The entire crisis in the Middle East that seems to be resolving itself right now started when Donald Trump ordered the assassination of the number three official in the Iranian government. He has no legal authority to do that, under the Constitution and under US law, unless he can prove that he did so to stop a far more destructive and imminent attack against Americans or American interests. It's why initially Mike Pompeo said that we attacked General Soleimani because of an eminent attack.

But now, it turns out, a few members of Congress have seen the intelligence and are calling for it to be completely declassified. Representative Seth Moulton this morning on CNN said Americans deserve to see what was - and what was not - in the intelligence that Trump used.

It sounds like Trump had no justification whatsoever, but did this attack on Soleimani to derail discussion about impeachment. If that's the case, it should be an entirely new article of impeachment itself. if Trump took the world to the edge of war just to help himself avoid impeachment, there must be rapid and immediate consequences.

Declassify the intelligence!

-Thom

Wednesday's Daily Stack

Hour One: Mid-day with Mark
- Congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI, 2nd District)

Video: LIVE: President @realDonaldTrump Addresses the Nation (8 January 2020).

Article: "Iran nuclear deal: Trump pulls US out in break with Europe allies" by BBC.

Article: "Trump aides to brief Congress on Iran as Tehran retaliates over killing of Gen. Qasem Soleimani" by Courtney Subramanian, Deirdre Shesgreen and Tom Vanden Brook.

Article: "In new claim, Pompeo says Iran has been working with the Taliban to undermine Afghan peace efforts" by Reuters.

Bill: "H.R.5543 - No War Against Iran Act" by Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17].

Case: "Buckley v. Valeo", 1976

Case: "Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission" (2010)

Bill: "H.R.1 - For the People Act of 2019" by Rep. Sarbanes, John P. [D-MD-3].

Article: "2018 Wisconsin gubernatorial election" by Wikipedia.

Tweet: "In 2018, #StaceyAbrams lost by around 40,000 votes to #BrianKemp in the election for governor of #Georgia. Kemp was Secretary of State at the time and he quietly removed over half a million voters from the voter rolls." by Greg Palast.

Article: "The Courts Won't End Gerrymandering. Eric Holder Has a Plan to Fix It Without Them" by Ari Berman.

Article: "Bolton says he will testify in impeachment trial if Senate issues subpoena" by Axios.

Article: "Did Trump Propose SSI Changes That Could End Disability Benefits for Thousands?" by Dan MacGuill.

Article: "Sequestration and Its Impact on Non-Defense Appropriations" by David Reich.

Article: "General Dynamics to Expand Defense Manufacturing Hub in Nebraska" by Matthew Nelson.

Article: "Fireside Chat. May 26, 1940" by Franklin D. Roosevelt. "Our present emergency and a common sense of decency make it imperative that no new group of war millionaires shall come into being in this nation as a result of the struggles abroad."

Article: "House Democrats have passed nearly 400 bills. Trump and Republicans are ignoring them." by Ella Nilsen.

Article: "Iran strikes back at US with missile attack at bases in Iraq" by Nasser Karimi, Amir Vahdat And Jon Gambrell.

Article: "Iraq says Iran warned them of missile attack before it happened" by Yaron Steinbuch.

Article: "Which happens more: People struck by lightning or people committing voter fraud by impersonation?" by Tom Kertscher.

Article: "Here are all the states that have same-day voter registration for last-minute voters" by Anna Sheffer.

Bill: "H.R.1562 - SAFE Act" by Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2].

Article: "Constitution of the United States" Article 2 section 1. "The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them." (domestic emoluments clause).

Article: "Constitution of the United States" Article 1 section 9. "No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state." (foreign emoluments clause).

Article: "Windfall Elimination Provision" by SSA.

Article: "The Hidden History of the War on Voting: Who Stole Your Vote and How to Get It Back" by Thom Hartmann.

Article: "Oregon Progressive Alliance" by Cause IQ.

Article: "Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now" (ACORN).

Site: League of Women Voters.

Article: "Crude Oil Windfall Profit Tax, 1984" by Edward Chung.

Article: "2003 invasion of Iraq" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Iraq War" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Iron Dome" by Wikipedia.

Article: "The US military mistakenly sent a draft letter to the Iraqi government suggesting it was pulling out its troops" by Ryan Pickrell.

Article: "War Powers Resolution" (War Powers Act, 1973) by Wikipedia.

Article: "Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists" (AUMF) by Wikipedia.

Article: "Constitution of the United States" Article 1 section 8. "The Congress shall have power ... To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;".

