If there’s a ‘y’ in the day, then you can guarantee that China’s foreign ministry will have had something to say about relations with the US. Today Reuters snap that foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, has been criticising US military activity in the region.
After a US aircraft carrier group sailed into the disputed South China Sea, China has said the United States often sends ships and aircraft into the area to “flex its muscles” and this is not good for peace.
Trillions of dollars in trade flows each year through the waterway, which has long been a focus of contention between Beijing and Washington. The US carrier group led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt and accompanied by three warships, entered the waterway on Saturday to promote “freedom of the seas”, the US military said, just days after Joe Biden became president.
“The United States frequently sends aircraft and vessels into the South China Sea to flex its muscles,” the foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, told reporters, responding to the mission. “This is not conducive to peace and stability in the region.”
China has repeatedly complained about US navy ships getting close to islands it occupies in the South China Sea, where Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan all have competing claims.
The carrier group entered the South China Sea at the same time as Chinese-claimed Taiwan reported incursions by Chinese air force jets into the southwestern part of its air defence identification zone, prompting concern from Washington.
China has not commented on what its air force was doing, and Zhao referred questions from reporters to the defence ministry. He reiterated China’s position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and that the United States should abide by the “one China” principle.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen visited a radar base in the north of the island on Monday, and praised its ability to track Chinese forces, her office said.
“From last year until now, our radar station has detected nearly 2,000 communist aircraft and more than 400 communist ships, allowing us to quickly monitor and drive them away, and fully guard the sea and airspace,” she told officers.
Taiwan’s defence ministry added that just a single Chinese aircraft flew into its defence zone earlier today, an anti-submarine Y-8 aircraft.
Biden’s new administration has said the US commitment to Taiwan is “rock-solid”. Like most countries, it no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is the democratic island’s most important international backer and main arms supplier, to China’s anger.
Butch Bowers: Trump tapped Bowers, a South Carolina lawyer, to lead his legal team and defense in the senate. A friend of Trump ally Lindsey Graham, Bowers worked for Mark Sanford, then the South Carolina governor, when he was nearly impeached in connection to an affair over a decade ago. In 2012, he also represented Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who went on to work in the Trump administration, in an ethics investigation. He also has helped defend North Carolina and South Carolina voter ID measures, according to the Post and Courier, and worked as a special counsel on voting matters in the justice department under President George W Bush.
Karl “Butch” Bowers will defend former president Donald Trump. Photograph: Mary Ann Chastain/AP
Trump reportedly struggled to find a legal team for the trial. Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone, and well-known lawyers like Jay Sekulow, Ken Starr, Alan Derschowitz, and Rudy Giuliani who helped defend the president during the first trial are not participating.
Senate party leaders
Mitch McConnell: The cunning House minority leader, McConnell won’t be making a case for or against Trump during the trial, but will remain one of the most powerful Republicans. In a significant move, McConnell has left the door open towards voting for impeaching Trump, which could encourage other Republicans following along. Even if they do get McConnell’s vote, Democrats would still need to get at least 16 other senators to vote for impeachment - a high bar.
Chuck Schumer: The newly elected Senate majority leader, Schumer will be responsible for keeping his caucus aligned and trying to win over Republican support, all while helping to maintain messaging during the trial. Schumer has been outspoken about the need to impeach Trump.
Jamie Raskin: House speaker Nancy Pelosi tapped Raskin, a Maryland congressman first elected in 2016, to be the lead House impeachment manager to make the case for convicting Trump. A longtime constitutional law professor at American University, Raskin has been unsparing in his criticism of the role Trump played in inciting the 6 January riot. He reportedly began drafting the article of impeachment against the president hours after the attack.
Raskin is taking on the role at a time when his family is in mourning – his 25-year-old son Tommy died by suicide on New Year’s Eve. Raskin has pointed to his son as one of the reasons why he chose to take on leading the impeachment effort. “I’ve devoted my life to the constitution and to the republic. I’m a professor of constitutional law, but I did it really with my son in my heart, and helping lead the way. I feel him in my chest,” he told the Guardian.
Schumer promises quick but fair trial as Trump impeachment heads to Senate
Amanda Holpuch
The single article of impeachment against Donald Trump will this evening be delivered to the Senate, where Democratic majority leader Chuck Schumer is promising a quick but fair trial.
“It will be a fair trial but it will move relatively quickly,” Schumer, from New York, told reporters on Sunday. The trial would not take up too much time, he said, because “we have so much else to do”.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi will walk the article from the House, through the Capitol and to the Senate at 7pm ET (midnight GMT), marking the formal start of the impeachment trial. But there will be a two-week lull in proceedings, after Schumer and Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell reached an agreement on Friday.
“During that period,” Schumer said, “the Senate will continue to do other business for the American people, such as cabinet nominations and the Covid relief bill, which would provide relief for millions of Americans who are suffering during this pandemic.”
The delay will give both legal teams two more weeks to prepare. Pelosi has named the House managers who will prosecute Trump, led by Jamie Raskin. An attorney from South Carolina, Karl “Butch” Bowers, will lead Trump’s defense.
