theguardian--2020-09-29--Conservatives' assault on the supreme court is a judicial tragedy in the making | Shira A Scheindlin

On Saturday , Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to become an associate justice of the supreme court , to fill the seat vacated by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
In one stroke he violated long-held precedents regarding filling supreme court vacancies , undermined the confidence of the American people in the legitimacy of the court , and ensured that the court will turn back decades of progress in civil rights .
This nomination is unprecedented .
No justice has been confirmed to a seat on the court during an election year when a vacancy occurred after June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February 2016 – an election year – the Republican majority in the Senate refused to even consider Barack Obama ’ s March nomination of Merrick Garland .
In fact , when Antonin Scalia died , Obama waited a month to make a nomination out of respect for the mourning process .
This time , Trump announced within a day of Ginsburg ’ s death that he would fill the seat immediately and then made his nomination just a week later .
In a naked acknowledgment of his true motivation , Trump recently said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the pending election could well end up before the court and a 4-4 court would be a bad thing .
Yet , in 2016 , the Republicans were content with a 4-4 court with an election around the corner .
Indeed , Republicans threatened that if Hillary Clinton won the election , no new justice would be confirmed , leaving the court with only eight justices throughout her term .
This election is already in progress with thousands ( and soon millions ) of Americans voting during what will inevitably be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will inevitably affect the election and thereby politicize the supreme court as never before .
The political branches of our government – the executive and legislative branches – are elected by voters ; the court , on the other hand , is supposed to be non-partisan .
While appointed by the president and confirmed by Congress , the justices are not beholden to any political party but rather to the rule of law .
This is no longer the case .
Public confidence and public perception that the courts are non-partisan has eroded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together with Trump ’ s unprecedented nomination of Barrett and her likely confirmation , will seal the Republican theft of two supreme court seats , at least in the eyes of more than half the electorate , and will ensure conservative control of the court for decades to come .
If Barrett ’ s record is any indication , the court will soon turn its back on its most treasured precedents and turn America into a more regressive country .
Before joining the bench just three years ago , she served as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ philosophy she has fully embraced .
She has also been a longtime member of the rightwing Federalist Society .
Her short judicial record , together with her scholarly writings , reveal that she is a rock-solid conservative jurist .
Like Scalia , she defines herself as an originalist and textualist , which means that the constitution must be viewed as of the time it was written .
From that perspective , there is nothing in the constitution that would explicitly support abortion rights , gay marriage , mandatory school desegregation , or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seized .
By contrast , in one of her most famous opinions , United States v Virginia ( 1996 ) , Ginsburg wrote that “ a prime part of the history of our constitution … is the story of the extension of constitutional rights and protections to people once ignored or excluded.
” In a 2013 article , Barrett repeatedly expressed the view that the supreme court had created , through judicial fiat , a framework of abortion on demand that ignited a national controversy .
In an opinion she joined with another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law preventing parents from terminating a pregnancy because they did not want a child of a particular sex or one with a disability could be unconstitutional .
These writings surely indicate that Barrett will do whatever she can to limit or eliminate abortion rights .
Barrett has also expressed dissatisfaction with the Affordable Care Act and support for a broad interpretation of the second amendment .
She has written that Chief Justice John Roberts “ pushed the Affordable Care Act beyond its plausible meaning ” .
She also quoted Scalia , when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obamacare should be renamed ‘ Scotuscare ’ ” in “ honor of the court ’ s willingness to ‘ rewrite ’ the statute in order to keep it afloat ” .
There is little doubt that Barrett would be inclined to find the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional and thereby deprive millions of Americans of affordable healthcare coverage .
Similarly , she wrote a dissenting opinion questioning the constitutionality of a statute that prohibited ex-felons from purchasing guns .
Thus , she has demonstrated her fealty to the NRA position that the more guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans dying from gun violence .
When addressing the legal doctrine known as stare decisis , meaning respect for precedent , Barrett wrote that she “ tend [ ed ] to agree with those who say that a justice ’ s duty is to the constitution and that it is thus more legitimate for her to enforce her best understanding of the constitution rather than a precedent she thinks is clearly in conflict with it ” .
In other words , she would overturn landmark decisions such as Brown v Board of Education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not reflect her best understanding of the constitution .
Stunningly , in an interview in 2016 , when asked whether Congress should confirm Obama ’ s nominee during an election year , Barrett responded that confirmation should wait until after the election because an immediate replacement would “ dramatically flip the balance of power ” .
Given that answer , she should decline the nomination , as her confirmation would even more dramatically flip the balance of the court , entrenching a 6-3 conservative majority .
Confirming this nominee before the outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determine both the identity of the next president and the composition of a new Senate – is unprecedented , inexcusable and a threat to many rights that the majority of Americans have embraced .
This is a tragedy about to happen .
• None Shira A Scheindlin served as a United States district judge for the southern district of New York for 22 years .
She is the co-chair of the board of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and a board member of the American Constitution Society

On Saturday, Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to become an associate justice of the supreme court, to fill the seat vacated by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In one stroke he violated long-held precedents regarding filling supreme court vacancies, undermined the confidence of the American people in the legitimacy of the court, and ensured that the court will turn back decades of progress in civil rights.
This nomination is unprecedented. Not since Congress in 1845 set a single November day for US national elections, has a justice been confirmed to a seat on the court when a vacancy occurred after June of election year.
Yet when a vacancy occurred in February 2016 – an election year – the Republican majority in the Senate refused to even consider Barack Obama’s March nomination of Merrick Garland. In fact, when Antonin Scalia died, Obama waited a month to make a nomination out of respect for the mourning process. This time, Trump announced within a day of Ginsburg’s death that he would fill the seat immediately and then made his nomination just a week later.
In a naked acknowledgment of his true motivation, Trump recently said that the country needs a ninth justice because the pending election could well end up before the court and a 4-4 court would be a bad thing. Yet, in 2016, the Republicans were content with a 4-4 court with an election around the corner. Indeed, Republicans threatened that if Hillary Clinton won the election, no new justice would be confirmed, leaving the court with only eight justices throughout her term.
This election is already in progress with thousands (and soon millions) of Americans voting during what will inevitably be a highly contentious confirmation process. This process will inevitably affect the election and thereby politicize the supreme court as never before. The political branches of our government – the executive and legislative branches – are elected by voters; the court, on the other hand, is supposed to be non-partisan. While appointed by the president and confirmed by Congress, the justices are not beholden to any political party but rather to the rule of law.
This is no longer the case. Public confidence and public perception that the courts are non-partisan has eroded. The Republican boycott of Garland, together with Trump’s unprecedented nomination of Barrett and her likely confirmation, will seal the Republican theft of two supreme court seats, at least in the eyes of more than half the electorate, and will ensure conservative control of the court for decades to come.
If Barrett’s record is any indication, the court will soon turn its back on its most treasured precedents and turn America into a more regressive country. Before joining the bench just three years ago, she served as a law clerk to Scalia, whose judicial philosophy she has fully embraced. She has also been a longtime member of the rightwing Federalist Society.
Public confidence and public perception that the courts are non-partisan has eroded
Her short judicial record, together with her scholarly writings, reveal that she is a rock-solid conservative jurist. Like Scalia, she defines herself as an originalist and textualist, which means that the constitution must be viewed as of the time it was written. From that perspective, there is nothing in the constitution that would explicitly support abortion rights, gay marriage, mandatory school desegregation, or the right to suppress evidence that is illegally seized. By contrast, in one of her most famous opinions, United States v Virginia (1996), Ginsburg wrote that “a prime part of the history of our constitution … is the story of the extension of constitutional rights and protections to people once ignored or excluded.”
In a 2013 article, Barrett repeatedly expressed the view that the supreme court had created, through judicial fiat, a framework of abortion on demand that ignited a national controversy. In an opinion she joined with another judge, she expressed doubt that a law preventing parents from terminating a pregnancy because they did not want a child of a particular sex or one with a disability could be unconstitutional. These writings surely indicate that Barrett will do whatever she can to limit or eliminate abortion rights.
Barrett has also expressed dissatisfaction with the Affordable Care Act and support for a broad interpretation of the second amendment. She has written that Chief Justice John Roberts “pushed the Affordable Care Act beyond its plausible meaning”. She also quoted Scalia, when he wrote that “the statute known as Obamacare should be renamed ‘Scotuscare’” in “honor of the court’s willingness to ‘rewrite’ the statute in order to keep it afloat”. There is little doubt that Barrett would be inclined to find the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional and thereby deprive millions of Americans of affordable healthcare coverage. Similarly, she wrote a dissenting opinion questioning the constitutionality of a statute that prohibited ex-felons from purchasing guns. Thus, she has demonstrated her fealty to the NRA position that the more guns the better – inevitably leading to more Americans dying from gun violence.
When addressing the legal doctrine known as stare decisis, meaning respect for precedent, Barrett wrote that she “tend[ed] to agree with those who say that a justice’s duty is to the constitution and that it is thus more legitimate for her to enforce her best understanding of the constitution rather than a precedent she thinks is clearly in conflict with it”. In other words, she would overturn landmark decisions such as Brown v Board of Education or Roe v Wade if those decisions did not reflect her best understanding of the constitution.
Stunningly, in an interview in 2016, when asked whether Congress should confirm Obama’s nominee during an election year, Barrett responded that confirmation should wait until after the election because an immediate replacement would “dramatically flip the balance of power”. Given that answer, she should decline the nomination, as her confirmation would even more dramatically flip the balance of the court, entrenching a 6-3 conservative majority.
Confirming this nominee before the outcome of the national elections – which will determine both the identity of the next president and the composition of a new Senate – is unprecedented, inexcusable and a threat to many rights that the majority of Americans have embraced. This is a tragedy about to happen.
Shira A Scheindlin served as a United States district judge for the southern district of New York for 22 years. She is the co-chair of the board of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and a board member of the American Constitution Society.


