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: Trump, Senate Republicans step up attacks on whistleblower | Trump suggests Schiff should be arrested for treason | Lawyers worry for whistleblower's safety | McConnell says Senate has 'no choice' but to take up impeachment | Pelosi game plans with Dems | Schiff intends to subpoena Giuliani | GOP Rep. Chris Collins Christopher (Chris) Carl CollinsConspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention NY Republican Chris Jacobs wins special election to replace Chris Collins 5 things to watch in Tuesday's primaries MORE to plead guilty to insider trading | Thornberry is sixth Texas House Republican to announce retirement | Forever 21 files for bankruptcy

IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Trump called for the House Intelligence Committee chairman to be arrested for treason:

This morning, 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 suggested that House Intelligence Committee Chairman 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 (D-Calif.) should be arrested for treason for exaggerating Trump's call with the president of Ukraine. http://bit.ly/2n55L57

Trump tweeted: "Rep. Adam Schiff illegally made up a FAKE & terrible statement, pretended it to be mine as the most important part of my call to the Ukrainian President, and read it aloud to Congress and the American people. It bore NO relationship to what I said on the call. Arrest for Treason?" Read Trump's tweet: http://bit.ly/2n58BHj

Watch Schiff's full opening statement: http://bit.ly/2mjjfK3

Just so we're clear: Treason is a crime punishable by death or prison time.

ADVERTISEMENT

What Trump is talking about: During last week's hearing with the acting director of national intelligence, Schiff paraphrased Trump's call with Ukraine's president, including directing him to "make up dirt on my political opponent."

Schiff then defended his remarks: "Of course, the president never said, 'If you don't understand me I'm going to say it seven more times,' my point is, that's the message that the Ukraine president was receiving in not so many words." http://bit.ly/2n55L57

AND TRUMP STEPPED UP HIS ATTACKS ON THE WHISTLEBLOWER:

The president tweeted, "The Fake Whistleblower complaint is not holding up. It is mostly about the call to the Ukrainian President which, in the name of transparency, I immediately released to Congress & the public. The Whistleblower knew almost nothing, its 2ND HAND description of the call is a fraud!" http://bit.ly/2oyA9oM

He then added: #FakeWhistleblower. http://bit.ly/2n5y1EH

OVER THE WEEKEND -- TRUMP ALLIES MADE THE ROUNDS TO DEFEND HIM:

Here's the gist: http://bit.ly/2oEz6Uv

It's Monday. Shanah tovah! 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

IN THE HOUSE

Adam Schiff plans to subpoena Rudy:

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said he plans to subpoena President Trump'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 for documents related to Ukraine. http://bit.ly/2oFbgrJ

Schiff told Scott Pelley on "60 Minutes": "We're going to need evidence from Rudy Giuliani. And it's our intention as soon as first thing next week to subpoena him for documents. And there may very well come a time where we want to hear from him directly."

Ready and break!:

Via Politico's Sarah Ferris and Andrew Desiderio, during a private conference call over the weekend, Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' Overnight Health Care: New wave of COVID-19 cases builds in US | Florida to lift all coronavirus restrictions on restaurants, bars | Trump stirs questions with 0 drug coupon plan Overnight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds MORE (D-Calif.) and top House Democrats told members to focus on their constitutional duty ahead of politics. https://politi.co/2mjKhkF

Pelosi told Democrats: "I'm in Texas and they have a saying here: 'Don't Mess with Texas.' Well, I say, 'Don't Mess with the Constitution, Mr. President.' "

OH, HELLO THERE, Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida Hillicon Valley: Productivity, fatigue, cybersecurity emerge as top concerns amid pandemic | Facebook critics launch alternative oversight board | Google to temporarily bar election ads after polls close Trump pledges to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, designate KKK a terrorist group in pitch to Black voters MORE:

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tweeted this morning, "The president is a corrupt human tornado." http://bit.ly/2oDfgce

New -- Rep. Chris Collins is pleading guilty to insider trading:

Via Bloomberg's Bob Van Voris and Chris Dolmetsch, Republican Rep. Chris Collins (N.Y.) will plead guilty to insider trading. https://bloom.bg/2oFcp2s

Details: "The congressman was charged last year with trading on non-public information about Innate Immunotherapeutics Ltd., an Australian biotechnology company. He was arrested in August 2019 along with his son, Cameron Collins, and Stephen Zarky, the father of Cameron's fiancée."

Keep in mind: Collins was the first sitting representative to endorse President Trump in the 2016 presidential cycle.

