thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-27--Andrew Cuomo favored to win a fourth term that eluded his father

Gov .
Andrew Cuomo is set to cruise into a fourth four-year term as governor of New York , a feat no Democrat has ever accomplished in the state .
Cuomo has become a national star of sorts with his daily coronavirus briefings and updates , and sometimes playful television banter with his younger brother , CNN anchor Chris Cuomo .
Only Republican Nelson Rockefeller has won four four-year terms as governor of New York .
Cuomo 's father , Mario Cuomo , was defeated in his attempt for a fourth .
Mario Cuomo was defeated in 1994 by Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Republican Revolution '' that swept the country that election cycle .
When Andrew Cuomo announced in 2017 that he was running for a third term as governor , he said that he would not be seeking the presidency in 2020 .
During an interview in 2019 , he told WAMC radio that he plans to run again in 2022 .
`` I have been in the federal government .
I was a cabinet secretary ...
I was in Washington for eight years , '' said Cuomo , who was the Housing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinton 's second term .
`` I believe I 'm making a difference in the state of New York .
I believe that in my heart , '' Cuomo said .
Cuomo has also repeatedly denied speculation that he could replace former Vice President Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket in the fall .
New York does not place a term limit on governors .
Polling shows Cuomo as one of the most popular New York governors in modern times , with a Siena College survey showing a 74 % approval rating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that the governor has higher approval among Republicans than President Trump , at 72 % approval .
The jump in approval is remarkable considering polls in June 2019 showed that a majority of New Yorkers , 58 % , said Cuomo should n't run for a fourth term .
At the time , his approval rating hovered around 52 % .
In 2018 , Cuomo successfully fought off a primary challenge from former Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon , winning over 65 % of the vote to her 34.47 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly 60 % of the vote in the general election .
Until the coronavirus pandemic , Cuomo had little of the national star power that his father once carried .
Mario Cuomo 's 1984 National Convention speech was considered one of the greatest in the history of modern liberalism and positioned him as the spokesman for the Democratic Party 's contrasting image of the country to the one espoused by President Ronald Reagan .
Four years later , Mario Cuomo was considered the frontrunner for the 1988 nomination .
When Democrats lost that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again pleaded with him to run in 1992 .
Mario Cuomo repeatedly turning down the chance of winning the White House was a constant source of drama for Democrats that was labeled `` Hamlet on the Hudson . ''
Even after it was clear Mario Cuomo held no presidential aspirations , the GOP still used him as a boogeyman in national politics .
During his 1992 Republican Convention speech , Pat Buchanan warned voters against Bill Clinton appointing Mario Cuomo to the Supreme Court .
After losing in 1994 , Mario Cuomo never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a law firm based in Manhattan .
He died in 2015 at 82 .

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is set to cruise into a fourth four-year term as governor of New York, a feat no Democrat has ever accomplished in the state.
Cuomo has become a national star of sorts with his daily coronavirus briefings and updates, and sometimes playful television banter with his younger brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo.
Only Republican Nelson Rockefeller has won four four-year terms as governor of New York. Cuomo's father, Mario Cuomo, was defeated in his attempt for a fourth. Mario Cuomo was defeated in 1994 by Republican George Pataki as part of the general "Republican Revolution" that swept the country that election cycle.
When Andrew Cuomo announced in 2017 that he was running for a third term as governor, he said that he would not be seeking the presidency in 2020. During an interview in 2019, he told WAMC radio that he plans to run again in 2022.
"I have been in the federal government. I was a cabinet secretary ... I was in Washington for eight years," said Cuomo, who was the Housing and Urban Development secretary in former President Bill Clinton's second term. "I believe I'm making a difference in the state of New York. I believe that in my heart," Cuomo said.
Cuomo has also repeatedly denied speculation that he could replace former Vice President Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket in the fall. New York does not place a term limit on governors.
Polling shows Cuomo as one of the most popular New York governors in modern times, with a Siena College survey showing a 74% approval rating. One of the more striking findings was that the governor has higher approval among Republicans than President Trump, at 72% approval.
The jump in approval is remarkable considering polls in June 2019 showed that a majority of New Yorkers, 58%, said Cuomo shouldn't run for a fourth term. At the time, his approval rating hovered around 52%.
In 2018, Cuomo successfully fought off a primary challenge from former Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon, winning over 65% of the vote to her 34.47%. Cuomo then carried the state with nearly 60% of the vote in the general election.
Until the coronavirus pandemic, Cuomo had little of the national star power that his father once carried. Mario Cuomo's 1984 National Convention speech was considered one of the greatest in the history of modern liberalism and positioned him as the spokesman for the Democratic Party's contrasting image of the country to the one espoused by President Ronald Reagan.
Four years later, Mario Cuomo was considered the frontrunner for the 1988 nomination. When Democrats lost that race, many within the party once again pleaded with him to run in 1992. Mario Cuomo repeatedly turning down the chance of winning the White House was a constant source of drama for Democrats that was labeled "Hamlet on the Hudson."
Even after it was clear Mario Cuomo held no presidential aspirations, the GOP still used him as a boogeyman in national politics. During his 1992 Republican Convention speech, Pat Buchanan warned voters against Bill Clinton appointing Mario Cuomo to the Supreme Court.
After losing in 1994, Mario Cuomo never served on any court and instead worked for a law firm based in Manhattan. He died in 2015 at 82.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-27--Bloomberg agrees to cover healthcare costs for former campaign staff members through November

Michael Bloomberg has agreed under pressure to provide healthcare coverage for members of his now-defunct presidential campaign through the month of November if they need it .
`` Given these extraordinary circumstances , the campaign will cover the cost of COBRA through November , 2020 .
This is aimed at supporting those who have not already secured replacement healthcare coverage , '' said an email to staff obtained by Politico 's Christopher Cadelago .
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act or COBRA continuation coverage gives workers and their families who have lost health coverage due to circumstances such as job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits for a limited period of time , but the monthly premiums on employer plans can be very expensive .
Bloomberg , the billionaire former mayor of New York City , faces from former staffers who claim he promised to keep them employed through the general election only to fire them after suspending his presidential bid .
Gupta Wessler PLLC , one of the firms representing some of Bloomberg 's former staffers , said they are pleased to see workers receive healthcare coverage , but urged Bloomberg to fulfill all the promises made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Bloomberg campaign has agreed to provide health insurance benefits to the thousands of staffers it terminated .
It 's an important step in the right direction , '' the firm said in a statement to the Washington Examiner .
`` But the Bloomberg campaign must keep all of the promises it made to induce staffers to join the campaign , especially the promise to employ the staffers through the general election . ''
The firm added , `` It 's not too late for the campaign to put these staffers back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They are eager to get back to work , help defeat Donald Trump , and elect Joe Biden in November . ''
Gregg Shavitz , a partner with Shavitz Law Group who is leading a separate class-action lawsuit against Bloomberg 's campaign , told the Washington Examiner , `` We believe the campaign has been motivated to extend the insurance benefits due to the pressure being exerted through the Donna Wood v. Mike Bloomberg lawsuit . ''
He continued , `` More than 100 terminated staffers have already joined .
There are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health care coverage rightfully owed to these campaign staffers because of a promise that they would be employed with benefits until the November election . ''
Bloomberg is the second failed presidential candidate to offer health insurance coverage through November .
Bernie Sanders 's campaign staff was through November 2020 when the senator suspended his campaign earlier this month .
While Bloomberg has been criticized for his treatment of staff after his campaign crumbled , the billionaire had the highest-paid staff by a significant margin when he was still in the race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sanders or Elizabeth Warren campaigns were paid during the primary .
Bloomberg spent nearly $ 1 billion on his three-month-long campaign .
Hillary Clinton 's entire 2016 presidential bid cost nearly the same .

