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Senators erupted in laughter Saturday morning when Donald Trump's lawyer demanded that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris sit for a deposition, and not on Zoom ... in person -- in PHILEEEEEEEDELPHIA!

Attorney Michael van der Veen got all theatrical when he pushed his demands on the Senate floor. He struggled with Kamala Harris' first name and then just gave up. But, the big moment came when van der Veen mispronounced the home of the Liberty Bell.

The Senate just voted to allow witnesses to testify ... this as word of a damning phone call surfaced between Donald Trump and Rep. Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy reportedly called Trump during the insurrection, pleading with him to call off the rioters. Trump's response -- "Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are." McCarthy, enraged, responded, "Who the f*** do you think you are talking to?!!?"

Steve Mnuchin has nothing to say about Donald Trump inciting the insurrectionists to turn on Mike Pence ... and his silence is especially interesting because Pence officiated his wedding.

The former Treasury Secretary was leaving Craig's in WeHo Thursday with his wife, Louise Linton, and actor Ed Westwick when our photog asked how he felt about Trump whipping the rioters into a frenzy over Pence, who dared to say he would certify a valid election.

His silence speaks volumes. He first tried to deflect the question, but our photog persisted and all you hear are crickets.

Our camera guy then pivoted ...

-- "Trump watched the riots on TV with glee, did that upset you at all?" -- Crickets.

-- "Josh Hawley's treating the testimonies as a joke with feet on the desk. Are Republicans turning a blind eye?" -- Crickets.

--  Based on the Impeachment Managers' presentation, would you convict? -- Crickets.

He definitely heard the questions, because our guy ended with a thank you and Mnuchin gave a thumbs up.

Dr. Jill Biden ❤️'s Valentine's Day ... and it shows.

FLOTUS had a lovely surprise for President Joe Biden and America on Friday morning with a Valentine's Day installation in the North Lawn of the White House .... and it telegraphs the central message of the Prez -- unity.

Jill had the artwork secretly installed Thursday night which encompasses her message ... Strength, Family and Unity. She took the fam -- including Champ and Major -- outside to review her handiwork.

During the morning walk to the North Lawn ... Joe told reporters Valentine's Day is Jill's favorite holiday. He would not, however, play his hand on what he's getting his wife come Sunday.

He also shared a love story about Jill ... but expressed one regret -- not bringing reporters coffee!!! But he makes up for it.

Congressman Tom Emmer's the latest grown man to get burned by the novelty settings on Zoom, but just like the kitten lawyer before him ... he tried to power through it.

When the Minnesota Representative called in for a House Financial Services Committee hearing, he appeared upside-down. That didn't stop Tom from plowing ahead about COVID and the economy, but Chairwoman Maxine Waters cut him off and asked ... "Are you okay?"

That's when someone else hilariously exclaimed, "You're upside-down, Tom," which revealed Congressman Emmer knew that he was ... but didn't know how to fix it.

It's the second time this week a Zoom mishap's gone viral, and of course, the other participants at the House hearing let Tom know about it ... referencing the recent virtual court proceeding in which a Texas lawyer appeared as a cat.

Much like Tom, the lawyer was willing to ignore the elephant kitten in the room and proceed with the hearing ... saying, "I'm here live; I'm not a cat."

Paris Hilton called on none other than President Biden to denounce child abuse in schools ... this as she testified about alleged torment she went through as a kid.

The heiress spoke publicly Monday to a state congressional committee in Utah in support of a bill that would enact stricter regulations on private institutions like Provo Canyon School -- where Paris says she endured years of abuse as a teen by the facility's staff.

In her opening statement, Paris appealed directly to the top of the food chain of politics ... calling on not just Utah leaders to do the right thing, but also Sen. Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, VP Harris and even 46 himself to jump on this issue.

PH choked up at certain points in her testimony, saying that since her documentary -- 'This is Paris' -- premiered in September, survivors from all over have been coming forward to share their stories with her.

She urged the Utah senators to pass the bill, SB127, in hopes of reining in the alleged bad behavior and instituting more oversight.

Our new Vice President is super fit for office ... Kamala Harris is running stairs like she's Sylvester Stallone in "Rocky." All she needs is the music.

Ya gotta see this video of the Veep showing off her stamina over the weekend at the Lincoln Memorial. She did several laps, running up and down the steps and making it look pretty easy.

Harris passed on her usual Converse Chucks and went with some proper running shoes, AND a face mask for this workout ... which she wasn't doing solo, btw.

Check out the Secret Service agents -- most standing and watching the general area, but at least one was running the stairs to keep up with her.

All the VP needs now is "Gonna Fly Now" to really set the scene.

U.S. Congressman Ron Wright has died from COVID-19 -- the first such sitting member of Congress to succumb to the lethal virus since the pandemic began.

The Texas Representative's staff made the announcement Monday, saying he'd passed Sunday while hospitalized in Dallas -- with his wife, Susan, by his side in her own bed ... as she too had been admitted after they both came down with COVID in January.