Article: "Pompeo flails in disastrous press conference when unable to defend claim Suleimani assassination was due to ‘imminent' threat" by David Badash.

Article: "Congress demands answers from Trump about Soleimani killing" by Robert Burns and Jonathan Lemire.

Article: "Qasem Soleimani" by Wikipedia.

Law: "Sherman Antitrust Act", 1890.

Article: "'Antitrust was defined by Robert Bork. I cannot overstate his influence.'" by Dylan Matthews.

Case: "Continental Television, Inc. v. GTE Sylvania, Inc." by Wikipedia.

Article: "Trump says US will hit Iran with ‘punishing economic sanctions' after attacks on Iraqi bases" by Christina Wilkie, Amanda Macias.

Article: "Cuban missile crisis" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Note To Democrats: Obama Launched 2,800 Strikes On Iraq, Syria Without Congressional Approval" by Joseph Curl.

Article: "Six-Day War" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Falklands War" by Wikipedia.

Article: "April Glaspie" by Wikipedia.

Article: "History of Kuwait" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Nayirah (testimony)" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Remember The Maine" by Tom Miller.

Article: "Isoroku Yamamoto" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Real ID Act" by Wikipedia.

Law: "Patriot Act", 2001.

Article: "CBS CEO: "...may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS"" by Lee Fang.

Article: "Social Security Act Title II" by SSA.

Article: "Camp Simba: Three Americans killed in Kenya base" by BBC.

Article: "US Charges Former Twitter Employees With Spying for Saudi Arabia to Steal Private Data" by Tyler Durden.

Hour Three: Science Revolution: Are Australia's Apocalyptic Wild Fires a Warning to the World?
- David Ritter, CEO - Greenpeace Australia Pacific / Author - latest book: The Coal Truth : The fight to stop Adani, defeat the big polluters and reclaim our democracy

Article: "Koala Mittens and Baby Bottles: Saving Australia's Animals After Fires" by Livia Albeck-Ripka.

Article: "Australia Wildfires Map Update: Area The Size Of Kentucky Has Burnt Since Blazes Began As Protesters Target Prime Minister Scott Morrison" by Brendan Cole.

Article: "7 things everyone should know about Australia's wildfire disaster" by Brian Resnick, Umair Irfan, and Sigal Samuel.

Article: "Canberra has the worst air quality in the world AGAIN - forcing childcare centres, museums and shops to close" by AAP.

Article: "Australia fires: How do we know how many animals have died?" by Reality Check team, BBC News.

Article: "Amid raging bushfire, Rupert Murdoch's Australian media empire turns a blind eye to climate crisis" by Madeline Peltz.

Article: "Greenhouse Mafia" by Wikipedia.

Video: Scott Morrison Brings in Lump of Coal Into House of Representatives.

Article: "Clive Palmer" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Hill Democrats, Republicans remain at odds after national security officials make their case for Iran strike" by Karoun Demirjian, Mike DeBonis.

Article: "House to vote to curtail Trump's war powers against Iran" by Orion Rummler, Alayna Treene.

Article: "September 11 attacks" by Wikipedia.

Bill: "S.J.Res.63 - A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress." by Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA].

Bill: "H.R.5543 - No War Against Iran Act" by Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17].

Article: "Pelosi: Not sending impeachment articles to Senate until she sees details of trial process" by Katherine Faulders and Benjamin Siegel.

Article: "In Old Tweets, Trump Warned a President Would Attack Iran in 'Desperate' Attempt to Win Reelection" by Jake Johnson.

Article: "24 Australians arrested for deliberately setting fires this season" by Mark Osborne.

Article: "Report: Arson Epidemic, Not Climate Change, Behind Australia's Bushfires" by Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D.

Thursday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 12-3pm ET

I'll be talking with Economist Dr. Richard Wolff, Co-founder, Democracy At Work / Author of numerous books including Understanding Marxism and his latest, Understanding Socialism.

Plus, I'll be talking with Katrina vanden Huevel, Editorial Director & Publisher - The Nation Magazine about Trump's Embrace of Imperial Overreach...

And, the best of the rest of the news along with your calls right here on...

The Thom Hartmann Program, Occupying The Media 3 hours a day 5 days a week" for "we the people"

And don't forget...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...

Are Australia's Apocalyptic Fires A Warning To The World? (w/ David Ritter)

War With Iran is Trump's Reelection Campaign

Who Was Iranian General Soleimani?

Did Trump Lure Soleimani Into Iraq To Assassinate Him?