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| House kills resolution to impeach Donald Trump – as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Here’s a summary of where things stand: | |
| Lawmakers killed an attempt to impeach Donald Trump. The articles of impeachment brought by the representative Al Green of Texas accused Trump of bringing the presidency “in contempt, ridicule, disgrace, and disrepute”. | |
| The House of Representatives also voted to hold attorney general William Barr and commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross – in criminal contempt. | |
| And Congress voted to slash a key feature of Obama’s healthcare plan, by repealing a tax on high-cost insurance plans. | |
| In an interview with PBS, the US Middle East envoy said the Trump administration “does not contemplate one state” as an option to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict. | |
| Trump continued to attack four progressive members of Congress throughout the day, including at a rally in North Carolina. | |
| He indicated that he thought the backlash to his racist attack on them amounted to a political victory, saying, “I’m not unhappy,” with the scandal. | |
| A majority of Americans in a poll said Trump’s comments were offensive, while a growing majority of Republicans in a separate poll saw immigration as an existential threat to the US. | |
| At his rally in North Carolina, Trump carried on with his attacks the “Squad,” falsely accusing representative Ilhan Omar of praising Al Quaeda. | At his rally in North Carolina, Trump carried on with his attacks the “Squad,” falsely accusing representative Ilhan Omar of praising Al Quaeda. |
| And we have a new chant: When Trump begins attacking Rep. Ilhan Omar, the crowd began shouting, “SEND HER BACK! SEND HER BACK!” | And we have a new chant: When Trump begins attacking Rep. Ilhan Omar, the crowd began shouting, “SEND HER BACK! SEND HER BACK!” |
| The rally crowd is chanting "send her back" about Ilhan Omar as Trump reads a list of her past remarks. | The rally crowd is chanting "send her back" about Ilhan Omar as Trump reads a list of her past remarks. |
| What a moment in America.President Trump goes on minutes long attack of Rep. Omar as crowd in North Carolina chants "send her back." | What a moment in America.President Trump goes on minutes long attack of Rep. Omar as crowd in North Carolina chants "send her back." |
| Prior to the rally, Trump called the House effort to impeach him earlier “most ridiculous project I’ve ever been involved in,” according to the AP. | Prior to the rally, Trump called the House effort to impeach him earlier “most ridiculous project I’ve ever been involved in,” according to the AP. |
| He also tweeted that the issue of impeachment “is now OVER”. | He also tweeted that the issue of impeachment “is now OVER”. |
| There is still a chance Trump could be impeached, even if he’s elected to a second term. | There is still a chance Trump could be impeached, even if he’s elected to a second term. |
| In an interview with PBS, the US special envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt revealed that Trump’s Middle East plan “does not contemplate one state” as a solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. | In an interview with PBS, the US special envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt revealed that Trump’s Middle East plan “does not contemplate one state” as a solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. |
| When asked by Judy Woodruff what rights Palestinians deserve to have, he responded: “Rights is a big word. I mean, I think our hope is to give Palestinians as great a life as the Israelis have, with everybody in the region being as secure as possible.” | When asked by Judy Woodruff what rights Palestinians deserve to have, he responded: “Rights is a big word. I mean, I think our hope is to give Palestinians as great a life as the Israelis have, with everybody in the region being as secure as possible.” |
| More on this q: "I think that one of the challenges of this file is people speak about the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, as being occupied. I would argue that the land is disputed." | More on this q: "I think that one of the challenges of this file is people speak about the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, as being occupied. I would argue that the land is disputed." |
| Watch here: | Watch here: |
| Another bit of news from the House of Representatives (which has had a busy, busy day): Lawmakers voted today to repeal a so-called “Cadillac tax” on high-cost health insurance plans. | Another bit of news from the House of Representatives (which has had a busy, busy day): Lawmakers voted today to repeal a so-called “Cadillac tax” on high-cost health insurance plans. |
| The tax was a key feature of Obama’s Affordable Care Act, as the AP explains: | The tax was a key feature of Obama’s Affordable Care Act, as the AP explains: |
| House Democrats and Republicans joined in a rare show of unity Wednesday, voting overwhelmingly to repeal an unpopular tax on generous health insurance that’s a symbol of former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. | House Democrats and Republicans joined in a rare show of unity Wednesday, voting overwhelmingly to repeal an unpopular tax on generous health insurance that’s a symbol of former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. |
