usatoday--2020-02-05--California Gov. Gavin Newsom will pardon people prosecuted for being gay

California Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that civil rights leader Bayard Rustin — an openly gay man who was arrested and imprisoned in Pasadena , Calif. , in 1953 on a misdemeanor “ lewd conduct ” charge after having consensual sex with men — has been posthumously pardoned .
He isthe first in a series of pardons Newsom plans to issue as part of a new clemency initiative that will take a step toward undoing decades of wrongful prosecution targeting lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender and queer people in the state .
“ In California and across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used as legal tools of oppression , and to stigmatize and punish LGBTQ people and communities and warn others what harm could await them for living authentically , ” Newsom said in a statement .
“ I thank those who advocated for Bayard Rustin ’ s pardon , and I want to encourage others in similar situations to seek a pardon to right this egregious wrong.
” The request for Rustin ’ s pardon came from lawmakers in the LGBTQ and Black caucuses who petitioned the governor on Jan. 21 , the anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he spent in jail after being arrested for engaging in consensual sex with a man in a car nearly derailed his activist career and added new obstacles to his advocacy efforts .
Forced to register as a sex offender , he was pushed out of speaking engagements and the offense was used to criticize the civil rights movement he helped build .
Other leaders would distance themselves from Rustin in the years following his wrongful conviction , but he continued fighting for the future .
A key strategist for nonviolent demonstrations , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now considered a humanitarian icon for his work .
Describing Rustin as an “ unyielding activist for civil rights , dignity , and equality for all ” President Barack Obama posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian honor — in 2013 .
He died in 1987 .
In his pardon , Newsom described the “ long and reprehensible history of criminal prohibitions ” against LGBTQ people and the discrimination that took many forms , from shaming and surveillance to social isolation , and physical violence .
With an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governor called for others to apply for pardons , opening and expediting the process of seeking clemency who , like Rustin , were subjected to unjust arrest and discrimination .
“ The Arc of Justice is long , but it took nearly 70 years for Bayard Rustin to have his legacy in the Civil Rights movement uncompromised by this incident , ” Assemblymember Shirley Weber , D-San Diego , chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus said in a statement .
“ Rustin was a great American who was both gay and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact of being either or both could land you in jail.
” She and Sen. Scott Wiener , D-San Francisco , who chairs the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus , called on the governor to issue this pardon and heralded his decision to expand his offer of clemency to included others impacted by the homophobic discrimination .
“ Generations of LGBT people – including countless gay men – were branded criminals and sex offenders simply because they had consensual sex .
This was often life-ruining , and many languished on the sex offender registry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
“ The governor ’ s actions today are a huge step forward in our community ’ s ongoing quest for full acceptance and justice .
”

Gay civil rights leader pardoned 67 years later as part of LGBTQ clemency initiative
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that civil rights leader Bayard Rustin — an openly gay man who was arrested and imprisoned in Pasadena, Calif., in 1953 on a misdemeanor “lewd conduct” charge after having consensual sex with men — has been posthumously pardoned. He is the first in a series of pardons Newsom plans to issue as part of a new clemency initiative that will take a step toward undoing decades of wrongful prosecution targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people in the state.
“In California and across the country, many laws have been used as legal tools of oppression, and to stigmatize and punish LGBTQ people and communities and warn others what harm could await them for living authentically,” Newsom said in a statement. “I thank those who advocated for Bayard Rustin’s pardon, and I want to encourage others in similar situations to seek a pardon to right this egregious wrong.”
The request for Rustin’s pardon came from lawmakers in the LGBTQ and Black caucuses who petitioned the governor on Jan. 21, the anniversary of his arrest. The 50 days he spent in jail after being arrested for engaging in consensual sex with a man in a car nearly derailed his activist career and added new obstacles to his advocacy efforts. Forced to register as a sex offender, he was pushed out of speaking engagements and the offense was used to criticize the civil rights movement he helped build.
Other leaders would distance themselves from Rustin in the years following his wrongful conviction, but he continued fighting for the future. A key strategist for nonviolent demonstrations, including the Montgomery bus boycott, he is now considered a humanitarian icon for his work. Describing Rustin as an “unyielding activist for civil rights, dignity, and equality for all” President Barack Obama posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian honor — in 2013. He died in 1987.
In his pardon, Newsom described the “long and reprehensible history of criminal prohibitions” against LGBTQ people and the discrimination that took many forms, from shaming and surveillance to social isolation, and physical violence. With an Executive Order that accompanied the pardon, the governor called for others to apply for pardons, opening and expediting the process of seeking clemency who, like Rustin, were subjected to unjust arrest and discrimination.
“The Arc of Justice is long, but it took nearly 70 years for Bayard Rustin to have his legacy in the Civil Rights movement uncompromised by this incident,” Assemblymember Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus said in a statement. “Rustin was a great American who was both gay and black at a time when the sheer fact of being either or both could land you in jail.”
She and Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who chairs the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, called on the governor to issue this pardon and heralded his decision to expand his offer of clemency to included others impacted by the homophobic discrimination.
“Generations of LGBT people – including countless gay men – were branded criminals and sex offenders simply because they had consensual sex. This was often life-ruining, and many languished on the sex offender registry for decades,” Wiener said in a statement. “The governor’s actions today are a huge step forward in our community’s ongoing quest for full acceptance and justice.”


usatoday--2020-02-05--Justice Department investigating Mississippi prison conditions amid slew of deaths

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has opened an investigation into conditions in Mississippi prisons amid a statewide crisis that has resulted in deaths and riots in several facilities , officials announced Wednesday .
Pressure has been mounting for the Justice Department to investigate allegations of violence , abuse and deplorable conditions inside Mississippi ’ s prisons .
Fifteen inmates have died since late December , many after stabbings and fights at the state penitentiary in Parchman , Mississippi 's oldest prison .
Facilities have been plagued with gang-related killings and riots that forced state officials to impose lockdowns .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisons around the state : Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman , Southern Mississippi Correctional Institution , Central Mississippi Correctional Facility , and Wilkinson County Correctional Facility .
Officials will look at whether the Mississippi Department of Corrections protects prisoners from being harmed by other prisoners , and whether the facilities have adequate suicide prevention programs and mental health care , the Justice Department said in a news release .
Officials will also review the use of solitary confinement at the Parchman facility .
In a statement , Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I have been made aware of the conditions with the Mississippi Department of Corrections and my office immediately took a proactive position to meet and address these challenges .
I visited Parchman personally and my staff and I have had conversations with the Department of Justice and others about next steps , '' Fitch said .
Mississippi Gov .
Tate Reeves has ordered prison officials to close a unit inside the Parchman facility where many of the violence has occurred .
`` We are grateful that President Trump ’ s administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice reform and that they care enough about Mississippi to engage on this critical issue , '' Renae Eze , a spokeswoman for Reeves , said in a statement .
The Justice Department conducted a similar investigation into prisons in Alabama , which has some of the most notorious and overcrowded prisons in the country .
In a scathing report released in April , the Justice Department detailed widespread violence , sexual abuse and drug trafficking in Alabama 's men 's prisons .
Years of harsh sentencing laws have strained Alabama ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 21,000 prisoners as of last November .
That ’ s about 170 percent over capacity .
Federal investigators , who spent more than two years scrutinizing Alabama ’ s men ’ s prisons , found a “ broken system ” where people are murdered “ on a regular basis , ” according to the report .
Drugs and illegal weapons , many of which were smuggled by correctional officers , were rampant .
Cellblocks were so overcrowded and prisons were so understaffed that the few poorly trained officers on duty appeared powerless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , prison officials classified apparent murders as deaths caused by natural causes , the report said .
Guards turned a blind eye when inmates were raped , and sexual assault was accepted as “ a normal course of business.
” Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey has since appointed a panel to address the constitutional violations detailed in the report .
In January , the panel made several recommendations , including more funding for correctional officers , mental health and education programs .
The panel recommended sentencing reforms , including legislation that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were sentenced to life imprisonment but were not convicted of harming anyone to be eligible for parole .
But the panel acknowledged those steps will not address the state ’ s deeply rooted prison crisis .
“ Let me reiterate that we will not be able to address all of our prison challenges in a single legislative session or a single budget year , ” retired Alabama Supreme Court Justice Champ Lyons Jr. , the panel ’ s chair , wrote in a letter to Ivey last week .
“ The challenges we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Lyons wrote .
`` They are longstanding .
And they will require spending significant sums of taxpayer money.
” The Justice Department has launched at least six investigations into possible civil rights violations in prisons , jails and juvenile detention centers since President Donald Trump took office , according to reports the department is required to submit to Congress .
On Wednesday the Justice Department also announced the result of an investigation into conditions at a juvenile detention facility in South Carolina .
Juveniles at the Broad River Road Complex , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are isolated for 23 hours a day in small , dark cells , according to a report .
The Justice Department said officers have failed to protect juveniles from harm .
One incident involved four attacks on an inmate over three hours , with a group of children dragging a fellow detainee into a bedroom cubicle , twice chasing him down and assaulting him , and assaulting him in another bedroom cubicle .
An officer was nearby and did nothing .
Contributing : Kevin Johnson of USA TODAY , and Alissa Zhu , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bologna of the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger

Justice Department investigating Mississippi prison conditions amid slew of deaths
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has opened an investigation into conditions in Mississippi prisons amid a statewide crisis that has resulted in deaths and riots in several facilities, officials announced Wednesday.
Pressure has been mounting for the Justice Department to investigate allegations of violence, abuse and deplorable conditions inside Mississippi’s prisons. Fifteen inmates have died since late December, many after stabbings and fights at the state penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi's oldest prison. Facilities have been plagued with gang-related killings and riots that forced state officials to impose lockdowns.
The civil rights investigation will focus on four prisons around the state: Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, Southern Mississippi Correctional Institution, Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, and Wilkinson County Correctional Facility.
Officials will look at whether the Mississippi Department of Corrections protects prisoners from being harmed by other prisoners, and whether the facilities have adequate suicide prevention programs and mental health care, the Justice Department said in a news release. Officials will also review the use of solitary confinement at the Parchman facility.
In a statement, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said she will work with the Justice Department.
Mississippi prison crisis: 15th state inmate dies; cause under investigation
"I have been made aware of the conditions with the Mississippi Department of Corrections and my office immediately took a proactive position to meet and address these challenges. I visited Parchman personally and my staff and I have had conversations with the Department of Justice and others about next steps," Fitch said.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has ordered prison officials to close a unit inside the Parchman facility where many of the violence has occurred.
"We are grateful that President Trump’s administration has taken a focused interest in criminal justice reform and that they care enough about Mississippi to engage on this critical issue," Renae Eze, a spokeswoman for Reeves, said in a statement.
The Justice Department conducted a similar investigation into prisons in Alabama, which has some of the most notorious and overcrowded prisons in the country.
In a scathing report released in April, the Justice Department detailed widespread violence, sexual abuse and drug trafficking in Alabama's men's prisons. Years of harsh sentencing laws have strained Alabama’s prisons, which housed a little more than 21,000 prisoners as of last November. That’s about 170 percent over capacity.
Federal investigators, who spent more than two years scrutinizing Alabama’s men’s prisons, found a “broken system” where people are murdered “on a regular basis,” according to the report. Drugs and illegal weapons, many of which were smuggled by correctional officers, were rampant. Cellblocks were so overcrowded and prisons were so understaffed that the few poorly trained officers on duty appeared powerless to establish any control.
Alabama prisons: DOJ report exposed to horrifying violence, rape; murders a 'regular' occurrence
In many cases, prison officials classified apparent murders as deaths caused by natural causes, the report said. Guards turned a blind eye when inmates were raped, and sexual assault was accepted as “a normal course of business.”
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has since appointed a panel to address the constitutional violations detailed in the report. In January, the panel made several recommendations, including more funding for correctional officers, mental health and education programs. The panel recommended sentencing reforms, including legislation that would release nonviolent offenders and allow prisoners who were sentenced to life imprisonment but were not convicted of harming anyone to be eligible for parole.
But the panel acknowledged those steps will not address the state’s deeply rooted prison crisis.
“Let me reiterate that we will not be able to address all of our prison challenges in a single legislative session or a single budget year,” retired Alabama Supreme Court Justice Champ Lyons Jr., the panel’s chair, wrote in a letter to Ivey last week.
“The challenges we have inherited are multifaceted and complex," Lyons wrote. "They are longstanding. And they will require spending significant sums of taxpayer money.”
The Justice Department has launched at least six investigations into possible civil rights violations in prisons, jails and juvenile detention centers since President Donald Trump took office, according to reports the department is required to submit to Congress.
On Wednesday the Justice Department also announced the result of an investigation into conditions at a juvenile detention facility in South Carolina.
Juveniles at the Broad River Road Complex, a long-term facility in Columbia, S.C., are isolated for 23 hours a day in small, dark cells, according to a report.
The Justice Department said officers have failed to protect juveniles from harm. One incident involved four attacks on an inmate over three hours, with a group of children dragging a fellow detainee into a bedroom cubicle, twice chasing him down and assaulting him, and assaulting him in another bedroom cubicle. An officer was nearby and did nothing.
Contributing: Kevin Johnson of USA TODAY, and Alissa Zhu, Lici Beveridge, Luke Ramseth and Giacomo Bologna of the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger


usatoday--2020-02-05--Trump's State of the Union school choice scholarship will be paid by Betsy DeVos. One Philadelphia g

Trump's State of the Union school choice scholarship will be paid by Betsy DeVos. One Philadelphia girl will benefit.

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will personally fund a school choice scholarship President Donald Trump offered to a Philadelphia girl during his State of the Union address Tuesday night , a surprise award he suggested would allow the girl to leave her low-performing public school and attend a different school .
A DeVos spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday the secretary would provide the money directly to Janiyah Davis , a fourth grade student , and her mother , Stephanie , who were invited to the speech Tuesday night in Washington .
During his address , Trump said Davis has been on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program .
The state gives businesses a tax break for donations that help pay for qualifying children to attend a different school , including private schools .
`` I can proudly announce tonight that an Opportunity Scholarship has become available , it ’ s going to you , and you will soon be heading to the school of your choice , '' Trump said to the girl .
But the scholarship did n't `` become available '' via normal channels .
DeVos will have to pay for the girl 's tuition directly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how much donors can contribute to the opportunity scholarship fund .
And when USA TODAY contacted Pennsylvania 's Department of Education Wednesday , officials were n't even aware of what Trump had done during his address on Tuesday .
The school choice scholarship wait list in Pennsylvania is long .
Between the two educational tax credit programs in that state , there are about 40,000 to 50,000 more applicants than available scholarships , said Michael Torres , spokesman for the Commonwealth Foundation , a conservative think tank that supports school choice .
DeVos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow-up questions about how long DeVos planned to fund the girl 's educational expenses .
The secretary , whose husband is the former CEO of multi-level marketing company Amway , donates her entire federal salary each year to charity .
State of the Union fact check : Trump stretched facts about economy , jobs Trump 's action Tuesday only added to the controversy around school choice , an over-arching term that applies to non-traditional schools that get public money , such as charter schools run by non-unionized teachers and private , religious schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
Proponents , including DeVos and Vice President Mike Pence , believe students should be able to use taxpayer money to pursue whatever kind of education they desire , from religious schools to homeschooling .
DeVos and Pence were scheduled to appear Wednesday at an event in Pennsylvania , where lawmakers have been clashing over expanding money for school choice programs .
DeVos and Trump have advocated for a $ 5 billion federal school voucher program , which Trump also championed in his State of the Union address .
But the program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrival in a Democrat-controlled House .
Some conservatives oppose it also .
Opponents of private-school choice , including teachers unions and most Democrats , believe the programs siphon off money and students from traditional districts , leaving fewer resources in public schools to serve the most challenged students .
Education coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation .
The Gates Foundation does not provide editorial input .