What we don't know: What charges he will plead to and whether Collins will resign from Congress.

Also this morning -- Another Texas Republican retires:

Texas Rep. Mac Thornberry William (Mac) McClellan ThornberryOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds Democrats push to limit transfer of military-grade gear to police Trump payroll-tax deferral for federal workers sparks backlash MORE (R), who serves as the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, announced his retirement at the end of the term. http://bit.ly/2ml0lmd

He said in a statement: "It has been a great honor to serve the people of the 13th District of Texas as their congressman for the last 25 years. They have given me opportunities to serve the nation in ways I could have never imagined, including as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee."

For context: Thornberry is the sixth Texas Republican to retire from Congress this year.

IN THE SENATE

New development -- McConnell says the Senate would take up impeachment:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' House to vote on resolution affirming peaceful transition of power Republican lawyers brush off Trump's election comments MORE (R-Ky.) said this morning that the Senate would have "no choice" but to take up President Trump's impeachment if it passes in the House. http://bit.ly/2oy0var

McConnell told CNBC: "Well under the Senate rules we're required to take it up if the House does go down that path and we'll follow the Senate rules."

He also said: "I would have no choice but to take it up, based on a Senate rule on impeachment."

How the GOP is planning to protect Trump:

Via The Hill's Alexander Bolton, "Republican senators scrambling to protect President Trump from a formal impeachment inquiry are attacking the credibility of the whistleblower who filed a complaint." http://bit.ly/2oAvcvH

For example: Sen. Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyGOP lawmakers distance themselves from Trump comments on transfer of power The Hill's 12:30 Report: Ginsburg lies in repose Top GOP senators say Hunter Biden's work 'cast a shadow' over Obama Ukraine policy MORE (R-Iowa), who has a reputation for protecting whistleblowers, was not as supportive. "If they are not really a whistleblower, they don't get the protection," Grassley said.

From Sen. John Cornyn John CornynHillicon Valley: Productivity, fatigue, cybersecurity emerge as top concerns amid pandemic | Facebook critics launch alternative oversight board | Google to temporarily bar election ads after polls close Lawmakers introduce legislation to boost cybersecurity of local governments, small businesses On The Trail: Making sense of this week's polling tsunami MORE (R-Texas): "It doesn't come from a person with personal knowledge. It's like I heard these people say this, and now I'm reporting it. I think that is pretty bizarre."

From Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamLincoln Project mocks Lindsey Graham's fundraising lag with Sarah McLachlan-themed video The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election Trump dumbfounds GOP with latest unforced error MORE (R-S.C.): Graham said reading the whistleblower's complaint "makes me more suspicious about how all this happened."

Lawyers are worried for the whistleblower's safety:

"Lawyers representing the whistleblower behind the explosive complaint involving President Trump's efforts to persuade Ukraine's president to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE and his son Hunter Biden expressed concern for their client's safety in a letter to lawmakers released Sunday." http://bit.ly/2nXNiaw

Read the letter: http://bit.ly/2motZHg

Op-ed: Here's how to think about the impeachment process from a legal standpoint: http://bit.ly/2n5AjUj

NOTABLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Well this is adorable:

Full size photo: http://bit.ly/2ozn3HS

ON TAP

The House and Senate are out.

12:45 p.m. EDT: President Trump has lunch with Vice President Pence.

2 p.m. EDT: President Trump swears in Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia. What to know about Scalia: http://bit.ly/2mgcSqT

3:30 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence meets with the prime minister of Jamaica.

4 p.m. EDT: President Trump meets with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoWatchdog confirms State Dept. canceled award for journalist who criticized Trump Trump's push for win with Sudan amps up pressure on Congress Putin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize MORE.

Oct. 4: The intelligence community's inspector general testifies. Details: http://bit.ly/2mpADgs

WHAT TO WATCH

11 a.m. EDT: President Trump held a ceremony for the new Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2oy9h8o

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Chewing Gum Day. It's also National Hot Mulled Cider Day.

Just like that trendy top, nothing lasts Forever:

Fast fashion clothing chain Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy on Sunday. https://nyti.ms/2nXgHlb

What this means for the store: "Forever 21 said that it would continue to operate its website and hundreds of stores in the United States, where it is a major tenant for mall owners, as well as stores in Mexico and Latin America."



From the chain's executive vice president Linda Chang: "What we're hoping to do with this process is just to simplify things so we can get back to doing what we do best," Chang told The New York Times.

And to brighten your Monday afternoon, here's a dog attempting to eat a leaf blower: http://bit.ly/2ozj4el