theguardian--2020-09-29--Troubled Florida, divided America: will Donald Trump hold this vital swing state? - video

Donald Trump ’ s presidency has changed American society .
With six weeks until the most important election in a @ @ @ @ @ Tom Silverstone are crossing the US to uncover the fault lines that underpin American politics @ @ @ @ @ state of Florida , where disinformation on Covid-19 has spread unchecked , the race for @ @ @ @ @ by the day • To stay up to date on coronavirus news around the world @ @ @ @ @ .
• For further information on the dangers of the virus visit the CDC 's @ @

Oliver Laughland, Tom Silverstone, Noah Payne-Frank, Katie Lamborn and Charlie Phillips

Donald Trump’s presidency has changed American society. With six weeks until the most important election in a generation, Oliver Laughland and Tom Silverstone are crossing the US to uncover the fault lines that underpin American politics. In the vital swing state of Florida, where disinformation on Covid-19 has spread unchecked, the race for the White House is tightening by the day
To stay up to date on coronavirus news around the world follow the Guardian's blog.
For further information on the dangers of the virus visit the CDC's website.


theguardian--2020-09-30--Presidential debate live: Trump talks over Biden as candidates clash on healthcare and supreme court

Biden criticized Trump over reports that he described fallen American soldiers as “ suckers ” and “ losers.
” Biden @ @ @ @ @ , Beau , who died of brain cancer in 2015 , served in Iraq for @ @ @ @ @ Bronze Star .
Trump responded by dismissing the memory of Biden ’ s son , @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t know Beau ; I know Hunter.
” The president then launched @ @ @ @ @ ’ s younger son for his business activities and past drug use .
Biden said @ @ @ @ @ , had struggled with drug abuse , and he said he was proud of his @ @ @ @ @ his addiction .

30 Sept 2020 11.37 BST Kathleen Hunter at Bloomberg has this morning described last night as a “mud-wrestling match”. She writes: Refusing to give any ground, the president at times flustered Biden – whom he has for months sought to paint as senile — with unrelenting attacks on his family and policies. Trump, 74, made assertions — on election integrity, his income taxes, a potential coronavirus vaccine and other topics — that don’t stand up to fact-checking. For her, she thought “The biggest takeaway from the unedifying spectacle might be Trump’s refusal again to commit to a peaceful transition.”
And she had this to say about the prospect of the remaining two debates: The question now is whether the exchange will be more civil when the candidates meet on 15 October for their second debate and whether – with large portions of the electorate already having either decided on their pick or cast their ballot — the sessions even matter much. Read it here: Bloomberg – US debate descends into mud-wrestling match
30 Sept 2020 11.07 BST Reuters report what sounds like a testy reply from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in his daily conference call with reporters this morning. Ask to comment on the US election, Peskov said that Russia, like many other nations in the world, is closely following the campaign, adding: “But we do not want to make any statements as this could be viewed as an attempt to intervene. Russia has never, is not and is not going to intervene in US domestic affairs.” This denial is, of course, at odds with the CIA finding that Russia did attempt to interfere in the 2016 election, and recent warnings from William Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, that Russia, China and Iran are all seeking to influence November’s vote.
30 Sept 2020 10.43 BST Perhaps one of Joe Biden’s most effective moments in the debate last night was when he was asking the nation how many of you have an empty chair now at the breakfast table because you’ve lost someone through Covid. It demonstrated a personal empathy with the emotional impact of the pandemic across America that the president has often been criticised for not showing. However, Time magazine’s Alice Park was unhappy with both candidates overnight in the way they approached the subject of the pandemic during the debate. She writes: During the 15-minute segment dedicated to Covid-19 — which is still killing hundreds of Americans each day, and stands to worsen once again — neither Trump nor Biden provided any substantive plans for what health experts say will be a critical next few months, and possibly years, in the fight against the coronavirus. Instead of thoughtful plans for addressing the deadliest and most disruptive public health crisis the world has faced in a century, viewers got a mud-slinging brawl between two candidates who were mostly more interested in landing jabs than in providing any reassurance to an already edgy public reeling from lost loved ones, lost jobs and disrupted lives. The personal attacks and repeated interruptions from the candidates overshadowed any opportunity for voters to form a firm picture of how either Trump or Biden plan to navigate the remainder of this pandemic—not to mention the upcoming flu season. In particular she pointed out that instead of explaining how a vaccine could be distributed, “Trump and Biden tussled over the Trump Administration’s constant conflict with scientists and public health experts and their differing views on how to safely reopen society.” Yesterday there were 43,355 new coronavirus cases and 918 new Covid deaths reported in the US. Read it here: Time – The Trump-Biden debate was a missed opportunity to provide Americans with clarity on Covid-19
30 Sept 2020 10.31 BST Nevada is another closely watched state during presidential elections. Hillary Clinton won it last time out, as Barack Obama had done in the previous two elections. But Nevada voted Republican for Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush and George W. Bush. The state’s attorney general, Aaron D. Ford, expressed concern on social media last night after the president appeared to be encouraging voter intimidation during the debate. Trump also told "his supporters" to "go into the polls and watch very carefully."
But he wasn't talking about poll watching. He was talking about voter intimidation.
FYI -- voter intimidation is illegal in Nevada. Believe me when I say it: You do it, and you will be prosecuted. — Aaron D. Ford (@AaronDFordNV) September 30, 2020
30 Sept 2020 10.27 BST The battle to win Florida in November is a keenly fought one, with 29 Electoral College votes at stake. Last time Trump carried the state by 49-47 against Hillary Clinton. The Miami Herald this morning is leading with two direct quotes from the candidates. Trump telling Biden “There’s nothing smart about you. 47 years, you’ve done nothing”, and Biden telling Trump “You are the worse president America has ever had.” Good morning, South Florida. Here is Wednesday's front page. Keep up with the news at https://t.co/SUDth1TjN2 ... And subscribe to support local coverage: https://t.co/QBR6bTYsRC pic.twitter.com/bfv21q8TTM — Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) September 30, 2020 Biden will be visiting Miami for the first time during his 2020 campaign on Monday, when he will be doing a town hall style debate for NBC.
30 Sept 2020 10.12 BST Associated Press have rounded up a little international reaction to last night. They note that Hu Xijin, editor of China’s nationalistic Communist party tabloid Global Times, said that the “chaos, interruptions, personal attacks and insults” on display were a reflection of America’s “overarching division, anxiety and the accelerating erosion of the system’s original advantages.” “I used to admire this kind of televised debate in American politics, but I have much more mixed feelings when watch it again now,” wrote Hu, who personally and through his paper routinely attacks American policies. “Indeed, the overall image of the United States is growing more and more complicated in my eyes,” Hu wrote. The editor-at-large of the newspaper The Australian, Paul Kelly, described the debate as a “spiteful, chaotic, abusive, often out-of-control brawling encounter with both candidates revealing their contempt for each other.” Another Australian, conservative politician Tim Wilson, told ABC that “For most part, it was a slanging match between President Trump and Vice President Biden. I’ve got to say, I thought it was pretty unedifying in terms of a discussion, not just about the future of America, but ultimately because of the might of the United States, about the rest of the world as well.”
Updated at 10.13 BST
30 Sept 2020 10.01 BST Here’s our highlights reel from last night – it is six minutes that will give the you the flavour of the extent to which the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden deteriorated into an ugly display of contempt. The president relentlessly interrupted and attacked his Democratic rival during clashes over the coronavirus pandemic, racism, the economy, mail-in voting and the future of the supreme court, with moderator Chris Wallace seemingly powerless to intervene. 06:22 Biden and Trump trade insults in frenzied presidential debate – video highlights
30 Sept 2020 09.46 BST The world-weary tone of the Washington Post fact-checkers was in evidence again as they assessed the truthfulness of 21 claims made during the debate. As they put it: “Trump repeatedly relied on troublesome and false facts that have been debunked throughout his presidency. Biden, by contrast, stretched the truth on occasion.” Among the more trivial claims from Trump they debunk are that he was responsible for bring back Big Ten football, a falsehood about where Biden went to college, saying Biden supported the Green New Deal whose details Trump mis-stated into the bargain, and over-estimating the number of judges he’s appointed.
More seriously, the Post had this to say about Trump’s rigged election message: As usual, Trump offered a baseless conspiracy theory that widespread use of mail ballots during an infectious disease pandemic would lead to massive voter fraud. There is simply no evidence for these claims. The Department of Homeland Security says Russia is spreading the same kind of disinformation to sow doubts about mail balloting and the integrity of the US election. On his claim to be lowering drug prices, the Post notes “There is just no evidence for this pie-in-the-sky prediction”, and on his frequent boast about having presided over the best US economy of all time, they state “By just about any important measure, the economy under Trump has not done as well as it did under presidents Eisenhower, Johnson and Clinton.” For his part, Joe Biden was incorrect to claim that the US has “a higher deficit with China now than we did before”, and the Post said that he used a “selective presentation” of crime figures to put his record in a better light than Trump’s.
Read it here: Washington Post – Fact-checking the first Trump-Biden presidential debate
30 Sept 2020 09.08 BST A debate like last night’s – 90 minutes long and a torrent of false and misleading claims – is an absolute nightmare for the fact-checkers among us. However, it does become slightly easier if the subject of the false claims can provide their own fact-check in real-time.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports this morning that Multnomah county sheriff Mike Reese jumped straight onto Twitter after president Donald Trump appeared to claim that he had secured the endorsement of the “Portland sheriff” In tonight’s presidential debate the President said the “Portland Sheriff” supports him. As the Multnomah County Sheriff I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him. — Mike Reese (@SheriffReese) September 30, 2020 Portland in Oregon has seen near-continuous nightly Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd in May, which have often been met with force by local and federal authorities.
30 Sept 2020 08.53 BST This was the verdict of Delaware’s Democratic Senator Chris Coons on last night, as the chaotic debate opens the possibility that the Biden campaign may request format changes going forward. It was very hard to follow what was being said, and President Trump showed not just disrespect to the moderator, but to the American people who tuned in trying to figure out what his plans are. The point of the debate is for the American people to make a decision, informed by hearing from the two candidates on what’s your record, what are your values? Joe Biden came prepared to respect the American people. Donald Trump did not. As well as next week’s hotly anticipated vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, there are two further Trump-Biden debates currently in the calendar. You can pop Thursday 15 October at 9pm ET in Florida and Thursday 22 October at 8pm CDT in Tennessee into your diary now. There were questions from the media immediately after last night as to whether Joe Biden and his team might pull out of the remaining two due to the president’s behaviour. They’ve ruled that out. However, on a call with reporters, Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said that the campaign was in ongoing talks with the commission who govern the rules for the debates, saying “I would imagine there would be some additional conversations” going forward. The Trump campaign were also unhappy with the moderation by Chris Wallace last night. However, their view was that “Chris Wallace jumped in too often to save Biden from himself when he had backed himself into a corner or couldn’t come up with an answer”, according to campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh.


