On national tv. Whats next for the two candidates with the first vote in iowa looming. On the move, the massive winter storm of snow, ice and rain heads east, taking aim at tens of millions on the east coast. Bundle up. An arctic blast of dangerous cold air behind it al has the latest in his forecast bombshell. The new lawsuit claiming Jeffrey Epstein was sexually abusing young girls on his private island for decades. New outrage. The emergency call from that plane that dumped fuel on los angeles schools reveals the pilot may have lied about what he was doing so you dont need to hold to dump fuel or anything like that . Negative. Breaking overnight heres harry the prince steps out in public for the First Time Since the royal split as he reportedly gets set to join meghan in canada today, thursday, january 16th, 2020 announcer from nbc news this is today with Savannah Guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Welcome to today on this thursday morning an historic day for our nation as the impeachment process enters a new phase. It does here is how things will unfold today. At noon, the articles of impeachment will be read aloud to the Senate Chamber by the seven house managers who will prosecute this case. Two hours Later Supreme Court chief Justice John Roberts will be sworn in to preside over that trial and administer an oath to all 100 senators. The white house will be formally notified, setting the stage for the senate trial this will be only the third trial to remove a president in american history, and it should start next tuesday weve got complete coverage of the days events including a new interview with a key figure at the heart of the impeachment case against the president well start with Nbcs Kristen Welker at the white house for us kristen, good morning. Reporter good morning. It is yet another historic day in washington. It gets under way in a few hours. It comes as overnight an indicted associate of Rudy Giuliani, the president s personal attorney, is speaking out saying the president knew everything about the ukraine pressure campaign. Im now going to proceed to sign the articles. Reporter after a monthlong delay, House Democrats officially voted to transmit the two articles of impeachment to the senate then in a somber march, they hand delivered the articles, walking across the capitol t the Senate Chamber. The message will be received. Reporter despite his own Harsh Criticism of the trial and saying he will not be an impartial juror, Senate Majority leader Mitch Mcconnell called on the chamber to abandon partisanship i believe they can serve the longterm best interest of our nation. Reporter President Trump blasting democrats during an event at the white house they have a hoax going on over there lets take care of it. Reporter as the trial gets under way, seven House Democrats will serve as impeachment managers, prosecuting their case against the president. Today those managers, led by House Intelligence Committee chairman adam schiff, will formally read the articles of impeachment on the senate floor, charging the president with abuse of power and obstruction of congress. Next, chief Justice John Roberts will be sworn in to preside over the trial before swearing in all 100 senators who will serve as jurors taking an oath to do impartial justice. Opening arguments are expected to begin next tuesday. Senators are still debating the ground rules, including whethe to call witnesses like former National Security adviser john bolton it comes as a key figure at the center of the impeachment inquiry is dropping a new bombshell. Lev parnas worked with President Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani in ukraine to dig up dirt on former Vice President joe biden and his son hunter parnas with Msnbcs Rachel Maddow overnight directly implicating President Trump in that effort. President trump knew exactly what was going on. He was aware of all my movements. I wouldnt do anything without the consent of Rudy Giuliani or the president. Why would president zelenskys inner circle or minister or all these people or president poroshenko meet with me . Who am i they were told to meet with me. Reporter parnas has been indicted or federal Campaign Finance charges, and arrested while trying to leiave the country, is cooperating with investigators, turning over a trove of new documents, including this note parnas says he wrote to himself while talking to giuliani. It reads, get ukraines president to announce that the biden case will be investigated. The president was aware that you and mr. Giuliani were working on this effort in ukraine to basically hurt joe bidens political career. It was about joe biden, hunter biden it was never about corruption. Reporter the white house is responding to parnas interview. This came moments ago from stephanie grisham, she writes, quote, these allegations are made by a man currently out of bail for federal crimes and desperate to reduce his exposure to prison. The facts havent changed. The president did nothing wrong. This impeachment manufactured and carried out by the democrats has been a sham from the start Rudy Giuliani also weighed in overnight when asked if he told ukrainian officials that parnas spoke on behalf of the president , giuliani said no in a text message to nbc news savannah. Back to the trial for a moment the senate is running a tight ship senators have to abide by some