| The so-called “Cadillac tax” never went into effect, since lawmakers kept delaying it. Wednesday’s 419-6 vote increases chances that the Senate will follow the House, going for full repeal. | The so-called “Cadillac tax” never went into effect, since lawmakers kept delaying it. Wednesday’s 419-6 vote increases chances that the Senate will follow the House, going for full repeal. |
| Beginning in 2022, the tax would slap a 40% levy on the value of health insurance plans above $11,200 for single coverage and $30,100 for family policies. The idea was to help control costs by putting a brake on the value of health insurance plans. To avoid the tax, insurers and employers might have to shift more costs to policyholders. | Beginning in 2022, the tax would slap a 40% levy on the value of health insurance plans above $11,200 for single coverage and $30,100 for family policies. The idea was to help control costs by putting a brake on the value of health insurance plans. To avoid the tax, insurers and employers might have to shift more costs to policyholders. |
| Based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, repeal would add $193 billion to the federal deficit from 2022-2029, by scratching projected revenues off the government’s books. The nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation expects that about 1 in 5 employers offering health insurance would have at least one insurance plan subject to the tax in 2022, and the share would grow quickly over time. | Based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, repeal would add $193 billion to the federal deficit from 2022-2029, by scratching projected revenues off the government’s books. The nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation expects that about 1 in 5 employers offering health insurance would have at least one insurance plan subject to the tax in 2022, and the share would grow quickly over time. |
| Here’s some analysis of Bernie Sanders’ healthcare proposal, from the Guardian’s Lauren Gambino in Washington: | Here’s some analysis of Bernie Sanders’ healthcare proposal, from the Guardian’s Lauren Gambino in Washington: |
| Bernie Sanders offered a robust defense of his Medicare for All proposal, vowing to end the “international embarrassment” of the US being the only major, wealthy country in the world without a universal healthcare system as the issue takes center stage in the race to capture the Democratic nomination. | Bernie Sanders offered a robust defense of his Medicare for All proposal, vowing to end the “international embarrassment” of the US being the only major, wealthy country in the world without a universal healthcare system as the issue takes center stage in the race to capture the Democratic nomination. |
| The Vermont senator’s speech escalated an ongoing war of words with the former vice-president Joe Biden, who has embraced a plan that would establish a “public option” and would not eliminate private health insurance. “The current debate over Medicare for All has nothing to do with healthcare,” Sanders told a friendly crowd at George Washington University in Washington. “We are not in a debate about which healthcare system is working well or which is better. What the debate that we are currently having in this campaign and all over this country has nothing to do with healthcare, but it has everything to do with the greed and profits of the healthcare industry.”In the speech, Sanders also pledged to reject all campaign donations from lobbyists, executives and political action committees of health insurance and pharmaceutical companies and challenged his rivals to follow suit.“If we are going to break the stranglehold of corporate interests over the healthcare needs of the American people, we have got to confront a Washington culture that is corrupt, that puts profits before people,” Sanders said, adding: “Candidates who are not willing to take that pledge should explain to the American people why those corporate interests believe their campaigns are a good investment. Sanders’s Medicare for All proposal would transform the current healthcare system into one operated by the government that covers “every man, woman and child in this country”. Under his plan, no one would pay deductibles, premiums and copays and there would be no private insurance. He proposes a four-year transition period by gradually reducing the eligibility rate of the Medicare program. Several candidates in the primary have signed onto Sanders legislation, but in his speech the senator sought to remind voters who popularized the issue. But he’s facing increasing pushback from Biden and other more moderate candidates who prefer to build on the Affordable Care Act, which was passed by nine years ago under the Obama administration. At an event in Iowa, Biden said Medicare for All was “risky” while lower-tier candidates like Senator Michael Bennet and former congressman John Delaney warned that the party would lose to Trump if the nominee embraces his ideas. “Let me make a prediction,” Sanders said. “In order to defeat the Medicare for All movement, powerful special interests will be spending millions on 30-second television ads, full-page magazine ads and corporate-sponsored ‘studies’ to frighten the American people about Medicare for All – which is exactly what happened before the passage of Medicare in the 1960s. They failed then and they’re going to fail now.” | The Vermont senator’s speech escalated an