Trump's State of the Union school choice scholarship would be paid by Betsy DeVos. One Philadelphia girl would benefit.
Show Caption Hide Caption State of the Union includes Pelosi ripping speech, soldier homecoming President Donald Trump's State of the Union had several unusual moments, including his refusal to shake House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's hand. USA TODAY
U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will personally fund a school choice scholarship President Donald Trump offered to a Philadelphia girl during his State of the Union address Tuesday night, a surprise award he suggested would allow the girl to leave her low-performing public school and attend a different school.
A DeVos spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday the secretary would provide the money directly to Janiyah Davis, a fourth grade student, and her mother, Stephanie, who were invited to the speech Tuesday night in Washington.
But on Friday, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Janiyah already attends one of the city’s most sought-after charter schools, and that her mother didn’t view it as a school a parent would want to leave.
According to the Inquirer, Janiyah attended a public kindergarten, then a private Christian school that charged tuition, then transferred to the popular charter school, which is a public school. Stephanie Davis said she wasn’t sure if her daughter would change schools again, the story said.
During his address, Trump said Davis has been on a waiting list for Pennsylvania's opportunity scholarship program, a program that gives businesses a tax break for donations that help pay for qualifying children to attend a different school, including private schools.
"I can proudly announce tonight that an Opportunity Scholarship has become available, it’s going to you, and you will soon be heading to the school of your choice," Trump said to the girl.
But the scholarship didn't become available via normal channels.
DeVos would have to pay for the girl's tuition directly if she wants to attend a private school again, in part because state law in Pennsylvania caps how much donors can contribute to the opportunity scholarship fund.
When USA TODAY contacted Pennsylvania's Department of Education Wednesday, officials weren't even aware of what Trump had done during his address on Tuesday.
The school choice scholarship wait list in Pennsylvania is long. Between the two educational tax credit programs in that state, there are about 40,000 to 50,000 more applicants than available scholarships, said Michael Torres, spokesman for the Commonwealth Foundation, a conservative think tank that supports school choice.
DeVos spokeswoman Liz Hill did not respond to follow-up questions about how long DeVos planned to fund the girl's educational expenses. The secretary, whose husband is the former CEO of multilevel marketing company Amway, donates her entire federal salary each year to charity.
State of the Union fact check:Trump stretched facts about economy, jobs
Trump's action Tuesday only added to the controversy around school choice, an overarching term that applies to nontraditional schools that get public money, such as charter schools run by nonunionized teachers and private, religious schools that may receive taxpayer money in some states.
Proponents, including DeVos and Vice President Mike Pence, believe students should be able to use taxpayer money to pursue whatever kind of education they desire, from religious schools to homeschooling.
DeVos and Trump have advocated for a $5 billion federal school voucher program, which Trump also championed in his State of the Union address. But the program is widely believed to be dead on arrival in a Democrat-controlled House. Some conservatives oppose it also.
Opponents of private-school choice, including teachers unions and most Democrats, believe the programs siphon off money and students from traditional districts, leaving fewer resources in public schools to serve the most challenged students.
Education coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation does not provide editorial input.


usatoday--2020-02-05--OnPolitics: Spoiler alert, Trump was acquitted of all charges

It may be the shortest presidential impeachment trial in the history of the U.S. , but it feels like forever since we began covering every vote , quote , tweet and trial .
Today , President Donald Trump was acquitted of both impeachment charges , avoiding removal from office and ending the impeachment trial we 've been following closely as it moved from the House to the Senate .
Here 's what you need to know about the vote , last night 's State of the Union and the ongoing Iowa caucus saga : The Senate acquitted Trump for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of bitter partisan clashes over accusations he tried to cheat in the 2020 election by pressuring the U.S. ally to investigate political rival , former Vice President Joe Biden .
The Republican-led Senate voted to acquit Trump on two articles of impeachment - abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah , was the only senator to cross party lines by voting to convict for abuse of power .
Conviction was always unlikely in the GOP-led Senate , where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority because it required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate or 67 senators .
On voting to convict President Trump on the abuse of power charge , Romney said : `` This verdict is ours to render ...
The grave question the Constitution tasks senators to answer is whether the President committed an act so extreme and egregious that it rises to the level of a 'high crime and misdemeanor . '
Yes , he did . ''
• What we learned ( and still do n't know ) after the Trump impeachment saga • Interactive : How each member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial • Tougher than Teflon ?
Trump shows he is the most resilient politician in modern US history More than200 `` Reject the Cover-Up '' protests are planned around the nation in response to President Donald Trump 's expected impeachment acquittal .
Most were expected to begin at 5:30 p.m. EST in opposition to the Senate trial .
It was the SOTU of all SOTUs Reaction continued well into today on last night 's State of the Union address .
Republicans responded angrily after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up her copy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union address Tuesday night .
• Vice President Mike Pence called Pelosi 's rending of the speech `` a new low '' and said it was an effort to make the address `` about her . ''
( If you missed it , read and watch it here again . )
• On the impromptu Medal of Honor award , Rep. Ocasio-Cortez blasted giving the Medal of Freedom to 'virulent racist ' Rush Limbaugh , calling it 'truly nauseating' • File this one under commentary : Bill Goodykoontz writes , Trump turned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality show .
Rush Limbaugh was its star .
• Stepping back from reaction : Build the wall ?
Travel ban ?
Tax cuts ?
After Trump 's State of the Union , here 's where he stands on promises And , catching up on Iowa We now have 84.99 % of precincts reporting ( as of 4:30 pm ET ) , and we 're still largely in the same place .
So read that as we 're still waiting on an Iowa winner .
• A PSA , reminder to watch this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results .
We 'll update that page with the latest when they come out .
• Reality check : Despite Iowa caucus disaster , U.S. election systems are better than you think .
Really .

OnPolitics: Spoiler alert, Trump was acquitted of all charges
Show Caption Hide Caption Split Senate acquits Trump of impeachment charges The U.S. Senate acquitted President Donald Trump of both impeachment charges Wednesday, ending only the third presidential trial in American history with votes that split the country and tested civic norms. (Feb. 5) AP
It may be the shortest presidential impeachment trial in the history of the U.S., but it feels like forever since we began covering every vote, quote, tweet and trial.
Today, President Donald Trump was acquitted of both impeachment charges, avoiding removal from office and ending the impeachment trial we've been following closely as it moved from the House to the Senate.
Here's what you need to know about the vote, last night's State of the Union and the ongoing Iowa caucus saga:
The impeachment vote (finally) happened
The Senate acquitted Trump for his dealings with Ukraine on Wednesday, culminating months of bitter partisan clashes over accusations he tried to cheat in the 2020 election by pressuring the U.S. ally to investigate political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. The Republican-led Senate voted to acquit Trump on two articles of impeachment - abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was the only senator to cross party lines by voting to convict for abuse of power. Conviction was always unlikely in the GOP-led Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority because it required the support of at least two-thirds of the Senate or 67 senators.
On voting to convict President Trump on the abuse of power charge, Romney said: "This verdict is ours to render ... The grave question the Constitution tasks senators to answer is whether the President committed an act so extreme and egregious that it rises to the level of a 'high crime and misdemeanor.' Yes, he did."
Dig deeper:
More than 200 "Reject the Cover-Up" protests are planned around the nation in response to President Donald Trump's expected impeachment acquittal. Most were expected to begin at 5:30 p.m. EST in opposition to the Senate trial.
It was the SOTU of all SOTUs
Reaction continued well into today on last night's State of the Union address. Republicans responded angrily after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up her copy of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address Tuesday night.
And, catching up on Iowa
We now have 84.99% of precincts reporting (as of 4:30 pm ET), and we're still largely in the same place. So read that as we're still waiting on an Iowa winner.


usatoday--2020-02-05--President Trump has officially been acquitted from the Articles of Impeachment trial

The Senate voted to acquit President Trump on the two articles of impeachment he was being accused of .

