thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Jeff Sessions’s political comeback dreams stay alive

BIRMINGHAM , Alabama — Jeff Sessions is one step closer to his political comeback .
The former attorney general was one of two candidates to qualify for a Senate runoff election , with neither getting more than 50 % of the vote in Tuesday ’ s Republican primary election .
Sessions , 72 , will face off against former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville , 65 , in the March 31 runoff election .
The winner of that contest will compete against Democratic Sen. Doug Jones , who won a special election for Sessions ’ s old Senate seat when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had 32.5 % of the vote , and Tuberville had 32.4 % when the race was called shortly after 11 p.m. Rep. Bradley Byrne finished third with 25.2 % at the time of the call .
Most polling showed Sessions narrowly ahead of his rivals , and he lacked the endorsement of his former boss , President Trump , after his tumultuous tenure as attorney general .
Trump , who did not endorse anyone in the race , and Sessions had a public falling out over the attorney general ’ s recusal from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of endorsement , the candidates brawled over who was more loyal to the president .
“ Others talk big about Trump , hoping to get your vote .
But talk is cheap , ” Sessions , who was the first senator to endorse Trump , said in a television ad .
“ I ’ ve been with him from the start because it ’ s the right thing for America.
” In one of Tuberville ’ s ads , he said Sessions “ deserted President Trump , sticking us with the Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about being fired as Trump ’ s first attorney general .
Jones , who is one of the most vulnerable Democrats running for reelection in 2020 , wouldn ’ t say whether he would also use Sessions ’ s time as attorney general to his advantage in the general election .
“ I really don ’ t want to comment on what I might do with somebody that may or may not get the nomination .
Let ’ s see how this turns out .
It ’ s a pretty rocky road over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s pretty ugly on all sides , ” he told the Washington Examiner on Monday .

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Jeff Sessions is one step closer to his political comeback.
The former attorney general was one of two candidates to qualify for a Senate runoff election, with neither getting more than 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s Republican primary election.
Sessions, 72, will face off against former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, 65, in the March 31 runoff election. The winner of that contest will compete against Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, who won a special election for Sessions’s old Senate seat when he joined the Trump administration.
Sessions had 32.5% of the vote, and Tuberville had 32.4% when the race was called shortly after 11 p.m. Rep. Bradley Byrne finished third with 25.2% at the time of the call.
Most polling showed Sessions narrowly ahead of his rivals, and he lacked the endorsement of his former boss, President Trump, after his tumultuous tenure as attorney general. Trump, who did not endorse anyone in the race, and Sessions had a public falling out over the attorney general’s recusal from overseeing the Russia investigation.
Despite the lack of endorsement, the candidates brawled over who was more loyal to the president.
“Others talk big about Trump, hoping to get your vote. But talk is cheap,” Sessions, who was the first senator to endorse Trump, said in a television ad. “I’ve been with him from the start because it’s the right thing for America.”
In one of Tuberville’s ads, he said Sessions “deserted President Trump, sticking us with the Russian witch hunt.” Byrne also jabbed Sessions about being fired as Trump’s first attorney general.
Jones, who is one of the most vulnerable Democrats running for reelection in 2020, wouldn’t say whether he would also use Sessions’s time as attorney general to his advantage in the general election.
“I really don’t want to comment on what I might do with somebody that may or may not get the nomination. Let’s see how this turns out. It’s a pretty rocky road over there for everybody right now. It’s pretty ugly on all sides,” he told the Washington Examiner on Monday.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Trump rejects extension of surveillance law without FISA reforms in meeting with Republicans

President Trump told lawmakers that he will not support a long-term extension of key intelligence programs without reforms to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court .
Trump held a private meeting with Attorney General William Bar , Republican members of Congress , and GOP leadership on Tuesday about extending provisions of the USA Freedom Act .
The meeting was focused on discussing certain provisions of the law that expire on March 15 , including surveillance of lone-wolf terrorists , roving wiretaps , and a program that permits requests for metadata from phone records .
During the meeting , Barr and Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the concept of a clean extension of the intelligence programs , sources told the Hill .
However , Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said the president didn ’ t agree and “ pushed back very vigorously ” on an extension without comprehensive FISA reforms .
“ It was a spirited discussion .
The president made it exceedingly clear that he will not accept a clean reauthorization … without real reform , ” Paul said after the meeting .
Republican aides confirmed that Trump told those at the meeting he wouldn ’ t support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , McConnell said before the huddle that he would support a short-term extension if Congress can ’ t find a way to pass a broader deal in Congress .
“ My own preference is to extend these three or four expiring authorities ... but there are differences among my members and among the Democrats on the way forward .
Whether we can resolve those and pass new legislation is unclear .
If we 're unable to resolve our differences , my preference would be for another extension , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 90-day extension to the USA Freedom Act provisions as part of a spending bill last December .
With only days left before the provisions expire , neither the House or Senate has been able to move forward with a new bill to extend the intelligence programs .
One of the provisions is for roving wiretaps , which are wiretap authorizations that don ’ t require a new surveillance order if the phone being tapped is destroyed and replaced .
Another controversial prevision among those on Capitol Hill is a phone records program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request metadata such as the dates and senders of cellular communications — but not the content of those messages .
During the meeting , a number of ideas for stop-gap extensions of various lengths of time were discussed , but Paul said the idea of a temporary extension until after the 2020 presidential election was “ specifically talked about ” and rejected .
He also said that Trump “ might ” be amenable to signing a short-term extension to buy time for a broader deal that includes FISA reforms .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were something very , very short term with the promise that a reform were coming , ” Paul said of the possibility of a short-term extension .
“ But there 's not going to be a long term , and by long term , I mean anything more than a couple of weeks that the president would sign.
” Calls for FISA reform gained steam after Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz released a December report that found 17 “ significant errors or omissions ” in how the FBI obtained FISA warrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign adviser .
The FISA court approved four warrants targeting Page during the investigation into Russian election interference and the 2016 Trump campaign .
The FISA court and government surveillance programs have troubled some Democratic and libertarian-leaning lawmakers for years , and Horowitz ’ s report has increased the number of Republicans who want broader reform .
Congress has until March 15 to come up with either a temporary extension or a broader deal on extending the intelligence programs .

President Trump told lawmakers that he will not support a long-term extension of key intelligence programs without reforms to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
Trump held a private meeting with Attorney General William Bar, Republican members of Congress, and GOP leadership on Tuesday about extending provisions of the USA Freedom Act. The meeting was focused on discussing certain provisions of the law that expire on March 15, including surveillance of lone-wolf terrorists, roving wiretaps, and a program that permits requests for metadata from phone records.
During the meeting, Barr and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed support for the concept of a clean extension of the intelligence programs, sources told the Hill. However, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said the president didn’t agree and “pushed back very vigorously” on an extension without comprehensive FISA reforms.
“It was a spirited discussion. The president made it exceedingly clear that he will not accept a clean reauthorization … without real reform,” Paul said after the meeting. Republican aides confirmed that Trump told those at the meeting he wouldn’t support an extension without added reforms.
Earlier Tuesday, McConnell said before the huddle that he would support a short-term extension if Congress can’t find a way to pass a broader deal in Congress.
“My own preference is to extend these three or four expiring authorities ... but there are differences among my members and among the Democrats on the way forward. Whether we can resolve those and pass new legislation is unclear. If we're unable to resolve our differences, my preference would be for another extension,” he said.
The meeting comes after Congress already passed a 90-day extension to the USA Freedom Act provisions as part of a spending bill last December. With only days left before the provisions expire, neither the House or Senate has been able to move forward with a new bill to extend the intelligence programs.
One of the provisions is for roving wiretaps, which are wiretap authorizations that don’t require a new surveillance order if the phone being tapped is destroyed and replaced. Another controversial prevision among those on Capitol Hill is a phone records program that grants the government the ability to request metadata such as the dates and senders of cellular communications — but not the content of those messages.
During the meeting, a number of ideas for stop-gap extensions of various lengths of time were discussed, but Paul said the idea of a temporary extension until after the 2020 presidential election was “specifically talked about” and rejected. He also said that Trump “might” be amenable to signing a short-term extension to buy time for a broader deal that includes FISA reforms.
“I think that if there was something, if there were something very, very short term with the promise that a reform were coming,” Paul said of the possibility of a short-term extension. “But there's not going to be a long term, and by long term, I mean anything more than a couple of weeks that the president would sign.”
Calls for FISA reform gained steam after Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz released a December report that found 17 “significant errors or omissions” in how the FBI obtained FISA warrants to surveil Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser. The FISA court approved four warrants targeting Page during the investigation into Russian election interference and the 2016 Trump campaign.
The FISA court and government surveillance programs have troubled some Democratic and libertarian-leaning lawmakers for years, and Horowitz’s report has increased the number of Republicans who want broader reform.
Congress has until March 15 to come up with either a temporary extension or a broader deal on extending the intelligence programs.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Biden leading in Texas and could take overall delegate lead: Latest Super Tuesday updates