theguardian--2020-09-30--Trump and Biden ready for first TV showdown – as it happened

A federal appeals court upheld a ruling – contested by Republicans - that extends the deadline for counting absentee ballots @ @ @ @ @ means that ballots postmarked by 3 November will be so long as they arrive before @ @ @ @ @ National Committee and state Republican leaders and legislators had argued against the extension - arguing @ @ @ @ @ of time to return their ballots .
But the state this year is expecting as @ @ @ @ @ vote by mail .
The sheer volume of ballots that election officials are expecting , @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration has sought to undermine the postal service means that a 3 November @ @ @ @ @ voters .
Republicans are expected to challenge this decision in the Supreme Court - which @ @ @ @ @ to fill following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg .

Maanvi Singh (now), Joan E Greve, Joanna Walters and Martin Belam (earlier)

29 Sept 2020 00.53 BST Summary We’re closing down this blog, but Joan E Greve and I will be covering the presidential debate tonight. Follow along here: Presidential debate live: Trump and Biden to face off for first time Read more The debate will start at 9 pm ET tonight , and it will take place at the Samson Pavillion, an academic building shared by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic.
, and it will take place at the Samson Pavillion, an academic building shared by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic. Seven former FDA commissioners have issued a sharp rebuke of the Trump administration for politicizing the approval and development process for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments. “At risk is the FDA’s ability to make the independent, science-based decisions that are key to combating the pandemic and so much more,” they wrote, in an op-ed published by the Washington Post.
for politicizing the approval and development process for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments. “At risk is the FDA’s ability to make the independent, science-based decisions that are key to combating the pandemic and so much more,” they wrote, in an op-ed published by the Washington Post. A federal appeals court has upheld a deadline extension for counting ballots in Wisconsin. National and state Republican leaders have been fighting efforts to count every vote, challenging a provision that would allow votes postmarked by election day to get counted even if they arrive up to 6 days late. Even as the administration seeks to undermine the post office, Republicans are expected to fight this provision to count delayed ballots in the Supreme Court.
National and state Republican leaders have been fighting efforts to count every vote, challenging a provision that would allow votes postmarked by election day to get counted even if they arrive up to 6 days late. Even as the administration seeks to undermine the post office, Republicans are expected to fight this provision to count delayed ballots in the Supreme Court. Amy Coney Barrett’s supreme court nomination was officially sent to the Senate. The announcement comes on the same day that Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose seat Barrett would be filling, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell met with Barrett earlier today.
The announcement comes on the same day that whose seat Barrett would be filling, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Senate majority leader met with Barrett earlier today. Biden and Kamala Harris released their 2019 tax returns. The move was clearly meant to criticize Trump for not yet having released any of his tax returns. The documents showed Biden and his wife paid nearly $300,000 in federal income tax last year. According to the New York Times, Trump paid only $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017.
The move was clearly meant to criticize Trump for not yet having released any of his tax returns. The documents showed Biden and his wife paid nearly $300,000 in federal income tax last year. According to the New York Times, Trump paid only $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017. New York City plans to impose fines on people who refuse to wear a face covering, as it was announced that the rate of positive tests for coronavirus climbed above 3% in the city for the first time in months.
as it was announced that the rate of positive tests for coronavirus climbed above 3% in the city for the first time in months. Former special counsel Robert Mueller responded to criticism from one of his former colleagues. In his new book, Andrew Weissmann, a former prosecutor in the special counsel’s office, argues Mueller’s team did not do enough to hold Trump accountable in the Russia investigation. Mueller said in a statement that he made his investigation-related decisions “without any interest in currying favor or fear of the consequences”. Mueller added, “I stand by those decisions and by the conclusions of our investigation.”
Updated at 01.04 BST
29 Sept 2020 00.38 BST A federal appeals court upheld a ruling – contested by Republicans - that extends the deadline for counting absentee ballots in Wisconsin. The decision means that ballots postmarked by 3 November will be so long as they arrive before 9 November. The Republican National Committee and state Republican leaders and legislators had argued against the extension - arguing that people would have plenty of time to return their ballots. But the state this year is expecting as many as 2m people to vote by mail. The sheer volume of ballots that election officials are expecting, combined with the fact that the Trump administration has sought to undermine the postal service means that a 3 November cutoff could disenfranchise thousands of voters. Republicans are expected to challenge this decision in the Supreme Court - which the party is currently rushing to fill following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Updated at 00.53 BST
29 Sept 2020 23.52 BST Seven former Food and Drug commissioners have written an op-ed in the Washington Post, rebuking the Trump administration. The commissioners accuse Trump of politicizing the Covid-19 vaccine and drug approval process, asserting: “At risk is the FDA’s ability to make the independent, science-based decisions that are key to combating the pandemic and so much more.” The former commissioners include Scott Gottlieb and Mark McClellan, who serve on the boards of Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson – which are both developing a Covid-19 vaccine. Robert Califf, Margaret Hamburg, Jane Henney, David Kessler and Andy von Eschenbach have also signed the op-ed. Kessler is an adviser for the Biden campaign. They write: In 1906, when President Theodore Roosevelt signed a bill to create what is now the FDA, one of his first actions was to delegate the oversight of food and drug safety to the agency’s scientists. In the 114 years since, FDA professionals have created a consumer safety net that has been a worldwide model for evidence-based public health policy. Indeed, for decades, when we and our predecessors spoke as FDA commissioners about issues of regulation and people’s health, the public knew we were speaking on behalf of experts whose judgments were grounded in science. That is changing in deeply troubling ways. The White House has said it might try to influence the scientific standards for vaccine approval put forward by the FDA or block the agency from issuing further written guidance on its criteria for judging the safety and benefits of a potential Covid-19 vaccine. This pronouncement came just after key leaders at the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health all publicly supported that guidance. Trump has promised a vaccine before the elections, despite CDC director Robert Redfield’s suggestion that it wouldn’t be available widely until “late second quarter, third quarter 2021”.
29 Sept 2020 23.27 BST The first presidential debate is tonight, and we’ll be covering it live. But Donald Trump’s campaign team may have missed that memo... Hours before the debate, a Trump camp email goes out: "I just finished debating Joe Biden." pic.twitter.com/4OHQLmLDv9 — Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) September 29, 2020
29 Sept 2020 23.05 BST Tensions and insults in the battle for Florida lay bare America’s divisions Oliver Laughland Decisions in this vital swing state are made in two different realities, one adherent to facts and science, the other rooted in conspiracies and political dogma 13:55 Troubled Florida, divided America: will Donald Trump hold this vital swing state? - video If you wanted a symbol for Donald Trump’s complete takeover of the Republican party, you could do little better than a nondescript shopping mall on the outskirts of Largo in west Florida. This is a usually quiet intersection in Florida’s quintessential bellwether county, Pinellas, which has voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election since 1980 (bar the disputed 2000 race won by George W Bush). But eight months ago Cliff Gephart, an enthusiastic Trump supporter and local entrepreneur, transformed a vacant lot – formerly a strip club – into a thriving coffee shop devoted to the president. Business at Conservative Grounds is roaring, despite the pandemic, with hundreds and, they claim, occasionally over a thousand customers, dropping by each day for a cup of coffee, a chat about politics and to purchase from a plethora of Trump themed merchandise. No-one is social distancing or wearing a facemask. In 2016, the narrative of the so-called “secretive Trump voter” went part of the way to explaining the billionaire property magnate’s unexpected pathway to the White House. But now, in Pinellas as in many parts of the country, Trump supporters are out in force, unafraid, empowered and organised. Read more: Tensions and insults in the battle for Florida lay bare America's divisions Read more
29 Sept 2020 22.40 BST The House intelligence committee has subpoenaed the Department of Homeland security, as part of an ongoing investigation into whether top officials at the agency pressured DHS officials to modify intelligence reports to fit the president’s agenda. A whistleblower has accused Trump appointees at the agency of downplaying Russian interference and white supremacist threats. The House intelligence committee has subpoenaed the Department of Homeland Security over documents and testimony related to an ongoing investigation into the agency’s intelligence office, the panel’s chairman, congressman Adam Schiff, announced Tuesday. Adam Schiff, the California representative who heads the intelligence committee, accused the agency of blocking the whistleblower from testifying and failing to provide key documents. BREAKING: @HouseIntel just subpoenaed DHS and the acting head of its intelligence office.
They are effectively blocking the whistleblower from testifying and have failed to provide key documents.
We will not tolerate DHS's obstruction and attempts to run out the clock. — Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) September 29, 2020
Updated at 22.45 BST
29 Sept 2020 22.29 BST Hi, there - It’s Maanvi Singh, blogging from the West Coast. This weekend, Donald Trump is scheduled to hold two events in Wisconsin as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the state are surging. In Green Bay, which Trump will visiting on Saturday evening, a major hospital reported that Covid-19 patients are occupying three-fourths of intensive care unit beds, and is at 94% capacity. The Green Bay Press-Gazette reported that last week, the Bellin Hospital emergency room was so overwhelmed that workers were treating patients in gurneys in the hospital hallways.