At the time his diagnosis was announced, on Jan. 21, Wright said in a statement that he was experiencing minor symptoms ... but more or less felt fine and was determined to keep working on behalf of his district. Clearly, his health took a toll for the worst.

His staff also notes ... he'd been battling and getting treatment for cancer in recent years.

He'd been serving in Congress since 2019, and was in his second term at the time of his hospitalization. A lifelong Republican, Wright had been involved in local politics down in Tarrant County, TX -- which covers a majority of the Fort Worth area. He served as an at-large member on Arlington's City Council, and at one point filled in as mayor pro tempore.

While Wright is the first active member of Congress to have died from coronavirus, another incoming congressman from Louisiana, Representative-elect Luke Letlow, died from COVID in December before being able to be sworn in and serve with his freshman class.

Wright was 67.

Donald Trump doesn't want SAG-AFTRA, and they just made it perfectly clear they want nothing to do with him either ... forever and never again.

The former President was permanently banned from ever rejoining the actors' union this weekend after the board passed a resolution that gave him the boot for good. He'd already resigned -- going out swinging too, no less -- but now they've cut ties as well.

With the passage of this, they're preemptively denying any possible future application that Trump may submit to get back in. So yes, he's officially banned, expelled, etc.

As for their reasons ... it's pretty obvious. It's all about his involvement in inciting a violent mob to storm the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 -- and his opposition to a peaceful transition of power on his way out of office. They also say he's been a jerk to journalists in the union, and can't stick to facts or the truth ... all of which SAG says is antithetical to its mission.

SAG Prez Gabrielle Carteris -- who told us punishment was still very much on the table despite his resignation -- says while cutting him out after the fact is mostly symbolic, it's important ... adding, "It is a resounding statement that threatening or inciting harm against fellow members will not be tolerated. An attack against one is an attack against all."

What this means big picture ... Trump won't be able to do any legit TV or movie appearances in the future, at least none that are SAG sanctioned.

George Shultz -- President Reagan's Secretary of State and one of the most prolific statesmen in American history -- has died.

Stanford University's Hoover Institution broke the news Sunday, saying Shultz had died at his home in California ... no cause of death was revealed. Another S.O.S. and current Director of the Institution, Condoleezza Rice, remembered Shultz as a man of great accomplishment.

She says, "Our colleague was a great American statesman and a true patriot in every sense of the word. He will be remembered in history as a man who made the world a better place."

Shultz is perhaps best remembered as a major player in Reagan's administration, especially as it pertained to keeping the temperature down with then-Soviet Russia ... with whom the U.S. was in the midst of a Cold War that threatened to boil over at a moment's notice.

When Gorbachev became the Russian president in the mid-'80s, Shultz convinced Reagan to play nice and actually talk to the guy ... seeing how U.S.-Russia relations at that point were pretty much broken and non-existent. That advice proved crucial to America and Russia eventually signing the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, which got rid of a ton of nukes in Europe ... a huge step in achieving peace.

Shultz also served in President Nixon's administration, in a number of posts -- first, Secretary of Labor, later the first director of the Office of Management and Budget, and eventually Nixon's Secretary of Treasury ... where he headed up domestic and international financial policy.

When he finally left public service for good, Shultz went on to consult on a number of political causes, including President Bush's 2000 presidential campaign ... and also sat on a bunch of corporate boards, both economic and otherwise. One of his most famous ventures post-politics was with one-time Silicon Valley wiz Elizabeth Holmes -- who founded the biotech company Theranos, and tapped Shultz as a board member between 2011-2015.

He wasn't in on the scam, but did seem to be mesmerized by what Holmes was selling at the time ... state-of-the-art blood testing that was exposed as phony. Funny enough, his own grandson, Tyler, ended up being the whistleblower that blew up Theranos for good.

Shultz is survived by his five children and several grandchildren. He was 100.

A Virginia state senator is making a big stink about the perils of marijuana as her state's legalizing it ... but she's getting laughed out of the digital building over it.

State Senator Amanda Chase tweeted Friday that mortality rates and overdoses in Virginia were sky-high ... apparently all due to marijuana. She didn't cite a source for that info, but went on to plug her gubernatorial run in a stand against legalization.

She writes, "We have a drug problem in Virginia, and legalizing marijuana will only lead to more marijuana overdoses and deaths. Democrats want more marijuana deaths. As your governor I would never allow marijuana to be legalized."

Her lofty claims about weed came the same day the Virginia legislature passed a bill to legalize ganja for use and sale starting in 2023. It's heading to incumbent Governor Ralph Northam's desk next week, and he's already indicated he'll sign it into law.

Again, we don't know where State Senator Chase is getting her alleged overdose stats -- but a lot of folks online aren't buying what she's selling. The jokes started flying at her expense, with folks saying they overdosed on weed ... and were forced to eat as a result.

