First in POLITICO Playbook: Mark Meadows to leave Congress, plus what McConnell will say on impeachment  —  “OBVIOUSLY, I'VE LOOKED AT THIS AS A TEMPORARY JOB,” Meadows told us in an interview Wednesday, speaking of serving in the House.  “Endorsed term limits — never ran on a term-limit pledge.

Donald Trump Made His Own Impeachment Inevitable  —  As rare as impeachments may be, today's impeachment of Donald Trump, president of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors was pretty much inevitable.  —  It was inevitable because of Trump himself, his very character …

Trump makes 'hell'-acious crack about deceased Rep. John Dingell, wife responds  —  The president spoke about the former lawmaker at a campaign rally in his home state of Michigan.  —  President Donald Trump made a macabre quip about late Democratic Rep. John Dingell at his rally in Michigan …

Putin: Trump impeachment ‘far-fetched,’ Senate will acquit  —  MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin called the U.S. impeachment process “far-fetched” Thursday, making a seemingly obvious prediction that Donald Trump will be acquitted in the Senate.

The House's Sad, Predictable, Partisan, and Historic Impeachment of Donald Trump  —  It was a sad day—on that, at least, everyone could agree.  On her way to the House floor, soon after 9 a.m., to begin the historic debate on the impeachment of Donald Trump, the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, told reporters that she felt “sad.”

U.S. Envoy to Ukraine Was Asked to Step Aside Ahead of Pompeo Visit  —  Timing counters earlier suggestions that Acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor's precise departure date was predetermined  —  Acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor was instructed by a top aide to Secretary …

Surveillance footage outside of Jeffrey Epstein's cell during first suicide attempt is missing  —  Surveillance footage of the outside of Jeffrey Epstein's cell at the troubled Metropolitan Correctional Center during his first suicide attempt has gone missing, prosecutors revealed Wednesday.

Twelve Million Phones, One Dataset, Zero Privacy  —  EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY, everywhere on the planet, dozens of companies — largely unregulated, little scrutinized — are logging the movements of tens of millions of people with mobile phones and storing the information in gigantic data files.

Tulsi Gabbard Votes ‘Present’ in Impeachment Against Trump  —  The Democrat has missed nearly 90 percent of the votes held in the House of Representatives over the past two months.  On Wednesday, she dodged the biggest vote of her career.  —  As the House of Representatives debated …

Trump Administration Battles New Sanctions on Russia  —  On Tuesday, President Trump claimed he was tougher on Russia than his predecessor.  At the same time, his subordinates strongly opposed a bill imposing new sanctions on Moscow.  —  The Trump administration is quietly fighting …

CNN Poll: Joe Biden holds lead heading into December debate  —  (CNN)Joe Biden continues to hold a lead in the race for the Democratic nomination for president and remains the candidate potential Democratic voters think has the best shot to defeat Donald Trump, according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS.

Court voids Obamacare mandate — but not the whole law  —  Lower court must now reconsider fate of the full statute  —  A federal appeals court on Wednesday struck down Obamacare's individual mandate in a decision that immediately thrusts the health care law to the forefront of the 2020 elections.

Chinese national arrested for illegally entering Mar-a-Lago  —  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A Chinese national trespassed at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club Wednesday and was arrested when she refused to leave, police said, the second time this year a woman from that country …

In the End, Impeachment Was the Only Choice  —  When historians look back at this era, their curiosity will settle not on the question of why the House impeached President Trump, but why it impeached him for this particular offense.  Trump has spent three years violating laws and norms …

Boris Johnson to ‘stop tens of thousands voting’ by making photo ID mandatory by law at polling stations, Queen's Speech reveals  —  Pilots of scheme saw hundreds of voters without photographic ID turned away from polling stations  —  Boris Johnson has confirmed plans to press ahead …

ANALYSIS: In impeachment vote, how Republicans got to zero  —  After rushed and intense proceedings into the Ukraine affair, the House has voted to impeach President Trump.  The vote was 230 to 197 for the first article of impeachment charging the president with abuse of power and 229 to 198 …

Pentagon's Policy Chief Under Fire as Senior Officials Head for the Exits  —  Current and former officials point to John Rood as a major source of frustration in the U.S. Defense Department policy shop.  —  Three years into U.S. President Donald Trump's administration …