Bellin Health nurses asked residents to “show compassion and concern for your fellow human beings, especially those at high risk, by staying home” and requested the locals wear masks to slow the spread of disease. Please show compassion and concern for your fellow human beings, especially those at high risk, by staying home and encouraging your friends and family to do the same. If you do go out, avoid large gatherings and please wear masks! We’re all in this together. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/yp0spk3jG8 — Bellin Health (@BellinHealth) September 29, 2020
29 Sept 2020 22.00 BST Today so far That’s it from me for now. I’ll be back later tonight to cover the first presidential debate between Trump and Biden. Here’s where the day stands so far: Trump has arrived in Cleveland, Ohio, and Biden is en route. The debate will start at 9 pm ET tonight, and it will take place at the Samson Pavillion, an academic building shared by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic.
The debate will start at 9 pm ET tonight, and it will take place at the Samson Pavillion, an academic building shared by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic. Amy Coney Barrett’s supreme court nomination was officially sent to the Senate. The announcement comes on the same day that Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose seat Barrett would be filling, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell met with Barrett earlier today.
The announcement comes on the same day that whose seat Barrett would be filling, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Senate majority leader met with Barrett earlier today. Biden and Kamala Harris released their 2019 tax returns. The move was clearly meant to criticize Trump for not yet having released any of his tax returns. The documents showed Biden and his wife paid nearly $300,000 in federal income tax last year. According to the New York Times, Trump paid only $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017.
The move was clearly meant to criticize Trump for not yet having released any of his tax returns. The documents showed Biden and his wife paid nearly $300,000 in federal income tax last year. According to the New York Times, Trump paid only $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017. New York City plans to impose fines on people who refuse to wear a face covering, as it was announced that the rate of positive tests for coronavirus climbed above 3% in the city for the first time in months.
as it was announced that the rate of positive tests for coronavirus climbed above 3% in the city for the first time in months. Former special counsel Robert Mueller responded to criticism from one of his former colleagues. In his new book, Andrew Weissmann, a former prosecutor in the special counsel’s office, argues Mueller’s team did not do enough to hold Trump accountable in the Russia investigation. Mueller said in a statement that he made his investigation-related decisions “without any interest in currying favor or fear of the consequences”. Mueller added, “I stand by those decisions and by the conclusions of our investigation.” My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Updated at 22.03 BST
29 Sept 2020 21.46 BST Trump has arrived at the debate venue in Cleveland, Ohio, to conduct the traditional walk-through of the site. Each presidential candidate is allowed to walk through the venue to get a sense of the debate stage before the event begins. . @realDonaldTrump arrives at the debate site in Cleveland pic.twitter.com/iyfvCpw2Yf — Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) September 29, 2020 Tonight’s debate, which will begin at 9 pm ET, is being held at the Samson Pavillion, an academic building shared by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic.
29 Sept 2020 21.33 BST Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell dismissed the suggestion that Amy Coney Barrett would vote to scrap the Affordable Care Act. “This mother of seven, including multiple children who were born or adopted facing preexisting condition medical challenges, is just itching to block families like hers from accessing medical care. What a joke,” McConnell said, per an NBC News reporter. McConnell mocks claims that Barrett could vote to take away health care.
"This mother of 7 including multiple children who were born or adopted facing pre-existing condition medical challenges is just itching to block families like hers from accessing medical care. What a joke." — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) September 29, 2020 However, Barrett has previously criticized the decision to uphold the ACA, saying chief justice John Roberts “pushed the Affordable Care Act beyond its plausible meaning to save the statute” when the issue came before the supreme court in 2012. Democrats have consistently warned that, if Barrett is confirmed, the ACA could be on the chopping block, which could cause healthcare costs to soar for those with preexisting conditions.
Updated at 22.00 BST
29 Sept 2020 21.14 BST Barrett's nomination officially sent to Senate The supreme court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett has been officially sent to the Senate, with five weeks to go until election day. Barrett’s nomination has now been officially sent to the Senate pic.twitter.com/ceRoSUWVdJ — Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) September 29, 2020 The announcement comes on the same day that Barrett met with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell on Capitol Hill. I had the opportunity to meet with Judge Barrett earlier today. President Trump has nominated exactly the kind of outstanding person whom the American people deserve to have on their highest Court. pic.twitter.com/0tTJqPwpeP — Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) September 29, 2020 Senate Republicans are seeking to get Barrett confirmed before the November 3 elections, representing a far tighter timeline than other recent supreme court confirmations. The nomination was also sent to the Senate on the same day that Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose death opened up the supreme court seat Republicans are rushing to fill, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Ginsburg’s reported dying wish was that her supreme court seat not be filled until after the presidential election, a request that Republicans have ignored.
29 Sept 2020 20.59 BST Joanna Walters In another bitter symbol for rattled liberals, on the morning that arch conservative Amy Coney Barrett paid a visit to Mitch McConnell on Capitol Hill, prior to her expected swift confirmation and ascension to the supreme court, the woman she will replace was laid to rest. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, aka the Notorious RBG, feminist and left-leaning icon, was buried this morning in Arlington National Cemetery, in Virginia, just on the outskirts of Washington. She was to be buried next to her late husband, Marty, who died in 2010, and the event took place four days after Ginsburg was afforded the honor last Friday of being the first woman to lie in state in the US Capitol. A photo essay: the capital mourns a week after Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death Read more Meanwhile, demonstrations continue in Washington, DC. A group of clergy, rabbis and imams march from the US Capitol to the Dirksen Senate Office Building during a demonstration to remember Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, earlier today. The group was led by Reverend Dr William Barber. Photograph: REX/Shutterstock A group of clergy, rabbis and imams marched from the US Capitol to the Dirksen Senate Office Building during a demonstration to remember Supreme Court Ginsburg, earlier today. The group was led by Reverend Dr William Barber and they urged Americans to vote in her memory and that of Kentucky police shooting victim Breonna Taylor. Reverend William Barber II, center, leads leaders of various faiths gathered near the US Capitol and march silently to the supreme court and towards the Dirksen Senate office building to remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Kentucky police shooting victim Breonna Taylor. They urged Americans to vote in their memory. Photograph: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
29 Sept 2020 20.43 BST Air Force One has arrived in Cleveland, with just hours to go until the first presidential debate between Trump and Biden. According to the White House press pool, a senior Trump campaign official spoke to reporters during the short flight to Cleveland. The official said the president is ready for the debate and would not be doing any last-minute prep work on the plane. “He’s ready to go,” the official said. The person added that the president’s team expects his tax returns to be mentioned at the beginning of the debate. The New York Times reported Sunday that Trump only paid $750 in federal income taxes the year he won the presidency. Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, will also be one of the president’s guests for the debate, the official said.
29 Sept 2020 20.34 BST Joe Biden is now en route to Cleveland as well, having boarded his campaign plane in Wilmington, Delaware, moments ago. The Democratic nominee appears to have a new campaign plane with the Biden/Harris logo on its side. Joe Biden boards a plane to Cleveland for his first debate with President Trump. The Biden campaign has a new plane with the Biden/Harris logo on the side. pic.twitter.com/Wc3mTUgSWb — Tyler Pager (@tylerpager) September 29, 2020
29 Sept 2020 20.23 BST Several of Trump’s family members joined him on Air Force One for the trip to Cleveland, Ohio, where the first presidential debate will be held tonight. Two of the president’s children, Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump, were spotted boarding the plane. Press pool on Air Force One reports WH Chief of Staff Mark Meadows says Pres Trump is in “a good mood’ as he heads to the debate. Also aboard are members of the Trump Family including Eric, Lara and Tiffany. along with Alice Johnson, who received a pardon from Trump last month. pic.twitter.com/LDJ2YwX0CG — Mark Knoller (@markknoller) September 29, 2020 The White House press pool also saw Alice Johnson boarding Air Force One. In 2018, Trump commuted Johnson’s prison sentence for a non-violent drug offense. Johnson spoke at the Republican convention last month and then received a full pardon from Trump. Speaking to reporters shortly before takeoff, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Trump had completed his debate preparations and was in a good mood. According to CNN, Trump did less than two hours of debate prep total to prepare for tonight’s event.
29 Sept 2020 20.11 BST Mueller responds to former colleague's criticism Former special counsel Robert Mueller has released a statement responding to criticism from one of his former colleagues. In his new book, Andrew Weissmann, a former prosecutor in the special counsel’s office, argues Mueller’s team did not do enough to hold Trump accountable in the Russia investigation. “It is not surprising that members of the Special Counsel’s Office did not always agree, but it is disappointing to hear criticism of our team based on incomplete information,” Mueller said in the statement, per the Washington Post. “When important decisions had to be made, I made them,” Mueller added. “I did so as I have always done, without any interest in currying favor or fear of the consequences. I stand by those decisions and by the conclusions of our investigation.” Mueller concluded his investigation last year and released a report on the team’s findings, which included significant evidence that Trump obstructed justice but did not come to an explicit conclusion on the matter.