Joe Biden is leading Bernie Sanders in the delegate-rich state of Texas , adding to a dramatic reshaping of the Democratic presidential primary field that could push the former vice president back to front-runner status .
Biden is projected to win more delegates than Sanders , according to a New York Times analysis .
The former vice president cemented his place as the top centrist alternative to socialist Sanders in a remarkable comeback , while the Vermont senator had an underwhelming Super Tuesday performance .
Meanwhile , Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday that he has “ no intention of dropping out , '' but his team reportedly plans to `` reassess '' his campaign on Wednesday .
The New York Times projects that Warren and the billionaire former New York City mayor will be at about 400-plus delegates behind Sanders and Biden after final tallies .
Alabama — 52 pledged delegates : Biden won the state with 63 % , with Sanders in second at 16.4 % , with 89 % of precincts reporting .
Arkansas — 31 pledged delegates : Biden won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders in second at 22.4 % , with 93 % of precincts reporting .
California — 415 pledged delegates : The Associated Press called the state for Sanders as soon as polls closed .
Sanders leads the state with 28.4 % while Bloomberg is in second at 18.6 % and Biden has 18.1 % , with 30 % of precincts reporting .
About 40 % of California 's primary electorate votes absentee by mail , meaning that Biden 's wave of endorsements from former rivals on Monday could have a smaller effect there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a winner in the primary .
The last ballots are expected to arrive in mid-March .
Colorado — 67 pledged delegates : Sanders won the state with 35.9 % , with Biden in second at 22.7 % , with 82 % of precincts reporting .
Maine — 24 pledged delegates : Not yet called .
Biden is leading with 33.8 % , with Sanders in second at 32.3 % , and 68 % of precincts reporting .
Massachusetts — 91 pledged delegates : Biden won the state with 33.4 % , with Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in third at 21.4 % , with 83 % of precincts reporting .
Minnesota — 75 pledged delegates : Biden won the state with 38.6 % , with Sanders in second at 29.9 % , with 96 % of precincts reporting .
North Carolina — 110 pledged delegates : Biden won the state with 42.9 % , with Sanders in second at 24.1 % , with 96 % of precincts reporting .
Oklahoma — 37 pledged delegates : Biden won the state with 38.7 % , with Sanders in second at 25.4 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tennessee — 64 pledged delegates : Biden won the state with 41.4 % , with Sanders in second at 24.7 % , with 98 % of precincts reporting .
Texas — 228 pledged delegates : Biden is on track to win .
Utah — 29 pledged delegates : Sanders won the state and has 35.9 % , with Bloomberg in second at 17.3 % and Biden with 16.4 % and 28 % of precincts reporting .
Vermont — 16 pledged delegates : Sanders won the state with 50.7 % , with Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 98 % of precincts reporting .
Virginia — 99 pledged delegates : Biden won the state with 53.3 % , with Sanders in second at 23.1 % , with 99 % of precincts reporting .
American Samoa — 6 pledged delegates : Bloomberg won the contest , and long shot candidate Tulsi Gabbard , who was born in American Samoa , won at least one delegate there .
9:33 p.m. EST : Warning signs for Sanders in Texas and Oklahoma 7:18 p.m. EST : Biden vs. Sanders race taking shape as first polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territory of American Samoa on Tuesday account for 1,347 pledged nominating delegates , about one-third of the total .
A candidate needs a majority of 1,991 pledged delegates to win the nomination on the first Democratic National Convention ballot and prevent a contested convention .
In the event of a brokered convention , about 770 automatic superdelegates , party leaders such as Democratic National Committee members and Democratic members of Congress , are permitted to vote for whomever they wish .
Delegates are allocated based on the proportion of statewide votes and votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which allocates district delegates based on state Senate districts rather than congressional districts ) .
Candidates must obtain 15 % support statewide or in at least one district to earn delegates , meaning that a candidate could pick up some district delegates even if they do not capture more than 15 % support statewide .

Joe Biden is leading Bernie Sanders in the delegate-rich state of Texas, adding to a dramatic reshaping of the Democratic presidential primary field that could push the former vice president back to front-runner status.
Biden is projected to win more delegates than Sanders, according to a New York Times analysis.
The former vice president cemented his place as the top centrist alternative to socialist Sanders in a remarkable comeback, while the Vermont senator had an underwhelming Super Tuesday performance.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg are in trouble. Bloomberg said earlier on Tuesday that he has “no intention of dropping out," but his team reportedly plans to "reassess" his campaign on Wednesday.
The New York Times projects that Warren and the billionaire former New York City mayor will be at about 400-plus delegates behind Sanders and Biden after final tallies.
Where state results stand:
Alabama — 52 pledged delegates: Biden won the state with 63%, with Sanders in second at 16.4%, with 89% of precincts reporting.
Arkansas — 31 pledged delegates: Biden won the state with 40.1%, with Sanders in second at 22.4%, with 93% of precincts reporting.
California — 415 pledged delegates: The Associated Press called the state for Sanders as soon as polls closed. Sanders leads the state with 28.4% while Bloomberg is in second at 18.6% and Biden has 18.1%, with 30% of precincts reporting.
About 40% of California's primary electorate votes absentee by mail, meaning that Biden's wave of endorsements from former rivals on Monday could have a smaller effect there. Mail-in ballots could also delay declaring a winner in the primary. The last ballots are expected to arrive in mid-March.
Colorado — 67 pledged delegates: Sanders won the state with 35.9%, with Biden in second at 22.7%, with 82% of precincts reporting.
Maine — 24 pledged delegates: Not yet called. Biden is leading with 33.8%, with Sanders in second at 32.3%, and 68% of precincts reporting.
Massachusetts — 91 pledged delegates: Biden won the state with 33.4%, with Sanders in second at 27.1% and Warren in third at 21.4%, with 83% of precincts reporting.
Minnesota — 75 pledged delegates: Biden won the state with 38.6%, with Sanders in second at 29.9%, with 96% of precincts reporting.
North Carolina — 110 pledged delegates: Biden won the state with 42.9%, with Sanders in second at 24.1%, with 96% of precincts reporting.
Oklahoma — 37 pledged delegates: Biden won the state with 38.7%, with Sanders in second at 25.4%, with 97% of precincts reporting.
Tennessee — 64 pledged delegates: Biden won the state with 41.4%, with Sanders in second at 24.7%, with 98% of precincts reporting.
Texas — 228 pledged delegates: Biden is on track to win.
Utah — 29 pledged delegates: Sanders won the state and has 35.9%, with Bloomberg in second at 17.3% and Biden with 16.4% and 28% of precincts reporting.
Vermont — 16 pledged delegates: Sanders won the state with 50.7%, with Biden in second with 22.1%, with 98% of precincts reporting.
Virginia — 99 pledged delegates: Biden won the state with 53.3%, with Sanders in second at 23.1%, with 99% of precincts reporting.
American Samoa — 6 pledged delegates: Bloomberg won the contest, and long shot candidate Tulsi Gabbard, who was born in American Samoa, won at least one delegate there.
11:59 p.m. EST: Sanders roars back with California win
10:35 p.m. EST: Warren and Bloomberg fall flat
9:33 p.m. EST: Warning signs for Sanders in Texas and Oklahoma
8:05 p.m. EST: Big night for Joe Biden in early Super Tuesday states
7:18 p.m. EST: Biden vs. Sanders race taking shape as first polls close
Results from 14 states plus the territory of American Samoa on Tuesday account for 1,347 pledged nominating delegates, about one-third of the total. A candidate needs a majority of 1,991 pledged delegates to win the nomination on the first Democratic National Convention ballot and prevent a contested convention. In the event of a brokered convention, about 770 automatic superdelegates, party leaders such as Democratic National Committee members and Democratic members of Congress, are permitted to vote for whomever they wish.
Delegates are allocated based on the proportion of statewide votes and votes within congressional districts (except for Texas, which allocates district delegates based on state Senate districts rather than congressional districts). Candidates must obtain 15% support statewide or in at least one district to earn delegates, meaning that a candidate could pick up some district delegates even if they do not capture more than 15% support statewide.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Elizabeth Warren feels sting of Super Tuesday

