To view past editions of The Hill's 12:30 Report, click here: http://bit.ly/1M1mIfw

To receive The Hill's 12:30 Report in your inbox, please sign up here: http://bit.ly/1Tt4hqN

--> A midday take on what's happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha--breaks down crying hysterically.

The Hill's 12:30 Report: Backlash over video depicting Trump killing media, critics | WHCA, Cindy McCain condemn video | Ex-Trump aide testifies over Ukraine ambassador's removal | Trump demands whistleblower testify | Trump threatens 'big sanctions' on Turkey | Republicans prep to rebuke Trump on Syria | What to know for Tuesday's debate | Bears swim in pool | National Dessert Day

HAPPENING THIS MORNING

Fiona's tell-all:

Fiona Hill, a former special assistant to the president, is testifying on Capitol Hill this morning in the Ukraine probe. http://bit.ly/31bp6Qc

What Hill is expected to say: That U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland and President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani Rudy GiulianiThe Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting CIA found Putin 'probably directing' campaign against Biden: report Democrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate MORE went around the National Security Council and official White House protocol to speak directly with Trump about Ukraine.

What we know about Hill's testimony: Via NBC's Josh Lederman, Carol E. Lee and Kristen Welker: https://nbcnews.to/33rNtdV

ADVERTISEMENT

Keep in mind: Fiona Hill is the first former White House official to agree to cooperate with the House's impeachment inquiry.

Video of Fiona Hill arriving: http://bit.ly/33qNej2

Photo of Republicans arriving for the deposition: http://bit.ly/2IOTdGI

'He doesn't even go here!' -- Kicked out of the deposition: "Rep. Matt Gaetz Matthew (Matt) GaetzTrump faces tricky choice on Supreme Court pick Florida attorney general scrutinizing Bloomberg paying fines for felons to vote Lara Trump campaigns with far-right activist candidate Laura Loomer in Florida MORE says Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffSchiff to subpoena top DHS official, alleges whistleblower deposition is being stonewalled Schiff claims DHS is blocking whistleblower's access to records before testimony GOP lawmakers distance themselves from Trump comments on transfer of power MORE kicked him out of the Fiona Hill deposition. Gaetz is not on the three [committees] conducting the impeachment inquiry, but he argued that as a member of Judiciary he should be allowed to attend, and [because] there 'are no rules' for the impeachment probe." http://bit.ly/33vE5Gc

^Reaction from Gaetz: "Gaetz sharply criticized [House Intelligence Committee Chairman] Adam Schiff, saying it's a 'sham process.'" http://bit.ly/35DuP4P

HOW THE GOP IS BRACING FOR AN IMPEACHMENT BRAWL:

http://bit.ly/2OLABes

It's Monday. I'm Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what's coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com -- and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.

Did someone forward this to you? Want your own copy? Sign up here to receive The Hill's 12:30 Report in your inbox daily: http://bit.ly/2kjMNnn

LATEST ON SYRIA

Sanctions are coming:

This morning, President Trump warned of "big sanctions" on Turkey after its military launched an offensive in northern Syria. http://bit.ly/2qdrmtl

He tweeted: "Big sanctions on Turkey coming! Do people really think we should go to war with NATO Member Turkey? Never ending wars will end!"

Trump also said: "Brian Kilmeade over at ['Fox & Friends'] got it all wrong. We are not going into another war between people who have been fighting with each other for 200 years. Europe had a chance to get their ISIS prisoners, but didn't want the cost. 'Let the USA pay,' they said ... Kurds may be releasing some to get us involved. Easily recaptured by Turkey or European Nations from where many came, but they should move quickly."

Read Trump's full tweets: http://bit.ly/2qf53nf

What to expect from furious Republicans:

Congressional Republicans are expected to rebuke President Trump with legislation that would force the administration to impose sanctions on Turkey. http://bit.ly/35zPBSP

What to expect from Democrats:

Congressional Democrats will offer a resolution urging President Trump to reverse his decision to remove troops from Syria. http://bit.ly/2IM2AqA

From Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Cruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish MORE (D-N.Y.): "We will be putting on the floor of the Senate and the House ... a joint resolution that urges the president to undo his decision to do everything he can to protect the Kurds, to do everything that we must do to prevent ISIS terrorists from escaping, and make sure that Turkey respects existing agreements related to Syria and with the United States." http://bit.ly/2IM2AqA

LATEST WITH THE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Trump wants the Ukraine whistleblower outed:

President Trump called for the whistleblower who helped spark an impeachment inquiry, to testify and "explain why he got my Ukraine conversation sooo wrong." http://bit.ly/2VDVr0G