theguardian--2020-09-30--Trump and Biden to clash in first 2020 presidential debate

Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the first presidential debate of the general election on Tuesday night , as the president tries to gain an advantage over his opponent after months of trailing in the polls and new revelations that he avoided paying federal taxes for years .
A damning report in the New York Times documenting Trump ’ s tax avoidance efforts offered a fresh line of attack for Biden , who has sought to cast the election as a choice between Park Avenue , a symbol of the elite lifestyle Trump enjoyed as a businessman in New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city where he was born .
Hours before the debate , held in Cleveland , Ohio , Biden and his running mate , Kamala Harris , released their 2019 tax returns .
Breaking decades of precedent , Trump has refused to release his tax returns to the public .
Both campaigns have spent weeks preparing for the matchup , which is expected to draw millions of viewers .
Biden is expected to hammer Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic , which has claimed nearly 205,000 American lives .
Ahead of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempted to cast Biden as incoherent and fanned baseless online conspiracy theories that Biden requires cue cards or an earpiece to answer questions .
In a statement , Trump ’ s communications director , Tim Murtaugh , alleged that Biden ’ s campaign had reneged on an agreement to a “ pre-debate inspection for electronic earpieces ” and that his team sought “ multiple breaks during the debate , which President Trump doesn ’ t need ” .
Pointing to Trump ’ s demand that Biden submit to a drug test , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was clear the president ’ s opponent was looking for a “ safety net ” ahead of the debate .
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday afternoon , the deputy campaign manager , Kate Bedingfield , observed that Trump ’ s team appeared “ concerned that he will not do well tonight ” and were “ laying the groundwork for how they ’ re going to lie about why ” .
The Fox News anchor Chris Wallace will moderate the debate , focusing on six pre-determined topics , which include : the candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy , the supreme court , race and violence in American cities and the integrity of the election .
Each topic will receive 15 minutes of discussion during the 90-minute affair .
The debate is arguably Trump ’ s best opportunity to reset the presidential race in which he is currently behind .
The economy is the sole issue where Trump retains a slight advantage over Biden , though even there his edge is slipping .
Majorities of Americans consistently disapprove of Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have only made matters worse .
On election security , Trump may face scrutiny for his baseless attacks on mail-in balloting and attempts to undermine confidence in the electoral system .
Polls show that Americans have lost faith in the electoral process , a sign that his efforts to sow doubt ahead of the election are resonating .
Performance is equally , if not more , important than the discussion .
And in both style and substance , Biden and Trump are opposites .
Trump , ever the showman , has used past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his unorthodox approach .
The approach worked in 2016 , when Trump defeated his better-prepared opponents .
Biden , by contrast , delivered steady albeit less memorable performances in many of the Democratic primary debates .
And yet , Biden emerged victorious from a field of agile debaters .
Looming over the debate is whether anything either candidate says or does on Tuesday night will sway voters .
While nearly three in four voters said they planned to watch the debate on Tuesday night , according to a recent Monmouth University poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was “ very likely ” to affect their vote in November .

