theguardian--2020-10-20--Trump asks Barr to investigate dubious claims against Joe and Hunter Biden

William Barr “ has to act ” and appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter before election day , Donald Trump said on Tuesday , addressing his attorney general via his favorite medium , the Fox & Friends morning show .
Hunter Biden is the subject of reports by the New York Post about a laptop hard drive purportedly left at a repair shop in Delaware and obtained by Trump ally Rudy Giuliani .
The former New York mayor is now Trump ’ s personal attorney and his search for political dirt on the Bidens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed to Trump ’ s impeachment for approaches made to Ukraine .
The Post stories , about alleged corruption involving an energy company , have not been verified by other outlets and have been treated with caution by social media platforms .
Fox News is reported to have passed on the story , meant as an “ October surprise ” to boost the president as he struggles against Biden in the polls , given concerns over its credibility .
On Monday the New York Times reported dissent in the Murdoch paper ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Post staffer , who spoke on condition of anonymity , told the Guardian : “ This reeks.
” But Fox has shown no compunction about discussing the claims widely on its air .
In a 45-minute telephone interview on Tuesday , the Fox & Friends hosts asked Trump about it repeatedly .
The president was asked if he would “ appoint a special prosecutor ” to investigate the story and “ any corresponding legal or ethical issues that might be uncovered from the former vice-president ’ s 47 years in public office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve got to get the attorney general to act .
He ’ s got to act , and he ’ s got to act fast .
He ’ s got to appoint somebody , this is major corruption , and this has to be known about before the election.
” The new demand by Trump of Barr , who critics say has done more than any attorney general in history to protect the political interests of his president , shows how perilous any allegiance to Trump can be , said Stand Up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Trump attacking Barr should be a warning to every Republican : the compromises you make to your ethics and principles will never be enough , ” the group tweeted .
“ There is always one more compromise , one more demand , one more corruption that he will require of you .
There is no ‘ half-in ’ with Trump.
” Elie Honig , a former federal prosecutor , said Trump ’ s call to prosecute his political opponents was an abuse of power that would have been unthinkable under previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bush publicly called on John Ashcroft to investigate and potentially indict John Kerry ’ s children in October 2004 , ” Honig tweeted , “ or if Barack Obama pressed Eric Holder to open a case against Mitt Romney ’ s family in October 2012.
” Barr has often been seen to carry out Trump ’ s wishes – and criticised for it .
For example , he played down the findings of Robert Mueller , the special counsel who investigated links between Trump and Russia ; intervened in sentencing for aides convicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI and Department of Justice ’ s own investigations of Russian election interference beginning in 2016 .
Just two weeks from election day on 3 November , it seems unlikely the attorney general will in this case do Trump ’ s bidding and appoint a special prosecutor to go after the Bidens .
But even allowing for a level of “ Trump fatigue ” in a nation grown used to the president ’ s violation of political norms , the demand for political retribution via Fox & Friends was startling .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see material taken from the laptop allegedly owned by Hunter Biden .
But Democrats in Congress and media reports have said the FBI is investigating the Post stories as the fruits of a Russian disinformation campaign .
Giuliani is known to associate with at least one individual who US agencies consider an asset of Russian intelligence .
On Monday John Ratcliffe , a former Republican congressman installed by Trump as director of national intelligence , insisted to Fox Business there was no indication the Post stories arose from Russian disinformation efforts .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : “ Thank goodness we have John Ratcliffe.
” Trump was due to stage a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday night .
He and Biden will meet in the final presidential debate on Thursday , in Nashville , Tennessee .
The debate commission has set the subjects for the night and Trump has been advised by his team not to interrupt Biden as often he did in the first contest last month .
But the president seems likely to bring up Hunter Biden and Ukraine .
Prompted by his Fox News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statements that he did not know of his son ’ s business dealings a “ disgrace ” .
Biden has called the Post stories a “ smear campaign ” .
On Tuesday , his campaign did not offer further comment .

William Barr “has to act” and appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter before election day, Donald Trump said on Tuesday, addressing his attorney general via his favorite medium, the Fox & Friends morning show.
Hunter Biden is the subject of reports by the New York Post about a laptop hard drive purportedly left at a repair shop in Delaware and obtained by Trump ally Rudy Giuliani. The former New York mayor is now Trump’s personal attorney and his search for political dirt on the Bidens has played out in public, having contributed to Trump’s impeachment for approaches made to Ukraine.
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The Post stories, about alleged corruption involving an energy company, have not been verified by other outlets and have been treated with caution by social media platforms. Fox News is reported to have passed on the story, meant as an “October surprise” to boost the president as he struggles against Biden in the polls, given concerns over its credibility. On Monday the New York Times reported dissent in the Murdoch paper’s newsroom over its hurried production. One former Post staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Guardian: “This reeks.”
But Fox has shown no compunction about discussing the claims widely on its air. In a 45-minute telephone interview on Tuesday, the Fox & Friends hosts asked Trump about it repeatedly.
The president was asked if he would “appoint a special prosecutor” to investigate the story and “any corresponding legal or ethical issues that might be uncovered from the former vice-president’s 47 years in public office”.
Trump replied: “We’ve got to get the attorney general to act. He’s got to act, and he’s got to act fast. He’s got to appoint somebody, this is major corruption, and this has to be known about before the election.”
The new demand by Trump of Barr, who critics say has done more than any attorney general in history to protect the political interests of his president, shows how perilous any allegiance to Trump can be, said Stand Up Republic, a non-profit government reform group.
“Trump attacking Barr should be a warning to every Republican: the compromises you make to your ethics and principles will never be enough,” the group tweeted. “There is always one more compromise, one more demand, one more corruption that he will require of you. There is no ‘half-in’ with Trump.”
Elie Honig, a former federal prosecutor, said Trump’s call to prosecute his political opponents was an abuse of power that would have been unthinkable under previous presidents.
“Imagine if George W Bush publicly called on John Ashcroft to investigate and potentially indict John Kerry’s children in October 2004,” Honig tweeted, “or if Barack Obama pressed Eric Holder to open a case against Mitt Romney’s family in October 2012.”
Barr has often been seen to carry out Trump’s wishes – and criticised for it. For example, he played down the findings of Robert Mueller, the special counsel who investigated links between Trump and Russia; intervened in sentencing for aides convicted by Mueller; and ordered investigations of the FBI and Department of Justice’s own investigations of Russian election interference beginning in 2016.
Just two weeks from election day on 3 November, it seems unlikely the attorney general will in this case do Trump’s bidding and appoint a special prosecutor to go after the Bidens. But even allowing for a level of “Trump fatigue” in a nation grown used to the president’s violation of political norms, the demand for political retribution via Fox & Friends was startling.
The Post has not allowed other outlets to see material taken from the laptop allegedly owned by Hunter Biden. But Democrats in Congress and media reports have said the FBI is investigating the Post stories as the fruits of a Russian disinformation campaign. Giuliani is known to associate with at least one individual who US agencies consider an asset of Russian intelligence.
On Monday John Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman installed by Trump as director of national intelligence, insisted to Fox Business there was no indication the Post stories arose from Russian disinformation efforts. On Fox & Friends on Tuesday, Trump said: “Thank goodness we have John Ratcliffe.”
Trump was due to stage a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday night. He and Biden will meet in the final presidential debate on Thursday, in Nashville, Tennessee. The debate commission has set the subjects for the night and Trump has been advised by his team not to interrupt Biden as often he did in the first contest last month. But the president seems likely to bring up Hunter Biden and Ukraine.
Prompted by his Fox News friends, Trump called Biden’s statements that he did not know of his son’s business dealings a “disgrace”.
Biden has called the Post stories a “smear campaign”. On Tuesday, his campaign did not offer further comment.