Michael Bloomberg has agreed under pressure to provide healthcare coverage for members of his now-defunct presidential campaign through the month of November if they need it.
"Given these extraordinary circumstances, the campaign will cover the cost of COBRA through November, 2020. This is aimed at supporting those who have not already secured replacement healthcare coverage," said an email to staff obtained by Politico's Christopher Cadelago.
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act or COBRA continuation coverage gives workers and their families who have lost health coverage due to circumstances such as job loss a chance to retain their health benefits for a limited period of time, but the monthly premiums on employer plans can be very expensive.
Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, faces several class-action lawsuits from former staffers who claim he promised to keep them employed through the general election only to fire them after suspending his presidential bid. Gupta Wessler PLLC, one of the firms representing some of Bloomberg's former staffers, said they are pleased to see workers receive healthcare coverage, but urged Bloomberg to fulfill all the promises made to employees.
"We are pleased that the Bloomberg campaign has agreed to provide health insurance benefits to the thousands of staffers it terminated. It's an important step in the right direction," the firm said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. "But the Bloomberg campaign must keep all of the promises it made to induce staffers to join the campaign, especially the promise to employ the staffers through the general election."
The firm added, "It's not too late for the campaign to put these staffers back to work and make them whole. They are eager to get back to work, help defeat Donald Trump, and elect Joe Biden in November."
Gregg Shavitz, a partner with Shavitz Law Group who is leading a separate class-action lawsuit against Bloomberg's campaign, told the Washington Examiner, "We believe the campaign has been motivated to extend the insurance benefits due to the pressure being exerted through the Donna Wood v. Mike Bloomberg lawsuit."
He continued, "More than 100 terminated staffers have already joined. There are also other issues at stake in addition to the health care coverage rightfully owed to these campaign staffers because of a promise that they would be employed with benefits until the November election."
Bloomberg is the second failed presidential candidate to offer health insurance coverage through November. Bernie Sanders's campaign staff was guaranteed health coverage through November 2020 when the senator suspended his campaign earlier this month.
While Bloomberg has been criticized for his treatment of staff after his campaign crumbled, the billionaire had the highest-paid staff by a significant margin when he was still in the race. Campaign staff was paid double what staffers on the Sanders or Elizabeth Warren campaigns were paid during the primary.
Bloomberg spent nearly $1 billion on his three-month-long campaign. Hillary Clinton's entire 2016 presidential bid cost nearly the same.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-27--Jesse Ventura flirts with third-party presidential run

The former professional wrestler turned Minnesota governor tweeted Monday morning he was `` testing the waters '' about running for president on the Green Party ticket .
`` IF I were going to run for president , the GREEN party would be my first choice .
I 've endorsed the party and I 'm testing the waters , '' he wrote .
Ventura has said in the past that he is considering running in 2020 but added that any decision would n't be made until potentially June .
The Green Party is expected to nominate its candidate in July .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't filed anything , '' Ventura wrote Monday .
`` I authorized a letter of interest that was sent on my behalf to the Greens and I 'm testing the waters for Green Party nomination .
I 'm an independent .
I 'm not a Democrat or a Republican because I know they 're not the solution . ''
Ventura was mayor of Brooklyn Park , Minnesota , from 1991 to 1995 before winning the governorship in 1998 under the Reform Party banner .
His outsider campaign was celebrated as a triumph of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not seek reelection in 2002 .
In 2016 , Ventura considered running for president under the Libertarian Party .

Jesse Ventura for president? Maybe.
The former professional wrestler turned Minnesota governor tweeted Monday morning he was "testing the waters" about running for president on the Green Party ticket.
"IF I were going to run for president, the GREEN party would be my first choice. I've endorsed the party and I'm testing the waters," he wrote.
Ventura has said in the past that he is considering running in 2020 but added that any decision wouldn't be made until potentially June. The Green Party is expected to nominate its candidate in July.
"To be clear: I haven't filed anything," Ventura wrote Monday. "I authorized a letter of interest that was sent on my behalf to the Greens and I'm testing the waters for Green Party nomination. I'm an independent. I'm not a Democrat or a Republican because I know they're not the solution."
Ventura was mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, from 1991 to 1995 before winning the governorship in 1998 under the Reform Party banner. His outsider campaign was celebrated as a triumph of grassroots organizing and third-way politics.
He did not seek reelection in 2002.
In 2016, Ventura considered running for president under the Libertarian Party.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-27--New York cancels presidential primary in blow to Sanders hopes of influencing DNC

New York 's state election board voted to remove Bernie Sanders from the June 23 primary ballot , effectively canceling the state 's presidential primary election since Joe Biden would be unopposed .
The primary had previously been postponed from April 28 due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The move is a blow to Sanders and his supporters .
While the Vermont senator is no longer actively seeking the Democratic presidential nomination and has endorsed former vice president Joe Biden , he said that he wanted to continue to amass nominating delegates to the Democratic National Convention in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rules .
Sanders would need one-quarter of the nominating delegates , about 995 , in order to secure spots on convention committees .
According to the Associated Press delegate tracker , he has 939 delegates — about one-third of which he could lose due to party rules mandating that statewide delegates can only be allocated to candidates actively seeking the presidential nomination .
In an effort to appease Sanders supporters , Biden 's campaign was reportedly in talks with the Democratic National Committee and the Sanders campaign to let the Vermont senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lose .
There are 274 nominating delegates up for grabs from the state .
Top Sanders aide Jeff Weaver called the decision `` outrage , a blow to American democracy '' in a statement from the Sanders camapign on Monday .
“ While we understood that we did not have the votes to win the Democratic nomination our campaign was suspended , not ended , because people in every state should have the right to express their preference , '' Weaver said .
“ New York has clearly violated its approved delegate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remedied , New York should lose all its delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention and there should be a broader review by the Democratic Party of New York ’ s checkered pattern of voter disenfranchisement.
” Sanders supporters pressured the elections board to keep him on the ballot .
“ Suppressing the Sanders vote in New York will again lead to attacks on the Party across the nation and harm the volunteer effort that our group and others are building for Joe Biden , ” said pro-Sanders Our Revolution chair Larry Cohen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections board .
“ Senator Sanders wishes to remain on the ballot , and is concerned that his removal from the ballot would undermine efforts to unify the Democratic Party in advance of the general election , ” a lawyer for the Sanders campaign wrote in another letter to the board .
Canceling the primary could save the state millions of dollars , and board officials noted that canceling the primary could help halt the spread of the virus .
With the primary canceled , the decision about delegate allocation would be left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meaning that Sanders might garner some delegates from the state .
“ The DNC has been very clear : The DNC does not want to do anything that looks like we ’ re being unfair , ” said New York Democratic Party chair Jay Jacobs .
“ And we ’ re not being unfair .
We ’ re just reacting to a global pandemic , which happens to be centered in New York at the time .
”

New York's state election board voted to remove Bernie Sanders from the June 23 primary ballot, effectively canceling the state's presidential primary election since Joe Biden would be unopposed. The primary had previously been postponed from April 28 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The move is a blow to Sanders and his supporters. While the Vermont senator is no longer actively seeking the Democratic presidential nomination and has endorsed former vice president Joe Biden, he said that he wanted to continue to amass nominating delegates to the Democratic National Convention in order to exert influence over the party's platform and rules.
Sanders would need one-quarter of the nominating delegates, about 995, in order to secure spots on convention committees. According to the Associated Press delegate tracker, he has 939 delegates — about one-third of which he could lose due to party rules mandating that statewide delegates can only be allocated to candidates actively seeking the presidential nomination.
In an effort to appease Sanders supporters, Biden's campaign was reportedly in talks with the Democratic National Committee and the Sanders campaign to let the Vermont senator keep the statewide delegates he was set to lose.
There are 274 nominating delegates up for grabs from the state.
Top Sanders aide Jeff Weaver called the decision "outrage, a blow to American democracy" in a statement from the Sanders camapign on Monday.
“While we understood that we did not have the votes to win the Democratic nomination our campaign was suspended, not ended, because people in every state should have the right to express their preference," Weaver said. “New York has clearly violated its approved delegate selection plan. If this is not remedied, New York should lose all its delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention and there should be a broader review by the Democratic Party of New York’s checkered pattern of voter disenfranchisement.”
Sanders supporters pressured the elections board to keep him on the ballot.
“Suppressing the Sanders vote in New York will again lead to attacks on the Party across the nation and harm the volunteer effort that our group and others are building for Joe Biden,” said pro-Sanders Our Revolution chair Larry Cohen in a letter to the New York elections board.
“Senator Sanders wishes to remain on the ballot, and is concerned that his removal from the ballot would undermine efforts to unify the Democratic Party in advance of the general election,” a lawyer for the Sanders campaign wrote in another letter to the board.
Canceling the primary could save the state millions of dollars, and board officials noted that canceling the primary could help halt the spread of the virus.
With the primary canceled, the decision about delegate allocation would be left to the DNC and the state party, meaning that Sanders might garner some delegates from the state.
“The DNC has been very clear: The DNC does not want to do anything that looks like we’re being unfair,” said New York Democratic Party chair Jay Jacobs. “And we’re not being unfair. We’re just reacting to a global pandemic, which happens to be centered in New York at the time.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--'He'll seize power!' 'He'll postpone the election!' The Trump schemes that never happen

