theguardian--2020-12-02--US justice department investigating 'bribery-for-pardon' scheme – as it happened

A government panel on Tuesday formally recommended early doses of Covid-19 vaccines be given first to healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents in the US , generally seen as people who live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities .
Together , that group would represent roughly 23 million Americans , disproportionately including women , people of color and low-wage workers who makeup the healthcare labor force .
The recommendation from the panel at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) hinges on a vaccine being approved for emergency use by the US Food and Drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panel .
“ I believe my vote reflects maximum benefit , minimum harm , promoting justice , and mitigating the health inequalities which exist in distribution of this vaccine , ” said José Romero , chair of the committee , explaining his vote in favor of the recommendation .
The recommendation will likely be the basis of vaccine distribution for states and US territories , which carry out vaccination campaigns .
States must complete their final requests for the leading vaccine candidate by the end of this week .
“ In the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 180 people will have died of Covid-19 , ” said Beth Bell , a member of the advisory committee on immunization practices , a US CDC group which made the formal recommendation .
More than 243,000 healthcare workers have had confirmed Covid-19 cases , and 858 have died , according to CDC data .
A separate database run by the Guardian and Kaiser Health News is investigating the deaths of more than 1,400 health workers .
Further , while long-term care home residents represent less than 1 % of the US population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Covid-19 deaths .
More than 100,000 people living in care homes have died in the pandemic .
The advisory panel also recommended vaccination campaigns specifically focus on nursing homes , where the most medically vulnerable live .

Julia Carrie Wong (now), Amanda Holpuch and Martin Belam (earlier)