theguardian--2020-10-20--Electoral college explained: how Biden faces an uphill battle in the US election

Who elects the US president ?
When Americans cast their ballots for the US president , they are actually voting for a representative of that candidate ’ s party known as an elector .
There are 538 electors who then vote for the president on behalf of the people in their state .
Each state is assigned a certain number of these electoral votes , based on the number of congressional districts they have , plus two additional votes representing the state ’ s Senate seats .
Washington DC is also assigned three electoral votes , despite having no voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 270 of these votes is needed to win the presidency .
The process of nominating electors varies by state and by party , but is generally done one of two ways .
Ahead of the election , political parties either choose electors at their national conventions , or they are voted for by the party ’ s central committee .
The electoral college nearly always operates with a winner-takes-all system , in which the candidate with the highest number of votes in a state claims all of that state ’ s electoral votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump beat Clinton in Florida by a margin of just 2.2 % , but that meant he claimed all 29 of Florida ’ s crucial electoral votes .
Such small margins in a handful of key swing states meant that , regardless of Clinton ’ s national vote lead , Trump was able to clinch victory in several swing states and therefore win more electoral college votes .
Biden could face the same hurdle in November , meaning he will need to focus his attention on a handful of battleground states to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral votes a state is assigned somewhat reflects its population , the minimum of three votes per state means that the relative value of electoral votes varies across America .
The least populous states like North and South Dakota and the smaller states of New England are overrepresented because of the required minimum of three electoral votes .
Meanwhile , the states with the most people – California , Texas and Florida – are underrepresented in the electoral college .
Wyoming has one electoral college vote for every 193,000 people , compared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote per 718,000 people .
This means that each electoral vote in California represents over three times as many people as one in Wyoming .
These disparities are repeated across the country .
Who does it favour ?
Experts have warned that , after returning two presidents that got fewer votes than their opponents since 2000 , the electoral college is flawed .
In 2000 , Al Gore won over half a million more votes than Bush , yet Bush became president after winning Florida by just 537 votes .
Professor George Edwards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University , said : “ The electoral college violates the core tenet of democracy , that all votes count equally and allows the candidate finishing second to win the election .
Why hold an election if we do not care who received the most votes ?
“ At the moment , the electoral college favours Republicans because of the way Republican votes are distributed across the country .
They are more likely to occur in states that are closely divided between the parties.
” Under the winner-takes-all system , the margin of victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , Clinton ’ s substantial margins in states such as California and New York failed to earn her enough electoral votes , while close races in the battleground states of Pennsylvania and Michigan took Trump over the 270 majority .
As candidates easily win the electoral votes of their solid states , the election plays out in a handful of key battlegrounds .
In 2016 , Trump won six such states - Florida , Iowa , Michigan , Ohio , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – adding 99 electoral votes to his total .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the national average .
They are older , have more white voters without college degrees , and often have smaller non-white populations .
These characteristics generally favour Republicans , and made up the base of Trump ’ s votes in 2016 .
For example , 67 % of non-college-educated white people voted for Trump in 2016 .
In all six swing states , this demographic is overrepresented by at least six percentage points more than the national average .
Several alternative systems for electing the president have been proposed and grown in favour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abolish the electoral college .
Two states – Maine and Nebraska – already use a different method of assigning their electoral college votes .
The two “ Senate ” votes go to the state-wide popular vote winner , but the remaining district votes are awarded to the winner of that district .
However , implementing this congressional district method across the country could result in greater bias than the current system .
The popular vote winner could still lose the election , and the distribution of voters would still strongly favour Republicans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) is another option , in which each state would award all of its electoral college votes in line with the national popular vote .
If enough states signed up to this agreement to reach the 270 majority , the candidate who gained the most votes nationwide would always win the presidency .
However , the NPVC has more practical issues .
Professor Norman Williams , from Willamette University , questioned how a nationwide recount would be carried out under the NPVC , and said that partisanship highlighted its major flaws .
Only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but support could simply switch in the future if a Republican candidate faces winning the popular vote but not the presidency .
The NPVC is a solution that would elect the president with the most votes without the difficulty of abolishing the electoral college that is enshrined in the constitution .
In 1787 , the Founding Fathers could not decide on the best system to elect the president .
Some delegates opposed a straight nomination by Congress , while others wanted to limit the influence of a potentially uninformed public and the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct popular vote .
The resulting electoral college , with electors acting as intermediaries for their states , is their compromise .
This system also invoked a clause known as the three-fifths compromise between northern and southern delegates , as they debated how slavery would affect a state ’ s representation .
Their agreement was that three-fifths of enslaved individuals ( who could not vote ) would count towards a state ’ s population , awarding a disproportionate amount of power in the electoral college to the southern states .
While the 13th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the three-fifths clause , the impacts of an unbalanced electoral college with unequal representation remain .
The current system is still vulnerable to distorted outcomes through actions such as gerrymandering .
This practice involves precisely redrawing the borders of districts to concentrate support in favour of a party .
The result being abnormally shaped districts that disenfranchise certain groups of voters .
Today , an amendment that would replace the college with a direct national popular vote is seen by many as the fairest electoral system .
According to Professor Edwards III , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to elect the president : add up all the votes and declare the candidate receiving the most votes the winner .
”

