The lawyer for former national security adviser John Bolton responded on Wednesday to the White House's claim that a manuscript of Bolton's forthcoming book contains top-secret information.
What they're saying: Charles Cooper wrote in a letter, "We do not believe that any of that information could reasonably be considered classified, but given that Ambassador Bolton could be called to testify as early as next week, it is imperative that we have the results of your review of that chapter as soon as possible. Please do give me a call to let me know how we can work together toward that end."
The publisher of the controversial forthcoming book "American Dirt" says it has canceled the rest of author Jeanine Cummins' promotional tour because of safety concerns.
The big picture: The book received widespread praise before it was released on Jan. 21, but has since been widely condemned for what critics have described as stereotypical depictions of Mexicans, per AP. Cummins is of Irish and Puerto Rican heritage.
Alan Dershowitz, a member of President Trump’s defense team, responded to a question on quid pro quos on Wednesday, stating: "If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment."
South Floridians last week had cold weather with unusual repercussions — unconscious iguanas falling from the trees. (This video is worth a watch.)
Driving the news: Temperatures in the 30s and 40s stunned the reptiles but didn't necessarily kill them. Many woke up as temperatures rose again, per the National Weather Service of Miami.
Georgia Rep. Doug Collins told "Fox & Friends" Wednesday he will challenge Sen. Kelly Loeffler, another Republican, for her seat in the state's election this year.
Why it matters: Collins' announcement has "sparked an intraparty Republican brawl between a top defender of President Trump and a business executive who was appointed to the post by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp," the Washington Post writes.
The White House says that former national security adviser John Bolton's book contains top secret information in a letter addressed to his attorney that was publicly released Wednesday.
The state of play: The development, first reported by CNN's Jake Tapper, sets up a potential legal battle between Bolton and the White House over the book's publication, which is currently scheduled for March 17.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Wednesday that he does not feel additional witnesses are needed in President Trump's impeachment trial — despite the Ukraine-linked revelations from former national security adviser John Bolton's unpublished manuscript.
The state of play: In a statement, Graham argued that "one could assume everything attributable to John Bolton is accurate and still the House case would fall well below the standards to remove a president from office."
Partnerships between urban and rural municipalities, educational institutions and corporations are beginning to create opportunities to address urban-rural gaps in transit, food security and broadband access.
Why it matters: The rural-urban divide, particularly with regard to broadband access, boils down to a mismatch in where resources are allocated, and these programs strive to distribute resources beyond urban cores.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that he believes Hunter Biden is a relevant witness in President Trump's Senate impeachment trial, adding that it could be an opportunity for Biden to clear himself.
The state of play: Senate Democrats and Republicans are jockeying over whether to call witnesses — and, if so, who would take the stand. Republicans want Biden to testify because of unproven allegations of corruption over his work with Ukrainian gas company Burisma.
President Trump tweeted biting remarks targeting his former national security advisor John Bolton, claiming without evidence that if he'd listened to Bolton the U.S. "would be in World War Six by now."
"For a guy who couldn't get approved for the Ambassador to the U.N. years ago, couldn’t get approved for anything since, “begged” me for a non Senate approved job, which I gave him despite many saying “Don’t do it, sir,” takes the job, mistakenly says “Libyan Model” on T.V., and many more mistakes of judgement, gets fired because frankly, if I listened to him, we would be in World War Six by now, and goes out and IMMEDIATELY writes a nasty & untrue book. All Classified National Security. Who would do this?"
The Congressional Budget Office expects the U.S. budget deficit will top $1 trillion in fiscal year 2020, the first trillion-dollar deficit in history not caused by the Great Recession.
Why it matters: The deficit is rising at a time of exceptionally low unemployment and solid economic growth, rather than during a crisis, which is typically when spending elevates.
Senators plan to grill House managers and White House lawyers on a series of questions as President Trump's impeachment trial enters a contentious new phase on Wednesday.
Why it matters: The 16-hour Q&A session, which is expected to be split over two days, is a crucial period that will solidify whether senators feel satisfied with the evidence they have, or if they will vote to bring in additional witnesses and documents.
Between the lines: 49% of Republicans surveyed say they support having witnesses, a sign that they may be hoping to hear from Hunter Biden on his work in Ukraine more thanformer national security adviser John Bolton.
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly authored a New York Times op-ed Tuesday about her encounter with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and why she's refused to back down on her reporting.
What she's saying: "There is a reason that freedom of the press is enshrined in the Constitution," Kelly said. "There is a reason it matters that people in positions of power — people charged with steering the foreign policy of entire nations — be held to account. The stakes are too high for their impulses and decisions not to be examined in as thoughtful and rigorous an interview as is possible."
