A Partisan Affair

"Witness intimidation" and "bribery" emerge as possible articles of impeachment [Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch sits next to her attorney, Larry Robbins, before testifying to the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill on Friday.]( Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images The Big Picture: Week 1 Of Impeachment Hearings It was a potentially consequential week in the impeachment inquiry as the first public hearings got underway with [diplomats William Taylor and George Kent]( on Wednesday, and [Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch]( on Friday. Here are seven takeaways: 1. Impeachment is shaping up to be a partisan affair, as highlighted by a previously centrist Republican congresswoman becoming one of Trump’s staunchest allies. 2. President Trump continues to be his own worst enemy, potentially tweeting his way into more trouble. 3. “Witness intimidation” and "[bribery]( have emerged as potential articles of impeachment. 4. [A new witness told lawmakers]( that Trump didn't give a "s***" about Ukraine, only about "big stuff" like the "Biden investigation." 5. This week’s witnesses were credible; Republicans did not go after their characters. 6. Both Democrats and Republicans will feel good about what they conveyed. Democrats and the witnesses came across as sober and serious, while Republicans sowed doubt about some key Democratic points. 7. This is only the beginning with more than half a dozen witnesses set to testify next week. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Former adviser to President Trump, Roger Stone, leaves the courthouse after being found guilty of obstructing a congressional investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election on Friday in Washington, D.C.]( Win McNamee/Getty Images ICYMI: Top Stories Roger Stone found guilty: A federal jury found political operative and longtime Trump associate [Roger Stone guilty on all counts]( in his Washington, D.C., trial. Stone was found guilty of obstruction, witness tampering and lying to Congress. SCOTUS arguments on DACA: The Supreme Court heard arguments in a case this week on the future of the DACA program, which provides temporary protections to roughly 700,000 young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children. As NPR’s Nina Totenberg reports, [the court’s conservative majority appears likely]( to allow the Trump administration to shut down the program. 2020 campaign update: There’s a new candidate in the 2020 Democratic primary: [former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick]( officially launched his campaign this week. Meanwhile, former South Carolina Gov. and Rep. Mark Sanford [ended his long-shot bid]( to challenge President Trump for the Republican nomination. November debate qualifiers: With less than three months to go until the first votes are cast in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, [the November primary debate lineup is set](. Ten candidates will appear on stage, including Tom Steyer and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. North Carolina redistricting: A [new redistricting plan in North Carolina]( is likely to lead to Democrats picking up two seats in the House of Representatives. Those potential gains would narrow Republicans’ path to retaking the House majority in 2020. A Warning: Trump, we are told in a soon-to-be-published book by an anonymous "senior Trump administration official," has destroyed the guardrails thoughtful people tried to erect around him. Further, the author has banished nearly all those thoughtful people. [Read the review from NPR's Ron Elving](. — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- The Shot: The Opposing Faces Of The Impeachment Inquiry This week's public hearings for the impeachment inquiry has spotlighted the contrast between House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who was appointed to the panel by GOP leadership last week. NPR spoke with both lawmakers this week as the inquiry shifted into a public phase. [House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., answers questions regarding the public impeachment hearings set to begin on Wednesday]( Mhari Shaw/NPR Schiff told Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep that even if the Senate does not ultimately remove President Trump from office, the House's inquir would still be worth it. "Impeachment is not only a remedy to remove a president," Schiff said. "It's also the most powerful sanction the House has. And if that deters further presidential misconduct, then it may provide some remedy even in the absence of a conviction in the Senate." [Read more]( [Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, has joined the House Intelligence Committee to bolster the Republican defense of President Trump in the impeachment inquiry.]( Mhari Shaw/NPR Jordan spoke with with All Things Considered host Audie Cornish about his visible role in defending both President Trump and the president's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, who has been accused of orchestrating a shadow Ukraine policy. "The president's allowed to have who he wants involved in diplomatic concerns," Jordan said. [Read more]( — Elena Burnett, NPR Washington Desk intern What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprpolitics@npr.org](mailto:nprpolitics@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Politics emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](