Bowers’ most high-profile cases to date include defending a controversial Republican-backed transgender bathroom bill in North Carolina and representing a governor of his own state, Mark Sanford, when he faced impeachment.
Though the Senate is now controlled by Democrats, two-thirds of senators must vote against Trump if he is to be convicted. That means 17 Republicans must go against a former president from their own party. As of Friday, according to a tally by the Washington Post, 42 senators had said they supported impeachment, 19 were open to conviction, 28 were opposed and 11 had made no indication.
Biden to sign executive order to increase federal spending on US-manufactured goods
Lauren Gambino
Joe Biden on Monday will sign an executive order that aims to fulfill his “Buy American” campaign promise by tightening the rules to increase federal spending on products that are manufactured in the United States.
During his campaign, Biden vowed that his administration would invest an additional $400nn in federal purchases of domestically-made products as a way of reviving American manufacturing. Previewing the directive on Sunday night, an administration official emphasized that the order was only a “first step” toward that goal.
The order directs agencies to increase domestic content requirements and close existing loopholes available for purchases of foreign products. It also creates a central review of waivers to the Buy American rules that allow agencies to purchase products manufactured overseas.
As a candidate, Biden offered his “Buy American” plan as a direct counter to Trump’s “America First” agenda, as they competed for support from white working class voters. Trump signed an executive order early in his presidency to buy American products and hire American workers, but the Biden administration official on Sunday said Biden’s directive contained more mechanisms for enforcement.
“The prior administration issued numerous releases and orders but when you look at the outcome, there was no real material change,” the official said.
Key elements of the executive order will include:
Updating how government decides if a product was sufficiently made in America.
A change in the price threshold over which the government can buy non-US manufactured goods.
Appointing a Director of Made-in-America at the Office of Management and Budget to oversee the implementation.
In a statement, the administration say that:
This order is deeply intertwined with the president’s commitment to invest in American manufacturing, including clean energy and critical supply chains, grow good-paying, union jobs, and advance racial equity.
Monday’s order is the latest in a rush of executive action Biden is taking to unwind what the administration views as the “gravest” pieces of his predecessor’s legacy as well as to create early momentum around his legislative agenda. Biden has said his first priority is to confront the coronavirus and the economic pain it has caused, emphasizing equity as a part of his response. More directives are expected throughout the week on advancing racial and gender equality, combatting the climate crisis, expanding access to healthcare and reforming aspects of the immigration system.
Protests in Tacoma, Washington, after police car drove through crowd of pedestrians
Protesters marched in protest late last night in response to a police car driving through a crowd in Washington state the day before, which had left at least two people injured.
The Associated Press report that the demonstrators gathered near the intersection in Tacoma where the police car plowed through a crowd of pedestrians while responding to a reported street race Saturday evening. Video of the incident was widely shared online and appeared to show at least one person being run over.
Protesters chase a street preacher, right, who was using a loudspeaker to deliver a sermon during a protest against police brutality in downtown Tacoma. Photograph: Ted S Warren/AP
Both injured people went to hospitals with injuries not considered to be life threatening. One person has since been released, news outlets reported.
Sunday evening demonstrators gathered at a park then marched through downtown. Several items were set up to create a barricade in the street, and the demonstrators also passed by the Pierce County Jail.
Police and Washington State Troopers block protesters from passing during an anti-police protest in Tacoma. Photograph: David Ryder/Getty Images
There were no known injuries from the demonstration, police said in a tweet, adding that the protest was cleared around 11pm.
The demonstration has broken up and the roadways are clear. There are no known injuries in relation to the demonstration. Thank you for your patience. pic.twitter.com/OAHjTYgzSK
The officer involved in the incident Saturday is a 58-year-old man who has been with the department for 29 1/2 years, Tacoma police said. He had been surrounded by a crowd after arriving at the reported street race. Police claim the officer feared for his safety and drove forward through the crowd, then stopped and called for medical aid.
A protester walks past burning trash during a protest against police brutality in downtown Tacoma. Photograph: Ted S Warren/AP
The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave. Protesters told news outlets they want the officer to be fired, and criticized the city for what they said was a lack of transparency.
The Tacoma Community’s Police Advisory Committee scheduled a virtual meeting Monday at 6pm to discuss the incident. Tacoma is located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Seattle.
Chris McGreal has been in Kansas City for us talking to activists who are hopeful but cautious as president Joe Biden acknowledges that the ground has shifted in the US on racial justice after the police killing of George Floyd:
Jeanelle Austin, an African American activist who lives a few blocks from where George Floyd was killed and who tends his memorial constructed piecemeal in the street, said that the early promises of police reform in Minneapolis have come to little.
“Nothing has really changed. That’s why we’re still filling the street,” she said. “They’ve only offered verbiage in terms of what they want to do or the ideas that they have. We haven’t seen anything concrete in terms of reforming the Minneapolis police department.”
“Racism is deep within the DNA and the bones of the structures of our nation, and so it is a tall order for any one person to change it. Now, the president has a lot more power than anyone else to be able to set right some of the systems and policies and structures,” she said.