ongoing war of words with the former vice-president Joe Biden, who has embraced a plan that would establish a “public option” and would not eliminate private health insurance. “The current debate over Medicare for All has nothing to do with healthcare,” Sanders told a friendly crowd at George Washington University in Washington. “We are not in a debate about which healthcare system is working well or which is better. What the debate that we are currently having in this campaign and all over this country has nothing to do with healthcare, but it has everything to do with the greed and profits of the healthcare industry.”In the speech, Sanders also pledged to reject all campaign donations from lobbyists, executives and political action committees of health insurance and pharmaceutical companies and challenged his rivals to follow suit.“If we are going to break the stranglehold of corporate interests over the healthcare needs of the American people, we have got to confront a Washington culture that is corrupt, that puts profits before people,” Sanders said, adding: “Candidates who are not willing to take that pledge should explain to the American people why those corporate interests believe their campaigns are a good investment. Sanders’s Medicare for All proposal would transform the current healthcare system into one operated by the government that covers “every man, woman and child in this country”. Under his plan, no one would pay deductibles, premiums and copays and there would be no private insurance. He proposes a four-year transition period by gradually reducing the eligibility rate of the Medicare program. Several candidates in the primary have signed onto Sanders legislation, but in his speech the senator sought to remind voters who popularized the issue. But he’s facing increasing pushback from Biden and other more moderate candidates who prefer to build on the Affordable Care Act, which was passed by nine years ago under the Obama administration. At an event in Iowa, Biden said Medicare for All was “risky” while lower-tier candidates like Senator Michael Bennet and former congressman John Delaney warned that the party would lose to Trump if the nominee embraces his ideas. “Let me make a prediction,” Sanders said. “In order to defeat the Medicare for All movement, powerful special interests will be spending millions on 30-second television ads, full-page magazine ads and corporate-sponsored ‘studies’ to frighten the American people about Medicare for All – which is exactly what happened before the passage of Medicare in the 1960s. They failed then and they’re going to fail now.” |
| Meanwhile, in Greenville, North Carolina, Trump is about to speak at a rally. | Meanwhile, in Greenville, North Carolina, Trump is about to speak at a rally. |
| I have arrived at the Trump rally in #Greenville, NC and the first thing I see is a MAGA teen band playing a song called “CNN sucks” pic.twitter.com/EHBeRhuWig | I have arrived at the Trump rally in #Greenville, NC and the first thing I see is a MAGA teen band playing a song called “CNN sucks” pic.twitter.com/EHBeRhuWig |
| And a statement from the Department of Justice echoes the White House’s line: | And a statement from the Department of Justice echoes the White House’s line: |
| Here's DOJ spox Kerri Kupec on today's contempt vote: "Holding the Attorney General in contempt for working in good-faith with Congress marks a new low for Speaker Pelosi’s House of Representatives. This vote is nothing more than a political stunt." pic.twitter.com/Vifa0u4Z1F | Here's DOJ spox Kerri Kupec on today's contempt vote: "Holding the Attorney General in contempt for working in good-faith with Congress marks a new low for Speaker Pelosi’s House of Representatives. This vote is nothing more than a political stunt." pic.twitter.com/Vifa0u4Z1F |
| A statement from the press secretary called the vote “another lawless attempt to harass the President and his Administration” | A statement from the press secretary called the vote “another lawless attempt to harass the President and his Administration” |
| Statement by @PressSec on House vote to hold Barr and Ross in contempt pic.twitter.com/gqdoHzZs4B | Statement by @PressSec on House vote to hold Barr and Ross in contempt pic.twitter.com/gqdoHzZs4B |
| Lawmakers voted 230-198 to hold the attorney general and the commerce secretary in criminal contempt for obstructing a probe into Trump’s failed efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. | Lawmakers voted 230-198 to hold the attorney general and the commerce secretary in criminal contempt for obstructing a probe into Trump’s failed efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. |
| All Republicans and four Democrats voted ‘no.’ | All Republicans and four Democrats voted ‘no.’ |
| The AP explains: | The AP explains: |
| The vote is largely symbolic because the Justice Department is unlikely to prosecute them. | The vote is largely symbolic because the Justice Department is unlikely to prosecute them. |
| The action marks an escalation of Democratic efforts to use their House majority to aggressively investigate the inner workings of the Trump administration. | The action marks an escalation of Democratic efforts to use their House majority to aggressively investigate the inner workings of the Trump administration. |
