While you were sleeping, we compiled the biggest stories of the day in one place. Each story has a quick and easy summary, so you're prepared for whatever the day brings. Just click on the links if you want to know more!
1. Trump becomes first US president to be impeached twice
The House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump for the second time, marking the fourth impeachment of a US president in history. Trump also became the first president to be impeached by the House twice.
The final vote vote was 232 in favor compared to 197 opposed including ten Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he is still weighing his options when the Senate returns next week. The Senate could consider Trump’s impeachment after he leaves office. The Senate could vote to ban him from holding federal office ever again, which would preclude him from running for president in 2024.
2. How did Trump respond? Not directly:
In a prerecorded video statement released within hours of the House voting to impeach, President Donald Trump encouraged his backers to be peaceful. Trump did not directly address the impeachment vote in his five-minute statement.
After urging peace among his supporters, Trump then condemned social media companies for banning his account. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other companies banned a number of accounts from posting following last week’s attack of the Capitol that left five dead.
Trump echoed law enforcement concerns over possible unrest between now and the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, through Trump has yet to refer to Biden directly as the president-elect.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 13, 2021
3. How are Florida officials responding? Rep. calls for social media boycott
Republican Rep. Randy Fine is preparing legislation that would force state and local governments to boycott Twitter, Facebook, Apple, Android and Amazon as a reaction to President Donald Trump being banned from social media.
The reaction in South Florida to President Donald Trump's second impeachment seems to run along party lines.
Below, our political expert Michael Williams was joined by Brian Crowley and Mary Anna Mancuso to discuss President Trump's second impeachment, plus reactions from Rep. Lois Frankel and Rep. Brian Mast.
4. The latest on Rebekah Jones: Judge puts pressure on state
A Leon County judge neither granted nor denied a motion that would have forced Florida’s top law enforcement agency to return the property it seized when investigators executed a search warrant at the Tallahassee home of Rebekah Jones last month.
Judge John Cooper said he simply didn’t have enough information to determine if the state law enforcement agency needed to return computers and phones it seized at the former data analysts’ home. Judge Cooper did put pressure on the state to determine if will be pursuing criminal charges against Jones or drops its case against her.
Jones made national headlines in May when she went public with accusations that FDOH fired her when, she said, she was asked but refused to manipulate COVID case numbers around the same Governor DeSantis announced plans to reopen businesses in the state.
5. The latest on local coronavirus vaccines:
The town of Palm Beach has created a waiting list for residents 65 years and older who want to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Residents are encouraged to call or email the Palm Beach County Health Department at 561-625-5180 or chd50feedback@flhealth.gov to get on their list for an appointment at a county vaccination site.
Delray Beach Fire Rescue will be administrating a limited number of COVID-19 vaccines for people 65 and older.Those who are interested in making an appointment to take the vaccine should register here Thursday starting at 10 a.m.
The head of the School District of Palm Beach County wants teachers prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.Currently, teachers in Florida are not eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, unless they are 65 and older or deemed to be "extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 by hospital providers."
Today's Forecast
Rain tapers to showers:
Get your complete hour-by-hour forecast here.
On This Day In History
On Jan. 14, 1639, in Hartford, Connecticut, the first constitution in the American colonies, the “Fundamental Orders,” is adopted by representatives of Wethersfield, Windsor, and Hartford.
Remember, you can join Mike Trim and Ashleigh Walters every weekday on WPTV NewsChannel 5 beginning at 4:30 a.m. And you can always watch the latest news from WPTV anytime on your favorite streaming device. Just search for "WPTV."
