The Daily Valet. - 1/21/20, Tuesday
✔️ The Senate Preps for Trial and There's a Grammy Scandal
Tuesday, January 21st Edition
By the end of this newsletter, you’ll wish you were working for Delta.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
The Senate Preps for Trial
The president’s lawyers urged the Senate to “swiftly reject” the charges against him
President Trump formally rejected the Democratic-led House of Representatives’ impeachment charges on Monday and called for their immediate dismissal by the Republican-led Senate in a memo offering a legal and political case against his removal.
According to Reuters, the 116-page document, which called the impeachment a “rigged process,” constituted Trump’s first comprehensive defense before his Senate trial begins in earnest today.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post reports that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell circulated ground rules for a rapid trial, as Senate aides and GOP lawyers weighed contingency plans in case Democrats are successful in forcing witnesses to testify.
Both sides spent Monday previewing the case they’ll make on the Senate floor through dueling filings and efforts to refute the other side’s arguments about whether Trump’s attempts to pressure Ukraine amount to impeachable conduct. Both the Democratic House managers and Trump’s legal team are battling to persuade a small group of swing GOP senators who will decide whether they will need additional witnesses and evidence to determine Trump’s fate.
McConnell’s organizing resolution—circulated late Monday afternoon—offers each side 24 hours to make its opening arguments, starting on Wednesday but compressed into two session days. The Senate trial also won’t automatically admit evidence from the House process, according to GOP officials, which is a key difference from the last impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton.
↦ Catch Up: What's happened since the House voted to impeach? The Wall Street Journal looks at the new information that's since come to light.
Will a Scandal Plague the Grammys?
The chief executive was removed days before the big awards ... then things got weird
The war of words and inflammatory accusations between the Recording Academy and its recently sidelined president and CEO Deborah Dugan heated up further Monday as the interim boss accused Dugan of offering to drop her complaint of wrongdoing and resign in exchange for a $22 million dollar buyout, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Dugan only took the position on August 1st, but on Thursday, just 10 days ahead of the 2020 Grammy Awards ceremony this Sunday, she was placed on administrative leave in response to a complaint of misconduct filed by "a senior member of the Recording Academy team."
The New York Times reports that Dugan was removed from the position after the assistant to her predecessor filed a complaint accusing Dugan of having a bullying management style. The Academy's board has hired two independent investigators to pursue the claim of misconduct.
But Variety reports that what may have taken place was a “coup”: a move by entrenched Academy veterans to discredit and remove Dugan, who was promising significant changes to the organization, before she could establish herself with a successful first show. In any case, you think this will make people actually want to watch the Grammys on Sunday?
Plenty of Weapons and No Violence
The pro-gun rally in Virginia was peaceful, despite earlier concerns
More than 22,000 gun-rights advocates packed the streets around the Virginia Capitol on Monday, bristling with weapons, flags and threats of insurrection, but never erupting into the violence authorities had feared, reports the Washington Post.
Chants of “USA! USA!” reverberated as men and women carrying handguns and rifles squeezed into the streets around the capitol building, standing shoulder-to-shoulder for three blocks in all directions to protest gun-control legislation making its way through the newly Democratic-controlled state legislature.
According to the Wall Street Journal, there was a heavy security presence after Governor Ralph Northam banned carrying weapons onto the capitol grounds and the FBI earlier last week arrested three alleged neo-Nazis who it said intended to use the event to spark a race war. But there were no real altercations of note, nor were there many signs of counter-protesters. And for that, we should all be grateful.
↦ FYI: Officers did remove a homemade guillotine that had been set up on the street, inscribed with the words: “The penalty for treason is death.”
Feel Free to Swear at Work
No seriously, it’s perfectly fine
This one doesn't seem to make much sense. Until you look a little deeper into the science. Because, you see, swearing at work could do you good.
Study after study on this subject have all come to the same conclusion—cursing has many benefits on your professional life. Researchers at Britain's University of East Anglia found that "when used in a non-abusive manner, swearing [in the workplace] enables the development of personal relationships among coworkers." It undoubtedly helps develop and maintain solidarity between colleagues, as well as relieve stress.
It could also help you sway someone's opinion. Multiple studies have shown that swearing can increase the effectiveness and persuasiveness of a message, especially when it is seen as a positive surprise. This seems somewhat key. No one wants to work with the guy who can't express himself without swearing up a storm.
↦ Read: All the ways that letting expletives fly will help your career.
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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It Pays to Be a Delta Employee ... Literally
The company is splitting $1.6 billion in 2019 profits among 90,000 employees
In an age of corporate greed and profits getting funneled to investors over employees, this is a refreshing story. Delta is splitting a record $1.6 billion in 2019 profits among its 90,000 employees, the airline has announced. Each employee will receive a bonus worth 16.6% of their base pay—approximately two months’ salary.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which reports the bonus payments will be made on February 14th, quotes Delta CEO Ed Bastian: "For years, I would get beaten up by Wall Street. They thought the profits were theirs." Now, "Wall Street has actually come full circle, and they realize that Delta is the most awarded airline in the world because of its employees."
It does make sense. Delta consistently ranks #1 on “best airlines” lists, often making note of the human touch the crew provides. Well, that and those delicious Biscoff cookies.
Full-time and part-time workers, whether or not they're unionized, will be getting checks. According to CNN, the only people excluded from the profit-sharing plan are the company's officers, directors and general managers, although they will be paid their own performance-based bonuses.
What We’re Buying
ASOS recently refreshed their popular 4505 gym line, and the mid-length training shorts are now offered in a two-pack. Which means it's the ideal time to update your workout wardrobe with this two-for-one deal. Of course, being winter, if you need to throw some compression tights under them, ASOS has those in convenient two-packs as well.
↦ Get It $38 at ASOS
Today’s Deals
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↦ Want More? See all 44 sales
Morning Motto
Go ahead, believe the good stuff.
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