Impeachment trial: The Senate voted to acquit President Trump
The Senate voted to acquit President Trump on the two articles of impeachment he was being accused of.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-02-05--Buttigieg keeps slim lead over Sanders after error in results updated — updates

Former mayor Pete Buttigieg held a narrow lead over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders after the release Wednesday of additional results from the Iowa Democratic caucuses .
No winner has been declared .
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren remained in third place followed by former Vice President Joe Biden and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar .
Results were in for 86 % of all precincts across Iowa 's 99 counties .
The partial results show Buttigieg with 26.7 % of state delegate equivalents .
Sanders had 25.4 % , followed by Warren with 18.3 % , Biden with 15.9 % and Klobuchar with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ update around 4:40 p.m .
ET , the Iowa Democratic Party tweeted that there was a small error , and updated results would be coming soon .
The error in results briefly showed Buttigieg taking the lead in the popular vote of the final alignment .
But within 15 minutes , updated results showed Sanders maintaining the lead in popular vote he has held since Tuesday .
After a massive meltdown in producing the results for Monday 's Iowa caucuses , state Democratic party officials were still unable to declare a winner .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 62 % of the state 's precincts was released Tuesday afternoon followed a few hours later by additional results .
Biden : 'We took a gut punch in Iowa' Former Vice President Joe Biden made light of Iowa 's vote counting problems at an event in New Hampshire Wednesday , but conceded the results have been a blow to his campaign .
`` At this rate , New Hampshire will be the first in the country to get to vote , '' he quipped before adding , `` I 'm not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punch in Iowa .
The whole process took a gut punch .
But this is n't the first time in my life I 've been knocked down . ''
Biden , who is in fourth place with 71 % of the precincts reporting , had previously tried to put a more positive spin on his performances in the caucuses .
`` We had a good night last night in Iowa , '' he said Tuesday .
`` We think we ’ re going to come out of there really doing well . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because it 's not done yet . ''
The Sanders campaign has made a point on several occasions to note that while Buttigieg has a lead in state delegate equivalents ( or SDEs ) , the Vermont senator is leading in the final alignment popular vote .
`` We want to thank the people of Iowa .
We are gratified that in the partial data released so far it ’ s clear that in the first and second round more people voted for Bernie than any other candidate in the field , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement Tuesday .
But how can that be ?
Dig deeper : Could multiple candidates 'win ' the Iowa Democratic caucus ?
New rules make it possible .
Well , you remember 2016 , when Democrat Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but Republican Donald Trump won the Electoral College ?
Iowa SDEs are awarded in a similar Electoral College-style system based on prior Democratic votes in the area .
After the final alignment at a caucus precinct , the number of people in a candidate 's preference group , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the precinct , are entered into a formula that spits out the SDEs each candidate can be awarded from that precinct .
Those state delegate equivalents are used to allocate how many delegates to the Democratic National Convention each candidate earned and to determine who won the caucuses .
So while Buttigieg has the current lead in SDEs , and Sanders currently has the popular vote lead in the final alignment numbers , both have so far earned the same number of delegate to the national convention ( 10 ) , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic nominee is .
As of noon ET Wednesday , there were still roughly 30 % of the results yet to be reported — and 17 national delegates yet to be awarded — so no overall winner has been named .
Campaigns , party volunteers and regular Iowans have expressed confusion and frustration at the lack of clarity on what is often one of the most closely-watched nights in American presidential politics .
`` I apologize deeply for this , '' said Iowa Democratic Party chairman Troy Price .
At issue : an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work properly , a back-up phone system for relaying results that was bogged down with callers and a new reporting structure that left Democrats working to verify three times the results as previous years .
It wasn ’ t the first time the Iowa caucuses have produced late results , but issues come after months of heightened criticism of the caucus process and calls for Iowa to lose its vaunted first-in-the-nation status .
`` I 've said this entire time that we ’ re going to have to evaluate after this primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the order of the states , the caucus versus primary , '' said former housing secretary Julián Castro , a surrogate for Warren 's campaign .
`` What happened ( Monday night ) made the argument for itself .
Nobody can deny this is a broken way to do it .
It was a total mess . ''
The Iowa Democratic Party said the `` underlying data collected '' on the app used to report caucus results `` was sound '' but the system was only reporting out partial data .
Democrats were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems emerged in Iowa , frustrated candidates and their campaigns headed to New Hampshire , which holds its primary on Tuesday .
While speaking at an event in Laconia , New Hampshire , Buttigieg choked up after speaking about the preliminary results .
`` It validates the idea that we can expand a coalition not only unified around who it is we 're against but around what it is that we 're for , '' he said .
Sanders ' senior advisor Jeff Weaver praised the Vermont senator 's standing with the raw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We want to thank the people of Iowa .
We are gratified that in the partial data released so far it ’ s clear that in the first and second round more people voted for Bernie than any other candidate in the field , '' Weaver said in a statement .
Shadow , Inc. regrets its role in vote count delay The tech firm behind the app that contributed to the reporting delays said on Twitter Tuesday , `` We sincerely regret the delay in the reporting of the results '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the candidates , their campaigns , and Democratic caucus-goers . ''
The company also said it had `` corrected the underlying technology issue . ''
`` We take these issues very seriously , and are committed to improving and evolving to support the Democratic Party ’ s goal of modernizing its election processes , '' read one post from Shadow Inc. 's official account .
Contributing : Rebecca Morin of USA TODAY and Barbara Rodriguez of the Des Moines Register