pretty strict rules, right reporter its pretty fascinating. Since the senators will be jurors in the trial, theyll be treated like jurors in any trial. That means they wont be allowed to use phones or electronics no speaking to their fellow senators during the proceedings. And no Reading Materials that are irrelevant to the testimony. Democrats are still demanding witnesses be called. They would need four republicans to vote for that, to make it happen its unclear whether they have those votes. Savannah Kristen Welker leading us off, thank you nbc news will have live coverage of the impeachment proceedings later today. There are new developments on the campaign trail feud over a womans electability it erupted between Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, spilled onto a public stage during the debate. We dont need the lip readers anymore. We know what was said during that exchange at the end of tuesdays debate nbcs Peter Alexander has more on that. Peter, good morning. Reporter good morning to you. Just 2 1 2 weeks before the first president ial contest, the iowa caucuses, the tensions between Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, the top two progressives, the frontrunners on the left of the democratic side were on display for all of america to see, but now for th first time were also getting to hear what was said during that heated post debate exchange. There were plenty of fireworks during tuesdays debate in des moines between progressives Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. It was this tense moment on stage after it was over that quickly went viral warren appearing to refuse shake sanders outstretched hand now were learning what was said cnns microphone capturing the exchange. I think you called me a liar on national tv. What . I think you called me a liar on national tv lets not do it right now you want to have that discussion, well have the discussion you told me lets not do it now. Reporter fellow candidate tom steyer caught in the middle. It was an awkward moment where i felt like i felt bad for you. I need to move on as fast as possible reporter the moment came after a heated clash about warrens assertion during a private meeting, he told her a woman couldnt win the election. As a matter of fact i didnt say it anybody knows me, knows its incomprehensible that i would think that a woman could not be president of the United States reporter warren standing by her words. What did you think when senator sanders told you a woman couldnt win the election . I disagreed bernie is my friend and im not here to try to fight with bernie reporter sanders continuing to push back. Hillary clinton got 3 million more votes than trump, so who believes that a woman cant win . Of course a woman can win. Reporter when asked what was said during the exchange, the vermont senator joked. This morning both campaigns trying to defuse the situation and putting the focus back on progressive goals and defeating donald trump people close to both campaigns tell nbc news any infighting would only backfire by alienating the rival supporters instead of winning them over progressive activists right now fear the clash of contenders will only benefit a more moderate candidate like joe biden. Thank you, peter. Other news out of washington craig joins us with that good morning. The white house is hailing a new deal signed with china aimed at ending the heated trade war thats dragged on for two years now. So what does it all mean for American Consumers nbcs tom costello has that story. This is one where both china and the United States are saying its a win both say that the white house calls this an historic agreement with the president delivering on a campaign pledge. The deal does not require china to change any of its laws and its not clear what this means for main street americans yet. This agreement was good enough for wall street. 29,035, the record closing high for the dow jones reporter the record close actually began hours earlier at the white house. As President Trump and the vice premier of china signed the first phase of a deal meant to end a nasty twoyear trade war. Today we take a momentous step, one that has never been taken before with china toward a future of fair and reciprocal trade. Reporter most u. S. Tariffs will remain in effect until phase two of the deal is completed. That means American Families are unlikely to see lower prices on most chinesemade products already under tariffs, including tvs, shoes, and clothing china has agreed to buy 200 billion worth of American Products and services, including 40 billion in u. S. Farm products for farmers like john boyd of virginia, that cant come soon enough soy bean prices cut in half with for a year hes struggled to pay the mortgage on his farm government relief checks provided just a fraction of his normal income. Were feeling the pinch this is not a republican issue, this is not a democratic issue when i cant pay my bills, i cant pay my bills reporter across the country, farmers have gone under. The Financial Stress leading some to take their own lives the hope now, china will soon start placing the orders before its too late. For its part, china is anxious to regain access to u. S. Consumers while providing American Food and products to chinese consumers. For both teams, both sides, this is a pro growth deal. Tom, do we have any idea when consumers might start to