President-elect Joe Biden should “consider” pardoning President Donald Trump to allow the U.S. to move forward, former FBI director James Comey has said. Comey said it was right to impeach the president and that it would be “good for our country” if he were removed from office before Inauguration Day, but that when Biden takes office, he should look at granting clemency to Trump “as part of healing the country.” Comey, who was fired by Trump in May 2017, told the BBC that “I obviously think he belongs in jail but I don’t think pursuing that is in the best interest of the entire nation.” Meanwhile, Former FBI Deputy Dir. Andrew McCabe responded to his old boss.

Israel maintained silence on the heavy strikes on Iranian-backed targets in Syria overnight Tuesday, which was reportedly carried out via US intelligence, but that didn’t stop a Likud minister from warning that Israel will not be thwarted from attacking Iran if it continues developing its nuclear program as a result of the US rejoining the 2015 nuclear deal. “We don’t acknowledge this or other strikes,” Settlement Affairs Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said in an interview with Kan News on Wednesday. “The Iranians want permission from Assad to act freely in Syria, to transform it into another Hezbollah, to station masses of soldiers there with missiles that can reach Israel.” “But they’ve failed,” Hanegbi asserted. “Time after time, Israel destroyed their attempts and infrastructure.

President Donald Trump, a man hyperaware of his achievements and place in history, added a first to his record on Wednesday. A week before he will leave office, Trump became the first president impeached by the House twice. The chamber charged him with high crimes and misdemeanors for inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol seven days ago. The president’s behavior in the 13 months since the first impeachment left House Democrats making a more clear-cut case than the first time around. The chamber charged Trump in a 232-197 vote, as all Democrats and 10 Republicans backed the measure.

In his first public remarks since the House voted to impeach him for a second time, President Trump said he “unequivocally condemns” the violence that took place at last week’s Capitol riot. “Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for,” Trump said. “No true supporter of mine could ever endorse political violence.” Trump said individuals who participated in the riot will be “brought to justice.” He called for supporters to help “ease tensions, calm tempers and help to promote peace” in our country.” The president also addressed planned demonstrations in Washington ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, telling those who plan to attend to refrain from violence and lawbreaking.

President Trump on Wednesday acknowledged reports of impending violence pegged to the inauguration — which include armed protests at all 50 state capitols — urging “all Americans” to avoid acts of violence. “In light of reports of more demonstrations, I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind,” the president said in a statement. “That is not what I stand for and it is not what America stands for. I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers. Thank You.” A senior Trump adviser told Fox News, “President Trump is asking all Americans to join with him in ensuring that there is an orderly and peaceful transition next week.

New York City is looking to terminate its contracts with President Donald Trump to run two Central Park skating rinks and other facilities after a Trump-inspired mob rioted and breached the U.S. Capitol last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday. “The president incited a rebellion against the United States government, a clearly unconstitutional act, and people died,” the Democratic mayor said at a news briefing. “That’s unforgivable. So our legal team is right now assessing the options, and as quickly as we come to a resolution we’re going to have something to say.” The Trump Organization is under city contract to operate the two ice rinks and a carousel in Central Park as well as a golf course in the Bronx.

The House of Representatives is on track to impeach President Trump for the second time in 13 months — which would make him as the only president to receive the rebuke twice. This time, though, impeachment could be bipartisan. Republicans all opposed the House vote in December 2019, arguing that it was politically driven. But now some GOP lawmakers are joining Democrats in pointing the finger at the president for using rhetoric that helped spark a violent insurrection at the Capitol last Wednesday that left at least five dead. The impeachment resolution on the House floor Wednesday includes one article, citing “incitement of insurrection,” will be debated on the House floor. Sponsors of the resolution maintain they have the votes already to pass it.

In the past day, there have been 716 people who have tested positive for the Coronavirus in the city of Bnei Brak. This is the highest recorded number of new cases in a single day in the Chareidi city, which just a month ago had only 33 new cases per day. City leaders are out of ideas with regard to how to fix the current trend, and the situation is getting worse as the populace en masse has been apathetic to the possibility of getting vaccinated. Attorney Moshe Morgenstern, who holds the Health portfolio in city hall, told Kikar Shabbos that “People are simply not coming to get vaccinated.” “We are currently at 53% of all people over the age of 60 who have been vaccinated, and that number hasn’t moved in a few days.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, has told associates that he believes President Donald Trump committed impeachable offenses and that he is pleased that Democrats are moving to impeach him, believing that it will make it easier to purge him from the party, according to the NY Times. The House is voting Wednesday to formally charge Trump with inciting violence against the country. Fox News is reporting the same, stating that McConnell “is done: and “furious” with Trump. Fox states that McConnell has shared with associates that impeachment will help rid the Republican Party of Trump and his movement. It is unclear how McConnell would vote in an impeachment trial, should House Democrats vote to impeach Trump.

The Department of Justice has opened 170 subject files – meaning individuals identified as persons who potentially committed crimes – on rioters from the Capitol, Acting DC US Attorney Michael Sherwin said at a news conference today. Federal prosecutors are looking at bringing “significant” cases involving possible sedition and conspiracy charges in last week’s riot at the U.S. Capitol.