HOUSTON — Elizabeth Warren ’ s team has long foreshadowed that her road to the White House would be rocky , not confident enough to name a contest she could win , including her home state of Massachusetts .
Now , preliminary Super Tuesday results for the 2020 Democratic field reveal just how narrow her path would be should she decide to push on to the party ’ s national convention in Milwaukee , Wisconsin , this summer .
Despite a massive organizing ground game , including 400 staff members in Super Tuesday states , the Massachusetts senator suffered blow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominating contests .
Then , on Super Tuesday , she won no contests and even finished third in her home state of Massachusetts .
Looking to allay concerns , Warren campaign manager Roger Lau this week before Democrats in 14 states and one U.S. territory decided how to allocate 1,357 delegates among the candidates still running for the right to challenge President Trump in November .
In the memo , he insisted his boss would remain “ viable ” after all of the votes were tallied , citing internal data showing she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly every state in play on Super Tuesday ” and be “ in a strong position to earn a sizable delegate haul coming out of the night.
” “ But as the dust settles after March 3 , the reality of this race will be clear : no candidate will likely have a path to the majority of delegates needed to win an outright claim to the Democratic nomination , ” .
In a sign of optimism , Warren committed funds from her record-breaking $ 24.6 million February fundraising haul in March voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advertising ahead of contests on March 3 , March 10 , and March 17 , as well as in Wisconsin , where Democrats go to the polls on April 7 .
Advertising Analytics this week reported a cable television buy , running from Super Tuesday to March 9 .
Yet Persist PAC , the super political action committee that formed last month to boost her electoral chances , decided against deploying resources next week so it can replenish its coffers and provide Warren with time to consider her next steps , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Persist PAC , founded after the senator railed against such groups for the majority of the primary cycle , spent almost $ 15 million on ads ahead of Nevada , South Carolina , and Super Tuesday .
With an eye to the horizon , however , Warren ’ s fortunes are unlikely to improve .
In Michigan , a March 10 voting state that was once part of the Democratic “ blue wall ” before 2016 , she polled at 13 % support in February when former South Bend , Indiana , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klobuchar were still in the race .
In Florida and Georgia , where primaries will be held on March 17 and March 24 , respectively , she attracted 5 % and 4 % of the vote , again when Buttigieg and Klobuchar were in contention .
Warren was once a front-runner in a crowded pack seeking the presidency .
The disciplined messenger rose to the top of the polls based on her talent for retail politics and flurry of plans demonstrating she was ready for the opportunities and pressures of the Oval Office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign trail and , she has been hurt by her inability to grow her base from white , college-educated Democrats , particularly among minority members of the party .
She 's also been hindered by her reluctance until recently to differentiate herself from ideological ally Bernie Sanders .
Whatever the reason , Warren , known for her sunny , upbeat disposition on the campaign trail , was notably low-energy during a CNN interview Monday night .
Though she was endorsed by EMILY ’ S List , the mounting public backing of Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do the same but behind the Vermont senator for much of the day .
Warren addressed the conundrum onstage before 3,000 people in East Los Angeles later Monday , her final rally before ballots began being cast .
`` We find ourselves barreling toward another primary along the same lanes as 2016 : one for an insider , one for an outsider .
Democratic voters should have more choice than that , '' she said .
Warren again downplayed the two-term vice president 's endorsements , including those from Buttigieg and Klobuchar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Massachusetts , Tuesday morning before flying to Michigan for her Super Tuesday event .
“ This is about getting out and talking to people about what 's possible , the change that 's possible in this country .
This is n't about strategy .
This is about a moment in history , ” she told NBC .
But Michael Bloomberg offered the bluntest , if not biased , take on her prospects when asked whether he would consider a third-place finish on Super Tuesday “ good.
” '' If there 's only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse than that , ” the billionaire former New York City mayor said .
When the reporter reminded him of Warren , he replied , `` I did n't realize she 's still in .
Is she ? ''

HOUSTON — Elizabeth Warren’s team has long foreshadowed that her road to the White House would be rocky, not confident enough to name a contest she could win, including her home state of Massachusetts.
Now, preliminary Super Tuesday results for the 2020 Democratic field reveal just how narrow her path would be should she decide to push on to the party’s national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this summer.
Despite a massive organizing ground game, including 400 staff members in Super Tuesday states, the Massachusetts senator suffered blow after blow in the first four early nominating contests .
Then, on Super Tuesday, she won no contests and even finished third in her home state of Massachusetts.
Looking to allay concerns, Warren campaign manager Roger Lau circulated another memo this week before Democrats in 14 states and one U.S. territory decided how to allocate 1,357 delegates among the candidates still running for the right to challenge President Trump in November.
In the memo, he insisted his boss would remain “viable” after all of the votes were tallied, citing internal data showing she was expected to pick up delegates “in nearly every state in play on Super Tuesday” and be “in a strong position to earn a sizable delegate haul coming out of the night.”
“But as the dust settles after March 3, the reality of this race will be clear: no candidate will likely have a path to the majority of delegates needed to win an outright claim to the Democratic nomination,” he wrote .
In a sign of optimism, Warren committed funds from her record-breaking $24.6 million February fundraising haul in March voting states, spending $4.1 million on advertising ahead of contests on March 3, March 10, and March 17, as well as in Wisconsin, where Democrats go to the polls on April 7.
Advertising Analytics this week reported a cable television buy, running from Super Tuesday to March 9. Yet Persist PAC, the super political action committee that formed last month to boost her electoral chances, decided against deploying resources next week so it can replenish its coffers and provide Warren with time to consider her next steps, according to the New York Times on March 3. Persist PAC, founded after the senator railed against such groups for the majority of the primary cycle, spent almost $15 million on ads ahead of Nevada, South Carolina, and Super Tuesday.
With an eye to the horizon, however, Warren’s fortunes are unlikely to improve.
In Michigan, a March 10 voting state that was once part of the Democratic “blue wall” before 2016, she polled at 13% support in February when former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar were still in the race. In Florida and Georgia, where primaries will be held on March 17 and March 24, respectively, she attracted 5% and 4% of the vote, again when Buttigieg and Klobuchar were in contention.
Warren was once a front-runner in a crowded pack seeking the presidency. The disciplined messenger rose to the top of the polls based on her talent for retail politics and flurry of plans demonstrating she was ready for the opportunities and pressures of the Oval Office.
But despite her best efforts on the campaign trail and debate stage , she has been hurt by her inability to grow her base from white, college-educated Democrats, particularly among minority members of the party. She's also been hindered by her reluctance until recently to differentiate herself from ideological ally Bernie Sanders.
Whatever the reason, Warren, known for her sunny, upbeat disposition on the campaign trail, was notably low-energy during a CNN interview Monday night. Though she was endorsed by EMILY’S List, the mounting public backing of Joe Biden resulted in Sanders fans urging her to do the same but behind the Vermont senator for much of the day .
Warren addressed the conundrum onstage before 3,000 people in East Los Angeles later Monday, her final rally before ballots began being cast.
"We find ourselves barreling toward another primary along the same lanes as 2016: one for an insider, one for an outsider. Democratic voters should have more choice than that," she said.
Warren again downplayed the two-term vice president's endorsements, including those from Buttigieg and Klobuchar, as she herself voted in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Tuesday morning before flying to Michigan for her Super Tuesday event.
“This is about getting out and talking to people about what's possible, the change that's possible in this country. This isn't about strategy. This is about a moment in history,” she told NBC.
But Michael Bloomberg offered the bluntest, if not biased, take on her prospects when asked whether he would consider a third-place finish on Super Tuesday “good.”
"If there's only three candidates, you can't do worse than that,” the billionaire former New York City mayor said.
When the reporter reminded him of Warren, he replied, "I didn't realize she's still in. Is she?"


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Sanders roars back with California win: Latest Super Tuesday updates

Joe Biden got the bulk of attention from early Super Tuesday results by handily sweeping states in Eastern and Central time zones , but Bernie Sanders is getting his late piece of the Super Tuesday pie in California .
California will allocate 415 delegates to Democratic presidential candidates based on Tuesday 's vote , the most of any other Super Tuesday state .
The Associated Press called the state for Sanders soon after polls closed .
California exit polls found that the Vermont senator captured 55 % support from Hispanic voters .
As full California results trickle in , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early delegate lead from states in later time zones and give him fuel to argue that Biden does not appeal to a majority of the country .
News organizations called Virginia , North Carolina , and Alabama for Biden just seconds after polls closed , indicating that his wins were by such big margins that they could not be in doubt .
Biden 's victory on Saturday in South Carolina , followed by the quick endorsements of former rivals Pete Buttigieg , Amy Klobuchar , and Beto O'Rourke , gave a serious boost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many people were already writing off .
About 40 % of California 's primary electorate votes absentee by mail , meaning that Biden 's wave of endorsements from former rivals on Monday could have a smaller effect there .
Mail-in ballots could also delay declaring a winner in the state 's primary , with the last ballots expected to arrive in mid-March .
9:33 p.m. EST : Warning signs for Sanders in Texas and Oklahoma 7:18 p.m. EST : Biden vs. Sanders race taking shape as first polls close Results from 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday account for 1,347 pledged nominating delegates , about one-third of the total .
A candidate needs a majority of 1,991 pledged delegates to win the nomination on the first Democratic National Convention ballot and prevent a contested convention .
In the event of a brokered convention , about 770 automatic superdelegates , party leaders such as Democratic National Committee members and Democratic members of Congress , are permitted to vote for whomever they wish .
Delegates are allocated based on the proportion of statewide votes and votes within congressional districts ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delegates based on state Senate districts rather than congressional districts ) .
Candidates must obtain 15 % support statewide or in at least one district to earn delegates , meaning that a candidate could pick up some district delegates even if they do not capture more than 15 % support statewide .

Joe Biden got the bulk of attention from early Super Tuesday results by handily sweeping states in Eastern and Central time zones, but Bernie Sanders is getting his late piece of the Super Tuesday pie in California.
California will allocate 415 delegates to Democratic presidential candidates based on Tuesday's vote, the most of any other Super Tuesday state.
The Associated Press called the state for Sanders soon after polls closed. California exit polls found that the Vermont senator captured 55% support from Hispanic voters.
As full California results trickle in, it could help Sanders fend off Biden's early delegate lead from states in later time zones and give him fuel to argue that Biden does not appeal to a majority of the country. News organizations called Virginia, North Carolina, and Alabama for Biden just seconds after polls closed, indicating that his wins were by such big margins that they could not be in doubt.
Biden's victory on Saturday in South Carolina, followed by the quick endorsements of former rivals Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, and Beto O'Rourke, gave a serious boost to what had been a flagging campaign that many people were already writing off.
About 40% of California's primary electorate votes absentee by mail, meaning that Biden's wave of endorsements from former rivals on Monday could have a smaller effect there.
Mail-in ballots could also delay declaring a winner in the state's primary, with the last ballots expected to arrive in mid-March.
10:35 p.m. EST: Warren and Bloomberg fall flat
9:33 p.m. EST: Warning signs for Sanders in Texas and Oklahoma
8:05 p.m. EST: Big night for Joe Biden in early Super Tuesday states
7:18 p.m. EST: Biden vs. Sanders race taking shape as first polls close
Results from 14 states plus the territory of American Samoa on Tuesday account for 1,347 pledged nominating delegates, about one-third of the total. A candidate needs a majority of 1,991 pledged delegates to win the nomination on the first Democratic National Convention ballot and prevent a contested convention. In the event of a brokered convention, about 770 automatic superdelegates, party leaders such as Democratic National Committee members and Democratic members of Congress, are permitted to vote for whomever they wish.
Delegates are allocated based on the proportion of statewide votes and votes within congressional districts (except for Texas, which allocates district delegates based on state Senate districts rather than congressional districts). Candidates must obtain 15% support statewide or in at least one district to earn delegates, meaning that a candidate could pick up some district delegates even if they do not capture more than 15% support statewide.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--‘Really adverse night’: Andrew Yang 'rethinking' whether Warren has a path forward after Super Tuesd

