Talk about a demotion.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) played a big advocacy role in President-elect Joe Biden's 2020 bid, no doubt helping him lock up the typically red state of Georgia. Bottoms was expected to be offered a White House role in return, perhaps as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development or the head of the Small Business Administration, or even Biden's vice president.

After the naming of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) as Biden's running mate over the summer, and after Biden slotted Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) into the HUD spot, Bottoms' choices seemed to be slimming. But as sources tell The New Yorker's Charles Bethea, Bottoms was offered a role as the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, which she declined.

An ambassadorship to the Bahamas is typically given to apolitical Foreign Service professionals or, in some cases, top political donors. In either case, it's generally not considered a spot for a rising star in the Democratic party. Kathryn Krawczyk

During a Wednesday phone call with police chiefs from across the United States, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned that there is the potential for extremist violence in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.

Wray was joined on the call by Kenneth Cuccinelli, the acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. They asked police departments to serve as their eyes and ears, sharing any intelligence they gather with other law enforcement agencies. Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina told The New York Times Wray asked the chiefs to "continue to overshare intelligence" and not assume that they already know about potential threats.

The Times spoke to another police chief on the call, who asked to remain anonymous. They said the U.S. Capitol has an extensive law enforcement presence, and the concern has shifted to attacks against federal buildings, state capitols, and the homes and businesses of lawmakers. Federal officials are monitoring extremist messages being posted online, and Wray said the police chiefs should be mindful of local armed groups and people acting on their own.

"They're very, very worried about these, what they've referred to as domestic violent extremists, embedding themselves in other protests," the chief said. "Christopher Wray seemed particularly concerned about what was sort of the disregard these folks have for democratic government. The focus was not to go after people engaged in peaceful protest. There were others embedded in that who were engaged in violence and criminal behavior." Catherine Garcia

Minutes after President Trump was impeached for the second time, the White House Twitter account posted a video message from the president, who called last week's Capitol riot "troubling" and "a calamity."

During the five-minute message, Trump did not mention that it was his supporters who stormed the Capitol, with many breaching the building after Trump encouraged them to pressure lawmakers into overturning the results of the election.

"I want to be very clear: I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week," Trump said. "Violence and vandalism have absolutely no place in our country and no place in our movement." He added that "no true supporter of mine could ever disrespect law enforcement or our great American flag."

There are more demonstrations planned in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, and Trump said he is "asking everyone who has ever believed in our agenda to be thinking of ways to ease tensions, calm tempers, and help to promote peace in our country." Every American has the First Amendment right to "have their voice heard in a respectful and peaceful way," Trump continued, but "there must be no violence, no law breaking, and no vandalism of any kind." Catherine Garcia

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) signed the article of impeachment against President Trump on Wednesday evening, saying she was "heartbroken" over the president inciting "an insurrection."

The House of Representatives voted 232-197 to impeach Trump, a "responsibility we did not think one week ago we would have," Pelosi said during the brief engrossment ceremony.

The bipartisan impeachment was a way for the House to demonstrate that "no one is above the law, not even the president of the United States; that Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to our country; and that once again we honored our oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help us God," Pelosi said. Trump is now the first president to ever be impeached twice. Catherine Garcia

On Wednesday, the House voted to impeach Trump a second time after his supporters attacked the Capitol building last week. Trump will now face a second impeachment trial before the Senate — but that won't happen until the body reconvenes just a day before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Wednesday.

"Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude" before Biden is sworn in, McConnell said in a statement. "Even if the Senate process were to begin this week and move promptly, no decision would be reached until after President Trump had left office. That is not a decision I am making. That is a fact," McConnell continued, citing how previous Senate impeachment trials lasted weeks. Therefore, McConnell would like Congress and the executive branch to remain "completely focused on facilitating a safe and orderly transfer of power."

McConnell indicated earlier Wednesday that he wouldn't reconvene the Senate before Jan. 19 to proceed with Trump's impeachment. He also told his GOP colleagues he was still undecided on his own vote on whether to impeach the president. Kathryn Krawczyk

More than 30 House Democrats on Wednesday signed a letter asking Capitol security officials to launch an "immediate investigation into the suspicious behavior and access given to visitors to the Capitol" the day before a mob of President Trump's supports stormed the building.

The signees said many of them, including those who were trained during their time in the military to recognize "suspicious behavior," witnessed more visitors than usual, especially in light of coronavirus pandemic restrictions, to the Capitol on Jan. 5. In fact, the tours were "so concerning" they were reported to the sergeant-at-arms. The latter states that the people in the Capitol appeared to be part of the mob that marched to the grounds from the White House the next day, and that they "seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol."

The rest of the letter echoes allegations made earlier Wednesday by Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), who spearheaded the investigation request. Sherrill said she believes the visitors were on a reconnaissance mission and were aided by members of Congress.

The Democrats want security officials to look into guest logs that could provide any information on who may signed into the complex, as well as who granted access. Tim O'Donnell

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday imposed a set of fines for congressmembers who don't wear masks on the House floor. The threat seemed to convince everyone to mask up for Wednesday's impeachment debate — though a few House members needed some reminders.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) seemingly took to the House floor without his mask at the beginning of Wednesday's proceedings, earning a pointed reminder from the House officer. But that didn't stop Jordan from reportedly removing his mask later in the debates to cough.

Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) was meanwhile spotted removing his mask for a second to seemingly sneeze into his hand, even though that's the exact situation when it's most important to wear a mask.

And other representatives kept letting their masks slip below their noses as they gave their opinions on the second impeachment of President Trump.

Freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) meanwhile didn't have a problem covering her nose and mouth. Still, the QAnon backer and coronavirus skeptic ironically did so with a mask that read "Censored," even as she spoke directly to tens of thousands of viewers watching around the country and the world.

And Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) let his mask share his criticism of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) — though his and everyone else's masks are actually effective at and necessary for stopping the spread of coronavirus. Kathryn Krawczyk