2 Dec 2020 01.23 GMT Donald Trump has discussed granting “pre-emptive pardons” to his children and son-in-law in addition to his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, the New York Times reports. The lame duck president is concerned that Joe Biden’s justice department might prosecute Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, according to the report. Pardons that pre-empt criminal charges are not common, but also not unprecedented, with the most famous example being Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon. Giuliani denied that he had discussed a pardon with Trump on Twitter earlier today. Trump has used his pardon power to reward his political cronies, including Roger Stone and, just last week, former national security advisor Michael Flynn.
2 Dec 2020 00.29 GMT What is it about the French Laundry? Another California politician, San Francisco mayor London Breed, is under fire after it was revealed that she attended a birthday party at the three-star Michelin restaurant in Napa Valley – just one night after governor Gavin Newsom did the same.
The party of eight met at the famed Thomas Keller restaurant on 7 November to celebrate the birthday of Gorretti Lo Lui, a local socialite whose husband, Lawrence Lui, is a major hotel developer, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Dining indoors was allowed in Napa county at the time, the Chronicle reports, though statewide guidelines discouraged gatherings with members of more than three households. “Breed’s dinner at an opulent restaurant – amid an economic catastrophe that’s shuttered countless small businesses and stretched the lines at local food banks to new lengths – might not have technically violated the rules, but it isn’t a great look,” wrote Chronicle columnist Heather Knight, who broke the story. The French Laundry offers reservations for a number of different dining experiences, including outside dining with a tasting menu for $350 per person, indoor dining for $450 per person, or a white truffle and caviar dinner for $1,200 per person. As I mentioned just a few hours ago, California’s political leaders have made a frustrating habit of flouting the very public health guidelines they expect the public to follow. Newsom’s night at the French Laundry brought together 12 guests to celebrate the birthday of a lobbyist, Jason Kinney. He eventually apologized, saying, “I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice.” Earlier today, San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo apologized for attending a Thanksgiving dinner with family members from five households – more than state regulations which limited to three the number of households allowed for private gatherings.
Updated at 00.35 GMT
2 Dec 2020 00.03 GMT CDC to shorten quarantine recommendation following Covid exposure The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to shorten its recommendation for how long individuals should quarantine after being exposed to someone with Covid-19, the AP reports. Since the pandemic began, the CDC has recommended that individuals quarantine for 14 days after exposure. The new recommendations, which could be released later tonight, will recommend that individuals quarantine for 10 days after exposure, or seven days if they test negative for the disease. The AP cited an anonymous senior administration official, who said “the policy change has been discussed for some time, as scientists have studied the incubation period for the virus”.
Updated at 00.29 GMT
1 Dec 2020 23.47 GMT Here are some more details about the DOJ investigation of a “bribery-for-pardon scheme” from CNN’s Katelyn Polantz, who broke the story: At the end of this summer, a filter team, used to make sure prosecutors don’t receive tainted evidence that should have been kept from them because it was privileged, had more than 50 digital devices including iPhones, iPads, laptops, thumb drives and computer drives after investigators raided the unidentified offices. Prosecutors told the court they wanted permission to the filter team’s holdings. The prosecutors believed the devices revealed emails that showed allegedly criminal activity, including a “secret lobbying scheme” and a bribery conspiracy that offered “a substantial political contribution in exchange for a presidential pardon or reprieve of sentence” for a convicted defendant whose name is redacted, according to the redacted documents. Communications between attorneys and clients are typically privileged and kept from prosecutors as they build their cases, but in this situation, Howell allowed the prosecutors access. Attorney-client communications are not protected as privileged under the law when there is discussion of a crime, among other exceptions.
1 Dec 2020 23.38 GMT The heavy redactions in the “bribery-for-pardon scheme” court filing make it impossible to discern the individuals involved, but there are a few hints. First, one of the individuals involved is an attorney, though the government is arguing that there is no attorney-client privilege because there was no attorney-client relationship. Second, the proposed recipient of the pardon appears to be someone who has already been convicted and incarcerated, based on a reference to “the months leading up to [redacted’s] surrender to BOP [Bureau of Prisons] custody”. The New York Times reported that Rudy Giuliani has discussed a “pre-emptive pardon” with Donald Trump, but the president’s personal lawyer has not been charged or convicted of any crimes.
1 Dec 2020 23.28 GMT Justice department investigates "bribery-for-pardon scheme", court filing reveals The Department of Justice is investigating a potentially criminal scheme to lobby and bribe unnamed officials in exchange for a presidential pardon, according to a newly unsealed court document. The heavily redacted filing relates to a search of various digital devices that uncovered potential evidence of both a “secret lobbying scheme” and a “related bribery conspiracy scheme” by individuals whose names are redacted. Under the lobbying scheme, the individuals “acted as lobbyists to senior White House officials” without complying with disclosure rules “to secure ‘a pardon or reprieve of sentence for’” an individual whose name is redacted. Under the bribery scheme, an individual whose name is redacted “would offer a substantial political contribution in exchange for a presidential pardon or reprieve of sentence for [redacted].” The court filing relates to the government’s ability to access the communications, and dates back to August. It appears that one of the arguments being made to oppose the government’s access to the documents involves a claim of attorney-client privilege, which the government rejects.
Updated at 23.32 GMT
1 Dec 2020 22.51 GMT Healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents should receive first vaccines, CDC panel recommends Jessica Glenza A government panel on Tuesday formally recommended early doses of Covid-19 vaccines be given first to healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents in the US, generally seen as people who live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Together, that group would represent roughly 23 million Americans, disproportionately including women, people of color and low-wage workers who makeup the healthcare labor force. The recommendation from the panel at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hinges on a vaccine being approved for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration and later recommended by the advisory panel. “I believe my vote reflects maximum benefit, minimum harm, promoting justice, and mitigating the health inequalities which exist in distribution of this vaccine,” said José Romero, chair of the committee, explaining his vote in favor of the recommendation. The recommendation will likely be the basis of vaccine distribution for states and US territories, which carry out vaccination campaigns. States must complete their final requests for the leading vaccine candidate by the end of this week. “In the time it takes us to have this meeting, 180 people will have died of Covid-19,” said Beth Bell, a member of the advisory committee on immunization practices, a US CDC group which made the formal recommendation. More than 243,000 healthcare workers have had confirmed Covid-19 cases, and 858 have died, according to CDC data. A separate database run by the Guardian and Kaiser Health News is investigating the deaths of more than 1,400 health workers. Further, while long-term care home residents represent less than 1% of the US population, they represent more than 40% of Covid-19 deaths. More than 100,000 people living in care homes have died in the pandemic. The advisory panel also recommended vaccination campaigns specifically focus on nursing homes, where the most medically vulnerable live.
1 Dec 2020 22.44 GMT Attorney General William Barr has left the White House after a lengthy meeting. Barr's meeting lasted over two hours. He just departed. https://t.co/vAypx3vVYy — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) December 1, 2020 This normally unremarkable chain of events has prompted much speculation, due to the timing of the meeting, which began shortly after the Associated Press published an interview in which the country’s top law enforcer admitted that, contrary to his boss’s baseless claims, there is no evidence of election fraud. Throughout the time that Barr has been inside the White House, Trump’s Twitter account has been promoting conspiracy theories about election fraud.
1 Dec 2020 22.29 GMT Hi everyone, this is Julia Carrie Wong in Oakland, California, picking up the blog for the rest of the afternoon. The San Francisco Bay Area, like much of the country, is bracing for an expected post-Thanksgiving coronavirus surge. Just yesterday, governor Gavin Newsom warned the Northern California ICUs could hit capacity by early December, with the entire state maxing out by mid-December. This is the tipping point.
CA has worked hard to prepare for a surge—but we can’t sustain the record high cases we’re seeing.
Current projections show CA will run out of current ICU beds before Christmas Eve.
Please stay safe & stay home as much as you can for next few weeks. pic.twitter.com/5NJYzHokhE — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) November 30, 2020 Which is why it’s so frustrating that many California political leaders have flouted their own advice when it comes to social distancing, masking, and following public health guidelines. Newsom has drawn considerable criticism for attending a birthday party at the fancy French Laundry restaurant; senator Dianne Feinstein has been photographed talking to people at the US capitol without wearing a mask; and now San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo is apologizing for attending a Thanksgiving dinner with members of his extended family. Prior to Thanksgiving, the mayor had urged others to “cancel the big gatherings” and not let their guard down. On Tuesday, he admitted that he had attended an event with members of five different households and apologized, saying: “I understand that the state regulations, issued on November 13th, limit the number of households at a private gathering to three. I apologize for my decision to gather contrary to state rules, by attending this Thanksgiving meal with my family. I understand my obligation as a public official to provide exemplary compliance with the public health orders, and certainly not to ignore them. I commit to do better.” I apologize for my decision to gather for Thanksgiving with my family, contrary to the rules. I understand my obligation as a public official to provide exemplary compliance w/ public health orders, & not to ignore them. I commit to do better. My statement: pic.twitter.com/LFhX2LCUf3 — Sam Liccardo (@sliccardo) December 1, 2020
1 Dec 2020 21.23 GMT One of Georgia’s top election officials, Gabriel Sterling, made an impassioned plea to the president to tone down his rhetoric disputing the election results at a press conference this afternoon because of fears he was inciting violence. Mr President, it looks like you likely lost the state of Georgia. We’re investigating, there’s always a possibility, I get it. You have the rights to go to the courts. What you don’t have the ability to do – and you need to step up and say this – is stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence. Someone is going to get hurt, someone is going to get shot, someone is going to get killed, and it’s not right. It’s not right. Georgia election official @GabrielSterling addresses Trump directly and demands he stop inciting violence under false voter fraud allegations. pic.twitter.com/fckBKJY6mX — The Recount (@therecount) December 1, 2020 Sterling, the voting systems manager for the Georgia secretary of state’s office, said last week that he has police protection around his home because of threats he received after election results were announced.
In the press conference today, Sterling described threats facing people tied to the election. He said technician in one county was told he should be hung for treason and that the secretary of state’s wife is getting “sexualized threats”. Sterling said: “It has to stop.” Tensions are high in Georgia, where two runoff elections in January will determine which party has control of the Senate. The state, which usually votes Republican, supported Joe Biden in the presidential race.
Updated at 22.10 GMT
1 Dec 2020 20.58 GMT House majority leader, Nancy Pelosi, spoke with Treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, this afternoon – the first time the two are known to have spoken since before the election. They discussed a Covid relief proposal she and Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, sent the night before as well as a bipartisan proposal unveiled today. Pelosi said they spoke about vaccine development and that the any proposal related to coronavirus must ensure the vaccine is free and accessible to everyone. “Additional Covid relief is long overdue and must be passed in the lame duck session,” Pelosi said. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell told reporters this afternoon that he had been in discussion with Mnuchin and the president’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, about what the president would actually sign into law. “And I think we have a sense of what that is,” McConnell said. “I laid that out in the call that we had a little while ago. We’re going to send that out to all the offices and get some feedback to see how our members react to a proposal that we can say for sure would be signed into law.”
Schumer won't reveal details of coronavirus proposal he and Pelosi sent to GOP ldrs. Says it was a "private proposal." — Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 1, 2020
Updated at 22.11 GMT
1 Dec 2020 20.33 GMT It is not all bad news for the Trump-Barr relationship. Barr also told the AP today that he had given extra protection to the prosecutor he appointed to investigate the origins of the Trump-Russia probe.
The AP reported:
Barr told the Associated Press on Tuesday that he had appointed US attorney John Durham as a special counsel in October under the same federal statute that governed special counsel Robert Mueller in the original Russia probe. He said Durham’s investigation has been narrowing to focus more on the conduct of FBI agents who worked on the Russia investigation, known as Crossfire Hurricane. The investigations grew out of allegations of cooperation between Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russians to help him defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. With the 2020 election approaching, Barr told the AP on Tuesday, “I decided the best thing to do would be to appoint them under the same regulation that covered Bob Mueller, to provide Durham and his team some assurance that they’d be able to complete their work regardless of the outcome of the election.” Barr notified Congress about Durham’s appointment in a letter today, in which he also explains that he thought he actually appointed Durham on 19 October. Barr defended the more-than-six-week gap in notification by writing he had “previously determined that it was in the public interest to toll notification given the proximity to the presidential election”.
Updated at 20.54 GMT
1 Dec 2020 20.10 GMT Donald Trump’s campaign responded to attorney general William Barr’s comments that there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the election in a statement from Trump attorneys Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis. “With all due respect to the attorney general, there hasn’t been any semblance of a Department of Justice investigation,” the statement said. The statement goes on to say Trump’s justice department has not investigated the Trump campaign’s “evidence” of fraud, which Barr pointed out in the interview is not the role of the federal criminal justice system. Those claims are meant to be tested in courts, Barr said, and they have been. The Trump campaign statement continued: “Nonetheless, we will continue our pursuit of the truth through the judicial system and state legislatures, and continue toward the constitution’s mandate and ensuring that every legal vote is counted and every illegal vote is not. Again, with the greatest respect to the attorney general, his opinion appears to be without any knowledge or investigation of the substantial irregularities and evidence of systemic fraud.”
Updated at 20.55 GMT
1 Dec 2020 19.51 GMT In an interview with the AP, attorney general William Barr disputed allegations made by Donald Trump and some of his allies that there has been widespread fraud in the election and said people were confusing the role of the federal criminal justice system.
Trump has attempted to undermine the election results by pointing to routine issues in an election – questions about signatures, envelopes and postal marks – as evidence of widespread voter fraud that cost him the election. Trump and some of his allies have also endorsed more bizarre sources of fraud, such as tying Biden’s win to election software created in Venezuela “at the direction of Hugo Chavez,” – the former Venezuelan president who died in 2013. “There’s been one assertion that would be systemic fraud and that would be the claim that machines were programmed essentially to skew the election results. And the DHS and DOJ have looked into that, and so far, we haven’t seen anything to substantiate that,” Barr said.
Barr said some people were confusing the role of the federal criminal justice system and asking it to step in on allegations that should be made in civil lawsuits and reviewed by state or local officials, not the Justice department. Barr said:
There’s a growing tendency to use the criminal justice system as sort of a default fix-all, and people don’t like something they want the Department of Justice to come in and ‘investigate.’ He told the AP first of all there must be a basis to believe there is a crime to investigate. “Most claims of fraud are very particularized to a particular set of circumstances or actors or conduct. They are not systemic allegations and. And those have been run down; they are being run down,” Barr said. “Some have been broad and potentially cover a few thousand votes. They have been followed up on.”
Updated at 20.08 GMT
1 Dec 2020 19.03 GMT Guardian US business editor, Dominic Rushe, has the full report on the $908bn bipartisan economic measures announced this morning. Bipartisan group pitches $908bn Covid-19 relief to break deadlock in Congress Read more The measure has not been written into legislation. Nor has it been embraced by the Trump administration, President-elect Joe Biden or leaders in the Senate or House of Representatives, all of whom would be needed for passage. But it comes with the backing of a group of conservatives and moderates who claim it will appeal to a broad swath of Congress. Lawmakers are hoping to wrap up their work for the year by mid-December but they still have a massive government-funding bill to approve or else risk agency shutdowns starting on 12 December. If the bipartisan coronavirus aid bill gains traction, it could either be attached to the spending bill or advance on a separate track. Not so much warmth from the White House on this plan.
From @PressSec: “The Trump administration has been in ongoing talks with Leader McConnell and Leader McCarthy about a targeted COVID relief plan. The $908 billion proposal has not been a topic of discussion.” https://t.co/7RaYdJoNxa — Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) December 1, 2020
Updated at 19.04 GMT


theguardian--2020-12-02--US justice department investigates alleged 'bribery for pardon' scheme at White House

