Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Yang raises $16.5 million in fourth quarter for bid

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Andrew Yang raised $16.5 million in the fourth quarter, his campaign said on Thursday, well ahead of the nearly $10 million he collected in the third. The total is expected to land him among the top fundraisers in the Democratic field, which has 15 contenders seeking to take on U.S. President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election. Explainer: How impeachment works and why Trump is unlikely to be removed

The U.S. Senate is due to hold a trial to consider whether President Donald Trump should be removed from office, after the House of Representatives voted in December to impeach him for pressuring Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a potential rival in the 2020 presidential election. What happens next and why is Trump unlikely to be removed from office? Trump re-election campaign raises $46 million in fourth quarter

President Donald Trump's re-election campaign raised $46 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, a major haul that was boosted by a surge of donations in the wake of the Democrats' impeachment bid, a senior campaign official said on Thursday. The sum gives Trump a fundraising edge over a host of Democrats battling for their party's nomination, with the first contest to be held in Iowa in little more than a month. The Democratic nominee will face Trump in the November election. Emerging from the shadows: the U.S. chief justice who will preside over Trump's trial

U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts will be a central figure in the ongoing drama of the Donald Trump presidency in coming months. He is due to preside over a Senate impeachment trial, while the Supreme Court he leads will rule on a titanic clash over the president's attempts to keep his financial records secret. The expected impeachment trial will focus on accusations that Trump abused his power by asking Ukraine to investigate former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, who aspires to defeat Trump in a November election. The Democratic-led House of Representatives approved two articles of impeachment on Dec. 18, paving the way for the trial in the Senate, led by Trump's fellow Republicans. Warren warns 'democracy hangs in the balance' in New Year's Eve speech

Democratic presidential contender Elizabeth Warren sought to re-energize her White House campaign in a New Year's Eve speech on Tuesday, warning that "democracy hangs in the balance" five weeks before nominating contests begin in early February. In her home state of Massachusetts on the first anniversary of her campaign launch, Warren said President Donald Trump would "try to cheat his way through yet another election" if he is not removed from office after his impeachment by the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives. White House hopeful Bernie Sanders raises $34.5 million in fourth quarter

Bernie Sanders raised more than $34.5 million in the last quarter of 2019, his presidential campaign said on Thursday, the largest three-month haul of any Democrat so far in the contest to take on Republican President Donald Trump in a November election. The announcement, which brings his total fundraising last year to $96 million, appears to confirm Sanders' position as the leading fundraiser in the nominating contest, in which states begin caucusing and voting next month. Some candidates have not yet disclosed their fourth-quarter fundraising numbers. More drugmakers hike U.S. prices as new year begins

Drugmakers including Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Gilead Sciences Inc, and Biogen Inc hiked U.S. list prices on more than 50 drugs on Wednesday, bringing total New Year's Day drug price increases to more than 250, according to data analyzed by healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors. Reuters reported on Tuesday that drugmakers including Pfizer Inc , GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Sanofi SA were planning to increase prices on more than 200 drugs in the United States on Jan. 1. Motivated by #MeToo? Vetting jurors in Weinstein case will be a challenge, experts say

As former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein goes to trial on rape charges next week in Manhattan, lawyers will need to keep an eye out for jurors who want to use the case to make a statement about sexual abuse following the rise of the #MeToo movement, legal experts said. Once one of Hollywood’s most powerful producers, Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting two women in New York, one in 2006 and the other in 2013. Democrat Buttigieg's presidential campaign raises $24.7 million in fourth quarter

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg raised $24.7 million in the fourth quarter, his campaign announced on Wednesday, well ahead of the $19.1 million he collected in the third quarter. The hefty total is expected to land him among the top fundraisers in the Democratic field, which has 15 contenders seeking to take on U.S. President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election. Federal judge temporarily exempts truck drivers from California gig worker law

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a California labor law meant to take effect from Jan. 1 from impacting over 70,000 independent truckers by granting a 'temporary restraining order.' U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez in San Diego granted on Tuesday a five-page order sought by trade group California Trucking Association while he considers imposing a permanent injunction, the hearing for which is set for Jan. 13.