In the middle of a pandemic and a presidential campaign , no claim about President Trump ’ s use or potential abuse of power is too outlandish to print , complain some media critics , legal analysts , and allies of the White House .
The latest example is former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s that Trump will postpone the presidential election .
“ Mark my words , I think he is gon na try to kick back the election somehow , come up with some rationale why it can ’ t be held , ” the presumptive Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also floated this possibility earlier in April , saying , “ we can not delay or postpone ” November voting due to the coronavirus .
And Biden has suggested Trump would disrupt voting by threatening to defund post offices .
Few media outlets have endorsed Biden ’ s claims , but neither have many subjected them to the same kind of fact-checking headlines that have greeted comparable Trump assertions .
“ Biden steps up warnings of possible Trump disruption of election , ” the New York Times .
“ Biden says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the November election , ” an NBC News headline .
“ Biden predicts Trump will try to delay November election , ” Politico .
“ Biden predicts Trump will try to cancel the election , collude with Russia , ” was the for Forbes .
There ’ s just one problem : There is no mechanism for the president to cancel or delay the election unilaterally , as some of the above outlets acknowledged in subsequently published analysis pieces .
Georgetown University Law Professor Jonathan Turley calls the idea the “ ultimate conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitutional mythology , used for political advantage.
” Election Day is set by statute and would have to be changed by Congress ; Democrats currently control the House .
Trump ’ s term expires on Jan. 20 , 2021 .
That could only change with a constitutional amendment , which would have to be proposed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or an unprecedented constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures .
All amendments must be ratified by three-fourths of the states .
Elections are also largely administered at the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purview .
This hasn ’ t stopped the speculation .
“ Notably , this Sunday , one of the frontrunners for the vice president slot , Stacey Abrams , insisted it is ‘ not a conspiracy theory ’ and repeated the nebulous connection to the postal service , ” said Turley .
“ It is a conspiracy theory , and passing around the tinfoil hats is hardly a recommendation for vice president .
Most striking is that , after she bizarrely insisted that this was a credible theory on CNN , NBC 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about it in a low-impact interview.
” The contrast with media coverage of Trump talk about “ rigged ” elections has some observers seeing a double standard .
“ The liberal media insist that they make news based on facts , but in the Trump era , so much of their news product is heavy on speculation and soothsaying , ” said Tim Graham , director of media analysis at the conservative Media Research Center .
“ In the last election cycle , they all freaked out over Trump sounding noncommittal about accepting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they have demonstrated they are the ones that ca n't accept the election results.
” “ They warned us that Trump acts like a dictator , ” Republican strategist Bradley Blakeman said of the media .
Graham concurred that major outlets “ routinely suggest Trump is a budding authoritarian eroding democracy.
” And yet , far from seizing power , Trump is now being instead for his to the Defense Production Act instead of more aggressively into service , as the act allows .
Similarly , Trump has alternately for a national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have , while also facing for asserting the authority to make states reopen their economies — a power he also does not possess .
Instead , Trump has generally deferred to the states , even when he , and his scientific advisers .
“ Trump often backs down or moves on , ” conceded CNN ’ s Joan Biskupic in a story , saying , “ Trump pushes the limits of presidential power.
” One example was Trump potentially invoking Article II , Section 3 of the Constitution on congressional adjournment , possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the House and Senate that does not exist .
The propensity to believe unfounded claims could actually undermine presidential accountability .
“ Many of us have been critical of the failure of some Trump supporters to call out the president over such indefensible statements as his disinfectant comments and later clearly untrue denial , ” Turley said .
“ The same is true for Democrats who ignore bizarre or untrue statements like this one from their presumptive nominee .
”

In the middle of a pandemic and a presidential campaign, no claim about President Trump’s use or potential abuse of power is too outlandish to print, complain some media critics, legal analysts, and allies of the White House.
The latest example is former Vice President Joe Biden’s prediction that Trump will postpone the presidential election. “Mark my words, I think he is gonna try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can’t be held,” the presumptive Democratic nominee said at a fundraiser last week. He also floated this possibility earlier in April, saying, “We cannot delay or postpone” November voting due to the coronavirus. And Biden has suggested Trump would disrupt voting by threatening to defund post offices.
Few media outlets have endorsed Biden’s claims, but neither have many subjected them to the same kind of fact-checking headlines that have greeted comparable Trump assertions. “Biden steps up warnings of possible Trump disruption of election,” declared the New York Times. “Biden says he thinks Trump will try to delay the November election,” read an NBC News headline. “Biden predicts Trump will try to delay November election,” said Politico. “Biden predicts Trump will try to cancel the election, collude with Russia,” was the header for Forbes.
There’s just one problem: There is no mechanism for the president to cancel or delay the election unilaterally, as some of the above outlets acknowledged in subsequently published analysis pieces. Georgetown University law professor Jonathan Turley calls the idea the “ultimate conspiracy theory” and “little more than constitutional mythology, used for political advantage.”
Election Day is set by statute and would have to be changed by Congress; Democrats currently control the House. Trump’s term expires on Jan. 20, 2021. That could only change with a constitutional amendment, which would have to be proposed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or an unprecedented constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures. All amendments must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. Elections are also largely administered at the state level, outside of Trump’s purview.
This hasn’t stopped the speculation. “Notably, this Sunday, one of the front-runners for the vice president slot, Stacey Abrams, insisted it is ‘not a conspiracy theory’ and repeated the nebulous connection to the postal service,” said Turley. “It is a conspiracy theory, and passing around the tinfoil hats is hardly a recommendation for vice president. Most striking is that, after she bizarrely insisted that this was a credible theory on CNN, NBC's Chuck Todd did not even ask her about it in a low-impact interview.”
The contrast with media coverage of Trump talk about “rigged” elections has some observers seeing a double standard. “The liberal media insist that they make news based on facts, but in the Trump era, so much of their news product is heavy on speculation and soothsaying,” said Tim Graham, director of media analysis at the conservative Media Research Center. “In the last election cycle, they all freaked out over Trump sounding noncommittal about accepting the election results, and since then, they have demonstrated they are the ones that can't accept the election results.”
“They warned us that Trump acts like a dictator,” Republican strategist Bradley Blakeman said of the media. Graham concurred that major outlets “routinely suggest Trump is a budding authoritarian eroding democracy.” And yet, far from seizing power, Trump is now being criticized for his restrained approach to the Defense Production Act instead of more aggressively pressing the private sector into service, as the act allows.
Similarly, Trump has alternately faced critical questions for declining to order a national lockdown, a power he does not have, while also facing hostile coverage for asserting the authority to make states reopen their economies — a power he also does not possess. Instead, Trump has generally deferred to the states, even when he publicly disagrees , and his scientific advisers.
“Trump often backs down or moves on,” conceded CNN’s Joan Biskupic in a story, saying, “Trump pushes the limits of presidential power.” One example was Trump potentially invoking Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution on congressional adjournment, possible only in the event of a disagreement between the House and Senate that does not exist.
The propensity to believe unfounded claims could actually undermine presidential accountability.
“Many of us have been critical of the failure of some Trump supporters to call out the president over such indefensible statements as his disinfectant comments and later clearly untrue denial,” Turley said. “The same is true for Democrats who ignore bizarre or untrue statements like this one from their presumptive nominee.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--Maryland GOP Gov. Hogan message machine counters Trump with daily media offensive

Gov .
Larry Hogan is counterprogramming President Trump with a daily coronavirus media blitz that offers a low-key alternative to the newsworthy but provocative briefings the commander in chief leads from the White House .
The Maryland Republican is advocating for federal pandemic assistance to the states that is opposed by Trump , rebuffing the president ’ s sharp criticism of governors and bluntly correcting perceived misstatements .
Hogan , a Trump critic who last year mulled a 2020 primary challenge , is driving this message through a coordinated operation that leans on proximity to the Washington press corps , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a political nonprofit organization formed to promote his agenda .
“ He ’ s just tried to pursue a strategy of being honest about the facts and what the governors require , but without picking unnecessary fights or taking political shots , ” said David Weinman , a spokesman for An America United , Hogan ’ s aligned 501 ( c ) 4 group .
“ He ’ s the only person who could unify both sides in this crisis.
” Some Republican insiders see ulterior motives .
Hogan has often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and conduct , and in 2019 , he was the leading choice of Never Trump Republicans as they sought a GOP challenger to the president .
Other Republicans say the governor ’ s actions are less political and only appear so because , however typical they are for crisis leadership , they stand in stark relief to Trump ’ s grandiose approach .
“ He ’ s trying to fill a void left by Trump , ” said Terry Sullivan , a veteran Republican strategist .
“ He ’ s serving as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s providing real information the public needs to hear.
” The White House rejects this assessment of Trump ’ s leadership .
“ Millions and millions of Americans tune in each day to hear directly from President @ realDonaldTrump and appreciate his leadership , unprecedented coronavirus response , and confident outlook for America ’ s future !
” Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweeted .
Trump briefs the American public on progress against the coronavirus almost daily from the White House .
The news conferences , featuring key officials from across the administration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action the federal government is taking to manage the pandemic and abrasive comments directed toward the media and the Democratic Party that are reminiscent of the president ’ s raucous campaign rallies .
Hogan attracts fewer eyeballs than Trump — and commands less media attention .
But with Annapolis , the Maryland state capital , just 32 miles east of Washington , the governor is easily accessible to major cable and broadcast television networks and other national media outlets , all of which have robust D.C. bureaus .
On an average day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to , more than a half-dozen networks , newspapers , or websites with national and even international reach .
The governor ’ s message is highlighted by An America United and amplified on social media platforms by aides with Washington connections .
On Monday , Hogan spokesman Mike Ricci , a former congressional staffer , posted a series of tweets echoing the governor ’ s position that state governments deserve more federal aid to offset the costs of fighting the coronavirus .
Trump argues some states should not be rescued from financial missteps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the bipartisan National Governors Association is central to his elevated public profile amid the spread of the coronavirus .
As NGA chairman , he was one of the first governors to consult on the pandemic with Vice President Mike Pence in the Situation Room .
Hogan and Pence have a good relationship that dates back to when Hogan was a first-time candidate in 2014 , and Pence , then Indiana governor , was involved in the Republican Governors Association , a political group that boosts GOP gubernatorial hopefuls .
The two talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the conference calls that Pence convenes with the governors in his role as leader of Trump ’ s coronavirus task force .
That connection , Hogan advisers emphasize , enables the governor to send clear messages to the president that Trump takes issue with , without jeopardizing his effectiveness as an advocate for Maryland or chief executives in other states .
“ With Pence as the go-between , it really does help , ” Ricci told the Washington Examiner .
The vice president ’ s office did not respond to a request @ @ @

