Oct 14, 2019

Happy Columbus Day! Last week, we were thrilled to see our Ronald Reagan Distinguished fellow emeritus, former Attorney General Edwin Meese III, receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. You can watch a clip of the award ceremony below. You’ll also want to get up to date on the president’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria and what the impeachment inquiry could mean for Congress. And for those of you who want to pass out something special in addition to treats this Halloween, The Heritage Foundation has the perfect recommendation: a pocket-sized U.S. Constitution! Find out how to order yours in the Happening at Heritage section below.

Edwin Meese III Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
President Donald Trump awarded Edwin Meese III the Presidential Medal of Freedom last week for his distinguished leadership and legal guidance while serving as attorney general under President Ronald Reagan. This prestigious award is the nation’s highest civilian honor. Meese has worked at The Heritage Foundation for a quarter of a century, serving as the Ronald Reagan distinguished fellow emeritus. “I am greatly honored to receive such recognition from President Trump. For many years, I had the privilege of serving the country under President Ronald Reagan. During that time and throughout my life and career, my aim has been to remain committed to the Constitution, the rule of law, and the conservative American values that have made America ‘the shining city upon a hill,’” Meese said. You can watch the award ceremony here and find out more about Meese’s contributions to our nation on Heritage.org

What You Need to Know About Trump’s Syria Move
President Donald Trump announced the United States will be pulling its troops out of Syria, allowing the Turkish government to assume responsibility for military operations in the country. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle claim that the move dooms the Kurds and ensures the resurgence of ISIS, but Heritage military expert James Carafano argues that the decision could be a positive one. “If the Turks do what they said they’re going to do, I think it’s actually good for everybody,” Carafano told The Daily Signal. “I think the presumption that this is doom and gloom and we’ve left our allies to die—I don’t think there’s a lot of evidence for that.” Read or listen to Carafano’s interview on Trump’s Syria move.

House Democrats Play ‘Political High-Stakes Poker’ With Impeachment
In all of U.S. history, only 19 federal officials have been impeached, and House Democrats are working to make President Donald Trump number 20. John Malcolm, vice president of Heritage’s Institute for Constitutional Government, argues that the impeachment process is political high-stakes poker, and Trump’s critics think they hold the winning hand. “The impeachment process is not intended to serve as a partisan political weapon. It is meant to apply to those who are unfit for office, not those who are merely incompetent or disagreeable. Its purpose is to address serious misconduct, not to settle policy disputes,” writes Malcolm. Read Malcolm full commentary.

Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., as part of its “Preserve the Constitution” event series, Heritage will host Judge Edith Jones, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, to deliver the Joseph Story Lecture. Watch the event live.

Here are the highlights from the TV news shows featuring Heritage experts. This week, they touched on hot topics like Syria, impeachment, the NBA controversy, and DACA. Watch the video.