‘Really adverse night’: Andrew Yang 'rethinking' whether Warren has a path forward after Super Tuesday

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang gave a bleak analysis of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren 's campaign as she struggled on Super Tuesday .
Yang , who 's become a CNN contributor since ending his campaign , said he was surprised by Warren 's poor performance in 14 states and American Samoa .
`` If you 'd asked me at the beginning of the day , I thought Elizabeth Warren was going to be here for the duration , '' he said .
`` She just raised $ 29 million in February on the back of a couple tremendous debate performances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a super PAC that 's now come in . ''
`` But this was a really adverse night for Elizabeth Warren , and so , I 'm rethinking , even now , what her path can look like moving forward .
And if you look at what happened in the other part of the candidates , Pete [ Buttigieg ] and Amy [ Klobuchar ] drop out , endorse Joe [ Biden ] , and then their support goes to Joe .
But Elizabeth seems to be heightening her contrast with Bernie instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
In a foreboding sign for Warren , the senator from Massachusetts got third place in Tuesday 's contest in her home state , trailing former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders .

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang gave a bleak analysis of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren's campaign as she struggled on Super Tuesday.
Yang, who's become a CNN contributor since ending his campaign, said he was surprised by Warren's poor performance in 14 states and American Samoa.
"If you'd asked me at the beginning of the day, I thought Elizabeth Warren was going to be here for the duration," he said. "She just raised $29 million in February on the back of a couple tremendous debate performances. She has $14 million in a super PAC that's now come in."
"But this was a really adverse night for Elizabeth Warren, and so, I'm rethinking, even now, what her path can look like moving forward. And if you look at what happened in the other part of the candidates, Pete [Buttigieg] and Amy [Klobuchar] drop out, endorse Joe [Biden], and then their support goes to Joe. But Elizabeth seems to be heightening her contrast with Bernie instead of trying to consolidate," Yang added.
In a foreboding sign for Warren, the senator from Massachusetts got third place in Tuesday's contest in her home state, trailing former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Uncertain future for Sanders campaign after underwhelming Super Tuesday performance

LOS ANGELES — Bernie Sanders is no longer the juggernaut the Democratic establishment once feared .
Just weeks ago , after pulling out a popular vote victory in Iowa , a narrow win in New Hampshire , and a rout in Nevada , the Democratic primary almost looked all wrapped up .
The race may not yet be over , but Sanders has proven he is far from unstoppable .
Former Vice President Joe Biden 's resounding victory in South Carolina meant that Sanders was back on the defensive in Texas and several states in the Deep South .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 78 , was unable to improve substantially upon his support in states such as North Carolina , which he won in 2016 .
In many of those states , Sanders performed worse in many of those states than he did in 2016 , when he was on the losing end of a challenge to Hillary Clinton .
His numerous campaign events in Virginia did n't stop Biden there either , nor did his last-ditch effort to bring a win in Minnesota , a state he won by double-digits during his last White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same in Oklahoma , meaning Sanders is on track to win fewer states in 2020 than he did four years ago .
During a speech in Los Angeles on Tuesday night , Biden declared the race `` might be over '' for Sanders .
`` Just a few days ago , the press and pundits said this campaign was dead , '' he said .
`` We were told when it came to Super Tuesday , it 'd be over .
I 'm here to report we are very much alive .
Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other guy , '' the former vice president said Tuesday night .
Although all indications show that he pulled out a win in California , no one should expect final results for weeks at the earliest because of the sheer volume of early votes that need to be tallied .
Sanders 's exact delegate lead may not be finalized until after the next wave of primary states on March 10 .
And Sanders seems prepared to take his fight all the way to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee from July 13-16 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its get-out-the-vote apparatus in the 10 other delegate-rich states that vote later this month .
When he addressed supporters in Burlington , Vermont , in the evening , Sanders kept his fire on Biden .
“ You can not beat Trump with the same old , same old kind of politics , '' he said , adding that `` I tell you with absolute confidence : We are going to win the Democratic nomination . ''
On Tuesday , Sanders 's speechwriter , David Sirota , released a memo to the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden .
`` However , with Biden bankrolled by a super PAC and boosted by billionaire donors , the primary is far from over .
We are now entering the phase of the primary in which the differences between Bernie and Biden will take center stage , '' says the memo , authored by Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir and senior aide Jeff Weaver .
`` These differences make clear that the choice between these two candidates is stark — it is a choice between the party ’ s core economic and social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s agenda that aims to protect and enrich the wealthy and well-connected .
The differences also spotlight how Bernie ’ s agenda is a far more popular general election agenda than Biden ’ s . ''
The memo then gives a glimpse of how Sanders plans to hammer Biden on his record of voting for the Iraq War authorization and entitlement spending , signaling a more aggressive push from his campaign as the inevitability of his candidacy is threatened .
On Wednesday , Sanders will travel from Vermont to Phoenix for an evening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its primary on March 17 and awards 78 delegates .
He lost the state in the 2016 primary to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , earning just over 41 % of the vote .

LOS ANGELES — Bernie Sanders is no longer the juggernaut the Democratic establishment once feared.
Just weeks ago, after pulling out a popular vote victory in Iowa, a narrow win in New Hampshire, and a rout in Nevada, the Democratic primary almost looked all wrapped up. The race may not yet be over, but Sanders has proven he is far from unstoppable.
Former Vice President Joe Biden's resounding victory in South Carolina meant that Sanders was back on the defensive in Texas and several states in the Deep South. Despite spending months on black outreach, Sanders, 78, was unable to improve substantially upon his support in states such as North Carolina, which he won in 2016. In many of those states, Sanders performed worse in many of those states than he did in 2016, when he was on the losing end of a challenge to Hillary Clinton.
His numerous campaign events in Virginia didn't stop Biden there either, nor did his last-ditch effort to bring a win in Minnesota, a state he won by double-digits during his last White House bid. The case was the same in Oklahoma, meaning Sanders is on track to win fewer states in 2020 than he did four years ago.
During a speech in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, Biden declared the race "might be over" for Sanders.
"Just a few days ago, the press and pundits said this campaign was dead," he said. "We were told when it came to Super Tuesday, it'd be over. I'm here to report we are very much alive. Well, it might be over for the other guy," the former vice president said Tuesday night.
Although all indications show that he pulled out a win in California, no one should expect final results for weeks at the earliest because of the sheer volume of early votes that need to be tallied. Sanders's exact delegate lead may not be finalized until after the next wave of primary states on March 10.
And Sanders seems prepared to take his fight all the way to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee from July 13-16. His campaign has announced a large expansion of its get-out-the-vote apparatus in the 10 other delegate-rich states that vote later this month.
When he addressed supporters in Burlington, Vermont, in the evening, Sanders kept his fire on Biden.
“You cannot beat Trump with the same old, same old kind of politics," he said, adding that "I tell you with absolute confidence: We are going to win the Democratic nomination."
On Tuesday, Sanders's speechwriter, David Sirota, released a memo to the public outlining its new "phase" against Biden.
"However, with Biden bankrolled by a super PAC and boosted by billionaire donors, the primary is far from over. We are now entering the phase of the primary in which the differences between Bernie and Biden will take center stage," says the memo, authored by Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir and senior aide Jeff Weaver. "These differences make clear that the choice between these two candidates is stark — it is a choice between the party’s core economic and social justice agenda and the Washington establishment’s agenda that aims to protect and enrich the wealthy and well-connected. The differences also spotlight how Bernie’s agenda is a far more popular general election agenda than Biden’s."
The memo then gives a glimpse of how Sanders plans to hammer Biden on his record of voting for the Iraq War authorization and entitlement spending, signaling a more aggressive push from his campaign as the inevitability of his candidacy is threatened.
On Wednesday, Sanders will travel from Vermont to Phoenix for an evening rally in the evening. Arizona holds its primary on March 17 and awards 78 delegates. He lost the state in the 2016 primary to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, earning just over 41% of the vote.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Biden seals place as top Sanders alternative in stunning Super Tuesday comeback

