This week, House Democrats released transcripts  of eight depositions, and announced a schedule for public hearings next  week. As support for impeachment plateaued, Democrats tentatively  planned to fast-track hearings, with a vote on articles of impeachment  before the holiday break. Republicans meanwhile, careened from varying  defenses of Trump, from it was not a bad quid pro quo, to he is not  competent enough to carry out quid pro quo, to targeting witnesses and  the whistleblower, to considering sacrificing a fall guy in Trump’s  stead.

The Mueller probe was again back in the news, as  the Justice Department released FBI 302 summary reports of interviews,  and the trial of Roger Stone got underway. Documents revealed the source  of the conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the  2016 election was actually Konstantin Kilimnik, an employee of Paul  Manafort who the FBI determined has ties to Russian intelligence. Stone  and Trump’s possible involvement in seeking emails stolen by Russia from  WikiLeaks was also back in the spotlight.

Election night provided victories for Democrats,  taking control of the Virginia legislature for the first time in 26  years, winning the governorship of red state Kentucky, and historic  victories in the suburbs of Philadelphia. As we head toward the 2020  election, U.S. intelligence again warned of election interference  underway, something that Trump, and Republicans who continue to block  legislation to protect voting, oddly seem to welcome.

Read the full list here: https://theweeklylist.org/weekly-list/week-156/