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This is Rep. Adam Schiffs moment.
This is Rep. Adam Schiff's moment. Chip Somodevilla / GETTY IMAGES

Good morning, Portland! Look, I know we're all in mourning over Mr. Peanut, but let's try to get through this the best we can, alright?

Here are the headlines.

"Beyond the Reach of Accountability": The Senate impeachment trial really got underway yesterday, with Rep. Adam Schiff delivering a barn-burner of an opening statement. One of the rules of impeachment is that senators aren't allowed to talk while House Democrats present their case—meaning Republicans just had to sit and listen, for once in their lives. You can read up on the whole day here, but I think this quote from Schiff gets to the most important—and infuriating—part of this whole thing:

“If not remedied by his conviction in the Senate and removal from office, President Trump’s abuse of his office and obstruction of Congress will permanently alter the balance of power among the branches of government, inviting future presidents to operate as if they are also beyond the reach of accountability, congressional oversight and the law.”

Meanwhile, State TV spun it the best they could:

Local Election News: The latest local political candidates to throw their hats in the ring for 2020 races: Former County Commissioner Loretta Smith is running for Portland City Council, and longtime transportation activist Chris Smith is running for Metro Council.

The Limit Does Not Exist: Eighty-seven percent of Portland voters approved campaign donation limits in 2018, but those new regulations are currently tied up in court—meaning the city won't be enforcing them during the 2020 election cycle.

Under Fire: Per a report from the Oregonian, a Portland Fire Bureau precinct is in trouble for displaying a calendar mocking the city's homeless population. "This is a great community harm that we will need to jointly rectify," wrote Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, who oversees the fire bureau, in a memo to Portland firefighters.

Our Bad: One of the architects of the United States' enhanced interrogation torture program at Guantanamo Bay now says he regrets going so far with water boarding and other techniques human rights violations. Notably, he said the US sometimes kept torturing even after it was clear it wasn't going to get any new info from its prisoners.

Protect Trans Kids: A new bill in South Dakota seeks to criminalize doctors who provide medical treatment for trans kids. "The legislation only adds to aggression that people feel towards trans people, which makes South Dakota much more unsafe," says one trans South Dakotan.

Viral: In China, fear over the Wuhan coronavirus is causing cities to shut down public transportation and ban large celebrations for the upcoming Lunar New Year. So far the illness has claimed at least 17 Chinese lives.

Church and State: A new case before the Supreme Court has the potential to radically change school funding in the US—and allow religious schools to receive government funding.

Heating Up: The devastating wildfires in Australia have so far released 900 million tons of carbon dioxide—about twice the country's annual greenhouse gas emissions. In other words: A natural disaster caused by climate change is now also accelerating climate change.

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