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Senate Slaps Down Trump's "War"

1.8.26

Ally Sammarco Jan 8

Happy Thursday and welcome to today’s edition of Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Today’s breakdown includes the Senate’s shocking vote to restrict Trump, the aftermath of the extrajudicial ICE killing, the retirement of Steny Hoyer, and yes, more unlawfully serving Trump attorneys.

Let’s break it down.

Senate Slaps Trump With Venezuelan War Powers Rebuke….In a rare bipartisan pushback, the Senate voted 52–47 to advance a war powers resolution that would block President Trump from using military force in or against Venezuela without first getting Congress’s OK. The move comes after Trump’s controversial military operation to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his threats of further action—even saying the U.S. might “run” the country. All Democrats and five Republicans crossed the aisle to force the vote, setting up a full Senate vote next week. Those Senators are Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Todd Young, Susan Collins and Josh Hawley. While the measure is unlikely to become law, it shows that even some GOP senators will disapprove of Trump’s unilateral warmaking on the record.

Common Sense Takeaway: If even Republicans are voting to rein Trump in before he drags the country into another war, that tells you everything. This is about stopping one man from unilaterally launching military action with no debate, no authorization, and no plan. Congress is doing the bare minimum here: reminding the President that he is not a king.

Steny Hoyer to Retire, Ending a 44-Year Run in the House….Rep. Steny Hoyer, the longest-serving Democrat in the House, announced he will not seek re-election, bringing an end to a 44-year career in Congress. Hoyer, 86, rose through Democratic leadership to serve twice as majority leader and long as a central figure in the party’s leadership. In an emotional floor speech, he left saying that Congress has become more divided and less functional, urging lawmakers to “renew their courage” and recommit to democratic norms. His retirement comes as Democrats debate generational change and look to retake the House in the upcoming midterms.

Common Sense Takeaway: Hoyer’s retirement is the end of an era, but it’s also long overdue. The generational shift has been waiting outside for years while leadership clung to power and now Congress has slid deeper into dysfunction. If Democrats are serious about renewal, it can’t start when leaders finally decide to step aside in their late 80s.

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Noem Rushes to Defend ICE After Agent Kills U.S. Citizen….Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has moved quickly to defend an ICE agent who fatally shot 37-year-old mom Renee Good in Minneapolis, declaring the officer “followed his training”—even as video, local officials, and protesters tell a very different story. Noem went so far as to label the victim’s actions “domestic terrorism,” while Minnesota officials say they’ve been blocked from basic information about the case. Instead of showing restraint or accountability, the Trump administration has used the killing to double down on its immigration crackdown and attack local leaders who demand answers. The result is a growing civil unrest over ICE’s aggressive tactics, lack of transparency, and a federal agency that now appears more focused on defending itself than on explaining how a U.S. citizen ended up dead in the street.

Common Sense Takeaway: When Republicans’ first instinct after killing a U.S. citizen is to smear the victim and shield the agency, something is deeply wrong. Also, hey Kristi—calling this “following training” isn’t actually reassurance, it’s an indictment. If this is how ICE is trained to operate, then the problem isn’t one officer. It’s the system that made this outcome predictable.

Judge Throws Out Trump-Appointed Prosecutor’s Authority in NY….A federal judge ruled that John Sarcone—the Trump-appointed acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York—has been serving unlawfully and disqualified him from overseeing investigations after he issued grand jury subpoenas targeting New York Attorney General Letitia James. The judge found that the Justice Department used legal work-arounds to keep Sarcone in office well beyond the 120-day limit for interim prosecutors without Senate confirmation—the latest in a string of similar rulings rejecting Trump DOJ appointees. Because his appointment was invalid, the subpoenas tied to civil cases against Trump and the NRA were thrown out.

Common Sense Takeaway: The administration tried to bypass Congress, install a loyalist, and use federal law enforcement to go after a political opponent. A judge just slammed the brakes on it, but it’s clear that the guardrails are only holding because courts are enforcing them, not because anybody in this administration respects them.

That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Check back tomorrow for more!