Morning Must Reads: April 21

The first former U. S. President to face a criminal trial and the judge overseeing those proceedings are both children of Queens. Donald Trump grew up in a faux Tudor house in Jamaica Estates, and Juan Merchan was raised a few miles down the Grand Central Parkway in Jackson Heights. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Merchan knows more about Trump than their shared geography.

The Senate clash over the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas lasted less than three hours as Democrats moved quickly on Wednesday to dismiss the charges as unconstitutional. The stunted Senate trial marked the end of the deeply partisan and historic effort to convict and remove Mayorkas from office over his handling of the U.

Denver Fire Department Chief Desmond Fulton said Wednesday that he was following what he believed to be the department’s standards when he claimed hundreds of hours of compensatory time off — and then effectively cashed much of it in for $42,000 in extra pay over the last three years. The chief says he supports an investigation into how he and other members of the department’s leadership tracked and used their hours and paid time off.

One of the world's biggest naval bases to its south. A huge Marine base to its north. And the amphibious landing of foreign invaders went off without a hitch.

2024’s “known wolves” carry badges and/or act under the color of law.

It’s not looking goodbut we have to hope.