Annah Aschbrenner, Joey Garrison and Caren Bohan, USA TODAY

96% of Iowa precincts are reported, but there's still no caucus winner; Buttigieg, Sanders neck and neck — updates
Show Caption Hide Caption Candidates give speeches amid Democratic Iowa caucus delays With no winner declared on the night of the Democratic Iowa caucuses amid delays, the candidates still gave speeches. USA TODAY
Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders are separated by the slimmest of margins in the latest update to Iowa's Democratic caucus results.
A fresh round of results around 12:15 a.m. ET Thursday showed the former mayor's state delegate equivalent lead down to 3 over the Vermont senator. Sanders, meanwhile, maintained a lead of more than 2,000 votes in the final alignment popular vote.
The partial results almost counted be closer: Buttigieg has 26.2% of state delegate equivalents, while Sanders has 26.1%.
The Associated Press reported that results had been published from 96.43% of all precincts, but the number of state delegate equivalents still available to be won means they will not yet call a winner in the race.
In a press release sent at just before 1:30 a.m. Thursday, the Iowa Democratic Party said it has reported "1,711 precincts across the state, nation, and overseas – accounting for 97 percent of the precincts. We have collected information from all but one precinct, and those records are in transit"
The release went on to say "the IDP implemented an immediate, large-scale effort to collect results for precincts that were not received on caucus night. We started with 500 outstanding precincts and now have 53 that are in the process of being reviewed."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren was in third place with 18.2%, former Vice President Joe Biden was fourth with 15.8% and Sen. Amy Klobuchar was fifth with 12.2%.
The partial update early Thursday was the latest round in a dribbling in of results since the Iowa Democratic Party on Tuesday announced only some results would be announced that day. And it hasn't been smooth sailing.
Minutes after an update came in around 4:40 p.m. ET Wednesday, the Iowa Democratic Party tweeted that there was a small error, and updated results would be coming soon. The error in results briefly showed Buttigieg taking the lead in the popular vote of the final alignment. But within 15 minutes, updated results showed Sanders maintaining the lead in popular vote he has held since Tuesday.
In Des Moines' 55th precinct caucus, which was held in the lobby of the office building home to the Des Moines Register, the results issued before the correction showed Deval Patrick earning the support of 191 people in the first alignment and 218 in the final alignment. Those numbers actually belonged to Sanders.
The numbers reported by the party also showed Tom Steyer earning support that actually belonged to Warren. And no support was tallied for Yang or "uncommitted," though there were some supporters in the room.
After a massive meltdown in producing the results for Monday's Iowa caucuses, state Democratic party officials were still unable to declare a winner that night. An initial set of results accounting for 62% of the state's precincts was released Tuesday afternoon followed a few hours later by additional results.
The popular vote vs. state delegate equivalents
The Sanders campaign has made a point on several occasions to note that while Buttigieg has a lead in state delegate equivalents (or SDEs), the Vermont senator is leading in the final alignment popular vote.
"We want to thank the people of Iowa. We are gratified that in the partial data released so far it’s clear that in the first and second round more people voted for Bernie than any other candidate in the field," Sanders senior advisor Jeff Weaver said in a statement Tuesday.
But how can that be?
Dig deeper: Could multiple candidates 'win' the Iowa Democratic caucus? New rules make it possible.
Well, you remember 2016, when Democrat Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but Republican Donald Trump won the Electoral College? Iowa SDEs are awarded in a similar Electoral College-style system based on prior Democratic votes in the area.
After the final alignment at a caucus precinct, the number of people in a candidate's preference group, as well as the total number of people at the precinct, are entered into a formula that spits out the SDEs each candidate can be awarded from that precinct.
Those state delegate equivalents are used to allocate how many delegates to the Democratic National Convention each candidate earned and to determine who won the caucuses.
So while Buttigieg has the current lead in SDEs, and Sanders currently has the popular vote lead in the final alignment numbers, both have so far earned the same number of delegate to the national convention (10), which is what will eventually determine who the Democratic nominee is.
As of noon ET Wednesday, there were still roughly 30% of the results yet to be reported — and 17 national delegates yet to be awarded — so no overall winner has been named.
– Annah Aschbrenner, USA TODAY
Biden: 'We took a gut punch in Iowa'
Former Vice President Joe Biden made light of Iowa's vote counting problems at an event in New Hampshire Wednesday, but conceded the results have been a blow to his campaign.
"At this rate, New Hampshire will be the first in the country to get to vote," he quipped before adding, "I'm not going to sugarcoat it. We took a gut punch in Iowa. The whole process took a gut punch. But this isn't the first time in my life I've been knocked down."
Biden, who is in fourth place with 71% of the precincts reporting, had previously tried to put a more positive spin on his performances in the caucuses.
"We had a good night last night in Iowa," he said Tuesday. "We think we’re going to come out of there really doing well."
"But be careful what you say, because it's not done yet."
–William Cummings, USA TODAY
Lots of frustration at results delays
Campaigns, party volunteers and regular Iowans have expressed confusion and frustration at the lack of clarity on what is often one of the most closely-watched nights in American presidential politics.
"I apologize deeply for this," said Iowa Democratic Party chairman Troy Price.
At issue: an app that caucus precinct chairs said failed to work properly, a back-up phone system for relaying results that was bogged down with callers and a new reporting structure that left Democrats working to verify three times the results as previous years.
It wasn’t the first time the Iowa caucuses have produced late results, but issues come after months of heightened criticism of the caucus process and calls for Iowa to lose its vaunted first-in-the-nation status.
"I've said this entire time that we’re going to have to evaluate after this primary is done … the debate thresholds, the order of the states, the caucus versus primary," said former housing secretary Julián Castro, a surrogate for Warren's campaign. "What happened (Monday night) made the argument for itself. Nobody can deny this is a broken way to do it. It was a total mess."
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
The Iowa Democratic Party said the "underlying data collected" on the app used to report caucus results "was sound" but the system was only reporting out partial data. Democrats were manually recounting the results.
After the problems emerged in Iowa, frustrated candidates and their campaigns headed to New Hampshire, which holds its primary on Tuesday.
While speaking at an event in Laconia, New Hampshire, Buttigieg choked up after speaking about the preliminary results.
"It validates the idea that we can expand a coalition not only unified around who it is we're against but around what it is that we're for," he said.
Sanders' senior advisor Jeff Weaver praised the Vermont senator's standing with the raw vote totals, not state delegate equivalents.
“We want to thank the people of Iowa. We are gratified that in the partial data released so far it’s clear that in the first and second round more people voted for Bernie than any other candidate in the field," Weaver said in a statement.
- Caren Bohan, USA TODAY
Shadow, Inc. regrets its role in vote count delay
The tech firm behind the app that contributed to the reporting delays said on Twitter Tuesday, "We sincerely regret the delay in the reporting of the results" and "the uncertainty it has caused to the candidates, their campaigns, and Democratic caucus-goers."
The company also said it had "corrected the underlying technology issue."
"We take these issues very seriously, and are committed to improving and evolving to support the Democratic Party’s goal of modernizing its election processes," read one post from Shadow Inc.'s official account.
Shadow is an independent, for-profit technology company that contracted with the Iowa Democratic Party to build a caucus reporting mobile app, which was optional for local officials to use. The goal of the app was to ensure accuracy in a complex reporting process. — Shadow, Inc. (@ShadowIncHQ) February 4, 2020
– William Cummings, USA TODAY
Contributing: Rebecca Morin of USA TODAY and Barbara Rodriguez of the Des Moines Register


usatoday--2020-02-05--While Iowa keeps counting, candidates hit the trail in New Hampshire to spin incomplete results

