Welcome to Tuesday, December 17th, social butterflies and wallflowers...

Johnson, Clinton, Trump?

President Donald Trump will likely become the third U.S. president to be impeached when the Democratic-led House votes this week on whether Trump is guilty of "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors" as set out in the Constitution.

The House is voting on two articles of impeachment: that Trump abused his power and obstructed Congress in regards to his conduct with Ukraine.

Early Monday, the House Judiciary Committee released a 658-page report outlining the reasons behind the two impeachment articles.

"Taken together, the articles charge that President Trump has placed his personal, political interests above our national security, our free and fair elections, and our system of checks and balances. He has engaged in a pattern of misconduct that will continue if left unchecked. Accordingly, President Trump should be impeached and removed from office," the report states.

Tell your reps how to vote on impeachment:

On the Radar

Banning Homeless from Sleeping Outside

The U.S. Supreme Court has let stand a ruling that says homeless people have a constitutional right to sleep on outdoor public property if no indoor shelter is available.

The justices declined to hear a case from Boise, Idaho, which said a lower court's ruling left them “powerless” to address residents’ concerns about health and safety.

"The consequences of the 9th Circuit’s erroneous decision have already been – and will continue to be – far-reaching and catastrophic," Boise’s lawyers told SCOTUS. "Encampments provide a captive and concentrated market for drug dealers and gangs who prey on the vulnerable. It is thus no surprise that nearly 1,000 homeless people died on the streets last year in Los Angeles County alone."

But Maria Foscarinis, executive director of the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, welcomed the news.

"We’re thrilled that the court has let the 9th Circuit decision stand so that homeless people are not punished for sleeping on the streets when they have no other option," she said.

Should homeless be banned from sleeping outside?

Under the Radar

Party Hopping

New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew is swapping the (D) after his name for an (R) just as the House prepares its vote on articles of impeachment against President Trump.

Nearly all of Van Drew’s Washington staff resigned following his announcement, writing:

“Sadly, Congressman Van Drew’s decision to join the ranks of Republican Party led by Donald Trump does not align with the values we brought to this job when we joined his office.”
They continued: "Over the past year, Trump Republicans have sided with special interests over the needs of working people. Worse, they continue to aid and abet Trump as he shreds the Constitution and tears the country apart. They have refused to grapple with how the President of the United States has jeopardized our national security for his own political advantage."

There is no law preventing an elected official from switching parties at any time. All it takes is changing your voter registration. Van Drew just has to log into the New Jersey Secretary of State website and check a different party. Then – poof – he’s a Republican.

Should politicians be allowed to switch parties?