Gov. Larry Hogan is counterprogramming President Trump with a daily coronavirus media blitz that offers a low-key alternative to the newsworthy but provocative briefings the commander in chief leads from the White House.
The Maryland Republican is advocating for federal pandemic assistance to the states that is opposed by Trump, rebuffing the president’s sharp criticism of governors and bluntly correcting perceived misstatements. Hogan, a Trump critic who last year mulled a 2020 primary challenge, is driving this message through a coordinated operation that leans on proximity to the Washington press corps, his chairmanship of the National Governors Association, and a political nonprofit organization formed to promote his agenda.
“He’s just tried to pursue a strategy of being honest about the facts and what the governors require, but without picking unnecessary fights or taking political shots,” said David Weinman, a spokesman for An America United, Hogan’s aligned 501(c)(4) group. “He’s the only person who could unify both sides in this crisis.”
Some Republican insiders see ulterior motives. Hogan has often questioned Trump’s agenda, rhetoric, and conduct, and in 2019, he was the leading choice of Never Trump Republicans as they sought a GOP challenger to the president. Other Republicans say the governor’s actions are less political and only appear so because, however typical they are for crisis leadership, they stand in stark relief to Trump’s grandiose approach.
“He’s trying to fill a void left by Trump,” said Terry Sullivan, a veteran Republican strategist. “He’s serving as a calm, sensible leader who’s providing real information the public needs to hear.”
The White House rejects this assessment of Trump’s leadership.
“Millions and millions of Americans tune in each day to hear directly from President @realDonaldTrump and appreciate his leadership, unprecedented coronavirus response, and confident outlook for America’s future!” press secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweeted.
Trump briefs the public on progress against the coronavirus almost daily from the White House. The news conferences, featuring key officials from across the administration, offer a mixture of substantive updates on action the federal government is taking to manage the pandemic and abrasive comments directed toward the media and the Democratic Party that are reminiscent of the president’s raucous campaign rallies.
Hogan attracts fewer eyeballs than Trump — and commands less media attention. But with Annapolis, the Maryland state capital, just 32 miles east of Washington, the governor is easily accessible to major cable and broadcast television networks and other national media outlets, all of which have robust D.C. bureaus. On an average day, Hogan might appear on, and speak to, more than a half-dozen networks, newspapers, or websites with national and even international reach.
The governor’s message is highlighted by An America United and amplified on social media platforms by aides with Washington connections. On Monday, Hogan spokesman Mike Ricci, a former congressional staffer, posted a series of tweets echoing the governor’s position that state governments deserve more federal aid to offset the costs of fighting the coronavirus. Trump argues some states should not be rescued from financial missteps made pre-pandemic.
Hogan’s leadership of the bipartisan National Governors Association is central to his elevated public profile amid the spread of the coronavirus. As NGA chairman, he was one of the first governors to consult on the pandemic with Vice President Mike Pence in the Situation Room.
Hogan and Pence have a good relationship that dates back to when Hogan was a first-time candidate in 2014, and Pence, then Indiana governor, was involved in the Republican Governors Association, a political group that boosts GOP gubernatorial hopefuls. The two talk an average of twice weekly, separate from the conference calls that Pence convenes with the governors in his role as leader of Trump’s coronavirus task force.
That connection, Hogan advisers emphasize, enables the governor to send clear messages to the president that Trump takes issue with, without jeopardizing his effectiveness as an advocate for Maryland or chief executives in other states.
“With Pence as the go-between, it really does help,” Ricci told the Washington Examiner.
The vice president’s office did not respond to a request for comment.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-29--Justin Amash launches exploratory committee for Libertarian presidential bid

Justin Amash took a big step toward running for president as a Libertarian .
The independent Michigan congressman announced an exploratory committee on Wednesday , a clear indication he is serious about initiating a bid for president .
`` We ’ re ready for a presidency that will restore respect for our Constitution and bring people together .
I ’ m excited and honored to be taking these first steps toward serving Americans of every background as president , '' Amash said in a tweet Tuesday evening .
`` Americans are ready for practical approaches based in humility and trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secure the party 's nomination at its national convention .
While the party has held some state presidential preference contests , the primaries and caucuses have no bearing on who delegates may choose to nominate at the national convention .
The Libertarian Party national convention was scheduled to take place in Austin , Texas , at the end of May , but was abruptly canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Party leaders have a meeting set for May 2 to reschedule the event .
Amash , 39 , was elected to Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a co-founder of the hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus .
In 2019 , Amash publicly concluded that his Republican colleagues cared more about party loyalty than they did about the principles he holds dear — constitutional order , limited government , economic freedom , and individual liberty .
He “ declared his independence ” from the GOP in a July 4 opinion piece , making him the only independent member of the House .
In December 2019 , Amash voted in favor of the two articles of impeachment against President Trump pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican congressman is the highest-profile politician seeking the Libertarian nomination .
Other candidates include retired California Superior Court Judge Jim Gray , who was former New Mexico Gov .
Gary Johnson 's running mate on the 2012 Libertarian ticket , and Vermin Supreme , a perennial performance artist joke candidate who wears a boot as a hat .

Justin Amash took a big step toward running for president as a Libertarian.
The independent Michigan congressman announced an exploratory committee on Tuesday, a clear indication he is serious about initiating a bid for president.
"We’re ready for a presidency that will restore respect for our Constitution and bring people together. I’m excited and honored to be taking these first steps toward serving Americans of every background as president," Amash said in a tweet Tuesday evening. "Americans are ready for practical approaches based in humility and trust of the people."
He must secure the Libertarian Party's nomination at its national convention. While the party has held some state presidential preference contests, the primaries and caucuses have no bearing on whom delegates may choose to nominate at the national convention.
The Libertarian Party national convention was scheduled to take place in Austin, Texas, at the end of May, but was abruptly canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Party leaders have a meeting set for Saturday to reschedule the event.
Amash, 39, was elected to Congress in the 2010 Tea Party wave and is a co-founder of the hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus. In 2019, Amash publicly concluded that his Republican colleagues cared more about party loyalty than they did about the principles he holds dear — constitutional order, limited government, economic freedom, and individual liberty. He “declared his independence” from the GOP in a July 4 opinion piece, making him the only independent member of the House.
In December 2019, Amash voted in favor of the two articles of impeachment against President Trump pushed forward by House Democrats.
The formerly Republican congressman is the highest-profile politician seeking the Libertarian nomination. Other candidates include retired California Superior Court Judge Jim Gray, who was former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson's running mate on the 2012 Libertarian ticket, and Vermin Supreme, a perennial performance artist joke candidate who wears a boot as a hat.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--McConnell group defends Susan Collins in Maine after Democrats pounce

Sen. Susan Collins is getting air cover from a political group linked to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after coming under heavy fire from a Democratic outfit that is blaming her for the state ’ s lack of critical medical supplies .
One Nation , the political nonprofit group aligned with the Senate Leadership Fund , a McConnell super PAC , is spending $ 510,000 to air a new advertisement across Maine defending the vulnerable Republican 's response to the coronavirus .
The 30-second spot , running on television , radio , and digital platforms , is a direct response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the political nonprofit organization affiliated with Senate Majority PAC , the super PAC tied to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer .
Collins is facing a tough challenge from Democrat Sara Gideon , the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives , and liberals sense their best opportunity yet to oust the four-term senator .
Republican groups have moved since January to shield Collins from Democratic attacks .
The latest one from Majority Forward accuses the senator of siding with President Trump over Maine and holds her responsible for healthcare workers in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and nurses are scrounging for medical supplies , ” the voice-over says as the Democratic spot opens .
“ Once again , Susan Collins defends the president .
But that ’ s wrong for Maine.
” The rebuttal advertisement from One Nation charges that “ dark money ” groups are distorting Collins ’ s record and touts her work in Congress to boost Maine ’ s inventory of medical equipment .
“ Sen .
Collins has been working across the aisle to secure more personal protective equipment for Mainers and to prevent drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican spot .
The Collins-Gideon race is shaping up to be among the most expensive Senate contests of the 2020 cycle , with both parties earmarking tens of millions of dollars .
Maine is a blue state , although Trump only lost there by 3 percentage points in 2016 , winning the 2nd Congressional District outright .