Joe Biden 's Super Tuesday task was to cement his place as the top centrist alternative to Bernie Sanders and prove that he can mount a comeback not only in South Carolina , but nationwide .
Biden had such a lead in Virginia , North Carolina , and Alabama that media outlets called the states for him seconds after polls closed .
The former vice president swept states where he had no field offices , next to no television advertisements , and where he never visited , like Massachusetts .
It made former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spending seem like a lost cause and a desperate attempt to spend his way to support .
He earned more votes in Virginia than Barack Obama did in 2008 , more than 705,000 compared to Obama 's , which was about 628,000 , and won Oklahoma and Minnesota , states that Sanders won in 2016 .
Full results are being calculated , but the New York Times projects that Biden will amass a slight delegate lead over the socialist Vermont senator , while his only centrist competition , Bloomberg , is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whether he slightly leads or slightly trails Sanders , Biden 's place as the main Sanders competitor is set .
It is a stunning comeback for a candidate whose campaign was on life support a few weeks ago .
For much of the last year , the former vice president seemed to be one of the least-threatening presidential primary front-runners in recent memory .
Biden 's near-universal name recognition and his nearly half-century of experience in office did not dissuade more than two dozen challengers from jumping into the race .
He had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters question whether the 77-year-old retains the cognitive capacity to be commander in chief .
Bloomberg entered the race in November in part because he saw an opening to replace Biden as the main centrist alternative to socialist Sanders .
His dismal fourth- and fifth-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire seemed like they could be the end of his campaign .
“ They said it would be over , but it may be over for the other guy , ” Biden said in a speech Tuesday night .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden crushed his competition in South Carolina , winning the state by nearly 30 points .
He got a wave of energy , seeming stronger on the stump than he did in Iowa and New Hampshire .
Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the race within 24 hours of each other , preventing centrist voters from splitting votes among candidates .
Both of them and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke , who also sought the 2020 Democratic nomination , endorsed Biden on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledged a bump in support as a result of the endorsements .
“ We won Minnesota because of Amy Klobuchar , and we ’ re doing well in Texas because of Beto O ’ Rourke , '' he said Tuesday .
And he took a jab at Sanders 's rhetoric , noting a surge in participation indicating support for him rather than the senator who campaigns on increasing turnout .
“ People are talking about a revolution .
We ’ re creating a movement , ” Biden said .
The Biden campaign 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top aide Symone Sanders swiftly tackling and removing a protester who rushed the stage on Tuesday evening .
In his phoenixlike rise from ashes , Biden has found a new core campaign message that may resonate with voters more than his usual argument that he will return the country to normalcy post-Trump .
“ For those who ’ ve been knocked down , counted out , left behind , this is your campaign .
”

Joe Biden's Super Tuesday task was to cement his place as the top centrist alternative to Bernie Sanders and prove that he can mount a comeback not only in South Carolina, but nationwide.
He crushed his competition.
Biden had such a lead in Virginia, North Carolina, and Alabama that media outlets called the states for him seconds after polls closed. The former vice president swept states where he had no field offices, next to no television advertisements, and where he never visited, like Massachusetts. It made former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's more than $600 million in ad spending seem like a lost cause and a desperate attempt to spend his way to support.
He earned more votes in Virginia than Barack Obama did in 2008, more than 705,000 compared to Obama's, which was about 628,000, and won Oklahoma and Minnesota, states that Sanders won in 2016.
Full results are being calculated, but the New York Times projects that Biden will amass a slight delegate lead over the socialist Vermont senator, while his only centrist competition, Bloomberg, is expected to be hundreds of delegates behind Biden. Whether he slightly leads or slightly trails Sanders, Biden's place as the main Sanders competitor is set.
It is a stunning comeback for a candidate whose campaign was on life support a few weeks ago.
For much of the last year, the former vice president seemed to be one of the least-threatening presidential primary front-runners in recent memory.
Biden's near-universal name recognition and his nearly half-century of experience in office did not dissuade more than two dozen challengers from jumping into the race. He had trouble raising money. Verbal slip-ups made voters question whether the 77-year-old retains the cognitive capacity to be commander in chief. Bloomberg entered the race in November in part because he saw an opening to replace Biden as the main centrist alternative to socialist Sanders.
His dismal fourth- and fifth-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire seemed like they could be the end of his campaign.
“They said it would be over, but it may be over for the other guy,” Biden said in a speech Tuesday night. “We’re very much alive.”
But then, Biden crushed his competition in South Carolina, winning the state by nearly 30 points. He got a wave of energy, seeming stronger on the stump than he did in Iowa and New Hampshire. Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the race within 24 hours of each other, preventing centrist voters from splitting votes among candidates. Both of them and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, who also sought the 2020 Democratic nomination, endorsed Biden on the eve before Super Tuesday.
Biden acknowledged a bump in support as a result of the endorsements.
“We won Minnesota because of Amy Klobuchar, and we’re doing well in Texas because of Beto O’Rourke," he said Tuesday.
And he took a jab at Sanders's rhetoric, noting a surge in participation indicating support for him rather than the senator who campaigns on increasing turnout.
“People are talking about a revolution. We’re creating a movement,” Biden said.
The Biden campaign's new strength and energy was personified by top aide Symone Sanders swiftly tackling and removing a protester who rushed the stage on Tuesday evening.
In his phoenixlike rise from ashes, Biden has found a new core campaign message that may resonate with voters more than his usual argument that he will return the country to normalcy post-Trump.
“For those who’ve been knocked down, counted out, left behind, this is your campaign.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Trump taunts 'loser' Bloomberg and Warren over Super Tuesday stumbles

President Trump slammed former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren for their poor performances on Super Tuesday .
With former Vice President Joe Biden running away with many of Tuesday 's contests , Trump first mocked Bloomberg for devoting hundreds of millions of dollars toward his campaign war chest only to get routed in the 14 states that voted .
`` The biggest loser tonight , by far , is Mini Mike Bloomberg .
His 'political ' consultants took him for a ride .
$ 700 million washed down the drain , and he got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike , and the complete destruction of his reputation .
Way to go Mike ! ''
the president tweeted .
Bloomberg spent more than $ 500 million on advertising as he skipped the early voting states to focus on Super Tuesday .
The former mayor spent millions more on ads in post-Super Tuesday states , but due to his poor performance Tuesday , he is reportedly considering an exit from the race .
Trump also commented on Warren 's disappointing performance on Super Tuesday , including losing her home state of Massachusetts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Elizabeth 'Pocahontas ' Warren , other than Mini Mike , was the loser of the night .
She didn ’ t even come close to winning her home state of Massachusetts .
Well , now she can just sit back with her husband and have a nice cold beer ! ''
he wrote .
The `` nice cold beer '' remark is a reference to Warren 's Instagram live feed in 2018 following the announcement of her presidential exploratory committee .
Warren grabbed a beer bottle from her refrigerator , spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` Thank you for being here .
I 'm glad you 're here . ''
At the time , Trump called the awkward moment a `` beer catastrophe '' for Warren , adding , `` It 's their house , he ’ s supposed to be there ! ''

President Trump slammed former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren for their poor performances on Super Tuesday.
With former Vice President Joe Biden running away with many of Tuesday's contests, Trump first mocked Bloomberg for devoting hundreds of millions of dollars toward his campaign war chest only to get routed in the 14 states that voted.
"The biggest loser tonight, by far, is Mini Mike Bloomberg. His 'political' consultants took him for a ride. $700 million washed down the drain, and he got nothing for it but the nickname Mini Mike, and the complete destruction of his reputation. Way to go Mike!" the president tweeted.
The biggest loser tonight, by far, is Mini Mike Bloomberg. His “political” consultants took him for a ride. $700 million washed down the drain, and he got nothing for it but the nickname Mini Mike, and the complete destruction of his reputation. Way to go Mike! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2020
Bloomberg spent more than $500 million on advertising as he skipped the early voting states to focus on Super Tuesday. The former mayor spent millions more on ads in post-Super Tuesday states, but due to his poor performance Tuesday, he is reportedly considering an exit from the race.
Trump also commented on Warren's disappointing performance on Super Tuesday, including losing her home state of Massachusetts, dredging up the "Pocahontas" nickname.
"Elizabeth 'Pocahontas' Warren, other than Mini Mike, was the loser of the night. She didn’t even come close to winning her home state of Massachusetts. Well, now she can just sit back with her husband and have a nice cold beer!" he wrote.
Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren, other than Mini Mike, was the loser of the night. She didn’t even come close to winning her home state of Massachusetts. Well, now she can just sit back with her husband and have a nice cold beer! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2020
The "nice cold beer" remark is a reference to Warren's Instagram live feed in 2018 following the announcement of her presidential exploratory committee. Warren grabbed a beer bottle from her refrigerator, spoke with followers, and told her husband, "Thank you for being here. I'm glad you're here."
At the time, Trump called the awkward moment a "beer catastrophe" for Warren, adding, "It's their house, he’s supposed to be there!"


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Warren struggles in Massachusetts as Biden beats Sanders

Elizabeth Warren never called it a must-win state for her Democratic presidential campaign , but she suffered an embarrassing defeat in her home state of Massachusetts on Super Tuesday .
Joe Biden , the two-term vice president , had 33.4 % of the vote and 19-plus delegates of the state 's 91 available delegates on her home turf , with 48 % of precincts reporting after polls closed at 8 p.m. EST .
Bernie Sanders , the senator from neighboring Vermont , had 26.2 % and 11-plus delegates , while Warren had 21.4 % and five-plus delegates .
Warren , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the balance after soft performances in the first four early nominating states , was coy on her expectations in the state , spending Election Night in Detroit , which does n't vote on Super Tuesday .
Her campaign is adamant that her path to the 2020 nomination does n't rely on winning states .
Rather , her advisers cite data that indicate she 'll reach the 15 % threshold of support needed to still clinch delegates at the substate level — for example , by congressional or state senate districts .
President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Elizabeth 'Pocahontas ' Warren , other than Mini Mike , was the loser of the night .
She didn ’ t even come close to winning her home state of Massachusetts .
Well , now she can just sit back with her husband and have a nice cold beer ! ''
he wrote , referring to her claims to Native American heritage and a livestream she hosted of her cracking open a beer in her kitchen .
Sanders , 78 , has underperformed in New England so far this primary cycle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maine and New Hampshire .
Although the senator won 51.8 % of the vote and nine-plus delegates in his home state of Vermont , Biden secured 21.4 % support and three-plus delegates , with 82 % of precincts reporting .