NASHUA , N.H. – Facing pressure to deliver a strong performance in New Hampshire next week after a likely third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses , Elizabeth Warren would not say Wednesday whether she needs an outright win in her neighboring state .
“ To me , this isn ’ t about the numbers as much as it is about the people , the enthusiasm , ” the Massachusetts U.S. senator told reporters following a campaign rally here .
“ I ’ m out here talking to people who are ready get in this fight and ready to make real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m here.
” Warren was among nine Democratic candidates for president were on the ground in New Hampshire , even as they continued to wait for final results from Iowa , where Democrats are still working to verify results more than 48 hours after the caucuses .
Former mayor Pete Buttigieg , who holds a slim lead in Iowa , took the time to knock the idea of tribalism within Democratic ranks , while former Vice President Joe Biden told a crowd `` we took a gut punch in Iowa , ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was once considered one of the favorites to win the Granite State in the given the Boston media market that overlaps here .
But a new Suffolk University tracking poll of the state 's presidential primary Tuesday found Warren with support among just 10 % of likely Democratic voters , down 3 points the previous day .
She trailed trailed Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders ( 24 % ) , Buttigieg ( 15 % ) and Biden ( 15 % ) .
“ I ’ m just glad to be back , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trips to the state to help New Hampshire Democratic U.S. Sens .
Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan in their elections .
“ We have a great group of people here.
” Warren started to slide in polls nationally beginning in the fall , coinciding with a rocky rollout of her Medicare for All plan , while Sanders , the primary ’ s other candidate in the progressive lane , has been on the rise .
Warren framed her campaign 's finish as being “ in the top three in Iowa , ” pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her campaign ’ s organization .
“ Now we ’ ve landed in New Hampshire and we ’ re out here fighting for every vote in New Hampshire , and after this , we ’ ve got 55 more states and territories , ” she said .
“ We already have on-the-field operations in 31 states and 1,000 people .
This is an operation that is built for the long haul and I ’ m loving every minute of it.
” Sanders , the current favorite in New Hampshire 's Tuesday primary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , won New Hampshire by 22 percentage points in the 2016 Democratic primary .
In Derry , New Hampshire , Wednesday , Sanders was bullish on his chances in Iowa , and touted that he was winning the popular vote there .
“ In Iowa they have a complicated system and there 's a realignment vote- we 're winning that one as well , Sanders said , according to CNN .
`` We 're going to have an equal number of delegates from Iowa going to the national convention.
” Buttigieg makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the day , Buttigieg , who emerged as either the first or second place finisher in Iowa , seemed to frame his politics as an alternative to the revolution-minded Sanders and the establishment Biden .
“ We do not have to be tribal in our politics of the future , '' he said , addressing a youth environment town hall in Concord .
`` And in fact , in order to solve our big problems , we ’ re going to have to recognize that there are options somewhere in between a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He added : `` In order to govern , as well as to lead , we 've got to enlist the energies of people from my party , independents and some number of people who are accustomed to being in the other party . ''
Biden : `` This is n't the first time ...
I 've been knocked down '' During a campaign stop in Somersworth , New Hampshire , Biden made light of Iowa 's vote counting problems Wednesday , but conceded the results have been a blow to his campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire will be the first in the country to get to vote , '' he quipped before adding , `` I 'm not going to sugarcoat it .
We took a gut punch in Iowa .
The whole process took a gut punch .
But this is n't the first time in my life I 've been knocked down . ''
Biden , who is in fourth place with 71 % of the precincts reporting , had previously tried to put a more positive spin on his performances in the caucuses .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Iowa , '' he said Tuesday .
`` We think we ’ re going to come out of there really doing well . ''
`` But be careful what you say , because it 's not done yet . ''
Biden also took aim at the likely top two finishers in Iowa , Buttigieg and Sanders , arguing both would be risky nominees to take on President Donald Trump .
“ If Sen. Sanders is the nominee for the party , every Democrat in America up and down the ballot , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states and easy districts and competitive ones , every Democrat will have to carry the label Sen. Sanders has chose for himself , ” Biden said , according to the Associated Press .
“ He calls himself a democratic socialist .
Well , we ’ re already seeing what Donald Trump is going to do with that.
” Biden said he had “ great respect ” for Buttigieg but didn ’ t think the nominee should be someone whose highest office is mayor of South Bend , Indiana , a city of about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk , to be just straight up with you , ” he said .
Warren , speaking to a couple hundred voters inside a gym at Nashua Community College , did not stray from her standard stump speech , calling for “ big structural change ” to take on money and corruption in Washington .
“ Our No .
1 job in November is to beat Donald Trump , ” Warren said .
“ I am the best candidate to do that because I know how to fight and I know how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win in November ?
The answer is , first , we ’ ve got to pull our party together .
We can not repeat 2016.
” She told the crowd , “ This is not the moment for small ideas .
This is not the moment for seeing big problems and nibbling around the edges .
This is the moment to do the big things that need to be done.
” Contributing : USA TODAY reporter Will Cummings and the Associated Press .

While Iowa keeps counting, candidates hit the trail in New Hampshire to spin incomplete results
Show Caption Hide Caption Candidates give speeches amid Democratic Iowa caucus delays With no winner declared on the night of the Democratic Iowa caucuses amid delays, the candidates still gave speeches. USA TODAY
NASHUA, N.H. – Facing pressure to deliver a strong performance in New Hampshire next week after a likely third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, Elizabeth Warren would not say Wednesday whether she needs an outright win in her neighboring state.
“To me, this isn’t about the numbers as much as it is about the people, the enthusiasm,” the Massachusetts U.S. senator told reporters following a campaign rally here. “I’m out here talking to people who are ready get in this fight and ready to make real change. That’s why I’m here.”
Warren was among nine Democratic candidates for president were on the ground in New Hampshire, even as they continued to wait for final results from Iowa, where Democrats are still working to verify results more than 48 hours after the caucuses.
Former mayor Pete Buttigieg, who holds a slim lead in Iowa's state delegate equivalents, took the time to knock the idea of tribalism within Democratic ranks. Sen. Bernie Sanders touted his lead in Iowa's popular vote and contrasted himself with President Donald Trump on the day he voted for Trump's removal from office. And after a likely fourth-place finish, former Vice President Joe Biden told a New Hampshire crowd "we took a gut punch in Iowa.'
The New Hampshire electorate in some way seems to be responding to what's happening in Iowa. A Suffolk University tracking poll of the state's presidential primary released late Wednesday saw Sanders leading, as he has for weeks. He had 25%. Buttigieg followed with 19%, seeing a jump of 8 points since Monday, while Biden was at 12%, down 6 points, and Warren was at 11%, down 2.
All four candidates have at times led polls in New Hampshire. Warren started to slide in both national and state polls beginning in the fall, coinciding with a rocky rollout of her Medicare for All plan. At the same time Buttigieg saw his numbers skyrocket in New Hampshire. But since December, Sanders, the primary’s other candidate in the progressive lane, had led consistently and he opened a wide margin in January.
Warren framed her campaign's finish as being “in the top three in Iowa,” pointed to the long road ahead and touted her campaign’s organization.
“Now we’ve landed in New Hampshire and we’re out here fighting for every vote in New Hampshire, and after this, we’ve got 55 more states and territories,” she said. “We already have on-the-field operations in 31 states and 1,000 people. This is an operation that is built for the long haul and I’m loving every minute of it.”
Sanders confident in his Iowa standing
Sanders won the 2016 New Hampshire Democratic primary by a large margin, has led polls here for weeks, and is expected to perform well in next week's primary. He was greeted by a cheering crowd of 1,000 people Tuesday for his first Granite State event after leaving Iowa.
“New Hampshire goes first in terms of primaries. You go first. The whole country will be watching," he told the crowd in Milford. "And a week from tonight, New Hampshire has the opportunity to tell not only this nation, but the entire world, that we together will stand for justice, for compassion and for children.”
Sanders: We're going to do very, very well While votes are still being counted in Iowa, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said he had "a good feeling we're going to be doing very, very well" once results come in. (Feb. 4) AP
Sanders held one event Wednesday before heading back to D.C. to vote in Trump's impeachment trial.
He called it a "solemn day for the country."
"The president's job is to bring people together," he told the crowd in Derry, according to the Eagle-Tribune. "Today, we have a president trying to divide us for clearly political gain. What we will do in the White House is exactly the opposite of what Trump is doing. We will end the divisiveness in this country and bring people together with an agenda that works for working people."
He was bullish on his chances in Iowa, where he was winning the popular vote in the Iowa caucuses final realignment.
“In Iowa they have a complicated system and there's a realignment vote-we're winning that one as well, Sanders said, according to CNN. "We're going to have an equal number of delegates from Iowa going to the national convention.”
Buttigieg makes play for support from the middle
Earlier in the day, Buttigieg, who emerged as either the first or second place finisher in Iowa, seemed to frame his politics as an alternative to the revolution-minded Sanders and the establishment Biden.
“We do not have to be tribal in our politics of the future," he said, addressing a youth environment town hall in Concord. "And in fact, in order to solve our big problems, we’re going to have to recognize that there are options somewhere in between a revolution and the status quo."
He added: "In order to govern, as well as to lead, we've got to enlist the energies of people from my party, independents and some number of people who are accustomed to being in the other party."
Biden: 'This isn't the first time ... I've been knocked down'
During a campaign stop in Somersworth, New Hampshire, Biden made light of Iowa's vote counting problems Wednesday, but conceded the results have been a blow to his campaign.
"At this rate, New Hampshire will be the first in the country to get to vote," he quipped before adding, "I'm not going to sugarcoat it. We took a gut punch in Iowa. The whole process took a gut punch. But this isn't the first time in my life I've been knocked down."
Biden, who was in fourth place, had previously tried to put a more positive spin on his performances in the caucuses.
"We had a good night last night in Iowa," he said Tuesday. "We think we’re going to come out of there really doing well. But be careful what you say, because it's not done yet."
Difference between caucus and primary, explained The 2020 election is nearing and with that, comes the caucuses and primary elections. But what’s the difference? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Biden also took aim at the likely top two finishers in Iowa, Buttigieg and Sanders, arguing both would be risky nominees to take on President Donald Trump.
“If Sen. Sanders is the nominee for the party, every Democrat in America up and down the ballot ... will have to carry the label Sen. Sanders has chose for himself,” Biden said, according to the Associated Press. “He calls himself a democratic socialist. Well, we’re already seeing what Donald Trump is going to do with that.”
Biden said he had “great respect” for Buttigieg but didn’t think the nominee should be someone whose highest office is mayor of South Bend, Indiana, a city of about 100,000.
“It’s a risk, to be just straight up with you,” he said.
Warren, speaking to a couple hundred voters inside a gym at Nashua Community College, did not stray from her standard stump speech, calling for “big structural change” to take on money and corruption in Washington.
“Our No. 1 job in November is to beat Donald Trump,” Warren said. “I am the best candidate to do that because I know how to fight and I know how to win. What does it take to win in November? The answer is, first, we’ve got to pull our party together. We cannot repeat 2016.”
Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.
Contributing: USA TODAY reporter Will Cummings, and the Associated Press.