One guy wrote, "I once overdosed on the marijuana and it took 6 cupcakes and a bag of pistachio nuts to bring me back from the brink. I still get munchies. #survivor."

Tons of others were on the same tip. Here's the thing though ... weed can apparently kill a person. We looked into it, and according to studies by the National Institutes of Health's NCBI -- which tracks this type of stuff in the U.S. -- marijuana has been linked to deaths ... although the numbers are hazy.

Scientists say ingesting too much -- as in edibles -- in one sitting can cause overdoses/death, especially in kids. Other deaths are related to the effects of marijuana ... for instance, car crashes or work accidents.

But, again, these instances are rare, and those stats wouldn't be relevant to the alleged marijuana scourge happening in Virginia ... according to Chase, anyway.

Sen. John Thune says becoming President used to be the dream for Senators, but now the bloom is off the rose ... the job's less about being qualified and a good leader and more about being famous and loud ... like a certain ex-President.

The Republican Senator from South Dakota was at the Reagan National Airport in D.C. Friday when he took a thinly veiled shot and Donald Trump ... suggesting the presidency is far less appealing due to the celeb and social media-obsessed culture.

Thune tells us the "kind of person" who would be successful as Commander in Chief these days has to run a different type of campaign than traditional methods, have a big online following ... and be more "ostentatious" than presidential.

It's a pretty stunning statement coming from a Senator, who even cites a John McCain quote about how every Senator aspires to become Prez .... until they're embalmed.

Sure seems Thune's not down with aspiring to POTUS status ... so don't expect him to throw his hat in the ring for 2024, but his take seems like it also applies to other senators as well.

Dr. Jill Biden's teamed up with a couple furry celebs for a very fitting Super Bowl Sunday commercial ... to air during Puppy Bowl XVII.

The First Lady and the First Dogs -- Champ and Major -- are making a special appearance to promote the continued use of face masks during the pandemic.

The German shepherds won't be live at Puppy Bowl ... Jill and co. recorded their bit at the White House. They looked super cozy in front of a fire as Jill talked about pets being a constant source of joy and comfort ... and Zoom crashers.

Part of the Puppy Bowl's mission is to also spread awareness about rescue animals, and as you may know ... Major is a rescue dog, believed to be the first to live at The White House.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene just got the old heave-ho ... she's been tossed from her two House committees after she embraced conspiracy theories and violence against Democrats.

The House voted to remove MTG from her committee assignments Thursday by a margin of 230-199, with 11 Republicans supporting her removal.

Now, the newly-elected Congresswoman from Georgia is no longer sitting on the Budget Committee and the Education and Labor Committee.

MTG spread false claims that the 2018 school shooting at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was a "false flag" or a hoax. Her old Facebook activity also suggests she supported executing Dems like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi.

There's been a growing chorus for Greene's expulsion from Congress, and D.L. Hughley told us he wants to see her expelled, prosecuted and never allowed to hold public office again.

Ice Cube is continuing his mission to help create jobs and new business opportunities for Black Americans, and he's about to chop it up with President Biden.

Cube says the Biden Administration reached out to him Tuesday, and they're hashing out a time and a place for a meeting about his "Contract With Black America" ... which Cube's been pushing since before the election.

The rapper/activist was a guest on the Ryan Cameron Uncensored radio show on Majic ATL Wednesday when he revealed his plans to sit down with the new Prez ... and he's hoping the meeting goes down this month.

Cube says he's hoping they can make it a face-to-face meeting where he can also bring in some of his experts and specialists on the subject.

Donald Trump no longer has the privilege of using Marine One whenever he pleases ... so his exclusive helipad at Mar-a-Lago is getting the boot.

According to new building permits -- obtained by TMZ -- the formal process of removing the helipad from the former President's favorite resort has begun ... and it looks like the job will cost about $15,000.

Trump's helipad is apparently an exception to the rule in Palm Beach, FL, which doesn't normally allow helicopters or helipads in the city. It approved it for Trump's use early in his term though ... "for business relating solely to the office of the president."

However, according to reports, now that he's no longer Commander in Chief ... the helicopter trips no longer qualify.

President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are among the dignitaries paying respects to Capitol PD Officer Brian Sicknick ... who was killed during the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The Bidens arrived, unannounced, Tuesday night at the Capitol and walked up to the table where Sicknick's remains were placed in the Capitol Rotunda -- the hallowed ground the officer was defending when he was killed.

The President's somber visit stands in stark contrast to his predecessor -- as former President Trump is about to stand trial in the Senate for inciting the very riot that cost Sicknick his life.

Several members of Congress -- including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer -- also paid their respects. Sicknick died in a hospital on January 7 from the injuries he'd suffered during the failed coup.

He is just the fifth private citizen to lie in honor at the Capitol. Two other Capitol cops -- killed in the line of duty in 1998 -- along with Rosa Parks in 2005 and Billy Graham in 2018 also got the honor.