Elizabeth Warren never called it a must-win state for her Democratic presidential campaign, but she suffered an embarrassing defeat in her home state of Massachusetts on Super Tuesday.
Joe Biden, the two-term vice president, had 33.4% of the vote and 19-plus delegates of the state's 91 available delegates on her home turf, with 48% of precincts reporting after polls closed at 8 p.m. EST. Bernie Sanders, the senator from neighboring Vermont, had 26.2% and 11-plus delegates, while Warren had 21.4% and five-plus delegates.
Warren, 70, whose presidential bid hangs in the balance after soft performances in the first four early nominating states, was coy on her expectations in the state, spending Election Night in Detroit, which doesn't vote on Super Tuesday.
Her campaign is adamant that her path to the 2020 nomination doesn't rely on winning states. Rather, her advisers cite data that indicate she'll reach the 15% threshold of support needed to still clinch delegates at the substate level — for example, by congressional or state senate districts.
President Trump weighed in on her predicament via Twitter.
"Elizabeth 'Pocahontas' Warren, other than Mini Mike, was the loser of the night. She didn’t even come close to winning her home state of Massachusetts. Well, now she can just sit back with her husband and have a nice cold beer!" he wrote, referring to her claims to Native American heritage and a livestream she hosted of her cracking open a beer in her kitchen.
Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren, other than Mini Mike, was the loser of the night. She didn’t even come close to winning her home state of Massachusetts. Well, now she can just sit back with her husband and have a nice cold beer! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2020
Sanders, 78, has underperformed in New England so far this primary cycle, with closer than expected results in Maine and New Hampshire. Although the senator won 51.8% of the vote and nine-plus delegates in his home state of Vermont, Biden secured 21.4% support and three-plus delegates, with 82% of precincts reporting.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--'We gotta beat Trump': Scaramucci to campaign for Biden

Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci says he is ready to help Joe Biden beat his former boss .
Making the remarks during a Wednesday interview , Scaramucci , who has become a fierce critic of President Trump , said that he is still a Republican but will work to help get Biden elected president .
“ I stay as a Republican , but I vote for Joe Biden , ” Scaramucci said , noting that he is ready to do some campaigning .
“ Of course , I 'll campaign for him .
We got ta beat Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You know and your viewers know how crazy Trump is , and they know that sane people have to work together to beat him , ” he said .
Scaramucci served just days in his White House role before going on an expletive-laden rant to a reporter with the New Yorker , insulting then-White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus .
Since his departure , Scaramucci has frequently attacked Trump , going so far as to say he has committed treason .
Scaramucci also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci says he is ready to help Joe Biden beat his former boss.
Making the remarks during a Wednesday interview, Scaramucci, who has become a fierce critic of President Trump, said that he is still a Republican but will work to help get Biden elected president.
“I stay as a Republican, but I vote for Joe Biden,” Scaramucci said, noting that he is ready to do some campaigning.
“Of course, I'll campaign for him. We gotta beat Trump. Come on. It's ridiculous. You know and your viewers know how crazy Trump is, and they know that sane people have to work together to beat him,” he said.
Scaramucci served just days in his White House role before going on an expletive-laden rant to a reporter with the New Yorker, insulting then-White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus.
Since his departure, Scaramucci has frequently attacked Trump, going so far as to say he has committed treason. Scaramucci also appeared at a Biden event last August.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Harvard newspaper survey finds 1% of faculty members identify as conservative

A recent survey by the Harvard Crimson found that conservatives make up just over 1 % of the school 's faculty .
Harvard University 's student newspaper published the survey results on Tuesday of nearly 500 members of the faculty .
Of those who responded , 38 % identified as `` very liberal '' while 41 % identified as `` liberal . ''
Another 19 % said they were `` moderate , '' and only 1.5 % of the respondents said they were `` conservative '' or `` very conservative . ''
The poll showed that 44 % supported Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people said they would vote for President Trump in his reelection bid .
Faculty members submitted their answers to the questions of the survey anonymously .
Conservatives have long criticized Harvard for its leftward lean .
In 2018 , the Harvard Crimson editorial board called for the university to hire more conservative professors .
`` Startlingly , just around 1.5 percent of respondents to The Crimson news staff ’ s survey of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences identify as conservative or very conservative , compared to 83.2 percent who identify as liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in the piece .
`` This stark divide has harmful effects on the University ’ s ability to train our nation ’ s leaders , and it risks alienating current and potential conservative students . ''

A recent survey by the Harvard Crimson found that conservatives make up just over 1% of the school's faculty.
Harvard University's student newspaper published the survey results on Tuesday of nearly 500 members of the faculty. Of those who responded, 38% identified as "very liberal" while 41% identified as "liberal." Another 19% said they were "moderate," and only 1.5% of the respondents said they were "conservative" or "very conservative."
The poll showed that 44% supported Sen. Elizabeth Warren for president. Only three people said they would vote for President Trump in his reelection bid.
Faculty members submitted their answers to the questions of the survey anonymously.
https://t.co/brNWwcXozc
According to a recent survey conducted by the Harvard Crimson, the liberal/conservative ratio at Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences is 55:1. pic.twitter.com/vn8qVdA0wM — Neven Sesardić (@NSesardic) March 4, 2020
Conservatives have long criticized Harvard for its leftward lean. In 2018, the Harvard Crimson editorial board called for the university to hire more conservative professors.
"Startlingly, just around 1.5 percent of respondents to The Crimson news staff’s survey of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences identify as conservative or very conservative, compared to 83.2 percent who identify as liberal or very liberal," the board said in the piece. "This stark divide has harmful effects on the University’s ability to train our nation’s leaders, and it risks alienating current and potential conservative students."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Northam signs bill to allow community work during incarceration

Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam announced Tuesday he signed legislation that would allow incarcerated people to work off the costs of fines through community service work while they ’ re in prison .
“ It ’ s already hard enough for our justice-involved population to reintegrate into society , ” Northam said in a statement .
“ If we can help them reduce debts they owe our courts , that is one less burden they face as they work to rebuild their lives .
I am pleased to sign this bill.
” Previous law allowed a person to work off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incarceration , not during .
Supporters saw this legislation as a means to expand criminal justice reform and to provide more options for those struggling to pay fines .
The legislation , House Bill 277 , was sponsored by Del .
Marcia Price , D-Newport News .
“ This legislation brings consistency to one ’ s ability to apply community service during incarceration toward fees and fines , ” Price said in a statement .
“ If it can apply before and after , it ’ s only fair to permit these individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of incarceration.
” The bipartisan bill received unanimous support in both chambers of the General Assembly .
It will go into effect on July 1 .

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday he signed legislation that would allow incarcerated people to work off the costs of fines through community service work while they’re in prison.
“It’s already hard enough for our justice-involved population to reintegrate into society,” Northam said in a statement. “If we can help them reduce debts they owe our courts, that is one less burden they face as they work to rebuild their lives. I am pleased to sign this bill.”
Previous law allowed a person to work off the costs of fines before or after incarceration, not during. Supporters saw this legislation as a means to expand criminal justice reform and to provide more options for those struggling to pay fines.
The legislation, House Bill 277, was sponsored by Del. Marcia Price, D-Newport News.
“This legislation brings consistency to one’s ability to apply community service during incarceration toward fees and fines,” Price said in a statement. “If it can apply before and after, it’s only fair to permit these individuals to earn this same credit during their time of incarceration.”
The bipartisan bill received unanimous support in both chambers of the General Assembly. It will go into effect on July 1.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--'Bully tactics': GOP senator slams Schumer for threatening Kavanaugh and Gorsuch

Sen. Ben Sasse tore into Sen. Chuck Schumer after the minority leader threatened to go after Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh .
`` The Democratic Party is so radicalized on abortion politics that today Chuck Schumer threatened Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh if they did n't strike down a simple , common-sense , pro-woman law that simply says that abortion doctors need to have admission privileges at a local hospital , '' the Nebraska Republican said Wednesday in a statement .
`` Think about this , if a Republican threatened Justice Sotomayor or Justice Ginsburg , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Washington but all across America . ''
`` But , Chuck Schumer ’ s bully tactics aren ’ t getting much air time right now because there ’ s so many people in bed with his defense of abortion and his attack on an independent judiciary .
These bullying tactics need to stop , '' Sasse added .
Schumer took aim at Kavanaugh and Gorsuch during a pro-abortion rally outside of the Supreme Court on Wednesday .
The rally was attended by the American Civil Liberties Union and representatives for Planned Parenthood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gorsuch , I want to tell you Kavanaugh : You have released the whirlwind , and you will pay the price , '' the New York Democrat said .
`` You wo n't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions . ''
Schumer said that the justices were threatening to take away `` fundamental rights '' as the Supreme Court is hearing a challenge to a Louisiana law that requires abortion providers to have hospital admitting privileges .