An alleged “ bribery for pardon ” scheme at the White House is under investigation by the justice department , according to a court filing unsealed on Tuesday .
The heavily redacted document does not name Donald Trump or other individuals and leaves many unanswered questions , but comes amid media reports that the US president is considering sweeping pardons before he leaves office next month .
It shows that the justice department investigation alleges that an individual offered “ a substantial political contribution in exchange for a presidential pardon or reprieve of sentence ” .
Two individuals acted improperly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ bribery-for-pardon schemes ” , as the document puts it .
All three names are blacked out .
On Tuesday night , a justice department official told Reuters that no US government official is the “ subject or target ” of investigation into whether money was funnelled to the White House in exchange for a presidential pardon .
The watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ( Crew ) tweeted in response : “ It ’ s hard to overstate how big a deal the phrase ‘ bribery-for-pardon schemes ’ is.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ district court for the District of Columbia , in Washington .
Some of its 20 pages are entirely redacted , implying that revealing the details now might jeopardise an ongoing investigation .
They discuss a review by chief judge Beryl Howell in late August of a request from prosecutors for documents gathered for the bribery investigation .
More than 50 digital devices including iPhones , iPads , laptops , thumb drives and computer drives were seized after investigators raided unidentified offices .
It was not clear why Howell decided to release the filing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn , his former national security adviser , who had twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI .
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Trump and Rudy Giuliani , his personal lawyer , discussed as recently as last week the possibility of a “ pre-emptive pardon ” .
Giuliani tweeted a denial .
The court disclosure unleashed a whirlwind of speculation in Washington .
The Democrat Adam Schiff , the chair of the House of Representatives ’ intelligence committee , told the MSNBC network : “ People shouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tendency to leap to the – that this may involve some of the personalities that have been very much in the news and are worried about their criminal liability .
“ It may be someone that we ’ ve never heard of that wants a pardon and is well-heeled and therefore in a position to make a sizeable contribution .
So it doesn ’ t have to be any of the parties that we think that may want a pardon : the [ Paul ] Manaforts , the Giulianis and others .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of the day , someone in that chain has to be close enough to the White House where they could conceivably deliver on the official act of pardon if the bribe were paid .
”

An alleged “bribery for pardon” scheme at the White House is under investigation by the justice department, according to a court filing unsealed on Tuesday.
The heavily redacted document does not name Donald Trump or other individuals and leaves many unanswered questions, but comes amid media reports that the US president is considering sweeping pardons before he leaves office next month.
It shows that the justice department investigation alleges that an individual offered “a substantial political contribution in exchange for a presidential pardon or reprieve of sentence”.
Two individuals acted improperly as lobbyists to secure the pardon in the “bribery-for-pardon schemes”, as the document puts it. The names are blacked out.
On Tuesday night, a justice department official told Reuters that no US government official is the “subject or target” of investigation into whether money was funnelled to the White House in exchange for a presidential pardon.
Trump issued a brief response on Tuesday night, resorting to one of his favourite phrases to criticise the media even though the details were contained in official court papers. “Pardon investigation is Fake News!” he tweeted.
The watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) tweeted in response: “It’s hard to overstate how big a deal the phrase ‘bribery-for-pardon schemes’ is.”
The document was unsealed by the district court for the District of Columbia, in Washington. Some of its 20 pages are entirely redacted, implying that revealing the details now might jeopardise an ongoing investigation.
They discuss a review by chief judge Beryl Howell in late August of a request from prosecutors for documents gathered for the bribery investigation. More than 50 digital devices including iPhones, iPads, laptops, thumb drives and computer drives were seized after investigators raided unidentified offices. It was not clear why Howell decided to release the filing now.
Former Obama administration figure and Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro tweeted: “In 2016, the FBI reopened an investigation into Hillary Clinton just 11 days before Election Day – but stayed quiet about an investigation into Trump. Now, we learn weeks after the 2020 election that the DoJ has been investigating Trump for a bribery-for-pardon scheme.
In 2016 the FBI were investigating Clinton’s use of a private server for professional emailing while secretary of state, but the public was not told at the time that the bureau had also begun the Russia investigation into allegations of collusion between the Trump election campaign and Moscow.
Trump last week pardoned Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser, who had twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Trump and Rudy Giuliani, his personal lawyer, discussed as recently as last week the possibility of a “pre-emptive pardon”. Giuliani tweeted a denial.
The court disclosure unleashed a whirlwind of speculation in Washington. The Democrat Adam Schiff, the chair of the House of Representatives’ intelligence committee, told the MSNBC network: “People shouldn’t presume – and there may be a tendency to leap to the conclusion that this may involve some of the personalities that have been very much in the news and are worried about their criminal liability.
“It may be someone that we’ve never heard of that wants a pardon and is well-heeled and therefore in a position to make a sizable contribution. So it doesn’t have to be any of the parties that we think that may want a pardon: the [Paul] Manaforts, the Giulianis and others. It could be someone completely different but, at the end of the day, someone in that chain has to be close enough to the White House where they could conceivably deliver on the official act of pardon if the bribe were paid.”
Reuters contributed reporting


theguardian--2020-12-01--William Barr: no evidence of voter fraud that would change election outcome

William Barr said on Tuesday the US Department of Justice has not uncovered evidence of widespread voter fraud that would change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election .
The attorney general ’ s comments come despite Donald Trump ’ s repeated claims that the election was stolen , and his refusal to concede to President-elect Joe Biden .
Shortly after the comments were made public , the White House pool report said the attorney general had been seen to enter the building .
Trump did not immediately comment .
But campaign lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect to the Attorney General , his opinion appears to be without any knowledge or investigation of the substantial irregularities and evidence of systemic fraud.
” Barr made his comments in an interview with the Associated Press .
US attorneys and FBI agents have been working to follow up complaints and information , he said , but have uncovered no evidence that would change the outcome of the election .
“ To date , we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the president ’ s most ardent allies .
Before the election , he repeatedly raised the notion that mail-in voting could be vulnerable to fraud during the coronavirus pandemic as Americans feared going to polls .
Last month , Barr issued a directive to US attorneys allowing them to pursue “ substantial allegations ” of voting irregularities before the election was certified , despite no evidence at that time of widespread fraud .
That memorandum gave prosecutors the ability to go around department policy .
Soon after it was issued , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official announced he would step aside because of the memo .
A Trump team led by Giuliani has been alleging a widespread conspiracy by Democrats to dump millions of illegal votes into the system – with no evidence .
They have filed multiple lawsuits in battleground states alleging that partisan poll watchers did not have a clear enough view in some locations and therefore something illegal must have happened .
The claims have been repeatedly dismissed including by Republican-appointed judges .
Republicans in some battleground states have followed Trump in making unsupported claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though his own administration has said it was the most secure ever .
He recently allowed his administration to begin the transition to Biden , but has still refused to admit he lost .
The issues Trump ’ s campaign and its allies have pointed to are typical in elections : problems with signatures , secrecy envelopes and postal marks on mail-in ballots , as well as the potential for a small number of ballots to be miscast or lost .
Attorney Sidney Powell has spun fictional tales of election systems flipping votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and election software created in Venezuela “ at the direction of Hugo Chávez ” – the Venezuelan president who died in 2013 .
Powell was removed from the Trump team after threatening to “ blow up ” Georgia with a “ biblical ” court filing .
Barr said : “ There ’ s been one assertion that would be systemic fraud and that would be the claim that machines were programmed essentially to skew the election results .
And the [ Department of Homeland Security ] and DoJ have looked into that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t seen anything to substantiate that.
” Barr said people were confusing the use of the federal criminal justice system with allegations that should be made in civil lawsuits .
He said a remedy for such complaints would be a top-down audit by state or local officials , not the DoJ .
“ There ’ s a growing tendency to use the criminal justice system as sort of a default fix-all , and people don ’ t like something they want the Department of Justice to come in and ‘ investigate ’ , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all there must be a basis to believe there is a crime to investigate .
“ Most claims of fraud are very particularized to a particular set of circumstances or actors or conduct .
They are not systemic allegations and those have been run down ; they are being run down , ” Barr said .
“ Some have been broad and potentially cover a few thousand votes .
They have been followed up on.
” Giuliani and Ellis insisted they had “ gathered ample evidence of illegal voting in at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witnesses swearing under oath they saw crimes being committed in connection with voter fraud ” .
“ As far as we know , not a single one has been interviewed by the DoJ , ” they said , adding : “ Nonetheless , we will continue our pursuit of the truth through the judicial system and state legislatures.
” New York Democratic senator and senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said drily at a press conference of Barr : “ I guess he ’ s the next one to be fired.
” Conservative commentator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ellis should sue Barr and the Department of Justice .
“ And since Rudy and Ellis are the Trump campaign lawyers , and Barr is the Trump Administration lawyer , the case might be called Trump v Trump .
Which would be a fitting end to the whole circus , ” he tweeted .
In another surreal twist , Wisconsin Republican senator Ron Johnson demanded Barr “ show everybody ” his evidence that there was no mass fraud .
Meanwhile , as Trump continued to tweet ever more wild and unfounded allegations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top election officials , Gabriel Sterling , urged him to cease .
“ Stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence .
Someone is going to get hurt , someone is going to get shot , someone is going to get killed , and it ’ s not right .
It ’ s not right , ” he said .
Sterling , the voting systems manager for the Georgia secretary of state ’ s office , has police protection around his home because of threats , said a technician in one county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treason and that the secretary of state ’ s wife is getting “ sexualized threats ” .
Tensions are high in Georgia , where two runoff elections in January will determine which party has control of the Senate .
The state , which usually votes Republican , supported Joe Biden in the presidential race .