usatoday--2020-02-05--President Trump acquitted on both impeachment articles

President Trump is acquitted on both impeachment articles President Donald Trump was acquitted on both articles of impeachment , 52-48 @ @ @ @ @ on Article 2 .

President Trump is acquitted on both impeachment articles
President Donald Trump was acquitted on both articles of impeachment, 52-48 on Article 1 and 53-47 on Article 2.
USA TODAY, Associated Press


usatoday--2020-02-05--Tougher than Teflon? Trump shows he is the most resilient politician in modern US history

Loved , hated and feared , Donald Trump has proved once again that he is the most resilient politician in modern American history .
Neither the ridicule of the political establishment toward the idea that he could win the White House nor the two-year investigation by a special counsel nor impeachment by the House of Representatives has bowed Trump or even prompted him to temper the brash , blunderbuss style that has brought him this far .
The Senate acquitted the president Wednesday of two articles of impeachment that charged he abused power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate a political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to cover it up .
Trump cheered the unsurprising verdict as vindication .
Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calif. , the lead House impeachment manager , warned that the president may feel even more empowered and emboldened as a result , having rebuffed the Constitution 's most severe penalty .
The vote did n't even come close to the two-thirds majority needed to remove the president from office : 52-48 to reject the first article of impeachment , on abuse of power , and 53-47 to reject the second , on obstruction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exception : Every member of the Democratic caucus voted `` guilty '' on both counts .
Every Republican voted `` not guilty '' on the second count , but Mitt Romney of Utah crossed party lines on the first count , calling Trump guilty of abuse of power .
Surviving impeachment is n't the same thing as winning a second term , of course .
Trump 's resilience will be tested again in November , when he will be the first impeached president to stand for reelection .
He faces legal investigations into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his inaugural committee and his now-defunct foundation .
That said , three years after many thought Trump would never win the presidency , almost everyone acknowledges there is at least a credible chance he will win it again .
That victory would put him in the most rarefied ranks of American politics , including 17 of his predecessors who won election and reelection to the White House .
Trump 's historic impeachment trial : Here are moments that made it memorable 'He seems like an unsinkable ship' '' There is absolutely no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or more scandals , moments , mistakes that would have destroyed most any other candidate or president in American history , '' said Jeffrey Engel , director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University .
`` We called ( Ronald ) Reagan the 'Teflon president . '
We need to invent a new material just to describe his ability to deflect otherwise fatal wounds . ''
Trump 's calamities are often self-inflicted , Engel said , created by his business practices , his approach to politics , his unfettered rhetoric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roll from one crisis to another , '' said Larry Jacobs , director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota .
`` He seems like an unsinkable ship . ''
Questions : What we learned ( and still do n't know ) after the Trump impeachment saga Democrats cite their victories in the 2018 midterm elections , including winning control of the House of Representatives , as a sign of Trump 's vulnerabilities .
At the opening Iowa caucuses Monday , Democratic voters by 61 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Entrance Poll that they would rather see the party nominate the candidate with the best chance of winning , not the one who agreed with them most on issues .
That said , Democrats have n't reached a consensus on which presidential contender and what policy approach would fare best against Trump , whose ability to withstand furors has flummoxed many of them .
Their frustration was on display at the combative State of the Union address Tuesday night .
The capacity to weather a storm , to rebound after a blow that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the single most essential trait of successful political leaders .
Campaigns are typically rough-and-tumble contests , and serving in office draws what can be withering scrutiny of an official 's current decisions and past behavior .
Consider this : Allegations of marital infidelity prompted Colorado Sen. Gary Hart to suspend his campaign for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination ; he never ran for elective office again .
Four years later , despite a firestorm over stories that he had engaged in an extramarital affair and dodged the draft , Arkansas Gov .
Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his bid for the 1992 nomination .
When he managed to finish second in the New Hampshire primary , Clinton declared himself the `` Comeback Kid . ''
That put him on course to win two terms in the White House .
`` I 'm like one of those Baby Huey dolls , '' he told playwright Anna Deavere Smith in 1997 , a reference to a plastic inflatable figure with a weighted base .
`` You punch 'em , and they come back up . ''
Build the wall ?
Tax cuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here 's where Trump stands on promises Like Trump , Clinton survived impeachment , able to serve out his second term after being acquitted by the Senate .
President Richard Nixon was also famously resilient through his up-and-down political career , though it came to an abrupt end when he resigned from the White House in the face of his near-certain impeachment and conviction .
There are ways in which Trump 's resilience is more notable than his modern predecessors , in part because it seemed less likely .
Trump set out for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running for office or holding it .
Clinton was in his fifth term as governor of Arkansas when he prevailed in the marathon that is a presidential election .
Nixon had been a California House member and senator , then a two-term vice president .
In contrast , Trump 's first bid for electoral office was for the top job .
At the time , he was derided by many in the Republican establishment , at least until he began defeating his more seasoned rivals in the 2016 primaries , among them Jeb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dynasty .
In the general election , he defeated Hillary Clinton , a member of the dominant Democratic family of the day .
What 's more , Trump has persisted through one crisis after another without feeling the need to make course corrections .
Looking at similarities : Trump 's Ukraine call and Nixon 's Watergate increasingly draw parallels Nixon fashioned himself a softer-focus `` New Nixon '' for his 1968 bid for the White House , winning it eight years after he had lost .
Clinton adopted a new strategy of bipartisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disastrous defeats in the 1994 midterm elections , and he expressed regret for his behavior after he was acquitted of impeachment charges by the Senate .
No brakes on the bulldozer Trump continues to post provocative tweets , repeat assertions shown to be untrue , savage political opponents and rely on controversial outside advisers such as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani despite the furor those steps have created .
The top aides from the early days of his presidency who tried to put brakes on his bulldozer approach are mostly gone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
He depends on the fervent backing of his solid base ; even his record 49 % job approval rating in the latest Gallup Poll is just 3 points higher than his share of the 2016 electorate .
He lacks any of the bipartisan bonhomie that has helped some other leaders survive a crisis abroad or economic downturn at home .
`` The brilliance of Reagan 's resilience is that he not only survived but thrived with strong , sustained popularity for long periods of his presidency , '' Jacobs said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ erupted on his watch .
`` Trump survived , but he is the most unpopular president in modern times . ''
Even as he was being impeached , few in Republican officialdom warned Trump to curb his instincts .
Other presidents since World War II have enjoyed periods of enormous popularity , but none of them held such an iron grip on his party .
Not a single GOP House member voted to impeach Trump .
In the Senate , Romney , the party 's presidential nominee in 2012 , was the sole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote for conviction for abuse of power .
In an emotional speech on the Senate floor , Romney said he was braced for the consequences .
Donald Trump Jr. , the president 's son , quickly posted a picture on Instagram hurling an insult at Romney and calling for him to be expelled from the Republican Party .