Sen. Susan Collins is getting air cover from a political group linked to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after coming under heavy fire from a Democratic outfit that is blaming her for the state’s lack of critical medical supplies.
One Nation, the political nonprofit group aligned with the Senate Leadership Fund, a McConnell super PAC, is spending $510,000 to air a new advertisement across Maine defending the vulnerable Republican's response to the coronavirus. The 30-second spot, running on television, radio, and digital platforms, is a direct response to an ad from Majority Forward, the political nonprofit organization affiliated with Senate Majority PAC, the super PAC tied to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Collins is facing a tough challenge from Democrat Sara Gideon, the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, and liberals sense their best opportunity yet to oust the four-term senator.
Republican groups have moved since January to shield Collins from Democratic attacks. The latest one from Majority Forward accuses the senator of siding with President Trump over Maine and holds her responsible for healthcare workers in the state going without protective gear. “Doctors and nurses are scrounging for medical supplies,” the voice-over says as the Democratic spot opens. “Once again, Susan Collins defends the president. But that’s wrong for Maine.”
The rebuttal advertisement from One Nation charges that “dark money” groups are distorting Collins’s record and touts her work in Congress to boost Maine’s inventory of medical equipment. “Sen. Collins has been working across the aisle to secure more personal protective equipment for Mainers and to prevent drug shortages,” counters the voice-over in the Republican spot.
The Collins-Gideon race is shaping up to be among the most expensive Senate contests of the 2020 cycle, with both parties earmarking tens of millions of dollars. Maine is a blue state, although Trump only lost there by 3 percentage points in 2016, winning the 2nd Congressional District outright.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--'Enabling a sexual predator': Tara Reade blasts Clinton endorsement of Biden

Tara Reade accused Hillary Clinton of `` enabling a sexual predator '' by endorsing Joe Biden , who Reade alleges sexually harassed and assaulted her in 1993 .
`` I voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
I voted for her in the primary .
I 'm a lifelong Democrat .
But yet , what I see now is someone enabling a sexual predator , and it was my former boss , Joe Biden , who raped me , '' Reade told Fox News on Tuesday .
`` Hillary Clinton has a history of enabling powerful men to cover up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual misconduct .
We do n't need that for this country .
We do n't need that for our new generation coming up that wants institutional rape culture to change . ''
Clinton endorsed the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in a livestream focused on women 's issues on Tuesday .
“ I ’ ve not only been a colleague of Joe Biden 's , I ’ ve been a friend , and I can tell you that I wish he were president right now , but I can ’ t wait until he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part , '' Clinton said .
Neither Clinton nor Biden addressed Reade 's claims during the event .
Biden 's campaign has issued a blanket denial of the allegations , but Reade wants Biden to address them directly .
“ A reporter needs to ask Joe Biden about the sexual harassment and sexual assault , ” Reade told the Washington Examiner in an interview on Monday .
Reade says she will no longer support either party in national elections because of how her allegations have been handled by the `` corporate press '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not support Donald Trump , nor will I vote for him ever , ” Reade told the Washington Examiner .
“ However , that said , I am no longer a Democrat.
” While she plans to vote in local elections , Reade is “ completely exiting ” from national politics .
In spring 1993 , when Reade was a staff assistant in Biden ’ s Senate office , she says that Biden forcibly kissed her , penetrated her with his fingers , and touched her hair and neck without her permission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top staffers about the harassment , not the assault , and was retaliated against in part by losing supervision over office interns and being told to find a new job .
The three top staffers vehemently deny hearing about her allegations .
Biden 's campaign has also denied all allegations .
Reade 's brother , two unnamed friends , and say they remember hearing about either the assault or harassment at the time .
Two interns confirmed that she was abruptly removed from supervising them .

Tara Reade accused Hillary Clinton of "enabling a sexual predator" by endorsing Joe Biden, who Reade alleges sexually harassed and assaulted her in 1993.
"I voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016. I voted for her in the primary. I'm a lifelong Democrat. But yet, what I see now is someone enabling a sexual predator, and it was my former boss, Joe Biden, who raped me," Reade told Fox News on Tuesday. "Hillary Clinton has a history of enabling powerful men to cover up their sexual predatory behaviors and their inappropriate sexual misconduct. We don't need that for this country. We don't need that for our new generation coming up that wants institutional rape culture to change."
Clinton endorsed the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in a livestream focused on women's issues on Tuesday.
“I’ve not only been a colleague of Joe Biden's, I’ve been a friend, and I can tell you that I wish he were president right now, but I can’t wait until he is if all of us do our part," Clinton said.
Neither Clinton nor Biden addressed Reade's claims during the event. Biden's campaign has issued a blanket denial of the allegations, but Reade wants Biden to address them directly.
“A reporter needs to ask Joe Biden about the sexual harassment and sexual assault,” Reade told the Washington Examiner in an interview on Monday.
Reade says she will no longer support either party in national elections because of how her allegations have been handled by the "corporate press" and Biden's campaign.
“I do not support Donald Trump, nor will I vote for him ever,” Reade told the Washington Examiner. “However, that said, I am no longer a Democrat.”
While she plans to vote in local elections, Reade is “completely exiting” from national politics.
In spring 1993, when Reade was a staff assistant in Biden’s Senate office, she says that Biden forcibly kissed her, penetrated her with his fingers, and touched her hair and neck without her permission. She says she complained to several top staffers about the harassment, not the assault, and was retaliated against in part by losing supervision over office interns and being told to find a new job.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--Biden and Clinton silent on Tara Reade accusations during women-focused town hall

Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton ignored Tara Reade 's allegation of sexual assault and harassment during a virtual town hall event focused on women 's issues during the coronavirus crisis .
`` Call that hotline , do n't suffer in silence , '' Clinton , who endorsed the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee earlier in the conversation , told those suffering from domestic violence in the livestream on Tuesday .
`` Violence against women is a huge problem , and especially right now .
I 've worked very hard on trying to end violence against women , '' Biden said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while answering a question about domestic violence .
`` It 's been one of the leading causes of my life . ''
Reade , 56 , worked in Biden 's Senate office in 1993 , during which time she says he inappropriately touched her hair and neck and one time penetrated her with his fingers while forcibly kissing her .
Biden 's campaign has denied all allegations , though the candidate himself has not addressed them .
The Biden and Clinton livestream came a day after Reade 's former neighbor and a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the early '90s that she was assaulted , potentially corroborating her story .
On Friday , Reade identified her now-deceased mother 's voice in uncovered 1993 Larry King show footage .
A woman caller told King about her daughter ’ s difficulty voicing “ problems ” with a “ prominent senator.
” Reade says she complained to several top staffers about the harassment , not the assault , and was retaliated against in part by losing supervision over office interns and being told to find a new job .
Three top staffers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Biden , vehemently deny hearing about her allegations , but two former interns have said they remember Reade abruptly losing intern supervision duties .
Clinton faced criticism from President Trump when she ran against him in 2016 for how she handled allegations of sexual assault against her husband , former President Bill Clinton .
`` Bill Clinton was abusive to women .
Hillary Clinton attacked those same women , '' Trump , who also faces multiple allegations of sexual assault , said in an October 2016 debate against Clinton .
Trump invited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broaddrick , Paula Jones , Kathleen Willey , and Kathy Shelton — to that debate in what Clinton 's campaign called a `` stunt . ''
Trump 's presidential campaign on Tuesday shared an old video of Clinton saying : `` I want to send a message to every survivor of sexual assault .
You have a right to be heard , and you have a right to be believed . ''
Reade has called on Biden to address her claim directly .
“ A reporter needs to ask Joe Biden about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reade told the Washington Examiner in an interview on Monday .

Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton ignored Tara Reade's allegation of sexual assault and harassment during a virtual town hall event focused on women's issues during the coronavirus crisis.
"Call that hotline, don't suffer in silence," Clinton, who endorsed the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee earlier in the conversation, told those suffering from domestic violence in the livestream on Tuesday.
"Violence against women is a huge problem, and especially right now. I've worked very hard on trying to end violence against women," Biden said, referencing the Violence Against Women Act, while answering a question about domestic violence. "It's been one of the leading causes of my life."
Reade, 56, worked in Biden's Senate office in 1993, during which time she says he inappropriately touched her hair and neck and one time penetrated her with his fingers while forcibly kissing her. Biden's campaign has denied all allegations, though the candidate himself has not addressed them.
The Biden and Clinton livestream came a day after Reade's former neighbor and a former colleague revealed that Reade told them in the early '90s that she was assaulted, potentially corroborating her story. On Friday, Reade identified her now-deceased mother's voice in uncovered 1993 Larry King show footage. A woman caller told King about her daughter’s difficulty voicing “problems” with a “prominent senator.”
Reade says she complained to several top staffers about the harassment, not the assault, and was retaliated against in part by losing supervision over office interns and being told to find a new job. Three top staffers, one of which is a close ally of Biden, vehemently deny hearing about her allegations, but two former interns have said they remember Reade abruptly losing intern supervision duties.
Clinton faced criticism from President Trump when she ran against him in 2016 for how she handled allegations of sexual assault against her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
"Bill Clinton was abusive to women. Hillary Clinton attacked those same women," Trump, who also faces multiple allegations of sexual assault, said in an October 2016 debate against Clinton. Trump invited four of Clinton's accusers — Juanita Broaddrick, Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, and Kathy Shelton — to that debate in what Clinton's campaign called a "stunt."
Trump's presidential campaign on Tuesday shared an old video of Clinton saying: "I want to send a message to every survivor of sexual assault. You have a right to be heard, and you have a right to be believed."
Reade has called on Biden to address her claim directly.
“A reporter needs to ask Joe Biden about the sexual harassment and sexual assault,” Reade told the Washington Examiner in an interview on Monday.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--Christopher Steele claims Clinton lawyer fed him debunked claim about Russian collusion in 2016

British ex-spy Christopher Steele testified he met with Democratic lawyers during the 2016 presidential election , and one provided him with now-debunked claims about alleged Trump-Russia collusion as he compiled his dossier .
Steele , a former MI6 agent whose salacious and unverified dossier was used by the FBI in its Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act targeting of Trump campaign associate Carter Page , discussed his meetings with two lawyers tied to Hillary Clinton 's campaign and the Democratic National Committee during a deposition in a British court in mid-March , according to a transcript obtained by the Daily Caller .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ top lawyers for the Perkins Coie law firm , which represented the Clinton campaign and the DNC , played an even more significant role in the Trump-Russia investigation than previously known .
Steele testified Sussman provided him with claims about Alfa Bank ’ s purported ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a late July meeting .
These allegations made their way into a mid-September 2016 memo that became part of Steele ’ s dossier , although Steele repeatedly misspells “ Alfa ” as “ Alpha.
” Shortly after writing that memo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the general counsel for Clinton ’ s campaign and had personally hired the opposition research firm Fusion GPS in April 2016 on the campaign ’ s behalf .
Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson hired Steele in June 2016 .
It is not known what Steele and Elias discussed at their meeting .
The former MI6 agent and Orbis Business Intelligence co-founder made these revelations during a deposition as part of a defamation lawsuit brought against him by the Russian founders of Alfa Bank ( Mikhail Fridman , Petr Even , and German Khan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about them by Steele in his dossier .
For months in 2016 , Steele shared with government officials the claim that an Alfa Bank server was a mode of communication for Trump-Russia collusion .
“ I ’ m very clear is that the first person that ever mentioned the Trump server issue , Alfa server issue , was Mr. Sussman , '' he told Alfa Bank 's lawyers in March .
Steele also said , “ I was given the instruction sometime after that meeting by Mr. Simpson ” to look into that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said the Fusion GPS co-founder 's instruction “ was absolutely , definitely linked to the server issue.
” DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz dismissed the Alfa Bank Trump-Russia collusion claims in his December report on FISA abuse .
Newly declassified footnotes also show the bureau was aware Steele ’ s source network might have been compromised by Russian disinformation .
Steele ’ s dossier claims a “ top level Russian official confirms current closeness of Alpha Group - Putin relationship ” and that “ significant favors continue to be done in both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still giving informal advice to Putin , especially on the U.S. ” Steele ’ s dossier claims “ the Russian government figure ” reported Fridman , Even , and Khan “ had their ups and downs ” but were “ currently on very good terms with Putin.
” Horowitz ’ s report shows Steele pushed the claim Alfa Bank was a secret conduit between Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and the Kremlin during an early October meeting with State Department figures Jonathan Winer and Kathleen Kavalec .
Steele also told DOJ official Bruce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ server was a link to the Trump campaign and that the Russia-American organization belonging to “ Person 1 ” used the Alfa Bank server two weeks prior .
“ Steele told us that the information about Alfa Bank was not generated by Orbis , ” Horowitz said .
“ The FBI investigated whether there were cyber links between the Trump Organization and Alfa Bank , but had concluded by early February 2017 that there were no such links.
” Although Steele was the source for a late September 2016 Yahoo News article on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mother Jones piece alleging a Russian operation to cultivate Trump , Sussman is reportedly the source for news stories in 2016 about alleged secretive server communications between the Russian bank and the Trump Organization .
It is not yet known how Sussman was led to these claims .
Slate reported at the end of October 2016 that researchers found “ a sustained relationship between a server registered to the Trump Organization and two servers registered to an entity called Alfa Bank.
” The New York Times published a piece at the start of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI officials spent weeks examining computer data showing an odd stream of activity to a Trump Organization server and Alfa Bank . ''
The report noted that “ the FBI ultimately concluded that there could be an innocuous explanation , like a marketing email or spam , for the computer contacts.
” Former FBI General Counsel James Baker testified in 2018 that Sussman , a former DOJ colleague of his , separately shared the Alfa Bank claims with him during a September 2016 meeting .
And notes from Ohr ’ s December 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-founder said the New York Times was wrong to doubt the Alfa Bank server story .
Interviews that Sussman and Elias gave to the House Intelligence Committee are among the dozens of witness transcripts which Democratic Chairman Adam Schiff has declined to make public .
Horowitz criticized the Justice Department and the FBI in December for at least 17 “ significant errors and omissions ” related to the FISA warrants against Page in 2016 and 2017 and for the bureau 's reliance on Steele ’ s unverified dossier .
Robert Mueller said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the Russian government and the Trump campaign ” but `` did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.
” Robby Mook , Clinton ’ s presidential campaign manager , said in 2017 he authorized Elias , who heads Perkins Coie ’ s political law group , to hire an outside firm to dig up dirt on Trump ’ s connections with Russia in 2016 .
Mook said Elias was receiving information from Fusion GPS about the research into Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ periodically briefed the Clinton campaign .
“ I ’ m proud that we were able to assemble some of the research that has brought this to light , ” Mook said .
The FBI told Steele in October 2016 it was looking into Page as well as Trump campaign associate George Papadopoulos , future Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn , and Manafort .
Steele passed along at least some of this to Fusion GPS .
Perkins Coie was paid more than $ 12 million between 2016 and 2017 for representing Clinton and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fusion GPS was paid $ 50,000 per month from Perkins Coie , and Fusion GPS paid Steele roughly $ 168,000 .