William Barr said on Tuesday the US Department of Justice has not uncovered evidence of widespread voter fraud that would change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
The attorney general’s comments come despite Donald Trump’s repeated claims that the election was stolen, and his refusal to concede to President-elect Joe Biden.
Shortly after the comments were made public, the White House pool report said the attorney general had been seen to enter the building.
Trump did not immediately comment. But campaign lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis said in a statement: “With the greatest respect to the attorney general, his opinion appears to be without any knowledge or investigation of the substantial irregularities and evidence of systemic fraud.”
Barr made his comments in an interview with the Associated Press. US attorneys and FBI agents have been working to follow up complaints and information, he said, but have uncovered no evidence that would change the outcome of the election.
“To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election,” Barr said.
Barr has been one of the president’s most ardent allies. Before the election, he repeatedly raised the notion that mail-in voting could be vulnerable to fraud during the coronavirus pandemic as Americans feared going to polls.
Last month, Barr issued a directive to US attorneys allowing them to pursue “substantial allegations” of voting irregularities before the election was certified, despite no evidence at that time of widespread fraud.
That memorandum gave prosecutors the ability to go around department policy. Soon after it was issued, the department’s top elections crime official announced he would step aside because of the memo.
A Trump team led by Giuliani has been alleging a widespread conspiracy by Democrats to dump millions of illegal votes into the system – with no evidence.
They have filed multiple lawsuits in battleground states alleging that partisan poll watchers did not have a clear enough view in some locations and therefore something illegal must have happened.
The claims have been repeatedly dismissed including by Republican-appointed judges. Republicans in some battleground states have followed Trump in making unsupported claims.
Trump has railed against the election though his own administration has said it was the most secure ever. He recently allowed his administration to begin the transition to Biden, but has still refused to admit he lost.
The issues Trump’s campaign and its allies have pointed to are typical in elections: problems with signatures, secrecy envelopes and postal marks on mail-in ballots, as well as the potential for a small number of ballots to be miscast or lost.
Attorney Sidney Powell has spun fictional tales of election systems flipping votes, German servers storing US voting information and election software created in Venezuela “at the direction of Hugo Chávez” – the Venezuelan president who died in 2013.
Powell was removed from the Trump team after threatening to “blow up” Georgia with a “biblical” court filing.
Barr said: “There’s been one assertion that would be systemic fraud and that would be the claim that machines were programmed essentially to skew the election results. And the [Department of Homeland Security] and DoJ have looked into that, and so far, we haven’t seen anything to substantiate that.”
Barr said people were confusing the use of the federal criminal justice system with allegations that should be made in civil lawsuits. He said a remedy for such complaints would be a top-down audit by state or local officials, not the DoJ.
“There’s a growing tendency to use the criminal justice system as sort of a default fix-all, and people don’t like something they want the Department of Justice to come in and ‘investigate’,” Barr said.
He said first of all there must be a basis to believe there is a crime to investigate.
“Most claims of fraud are very particularized to a particular set of circumstances or actors or conduct. They are not systemic allegations and those have been run down; they are being run down,” Barr said. “Some have been broad and potentially cover a few thousand votes. They have been followed up on.”
Giuliani and Ellis insisted they had “gathered ample evidence of illegal voting in at least six states” and had “many witnesses swearing under oath they saw crimes being committed in connection with voter fraud”.
“As far as we know, not a single one has been interviewed by the DoJ,” they said, adding: “Nonetheless, we will continue our pursuit of the truth through the judicial system and state legislatures.”
New York Democratic senator and senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said drily at a press conference of Barr: “I guess he’s the next one to be fired.”
Conservative commentator Bill Kristol tweeted tongue-in-cheek that Giuliani and Ellis should sue Barr and the Department of Justice.
“And since Rudy and Ellis are the Trump campaign lawyers, and Barr is the Trump administration lawyer, the case might be called Trump v Trump. Which would be a fitting end to the whole circus,” he tweeted.
In another surreal twist, Wisconsin Republican senator Ron Johnson demanded Barr “show everybody” his evidence that there was no mass fraud.
Ron Johnson said the attorney general should “show everybody” his evidence about no mass fraud because “there’s enough suspicions” and “irregularities” there
Asked if he's not satisfied with Barr's conclusion, Johnson added: "I think there is still enough questions outstanding” — Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 1, 2020
Meanwhile, as Trump continued to tweet ever more wild and unfounded allegations of fraud, one of Georgia’s top election officials, Gabriel Sterling, urged him to cease.
“Stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence. Someone is going to get hurt, someone is going to get shot, someone is going to get killed, and it’s not right. It’s not right,” he said.
Sterling, the voting systems manager for the Georgia secretary of state’s office, has police protection around his home because of threats, said a technician in one county was told he should be hung for treason and that the secretary of state’s wife is getting “sexualized threats”.
Tensions are high in Georgia, where two runoff elections in January will determine which party has control of the Senate. The state, which usually votes Republican, supported Joe Biden in the presidential race.


theguardian--2020-12-01--'Help is on the way': Biden introduces economic team as pandemic rages

Joe Biden , the US president-elect , formally introduced his top economic advisers on Tuesday , as his incoming administration prepares to deal with the worst financial crisis in decades and a resurgent coronavirus pandemic .
Wearing a black boot on the right foot he recently fractured while playing with one of his dogs , Biden appeared in his home city , Wilmington , Delaware , for an event that stressed the gravity of the situation but sought to offer hope .
“ We ’ re going to create a recovery for everybody , ” Biden said .
“ Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this : help is on the way.
” Biden ’ s nominations would put several women in top economic roles , drawing a clear contrast with Donald Trump and reflecting his commitment to diversity .
They include Janet Yellen , who if confirmed by the Senate will be the first woman to lead the US treasury in its 231-year history .
Biden said he “ might have to ask Lin-Manuel Miranda , who wrote the musical about the first treasury secretary , [ Alexander ] Hamilton , to write another musical ” about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018 , focusing on maximising employment and less on price inflation .
In remarks on Tuesday , she noted the damage caused by the pandemic .
“ Lost lives , lost jobs , small businesses struggling to stay alive or closed for good , ” she said .
“ So many people struggling to put food on the table and pay bills and rent .
“ It ’ s an American tragedy and it ’ s essential we move with urgency .
Inaction will cause a self-reinforcing downturn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we risk missing the obligation to address deeper structural problems.
” Biden ’ s nominees have all expressed support for government spending to boost employment , reduce inequality and help women and people of colour , disproportionately harmed by the downturn .
But they will face stiff headwinds from the pandemic , now estimated to be killing one American a minute .
The US has 4 % of the world ’ s population but 19 % of its coronavirus deaths – more than 268,000 – with record caseloads and hospitalisations forcing renewed economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest two-week jump in unemployment benefit applications since April .
Several aid programmes are set to expire this month , although a bipartisan group of House and Senate members unveiled a $ 908bn relief bill on Tuesday in an effort to break a political stalemate .
Biden said : “ The team I ’ m announcing today will play a critical role in shaping our plan for action starting on day one and move fast to revive this economy.
” His “ Build Back Better ” plan , he said , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reward hard work in America , not wealth .
It ’ s time to invest in infrastructure , clean energy , climate change , manufacturing and so much more that will create millions of good-paying jobs .
It ’ s time we addressed the structural inequities in our economy that this pandemic has laid bare.
” Other picks include Cecilia Rouse , an economist at Princeton University who would be the first Black woman to lead the Council of Economic Advisers ; the economists Heather Boushey and Jared Bernstein as council members ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center for American Progress thinktank , as head of the Office of Management and Budget ( OMB ) .
“ I ’ ve known Neera a long time , ” Biden said .
“ A brilliant policy mind with critical practical experience across government .
She was raised by a single mom on food stamps , an immigrant from India who struggled , worked hard and did everything she could for her daughter to live out the American dream , and Neera did just that .
She understands the struggles millions of Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be the first woman of colour to run the OMB .
But she has already proved his most divisive pick , drawing criticism from Republicans .
Some analysts suggest she is a “ sacrificial lamb ” , likely to be denied confirmation in a fight that might distract attention from other nominees .
Since being nominated , Tanden has deleted more than a thousand tweets , some of which were critical of senators who will vote on her confirmation , the Daily Beast reported .
Claire McCaskill , a former senator from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a whole new level of hypocrisy .
The Republican senators are now all of a sudden worried about tweets that hurt their feelings .
This is just ridiculous .
“ We ’ ve had a president who has used his Twitter account like a battering ram , going after not just his political opponents but Republican senators , unfairly , with incredibly brutal tweets .
Now all of a sudden it ’ s a disqualification for someone to serve in the cabinet that engaged in her own opinion on Twitter ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tanden has also been unpopular on the left , having been a staunch supporter of Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary .
Briahna Joy Gray , former national press secretary for Sanders ’ s 2020 campaign , tweeted : “ Everything toxic about the corporate Democratic party is embodied in Neera Tanden.
” For Biden , Tuesday ’ s sober and determined presentation was the latest sign that the transition is gathering unstoppable momentum despite Trump ’ s false claims of vote rigging and refusal to concede .
On Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence briefing since winning the 3 November election , after Trump delayed the process for weeks .
And Arizona and Wisconsin officially recognised Biden ’ s victory , meaning Trump ’ s legal team has lost six of six attempts to stop states certifying their results .
Trump has pursued challenges in numerous states but most have been tossed out .
Yet the president continues his quixotic effort .
The Trump campaign on Tuesday asked the Wisconsin supreme court to determine if 221,000 absentee ballots that allegedly lacked information should be excluded from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by about 20,000 votes .
The electoral college , which selects the president based on state-by-state results , is scheduled to meet on 14 December .
Biden will take office on 20 January .