Sen. Ben Sasse tore into Sen. Chuck Schumer after the minority leader threatened to go after Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
"The Democratic Party is so radicalized on abortion politics that today Chuck Schumer threatened Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh if they didn't strike down a simple, common-sense, pro-woman law that simply says that abortion doctors need to have admission privileges at a local hospital," the Nebraska Republican said Wednesday in a statement. "Think about this, if a Republican threatened Justice Sotomayor or Justice Ginsburg, it would be the biggest story not just in Washington but all across America."
"But, Chuck Schumer’s bully tactics aren’t getting much air time right now because there’s so many people in bed with his defense of abortion and his attack on an independent judiciary. These bullying tactics need to stop," Sasse added.
Statement from @SenSasse on @SenSchumer’s comments outside SCOTUS: “The Democratic Party is so radicalized on abortion politics that today Chuck Schumer threatened Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh if they didn't strike down a simple, common-sense, pro-woman law...” 1/3 — Alexandra DeSanctis (@xan_desanctis) March 4, 2020
.@SenSasse: “But, Chuck Schumer’s bully tactics aren’t getting much air time right now because there’s so many people in bed with his defense of abortion and his attack on an independent judiciary. These bullying tactics need to stop.” 3/3 — Alexandra DeSanctis (@xan_desanctis) March 4, 2020
Schumer took aim at Kavanaugh and Gorsuch during a pro-abortion rally outside of the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The rally was attended by the American Civil Liberties Union and representatives for Planned Parenthood.
"I want to tell you Gorsuch, I want to tell you Kavanaugh: You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price," the New York Democrat said. "You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions."
Schumer said that the justices were threatening to take away "fundamental rights" as the Supreme Court is hearing a challenge to a Louisiana law that requires abortion providers to have hospital admitting privileges.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Some parents upset with Wisconsin's push to change vaccine rules for kids

Some parents in Wisconsin are pushing hard against new rules that would require more vaccinations before their children can attend school in Wisconsin .
A number of anti-vaccine parents turned out for a public hearing Tuesday at the Wisconsin Capitol on proposed rule changes for the state .
Specifically the new rules would change the definition of a “ substantial outbreak ” to include chicken pox and meningitis .
The rules would require that all kids in Wisconsin receive a meningitis vaccine before seventh grade , and require a booster for seniors in high school .
The proposed rule change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctor to confirm that their children have had the Chickenpox , and keep children who are not vaccinated against Chickenpox home in some cases .
`` I am against any legislation that mandates a vaccine .
I 'm not anti-vaccine , I am for vaccine safety , '' mom Tammy Goldstein told lawmakers .
Goldstein said her daughter was injured by a vaccine , and she now works with other parents to push-back on vaccine requirements .
`` I am seeing over and over and over parents not being given informed information , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having no option to opt-out , and their children excluded , '' Goldstein said .
She was one of several moms and parent groups to oppose the new rules .
Doctors , however , told lawmakers that Wisconsin is behind the times with its vaccine rules .
They reiterated that vaccines are safe .
`` Immunizations are a safe , evidence-based lifesaving way to prevent the spread of disease , '' Dr. Theresa Dulksi with UW Health told lawmakers .
`` All children in Wisconsin deserve an equal opportunity to be protected from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Health Services say most of Wisconsin 's neighboring states already have similar rules for vaccines .
Lawmakers will have to either approve the rules as-is , or vote them down in their entirety .
There could be a chance to change some of the proposals in the future , but there is no way lawmakers can approve just some of the rule changes .

Some parents in Wisconsin are pushing hard against new rules that would require more vaccinations before their children can attend school in Wisconsin.
A number of anti-vaccine parents turned out for a public hearing Tuesday at the Wisconsin Capitol on proposed rule changes for the state.
Specifically the new rules would change the definition of a “substantial outbreak” to include chicken pox and meningitis. The rules would require that all kids in Wisconsin receive a meningitis vaccine before seventh grade, and require a booster for seniors in high school. The proposed rule change would also require parents to get a doctor to confirm that their children have had the Chickenpox, and keep children who are not vaccinated against Chickenpox home in some cases.
"I am against any legislation that mandates a vaccine. I'm not anti-vaccine, I am for vaccine safety," mom Tammy Goldstein told lawmakers.
Goldstein said her daughter was injured by a vaccine, and she now works with other parents to push-back on vaccine requirements.
"I am seeing over and over and over parents not being given informed information, not getting all of the facts, having no option to opt-out, and their children excluded," Goldstein said.
She was one of several moms and parent groups to oppose the new rules.
Doctors, however, told lawmakers that Wisconsin is behind the times with its vaccine rules. They reiterated that vaccines are safe.
"Immunizations are a safe, evidence-based lifesaving way to prevent the spread of disease," Dr. Theresa Dulksi with UW Health told lawmakers. "All children in Wisconsin deserve an equal opportunity to be protected from immunization-preventable diseases."
Wisconsin's Department of Health Services say most of Wisconsin's neighboring states already have similar rules for vaccines.
Lawmakers will have to either approve the rules as-is, or vote them down in their entirety. There could be a chance to change some of the proposals in the future, but there is no way lawmakers can approve just some of the rule changes.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Pentagon linguist charged with espionage for passing secrets to man linked to Hezbollah

A female linguist working for the Pentagon in Iraq was charged with handing over classified information about on-the-ground human sources assisting the United States to a Hezbollah-tied foreign national with whom she was romantically linked , according to the Justice Department .
Mariam Taha Thompson , 61 , was charged on Wednesday in a Washington federal court with “ transmitting highly sensitive classified national defense information to a foreign national ” to a man with “ apparent connections ” to the Lebanese-based Hezbollah , a foreign terrorist organization tied to Iran .
If convicted , she could face life in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together by Special Agent Danielle Ray said the information that Thompson passed along “ included classified national defense information regarding active human assets — including their true names ” and that by compromising the identities of these human assets , Thompson placed the lives of both the human assets and U.S. military members in “ grave danger.
” The DOJ said the investigation into Thompson , who worked at a U.S. military facility in Iraq as a contract linguist with a top-secret government security clearance , revealed that from Dec. 30 to Feb. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ files concerning eight human intelligence sources , including their true names and photographs , as well as cables showing the intelligence these assets provided to the U.S. “ While in a war zone , the defendant allegedly gave sensitive national defense information , including the names of individuals helping the United States , to a Lebanese national located overseas , ” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers said .
“ If true , this conduct is a disgrace , especially for someone serving as a contractor with the United States military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be punished.
” The audit of Thompson ’ s computer logs showed a “ notable shift ” in her network activity just one day after the U.S. launched airstrikes against Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and on the same day Iranian-backed protesters stormed the U.S. Embassy , revealing “ repeated access to classified information she had no need to access.
” The violent storming of the grounds of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad , Iraq , in early January followed the Iraqi government ’ s condemnation of U.S. airstrikes targeting Kata'ib Hezbollah , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mobilization Forces guided by Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and his adviser Abu Mahdi al Muhandis , who were subsequently both killed in a U.S. airstrike .
The U.S. blamed Kata'ib Hezbollah for attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq last December , including the death of a U.S. contractor .
Soleimani and Muhandis ’ s men forced their way onto embassy grounds in droves along with members of other Iranian-aligned groups .
A court-authorized FBI search of Thompson ’ s living quarters on Feb. 19 “ led to the discovery of a handwritten note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mattress.
” The note contained “ classified information ” from Pentagon computers , identifying assets by name and warning a “ target who is affiliated with a designated foreign terrorist organization with ties to Hezbollah.
” That note said the phones for the assets should be monitored .
The classified information was given to “ a co-conspirator in whom she had a romantic interest , ” and the DOJ said she knew he was “ a foreign national whose relative worked for the Lebanese government ” and that he was also linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided information to her co-conspirator identifying another human asset “ and the information the asset had provided to the U.S. ” as well as details about “ the techniques the human assets were using to gather information on behalf of the U.S. ” Hezbollah was founded in the 1980s in Lebanon but now operates on six continents on behalf of Iran , from which it receives the bulk of its funding , although money from Hezbollah ’ s operations makes its way back to Iran ’ s coffers .
Hezbollah has been tied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. , including the 1983 Marine barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S. service members in Beirut .
Soleimani , the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Quds Force , guided many of Hezbollah ’ s operations .
“ The conduct alleged in this complaint is a grave threat to national security , placed lives at risk , and represents a betrayal of our armed forces , ” U.S. Attorney Timothy Shea said .
“ The charges we ’ ve filed today should serve as a warning to anyone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a terrorist organization .
”

