IN THEIR SECOND ATTEMPT — HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTE TO IMPEACH HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS  AND — A DRIVER IS KILLED AFTER CRASHING INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF A TEXAS HOSPITAL — LEAVING OTHERS CRITICALLY INJURED

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

IN A HISTORIC VOTE —

HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE IMPEACHED HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS OVER HIS HANDLING OF THE MIGRANT CRISIS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

REPUBLICANS SAYING MAYORKAS FAILED TO ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS AND MADE FALSE STATEMENTS TO CONGRESS – ALLEGATIONS MAYORKAS CALLS “BASELESS.”

THE GOP HAD THE VOTES TUESDAY NIGHT – AFTER FAILING TO PASS THE MEASURE LAST WEEK – THANKS TO THE RETURN OF HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER STEVE SCALISE WHO HAD BEEN ABSENT WHILE SEEKING BLOOD CANCER TREATMENT.

THE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT PASSED BY A VOTE OF 214 TO 213 — THREE REPUBLICANS SIDING WITH DEMOCRATS IN OPPOSITION.

SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON SAID IN A STATEMENT MAYORKAS FUELED “THE WORST BORDER CATASTROPHE IN AMERICAN HISTORY.”

WHILE A SPOKESPERSON FOR DHS SAID THE IMPEACHMENT WAS DONE “WITHOUT A SHRED OF EVIDENCE OR CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS.”

THE ISSUE NOW HEADS TO TRIAL IN THE DEMOCRAT-CONTROLLED SENATE – WHICH IS UNLIKELY TO VOTE TO REMOVE MAYORKAS FROM OFFICE.

TUESDAY’S VOTE MARKED ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN U.S. HISTORY THAT THE HOUSE HAS IMPEACHED A CABINET MEMBER. THE LAST TIME WAS IN 1876.

DEMOCRATS HAVE FLIPPED A SEAT IN THE HOUSE AFTER A SPECIAL ELECTION IN NEW YORK LAST NIGHT TO REPLACE FORMER REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN GEORGE SANTOS WHO WAS EXPELLED LAST YEAR.

DEMOCRAT TOM SUOZZI (SWAZ–EE) DEFEATED REPUBLICAN MAZI (MAH–ZEE) PILIP (PILL-UP) IN NEW YORK’S THIRD DISTRICT — NARROWING THE GOP’S ALREADY SLIM MAJORITY IN THE CHAMBER TO 219 TO 213.

VOTERS BATTLED THROUGH A WINTER STORM TO MAKE IT TO THE POLLS.

WITH 93 PERCENT OF THE VOTES IN – SUOZZI WON 54 PERCENT COMPARED TO 46 PERCENT FOR PILIP.

SUOZZI IS MAKING HIS RETURN TO THE HOUSE AFTER HE GAVE UP HIS SEAT IN 2022 TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR.

HE PREVIOUSLY REPRESENTED THE DISTRICT FOR SIX YEARS.

ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND FIVE OTHERS WERE INJURED AFTER A  CAR CRASHED INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF A HOSPITAL IN AUSTIN TEXAS.

IN FOOTAGE TAKEN BY A BYSTANDER RIGHT AFTER THE CRASH HAPPENED — YOU CAN HEAR SCREECHING TIRES AS HOSPITAL STAFF AND RESPONDERS CLEAR THE LOBBY AND MOVE PEOPLE INJURED.

THE CRASH OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER 5:30 TUESDAY EVENING.

POLICE SAYING IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN INTENTIONAL.

OF THE FIVE INJURED — A CHILD AND AN ADULT WERE SAID TO BE IN CRITICAL CONDITION.

THE HOSPITAL’S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER SAID 8 PATIENTS IN THE E-R AT THE TIME – WHO WERE NOT HURT IN THE CRASH – HAVE BEEN TRANSPORTED TO OTHER HOSPITALS IN THE AREA.

THOUSANDS OF RIDE SHARE AND FOOD DELIVERY DRIVERS ARE PLANNING TO WALK OFF THE JOB TODAY – CHOOSING VALENTINE’S DAY TO PROTEST THEIR WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS

DRIVERS OF UBER, LYFT AND DOORDASH ARE AMONG THOSE PLANNING TO HOLD RALLIES OUTSIDE AIRPORTS IN SEVERAL MAJOR CITIES LIKE MIAMI CHICAGO AND PHILADELPHIA.

ACCORDING TO THE JUSTICE FOR APP WORKERS ORGANIZATION — THAT REPRESENTS MORE THAN 130,000 PEOPLE – THE DRIVERS SAY THEY ARE SICK OF WORKING 80 HOURS A WEEK JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND BEING CONSTANTLY SCARED FOR THEIR SAFETY.

OUR LAUREN TAYLOR HAS MORE ON THE VALENTINE’S DAY STRIKE ON OUR WEBSITE SAN DOT COM.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO SEE VIDEO OF THE LATEST LAUNCH OF A PRIVATE COMPANY’S MOON LANDER – YOU’LL HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST ONE MORE DAY.

SPACEX POSTPONING THIS MORNING’S LAUNCH OF ITS FALCON 9 ROCKET CARRYING INTUITIVE MACHINES OF HOUSTON’S ROBOTIC LUNAR LANDER – ODYSSEUS. (OH-DIS-EE-US)

SPACEX SAYING A LIQUID METHANE TEMPERATURE ISSUE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE DELAY.

THE LAUNCH IS NOW SCHEDULED FOR EARLY THURSDAY MORNING AT NASA’S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN FLORIDA. IF ANOTHER ISSUE ARISES – A FRIDAY LAUNCH IS ALSO POSSIBLE.

SHOULD THIS MISSION BE SUCCESSFUL — UNLIKE LAST MONTH’S ATTEMPT BY ANOTHER PRIVATE COMPANY – IT WILL BE THE FIRST AMERICAN SPACECRAFT TO LAND ON THE MOON’S SURFACE SINCE 1972.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – IT’S VALENTINE’S DAY AND WHILE THE BEATLES FAMOUSLY SANG– MONEY CAN’T BUY ME LOVE – THAT WON’T STOP MANY FROM SPENDING ON THEIR LOVED ONES TODAY.

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION – PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO SPEND A RECORD 14 POINT 2 BILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR ON THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS.

WITH AN AVERAGE OF 185 DOLLARS PER PERSON.

THE TOP GIFT OF CHOICE? CANDY. FOLLOWED BY GREETING CARDS – FLOWERS – AND AN EVENING OUT.

OVER HALF OF AMERICANS SAY THEY PLAN TO CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY THIS YEAR – WHILE ABOUT A THIRD OF THOSE WHO AREN’T — STILL SAY THEYRE LOOKING TO MARK THE OCCASION BY EITHER GETTING TOGETHER WITH SINGLE FRIENDS OR TREATING THEMSELVES TO SOMETHING SPECIAL.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS WEDNESDAY.

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE MORNING RUNDOWN NEWSLETTER  TO GET THE TOP STORIES EACH WEEKDAY MORNING.

JUST GO TO SAN DOT COM SLASH RUNDOWN TO SIGN UP.

UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS. THAT’S STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!