Joe Biden, the US president-elect, formally introduced his top economic advisers on Tuesday, as his incoming administration prepares to deal with the worst financial crisis in decades and a resurgent coronavirus pandemic.
Wearing a black boot on the right foot he recently fractured while playing with one of his dogs, Biden appeared in his home city, Wilmington, Delaware, for an event that stressed the gravity of the situation but sought to offer hope.
“We’re going to create a recovery for everybody,” Biden said. “Our message to everybody struggling right now is this: help is on the way.”
Biden’s nominations would put several women in top economic roles, drawing a clear contrast with Donald Trump and reflecting his commitment to diversity.
They include Janet Yellen, who if confirmed by the Senate will be the first woman to lead the US treasury in its 231-year history. Biden said he “might have to ask Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the musical about the first treasury secretary, [Alexander] Hamilton, to write another musical” about his new nominee.
Biden and Yellen in Wilmington on Tuesday. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP
Yellen led the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018, focusing on maximising employment and less on price inflation. In remarks on Tuesday, she noted the damage caused by the pandemic.
“Lost lives, lost jobs, small businesses struggling to stay alive or closed for good,” she said. “So many people struggling to put food on the table and pay bills and rent.
“It’s an American tragedy and it’s essential we move with urgency. Inaction will cause a self-reinforcing downturn, causing yet more devastation. And we risk missing the obligation to address deeper structural problems.”
Biden’s nominees have all expressed support for government spending to boost employment, reduce inequality and help women and people of colour, disproportionately harmed by the downturn.
But they will face stiff headwinds from the pandemic, now estimated to be killing one American a minute. The US has 4% of the world’s population but 19% of its coronavirus deaths – more than 268,000 – with record caseloads and hospitalisations forcing renewed economic restrictions in some states.
01:42 'Help is on the way,' says Joe Biden as he announces new economic team – video
November saw the biggest two-week jump in unemployment benefit applications since April. Several aid programmes are set to expire this month, although a bipartisan group of House and Senate members unveiled a $908bn relief bill on Tuesday in an effort to break a political stalemate.
Biden said: “The team I’m announcing today will play a critical role in shaping our plan for action starting on day one and move fast to revive this economy.”
His “Build Back Better” plan, he said, was based on a simple proposition: “Reward hard work in America, not wealth. It’s time to invest in infrastructure, clean energy, climate change, manufacturing and so much more that will create millions of good-paying jobs. It’s time we addressed the structural inequities in our economy that this pandemic has laid bare.”
Other picks include Cecilia Rouse, an economist at Princeton University who would be the first Black woman to lead the Council of Economic Advisers; the economists Heather Boushey and Jared Bernstein as council members; and Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress thinktank, as head of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
“I’ve known Neera a long time,” Biden said. “A brilliant policy mind with critical practical experience across government. She was raised by a single mom on food stamps, an immigrant from India who struggled, worked hard and did everything she could for her daughter to live out the American dream, and Neera did just that. She understands the struggles millions of Americans are facing.”
Biden noted that Tanden would be the first woman of colour to run the OMB. But she has already proved his most divisive pick, drawing criticism from Republicans. Some analysts suggest she is a “sacrificial lamb”, likely to be denied confirmation in a fight that might distract attention from other nominees.
Since being nominated, Tanden has deleted more than a thousand tweets, some of which were critical of senators who will vote on her confirmation, the Daily Beast reported.
00:31 ‘Mr President-elect, how's your foot?’: Biden makes first appearance since injury – video
Claire McCaskill, a former senator from Missouri, told MSNBC: “It’s a whole new level of hypocrisy. The Republican senators are now all of a sudden worried about tweets that hurt their feelings. This is just ridiculous.
“We’ve had a president who has used his Twitter account like a battering ram, going after not just his political opponents but Republican senators, unfairly, with incredibly brutal tweets. Now all of a sudden it’s a disqualification for someone to serve in the cabinet that engaged in her own opinion on Twitter? I think that’s dumb.”
Tanden has also been unpopular on the left, having been a staunch supporter of Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary. Briahna Joy Gray, former national press secretary for Sanders’s 2020 campaign, tweeted: “Everything toxic about the corporate Democratic party is embodied in Neera Tanden.”
For Biden, Tuesday’s sober and determined presentation was the latest sign that the transition is gathering unstoppable momentum despite Trump’s false claims of vote rigging and refusal to concede.
On Monday, Biden received his first full classified intelligence briefing since winning the 3 November election, after Trump delayed the process for weeks. And Arizona and Wisconsin officially recognised Biden’s victory, meaning Trump’s legal team has lost six of six attempts to stop states certifying their results. Trump has pursued challenges in numerous states but most have been tossed out.
Yet the president continues his quixotic effort. The Trump campaign on Tuesday asked the Wisconsin supreme court to determine if 221,000 absentee ballots that allegedly lacked information should be excluded from vote totals. Biden won the state by about 20,000 votes.
The electoral college, which selects the president based on state-by-state results, is scheduled to meet on 14 December. Biden will take office on 20 January.


theguardian--2020-12-01--Operation Rebrand Melania: What can we expect from the first lady’s rumoured memoir? | Arwa Mahdawi

Melania Trump is a woman of few words : she Be Best at brevity .
Now that the first lady is getting ready to vacate the White House , however , it looks as if she may have found her voice .
Rumour has it that Melania is planning to write a memoir about her time in public office .
“ She ’ s not done , or going as quietly as you might expect , ” a mysterious source recently told the New York Post .
Well , of course she isn ’ t .
Melania may not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she is good at grabbing any opportunity for self-advancement that comes her way .
When Donald Trump took office , a lot of liberals seemed to want to see Melania as a victim .
# FreeMelania memes circulated ; theories that she had done a runner and been replaced by a body double abounded .
But Melania , it has become painfully clear , is no shrinking violet .
She is no victim .
She is every bit as conniving as her husband , not to mention petty : if Melania ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to be believed , the first lady spent a large part of the past four years devising devious ways to undermine Ivanka .
During the inauguration , for example , Melania reportedly launched “ Operation Block Ivanka ” and arranged the seating to ensure that you could not see the first daughter on television during the president ’ s swearing in .
Princess Ivanka was blocked by Queen Melania ’ s head .
Extreme pettiness is not a good trait in a human being .
However , it can make for excellent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high hopes that Melania will fully embrace her dark side after leaving the White House and take down the Trump family in a scandalous tell-all .
If she does not dish the family dirt , her memoir risks being extremely anaemic : her time as first lady has not exactly been action-packed , after all .
Chapter one : It was Be Best of times and Be Worst of times ; I launched an anti-bullying initiative despite being married to the world ’ s biggest bully .
Chapter two : Stormy Daniels compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mushroom character in Mario Kart ” .
Chapter three : I went on a Kenyan safari in a weird colonial hat .
Chapter four : I ranted about migrant children and Christmas .
Chapter five : I dug up the Rose Garden .
Chapter six : I contracted coronavirus .
As Melania prepares for the next chapter of her life , it seems that she has already started throwing her nearest and dearest to the wolves in an attempt to clean up her image .
On Monday , the New York Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lady , declaring that she had been done a severe disservice by Stephanie Grisham , her chief of staff and press secretary .
One imagines the insiders quoted in the piece are pals of the first lady who have been instructed to launch Operation Rebrand Melania .
There has been a lot of mirth about the idea of Melania writing a memoir , but I have a horrible feeling that she is the one who will be having the last laugh .
She may not produce anything like Michelle Obama ’ s memoir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quick buck and become even richer .
Her husband may need to be dragged out of the West Wing kicking and screaming , but Melania is going to strut out smirking and scheming .

