Welcome to Friday, January 3rd, cops and robbers...

Should the Senate Call Mulvaney and Bolton to Testify in Trump’s Impeachment Trial?

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is renewing calls for key Trump administration figures to testify during the Senate impeachment trial following a "game changer" report in the New York Times detailing White House efforts to withhold nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine.

“Simply put, in our fight to have key documents and witnesses in a Senate impeachment trial, these new revelations are a game changer,” Schumer said at a press conference earlier this week.

Among other revelations, the Times reported that Trump declined to release Ukrainian military aid despite appeals from former national security adviser John Bolton, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper. It also revealed the role White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney played in withholding the aid.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said on Monday that she is "open" to calling witnesses as part of the Senate impeachment trial, though she stressed it's still too early to decide whom should be called.

"I am open to witnesses. I think it's premature to decide who should be called until we see the evidence that is presented and get the answers to the questions that we senators can submit through the Chief Justice to both sides," Collins told Maine Public Radio when asked about calling Mulvaney or Bolton.

Should the Senate call witnesses in Trump's impeachment trial?

On the Radar

4 Things to Watch in Congress in 2020

Here’s a look at four storylines to watch in Congress in the year ahead.

Impeachment Trial: It’s unclear when the impeachment trial will begin in the Senate because House Democrats haven’t yet appointed managers to present their case in the trial. Once the Senate begins the trial, it will be in session six days a week, Monday through Saturday, with proceedings from afternoon until evening. As jurors, all senators would be required to attend the trial and remain silent as it proceeds.

USMCA: The Senate will take up the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) sometime early in 2020, potentially before or after the impeachment trial depending on when the House chooses to appoint its managers for the trial.

Funding Fights: While Congress already voted to fund the government through September 30, 2020, the perpetual dysfunction of the appropriations process could cause lawmakers to resort to short-term continuing resolutions to avoid a government shutdown in the fall.

Pre-Election Recess: With House Democrats and Senate Republicans both hoping to retain their majorities, expect leadership to push members to wrap up work on must-pass legislation (such as government funding) well in advance of Election Day, which will fall on November 3, 2020.

How excited are you to watch Congress in 2020?

Under the Radar

"Do Not Sell My Information"

Seeing “Do not sell my information” links popping up on websites? CCPA is to thank (or blame).

The California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, allows customers to instruct businesses to not sell their personal information. It also requires that companies tell you what data they're collecting when you ask—and delete it all if you request that.

The law applies to any company that meets one of three criteria: 1) have at least $25 million in revenue, 2) make at least half their money by selling data, 3) gather information on at least 50,000 consumers.

"On Jan. 1, 2020, all Californians will be able to find out what personal information a business is collecting about them, their devices and their children," said Mary Stone Ross, one of the new law's co-authors, and a data privacy expert.

In September, a group of 51 chief executives — including Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and IBM’s Ginni Rometty, and Best Buy’s Corie Barry - signed an open letter to House and Senate leadership asking for a federal privacy bill.

“We urgently need a comprehensive federal consumer data privacy law to strengthen consumer trust and establish a stable policy environment where new services and technologies can flourish within a well-understood legal and regulatory framework.”

Should you be able to opt-out of the sale of your personal information?