa Republican says her comments on impeaching Joe Biden were 'taken out of context'


usatoday--2020-02-03--House impeachment manager reads note from childrens' constitution

House impeachment manager Jason Crow makes an appeal to parents in the Senate by quoting Prof. Dumbledore and reading note @ @ @ @ @

Impeachment manager reads childrens' constitution in closing remarks
House impeachment manager Jason Crow makes an appeal to parents in the Senate by quoting Prof. Dumbledore and reading note in kids' constitution.
USA TODAY