Melania Trump is a woman of few words: she Be Best at brevity. Now that the first lady is getting ready to vacate the White House, however, it looks as if she may have found her voice. Rumour has it that Melania is planning to write a memoir about her time in public office. “She’s not done, or going as quietly as you might expect,” a mysterious source recently told the New York Post.
Well, of course she isn’t. Melania may not have the gift of the gab, but she is good at grabbing any opportunity for self-advancement that comes her way. When Donald Trump took office, a lot of liberals seemed to want to see Melania as a victim. #FreeMelania memes circulated; theories that she had done a runner and been replaced by a body double abounded.
But Melania, it has become painfully clear, is no shrinking violet. She is no victim. She is every bit as conniving as her husband, not to mention petty: if Melania’s former friend, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, is to be believed, the first lady spent a large part of the past four years devising devious ways to undermine Ivanka. During the inauguration, for example, Melania reportedly launched “Operation Block Ivanka” and arranged the seating to ensure that you could not see the first daughter on television during the president’s swearing in. Princess Ivanka was blocked by Queen Melania’s head.
Extreme pettiness is not a good trait in a human being. However, it can make for excellent content in a memoir. I have high hopes that Melania will fully embrace her dark side after leaving the White House and take down the Trump family in a scandalous tell-all. If she does not dish the family dirt, her memoir risks being extremely anaemic: her time as first lady has not exactly been action-packed, after all. Chapter one: It was Be Best of times and Be Worst of times; I launched an anti-bullying initiative despite being married to the world’s biggest bully. Chapter two: Stormy Daniels compared my husband’s genitals to “the mushroom character in Mario Kart”. Chapter three: I went on a Kenyan safari in a weird colonial hat. Chapter four: I ranted about migrant children and Christmas. Chapter five: I dug up the Rose Garden. Chapter six: I contracted coronavirus.
As Melania prepares for the next chapter of her life, it seems that she has already started throwing her nearest and dearest to the wolves in an attempt to clean up her image. On Monday, the New York Post published a fawning piece about the first lady, declaring that she had been done a severe disservice by Stephanie Grisham, her chief of staff and press secretary. One imagines the insiders quoted in the piece are pals of the first lady who have been instructed to launch Operation Rebrand Melania.
There has been a lot of mirth about the idea of Melania writing a memoir, but I have a horrible feeling that she is the one who will be having the last laugh. She may not produce anything like Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming, but she will make a quick buck and become even richer. Her husband may need to be dragged out of the West Wing kicking and screaming, but Melania is going to strut out smirking and scheming.


theguardian--2020-12-02--'Help is on the way,' says Joe Biden as he announces new economic team – video

US president-elect Joe Biden has formally introduced his choices for top economic advisers .
‘ Our message to everybody struggling @ @ @ @ @ help is on the way , ’ Biden said .
Biden ’ s nominations would @ @ @ @ @ economic roles , including Janet Yellen , who if confirmed by the Senate would be @ @ @ @ @ the US treasury in its 231-year history .
Yellen said the economic impact of the @ @ @ @ @ tragedy' • 'Help is on the way ' : Joe Biden introduces economic team as @ @

US president-elect Joe Biden has formally introduced his choices for top economic advisers. ‘Our message to everybody struggling right now is this: help is on the way,’ Biden said. Biden’s nominations would put several women in top economic roles, including Janet Yellen, who if confirmed by the Senate would be the first woman to lead the US treasury in its 231-year history. Yellen said the economic impact of the pandemic was ‘an American tragedy'


theguardian--2020-12-02--Donald Trump suggests 2024 presidential bid: 'I'll see you in four years'

Donald Trump has floated the idea of running for president again in 2024 at a holiday reception at the White House on Tuesday evening .
“ It ’ s been an amazing four years , ” Trump told the crowd , which included many Republican National Committee members .
“ We ’ re trying to do another four years .
Otherwise , I ’ ll see you in four years.
” Trump ’ s comments appeared to acknowledge that he thought he could have lost the election .
While speculation about a presidential run in 2024 has been rife , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to declare a bid soon , he has not spoken publicly about it before .
The video was streamed live on Facebook by one attendee of the party , Pam Pollard , who is national committee member for the Oklahoma GOP .
The footage showed dozens of people crammed into the Cross Hall of the White House state floor , standing closely together .
Many seen in the video were not wearing masks .
Coughing could be heard .
The Trumps began hosting holiday receptions this week , intent on celebrating a final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January .
Trump has not formally conceded , but belatedly allowed the transition to Biden to proceed .
According to social media postings reviewed by The Associated Press , the White House Christmas events have featured large crowds of often maskless attendees gathered indoors – violating the very public health guidance the US government has pressed the nation to follow this holiday season as cases of Covid-19 skyrocketed across the country .
The White House has been the site of at least one suspected Covid-19 super-spreader event , and dozens of the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies have tested positive in numerous outbreaks .
Trump himself was hospitalized for the virus in October , and the first lady and two of his sons have tested positive .
Numerous others have had to quarantine .
Stephanie Grisham , the first lady ’ s spokeswoman and chief of staff , had said last month that the White House would be moving forward with events , “ while providing the safest environment possible.
” She said that would include smaller guest lists , that “ masks will be required and available , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House grounds , and hand sanitizer stations throughout the State Floor.
” “ Attending the parties will be a very personal choice , ” she added .
The video of Trump discussing the 2024 election emerged as he threatened to veto the $ 740bn National Defense Authorization Act unless it included a measure eliminating a federal law protecting tech companies such as Facebook and Twitter .
“ If the very dangerous & unfair Section 230 is not completely terminated as part of the National Defense Authorization Act ( NDAA ) , I will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when sent to the very beautiful Resolute desk , ” Trump tweeted late on Tuesday .
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects tech companies from liability over content posted by users , and has been under attack from Trump and Republican lawmakers , who have criticized internet platforms ’ content moderation decisions and accused them of stifling conservative voices .
The sweeping NDAA sets policy for the Department of Defense .
It has been passed for six decades , one of the few major pieces of legislation seen as a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay raises for the troops to how many aircraft should be purchased or how best to compete with rivals like Russia and China .
Congressional aides expressed skepticism Trump would actually veto the legislation .
Democrats won ’ t agree to repealing 230 because the 24-year-old law provides a vital protection to social media companies .
With Associated Press and Reuters

Donald Trump has floated the idea of running for president again in 2024 at a holiday reception at the White House on Tuesday evening.
“It’s been an amazing four years,” Trump told the crowd, which included many Republican National Committee members. “We’re trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I’ll see you in four years.”
Trump’s comments appeared to acknowledge that he thought he could have lost the election. While speculation about a presidential run in 2024 has been rife, and many US politics watchers expect him to declare a bid soon, he has not spoken publicly about it before.
The video was streamed live on Facebook by one attendee of the party, Pam Pollard, who is national committee member for the Oklahoma GOP. The footage showed dozens of people crammed into the Cross Hall of the White House state floor, standing closely together. Many seen in the video were not wearing masks. Coughing could be heard.
Trump at the White House Christmas party: "It's been an amazing four years. We're trying to do another four years, otherwise I'll see you in four years."
h/t @ZekeJMiller, @colvinj pic.twitter.com/72Q3bVY3jP — Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) December 2, 2020
The Trumps began hosting holiday receptions this week, intent on celebrating a final season before Trump leaves office on 20 January. Trump has not formally conceded, but belatedly allowed the transition to Biden to proceed.
According to social media postings reviewed by The Associated Press, the White House Christmas events have featured large crowds of often maskless attendees gathered indoors – violating the very public health guidance the US government has pressed the nation to follow this holiday season as cases of Covid-19 skyrocketed across the country.
The White House has been the site of at least one suspected Covid-19 super-spreader event, and dozens of the president’s aides, campaign staffers and allies have tested positive in numerous outbreaks. Trump himself was hospitalized for the virus in October, and the first lady and two of his sons have tested positive. Numerous others have had to quarantine.
Stephanie Grisham, the first lady’s spokeswoman and chief of staff, had said last month that the White House would be moving forward with events, “while providing the safest environment possible.” She said that would include smaller guest lists, that “masks will be required and available, social distancing encouraged while on the White House grounds, and hand sanitizer stations throughout the State Floor.”
“Attending the parties will be a very personal choice,” she added.
The video of Trump discussing the 2024 election emerged as he threatened to veto the $740bn National Defense Authorization Act unless it included a measure eliminating a federal law protecting tech companies such as Facebook and Twitter.
“If the very dangerous & unfair Section 230 is not completely terminated as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), I will be forced to unequivocally VETO the Bill when sent to the very beautiful Resolute desk,” Trump tweeted late on Tuesday.
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects tech companies from liability over content posted by users, and has been under attack from Trump and Republican lawmakers, who have criticized internet platforms’ content moderation decisions and accused them of stifling conservative voices.
The sweeping NDAA sets policy for the Department of Defense. It has been passed for six decades, one of the few major pieces of legislation seen as a “must-pass” because it governs everything from pay raises for the troops to how many aircraft should be purchased or how best to compete with rivals like Russia and China.
Congressional aides expressed skepticism Trump would actually veto the legislation. Democrats won’t agree to repealing 230 because the 24-year-old law provides a vital protection to social media companies.
With Associated Press and Reuters


theguardian--2020-12-03--Covid deaths at highest level since April as 100,000 Americans are hospitalized - as it happened

As of today , 100,226 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid-19 , according to data from the Covid Tracking Project @ @ @ @ @ number yet recorded , and nearly twice as many people as were hospitalized at the @ @ @ @ @ in April and July .
Nearly 20,000 of those hospitalized patients are in the ICU @ @ @ @ @ are on ventilators .