Trump tweeted: "Adam Schiff now doesn't seem to want the Whistleblower to testify. NO! Must testify to explain why he got my Ukraine conversation sooo wrong, not even close. Did Schiff tell him to do that? We must determine the Whistleblower's identity to determine WHY this was done to the USA. Democrat's game was foiled when we caught Schiff fraudulently making up my Ukraine conversation, when I released the exact conversation Transcript, and when Ukrainian President and the Foreign Minister said there was NO PRESSURE, very normal talk! A total Impeachment Scam!" http://bit.ly/2Be8Vqs

WHAT SPARKED THIS TWEET:

Over the weekend, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said that testimony from the whistleblower may no longer be necessary. http://bit.ly/2nIPBi3

Schiff explained on CBS's "Face the Nation": "Given that we already have the call record, we don't need the whistleblower who wasn't on the call to tell us what took place during the call."

And Schiff pointed at Trump: "Before the president started threatening the whistleblower ... we were interested in having the whistleblower come forward. Our primary interest right now is making sure that that person is protected."

Watch Schiff on "Face the Nation": http://bit.ly/2nIPBi3

IN OTHER NEWS

Welp, this is not particularly comforting:

Via The New York Times's Michael S. Schmidt and Maggie Haberman Maggie Lindsy HabermanBiden, Pence cross paths at NYC 9/11 ceremony The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Trump floats 0M+ in personal spending for reelection bid The Hill's 12:30 Report: Washington reacts to scathing Trump military story MORE, "A video depicting a macabre scene of a fake President Trump shooting, stabbing and brutally assaulting members of the news media and his political opponents was shown at a conference for his supporters at his Miami resort last week, according to footage obtained by The New York Times." https://nyti.ms/35xvpAJ

Media outlets mentioned in the video: Politico, The Washington Post, NPR and The Hill.

Others mentioned in the video: Rep. Maxine Waters Maxine Moore WatersPowell, Mnuchin stress limits of current emergency lending programs Pelosi: House will stay in session until agreement is reached on coronavirus relief Omar invokes father's death from coronavirus in reaction to Woodward book MORE (D-Calif.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the late Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainCrenshaw looms large as Democrats look to flip Texas House seat Analysis: Biden victory, Democratic sweep would bring biggest boost to economy The Memo: Trump's strengths complicate election picture MORE (R-Ariz.) and Rosie O'Donnell.

REACTION FROM WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY STEPHANIE GRISHAM:

Grisham tweeted, "Re: the video played over the weekend: [President Trump] has not yet seen the video, he will see it shortly, but based upon everything he has heard, he strongly condemns this video." http://bit.ly/2MIEOgb

BACKLASH TO THE VIDEO:

From Cindy McCain, the widow of former Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.): "Reports describing a violent video played at a Trump Campaign event in which images of reporters & @JohnMcCain are being slain by Pres Trump violate every norm our society expects from its leaders & the institutions that bare their names. I stand w/ @whca [White House Correspondents' Association] in registering my outrage." http://bit.ly/2MEsoWW

From Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke Beto O'RourkeJimmy Carter says his son smoked pot with Willie Nelson on White House roof O'Rourke endorses Kennedy for Senate: 'A champion for the values we're most proud of' 2020 Democrats do convention Zoom call MORE: "At a conference of Trump supporters, they played a video of our president murdering journalists in a church. Last year, a Trump supporter sent bombs to CNN--and a shooter entered a church yesterday. This video isn't funny. It will get people killed." http://bit.ly/2MBTy0u

More reactions: http://bit.ly/2MBTy0u

NOTABLE TWEETS

Smart bears:

These bears made the most of the warm weather in Boulder, taking a dip in the pool before a cold snap quickly took over the next day. https://t.co/32vX8VRmZl pic.twitter.com/7OzPcJGCSn — ABC News (@ABC) October 14, 2019

Andrew Yang Andrew YangBiden's latest small business outreach is just ... awful Doctor who allegedly assaulted Evelyn Yang arrested on federal charges The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden weighs in on police shootings | Who's moderating the debates | Trump trails in post-convention polls MORE's debate prep:

Getting some shots up in Ohio ahead of the debate pic.twitter.com/VTCfnPDoVT — Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) October 14, 2019

ON TAP

The House and Senate are out.

President Trump has no public events on his schedule.

Vice President Pence has no public events on his schedule.

WHAT TO WATCH

8 p.m. EDT Tuesday: The next Democratic presidential primary debate. Debate details:

http://bit.ly/2IQbXFX

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Dessert Day.

And because you made it this far, here's a kitten who is having a hard time staying awake today: http://bit.ly/2IPazn0