see the prices drop on some common products this is a complicated answer. Many u. S. Companies ate the cost of the tariffs, did not pass them on to consumers, but analysts say that could change this year. Companies are expected to start hiking prices since most tariffs are staying in place for now so prices could go higher in the short run and go back down when the tariffs are removed and that may not come until the end of the year. Tom costello in washington, thanks. Lets move on to the powerful winter storm. Al has been talking about it all week long. This thing is moving across the country. Mr. Roker, whats the latest take a look at this map we have alerts from coast to coast. Winter weather alerts for 29 Million People wind alerts for 52 million wind chill alerts for 8 Million People lets break it down and show how this system will make its way across the country today, a wintry mix breaking out across the plains. Downpours though down in texas with these storms. Rainfall will be heavy, from 1 to 3 inches in texas snow in the plains 1 to 3 inches 6 to 12 inches in the rockies. Wind gusts up to 50 Miles Per Hour friday, the storm system intensifies over the plains, bringing snow to the upper midwest. A lot of ice is mixed in as well rainfall amounts, 1 to 2 inches in the Mississippi River valley with flash flood watches possible 4 to 8 inches of snow in the midwest. Gusty winds. Up to 50 Miles Per Hour. It winds up on saturday with cold winds and snow. Lakeeffect snow for the great lakes. Snow in the northeast and midatlantic states, then changing to rain airport delays are going to be a problem from friday into saturday six inches or more for the interior sections of the northeast and new england. Lighter along i95 expect air and road delays as a bonus, temperatures are going to fall rapidly as we get into the weekend guys all right, al thank you. Now, a Major Development in the Jeffrey Epstein case an explosive lawsuit filed in the Virgin Islands is alleging that Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused and trafficked hundreds of young women at his secluded multimillion dollar estate, some of these cases dating back a couple years, very recent. Nbcs Stephanie Gosk has been to that island. Youve seen it youve got the details good morning. The attorney general in the Virgin Islands outlines a sexual trafficking web, that went on longer and involved more girls than anyone realized, accusing epstein of abusing minors as recently as two years ago on his private island Jeffrey Epstein brought underage girls here to his sprawling caribbean estate using private planes, helicopters and boats, some as recently as 2018 according to the attorney general in the Virgin Islands who describes the island as the perfect hideaway and haven for trafficking young women and underage girls Jeffrey Epstein carried out an expansive scheme of human trafficking. Reporter the new lawsuit is seeking the forfeiture of both of epsteins private islands which i visited in july. Im in a narrow canal between little st. James island and great st. James island Jeffrey Epstein owns both. The only way to get out here is by boat unless, like epstein, you have a private helicopter. Wednesdays court filing alleging epstein kept a computerized list of underage girls who were in or proximate to the Virgin Islands. Adding he lured or recruited them with the pretext of providing modeling opportunities. At the compound, they were subject to sexual servitude and forced to engage in sexual acts, according to the complaint the suit details one incident where a 15yearold girl attempted to escape by swimming away she was found and held captive with her passport confiscated. The allegations echoing the stories of some victims including Chauntae Davies who says she was raped in 2002 on the island when she was 22 years old. I pulled my shorts up and ran as fast as i could, my feet bloody from the rocks. I cried myself to sleep that night. Reporter the latest allegations accuse epstein for the first time of continuing to abuse girl s long after he struk what many considered a sweetheart plea deal with federal prosecutors in florida. In 2008 he spent 13 months in jail after pleading guilty to soliciting prostitution. Following his release he was free to travel where he pleased, including his homes in new york, paris, and his Virgin Island compound last july federal prosecutors in new york charged epstein with sex trafficking. He pleaded not guilty. A month later, according to federal authorities, he hanged himself in a federal jail. So this is a lawsuit, these arent criminal charges obviously. What could happen . Epstein is deceased. What if the prosecutors in the Virgin Islands prevail we knew Jeffrey Epstein at the time of his death was worth an estimated 500 million, could be much more than that he had a number of companies in the Virgin Islands the attorney general says if they get those assets theyll consider disbursing it among his victims. It answers one of the key questions for anyone covering this case, are there other recent than the ones you and i have certainly interviewed where are they is there a suggestion that because of this lawsuit that the Virgin Island prosecutors know who these victims are and are prepared to present that evidence the attorney general said im not going to go into the evidence right now im going to let it play out in court. Its worth noting th