Lois Beckett (now), Lauren Aratani and Martin Belam (earlier)

3 Dec 2020 01.26 GMT Evening summary We’re closing out live US politics blog for this evening, but you can continue following along with breaking news on our global coronavirus blog. An updated summary of today’s key events: More than 100,000 Americans are now hospitalized with Covid-19, the highest number yet during the pandemic, and nearly double the number during earlier waves of the pandemic in April and July.
are now hospitalized with Covid-19, the highest number yet during the pandemic, and nearly double the number during earlier waves of the pandemic in April and July. The months of December, January and February will be “the most difficult in the public health history of the nation”, Dr Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned.
the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned. In Michigan, Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, urged Republican activists to pressure the states Republican legislators to award the state’s electoral votes to Trump, even though Biden won the state by 154,000 votes. From earlier: Joe Biden said that his priority when he enters office is to get the economy back on track. He suggested that he is open to compromise with Republicans in Congress, but emphasized the consequences the party will face if relief is not given to Americans. He also noted that recovery will have to involve “America first” investment.
said that his priority when he enters office is to get the economy back on track. He suggested that he is open to compromise with Republicans in Congress, but emphasized the consequences the party will face if relief is not given to Americans. He also noted that recovery will have to involve “America first” investment. Congress is still struggling to agree on a new coronavirus stimulus package. Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi urged Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell to agree to start negotiations with a $908bn bipartisan plan, but McConnell said the amount is too high.
and urged Senate majority leader to agree to start negotiations with a $908bn bipartisan plan, but McConnell said the amount is too high. Donald Trump is doing all he can to propel his debunked claims of voter fraud in the presidential election, posting a 46-minute video on social media detailing his thoughts on the matter. As the 8 December deadline for states to certify their election results approaches, Trump is quickly running out of options to contest the election.
Updated at 01.28 GMT
3 Dec 2020 00.40 GMT 100,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid-19 As of today, 100,226 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid-19, according to data from the Covid Tracking Project.
This is the highest number yet recorded, and nearly twice as many people as were hospitalized at the peak of earlier coronavirus waves in April and July. Nearly 20,000 of those hospitalized patients are in the ICU, and at least 6,855 are on ventilators. Our daily update is published. States reported 1.4 million tests, 196k cases, and 2,733 deaths. There are 100,226 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in the US —the first time hospitalizations have exceeded 100k. pic.twitter.com/8QSKujBGao — The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) December 3, 2020
Updated at 01.16 GMT
3 Dec 2020 00.16 GMT Coming months will be the 'most difficult in the public health history' The coming winter months will be “the most difficult in the public health history of this nation,” said Dr Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, today, citing the “stress that’s going to be put on our health-care system” as the numbers of coronavirus cases rise. He also said that 90% of hospitals in the United States are currently in “hot zones and the red zones,” CNBC reported. The next few months of the Covid-19 pandemic will be among “the most difficult in the public health history of this nation,” Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday.https://t.co/eOwBIfRBIF — Will Feuer (@WillFOIA) December 2, 2020
Updated at 00.25 GMT
2 Dec 2020 23.12 GMT Iowa Democrat who lost by 6 votes is still fighting for another recount A Democratic congressional candidate who trailed by just six votes after a recount said Wednesday she will appeal directly to the US House for additional recount proceedings, rather than continue to pursue legal challenges in Iowa, where her Republican opponent was certified as the winner of the election this week, the Associated Press reported. It’s the closest House race the US has seen in decades.
Updated at 23.13 GMT
2 Dec 2020 23.04 GMT In Michigan, Giuliani tells Republicans to pressure legislature to overturn Biden win New from the Associated Press: President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer urged Michigan Republican activists on Wednesday to pressure the GOP-controlled legislature to “step up” and award the state’s 16 electoral votes to Trump despite Democrat Joe Biden’s 154,000-vote victory. Giuliani said the US constitution empowers legislatures to appoint electors directly, even though the legislature long ago passed a law allotting them to the popular vote winner. Biden won the state by 2.8 percentage points. GOP legislative leaders have said they will not try to replace Michigan’s electors.
Updated at 23.08 GMT
2 Dec 2020 22.59 GMT The impetus of Trump’s pardon talk? ‘Fear of prosecution,’ CNN reporter says CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins highlighted a key line in Trump’s long video address today: his fear of the investigations into him and his businesses that are currently underway in New York state. The driver behind Trump's latest pardon talk is a fear he'll be prosecuted once he's out of office. In his recorded address, he says, "I hear that the same people who failed to get me in Washington have sent every piece of information to NY so that they can try to get me there." — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) December 2, 2020 Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.’s investigation “is particularly troublesome for Trump,” the Associated Press reported, “because it involves possible state-level charges that could not be wiped away with a presidential pardon.”
Updated at 23.09 GMT
2 Dec 2020 22.49 GMT Full text of Trump’s 46-minute video repeating debunked election claims Should you wish to read the full text of Trump’s long recorded speech today, there is a transcript here, originally shared with journalists by today’s White House pool reporter.
2 Dec 2020 22.04 GMT Afternoon summary Here’s everything that’s happened so far today. Joe Biden said that his priority when he enters office is to get the economy back on track. He suggested that he is open to compromise with Republicans in Congress, but emphasized the consequences the party will face if relief is not given to Americans. He also noted that recovery will have to involve “America first” investment.
said that his priority when he enters office is to get the economy back on track. He suggested that he is open to compromise with Republicans in Congress, but emphasized the consequences the party will face if relief is not given to Americans. He also noted that recovery will have to involve “America first” investment. Congress is still struggling to agree on a new coronavirus stimulus package. Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi urged Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell to agree to start negotiations with a $908bn bipartisan plan, but McConnell said the amount is too high.
and urged Senate majority leader to agree to start negotiations with a $908bn bipartisan plan, but McConnell said the amount is too high. Donald Trump is doing all he can to propel his debunked claims of voter fraud in the presidential election, posting a 46-minute video on social media detailing his thoughts on the matter. As the 8 December deadline for states to certify their election results approaches, Trump is quickly running out of options to contest the election.
is doing all he can to propel his debunked claims of voter fraud in the presidential election, posting a 46-minute video on social media detailing his thoughts on the matter. As the 8 December deadline for states to certify their election results approaches, Trump is quickly running out of options to contest the election. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new quarantine guidelines that said if a person has been exposed to Covid-19, they can shorten their quarantine period from 14 days to seven if they receive a negative Covid-19 test. The change in guidelines is meant to acknowledge the burden a 14-day quarantine may have on individuals. I’m passing the blog over to my Guardian colleague Lois Beckett. Stay tuned for more live updates.
Updated at 22.10 GMT
2 Dec 2020 21.39 GMT At a press conference dedicated to a new coronavirus stimulus package, top Democrats indicated that they would be willing to use a $908bn bipartisan stimulus plan as the starting point for negotiations over a new relief package. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and House speaker Nancy Pelosi said they are now considering a slimmer package, which is over $2tr less than the HEROES Act that was passed by the Democrat-controlled House in May. “While we made a new offer to leader [Mitch] McConnell and leader [Kevin] McCarthy on Monday, in the spirit of compromise we believe the bipartisan framework introduced by senators yesterday should be used as the basis for immediate bipartisan, bicameral negotiations,” the leaders said in a joint statement. But McConnell has already rejected the plan, saying that he now endorses about $500bn in spending, which is worth half the amount that Republicans had originally set in the HEALS Act in July. McConnell has indicated that he wants to tie aid to Congress’ spending bill, which needs to pass by 11 December to prevent funding for nearly all government agencies from expiring.
Updated at 22.04 GMT


theguardian--2020-12-03--Donald Trump releases video statement repeating baseless vote fraud claims

Facebook and Twitter have placed warnings on a 46-minute video statement released by Donald Trump on Wednesday , in which the president repeats baseless claims of voter fraud in November ’ s election , which he lost to Joe Biden .
President-elect Biden , a veteran Democrat , won the presidential election with 306 electoral college votes , compared with Trump ’ s 232 .
However , Trump has refused to concede , and has instead launched – and lost – flimsy legal battles in several states , which experts said appeared aimed at dragging out vote counting and creating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process .
“ This may be the most important speech I ’ ve ever made , ” Trump says in the video , before making lengthy , rambling and baseless claims that America ’ s electoral system is “ under coordinated assault and siege ” .
Trump , who spoke from the Diplomatic Room , kept up his futile pushback against the election even as state after state certifies its results and as Biden presses ahead with shaping his cabinet in advance of his inauguration on 20 January .
Biden received a record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Democrat also won 306 electoral votes compared to 232 for Trump .
The electoral college split matches Trump ’ s victory over Hillary Clinton four years ago , which he described then as a “ landslide ” .
Trump dug further into his contention of a “ rigged election ” even though members of his own administration , including the attorney general , William Barr , say that no proof of widespread voter fraud has been uncovered .
Courts in multiple battleground states have thrown out a barrage of lawsuits filed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is not just about honoring the votes of 74 million Americans who voted for me , ” Trump said .
“ It ’ s about ensuring that Americans can have faith in this election .
And in all future elections.
” The Trump video comes a day after Barr said the US Department of Justice had not uncovered evidence of widespread voter fraud that would change the outcome of the presidential election .
In an interview with the Associated Press , Barr said US attorneys and FBI agents had been working to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncovered no evidence that would change the outcome of the election .
“ To date , we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election , ” Barr said .
Trump campaign lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis said in a statement : “ With the greatest respect to the attorney general , his opinion appears to be without any knowledge or investigation of the substantial irregularities and evidence of systemic fraud.
” As the 8 December deadline for states to certify their results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of options to contest the outcome of the election .
Many of Trump ’ s claims , including that the US election was subject to widespread “ voter fraud ” , have been debunked repeatedly in recent weeks .
In fact , Christopher Krebs , the director of the Department of Homeland Security ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , voiced confidence in the integrity of the election ahead of the November vote .
And afterward , he knocked down allegations that the count was tainted by fraud .
Krebs was fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was released a day after one of Georgia ’ s top election officials made an impassioned plea to Trump to tone down his rhetoric disputing the election results , saying the president was “ inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence ” .
Gabriel Sterling , a Republican who oversaw the implementation of the state ’ s new voting system , also issued the stark warning that if Trump and his supporters did not rein in election disinformation then “ someone is going to get hurt ” .
Sterling , the voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s office , said last week that he had police protection around his home because of threats he received after election results were announced .
Trump lost Georgia to Biden by about 13,000 votes .
Trump responded to Sterling ’ s plea by tweeting baseless claims about the Georgia election and criticising the state ’ s Republican governor , Brian Kemp .
Twitter flagged his tweet as “ disputed ” .

