‘Beyond repugnant.’ Republican Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger is condemning President Trump for quoting a hateful preacher who suggested impeachment could trigger civil war.
■ Updating coverage: The impeachment inquiry—which is unfolding quickly—is increasingly dividing Republicans.
■ On Sunday morning news shows, Trump loyalists’ efforts to defend the president from impeachment produced what Vox calls “a number of cringeworthy moments.”
■ David Leonhardt posts open letters to Senate Republicans in The New York Times: “You have also told us that you went into politics to serve a higher purpose. Well, your moment has arrived.”
■ Editorial boards joining the dump-Trump crowd include the Connecticut Post (“He should resign”) and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (“Tell Trump to step down”).
Trump’s demand. The president wants to meet the whistleblower whose complaint triggered the impeachment inquiry …
■ … and the whistleblower’s lawyers say Trump’s comments put their client
■ Trump’s ally, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, is taking “full responsibility” for the grisly killing of his critic, journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Cartoon: Keith J. Taylor, who deserves your vote for Best Comics Illustrator in the Chicago Reader’s Best of Chicago poll.)Impeachment tips from a veteran. The former Illinois representative who led proceedings against Gov. Rod Blagojevich tells Politico audio made the difference.
■ In HBO video posted to YouTube, John Oliver explains why the whistleblower’s revelations could end Trump’s presidency: “Trump pressuring Ukraine to get dirt on his opponent and hiding the conversation is easy to understand.”
Fee fall. Effective Tuesday, the Chicago Public Library will eliminate late fees and wipe out all fees currently pending …
■ … making Chicago the largest U.S. city to do that.
■ Meanwhile, news publishers are increasingly embracing register-to-read plans.
Mall ‘mayhem.’ A man who prosecutors say plowed an SUV through Woodfield Mall 10 days ago faces charges that could land him in prison for life.
■ CWB Chicago: “Man on parole for robbing a store in Lakeview while on parole for robbing stores in Lincoln Park and Lakeview is now charged with robbing two stores in Lincoln Park and Lakeview.”
Pigeon puzzle. Police, lawmakers and Chicago Transit Authority authorities have had little success in their attempts to keep a 67-year-old woman from feeding the pigeons making a mess at the CTA’s Irving Park Blue Line station.
■ The CTA’s coming off one lousy week.
Rotten to the core. Thieves stole 50,000 apples from an Indiana orchard.
■ Saturday Night Live’s season premiere mocked apple-picking farms.
Unrelated developments.
■ HuffPost: A memo from the Senate’s Republican leadership—which includes Majority Leader Mitch McConnell—concedes the Senate wouldn’t be able to ignore or block a House vote to impeach.
■ A rare albino hedgehog has been rescued in California.
Chicago Public Square apologizes …… for being so informative. Square lost a reader last week—someone who pleaded: “No time to read all this.” If you, on the other hand, are the kind of person who values getting “all this” daily, please consider supporting Square for as little as $5 a month.
■ Thanks to reader Mike Braden for spotting a redundant preposition above.