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Giuliani says he was key player in Ukraine Ambassador Yovanovitch ouster, has proof of Dem impeachment 'cover-up'

Rudy Giuliani, a personal attorney for President Trump, said Monday that he played a key role in forcing ex-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch from her post earlier this year, and claimed that he has evidence the Trump impeachment inquiry is a "cover-up" of Democratic malfeasance.

Giuliani, one of Trump's most loyal defenders, told Laura Ingraham on "The Ingraham Angle" that he helped forced out Yovanovitch because she was corrupt and obstructing the investigation into Ukraine and the Bidens. He had raised eyebrows recently after an interview was published in the New Yorker where he was quoted saying that he needed her "out of the way" because she would make the investigation into the Bidens "difficult for everybody." Giuliani said he was not the first person to go to the president with concerns about the diplomat.

Yovanovitch, 60, a career diplomat and daughter of immigrants who fled the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, claimed that she was ousted from her role due to a smear campaign by Trump allies. Trump's tweets about her were shown during her testimony in front of Congress last month and she called them "very intimidating." Click here for more on our top story.

As final impeachment vote nears, swing-district Dems fall in line with the party

With just hours to go until the House Rules Committee meets at 11 a.m. ET Tuesday for a marathon session to set the ground rules on this week's final impeachment vote, many of the moderate Democrats in districts President Trump won in 2016 have started to fall in line in favor of impeachment.

Other than New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who has mulled switching to the Republican Party, and Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson, no other Democrat occupying one of the 31 House districts that Trump won in 2016 has announced opposition to impeachment. All Republicans in Congress and the Senate have opposed impeachment. At the same time, New York Rep. Max Rose, whose district backed Trump by 10 points in 2016 and who has long campaigned on bipartisanship, announced Friday he would support impeaching the president. Click here for more.

Barnard College student's suspected killer, 14, jumps from car, sparking manhunt

The 14-year-old suspected killer of Barnard College freshman Tessa Majors jumped out of a car while on his way to meet with cops on Monday, sparking a manhunt in Harlem, police sources told The New York Post.

Cops fanned out across 125th Street — with particular focus between Frederick Douglass and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. boulevards — to look for the alleged teenage killer, sources said. The middle-schooler and an adult were headed to meet with cops on Monday, when the kid bolted out of the car, a high-ranking source told The Post. The adult notified authorities, who took to the area to track the teen, sources said.

The fresh-faced fugitive is among three suspects cops have identified in the fatal stabbing of Majors, 18, on Dec. 11 in Morningside Park." Click here for more.



MAKING HEADLINES:

Schiff town hall erupts into clashes amid shouts of 'liar' and 'treason.'

Flynn judge crushes hopes for tossing guilty plea, says ex-national security adviser waived constitutional rights.

Pervez Musharraf, former president of Pakistan, sentenced to death for treason.

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SOME PARTING WORDS

Tucker Carlson says for two long years, James Comey, former director of the FBI, has played the role of "America's moral martyr," and it's basically worked for him. But he's finally being exposed as a liar.

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Fox News First is compiled by Fox News' Bryan Robinson. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! Enjoy your day! We'll see you in your inbox first thing on Wednesday morning.