Jeanelle Austin, left, explains and interprets the George Floyd memorial site for a group of Minnesota Timberwolves players in October 2020. Photograph: Jeff Wheeler/AP
“It will be interesting to see which systems Biden plans on addressing head on because race impacts everything. The police, the education system, the financial system, the housing system, the criminal justice system, the health care system. He’s going to have to decide what he’s going to push.”
Sarah Sanders to run for Arkansas governor – reports
There’s quite a few ex-Trump staffers looking for something to do next. Sarah Sanders is one who appears to have made a plan. Donald Trump’s former chief spokeswoman and one of his closest aides, is running for Arkansas governor, according to multiple reports.
Sanders, who left the White House in 2019 to return to her home state, planned to announce her bid on Monday, according to Associated Press and Reuters, citing anonymous sources.
The former White House press secretary is launching her bid less than a week after the end of Trump’s presidency and as the ex-president faces an impeachment trial. But Sanders is running in a solidly red state where Republicans tend to embrace the former president.
The daughter of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Sanders had been widely expected to run for the office after leaving the White House – and Trump publicly encouraged her to make a go. She’s been laying the groundwork for a candidacy, speaking to Republican groups around the state.
Former White House press secretary Sarah Sanders speaking at an event in October 2020. Photograph: Emily Matthews/AP
Sanders, 38, joins a Republican primary that already includes two statewide elected leaders, lieutenant-governor Tim Griffin and attorney general Leslie Rutledge. The three are running to succeed current governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican who is unable to run next year due to term limits. No Democrats have announced a bid to run for the seat.
Sanders was the first working mother and only the third woman to serve as White House press secretary. But she also faced questions about her credibility during her time as Trump’s chief spokesperson.
Brian Stelter made a couple of interesting points about Donald Trump’s impeachment in his overnight newsletter for CNN:
When Congressman Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas, announced that he would vote against the second impeachment earlier this month, he hinted that he might regret it someday.
McCaul said he wanted more time to review “the facts and the evidence” about the events leading up to the Capitol riot. He said he opposed impeachment “at this time” but he added, “I truly fear there may be more facts that come to light in the future that will put me on the wrong side of this debate.”
That quote has been rattling around in my brain all weekend. We’re hearing more and more about the assault on the Capitol. I was struck by this WaPo story the other day, titled “Self-styled militia members planned on storming the U.S. Capitol days in advance of 6 January attack, court documents say,” because it quoted messages that one of the accused ring-leaders received during the riot. “When he posted a one-word message, ‘Inside,’ he received exhortations and directions describing tunnels, doors and hallways, the FBI said.” Directions from whom? How? There is so much we still don’t know.
Similarly, this NYT story described how a Capitol Police lieutenant scrambled to protect House lawmakers by piling tables and chairs into a makeshift barricade. “He had 31 rounds for his service weapon, and he has told others that he feared he might need them all.” I can’t help but wonder: Is this new info sinking in? Or have most people made up their minds about 1/6?
There’s also this little nugget:
“Trump has started to believe there are fewer votes to convict than there would have been if the vote had been held almost immediately after 6 January,” Maggie Haberman reported Sunday night, citing people familiar with his thinking...
Impeachment guide: how will Donald Trump's second Senate trial unfold?
Lauren Gambino
Here is a run-down of some of what we know so far about Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment:
What happens on today? Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi will send the article of impeachment to the Senate at 7pm EST (at midnight in the UK). The charge will be carried by Democratic impeachment managers in a small, formal procession throughNational Statuary Hall, where just weeks ago rioters paraded, waving Trump flags. In the Senate, Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland and the lead impeachment manager, will read the article of impeachment on the floor of the chamber.
What happens next? Traditionally the trial would begin almost immediately but under the deal struck by Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, and Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, the president’s team and the House managers will have until the week of 8 February to to draft and exchange written legal briefs.
What is the charge? Trump is accused of “inciting violence against the government of the United States”, for his statements at a rally prior to his supporters launching the attack on the Capitol in which five people died.
Will witnesses be called? That is not yet known. In Trump’s first impeachment trial, over approaches to Ukraine for dirt on political rivals, the Republican-held Senate refused to call witnesses. Now the Senate is in Democratic hands but many in the party are hoping for a speedy trial so as not to distract from Biden’s first weeks in the White House.
If Trump is convicted what happens next? If Trump is convicted, there will be no immediate consequences as he has already left office. However, lawmakers could hold another vote to block him from running again. A simple majority would be needed to block him from holding “any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States”, blocking a White House run in 2024.
Welcome to our live coverage of US politics for another week, on the day when we expect the next step in impeaching former president Donald Trump to take place. Here’s a quick catch-up on where we are and what we can expect to see today…
Nancy Pelosi and the House of Representatives will send their article of impeachment over the storming of the US Capitol to the Senate today. The former president is charged with ‘incitement of insurrection’. The move is expected to happen around 7pm ET (that’s around midnight in the UK).
President Joe Biden is expected to issue at least one more executive order today. It is anticipated to address the way federal government orders goods that are manufactured in the US.
Dr Antony Fauci has described himself as the ‘skunk at the picnic’ in Trump’s Covid team. In a candid interview he said “I felt it would be better for the country and better for the cause for me to stay, as opposed to walk away.”
