Giuliani says he won’t be on Trump impeachment defense team

Trump was impeached by the House for a second time last week.

President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe Biden in three days.

The House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump last Wednesday on an article for "incitement of insurrection" for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol -- making him the only president to be impeached twice.


Giuliani says he won’t be on Trump impeachment defense team

Rudy Giuliani tells ABC News he will not be part of President Donald Trump's legal team for the upcoming Senate impeachment trial.

“Because I gave an earlier speech [at the January 6 Trump rally before the Capitol riot],” Giuliani told ABC News Sunday night, “I am a witness and therefore unable to participate in court or Senate chamber.”

Trump was impeached by the House for the second time last week following the siege on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

-ABC News' Jonathan Karl


Delaware shelter celebrates 'indoguration' for 1st shelter dog to live in the White House

The Delaware Humane Association hosted a virtual party with over 10,000 people to celebrate the first shelter dog moving into the White House.

While Champ and Major won't put their paws in the White House until Wednesday, the association held the fundraiser Sunday to celebrate the history being made: Major was adopted by Biden in March 2018.

"It means everything to us because it shines a light on the work we do," Delaware Humane Association's executive director Patrick Carroll said Sunday during the virtual party. "It shows that shelters are a wonderful place to adopt."

The shelter showed off photos of Major during his stay there in 2018 along with video of him and the president-elect. It also revealed dog "secretaries" which were dogs from its shelter that were selected by fans.

The Delaware Humane Association raised over $100,000, according to its host.

Biden's two German shepherds will also be the first dogs to live in the White House in four years, though Champ is no stranger to Washington. The Biden family brought the dog into their home in 2008 and he resided with them during his two terms as vice president.


Trump loyalist installed as NSA's general counsel

The National Security Agency confirmed to ABC News that Michael Ellis has been named to be the agency’s new general counsel.

Ellis, who is considered to be a Trump loyalist, was pre-selected for the job, but his placement was slow-rolled by NSA Director Paul M. Nakasone.

Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller demanded the NSA to put him in the career civil service job by 6 p.m. Saturday night, according to a source.

"Mr. Ellis accepted his final job offer yesterday afternoon. NSA is moving forward with his employment," an NSA spokesperson said in a statement provided to ABC News.

The Washington Post first reported the installation.

The NSA’s general counsel is a career civil service position and not an appointee position. Anyone in that post would continue on regardless of a change in administrations. They could only be removed under the same guidelines in place for other civil servants. There is a probationary period and tenure policy in place.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez



Man arrested near Capitol allegedly with pistol, large capacity magazine

A Virginia man has been arrested near the Capitol while in possession of a gun, according to authorities.

Gordonsville resident Guy Berry, 22, was arrested at 12:15 a.m. on the 200 block of Massachusetts Avenue, the police report states. He was allegedly in possession of three high capacity magazines and 37 rounds of unregistered ammunition, police said.

Berry was charged with carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a large capacity magazine and unregistered ammunition.

-ABC News’ Jack Date


GOP, Dems deliver closing arguments ahead of vote with scathing rebuke of Trump from Hoyer

Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La. -- the No. 2 Republican in the House -- was the last to speak for the Republican Party, said he opposed the "rushed" impeachment, and emphasized that the Senate will only be able to take up the trial once Trump is out of office.

"I've seen the dark evil of political violence firsthand. And it needs to stop. But all of us need to be unequivocal in calling it out every single time we see it, not just when it comes from the other side of the aisle," he said.

Invoking President Abraham Lincoln, he closed by calling on Americans to unify and "seek higher ground."

House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., quickly responded to his remarks, saying, "We can have all this, and we can have accountability too," before handing off to Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

Hoyer, in a scathing rebuke of the president, repeated the words of Rep. Liz Cheney and called on his Republicans colleagues to rise to the moment and join her to "reject the vices we abhore."

"It is the first and only physical presence other than the 9/11 attack on this nation -- which came from abroad with a plane aimed at our Capitol dome. This attack was not from abroad. It was as Liz Cheney said, summoned, assembled, and inflamed by the president of the United States of America," he said.

"Last Wednesday, on Jan. 6, the nation and the world watched it shatter to pieces. There could be no mistaking any longer the kind of man sitting in the Oval Office or his intentions and capabilities. The curtain has been pulled back. The office to which he was elected could not temper or reform him," Hoyer said.

"Reject deceit. Reject fear mongering. Reject sedition, tyranny and insurrection," Hoyer said. "Reject one man over fidelity to one's country."

Hoyer noted that soon the House Reading Clerk will call the roll for voting, and added, "Make no mistake, this will be no ordinary roll call."

"These votes will be inscribed on the roll of history -- a record of courage -- and of our commitment to country and Constitution, of our commitment to the rule of law and renewal of that which we inherited and hope to pass on, unbroken, unshattered," he said. "Vote for this -- for America, for our constitution, for democracy, for history."