Monday, Dec. 16

á           The New York Times reported that Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, a moderate Democrat who announced over the weekend he is switching parties because he opposes impeaching President Donald Trump, faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans in his home state.

á           The House Judiciary Committee presented its case for impeaching Trump in a 658-page report.

Tuesday, Dec. 17

á           Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rejected DemocratsÕ call for witnesses in TrumpÕs expected impeachment trial in the Senate. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he will force votes on having John Bolton and Mick Mulvaney testify.

á           The House passed a $1.4 trillion bi-partisan spending bill that reportedly has TrumpÕs support. The bill would fund the government through next September, avoiding a year-end shutdown.

á           Former John McCain adviser Steve Schmidt, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich adviser John Weaver, former New Hampshire GOP chair Jennifer Horn, veteran Republican operative Rick Wilson and George Conway, a conservative attorney and husband of Trump's chief counselor Kellyanne Conway announced in a New York Times op-ed the formation of a PAC to fight TrumpÕs re-election.

á           Trump released a scathing, six-page letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying impeachment is Òdeclaring war on American Democracy.Ó

Wednesday, Dec. 18

á           The House adopted two articles of impeachment against Trump along largely party lines, making Trump the third U.S. president to be impeached. The two articles included abuse of power for allegedly using his office to coerce a foreign leader to investigate a political rival, and obstruction of Congress for instructing officials not to cooperate with the House investigations.

á           The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional and sent the case back to the lower Texas district court to decide whether the rest of the law can stand without the individual mandate.

á           At a rally in Battle Creek, Mich., Trump suggested that the late Rep. John Dingell might be Òlooking up,Ó suggesting the Dingell was in hell. TrumpÕs comment was aimed at Rep. Debbie Dingell, who earlier that day voted to impeach Trump.

Thursday, Dec. 19

á           Rep. Mark Meadows (R.-N.C.), one of TrumpÕs staunchest allies in the House, announced he will not run for re-election, making him the 25th House Republican to announce he will not seek re-election next year.

á           The National Institute of Standards and Technology released a study showing that facial-recognition systems misidentified people of color and women more often than white men, up to 100 times more often in some cases.

á           The House passed a bill that would revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Senate has said it plans to vote on the legislation early next year.

á           Christianity Today, an evangelical magazine founded by the late Rev. Bill Graham, published an editorial calling for TrumpÕs removal. ÒThe president of the United States attempted to use his political power to coerce a foreign leader to harass and discredit one of the presidentÕs political opponents,Ó wrote editor in chief Mark Galli. ÒThat is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral.Ó

Friday, Dec. 20

á         In a letter to Trump on Friday, Pelosi invited him to deliver the State of the Union address on Feb. 4.

á         Pelosi announced she would refrain from transmitting the articles of impeachement to the Senate until McConnell sets rules for the trial that are accepted by Senate Democrats. The House voted to adjourn for the holidays until Jan. 7.

á         Trump signed the $1.4 trillion spending package passed by Congress earlier in the week, averting a government shutdown that would have happened Saturday without the legislation.

á         In a one-page report, the Department of Homeland Security inspector general found Òno misconduct or malfeasanceÓ in the deaths of two Guatemalan children in Border Patrol custody last year.

á         The Pentagon released emails showing that about 90 minutes after TrumpÕs controversial call with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in July, the White House budget office ordered the Pentagon to suspend all military aid that Congress had allocated to Ukraine. Michael Duffey, a budget official also told the Pentagon to keep quiet about the aid freeze because of the Òsensitive nature of the request.Ó

Saturday, Dec. 21

á         No news to report.

Sunday, Dec. 22

á         Marc Short, Vice President Mike PenceÕs chief of staff, defended TrumpÕs remarks about the late Rep. John Dingell Òlooking upÓ from hell on ÒFox News Sunday,Ó saying Dingell had called the president an imbecile in his last months.