The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden deteriorated into an ugly display of contempt on Tuesday night, as the president relentlessly interrupted and attacked his Democratic rival during clashes over the coronavirus pandemic, race, the economy and the future of the supreme court.
Over the course of an extraordinarily combative and chaotic 90-minute performance, a fitting coda to what has been one of the nastiest presidential campaigns in recent memory, Trump interjected so frequently that Biden at one point lost his patience and snapped: “Will you shut up, man? This is so unpresidential.”
With just five weeks left until election day, Trump is trailing in national and battleground state polls. Amid accusations that he has mishandled the pandemic and damaging reports about his finances and past comments on the military, the debate was perhaps Trump’s best opportunity yet to shift the dynamics of the race, which has been remarkable steady throughout an exceptional turbulent summer.
Dominating the conversation appeared to be Trump’s central strategy, but he did on occasion return to the themes he has pressed on the campaign trail.
When Biden accused him of being the “worst president America has ever had”, Trump shot back that he had done “more in 47 months than you’ve done in 47 years”, an indictment of the former vice-president’s long career in Washington.
But even as Trump attempted to pin Biden, he trampled his own message with a stunning refusal to condemn white nationalism and commit to a peaceful transition of power.
Prompted by the moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, to denounce white supremacist violence after two anti-racist activists were killed during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the president said “sure” and asked which group he should condemn. Biden named the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group.
“Proud Boys? Stand back and stand by,” Trump said, before blaming the violence on the left. Social media users who identify as members of the group immediately celebrated the remark.
01:16 Trump namechecks Proud Boys as he refuses to condemn white supremacists in debate – video
Trump once again declined to honor the results of the election and continued to undermine the integrity of mail-in balloting, which is already under way in many states. Without evidence, he asserted that the process of voting by mail, which states have expanded in response to the pandemic, was rife with fraud.
The first debate took place in Cleveland, Ohio, against the backdrop of a nation in crisis: the pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 204,000 Americans and cost millions of jobs, while racial justice protests and climate-induced disasters demand urgent responses.
In a sign of the times, there was no public audience, handshakes were omitted, the podiums were staged a safe distance apart and empty seats separated the campaign staff and the candidate’s family members in attendance. In a striking contrast, Biden’s family and guests wore masks for the duration of the event, while the first lady, Melania Trump, and the rest of the president’s family removed theirs after being seated.
The debate opened with a question on the supreme court, about Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to fill the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Trump defended his decision to advance the nomination just days after Ginsburg’s death and just weeks before election day.
“We won the election, and therefore we have the right to choose her,” he said.
05:32 Voter suppression: how Trump is undermining the US election – video explainer
Biden said Ginsburg’s replacement should be chosen by the winner of this November’s presidential election and warned that the confirmation of Barrett – whom he called a “very fine person” – would lead to the gutting of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.
Trump jumped in to accuse Biden of wanting to pave the way for “socialist medicine” and attempted to tie the former vice-president to his former Democratic presidential rival Bernie Sanders.
“I beat Bernie Sanders,” Biden snapped. Forcefully denying the accusation that he is under the control of his party’s leftwing, he asserted: “I am the Democratic party now.”
“He just lost the left,” Trump quipped.
Biden refused to directly answer a question about court-packing, an idea gaining traction on the left that would expand the number of supreme court justices to even out the political leanings of the bench, poised to have a 6-3 conservative majority if Barrett is confirmed.
Pressed on new revelations that he avoided paying any federal taxes for years and paid only $750 in 2016 and 2017, Trump claimed without evidence that he had paid “millions of dollars” in federal taxes in those years, but he did not commit to releasing his returns as proof. He also bragged that he took advantage of tax loopholes and that as a successful businessman he didn’t “want to pay taxes”.
02:59 Biden tells Trump 'you are the worst president America has ever had' in battle over taxes – video
In the hours before the debate, Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, released their 2019 tax returns. According to the documents, the Bidens paid nearly $300,000 in taxes in 2019.
In a segment on the coronavirus crisis, Biden hammered Trump over his handling of the pandemic, in which the US has seen far more cases and deaths than any other country.
“Do you believe for a moment what he’s telling you, in light of all the lies he’s telling you, about Covid?” Biden asked.
Trump later cast doubt on evidence that humans are the primary driver of climate change and intensifying extreme weather, including record wildfires in the US west.
Despite the array of topics discussed, the debate will probably be remembered for the unsparing insults. Biden called the president a clown, a liar and a racist. Trump said Biden “doesn’t have it in his blood” to be a strong, decisive leader and claimed that his opponent avoided holding campaign ralliesbecause “nobody would show up”.
Trump also tangled with the moderator, who struggled to keep the proceedings intelligible amid the crosstalk and interruptions. At one point, Wallace attempted to ask Trump why he hadn’t released a healthcare plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Displeased with the query, Trump shot back: “I guess I’m debating you, not him, but that’s OK. I’m not surprised.”
01:41 US presidential debate moderator Chris Wallace struggles to contain Trump – video
Moderators of presidential debates typically do not factcheck the candidates, and Wallace made clear well in advance that he did not view that as his role. That left no one on stage to correct the president’s misstatements, overstatements and falsehoods, which were plentiful. Biden, who was more truthful, employed a favorite catchphrase – “Here’s the deal” – to try to set the record straight, but Trump’s hectoring made a rebuttal difficult. On occasion, Biden just smiled and shook his head in amazement.
“The fact is that everything he’s said so far is simply a lie,” Biden said. “I’m not here to call out his lies. Everybody knows he’s a liar.”
As expected, Trump raised unfounded accusations about Biden’s son, Hunter, related to his business dealings in Ukraine. Trump was impeached for pushing government officials in Kiev to investigate the Biden family. Despite no evidence of wrongdoing, Republican allies of the president have continued to fixate on the manufactured controversy.
Biden said the accusations were false and attempted to redirect the conversation back to the pandemic, but Trump refused to let it go.
He returned to the subject, reminding viewers of Hunter Biden’s past drug use. Biden, looking directly into the camera, explained that like many Americans, his son had struggled with addiction.
“My son had a drug problem” Biden said. “He’s overtaken it. He’s fixed it. He’s worked on it. And I’m proud of him.”
02:52 Trump interrupts Biden's tribute to late son to raise unfounded accusations – video
Ahead of the debate, Trump’s allies attempted to cast Biden as incoherent and fanned baseless online conspiracy theories that Biden requires cue cards or an earpiece to answer questions.
Biden’s campaign flatly denied the accusations.
The looming question is whether Tuesday night’s performance will sway voters. While nearly three in four voters said they planned to watch the debate on Tuesday night, according to a recent Monmouth University poll, just 3% of voters said it was “very likely” to affect their vote in November.
“It’s been an interesting hour and a half,” Wallace said, with a chuckle that seemed to acknowledge his own understatement.


theguardian--2020-09-29--How Trump's Apprentice earnings helped rescue his failing empire