Helena Robertson, Ashley Kirk and Frank Hulley-Jones

Who elects the US president?
When Americans cast their ballots for the US president, they are actually voting for a representative of that candidate’s party known as an elector. There are 538 electors who then vote for the president on behalf of the people in their state.
Each state is assigned a certain number of these electoral votes, based on the number of congressional districts they have, plus two additional votes representing the state’s Senate seats. Washington DC is also assigned three electoral votes, despite having no voting representation in Congress. A majority of 270 of these votes is needed to win the presidency.
The process of nominating electors varies by state and by party, but is generally done one of two ways. Ahead of the election, political parties either choose electors at their national conventions, or they are voted for by the party’s central committee.
The electoral college nearly always operates with a winner-takes-all system, in which the candidate with the highest number of votes in a state claims all of that state’s electoral votes. For example, in 2016, Trump beat Clinton in Florida by a margin of just 2.2%, but that meant he claimed all 29 of Florida’s crucial electoral votes.
Such small margins in a handful of key swing states meant that, regardless of Clinton’s national vote lead, Trump was able to clinch victory in several swing states and therefore win more electoral college votes.
Biden could face the same hurdle in November, meaning he will need to focus his attention on a handful of battleground states to win the presidency.
The unequal distribution of electoral votes
While the number of electoral votes a state is assigned somewhat reflects its population, the minimum of three votes per state means that the relative value of electoral votes varies across America.
The least populous states like North and South Dakota and the smaller states of New England are overrepresented because of the required minimum of three electoral votes. Meanwhile, the states with the most people – California, Texas and Florida – are underrepresented in the electoral college.
Wyoming has one electoral college vote for every 193,000 people, compared with California’s rate of one electoral vote per 718,000 people. This means that each electoral vote in California represents over three times as many people as one in Wyoming. These disparities are repeated across the country.
Who does it favour?
Experts have warned that, after returning two presidents that got fewer votes than their opponents since 2000, the electoral college is flawed.
In 2000, Al Gore won over half a million more votes than Bush, yet Bush became president after winning Florida by just 537 votes. In all, the US has had five presidents who lost the overall popular vote but won the election.
Professor George Edwards III, at Texas A&M University, said: “The electoral college violates the core tenet of democracy, that all votes count equally and allows the candidate finishing second to win the election. Why hold an election if we do not care who received the most votes?
“At the moment, the electoral college favours Republicans because of the way Republican votes are distributed across the country. They are more likely to occur in states that are closely divided between the parties.”
Under the winner-takes-all system, the margin of victory in a state becomes irrelevant. In 2016, Clinton’s substantial margins in states such as California and New York failed to earn her enough electoral votes, while close races in the battleground states of Pennsylvania and Michigan took Trump over the 270 majority.
As candidates easily win the electoral votes of their solid states, the election plays out in a handful of key battlegrounds. In 2016, Trump won six such states - Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – adding 99 electoral votes to his total.
The demographics of these states differ from the national average. They are older, have more white voters without college degrees, and often have smaller non-white populations. These characteristics generally favour Republicans, and made up the base of Trump’s votes in 2016.
For example, 67% of non-college-educated white people voted for Trump in 2016. In all six swing states, this demographic is overrepresented by at least six percentage points more than the national average.
Trump's core demographics are over-represented in swing states The key battlegrounds where Trump was elected in 2016 have a higher percentage of white population than the average US state. Out of these, white non-college-educated are more over-represented than college-educated voters. Lower than average non-white populations favour Republicans. Most of Florida’s Cuban-American community also voted Trump in 2016. These states have larger elderly populations. Older voters have reliably voted Republican in recent elections. Guardian graphic. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014-2018 American community survey five-year estimates
The alternatives
Several alternative systems for electing the president have been proposed and grown in favour, as many seek to change or abolish the electoral college.
Two states – Maine and Nebraska – already use a different method of assigning their electoral college votes. The two “Senate” votes go to the state-wide popular vote winner, but the remaining district votes are awarded to the winner of that district. However, implementing this congressional district method across the country could result in greater bias than the current system. The popular vote winner could still lose the election, and the distribution of voters would still strongly favour Republicans.
The National Popular Vote Compact (NPVC) is another option, in which each state would award all of its electoral college votes in line with the national popular vote. If enough states signed up to this agreement to reach the 270 majority, the candidate who gained the most votes nationwide would always win the presidency.
However, the NPVC has more practical issues. Professor Norman Williams, from Willamette University, questioned how a nationwide recount would be carried out under the NPVC, and said that partisanship highlighted its major flaws. Only Democratic states are currently signed up, but support could simply switch in the future if a Republican candidate faces winning the popular vote but not the presidency.
The NPVC is a solution that would elect the president with the most votes without the difficulty of abolishing the electoral college that is enshrined in the constitution.
The current system is also vulnerable to distorted outcomes through actions such as gerrymandering. This practice involves precisely redrawing the borders of districts to concentrate support in favour of a party. The result being abnormally shaped districts that disenfranchise certain groups of voters.
Today, an amendment that would replace the college with a direct national popular vote is seen by many as the fairest electoral system.
According to Professor Edwards III, “There is only one appropriate way to elect the president: add up all the votes and declare the candidate receiving the most votes the winner.”


theguardian--2020-10-20--Trump's denial of E Jean Carroll rape allegation was 'official response', justice department says

Sign up for the Guardian US ’ s morning newsletter : Donald Trump has pushed many boundaries of “ presidential behavior ” , but there has rarely been any move as audacious as his claim – made through the Department of Justice – that he denied a rape accusation in his official capacity as US president .
The shock argument was made by justice department lawyers in filings in the case of E Jean Carroll , a writer with the Atlantic .
She is suing Trump for defamation after he denied her allegation that he raped her in a Manhattan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed she lied about the incident to sell a book , and that she was “ not my type ” .
Carroll ’ s complaint says he damaged her reputation .
Last month the department , under the leadership of the Trump super-loyalist William Barr , stunned the legal world by substituting itself for the president as defendant in the case .
The department has now set out its argument behind the unusual tactic .
Department lawyers claim Trump should not be sued in the defamation action because he made his contentious remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an official White House response to press inquiries ” .
Even though he was commenting on an event that took place decades before he was elected , Trump made his remarks as part of his official business , they argued .
They went on to assert that it was appropriate for the department to be involved because the allegations raised by Carroll could harm the US government .
“ The rape of a woman is a violent crime … and , if believed , even false allegations that the president committed such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ability to effectively govern.
” While alleged rape does not fall within the conventional job description of American presidents , justice department lawyers said that was irrelevant .
It was not his official job description , but his “ scope of employment ” that mattered – in this case his interactions with the media while on duty .
Judge Lewis Kaplan will hear oral arguments over the justice department ’ s irregular intervention on Wednesday .
His decision will have far-reaching implications .
Should he allow the department to become the defendant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would effectively end the case as federal government agencies can not be sued for defamation .
That in turn would put an end to Carroll ’ s petition to obtain a DNA sample from Trump so that she can compare it against material gathered from the dress she was wearing on the day of the alleged attack .
Carroll ’ s lawyers have protested that the justice department ’ s action distorts the law .
“ There is not a single person in the United States – not the president and not anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women they sexually assaulted , ” they said in an earlier court filing .
Barr has previously demonstrated his willingness to inject his department into Trump ’ s personal and partisan affairs .
In a range of highly controversial moves , he has backed Trump ’ s false claims about voter fraud in the election , attacked Democratic-run states , and used federal agents to eject peaceful protesters from public space outside the White House .

Sign up for the Guardian US’s morning newsletter:
Donald Trump has pushed many boundaries of “presidential behavior”, but there has rarely been any move as audacious as his claim – made through the Department of Justice – that he denied a rape accusation in his official capacity as US president.
The shock argument was made by justice department lawyers in filings in the case of E Jean Carroll, a writer with the Atlantic. She is suing Trump for defamation after he denied her allegation that he raped her in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s.
Trump claimed she lied about the incident to sell a book, and that she was “not my type”. Carroll’s complaint says he damaged her reputation.
Last month the department, under the leadership of the Trump super-loyalist William Barr, stunned the legal world by substituting itself for the president as defendant in the case. The department has now set out its argument behind the unusual tactic.
Department lawyers claim Trump should not be sued in the defamation action because he made his contentious remarks about Carroll in the course of “an official White House response to press inquiries”. Even though he was commenting on an event that took place decades before he was elected, Trump made his remarks as part of his official business, they argued.
They went on to assert that it was appropriate for the department to be involved because the allegations raised by Carroll could harm the US government.
“The rape of a woman is a violent crime … and, if believed, even false allegations that the president committed such a crime could obviously impact the president’s ability to effectively govern.”
While alleged rape does not fall within the conventional job description of American presidents, justice department lawyers said that was irrelevant. It was not his official job description, but his “scope of employment” that mattered – in this case his interactions with the media while on duty.
Judge Lewis Kaplan will hear oral arguments over the justice department’s irregular intervention on Wednesday. His decision will have far-reaching implications.
Should he allow the department to become the defendant in Trump’s place, that would effectively end the case as federal government agencies cannot be sued for defamation. That in turn would put an end to Carroll’s petition to obtain a DNA sample from Trump so that she can compare it against material gathered from the dress she was wearing on the day of the alleged attack.
Carroll’s lawyers have protested that the justice department’s action distorts the law. “There is not a single person in the United States – not the president and not anyone else – whose job description includes slandering women they sexually assaulted,” they said in an earlier court filing.
Barr has previously demonstrated his willingness to inject his department into Trump’s personal and partisan affairs. In a range of highly controversial moves, he has backed Trump’s false claims about voter fraud in the election, attacked Democratic-run states, and used federal agents to eject peaceful protesters from public space outside the White House.


theguardian--2020-10-21--Trump cuts short pre-election interview as Covid stimulus bill moves closer – live

There are a number of states that could prove to be pivotal in the presidential election .
Likewise , there are a number of states that could prove to be pivotal in the fight for Senate control .
There are , however , few states that could be informative of the ultimate outcome for both .
North Carolina has become a key battleground and features a close presidential matchup between Trump and Biden .
It also has a tight Senate race between Republican Sen. Thom Tillis and Democrat Cal Cunningham .
No party has won the state by more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Barack Obama won it by less than a point in 2008 .
Mitt Romney took it by 2 points in 2012 .
And Trump won it by a little less than 4 points in 2016 , making it one of only six states Trump won by less than 5 points in 2016 .
But unlike a lot of other important swing states , North Carolina has a history of voters casting a lot of ballots early .
The state allows those early votes to be processed before election day , so it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of the vote .
The state does allow votes postmarked by election day to be counted , even if they arrive after polls close .
Those votes , however , are likely to make up less than 10 % of the total pool of voters .
In other words , unless the race is really close ( which it could be ) , North Carolina should give us a fairly good insight into both the presidential and Senate landscapes on election night .

