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.


0

Kamala Harris kicks off week of inauguration events

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris kicked off the first night of inaugural events with closing remarks on Saturday during an event titled "America United: An Inauguration Welcome Event Celebrating America’s Changemakers."

Harris noted the work that supporters did to make this moment what it is despite challenges due to coronavirus.

"I'm so excited to officially welcome you to the 59th presidential inauguration," Harris said. "We are here not only to celebrate and mark the start of a new administration, but to honor the work you have done from the primaries to the general election, right up to this very moment -- from Zoom grassroots fundraisers to union meetings on Google Meet to our drive-in rallies -- you were there every step of the way. And on the eve of this inauguration, the president-elect and I thank you for all you have done for our country; we would not be here without you."

Harris shared a message to young Americans to keep fighting and to dream with ambition. She noted that fighting for working people, rooting out systemic racism and combating the climate crisis, while strengthening democracy, are key goals for the administration.

"And I also would not be here without the generations of Americans who struggled and sacrificed to open up opportunity in our country. I stand on their shoulders. And as I've said before, while I may be the first woman to serve as vice president, I will not be the last," she said.

-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson


Pence urges new administration to 'stay the course'

Vice President Mike Pence addressed the incoming Biden-Harris administration during a speech at the Lemoore Naval Air Station in Fresno, California, Saturday.

"As a new American administration prepares to take office, we do well to remember as Americans that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, and that a free and open Indo-Pacific is essential to our prosperity, our security, and the vitality of freedom in the world," Pence said during his remarks to sailors.

Pence urged the incoming administration to "stay the course" in the region.

"Do what we’ve done," he said. "Stand up to Chinese aggression and trade abuses. Stand strong for a free and open Indo-Pacific and put America and our freedom-loving allies first."

The Trump administration identified China as the greatest long-term threat to the U.S. The Asian nation has shown more assertiveness in the region, including expanding its military presence in the South China Sea.

Biden has said he may keep some of Trump's tariffs in place and expand human rights sanctions, but he's also expected to take a different tact than Trump's "America First" strategy.

-ABC News' Conor Finnegan contributed to this report


Incoming White House chief of staff gives overview of Biden's first 10 days

Incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain gave an overview of the first 10 days of the Biden-Harris administration in a memo to senior staff Saturday shared with reporters.

"President-elect Biden is assuming the presidency in a moment of profound crisis for our nation. We face four overlapping and compounding crises: the COVID-19 crisis, the resulting economic crisis, the climate crisis, and a racial equity crisis. All of these crises demand urgent action," Klain wrote. "In his first 10 days in office, President-elect Biden will take decisive action to address these four crises, prevent other urgent and irreversible harms, and restore America’s place in the world."

The schedule is not comprehensive, Klain noted, but includes:

Jan. 20: Biden plans to ask the Department of Education to extend the pause on student loan payments and interest for Americans with federal student loans, rejoin the Paris Agreement, reverse the "Muslim Ban" (one of Trump's earliest executive orders upon taking office) and issue a mask mandate for federal property and inter-state travel. He will also "take action to extend nationwide restrictions on evictions and foreclosures and provide more than 25 million Americans greater stability."

Jan. 21: Biden plans to sign several executive actions "to move aggressively to change the course of the COVID-19 crisis and safely re-open schools and businesses, including by taking action to mitigate spread through expanding testing, protecting workers, and establishing clear public health standards."

Jan. 22: The president-elect will direct his Cabinet agencies "to take immediate action to deliver economic relief to working families" impacted by the pandemic.

Jan. 25-Feb. 1: Among other executive actions, memoranda and Cabinet directives, Biden plans to sign additional executive actions to address the climate crisis, as well as take steps to "strengthen Buy American provisions," reform the criminal justice system, expand health care access and "start the difficult but critical work of reuniting families separated at the border."

"Full achievement of the Biden-Harris Administration’s policy objectives requires not just the executive actions the president-elect has promised to take, but also robust Congressional action," Klain wrote.

-ABC News' John Verhovek


House Dems open investigation into Capitol attack

House Democrats have opened an investigation into what law enforcement and the intelligence community knew about threats to the Capitol ahead of the Jan. 6 siege.

The investigation from the House Intelligence, Oversight, Homeland Security and Judiciary committees will also examine whether anyone with security clearances -- current or former National Security, Defense, Justice or Homeland Security officials -- participated in the riot.

The investigation will also examine the federal law enforcement response in the aftermath of the attack.

"The Committees will conduct robust oversight to understand what warning signs may have been missed, determine whether there were systemic failures, and consider how to best address countering domestic violent extremism, including remedying any gaps in legislation or policy," committee members wrote in a letter to the FBI, DHS and Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

"This still-emerging story is one of astounding bravery by some U.S. Capitol Police and other officers; of staggering treachery by violent criminals; and of apparent and high-level failures -- in particular, with respect to intelligence and security preparedness," the letter later stated.

Democrats plan to request documents and briefings from administration officials as part of the investigation -- just one of several looking into the Capitol attack.

-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel


Biden outlines major points of recovery plan during his address

Biden outlined the major points of his rescue plan: a $1.9 trillion proposal that includes a nationwide vaccination program, $1,400 checks for individuals, an extension and expansion of unemployment benefits and help for struggling communities and businesses.

Biden placed particular emphasis on housing and food insecurity and spoke about expanding SNAP benefits. He said his policy plan would extend the eviction and foreclosure moratorium, potentially previewing an executive action we could see next week. He also asked Congress to appropriate funds for rental assistance.

Biden, who preached bipartisanship while on the trail, said both he and Vice President-elect Harris had spoken with officials, mayors, and governors of both parties on a regular basis to address the problems across the country.

The president-elect also emphasized his plan's focus on helping small businesses and minority-owned businesses in particular, criticizing the Trump administration's initial approach which he said favored the wealthy and well-connected.

"Last week, I laid out how we'll make sure that our emergency small business relief is distributed swiftly and equitably, unlike the first time around. We're going to focus on small businesses, on Main Street. We'll focus on minority-owned small businesses, women-owned small businesses, and finally having equal access to the resources they need to reopen and to rebuild," Biden said.

He also pushed his plan for a mandatory federal minimum wage of $15 an hour.

"People tell me that's going to be hard to pass. Florida just passed it, as divided as that state is, they just passed it. The rest of the country is ready to move as well," he said. "No one working 40 hours a week should live below the poverty line. And that's what it means. If you work for less than $15 an hour and work 40 hours a week, you're living in poverty."

He frankly noted the "bold, practical" policy he was putting forward did not come cheap but argued there was no option to act.

"I know what I just described does not come cheaply. But failure to do so will cost us dearly," he said. "The consensus among leading economists is we simply cannot afford not to do what I'm proposing."

Biden ended his remarks with a call for unity and optimism, referencing his inauguration on Wednesday as a "new chapter for the country."

-ABC News' John Verhovek, Molly Nagle, Averi Harper and Beatrice Peterson