A female linguist working for the Pentagon in Iraq was charged with handing over classified information about on-the-ground human sources assisting the United States to a Hezbollah-tied foreign national with whom she was romantically linked, according to the Justice Department.
Mariam Taha Thompson, 61, was charged on Wednesday in a Washington federal court with “transmitting highly sensitive classified national defense information to a foreign national” to a man with “apparent connections” to the Lebanese-based Hezbollah, a foreign terrorist organization tied to Iran. If convicted, she could face life in prison.
The 12-page FBI affidavit put together by Special Agent Danielle Ray said the information that Thompson passed along “included classified national defense information regarding active human assets — including their true names” and that by compromising the identities of these human assets, Thompson placed the lives of both the human assets and U.S. military members in “grave danger.”
The DOJ said the investigation into Thompson, who worked at a U.S. military facility in Iraq as a contract linguist with a top-secret government security clearance, revealed that from Dec. 30 to Feb. 10, she improperly accessed approximately 57 files concerning eight human intelligence sources, including their true names and photographs, as well as cables showing the intelligence these assets provided to the U.S.
“While in a war zone, the defendant allegedly gave sensitive national defense information, including the names of individuals helping the United States, to a Lebanese national located overseas,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers said. “If true, this conduct is a disgrace, especially for someone serving as a contractor with the United States military. This betrayal of country and colleagues will be punished.”
The audit of Thompson’s computer logs showed a “notable shift” in her network activity just one day after the U.S. launched airstrikes against Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and on the same day Iranian-backed protesters stormed the U.S. Embassy, revealing “repeated access to classified information she had no need to access.”
The violent storming of the grounds of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, in early January followed the Iraqi government’s condemnation of U.S. airstrikes targeting Kata'ib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia in the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces guided by Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and his adviser Abu Mahdi al Muhandis, who were subsequently both killed in a U.S. airstrike. The U.S. blamed Kata'ib Hezbollah for attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq last December, including the death of a U.S. contractor. Soleimani and Muhandis’s men forced their way onto embassy grounds in droves along with members of other Iranian-aligned groups.
A court-authorized FBI search of Thompson’s living quarters on Feb. 19 “led to the discovery of a handwritten note in Arabic concealed under Thompson’s mattress.” The note contained “classified information” from Pentagon computers, identifying assets by name and warning a “target who is affiliated with a designated foreign terrorist organization with ties to Hezbollah.” That note said the phones for the assets should be monitored.
The classified information was given to “a co-conspirator in whom she had a romantic interest,” and the DOJ said she knew he was “a foreign national whose relative worked for the Lebanese government” and that he was also linked to Hezbollah.
The investigation found Thompson also provided information to her co-conspirator identifying another human asset “and the information the asset had provided to the U.S.” as well as details about “the techniques the human assets were using to gather information on behalf of the U.S.”
Thompson was arrested on Feb. 27.
Hezbollah was founded in the 1980s in Lebanon but now operates on six continents on behalf of Iran, from which it receives the bulk of its funding, although money from Hezbollah’s operations makes its way back to Iran’s coffers.
Hezbollah has been tied to a spate of terrorist attacks against the U.S., including the 1983 Marine barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S. service members in Beirut. Soleimani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Quds Force, guided many of Hezbollah’s operations.
“The conduct alleged in this complaint is a grave threat to national security, placed lives at risk, and represents a betrayal of our armed forces,” U.S. Attorney Timothy Shea said. “The charges we’ve filed today should serve as a warning to anyone who would consider disclosing classified national defense information to a terrorist organization.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--Tax-related legislation among nearly 70 bills signed by Northam

Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam announced Tuesday he signed nearly 70 bills into law , a few of which will affect taxes .
Two of the bills will affect statewide tax exemptions .
Under Senate Bill 727 , which was sponsored by Sen. Jennifer McClellan , D-Richmond , the maximum length of real estate tax exemptions for structures in redevelopment , conservation areas or rehabilitation districts will increase from 15 years to 30 years .
Although the bill 's fiscal impact statement stated this would decrease local government revenue in localities that enact such an exemption , there was no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not impact state revenue .
Senate Bill 685 , which was sponsored by Sen. Monty Mason , D-Williamsburg , will permit tax exemptions for pollution control equipment and facilities that are intended to be used by a locality for water or solid waste management facilities on a prospective basis .
Current law permits this exemption only for structures that are already built .
The legislation will have an unknown impact on local revenue and likely a small impact on state revenue , according to the fiscal statement .
Two bills signed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arlington County and the City of Chesapeake .
Senate Bill 107 , which was sponsored by Sen. Janet Howell , D-Reston , removes the July 1 , 2021 , sunset date for legislation that allows Arlington County to impose a 0.25 percent occupancy tax for the purpose of tourism and business travel .
Howell ’ s district encompasses part of Arlington County .
Senate Bill 163 , which was introduced by Sen. Lionell Spruill , D-Chesapeake , will allow the City of Chesapeake to issue bonds to construct public facilities and retain sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay off the bonds .
It is currently not on the list of localities that can do this .
All of these bills will go into effect July 1 .
Each bill received some level of bipartisan support .

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday he signed nearly 70 bills into law, a few of which will affect taxes.
Two of the bills will affect statewide tax exemptions.
Under Senate Bill 727, which was sponsored by Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, the maximum length of real estate tax exemptions for structures in redevelopment, conservation areas or rehabilitation districts will increase from 15 years to 30 years. Although the bill's fiscal impact statement stated this would decrease local government revenue in localities that enact such an exemption, there was no estimate on the total cost. It would not impact state revenue.
Senate Bill 685, which was sponsored by Sen. Monty Mason, D-Williamsburg, will permit tax exemptions for pollution control equipment and facilities that are intended to be used by a locality for water or solid waste management facilities on a prospective basis. Current law permits this exemption only for structures that are already built. The legislation will have an unknown impact on local revenue and likely a small impact on state revenue, according to the fiscal statement.
Two bills signed by Northam also will affect tax policy in Arlington County and the City of Chesapeake.
Senate Bill 107, which was sponsored by Sen. Janet Howell, D-Reston, removes the July 1, 2021, sunset date for legislation that allows Arlington County to impose a 0.25 percent occupancy tax for the purpose of tourism and business travel. Howell’s district encompasses part of Arlington County.
Senate Bill 163, which was introduced by Sen. Lionell Spruill, D-Chesapeake, will allow the City of Chesapeake to issue bonds to construct public facilities and retain sales and use taxes generated from the facility to pay off the bonds. It is currently not on the list of localities that can do this.
All of these bills will go into effect July 1. Each bill received some level of bipartisan support.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-04--First phase of transition to new Louisiana voting system expected to cost about $12 million

The first phase of Louisiana ’ s transition to a new voting system will cost about $ 12 million , Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said .
Ardoin , whose office runs the state ’ s elections , is requesting $ 1.3 million from the state general fund this session , which will be used as a match to qualify for $ 6.6 million in federal funds , he said .
A state fund that contains $ 5.8 million will be used to cover the rest .
“ There is no way , under any circumstances , that we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] presidential election , ” Ardoin said .
The Secretary of State ’ s office attempted to award a contract for a new voting system , worth up to $ 95 million , in 2018 .
That process started under Tom Schedler , Ardoin ’ s predecessor .
But Gov .
John Bel Edwards ’ administration scrapped the contract , saying the office didn ’ t follow rules meant to protect the integrity of the solicitation process .
Ardoin told members of the legislature ’ s governmental affairs committee that he couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procurement process prior to the issuance of the request for proposals .
He expects to meet with procurement officials soon to discuss the RFP .
Once the proposal is finalized , Ardoin expects to have further discussions with lawmakers about how much additional money over how many years will be needed for the full transition to a new system , he said .
Ardoin also is seeking a pay bump for election commissioners that work during the early voting period from $ 100 a day to $ 150 .
He says it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said it is helpful to be able to retain the same commissioners for consistency throughout the early voting process .
About 31 percent of voters during the last state election voted early , he said .
Among a package of election-related bills Ardoin ’ s office is supporting is one that would allow clerks of court to summon law enforcement to voting locations to restore order if needed .
Under current law , only election commissioners have that authority , and on-duty law enforcement officers are not allowed to enter a polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The quickest way to disrupt an election is to shut down a polling place for some period of time , Ardoin said .
Though he doesn ’ t expect it will be necessary , giving a clerk this legal right could be useful if the commissioner in charge is incapacitated .
“ As we go through all of the discussions of how to keep our voters safe and our commissioners safe , this is one of the areas we felt needed some immediate attention , ” he said .

The first phase of Louisiana’s transition to a new voting system will cost about $12 million, Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said.
Ardoin, whose office runs the state’s elections, is requesting $1.3 million from the state general fund this session, which will be used as a match to qualify for $6.6 million in federal funds, he said. A state fund that contains $5.8 million will be used to cover the rest.
“There is no way, under any circumstances, that we will have new equipment for the [2020] presidential election,” Ardoin said.
The Secretary of State’s office attempted to award a contract for a new voting system, worth up to $95 million, in 2018. That process started under Tom Schedler, Ardoin’s predecessor. But Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration scrapped the contract, saying the office didn’t follow rules meant to protect the integrity of the solicitation process.
Ardoin told members of the legislature’s governmental affairs committee that he couldn’t publicly discuss details of the new procurement process prior to the issuance of the request for proposals. He expects to meet with procurement officials soon to discuss the RFP.
Once the proposal is finalized, Ardoin expects to have further discussions with lawmakers about how much additional money over how many years will be needed for the full transition to a new system, he said.
Ardoin also is seeking a pay bump for election commissioners that work during the early voting period from $100 a day to $150. He says it is becoming more difficult to find commissioners, and said it is helpful to be able to retain the same commissioners for consistency throughout the early voting process.
About 31 percent of voters during the last state election voted early, he said.
Among a package of election-related bills Ardoin’s office is supporting is one that would allow clerks of court to summon law enforcement to voting locations to restore order if needed. Under current law, only election commissioners have that authority, and on-duty law enforcement officers are not allowed to enter a polling place without the commissioner’s permission.
The quickest way to disrupt an election is to shut down a polling place for some period of time, Ardoin said. Though he doesn’t expect it will be necessary, giving a clerk this legal right could be useful if the commissioner in charge is incapacitated.
“As we go through all of the discussions of how to keep our voters safe and our commissioners safe, this is one of the areas we felt needed some immediate attention,” he said.