British ex-spy Christopher Steele testified he met with Democratic lawyers during the 2016 presidential election, and one provided him with now-debunked claims about alleged Trump-Russia collusion as he compiled his dossier.
Steele, a former MI6 agent whose salacious and unverified dossier was used by the FBI in its Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act targeting of Trump campaign associate Carter Page, discussed his meetings with two lawyers tied to Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee during a deposition in a British court in mid-March, according to a transcript obtained by the Daily Caller.
Michael Sussman and Marc Elias, two top lawyers for the Perkins Coie law firm, which represented the Clinton campaign and the DNC, played an even more significant role in the Trump-Russia investigation than previously known.
Steele testified Sussman provided him with claims about Alfa Bank’s purported ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a late July meeting. These allegations made their way into a mid-September 2016 memo that became part of Steele’s dossier, although Steele repeatedly misspells “Alfa” as “Alpha.” Shortly after writing that memo, Steele met with Elias, who was the general counsel for Clinton’s campaign and had personally hired the opposition research firm Fusion GPS in April 2016 on the campaign’s behalf. Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson hired Steele in June 2016. It is not known what Steele and Elias discussed at their meeting.
The former MI6 agent and Orbis Business Intelligence co-founder made these revelations during a deposition as part of a defamation lawsuit brought against him by the Russian founders of Alfa Bank (Mikhail Fridman, Petr Even, and German Khan), who deny the claims made about them by Steele in his dossier.
For months in 2016, Steele shared with government officials the claim that an Alfa Bank server was a mode of communication for Trump-Russia collusion.
“I’m very clear is that the first person that ever mentioned the Trump server issue, Alfa server issue, was Mr. Sussman," he told Alfa Bank's lawyers in March. Steele also said, “I was given the instruction sometime after that meeting by Mr. Simpson” to look into that as part of his dossier investigation, and said the Fusion GPS co-founder's instruction “was absolutely, definitely linked to the server issue.”
DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz dismissed the Alfa Bank Trump-Russia collusion claims in his December report on FISA abuse. Newly declassified footnotes also show the bureau was aware Steele’s source network might have been compromised by Russian disinformation.
Christopher Steele. (Victoria Jones/AP)
Steele’s dossier claims a “top level Russian official confirms current closeness of Alpha Group - Putin relationship” and that “significant favors continue to be done in both directions” with “Fridman and Even still giving informal advice to Putin, especially on the U.S.” Steele’s dossier claims “the Russian government figure” reported Fridman, Even, and Khan “had their ups and downs” but were “currently on very good terms with Putin.”
Horowitz’s report shows Steele pushed the claim Alfa Bank was a secret conduit between Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and the Kremlin during an early October meeting with State Department figures Jonathan Winer and Kathleen Kavalec. Steele also told DOJ official Bruce Ohr in late September the Alfa Bank server was a link to the Trump campaign and that the Russia-American organization belonging to “Person 1” used the Alfa Bank server two weeks prior.
“Steele told us that the information about Alfa Bank was not generated by Orbis,” Horowitz said. “The FBI investigated whether there were cyber links between the Trump Organization and Alfa Bank, but had concluded by early February 2017 that there were no such links.”
Although Steele was the source for a late September 2016 Yahoo News article on Carter Page and a late October 2016 Mother Jones piece alleging a Russian operation to cultivate Trump, Sussman is reportedly the source for news stories in 2016 about alleged secretive server communications between the Russian bank and the Trump Organization. It is not yet known how Sussman was led to these claims. Slate reported at the end of October 2016 that researchers found “a sustained relationship between a server registered to the Trump Organization and two servers registered to an entity called Alfa Bank.”
The New York Times published a piece at the start of November 2016, which stated that “FBI officials spent weeks examining computer data showing an odd stream of activity to a Trump Organization server and Alfa Bank." The report noted that “the FBI ultimately concluded that there could be an innocuous explanation, like a marketing email or spam, for the computer contacts.”
Former FBI General Counsel James Baker testified in 2018 that Sussman, a former DOJ colleague of his, separately shared the Alfa Bank claims with him during a September 2016 meeting. And notes from Ohr’s December 2016 meeting with Simpson show the Fusion GPS co-founder said the New York Times was wrong to doubt the Alfa Bank server story.
Interviews that Sussman and Elias gave to the House Intelligence Committee are among the dozens of witness transcripts which Democratic Chairman Adam Schiff has declined to make public.
Horowitz criticized the Justice Department and the FBI in December for at least 17 “significant errors and omissions” related to the FISA warrants against Page in 2016 and 2017 and for the bureau's reliance on Steele’s unverified dossier. Robert Mueller said his special counsel investigation “identified numerous links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign” but "did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.”
Robby Mook, Clinton’s presidential campaign manager, said in 2017 he authorized Elias, who heads Perkins Coie’s political law group, to hire an outside firm to dig up dirt on Trump’s connections with Russia in 2016. Mook said Elias was receiving information from Fusion GPS about the research into Trump and Russia in 2016, and Elias periodically briefed the Clinton campaign.
“I’m proud that we were able to assemble some of the research that has brought this to light,” Mook said.
The FBI told Steele in October 2016 it was looking into Page as well as Trump campaign associate George Papadopoulos, future Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, and Manafort. Steele passed along at least some of this to Fusion GPS.
Perkins Coie was paid more than $12 million between 2016 and 2017 for representing Clinton and the DNC. According to Simpson, Fusion GPS was paid $50,000 per month from Perkins Coie, and Fusion GPS paid Steele roughly $168,000.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--'I hear and see you, Tara': Biden supporter Alyssa Milano breaks silence on Tara Reade sexual assaul

'I hear and see you, Tara': Biden supporter Alyssa Milano breaks silence on Tara Reade sexual assault allegation

Actress-turned-political activist Alyssa Milano has broken her silence over a woman accusing Joe Biden of sexual assault .
Milano has been an outspoken Biden supporter for his bid for the White House and a proponent of the # MeToo movement .
She said earlier this month that she was staying “ quiet about ” the accusations from Tara Reade , who claimed that Biden pushed her against a wall and penetrated her with his fingers in 1993 when she was his Senate aide .
Biden 's presidential campaign has denied the allegation .
Milano spoke up after a former neighbor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she knew about the allegations decades ago and a video clip emerged of Larry King talking to a woman , who Reade claims was her mother , calling into his show in the 1990s to ask for advice about her daughter , who had “ problems ” working for a “ prominent senator.
” “ I ’ m aware of the new developments in Tara Reade ’ s accusation against Joe Biden .
I want Tara , like every other survivor , to have the space to be heard and seen without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and see you , Tara .
# MeToo , ” Milano tweeted Tuesday .
The tweet follows that of another Hollywood star , Susan Sarandon , who also signaled her support for Reade .
Sarandon , who supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 's now-ended White House bid , tweeted out a story on Saturday from the Intercept regarding the credibility of Tara Reade 's accusation that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993 .
The headline of the piece read , “ New evidence supporting credibility Of Tara Reade ’ s allegation against Joe @ @ @ @

Actress-turned-political activist Alyssa Milano has broken her silence over a woman accusing Joe Biden of sexual assault.
Milano has been an outspoken Biden supporter for his bid for the White House and a proponent of the #MeToo movement. She said earlier this month that she was staying “quiet about” the accusations from Tara Reade, who claimed that Biden pushed her against a wall and penetrated her with his fingers in 1993 when she was his Senate aide.
Biden's presidential campaign has denied the allegation.
Milano spoke up after a former neighbor of Reade’s told Business Insider that she knew about the allegations decades ago and a video clip emerged of Larry King talking to a woman, who Reade claims was her mother, calling into his show in the 1990s to ask for advice about her daughter, who had “problems” working for a “prominent senator.”
I’m aware of the new developments in Tara Reade’s accusation against Joe Biden. I want Tara, like every other survivor, to have the space to be heard and seen without being used as fodder. I hear and see you, Tara. #MeToo — Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) April 28, 2020
“I’m aware of the new developments in Tara Reade’s accusation against Joe Biden. I want Tara, like every other survivor, to have the space to be heard and seen without being used as fodder. I hear and see you, Tara. #MeToo,” Milano tweeted Tuesday.
The tweet follows that of another Hollywood star, Susan Sarandon, who also signaled her support for Reade.
Sarandon, who supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders's now-ended White House bid, tweeted out a story on Saturday from the Intercept regarding the credibility of Tara Reade's accusation that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993. The headline of the piece read, “New evidence supporting credibility Of Tara Reade’s allegation against Joe Biden emerges.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--Kamala Harris: 2020 election 'literally' about 'whether we live or die'

Sen. Kamala Harris said the 2020 presidential election is a matter of `` whether we live or die . ''
`` We have seen a failure of leadership that has resulted in great damage to our country .
And the pandemic is not over .
It ’ s going to go on for a little while , '' Harris , a former Democratic candidate for president , said of the federal government 's response to the coronavirus on Monday .
`` Who occupies that seat in the White House really matters .
This election in November is going to determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it ’ s going to be about ... literally our health and whether we live or die . ''
Harris continued , `` It ’ s going to be about the state of our economy and whether we have a job and are treated with dignity or not .
It ’ s going to determine where we will be for future generations , and it ’ s going to determine it quite immediately .
So , I can ’ t urge everyone enough . ''
Harris was speaking during a virtual town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's presumptive nominee , Joe Biden , whom she endorsed after dropping out of the race .
`` No one will be made to fight alone , and that ’ s what Joe Biden says every day , that we are all in this together and there is a place for all of us in his campaign , '' she said .
Biden has criticized Trump 's response to the virus , saying that while the pandemic is not his fault , his administration should have been better prepared to deal with the @ @ @

Sen. Kamala Harris said the 2020 presidential election is a matter of "whether we live or die."
"We have seen a failure of leadership that has resulted in great damage to our country. And the pandemic is not over. It’s going to go on for a little while," Harris, a former Democratic candidate for president, said of the federal government's response to the coronavirus on Monday. "Who occupies that seat in the White House really matters. This election in November is going to determine so many things about our future, and it’s going to be about ... literally our health and whether we live or die."
Harris continued, "It’s going to be about the state of our economy and whether we have a job and are treated with dignity or not. It’s going to determine where we will be for future generations, and it’s going to determine it quite immediately. So, I can’t urge everyone enough."
Harris was speaking during a virtual town hall about the coronavirus and the party's presumptive nominee, Joe Biden, whom she endorsed after dropping out of the race.
"No one will be made to fight alone, and that’s what Joe Biden says every day, that we are all in this together and there is a place for all of us in his campaign," she said.
Biden has criticized Trump's response to the virus, saying that while the pandemic is not his fault, his administration should have been better prepared to deal with the national crisis.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--Biden claims US has 'never' put migrant children in cages before Trump