Joan E Greve (now) and Martin Belam (earlier)

22 Oct 2020 02.54 BST Summary The director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, said that Russia and Iran had obtained some voter registration information in a rare evening news conference. The briefing came after Democratic voters in at least four battleground states, including Florida and Pennsylvania, reported threatening emails, falsely claiming to be from the far-right group Proud Boys, that warned “we will come after you” if the recipients didn’t vote for Trump.
The briefing came after Democratic voters in at least four battleground states, including Florida and Pennsylvania, reported threatening emails, falsely claiming to be from the far-right group Proud Boys, that warned “we will come after you” if the recipients didn’t vote for Trump. Ratcliffe said Iran is also distributing video content “to imply that individuals could cast fraudulent ballots, including from overseas”. He warned Americans not to believe the disinformation. “These actions are desperate attempts by desperate adversaries,” he said.
He warned Americans not to believe the disinformation. “These actions are desperate attempts by desperate adversaries,” he said. Republicans won key victories in their ongoing crusade to restrict voting access. In a Wednesday night decision, the Supreme Court allowed Alabama officials to ban curbside voting. The Iowa Supreme Court also upheld a Republican-backed law that could prevent election officials from sending thousands of mail-in ballots, by making it more difficult for auditors to correct voter applications with omitted information.
In a Wednesday night decision, the Supreme Court allowed Alabama officials to ban curbside voting. The Iowa Supreme Court also upheld a Republican-backed law that could prevent election officials from sending thousands of mail-in ballots, by making it more difficult for auditors to correct voter applications with omitted information. Donald Trump’s deputy communications director Julia Hahn had connections to white nationalism when she joined the White House as an aide, a new report shows. Leaked emails published Wednesday in a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center show Hahn, who previously worked at right wing propaganda site Breitbart News, was close with Peter Brimelow, founder of the white nationalist hate group VDARE.
Leaked emails published Wednesday in a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center show Hahn, who previously worked at right wing propaganda site Breitbart News, was close with Peter Brimelow, founder of the white nationalist hate group VDARE. Barack Obama campaigned for Joe Biden in Philadelphia, as polls show Biden pulling ahead in the key swing state of Pennsylvania. The former president delivered a blistering rebuke of Donald Trump at a drive-in, Covid-safe rally.
as polls show Biden pulling ahead in the key swing state of Pennsylvania. The former president delivered a blistering rebuke of Donald Trump at a drive-in, Covid-safe rally. Democrats on the Senate judiciary committee plan to boycott tomorrow’s vote on Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the supreme court. The Democrats’ boycott will likely please their base, but it will not stop Barrett from being confirmed by the Republican-controlled panel. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell currently plans to hold a chamber-wide confirmation vote on Monday.
The Democrats’ boycott will likely please their base, but it will not stop Barrett from being confirmed by the Republican-controlled panel. Senate majority leader currently plans to hold a chamber-wide confirmation vote on Monday. The justice department has reached an $8 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma, the maker of the drug OxyContin, which has been partly blamed for the opioid epidemic. Despite the massive financial penalty, some lawmakers criticized the agreement, saying the federal government failed to hold company executives accountable.
the maker of the drug OxyContin, which has been partly blamed for the opioid epidemic. Despite the massive financial penalty, some lawmakers criticized the agreement, saying the federal government failed to hold company executives accountable. Pope Francis endorsed same-sex civil unions, a move that is likely to attract criticism from the pope’s conservative opponents. In an interview for a new documentary, Francis said, “Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”
a move that is likely to attract criticism from the pope’s conservative opponents. In an interview for a new documentary, Francis said, “Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.” Rudy Giuliani will make an embarrassing appearance in the new “Borat” film. In Sacha Baron Cohen’s movie, the president’s personal lawyer is captured reaching into his pants and apparently touching his genitals while reclining on a bed in the presence of an actor posing as a TV journalist. – Guardian staff
22 Oct 2020 02.49 BST Donald Trump’s deputy communications director Julia Hahn had connections to white nationalism when she joined the White House as an aide, a new report shows. The Guardian’s Kari Paul reports: Leaked emails published Wednesday in a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center show Hahn, who previously worked at right wing propaganda site Breitbart News, was close with Peter Brimelow, founder of the white nationalist hate group VDARE.
The group promotes the idea of “white genocide”, the conspiracy theory that suggests white people are systematically being replaced by non-white people. VDARE has also published commentary from a chief organizer of white supremacist ‘Unite the Right’ rally, an event in Charlottesville, Virginia that led to the murder of one counter-protestor. Emails from Hahn revealed additional connections to white supremacist groups and individuals. The communications were leaked by her former colleague Breitbart News editor Katie McHugh. The trove included text messages, Google Chat transcripts, and more than 600 emails taken from Hahn’s private and Breitbart News work emails. McHugh once espoused right wing views including anti-immigration hate and rubbed shoulders with open white nationalists, but has since renounced far-right extremism and racism. The White House did not immediately respond to request for comment, but in a statement criticized McHugh and declined to deny the accusations of racism and extremism: Julia Hahn rejects and condemns racism and hatred in all forms, and, as a Jewish American, finds bigotry of any kind to be truly abhorrent. Every story Julia wrote as a reporter at Breitbart is publicly available and has been since the day she left the publication nearly four years ago. These cherry-picked emails were leaked by a troubled individual who was terminated from Breitbart in disgrace, and SPLC has stooped to a new low by giving her a platform. Hahn is 29 years old and joined the White House in March, replacing deputy communications director Adam Kennedy.
22 Oct 2020 02.36 BST The Iowa Supreme Court delivered another win for Republicans seeking to restrict voting. The court upheld a Republican-backed law that could prevent election officials from sending thousands of mail-in ballots to voters who had information omitted from their absentee ballot applications. The law, passed after a record number of voters turned out during the primaries, casting mail-in ballots as the pandemic surged. Auditors will not be allowed to fix minor errors in the applications for absentee ballots using Iowa’s voter registration system, as they have done in past elections. Instead, the auditors will have to call or email voters one at a time to obtain any missing information – which will be tedious and time-consuming. Voters applying for absentee ballots in Iowa have to provide their driver’s license number or a voter pin number.
22 Oct 2020 02.25 BST A voting rights group says Trump supporters in New Mexico tried ot intimidate voters at polling places in Albequerque. The intimidation took place in neighborhoods where most residents are people of color. If you see evidence of voter suppression, intimidation, or election interference, call us at 866-OUR-VOTE, or 888-VE-Y-VOTA in Spanish. Never confront anyone who may be harassing or threatening voters, instead report it to the precinct judge and document the incident. #nmpol pic.twitter.com/9NybCa01PK — Common Cause NM (@commoncausenm) October 21, 2020 The AP reports: Common Cause New Mexico Executive Director Heather Ferguson said Wednesday that the incidents took place early Saturday afternoon on the first day of balloting at voter convenience centers in the South Valley and western reaches of Albuquerque on Central Avenue — areas that are heavily Latino. She estimated that dozens of potential voters in each location left without voting immediately as a result of the incidents. But she added that a poll judge intervened at the Central Avenue voting center to help ensure access and keep electioneering at a distance. “I think we got to see that the process is working,” Ferguson said. The Bernalillo County district attorney’s office is investigating the incidents, agency spokeswoman Brandale Mills-Cox said. She declined further comment. State Republican Party spokesman Mike Curtis said he has no direct knowledge of the matter. Representatives for the Trump reelection campaign had no immediate comment when contacted.