When Donald Trump signed a deal to star in The Apprentice in 2004 , the New York Times ’ latest bombshell report on his tax returns shows , he was among the worst businessmen in the United States .
Tax documents obtained by the paper show how Trump squandered a $ 413m inheritance in a series of losing plays in real estate and casinos .
On his tax return in 2004 , he declared $ 89.9m in net losses from core businesses the previous year .
The story of how The Apprentice made Trump a household name , burnishing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimately paving his way to the White House , is well documented .
But on Tuesday , the Times exposed just how false that myth was , and how far into the red Trump had sunk when he was approached by Mark Burnett , a British-born reality TV producer known for the genre ’ s first mega-hit , Survivor .
The New York Times report also exploded the image of Trump as a businessman with a reality TV career on the side .
Taken together , the documents “ demonstrate that he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than being one in real life ” , the Times said .
As the first presidential debate approached , a White House spokesperson did not dispute any specific facts in the report but dismissed it as “ fake news ” and “ yet another politically motivated hit piece full of inaccurate smears ” .
Trump ’ s tax documents reveal that he netted $ 427m in earnings , endorsements and licensing from 14 seasons of The Apprentice , a sum which worked to cover the losses of the real estate and hospitality concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
On TV , Trump played a billionaire who judged young entrepreneurs hoping to make the big time , testily firing them one by one .
Without the role , his earnings would have been basically flat from 2000 to 2018 , his tax documents show – potentially leaving him unable to service debts incurred from his disastrous casino projects .
Now , as Trump nears the end of his first term as president , facing a long-shot re-election bid , even the Apprentice money appears to be gone , sunk in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once again to have delivered him to the brink of financial disaster .
On Tuesday , his Democratic presidential rival , Joe Biden , released his 2019 tax returns , as did the vice-presidential nominee , Kamala Harris .
Biden ’ s returns show taxable income of $ 944,737 and tax payments of $ 346,204 .
The returns for Harris and her husband , Doug Emhoff , show a taxable income of $ 3,018,127 and payments of $ 754,809 , with the figures in sharp contrast to Trump ’ s .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents for the president show Trump has borrowed $ 100m against Trump Tower in Manhattan , $ 160m on his hotel in Washington and $ 148m on the Doral golf resort in Miami , where he wanted to host the G7 summit .
A significant portion of those loans appear to be coming due in the next four years .
It is unclear how Trump will service them .
Trump ’ s base earnings from The Apprentice were nearly $ 200m , but he made even more , about $ 230m , through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deals .
Those deals included real estate developments around the world , including projects in Azerbaijan , Brazil and Mexico , where a failed Baja condo resort exploded in a giant fraud lawsuit after $ 32.5m deposited by prospective buyers , mostly from California , disappeared .
At home , Trump signed deals to market Double Stuf Oreos , Domino ’ s Pizza , All laundry detergent , get-rich-quick seminars , steaks , vodka , cologne and the McDonald ’ s Big N ’ Tasty burger .
The Serta mattress company paid him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out to “ consumers interested in experiencing the Trump lifestyle at an affordable price ” , his tax documents show .
Other deals drew accusations of fraud .
These included a “ Trump University ” , which ended in a $ 25m payout to settle lawsuits , and a multi-level marketing scheme that promised people they could make money by working from home , a privilege that cost the overwhelming majority more to learn about than they ever could recoup .
In 2004 , the season finale of The Apprentice attracted more young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ except the Oscars and a premiere of Survivor directly after the Super Bowl .
More than 40 million tuned in for the show ’ s climax , driving a flood of advertising dollars to NBC and huge paydays for Trump and Burnett .
But as the show aged its ratings sank , diminishing Trump ’ s income stream and dulling his marketing luster .
Former intimates of Trump have said he ran for president in 2016 not because he expected to win or even wanted to , but because he saw an opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he needed to find a new payday .
The bid did not work out as planned .

When Donald Trump signed a deal to star in The Apprentice in 2004, the New York Times’ latest bombshell report on his tax returns shows, he was among the worst businessmen in the United States.
Tax documents obtained by the paper show how Trump squandered a $413m inheritance in a series of losing plays in real estate and casinos. On his tax return in 2004, he declared $89.9m in net losses from core businesses the previous year.
The story of how The Apprentice made Trump a household name, burnishing his personal myth as a successful businessman and ultimately paving his way to the White House, is well documented. But on Tuesday, the Times exposed just how false that myth was, and how far into the red Trump had sunk when he was approached by Mark Burnett, a British-born reality TV producer known for the genre’s first mega-hit, Survivor.
The New York Times report also exploded the image of Trump as a businessman with a reality TV career on the side. Taken together, the documents “demonstrate that he was far more successful playing a business mogul than being one in real life”, the Times said.
As the first presidential debate approached, a White House spokesperson did not dispute any specific facts in the report but dismissed it as “fake news” and “yet another politically motivated hit piece full of inaccurate smears”.
Trump’s tax documents reveal that he netted $427m in earnings, endorsements and licensing from 14 seasons of The Apprentice, a sum which worked to cover the losses of the real estate and hospitality concerns that made up his business “empire”.
As Trump nears the end of his first term facing a long-shot re-election bid, the Apprentice money appears to be gone
On TV, Trump played a billionaire who judged young entrepreneurs hoping to make the big time, testily firing them one by one. Without the role, his earnings would have been basically flat from 2000 to 2018, his tax documents show – potentially leaving him unable to service debts incurred from his disastrous casino projects.
Now, as Trump nears the end of his first term as president, facing a long-shot re-election bid, even the Apprentice money appears to be gone, sunk in a series of golf resorts which appear once again to have delivered him to the brink of financial disaster.
On Tuesday, his Democratic presidential rival, Joe Biden, released his 2019 tax returns, as did the vice-presidential nominee, Kamala Harris.
Biden’s returns show taxable income of $944,737 and tax payments of $346,204. The returns for Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, show a taxable income of $3,018,127 and payments of $754,809, with the figures in sharp contrast to Trump’s.
Biden's 2019 tax returns show taxable income of $944,737 and tax payments of $346,204. (https://t.co/lioOTzZriN)
The Harris/Emhoff returns show a taxable income of $3,018,127 and payments of $754,809. (https://t.co/8ewhH4eocA)
(That's more than $750). pic.twitter.com/fP1cBike9p — Daniel Strauss (@DanielStrauss4) September 29, 2020
Meanwhile, the last eight years, the tax documents for the president show Trump has borrowed $100m against Trump Tower in Manhattan, $160m on his hotel in Washington and $148m on the Doral golf resort in Miami, where he wanted to host the G7 summit. A significant portion of those loans appear to be coming due in the next four years. It is unclear how Trump will service them.
Trump’s base earnings from The Apprentice were nearly $200m, but he made even more, about $230m, through an aggressive pursuit of licensing and endorsement deals. Those deals included real estate developments around the world, including projects in Azerbaijan, Brazil and Mexico, where a failed Baja condo resort exploded in a giant fraud lawsuit after $32.5m deposited by prospective buyers, mostly from California, disappeared.
At home, Trump signed deals to market Double Stuf Oreos, Domino’s Pizza, All laundry detergent, get-rich-quick seminars, steaks, vodka, cologne and the McDonald’s Big N’ Tasty burger. The Serta mattress company paid him $15.3m for the right to reach out to “consumers interested in experiencing the Trump lifestyle at an affordable price”, his tax documents show.
Other deals drew accusations of fraud. These included a “Trump University”, which ended in a $25m payout to settle lawsuits, and a multi-level marketing scheme that promised people they could make money by working from home, a privilege that cost the overwhelming majority more to learn about than they ever could recoup.
In 2004, the season finale of The Apprentice attracted more young viewers than any other entertainment program, except the Oscars and a premiere of Survivor directly after the Super Bowl. More than 40 million tuned in for the show’s climax, driving a flood of advertising dollars to NBC and huge paydays for Trump and Burnett.
But as the show aged its ratings sank, diminishing Trump’s income stream and dulling his marketing luster. Former intimates of Trump have said he ran for president in 2016 not because he expected to win or even wanted to, but because he saw an opportunity to reinvigorate his brand at a time when he needed to find a new payday.
The bid did not work out as planned.


theguardian--2020-09-29--Mueller rejects prosecutor's criticism of Trump-Russia investigation

In a rare public statement on Tuesday , Robert Mueller pushed back on criticism from a prosecutor who worked on his Russia investigation , who said the special counsel “ could have done more ” to hold Donald Trump to account .
“ It is not surprising that members of the special counsel ’ s office did not always agree , ” Mueller said , “ but it is disappointing to hear criticism of our team based on incomplete information.
” Mueller did not mention Andrew Weissmann by name .
Formerly a top federal prosecutor , Weissmann is now a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memoir of the Russia investigation , Where Law Ends , was released on Tuesday .
Weissmann charges that in the investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump and Moscow , Mueller and a senior deputy , Aaron Zebley , were cowed by the power of the presidency , too afraid to go after financial records or subpoena Trump family members .
He also says Trump was clearly guilty of obstruction of justice , an impeachable offense , in actions including the firing of James Comey , Mueller ’ s successor as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of possible obstruction of justice .
But he also cited a justice department standard that says a sitting president can not be indicted and left further action to Congress .
In his statement , Mueller said his team had known “ our work would be scrutinised from all sides ” .
He also defended Zebley , who Weissmann even compares to the civil war general George McClellan , who was notoriously reluctant to fight .
Zebley “ was privy to the full scope of the investigation and all that was at issue ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him for that role because I knew from our 10 years working together that he is meticulous and principled .
He was an invaluable and trusted counselor to me from start to finish.
” Mueller ’ s own mental fitness and participation in the investigation has been called into question .
“ When important decisions had to be made , ” he said on Tuesday , “ I made them .
I did so as I have always done , without any interest in currying favor or fear of the consequences .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclusions of our investigation.
” The justice department has fired back at Weissmann and his book , revealing a court filing in which an FBI agent says the Mueller team was out to “ get Trump ” .
Mueller did not communicate directly with the public while he was special counsel , which lasted nearly two years .
He did make a public statement in May 2019 , criticizing attorney general William Barr ’ s handling of the report ; before testifying in Congress two months later .
In July this year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post in which he criticised Trump ’ s commutation of the sentence handed to Roger Stone , a longtime ally of the president , after Mueller indicted him .
Mueller initiated proceedings against 34 individuals – among them Stone , Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort , his deputy Rick Gates , lawyer Michael Cohen and national security adviser Michael Flynn , all convicted – and three Russian companies .