| President Donald Trump last week abandoned his bid to inject a citizenship question into the census, after the Supreme Court said the administration’s justification for the question “seems to have been contrived.” Trump directed agencies to try to compile the information using existing databases. | President Donald Trump last week abandoned his bid to inject a citizenship question into the census, after the Supreme Court said the administration’s justification for the question “seems to have been contrived.” Trump directed agencies to try to compile the information using existing databases. |
| In other news from the House, they’ve voted to block certain arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. | In other news from the House, they’ve voted to block certain arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. |
| The Washington Post reports: | The Washington Post reports: |
| The House voted Wednesday to undo President Trump’s attempt to sidestep Congress and complete several arms sales benefiting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, sending the measures to the Oval Office where they are expected to be met with a veto. | The House voted Wednesday to undo President Trump’s attempt to sidestep Congress and complete several arms sales benefiting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, sending the measures to the Oval Office where they are expected to be met with a veto. |
| The Trump administration announced in May that they would invoke emergency authority to push through 22 arms sales worth over $8 billion, including missiles, munitions and surveillance aircraft for Saudi Arabia. A bipartisan majority — but not a veto-proof majority — of both the Senate and the House objected to the move, which would replenish part of the Saudi arsenal that lawmakers believe have been used against civilians in Yemen’s long-running war. | The Trump administration announced in May that they would invoke emergency authority to push through 22 arms sales worth over $8 billion, including missiles, munitions and surveillance aircraft for Saudi Arabia. A bipartisan majority — but not a veto-proof majority — of both the Senate and the House objected to the move, which would replenish part of the Saudi arsenal that lawmakers believe have been used against civilians in Yemen’s long-running war. |
| Lawmakers in both parties also object to the idea of seemingly rewarding Saudi leaders with hefty arms deals, at a time when most members want to punish them for their alleged role in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. | Lawmakers in both parties also object to the idea of seemingly rewarding Saudi leaders with hefty arms deals, at a time when most members want to punish them for their alleged role in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. |
| CNN has announced the list of Democratic candidates who will be participating in the upcoming debate on 30 and 31 July. | CNN has announced the list of Democratic candidates who will be participating in the upcoming debate on 30 and 31 July. |
| They are: | They are: |
| 1) Colorado senator Michael Bennet | 1) Colorado senator Michael Bennet |
| 2) Former vice-president Joe Biden | 2) Former vice-president Joe Biden |
| 3) New Jersey senator Cory Booker | 3) New Jersey senator Cory Booker |
| 4) Montana governor Steve Bullock | 4) Montana governor Steve Bullock |
| 5) South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg | 5) South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg |
| 6) Former Housing and Urban Development secretary Julián Castro | 6) Former Housing and Urban Development secretary Julián Castro |
| 7) New York mayor Bill de Blasio | 7) New York mayor Bill de Blasio |
| 8) Former Maryland representative John Delaney | 8) Former Maryland representative John Delaney |
| 9) Hawaii representative Tulsi Gabbard | 9) Hawaii representative Tulsi Gabbard |
| 10) New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand | 10) New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand |
| 11) California senator Kamala Harris | 11) California senator Kamala Harris |
| 12) Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper | 12) Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper |
| 13) Washington governor Jay Inslee | 13) Washington governor Jay Inslee |
| 14) Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar | 14) Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar |
| 15) Former Texas representative Beto O’Rourke | 15) Former Texas representative Beto O’Rourke |
| 16) Ohio representative Tim Ryan | 16) Ohio representative Tim Ryan |
| 17) Vermont senator Bernie Sanders | 17) Vermont senator Bernie Sanders |
| 18) Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren | 18) Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren |
| 19) Author Marianne Williamson | 19) Author Marianne Williamson |
| 20) Businessman Andrew Yang | 20) Businessman Andrew Yang |
| The House voted 332 to 95 in favor of tabling the impeachment resolution. 137 Democrats voted with Republicans to kill the resolution, whereas 95 Democrats voted to consider the issue of impeachment. | The House voted 332 to 95 in favor of tabling the impeachment resolution. 137 Democrats voted with Republicans to kill the resolution, whereas 95 Democrats voted to consider the issue of impeachment. |
| Note: in the House of Representatives, to table a resolution something means to kill it without a debate or a vote. | Note: in the House of Representatives, to table a resolution something means to kill it without a debate or a vote. |