22 Oct 2020 02.06 BST Supreme Court allows Alabama to ban curbside voting Meanwhile, in the courts, Republicans have scored another victory in their ongoing crusade to restrict voting rights. The Supreme Court allowed Alabama officials to ban curbside voting, ruling against the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union and other challengers of the ban said that curbside voting would help the state slow the spread of Covid-19 while allowing those most vulnerable to the disease to vote safely. The state attorney general argued that curbside voting “comes with a host of logistical, safety and ballot secrecy concerns” even though the system has been used before to assist voters with disabilities. Alabama Republicans also earlier won a legal challenge to their requirement that voters using absentee ballots attach affidavits signed by two witnesses or a notary, and copy of their photo ID. The decision came down 5-3, with three liberal justices noting their dissent. In a dissenting statement, justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote: “The Alabama secretary of state... has prohibited counties from offering curbside voting, even for voters with disabilities for whom COVID– 19 is disproportionately likely to be fatal. If those vulnerable voters wish to vote in person, they must wait inside, for as long as it takes, in a crowd of fellow voters whom Alabama does not require to wear face coverings.” Note: A previous version incorrectly said the requirement to apply included affidavits signed by two witnesses and a notary.
Updated at 03.52 BST
22 Oct 2020 01.47 BST Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee took issue with John Ratcliffe’s emphasis that Iran was sowing disinformation to harm Trump, characterizing him as a “partisan hack”. Ratcliffe is a former Republican congressman – and Democrats have been critical of his choice to selectively declassify documents to help Trump. Ratcliffe recently declassified a letter outlining the claims about Trump’s 2016 political rival Hillary Clinton that Russian intelligence services. DO NOT listen to Ratcliffe. Partisan hack. https://t.co/U2pRgttk6O — House Homeland Security Committee (@HomelandDems) October 21, 2020
22 Oct 2020 01.35 BST Before the FBI news conference began, the top members of the senate intelligence committee released a statement warning, “As we enter the last weeks before the election, we urge every American – including members of the media – to be cautious about believing or spreading unverified, sensational claims related to votes and voting.” The statement came from Marco Rubio, a Republican of Florida, and Mark Waner, a Democrat of Virginia.
“State and local election officials are in regular contact with federal law enforcement and cybersecurity professionals, and they are all working around the clock to ensure that Election 2020 is safe, secure, and free from outside interference,” the said.
22 Oct 2020 01.25 BST “We have already seen Iran sending spoofed emails, designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest and damage President Trump,” John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence, said during the press conference. “You may have seen reporting on this in the last 24 hours.” Earlier Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that officials in Florida and Alaska were investigating emails sent to Democratic voters in several states that appeared to be from the Proud Boys – the far-right group that Donald Trump told to “stand back and stand by” during the first presidential debate – threatening them to vote for Trump or “we will come after you”. Ratcliffe said Iran is also distributing video content “to imply that individuals could cast fraudulent ballots, including from overseas” – and warned Americans not to believe the disinformation. “These actions are desperate attempts by desperate adversaries,” he said.
Updated at 01.39 BST
22 Oct 2020 01.06 BST Trump and his advisers have reportedly considered whether to fire FBI Director Christopher Wray, the Washington Post reports: The conversations among the president and senior aides stem in part from their disappointment that Wray in particular but [attorney general William Barr] as well have not done what Trump had hoped — indicate that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, his son Hunter Biden, or other Biden associates are under investigation, these people say. Like others, they spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose internal discussions. In the campaign’s closing weeks, the president has intensified public calls for jailing his challenger, much as he did for Hillary Clinton, his opponent in 2016. Trump has called Biden a “criminal” without articulating what laws he believes the former vice president has broken. People familiar with the discussions say that Trump wants official action similar to the announcement made 11 days before the last presidential election by then-FBI Director James B. Comey, who informed Congress he had reopened an investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state after potential new evidence had been discovered.
21 Oct 2020 00.57 BST The FBI director warned against buying into misinformation about election results. “You should be confident your vote counts. Early unverified claims to the contrary should be viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism,” said director Christopher Wray. FBI Director Christopher Wray warns against "early, unverified claims" and misinformation around election results, assuring Americans "you should be confident that your vote counts." pic.twitter.com/lDc88UXTGw — The Recount (@therecount) October 21, 2020 Donald Trump and many of his supporters have been among those spreading misinformation that votes aren’t going to be counted and alleging baselessly that ballots can easily be thrown out.
21 Oct 2020 00.49 BST FBI says Russia, Iran have obtained some voter registration data Russia and Iran have obtained some voter registration data, the FBI announced in a rare evening news briefing. “We have already seen Iran sending spoofed emails, designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest and damage President Trump,” said John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence. “This data can be used by foreign actors to attempt to communicate false information to registered voters that they hope will cause confusion so chaos & undermine your confidence in American democracy.”
Updated at 00.52 BST
21 Oct 2020 00.17 BST Sam Levine Florida’s top election official is facing accusations of voter suppression after two last-minute moves critics say will lead to intimidation and confusion. Alarm bells went off last week after the office of Florida’s secretary of state, Laurel Lee, abruptly notified election officials the state was beginning to flag voters for potential removal from the voter rolls if they owed money related to a felony conviction. In a second letter, the state offered an extremely restrictive view on how localities needed to operate ballot drop boxes, which voters are increasingly turning to this year amid United States Postal Service delays. Both notices threaten confusion and chaos in one of the most important swing states in the 2020 election. Mail-in voting started weeks ago and in-person early voting started on Monday. Polls show an extremely tight race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in Florida, a state where elections are routinely decided by just thousands of votes. Florida accused of sowing confusion with last-minute voting changes Read more
21 Oct 2020 23.55 BST Lindsey Graham, the Senate judiciary committee chair, responded to Democrats’ decision to boycott Thursday’s vote on Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the supreme court. “Judge Barrett deserves to be on the supreme court and she will be confirmed,” he wrote in a statement. “As to my Democratic colleagues’ refusal to attend the markup, that is a choice they are making. I believe it does a disservice to Judge Barrett who deserves a vote, up or down.” Graham also – very hypocritically – accused Democrats of hypocrisy for changing Senate rules to block Republican filibusters of nominees to lower courts. Graham, who is currently fighting the toughest re-election race of his Senate career in South Carolina, famously said, as he opposed Obama’s nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia: “I want you to use my words against me. If there’s a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term, you can say Lindsey Graham said, ‘Let’s let the next president, whoever it might be, make that nomination.” Barrett, who Trump nominated to her current position as a judge at the US court of appeals for the seventh circuit, was only able to do so because Republicans blocked Obama’s nominee to that seat, Myra Selby. Selby, who would have been the second Black woman to serve on the seventh circuit, never received a hearing.
Updated at 00.05 BST


theguardian--2020-10-21--Florida accused of sowing confusion with last-minute voting changes

