Newsletter: Most Americans Support Impeachment Inquiry

Trump
President Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, before boarding Marine One helicopter for the short trip to nearby Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press
Trump
President Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, before boarding Marine One helicopter for the short trip to nearby Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press

Newsletter: Most Americans Support Impeachment Inquiry

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Good afternoon! It’s Tuesday, and when I ride the Metra I like to pretend I’m a detective and have to solve a mystery called “Murder on the Big Nerd Express.” Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. Majority of Americans support Trump impeachment inquiry

That’s according to a new poll out from The Washington Post and the Schar School of Policy and Government. The poll found that 58% of people surveyed support the House impeachment inquiry while 38% oppose it.

The findings suggest that public opinion has shifted in recent weeks as more information has come to light about President Donald Trump’s attempts to pressure Ukraine into investigating former Vice President Joe Biden and his son. [Washington Post]

Earlier today, the Trump administration ordered a key witness not to testify before Congress, a signal that the White House will not cooperate with the investigation. House leaders later said they would subpoena the witness, Gordon Sondland, who is the U.S. ambassador to the European Union. [NPR]

And U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry’s dealings with Ukraine have entangled him into the impeachment inquiry. [New York Times]

2. The ethical conundrum surrounding a longtime Illinois power couple

While on the Illinois Supreme Court, Justice Anne Burke has ruled in cases involving the clients of her husband, indicted Chicago Ald. Ed Burke. A WBEZ analysis has identified 10 cases in which she participated at the same time her husband’s firm was being paid by parties in those cases to cut their property tax burdens.

As WBEZ’s Dave McKinney reports, “There’s no evidence to suggest that Anne Burke, who is about to become the state’s highest-ranking judge, deliberately swung cases to benefit her husband’s clients. But one thing is indisputable: Some of the Supreme Court decisions Justice Burke helped shape spared some of her husband’s clients from significant financial and legal risk.” [WBEZ]

Meanwhile, prosecutors turned over a trove of evidence in the corruption case against Ald. Ed Burke. [Chicago Tribune]

3. Hong Kong leader hints Beijing could send in troops if protests persist

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said today that “no options could be ruled out” if pro-democracy protests continue in the semiautonomous region. Thousands of Chinese troops are stationed in Hong Kong but have remained on the sidelines so far. [NPR]

The protests in Hong Kong, now in their 18th week, have recently put a spotlight on how Chinese censors affect free speech in the U.S.

The Comedy Central cartoon series South Park was essentially erased in China after a recent episode poked fun at Chinese censors and their power over American entertainment. [Hollywood Reporter]

And China has the NBA on edge after the general manager of the Houston Rockets tweeted his support for the Hong Kong protesters. [New York Times]

4. Supreme Court hears LGBTQ employment rights cases

The nation’s high court heard the cases of two gay men and a transgender woman today who say they were illegally fired because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

At the heart of their argument is the meaning of “sex” in Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employers from firing workers “because of sex,” or “on the basis of sex.” The plaintiffs say “sex” includes sexual orientation and gender identity.

The cases could indicate how the Supreme Court will handle LGBTQ rights after President Trump appointed two justices to the bench. One of those appointees replaced Justice Anthony Kennedy, a swing justice who authored the 2015 ruling that established a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. [NPR]

5. Nearly a million migrants arrested along southern U.S. border

The Trump administration today said border authorities made more than 975,000 arrests along the Mexico border during the 2019 fiscal year that ended in September, the most since 2007.

The arrests coincided with a surge of unauthorized border crossings that peaked in the spring, overwhelming border stations and U.S. authorities. The influx saw a record number of Central American families entering the country and seeking asylum or another form of legal protection in the U.S. [Washington Post]

Here’s what else is happening

The Chicago Fire soccer team will return to Soldier Field. [Chicago Tribune]

Chicago police officers and their friends and family members misused parking placards to park near Soldier Field, Wrigley Field and a downtown theater, according to the city’s top watchdog. [WBEZ]

The organizer for Chicago’s Pride Parade died at 70. [WBEZ]

Sony announced the PlayStation 5 will be released next year. [EW]

Oh, and one more thing …

Some good news if you enjoy pot and are looking for a job: The marijuana industry is expected to add 63,406 jobs in Illinois by 2025, according to the Washington, D.C.-based cannabis research firm New Frontier Data. Currently, the state’s medical marijuana industry employs about 5,800 people.

The majority of pot jobs are expected to be in retail or cultivation. The retail jobs include so-called budtenders who sell marijuana at licensed dispensaries. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Meanwhile, one of the biggest pot deals ever fell apart today. [Chicago Tribune]

Tell me something good …

Horror movies are some of the most profitable films. So what’s your favorite scary movie or TV show?

Helen Cuprisin writes:

“I’m not brave enough to watch scary movies. Thanks to Netflix, I dared to watch The Shining — that’s my scary movie.”

And @Simpsonology tweets:

“Our favorite scary show is the annual Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror. The best is VII, when Bart has a twin in the attic, Lisa creates a world in a petri dish, and Kang & Kodos run for president in the bodies of Bob Dole & Bill Clinton. Pure genius from start to finish.”

What’s your favorite scary movie or TV show? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet me at @whuntah.

Have a nice night! I’ll see you tomorrow. And if you like what you just read, you can subscribe to the newsletter here and have it delivered to your inbox.