In a rare public statement on Tuesday, Robert Mueller pushed back on criticism from a prosecutor who worked on his Russia investigation, who said the special counsel “could have done more” to hold Donald Trump to account.
“It is not surprising that members of the special counsel’s office did not always agree,” Mueller said, “but it is disappointing to hear criticism of our team based on incomplete information.”
Mueller did not mention Andrew Weissmann by name. Formerly a top federal prosecutor, Weissmann is now a professor at New York University. His memoir of the Russia investigation, Where Law Ends, was released on Tuesday.
Weissmann charges that in the investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump and Moscow, Mueller and a senior deputy, Aaron Zebley, were cowed by the power of the presidency, too afraid to go after financial records or subpoena Trump family members.
He also says Trump was clearly guilty of obstruction of justice, an impeachable offense, in actions including the firing of James Comey, Mueller’s successor as FBI director.
Mueller outlined 11 instances of possible obstruction of justice. But he also cited a justice department standard that says a sitting president cannot be indicted and left further action to Congress.
In his statement, Mueller said his team had known “our work would be scrutinised from all sides”. He also defended Zebley, who Weissmann even compares to the civil war general George McClellan, who was notoriously reluctant to fight.
Zebley “was privy to the full scope of the investigation and all that was at issue”, Mueller said. “I selected him for that role because I knew from our 10 years working together that he is meticulous and principled. He was an invaluable and trusted counselor to me from start to finish.”
Mueller’s own mental fitness and participation in the investigation has been called into question.
“When important decisions had to be made,” he said on Tuesday, “I made them. I did so as I have always done, without any interest in currying favor or fear of the consequences. I stand by those decisions and by the conclusions of our investigation.”
Weissmann did not immediately comment.
The justice department has fired back at Weissmann and his book, revealing a court filing in which an FBI agent says the Mueller team was out to “get Trump”.
Mueller did not communicate directly with the public while he was special counsel, which lasted nearly two years. He did make a public statement in May 2019, criticizing attorney general William Barr’s handling of the report; before testifying in Congress two months later.
In July this year, Mueller wrote a column for the Washington Post in which he criticised Trump’s commutation of the sentence handed to Roger Stone, a longtime ally of the president, after Mueller indicted him.
Mueller initiated proceedings against 34 individuals – among them Stone, Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, his deputy Rick Gates, lawyer Michael Cohen and national security adviser Michael Flynn, all convicted – and three Russian companies.


theguardian--2020-09-29--Trump, tyranny and a warning from history | Letters

As a Guardian subscriber , a Brit , and a US resident , I find myself in the unexpected place of living in a country that is slipping into a dictatorship .
It felt unthinkable four years ago – but so much of our daily lives now could not have been imagined back then ( Donald Trump ’ s plot against democracy could break America apart , 25 September ) .
Today , we have a president who looks set to not accept the election result if he loses , we have a Republican majority determined to abuse their power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been used against peaceful protesters , we have a rigged election where people are deliberately prevented from voting against Trump , we have political television that is a mouthpiece for the regime , and our free press is labelled the enemy .
I firmly believe we are living in the final days of what was once US democracy .
Darren Short Seattle , Washington , US • I wonder if Trump is insane enough to push America into a military dictatorship and , at worst , a second American civil war .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and damage to democracy proves he is a narcissist with no compassion for the American people , and certainly no care for peace if he can “ win ” another term in office .
With the right promoting the weakening of gun control , the fuse is lit for armed conflict between Republicans and Democrats , stoked by Trump for his own ends .
Gilead rising ?
Margaret Atwood was prescient in her depiction of a rightwing dictatorship driven by a pseudo religious cult .
Trump could readily be indicted for his behaviour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When President Trump said that we “ need to get rid of the ballots ” and that “ there won ’ t be a transfer of power , frankly , but a continuation ” , he made it clear that he will not accept an election loss , no matter how sizeable , and will foment civil war , if necessary , to keep his post ( Donald in Blunderland : Trump won ’ t commit to peaceful power transfer at surreal press briefing , 24 September ) .
Though the election is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already declared himself re-elected .
To Trump , democracy is not sacrosanct , nor are the 200,000 US lives lost so far to Covid-19 .
What is sacred is avoiding jail time , a plausible reality if he loses to Joe Biden .
The only result that will guarantee his removal from office is a blowout loss in the election – one so lopsided that even if contested , the supreme court could not overrule .
If every American votes with their heart and conscience , we can win back our country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump destroy our democracy , and replace it with a Putin-like kleptocracy .
The man who penned The Art of the Deal has failed his constituents and pillaged a nation from inside the White House .
Justice would see The Art of the Plea Deal written from inside a prison cell .
Andrew Ginsburg Southport , Connecticut , US • Jonathan Freedland ’ s excellent article perhaps misses an important point : Trump , with his anti-democratic policies , could legitimately win .
America must then address the question , from a 1930s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Berlin : “ What is a democracy to do when the majority of the population no longer wants it ?
” Dr Nigel Mellor Newcastle upon Tyne

As a Guardian subscriber, a Brit, and a US resident, I find myself in the unexpected place of living in a country that is slipping into a dictatorship. It felt unthinkable four years ago – but so much of our daily lives now could not have been imagined back then (Donald Trump’s plot against democracy could break America apart, 25 September).
Today, we have a president who looks set to not accept the election result if he loses, we have a Republican majority determined to abuse their power, we have a military that has been used against peaceful protesters, we have a rigged election where people are deliberately prevented from voting against Trump, we have political television that is a mouthpiece for the regime, and our free press is labelled the enemy. I firmly believe we are living in the final days of what was once US democracy.
Darren Short
Seattle, Washington, US
I wonder if Trump is insane enough to push America into a military dictatorship and, at worst, a second American civil war. His manipulation of the US electoral system, and damage to democracy proves he is a narcissist with no compassion for the American people, and certainly no care for peace if he can “win” another term in office.
With the right promoting the weakening of gun control, the fuse is lit for armed conflict between Republicans and Democrats, stoked by Trump for his own ends. Gilead rising? Margaret Atwood was prescient in her depiction of a rightwing dictatorship driven by a pseudo religious cult. Trump could readily be indicted for his behaviour.
Karen Jacob
Okehampton, Devon
When President Trump said that we “need to get rid of the ballots” and that “there won’t be a transfer of power, frankly, but a continuation”, he made it clear that he will not accept an election loss, no matter how sizeable, and will foment civil war, if necessary, to keep his post (Donald in Blunderland: Trump won’t commit to peaceful power transfer at surreal press briefing, 24 September). Though the election is still weeks away, the president has already declared himself re-elected. To Trump, democracy is not sacrosanct, nor are the 200,000 US lives lost so far to Covid-19. What is sacred is avoiding jail time, a plausible reality if he loses to Joe Biden.
The only result that will guarantee his removal from office is a blowout loss in the election – one so lopsided that even if contested, the supreme court could not overrule. If every American votes with their heart and conscience, we can win back our country. If not, we will witness President Trump destroy our democracy, and replace it with a Putin-like kleptocracy. The man who penned The Art of the Deal has failed his constituents and pillaged a nation from inside the White House. Justice would see The Art of the Plea Deal written from inside a prison cell.
Andrew Ginsburg
Southport, Connecticut, US


theguardian--2020-09-29--What is QAnon and why is it so dangerous? – video explainer

Donald Trump has referred to QAnon followers as 'people who love our country ' - while to the FBI considers @ @ @ @ @ threat .
The Guardian US technology reporter Julia Carrie Wong explains the roots - and @ @ @ @ @ the unfounded conspiracy theory that emerged in the US in 2017 , and is now @ @ @ @ @ The QAnon orphans : people who have lost loved ones to conspiracy theories • 'Quite @ @ @ @ @ the QAnon conspiracy theory is taking root in the UK

Julia Carrie Wong, Monika Cvorak, Simon Roberts and Nikhita Chulani

Donald Trump has referred to QAnon followers as 'people who love our country' - while to the FBI they are considered a potential domestic terror threat. The Guardian US technology reporter Julia Carrie Wong explains the roots - and rise - of QAnon, the unfounded conspiracy theory that emerged in the US in 2017, and is now spreading across the world