Florida ’ s top election official is facing accusations of voter suppression after two last-minute moves critics say will lead to intimidation and confusion .
Alarm bells went off last week after the office of Florida ’ s secretary of state , Laurel Lee , abruptly notified election officials the state was beginning to flag voters for potential removal from the voter rolls if they owed money related to a felony conviction .
In a second letter , the state offered an extremely restrictive view on how localities needed to operate ballot drop boxes , which voters are increasingly turning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service delays .
Both notices threaten confusion and chaos in one of the most important swing states in the 2020 election .
Mail-in voting started weeks ago and in-person early voting started on Monday .
Polls show an extremely tight race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in Florida , a state where elections are routinely decided by just thousands of votes .
‘ This is just to create fearmongering ’ In 2018 , Florida voters repealed the state ’ s longstanding lifetime voting ban for people with felony convictions , a move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
But Republicans in the state legislature quickly undercut the reform by passing a law in 2019 that requires people to repay all financial obligations associated with their sentence before they can vote again .
Civil rights groups sued the state over the measure , saying it amounted to an unlawful tax on the right to vote .
A federal appeals court upheld the law in September , saying Florida did not even have to tell people how much they owed before they could vote .
Florida does not have a centralized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people with felony convictions owe and it can be nearly impossible for even trained officials to figure it out .
And under state law , no one can be removed ahead of the November election – state law gives local election officials seven days to notify a voter and then gives the voter 30 days to respond .
Still , critics are worried that voters with felony convictions could receive notices suggesting they are ineligible to vote , dissuading them from casting votes , even though they are legally entitled to do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to put a system together to let people know what they owe , how can we even trust that you have any kind of legitimate system to determine whether people should be taken off of the roster , ” said Desmond Meade , the executive director of Florida Rights Restoration Coalition ( FRRC ) , an advocacy group for people with felony convictions .
He was concerned the state would wrongly flag people who were eligible to vote because they had been granted clemency , even though they still owed money to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Florida are ineligible to vote because they owe money as part of a felony conviction .
FRRC estimates 67,000 people with felonies have registered since 2018 , though it ’ s not clear how many have outstanding debts .
The secretary of state ’ s letter is a “ ham-fisted attempt to intimidate voters and election officials ” , said Ion Sancho , who retired in 2016 after serving as the supervisor of elections in Florida ’ s Leon county for 28 years .
“ This is not something that can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think this is just to create fearmongering , putting fear in the hearts of those ex-felons who have been told they ’ re legally allowed to vote , ” he said .
“ All of a sudden ‘ what does this mean ?
’ They don ’ t know .
They ’ re not lawyers.
” Lee is an appointee of Ron DeSantis , Florida ’ s Republican governor and a close Trump ally .
Last week , Trump said he would blame DeSantis if he lost the state of Florida .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ move in a long fight over the voting rights of people with felony convictions .
During a federal trial earlier this year , state officials testified they had received approximately 85,000 voter registrations from people with felony convictions and had yet to review a single one .
In its ruling last month , the US court of appeals for the 11th circuit said all 85,000 people were entitled to vote until they were removed based on “ credible and reliable ” evidence .
Julie Ebenstein , an attorney with the American Civil Liberties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the timing of the state ’ s email was “ extremely suspect , to say the least ” .
She noted the law in question has been in effect since mid-2019 , giving the state 16 months to figure out a system to deal with voters with outstanding debts .
Beginning to notify people now , she said “ can only intimidate people named , or sow confusion in the election results ” .
It ’ s not clear whether local supervisors of elections have already started investigating people for potential removal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Okaloosa county in the Florida panhandle , said his office had not yet received any names for investigation under the new guidance .
William Boyett , the chief deputy supervisor of elections in Alachua county , said his office receives the names of people with felony convictions from the state on an almost daily basis and assumed new matches included people flagged under the state ’ s newest guidance .
Mark Ard , a Lee spokesman , said the department was legally obligated to review the registrations under Florida law .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is credible and reliable , the department shall notify the supervisor and provide a copy of the supporting documentation , ” he said in a statement .
“ With the 11th circuit ’ s recent decision , the law with respect to legal financial obligations is now clear and there is no legal basis for the department to ignore the obligations spelled out in Florida statutes.
” A day after Lee ’ s office sent the notice about identifying potentially ineligible voters , it sent a second notice to the local officials outlining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be operating drop boxes , where people can drop off sealed ballots in person .
The letter said that mail-drop boxes must be staffed at all times by an elections employee or sworn law enforcement official , complicating plans for localities that planned to offer 24-hour drop boxes and use video surveillance to monitor them , according to the Tampa Bay Times .
Fifty of the state ’ s 67 counties plan to offer drop boxes , the Times reported , though it is not clear how they plan to secure them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of mail-in votes had already been cast in the state .
Republicans in Texas , Ohio and Pennsylvania have all moved to limit drop boxes as record numbers of Americans are expected to cast their ballots by mail .
Florida law requires election officials to offer drop boxes at their main election and branch offices as well as at early voting sites , but just says they need to be “ secure ” .
But Ronald Lubasky , an attorney representing local election officials , wrote in an email to them last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the word “ secure ” .
The supervisors of elections , he wrote in a letter to the officials last week , have the discretion to determine what that means .
“ Drop boxes that are at the main office , a branch office , or early voting site are required to be secure , but I don ’ t see that there is any staffing requirement or hours of operation related to those drop boxes , ” he said .
He added that because the letter was an advisory , the local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Florida – was free to ignore it .
After the letter , some county election officials told the Tampa Bay Times they would hire security to monitor the drop boxes , while others said they would not alter their plans .
Sancho , the former election official , said Florida Republicans were obviously concerned about providing too much accessibility for people to cast a ballot .
“ It ’ s just a sad effort to try to confuse the issues and we don ’ t need any more confusion , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with some way to limit what they had previously provided , which is accessible vote-by-mail drop boxes .
“ This is the political decision they came up with , again trying to limit access to the ballot box .
Unconscionable action in my opinion .
”