Tougher than Teflon? Trump shows he is the most resilient politician in modern US history
Show Caption Hide Caption Impeachment trial expected to end after State of the Union The Senate is expected to begin closing arguments in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial on Monday. USA TODAY, Associated Press
Loved, hated and feared, Donald Trump has proved once again that he is the most resilient politician in modern American history.
Neither the ridicule of the political establishment toward the idea that he could win the White House nor the two-year investigation by a special counsel nor impeachment by the House of Representatives has bowed Trump or even prompted him to temper the brash, blunderbuss style that has brought him this far.
The Senate acquitted the president Wednesday of two articles of impeachment that charged he abused power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate a political rival, then obstructed Congress in an effort to cover it up.
Trump cheered the unsurprising verdict as vindication. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the lead House impeachment manager, warned that the president may feel even more empowered and emboldened as a result, having rebuffed the Constitution's most severe penalty.
The vote didn't even come close to the two-thirds majority needed to remove the president from office: 52-48 to reject the first article of impeachment, on abuse of power, and 53-47 to reject the second, on obstruction of Congress. Partisanship prevailed, with one exception: Every member of the Democratic caucus voted "guilty" on both counts. Every Republican voted "not guilty" on the second count, but Mitt Romney of Utah crossed party lines on the first count, calling Trump guilty of abuse of power.
Surviving impeachment isn't the same thing as winning a second term, of course.
Trump's resilience will be tested again in November, when he will be the first impeached president to stand for reelection. He faces legal investigations into his family business, his personal finances, his inaugural committee and his now-defunct foundation.
That said, three years after many thought Trump would never win the presidency, almost everyone acknowledges there is at least a credible chance he will win it again. That victory would put him in the most rarefied ranks of American politics, including 17 of his predecessors who won election and reelection to the White House.
Trump's historic impeachment trial: Here are moments that made it memorable
'He seems like an unsinkable ship'
"There is absolutely no doubt that Trump has weathered a dozen or more scandals, moments, mistakes that would have destroyed most any other candidate or president in American history," said Jeffrey Engel, director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University. "We called (Ronald) Reagan the 'Teflon president.' We need to invent a new material just to describe his ability to deflect otherwise fatal wounds."
Trump's calamities are often self-inflicted, Engel said, created by his business practices, his approach to politics, his unfettered rhetoric.
"Trump's knack is to roll from one crisis to another," said Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. "He seems like an unsinkable ship."
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Democrats cite their victories in the 2018 midterm elections, including winning control of the House of Representatives, as a sign of Trump's vulnerabilities.
At the opening Iowa caucuses Monday, Democratic voters by 61%-37% said in the ABC Entrance Poll that they would rather see the party nominate the candidate with the best chance of winning, not the one who agreed with them most on issues.
That said, Democrats haven't reached a consensus on which presidential contender and what policy approach would fare best against Trump, whose ability to withstand furors has flummoxed many of them. Their frustration was on display at the combative State of the Union address Tuesday night.
The capacity to weather a storm, to rebound after a blow that might have crushed others, may be the single most essential trait of successful political leaders. Campaigns are typically rough-and-tumble contests, and serving in office draws what can be withering scrutiny of an official's current decisions and past behavior.
Consider this: Allegations of marital infidelity prompted Colorado Sen. Gary Hart to suspend his campaign for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination; he never ran for elective office again. Four years later, despite a firestorm over stories that he had engaged in an extramarital affair and dodged the draft, Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton rejected calls for him to drop his bid for the 1992 nomination.
When he managed to finish second in the New Hampshire primary, Clinton declared himself the "Comeback Kid." That put him on course to win two terms in the White House.
"I'm like one of those Baby Huey dolls," he told playwright Anna Deavere Smith in 1997, a reference to a plastic inflatable figure with a weighted base. "You punch 'em, and they come back up."
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Like Trump, Clinton survived impeachment, able to serve out his second term after being acquitted by the Senate. President Richard Nixon was also famously resilient through his up-and-down political career, though it came to an abrupt end when he resigned from the White House in the face of his near-certain impeachment and conviction.
There are ways in which Trump's resilience is more notable than his modern predecessors, in part because it seemed less likely.
Trump set out for the White House with no experience in running for office or holding it. Clinton was in his fifth term as governor of Arkansas when he prevailed in the marathon that is a presidential election. Nixon had been a California House member and senator, then a two-term vice president. In contrast, Trump's first bid for electoral office was for the top job.
At the time, he was derided by many in the Republican establishment, at least until he began defeating his more seasoned rivals in the 2016 primaries, among them Jeb Bush, the heir of a GOP dynasty. In the general election, he defeated Hillary Clinton, a member of the dominant Democratic family of the day.
What's more, Trump has persisted through one crisis after another without feeling the need to make course corrections.
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Nixon fashioned himself a softer-focus "New Nixon" for his 1968 bid for the White House, winning it eight years after he had lost. Clinton adopted a new strategy of bipartisan cooperation called triangulation after his party suffered disastrous defeats in the 1994 midterm elections, and he expressed regret for his behavior after he was acquitted of impeachment charges by the Senate.
No brakes on the bulldozer
Trump continues to post provocative tweets, repeat assertions shown to be untrue, savage political opponents and rely on controversial outside advisers such as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani despite the furor those steps have created. The top aides from the early days of his presidency who tried to put brakes on his bulldozer approach are mostly gone.
All that may eventually catch up with him. He depends on the fervent backing of his solid base; even his record 49% job approval rating in the latest Gallup Poll is just 3 points higher than his share of the 2016 electorate. He lacks any of the bipartisan bonhomie that has helped some other leaders survive a crisis abroad or economic downturn at home.
"The brilliance of Reagan's resilience is that he not only survived but thrived with strong, sustained popularity for long periods of his presidency," Jacobs said, a crucial asset when the Iran-contra scandal erupted on his watch. "Trump survived, but he is the most unpopular president in modern times."
Even as he was being impeached, few in Republican officialdom warned Trump to curb his instincts.
Other presidents since World War II have enjoyed periods of enormous popularity, but none of them held such an iron grip on his party. Not a single GOP House member voted to impeach Trump. In the Senate, Romney, the party's presidential nominee in 2012, was the sole, lonely Republican who broke with Trump to vote for conviction for abuse of power.
In an emotional speech on the Senate floor, Romney said he was braced for the consequences.
Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, quickly posted a picture on Instagram hurling an insult at Romney and calling for him to be expelled from the Republican Party.


usatoday--2020-02-05--President Trump acquitted of first impeachment article in 48-52 not guilty vote

President Trump acquitted of first impeachment article 48-52
President Donald Trump is acquitted by the Senate of first impeachment article in a 48-52 vote
USA TODAY, Associated Press