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden asserted that President Trump 's administration was the first to hold child illegal immigrants in cages .
“ We have to straighten things out .
Anyone who committed a felony in the meantime would be deported , but we have to take time to take stock of exactly what ’ s going on , who ’ s where , what the truth is and what ’ s going on at the border , ” Biden said during an interview with CBS Miami on Tuesday .
The former vice president under President Barack Obama said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time when someone seeking asylum has to seek it from another country .
You ’ ve never seen a circumstance where we ’ ve put people in cages . ''
Biden made the claim as part of his repeated pledge not to deport anyone from the United States during his first 100 days in office if he 's elected president .
PolitiFact found last month that more people were deported from the U.S. during the Obama administration than during the terms of Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton .
Part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of migrants crossing the southwest border seeking asylum over the last several years .
The Obama administration deported more than 3 million people , 1.7 million of them with no criminal record , according to Department of Homeland Security data .
Biden first made the claim that the Obama administration `` did not hold people in cages '' during a Democratic debate late last year .
A 2014 report in the Arizona Republic shows how some migrant children were held in cages while waiting to be processed by federal immigration authorities .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country illegally .
And when they were apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection , they were shipped to Nogales from overwhelmed processing facilities in Texas , '' the report said .
`` But they are still children in cages , not gangsters , not delinquents .
Just children , 900 of them , in a makeshift border-town processing center that is larger than a football field . ''
Obama 's former head of Immigration Customs Enforcement has claimed holding children in cages at the border was an Obama administration idea .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most important issues for the 2020 campaign for president .
`` We are a nation of immigrants , '' Biden said .
`` The way we 're acting both domestically and internationally is a crying shame .
It 's not who we are . ''

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden asserted that President Trump's administration was the first to hold child illegal immigrants in cages.
“We have to straighten things out. Anyone who committed a felony in the meantime would be deported, but we have to take time to take stock of exactly what’s going on, who’s where, what the truth is and what’s going on at the border,” Biden said during an interview with CBS Miami on Tuesday.
The former vice president under President Barack Obama said, "You’ve never seen a time when someone seeking asylum has to seek it from another country. You’ve never seen a circumstance where we’ve put people in cages."
Biden made the claim as part of his repeated pledge not to deport anyone from the United States during his first 100 days in office if he's elected president.
PolitiFact found last month that more people were deported from the U.S. during the Obama administration than during the terms of Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Part of this is due to the rising level of migrants crossing the southwest border seeking asylum over the last several years.
The Obama administration deported more than 3 million people, 1.7 million of them with no criminal record, according to Department of Homeland Security data.
Biden first made the claim that the Obama administration "did not hold people in cages" during a Democratic debate late last year.
A 2014 report in the Arizona Republic shows how some migrant children were held in cages while waiting to be processed by federal immigration authorities.
"They are undocumented. They entered the country illegally. And when they were apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, they were shipped to Nogales from overwhelmed processing facilities in Texas," the report said. "But they are still children in cages, not gangsters, not delinquents. Just children, 900 of them, in a makeshift border-town processing center that is larger than a football field."
Obama's former head of Immigration Customs Enforcement has claimed holding children in cages at the border was an Obama administration idea.
Biden added that immigration is one of the most important issues for the 2020 campaign for president.
"We are a nation of immigrants," Biden said. "The way we're acting both domestically and internationally is a crying shame. It's not who we are."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--Ad by pro-Biden super PAC Priorities USA blames Trump for coronavirus deaths

The Democratic super PAC supporting Joe Biden ’ s White House campaign is airing a television advertisement in key battleground states that blames President Trump for the nearly 57,000 deaths attributed to the coronavirus in the United States .
Priorities USA on Tuesday announced the new , 30-second spot would run in Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin , states where recent polling has shown Biden with an advantage and that are critical to Trump ’ s reelection prospects .
In the ad , the super PAC accuses Trump of mismanaging the pandemic , causing the spread of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that occurred as a result .
“ Donald Trump said he would put America first , and now , he has , ” the voice-over says as the Priorities USA spot opens .
“ The United States leads the world in coronavirus cases .
More than 50,000 Americans dead — twice as many deaths as any other country .
Over 26 million people have lost their jobs , and it ’ s only getting worse.
” Federal election law prohibits the Biden campaign and outside groups such as Priorities USA from coordinating efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permitted to designate favored organizations , and Biden , the former vice president , has urged deep-pocketed supporters of his 2020 bid to contribute to Priorities USA .
The super PAC has reserved more than $ 65 million of television time to counter Trump and assist Biden , whose campaign is underfunded as it attempts to ramp up for the fall after he emerged as the last candidate standing in the Democratic primary .
This latest ad is a part of that spending , and one of multiple advertisements it has in rotation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Priorities USA has spent $ 10 million on its media campaign against the president thus far , the group said in a press release .
On the Republican side , America First Action , Trump ’ s designated super PAC , has countered with television spots tying Biden to the Chinese government and its negligent handling of the coronavirus .

The Democratic super PAC supporting Joe Biden’s White House campaign is airing a television advertisement in key battleground states that blames President Trump for the nearly 57,000 deaths attributed to the coronavirus in the United States.
Priorities USA on Tuesday announced the new, 30-second spot would run in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, states where recent polling has shown Biden with an advantage and that are critical to Trump’s reelection prospects. In the ad, the super PAC accuses Trump of mismanaging the pandemic, causing the spread of the coronavirus and the deaths, and massive unemployment that occurred as a result.
“Donald Trump said he would put America first, and now, he has,” the voice-over says as the Priorities USA spot opens. “The United States leads the world in coronavirus cases. More than 50,000 Americans dead — twice as many deaths as any other country. Over 26 million people have lost their jobs, and it’s only getting worse.”
Federal election law prohibits the Biden campaign and outside groups such as Priorities USA from coordinating efforts to oust Trump. But campaigns are permitted to designate favored organizations, and Biden, the former vice president, has urged deep-pocketed supporters of his 2020 bid to contribute to Priorities USA.
The super PAC has reserved more than $65 million of television time to counter Trump and assist Biden, whose campaign is underfunded as it attempts to ramp up for the fall after he emerged as the last candidate standing in the Democratic primary. This latest ad is a part of that spending, and one of multiple advertisements it has in rotation on television networks and digital platforms.
Priorities USA has spent $10 million on its media campaign against the president thus far, the group said in a press release. On the Republican side, America First Action, Trump’s designated super PAC, has countered with television spots tying Biden to the Chinese government and its negligent handling of the coronavirus.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-28--Stacey Abrams escalates pressure campaign to be Biden's running mate

Failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacy Abrams is ramping up her pressure campaign to be Joe Biden 's vice presidential pick .
According to Politico on Tuesday , Abrams has been calling Democratic power brokers and asking that they tell the Biden campaign she should be chosen as his running mate .
Abrams 's efforts to win the veepstakes is nearly unprecedented in modern politics , with some Democrats saying her actions appear desperate .
In multiple media appearances and interviews in the last month , Abrams has said she 's interested in the role .
She has described herself as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said on The View earlier in April that she would have `` concerns '' if Biden did n't pick a woman of color as a running mate .
Abrams has cited her experience in the private sector as well as her `` independent study '' of international affairs as qualifications for the role .
Her only experience in public service includes being minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives .
`` As a young black woman growing up in Mississippi , I learned that if you do n't raise your hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they wo n't give you attention , '' Abrams told CNN 's Jake Tapper on Sunday .
`` But it 's not about attention for being the running mate .
It is about making sure that my qualifications are n't in question because they 're not just speaking to me .
They 're speaking to young black women , young women of color , young people of color , who wonder if they , too , can be seen . ''

Failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacy Abrams is ramping up her pressure campaign to be Joe Biden's vice presidential pick.
According to Politico on Tuesday, Abrams has been calling Democratic power brokers and asking that they tell the Biden campaign she should be chosen as his running mate.
Abrams's efforts to win the veepstakes is nearly unprecedented in modern politics, with some Democrats saying her actions appear desperate.
In multiple media appearances and interviews in the last month, Abrams has said she's interested in the role. She has described herself as an "excellent" pick for Biden and said on The View earlier in April that she would have "concerns" if Biden didn't pick a woman of color as a running mate.
Abrams has cited her experience in the private sector as well as her "independent study" of international affairs as qualifications for the role. Her only experience in public service includes being minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives.
"As a young black woman growing up in Mississippi, I learned that if you don't raise your hand, people won't see you, and they won't give you attention," Abrams told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday. "But it's not about attention for being the running mate. It is about making sure that my qualifications aren't in question because they're not just speaking to me. They're speaking to young black women, young women of color, young people of color, who wonder if they, too, can be seen."