Florida’s top election official is facing accusations of voter suppression after two last-minute moves critics say will lead to intimidation and confusion.
Alarm bells went off last week after the office of Florida’s secretary of state, Laurel Lee, abruptly notified election officials the state was beginning to flag voters for potential removal from the voter rolls if they owed money related to a felony conviction. In a second letter, the state offered an extremely restrictive view on how localities needed to operate ballot drop boxes, which voters are increasingly turning to this year amid United States Postal Service delays.
Both notices threaten confusion and chaos in one of the most important swing states in the 2020 election. Mail-in voting started weeks ago and in-person early voting started on Monday. Polls show an extremely tight race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in Florida, a state where elections are routinely decided by just thousands of votes.
‘This is just to create fearmongering’
In 2018, Florida voters repealed the state’s longstanding lifetime voting ban for people with felony convictions, a move estimated to affect up to 1.4 million people. But Republicans in the state legislature quickly undercut the reform by passing a law in 2019 that requires people to repay all financial obligations associated with their sentence before they can vote again. Civil rights groups sued the state over the measure, saying it amounted to an unlawful tax on the right to vote. A federal appeals court upheld the law in September, saying Florida did not even have to tell people how much they owed before they could vote.
Florida does not have a centralized system for keeping track of how much people with felony convictions owe and it can be nearly impossible for even trained officials to figure it out. And under state law, no one can be removed ahead of the November election – state law gives local election officials seven days to notify a voter and then gives the voter 30 days to respond.
Still, critics are worried that voters with felony convictions could receive notices suggesting they are ineligible to vote, dissuading them from casting votes, even though they are legally entitled to do so.
“If you’re not able to put a system together to let people know what they owe, how can we even trust that you have any kind of legitimate system to determine whether people should be taken off of the roster,” said Desmond Meade, the executive director of Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), an advocacy group for people with felony convictions. He was concerned the state would wrongly flag people who were eligible to vote because they had been granted clemency, even though they still owed money to the state.
Clarence Singleton registers to vote in Fort Myers last year, after Florida restored voting rights to people with felony convictions. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
An estimated 774,000 people in Florida are ineligible to vote because they owe money as part of a felony conviction. FRRC estimates 67,000 people with felonies have registered since 2018, though it’s not clear how many have outstanding debts.
The secretary of state’s letter is a “ham-fisted attempt to intimidate voters and election officials”, said Ion Sancho, who retired in 2016 after serving as the supervisor of elections in Florida’s Leon county for 28 years.
“This is not something that can be timely accomplished before the election and again I think this is just to create fearmongering, putting fear in the hearts of those ex-felons who have been told they’re legally allowed to vote,” he said. “All of a sudden ‘what does this mean?’ They don’t know. They’re not lawyers.”
Lee is an appointee of Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Republican governor and a close Trump ally. Last week, Trump said he would blame DeSantis if he lost the state of Florida.
Lee’s letter is the latest move in a long fight over the voting rights of people with felony convictions. During a federal trial earlier this year, state officials testified they had received approximately 85,000 voter registrations from people with felony convictions and had yet to review a single one. In its ruling last month, the US court of appeals for the 11th circuit said all 85,000 people were entitled to vote until they were removed based on “credible and reliable” evidence.
Julie Ebenstein, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who helped represent the plaintiffs said the timing of the state’s email was “extremely suspect, to say the least”. She noted the law in question has been in effect since mid-2019, giving the state 16 months to figure out a system to deal with voters with outstanding debts. Beginning to notify people now, she said “can only intimidate people named, or sow confusion in the election results”.
It’s not clear whether local supervisors of elections have already started investigating people for potential removal. Paul Lux, the supervisor of elections in Okaloosa county in the Florida panhandle, said his office had not yet received any names for investigation under the new guidance. William Boyett, the chief deputy supervisor of elections in Alachua county, said his office receives the names of people with felony convictions from the state on an almost daily basis and assumed new matches included people flagged under the state’s newest guidance.
Mark Ard, a Lee spokesman, said the department was legally obligated to review the registrations under Florida law.
“If the department determines that the information is credible and reliable, the department shall notify the supervisor and provide a copy of the supporting documentation,” he said in a statement. “With the 11th circuit’s recent decision, the law with respect to legal financial obligations is now clear and there is no legal basis for the department to ignore the obligations spelled out in Florida statutes.”
‘Unconscionable action’
A day after Lee’s office sent the notice about identifying potentially ineligible voters, it sent a second notice to the local officials outlining restrictions on how counties were supposed to be operating drop boxes, where people can drop off sealed ballots in person.
The letter said that mail-drop boxes must be staffed at all times by an elections employee or sworn law enforcement official, complicating plans for localities that planned to offer 24-hour drop boxes and use video surveillance to monitor them, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Fifty of the state’s 67 counties plan to offer drop boxes, the Times reported, though it is not clear how they plan to secure them.
The state’s guidance came after millions of mail-in votes had already been cast in the state. Republicans in Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania have all moved to limit drop boxes as record numbers of Americans are expected to cast their ballots by mail.
A woman holds a placard as voters wait in line to cast their early ballots at Miami Beach City Hall on Tuesday. Photograph: Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images
Florida law requires election officials to offer drop boxes at their main election and branch offices as well as at early voting sites, but just says they need to be “secure”. But Ronald Lubasky, an attorney representing local election officials, wrote in an email to them last week that state law did not define the word “secure”. The supervisors of elections, he wrote in a letter to the officials last week, have the discretion to determine what that means.
“Drop boxes that are at the main office, a branch office, or early voting site are required to be secure, but I don’t see that there is any staffing requirement or hours of operation related to those drop boxes,” he said.
He added that because the letter was an advisory, the local supervisor of elections – an elected official in Florida – was free to ignore it. After the letter, some county election officials told the Tampa Bay Times they would hire security to monitor the drop boxes, while others said they would not alter their plans.
Sancho, the former election official, said Florida Republicans were obviously concerned about providing too much accessibility for people to cast a ballot. “It’s just a sad effort to try to confuse the issues and we don’t need any more confusion,” he said. “They had to come up with some way to limit what they had previously provided, which is accessible vote-by-mail drop boxes.
“This is the political decision they came up with, again trying to limit access to the ballot box. Unconscionable action in my opinion.”


theguardian--2020-10-21--Vote Bartlet: The 10 best episodes of The West Wing

If ever there was a good time to get into The West Wing , this is it .
The election cycle has been so monstrous – and potentially ruinous – that it has left us all craving the stately certainty of an Aaron Sorkin screenplay , as the rapturous reception to the cast ’ s reunion demonstrated .
And if that is the case , help is at hand .
Today , The West Wing will appear as a box set on All 4 in the UK , allowing you to access the entire series .
The imperial first few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unexpectedly rousing climax .
All of it .
But the US election is just a few days away , and there are 156 episodes .
Watching the whole thing in time is an almost impossible task , which is why I have selected the 10 best episodes ( in chronological order ) for you to pick out and savour .
Although the pilot would be the most sensible place to start , the first real West Wing masterpiece was its season-one Christmas episode .
There is enough plot in this one episode to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ films .
Toby takes it upon himself to solve the mystery of a dead Vietnam veteran , Josh tries to use a sex worker to dig up dirt on a rival , President Bartlet sneaks out and is adorable with the public – and the show ’ s trademark earnestness is shored up by the festive setting .
Five episodes later , The West Wing was as tonally different as it is possible to be .
Celestial Navigation is almost a flat-out comedy , as Josh ( Bradley Whitford embodying the standout character @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a college class .
Sorkin is famed for his love of structural experimentation , and not always positively , but here it fits the story perfectly .
What ’ s more , it contains the secret ethos to the entire series : as Josh says : “ It starts off as a nine-to-five job , but you can pretty much count on it being blown to hell by 9.30.
” Let Bartlet Be Bartlet ( season one , episode 19 ) And then , of course , there is the other ethos .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ become a rallying cry over the years , an I ’ ve Got ta Be Me-style mantra for West Wing devotees to the power of playing to your strengths .
This is where it started ; a memo reveals public dissatisfaction with Bartlet ’ s perceived ineffectiveness , and his staff ’ s subsequent decision to let him off the leash .
The resulting flurry of liberal policies is the reason why everyone still wishes that Bartlet was the real president .
In the Shadow of Two Gunmen ( season two , episodes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wing shone brightest when it aligned itself with a bright political ideal , two-parters like In the Shadow of Two Gunmen also proved that it was also pretty nifty at the soapy stuff .
Season one ended on a classic cliffhanger , with gunshots and an off-screen cry of : “ Who ’ s been hit ?
” This double bill tracks the aftermath , as two beloved characters are treated for their life-threatening wounds .
But what shoves it above the pulp is the way it also serves as a How the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is masterly .
This is often cited as a cast favourite , and for good reason .
17 People was written to be as cheap as possible , to tamp down the show ’ s escalating budget , and as a result is the closest that The West Wing ever got to a theatrical performance .
As the secret of Bartlet ’ s multiple sclerosis becomes less and less secret , Toby meditates on the repercussions of hiding his aliment from the American people .
The focus is never anything less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ episode unbearably tense .
Of course this is on the list .
Two Cathedrals is a swaggering , arrogant , show-off of an episode , as Bartlet – a devout Catholic fresh from the trauma of losing his executive secretary to a drunk driver – screams at God in Latin , smokes a cigarette , listens to Dire Straits and finally decides to seek re-election .
It is often called the best ever episode of The West Wing .
I don ’ t agree , but it is certainly the West Wingiest .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an investigation into the concealment of President Bartlet ’ s MS , Leo is pushed through the wringer like never before .
His alcoholism is explored in excruciating detail , in the present and in flashbacks where he meets Bartlet for the first time .
An episode about a man with an addictive personality unravelling due to the pressures of work , released eight months after Aaron Sorkin was arrested for felony drug possession , this one feels as if it ’ s coming straight from the gut .
20 Hours in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and two ) In the thick of the campaign trail , Toby , Josh and Donna find themselves stranded in the American heartlands .
The West Wing could be guilty of getting wrapped up in earnest self-importance – and there ’ s still some of that here – but for the most part , this is a fun and breezy interlude to all that .
Part of the thrill of watching The West Wing is knowing the backstory of the production .
Aaron Sorkin took on a herculean amount of work , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then – in the shadow of falling ratings , network interference and Rob Lowe ’ s departure ( reportedly over money ) – left under less than optimal conditions .
This was his final episode , and it ends with Bartlet being relieved of duty .
The Debate ( season seven , episode seven ) Really , you have little to gain from watching The West Wing beyond Twenty Five , because The West Wing without Aaron Sorkin isn ’ t really The West Wing .
However , the remainder is still good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most notable is this , from the final season .
It ’ s an entirely atypical episode ; consisting of nothing but a debate between Alan Alda and Jimmy Smits , broadcast live .
There ’ s little to care about here , but if nothing else it ’ s a nice reminder of what presidential debates are supposed to be like .
The West Wing is available on All 4 in the UK from today

