HOUSE REPUBLICANS TOOK ANOTHER STEP THIS MORNING IN THEIR EFFORTS TO IMPEACH HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS

AND — FOUR NHL PLAYERS HAVE BEEN CHARGED IN CONNECTION TO AN ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT IN CANADA

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31ST.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

EARLIER THIS MORNING – HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTED TO ADVANCE THEIR ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS OVER HIS HANDLING OF THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

THE 18 TO 15 PARTY LINE VOTE BY THE HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE SETS UP THE STAGE FOR A VOTE ON THE ARTICLES BY THE FULL HOUSE.

THAT COULD COME AS SOON AS NEXT WEEK – BUT NO OFFICIAL DATE HAS BEEN SET.

THE HOUSE PANEL’S RESOLUTION CHARGES MAYORKAS WITH REFUSING TO UPHOLD IMMIGRATION LAWS AND BREACHING PUBLIC TRUST BY MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO AMERICANS AND CONGRESS.

THE DHS AND DEMOCRATS ON THE COMMITTEE ARGUE THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF HIGH CRIMES OR MISDEMEANORS – which they say is “THE CONSTITUTIONAL STANDARD FOR IMPEACHMENT.”

IF THE HOUSE VOTES IN FAVOR OF IMPEACHMENT — MAYORKAS WOULD BE THE FIRST CABINET SECRETARY TO BE IMPEACHED IN NEARLY 150 YEARS.

HOWEVER, THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM ARE EXPECTED TO NOT PASS THE SENATE.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO CONGRESSWOMAN CORI BUSH.

THE DOJ IS LOOKING INTO WHETHER THE MISSOURI DEMOCRAT MISUSED CAMPAIGN FUNDS FOR PERSONAL SECURITY.

BUSH HAS CONFIRMED THE INVESTIGATION AND SAYS SHE’S FULLY COOPERATING.

REPORTS INDICATE FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ARE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT BUSH USING CAMPAIGN FUNDS TO HIRE HER **HUSBAND AS SECURITY.

BUSH SAYING SHE HAS NOT USED ANY FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS TO PAY FOR PERSONAL SECURITY.

BUT ADDED THAT HER HUSBAND “HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THE AREA” AND CAN DO THE JOB “AT OR BELOW A FAIR MARKET RATE.”

“THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION” AND “THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ETHICS” ARE ALSO INVESTIGATING THE MATTER.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SAYS HE HAS DECIDED ON HOW TO RESPOND TO THE DRONE ATTACK THAT KILLED THREE U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS AND INJURED MORE THAN 40 OTHER TROOPS.

THE PRESIDENT IS NOT ELABORATING ON HIS PLANS – BUT DID SAY HE IS NOT LOOKING FOR A WIDER WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS LATER SAYING THE RESPONSE WOULD MOST LIKELY COME IN MULTIPLE ACTIONS.

FOLLOWING BIDEN’S STATEMENT — THE IRANIAN-BACKED MILITIA IN IRAQ — WHICH THE U.S. BELIEVES WAS LIKELY BEHIND THE JORDAN ATTACK – KATAIB (KA–TIBE) HEZBOLLAH – ANNOUNCED IT IS SUSPENDING ALL ITS MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST U.S. TROOPS IN THE REGION.

THE MOTIVE BEHIND THE GROUP’S DECISION REMAINS UNCLEAR – BUT COMES AMID THE IRAQI PRIME MINISTER’S CALLS TO PREVENT AN ESCALATION IN THE WAR.

A PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON RESPONDED TO THE GROUP’S STATEMENT — BY SAYING “ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.”

FOUR NHL PLAYERS HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT IN ONTARIO, CANADA —

STEMMING FROM AN ALLEGED ASSAULT BY MEMBERS OF CANADA’S WORLD JUNIOR TEAM IN 20-18.

CARTER HART OF THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – MICHAEL MCLEOD (MC-CLOUD) AND CAL FOOTE OF THE NEW JERSEY DEVILS – AND DILLON DUBE (DOO-BAY) OF THE CALGARY FLAMES HAVE ALL TAKEN LEAVES FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE HOCKEY TEAMS OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS.

ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THE PLAYERS CONFIRMED THE CHARGES AND SAID THEIR CLIENTS ALL DENY ANY WRONGDOING.

THE NHL OPENED ITS OWN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ALLEGED ASSAULT IN 20-22 BUT AS OF NOW —

THE LEAGUE HAS NOT MADE THOSE FINDINGS PUBLIC.

UPS PLANS TO LAY OFF NEARLY 12 THOUSAND EMPLOYEES.

THE COMPANY’S CEO SAYING UPS IS LOOKING TO CUT 1 BILLION DOLLARS IN COSTS – COMING OFF A “DIFFICULT AND DISAPPOINTING” YEAR IN REVENUE.

THE CUTS WILL IMPACT 3 PERCENT OF THE WORKFORCE – MOSTLY MANAGERS AND CONTRACTOR WORKERS.

UNION MEMBERS WILL NOT BE AFFECTED.

YOU’LL REMEMBER LATE LAST YEAR U-P-S AND ITS UNION WORKERS STRUCK A SIGNIFICANT DEAL —

INCREASING WAGES FOR BOTH FULL AND PART TIME WORKERS.

A UPS FINANCIAL OFFICER SAID THE NEW 5-YEAR-CONTRACTS WOULD COST THE COMPANY SOMEWHERE AROUND 30 BILLION DOLLARS.

FINALLY THIS MORNING –  A BROADWAY TRAILBLAZER — TONY-AWARD WINNING ACTRESS CHITA (CHEETAH) RIVERA —  IS BEING REMEMBERED AFTER PASSING AWAY ON TUESDAY.

RIVERA — WHO ORIGINATED THE ROLE OF ANITA (AN-EETAH) IN “WEST SIDE STORY” IN THE 1950S – IS BEING HONORED BY THOSE WHO FOLLOWED IN HER FOOTSTEPS.

RITA MORENO (MO-REH-NO) PLAYED ANITA IN THE 1961 FILM – MORENA CALLED RIVERA “ETERNAL” – SAYING “SHE IS THE ESSENCE OF BROADWAY.”

ARIANA (ARE-REE-AHNA) DEBOSE (DE-BOHS) – WHO STARRED AS ANITA IN THE 2021 MOVIE – DESCRIBED RIVERA AS A “FORCE” – ADDING —  “I AM HEARTBROKEN AND YET EVER INSPIRED AS SHE SHOWED SO MANY OF US WHAT WAS POSSIBLE.”

CHITA RIVERA WAS 91 YEARS OLD.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS WEDNESDAY.

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE MORNING RUNDOWN NEWSLETTER  TO GET THE TOP STORIES EACH WEEKDAY MORNING.

JUST GO TO SAN DOT COM SLASH RUNDOWN TO SIGN UP.

UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS. THAT’S STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!