Facebook and Twitter have placed warnings on a 46-minute video statement released by Donald Trump on Wednesday, in which the president repeats baseless claims of voter fraud in November’s election, which he lost to Joe Biden.
President-elect Biden, a veteran Democrat, won the presidential election with 306 electoral college votes, compared with Trump’s 232. However, Trump has refused to concede, and has instead launched – and lost – flimsy legal battles in several states, which experts said appeared aimed at dragging out vote counting and creating a cloud of uncertainty over the electoral process.
“This may be the most important speech I’ve ever made,” Trump says in the video, before making lengthy, rambling and baseless claims that America’s electoral system is “under coordinated assault and siege”.
Trump, who spoke from the Diplomatic Room, kept up his futile pushback against the election even as state after state certifies its results and as Biden presses ahead with shaping his cabinet in advance of his inauguration on 20 January.
Biden received a record 81m votes compared to 74m for Trump. The Democrat also won 306 electoral votes compared to 232 for Trump. The electoral college split matches Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton four years ago, which he described then as a “landslide”.
Trump dug further into his contention of a “rigged election” even though members of his own administration, including the attorney general, William Barr, say that no proof of widespread voter fraud has been uncovered. Courts in multiple battleground states have thrown out a barrage of lawsuits filed on behalf of the president.
“This is not just about honoring the votes of 74 million Americans who voted for me,” Trump said. “It’s about ensuring that Americans can have faith in this election. And in all future elections.”
The Trump video comes a day after Barr said the US Department of Justice had not uncovered evidence of widespread voter fraud that would change the outcome of the presidential election.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Barr said US attorneys and FBI agents had been working to follow up complaints and information but had uncovered no evidence that would change the outcome of the election.
“To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election,” Barr said.
Trump campaign lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis said in a statement: “With the greatest respect to the attorney general, his opinion appears to be without any knowledge or investigation of the substantial irregularities and evidence of systemic fraud.”
As the 8 December deadline for states to certify their results approaches, Trump is fast running out of options to contest the outcome of the election.
Many of Trump’s claims, including that the US election was subject to widespread “voter fraud”, have been debunked repeatedly in recent weeks.
01:37 'It has to stop': Georgia Republican says Trump's election rhetoric will lead to violence – video
In fact, Christopher Krebs, the director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, voiced confidence in the integrity of the election ahead of the November vote. And afterward, he knocked down allegations that the count was tainted by fraud. Krebs was fired by Trump weeks ago.
The video was released a day after one of Georgia’s top election officials made an impassioned plea to Trump to tone down his rhetoric disputing the election results, saying the president was “inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence”.
Gabriel Sterling, a Republican who oversaw the implementation of the state’s new voting system, also issued the stark warning that if Trump and his supporters did not rein in election disinformation “someone is going to get hurt”.
Sterling, the voting systems manager for the Georgia secretary of state’s office, said last week that he had police protection around his home because of threats he received after election results were announced. Trump lost Georgia to Biden by about 13,000 votes.
Trump responded to Sterling’s plea by tweeting baseless claims about the Georgia election and criticising the state’s Republican governor, Brian Kemp. Twitter flagged his tweet as “disputed”.


theguardian--2020-12-02--Biden team to meet with Latino lawmakers amid calls for diverse cabinet picks

Top brass from Joe Biden ’ s transition team are meeting with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus as the president-elect faces growing and critical pressure from various interest groups about who he nominates to run major agencies in his incoming administration .
Biden ’ s pick for chief of staff , Ron Klain , the head of his transition team , Ted Kaufman , and Jeff Zients , another top adviser , are slated to meet members of members of the CHC on Thursday , according to five Democrats with knowledge of the meeting .
The agenda for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CHC , a powerful set of Latino members of Congress , push for Biden to install a Latino person to lead a major federal agency .
The progressive champion , New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , has also said that Biden and Democrats at large have to do more to win over Latino voters in the wake of the 2020 election .
Biden and Democratic candidates struggled to win their support , especially Cuban Americans in Florida , a crucial battleground state .
Over the weekend the CHC sent a letter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominate Michelle Lujan Grisham , the New Mexico governor , to be secretary of health and human services .
That letter is part of a broader push for Biden to put more Latino people in his cabinet .
The letter hailed Biden for choosing Alejandro Mayorkas , a former deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security , to run that agency as secretary .
The meeting , over Zoom , is invite-only and for the members themselves , according to one Democrat with knowledge of the call .
A Democrat close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in regular contact with both members of the CHC and a range of other organizations “ to discuss planning for the incoming administration , including how to ensure the federal government looks like and reflects the breadth and diversity of America ” .
Lujan Grisham has been mentioned as a possible HHS secretary alongside Vivek Murthy , the former surgeon general of the United States , and Dr Mandy Cohen , the secretary of the North Carolina department of health and human services .
On Wednesday , reports surfaced that Lujan Grisham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of the Interior but turned that offer down .
But two other Democrats with knowledge of those discussions denied that happened without offering further details .
Biden himself has promised to make his cabinet the most diverse in history with officials representing all Americans .
But even as he has rolled out his nominations he has been met with calls to name more minorities to major cabinet positions .
Last week , the South Carolina congressman Jim Clyburn , one of the most influential African Americans in Congress , said Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his cabinet .
The uniting aspect of comments by Ocasio-Cortez and Clyburn is the idea that Biden nominating qualified potential candidates to important cabinet positions could help fulfill Biden ’ s promise to set up a historically diverse cabinet and it could help Democrats with those voting blocs .

Sign up for the Guardian’s First Thing newsletter
Top brass from Joe Biden’s transition team are meeting with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus as the president-elect faces growing and critical pressure from various interest groups about who he nominates to run major agencies in his incoming administration.
Biden’s pick for chief of staff, Ron Klain, the head of his transition team, Ted Kaufman, and Jeff Zients, another top adviser, are slated to meet members of members of the CHC on Thursday, according to five Democrats with knowledge of the meeting.
The agenda for the call is unclear but it comes as the CHC, a powerful set of Latino members of Congress, push for Biden to install a Latino person to lead a major federal agency. The progressive champion, New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has also said that Biden and Democrats at large have to do more to win over Latino voters in the wake of the 2020 election. Biden and Democratic candidates struggled to win their support, especially Cuban Americans in Florida, a crucial battleground state.
Over the weekend the CHC sent a letter to the Biden transition team urging him to nominate Michelle Lujan Grisham, the New Mexico governor, to be secretary of health and human services.
That letter is part of a broader push for Biden to put more Latino people in his cabinet. The letter hailed Biden for choosing Alejandro Mayorkas, a former deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, to run that agency as secretary.
The meeting, over Zoom, is invite-only and for the members themselves, according to one Democrat with knowledge of the call.
A Democrat close to the transition noted that the transition team is in regular contact with both members of the CHC and a range of other organizations “to discuss planning for the incoming administration, including how to ensure the federal government looks like and reflects the breadth and diversity of America”.
Lujan Grisham has been mentioned as a possible HHS secretary alongside Vivek Murthy, the former surgeon general of the United States, and Dr Mandy Cohen, the secretary of the North Carolina department of health and human services.
On Wednesday, reports surfaced that Lujan Grisham was offered a job as secretary of the Department of the Interior but turned that offer down. But two other Democrats with knowledge of those discussions denied that happened without offering further details.
Biden himself has promised to make his cabinet the most diverse in history with officials representing all Americans. But even as he has rolled out his nominations he has been met with calls to name more minorities to major cabinet positions.
Last week, the South Carolina congressman Jim Clyburn, one of the most influential African Americans in Congress, said Biden could be adding more African Americans to his cabinet.
The uniting aspect of comments by Ocasio-Cortez and Clyburn is the idea that Biden nominating qualified potential candidates to important cabinet positions could help fulfill Biden’s promise to set up a historically diverse cabinet and it could help Democrats with those voting blocs.