Below are the top political news stories of the day: ¯\_(?)_/¯
- White House Considering Dramatic Expansion of Travel Ban - U.S. News | Amid a renewed election-year focus by President Donald Trump on immigration issues.
- Can cash buy the Dem nomination? Two billionaires are trying - AP | Billionaires Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer are testing an unproven theory that their vast personal wealth can buy the trophy.
- Iran crash and missile claims put Ukraine president in bind - AP | Ukraine's president is caught in the middle.
- Trump signals he’d seek to block impeachment trial testimony from Bolton, others... - Fox News | The comments followed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi she will take steps to send impeachment articles to the Senate next week.
- US dismisses Iraq request to work on a troop withdrawal plan - AP | U.S. State Department rejected the request, saying the two sides should instead talk about how to “recommit” to their partnership.
- Texas governor to reject new refugees, first under Trump - AP | Abbott's announcement could have major implications for refugees coming to the United States.
- Elizabeth Warren Doesn’t Talk About Her Republican Past - Atlantic | Should she? Plus: What the other, other Rhodes-Scholar Mayor thinks now of his decision not to get into the 2020 presidential race.
- Marianne Williamson Drops Out of 2020 Race - New York Times | “I stayed in the race to take advantage of every possible opportunity to share our message,”
- Sanders leads, with Warren, Buttigieg, Biden chasing in Iowa Democratic poll - Reuters | U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has taken a narrow lead among Democratic presidential candidates.
- Trump impeachment charges may go to Senate as early as next week - Reuters | Nancy Pelosi said on Friday, setting the stage for his long-awaited trial.
- Buttigieg pledges $1 trillion in infrastructure spending if elected - Reuters | Saying the Trump administration had failed to rebuild the country's roads, bridges, schools, and water systems.
- Bloomberg to tell states to restore felon voting rights, stop purging rolls - Reuters | Bloomberg would seek to standardize federal elections across the United States and prevent states from blocking felons from voting.
- What is McConnell's proposed impeachment trial format? - Reuters | McConnell has said he has enough support from his fellow Republicans to begin the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump even though lawmakers have yet to agree whether to call witnesses.
- Who might argue the case against Trump in the Senate impeachment trial? - Reuters | A handful of trial lawmakers from the House of Representatives will act as prosecutors to lay out the case against the president.
- Trump admin hits Iran with new sanctions - NBC News | Targets 8 officials involved in 'destabilizing activities'https://www.foxnews.com/politics/tr...mpeachment-trial-testimony-from-bolton-others