If ever there was a good time to get into The West Wing, this is it. The election cycle has been so monstrous – and potentially ruinous – that it has left us all craving the stately certainty of an Aaron Sorkin screenplay, as the rapturous reception to the cast’s reunion demonstrated. And if that is the case, help is at hand. Today, The West Wing will appear as a box set on All 4 in the UK, allowing you to access the entire series. The imperial first few seasons. The wobbly middle. The unexpectedly rousing climax. All of it.
But the US election is just a few days away, and there are 156 episodes. Watching the whole thing in time is an almost impossible task, which is why I have selected the 10 best episodes (in chronological order) for you to pick out and savour.
In Excelsis Deo (season one, episode 10)
President Bartlet goes for a stroll. Photograph: NBC/NBCUniversal/Getty Images
Although the pilot would be the most sensible place to start, the first real West Wing masterpiece was its season-one Christmas episode. There is enough plot in this one episode to fill at least a couple of feature films. Toby takes it upon himself to solve the mystery of a dead Vietnam veteran, Josh tries to use a sex worker to dig up dirt on a rival, President Bartlet sneaks out and is adorable with the public – and the show’s trademark earnestness is shored up by the festive setting.
Celestial Navigation (season one, episode 15)
Edward James Olmos as jailed Judge Roberto Mendoza makes life difficult for Josh. Photograph: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images
Five episodes later, The West Wing was as tonally different as it is possible to be. Celestial Navigation is almost a flat-out comedy, as Josh (Bradley Whitford embodying the standout character), recounts his bad week to a college class. Sorkin is famed for his love of structural experimentation, and not always positively, but here it fits the story perfectly. What’s more, it contains the secret ethos to the entire series: as Josh says: “It starts off as a nine-to-five job, but you can pretty much count on it being blown to hell by 9.30.”
Let Bartlet Be Bartlet (season one, episode 19)
Bradley Whitford as deputy chief of staff Josh Lyman. Photograph: NBC
And then, of course, there is the other ethos. “Let Bartlet be Bartlet” has become a rallying cry over the years, an I’ve Gotta Be Me-style mantra for West Wing devotees to the power of playing to your strengths. This is where it started; a memo reveals public dissatisfaction with Bartlet’s perceived ineffectiveness, and his staff’s subsequent decision to let him off the leash. The resulting flurry of liberal policies is the reason why everyone still wishes that Bartlet was the real president.
In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (season two, episodes one and two)
Stockard Channing’s First Lady comforts the President. Photograph: NBC
Although The West Wing shone brightest when it aligned itself with a bright political ideal, two-parters like In the Shadow of Two Gunmen also proved that it was also pretty nifty at the soapy stuff. Season one ended on a classic cliffhanger, with gunshots and an off-screen cry of: “Who’s been hit?” This double bill tracks the aftermath, as two beloved characters are treated for their life-threatening wounds. But what shoves it above the pulp is the way it also serves as a How the Gang Got Together origin story of sorts. It is masterly.
17 People (season two, episode 18)
President Bartlet offers up a Paddington Bear stare. Photograph: NBC
This is often cited as a cast favourite, and for good reason. 17 People was written to be as cheap as possible, to tamp down the show’s escalating budget, and as a result is the closest that The West Wing ever got to a theatrical performance. As the secret of Bartlet’s multiple sclerosis becomes less and less secret, Toby meditates on the repercussions of hiding his aliment from the American people. The focus is never anything less than ultra-tight, which makes this entire episode unbearably tense.
Two Cathedrals (season two, episode 22)
President Bartlet lights up in one of the series’ most iconic moments. Photograph: The Hollywood Archive/Alamy Stock Photo
Of course this is on the list. Two Cathedrals is a swaggering, arrogant, show-off of an episode, as Bartlet – a devout Catholic fresh from the trauma of losing his executive secretary to a drunk driver – screams at God in Latin, smokes a cigarette, listens to Dire Straits and finally decides to seek re-election. It is often called the best ever episode of The West Wing. I don’t agree, but it is certainly the West Wingiest.
Bartlet for America (season three, episode 9)
Richard Schiff’s Toby Ziegler with an incorrect campaign plackard. Photograph: NBC
Another Christmas episode. Against the backdrop of an investigation into the concealment of President Bartlet’s MS, Leo is pushed through the wringer like never before. His alcoholism is explored in excruciating detail, in the present and in flashbacks where he meets Bartlet for the first time. An episode about a man with an addictive personality unravelling due to the pressures of work, released eight months after Aaron Sorkin was arrested for felony drug possession, this one feels as if it’s coming straight from the gut.
20 Hours in America (season four, episodes one and two)
President Bartlet consults campaign expert Bruno Gianelli, played by Ron Silver. Photograph: NBC
In the thick of the campaign trail, Toby, Josh and Donna find themselves stranded in the American heartlands. The West Wing could be guilty of getting wrapped up in earnest self-importance – and there’s still some of that here – but for the most part, this is a fun and breezy interlude to all that.
Twenty Five (season four, episode 23)
John Goodman, left, as Allen Walken, the only man big enough to step into President Bartlet’s shoes. Photograph: NBC
Part of the thrill of watching The West Wing is knowing the backstory of the production. Aaron Sorkin took on a herculean amount of work, had a drug relapse under the pressure and then – in the shadow of falling ratings, network interference and Rob Lowe’s departure (reportedly over money) – left under less than optimal conditions. This was his final episode, and it ends with Bartlet being relieved of duty.
The Debate (season seven, episode seven)
Jimmy Smits as Matt Santos watches on as his opponent, Alan Alda’s Arnold Vinick, takes centre stage. Photograph: NBC
Really, you have little to gain from watching The West Wing beyond Twenty Five, because The West Wing without Aaron Sorkin isn’t really The West Wing. However, the remainder is still good for a few little curios. The most notable is this, from the final season. It’s an entirely atypical episode; consisting of nothing but a debate between Alan Alda and Jimmy Smits, broadcast live. There’s little to care about here, but if nothing else it’s a nice reminder of what presidential debates are supposed to be like.
The West Wing is available on All 4 in the UK from today