theguardian--2020-09-10--Trump heads to Michigan as row over Woodward coronavirus revelations continues – live

Mortality is only one aspect of the virus ’ s toll .
Many surviving Covid-19 patients continue to suffer chronic cardiovascular problems and impaired mental function .
If 40,000 cases a day is the new normal , then the implications for morbidity – and for human health and economic welfare – are truly dire .
And , like it or not , there is every indication that many Americans , or at least their current leaders , are willing to accept 40,000 new cases and 1,000 deaths a day .
They have grown inured to the numbers .
They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks .
This is also a more perilous phase for the economy .
In March and April , policymakers pulled out all the stops to staunch the economic bleeding .
But there will be less policy support now if the economy again goes south … Congress seems incapable of replicating the bipartisanship that enabled passage of the Cares Act .
The $ 600 weekly supplement to unemployment benefits has been allowed to expire .
Divisive rhetoric from Donald Trump and other Republican leaders about “ Democrat-led ” cities implies that help for state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards .

11 Sept 2020 01.04 BST Summary From me and Joan E Greve: Donald Trump, speaking to a rally crowd of mostly unmasked supporters packed into an airport hangar in Michigan, amped up racist rhetoric. He used a racist term for the coronavirus, spoke about the threat to white suburbs, and said Joe Biden, by admitting refugees, plans to “ flood” the state with people Syria and Yemen.
He used a racist term for the coronavirus, spoke about the threat to white suburbs, and said Joe Biden, by admitting refugees, plans to flood” the state with people Syria and Yemen. Trump claimed the US is “ rounding the final turn” in its coronavirus crisis as the country’s death toll nears 200,000. The president said during a White House press conference today, “We’re rounding the final turn, and a lot of good things are happening.” In reality, at least 191,536 Americans have already died from the virus, representing a far higher death toll than any other country in the world.
The president said during a White House press conference today, “We’re rounding the final turn, and a lot of good things are happening.” In reality, at least 191,536 Americans have already died from the virus, representing a far higher death toll than any other country in the world. Trump insisted he did not lie to the American people about coronavirus, after journalist Bob Woodard revealed that the president admitted to downplaying the pandemic back in March. During his press conference today, Trump again said he was only trying to keep the public calm, but Woodward reports in his new book that the president acknowledged coronavirus was deadly and airborne back in February, as he publicly dismissed concerns about the virus.
after journalist revealed that the president admitted to downplaying the pandemic back in March. During his press conference today, Trump again said he was only trying to keep the public calm, but Woodward reports in his new book that the president acknowledged coronavirus was deadly and airborne back in February, as he publicly dismissed concerns about the virus. Joe Biden said Donald Trump “seems to have no conception of what constitutes national security”. In an interview with CNN, the Democratic presidential nominee commented on revelations in Bob Woodward’s upcoming book. Biden expressed concern that Trump revealed the existence of a classified nuclear weapons system in interviews with Woodward.
In an interview with CNN, the Democratic presidential nominee commented on revelations in Bob Woodward’s upcoming book. Biden expressed concern that Trump revealed the existence of a classified nuclear weapons system in interviews with Woodward. Another 884,000 Americans filed first-time claims for unemployment last week. The latest numbers from the labor department, which are nearly identical to the figures from a week before, indicate the US job market is losing steam six months after the start of the pandemic.
The latest numbers from the labor department, which are nearly identical to the figures from a week before, indicate the US job market is losing steam six months after the start of the pandemic. The Republican “skinny” coronavirus relief bill failed to pass the Senate. As expected, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell failed to secure the 60 votes necessary to advance the legislation, leaving no current path forward for a relief package.
As expected, Senate majority leader failed to secure the 60 votes necessary to advance the legislation, leaving no current path forward for a relief package. The Los Angeles Times has endorsed Joe Biden for president, noting, “nothing less than the health of our constitutional democracy is at stake”. The newspaper has endorsed the Democratic nominees in all recent elections: choosing Obama in 2008 and Clinton in 2016. California is a reliably blue state.But this year, the Times editorial board writes, the “presidential election confronts voters with the most consequential choice they have faced in decades”.
The newspaper has endorsed the Democratic nominees in all recent elections: choosing Obama in 2008 and Clinton in 2016. California is a reliably blue state.But this year, the Times editorial board writes, the “presidential election confronts voters with the most consequential choice they have faced in decades”. Microsoft warned that hackers from Russia, China and Iran have launched unsuccessful attacks on people associated with both major presidential campaigns. “The activity we are announcing today makes clear that foreign activity groups have stepped up their efforts targeting the 2020 election as had been anticipated,” Microsoft said in a statement.
“The activity we are announcing today makes clear that foreign activity groups have stepped up their efforts targeting the 2020 election as had been anticipated,” Microsoft said in a statement. House speaker Nancy Pelosi said Trump’s efforts to downplay the pandemic show his “contempt” for Americans’ health. The Democratic speaker said the president’s comments to Woodward about trying to downplay the seriousness of coronavirus “showed his contempt – contempt for the American people and their health, contempt for science, contempt for any real effort to crush the virus, contempt for his supporters, their children, their parents.”
Updated at 01.07 BST
10 Sept 2020 00.44 BST A New York Times correspondent was kicked out of the Trump rally. First for me: Trump campaign tracked me down from pics i tweeted and escorted me out. — Kathy Gray (@michpoligal) September 10, 2020 Gray earlier posted pictures of the rally crowd, many of whom were unmasked.
10 Sept 2020 00.41 BST Donald Trump, speaking to a crowd of mostly unmasked supporters packed into an airport hangar, has amped up the racism. In addition to using a racist term for the coronavirus and making his usual vow to “protect” the suburbs, Trump criticized his opponent Joe Biden’s plan to admit more refugees, saying, “He’s promised to flood your state with refugees from terrorist hotspots like Syria and Yemen.” There is a significant population of Syrian and Yemeni Americans living in Michigan, many of whom live in Dearbon – just 30 minutes away from Freeland, where Trump is speaking.
Updated at 00.53 BST
10 Sept 2020 00.16 BST Donald Trump is holding a rally in Michigan tonight. As has become common practice amid the pandemic, Trump supporters have been packed into an event held in an airport hangar. Here’s the scene: What pandemic? pic.twitter.com/vHY0t4H37o — Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) September 10, 2020 "Macho Man" is playing as Trump arrives in Michigan.
Macho, macho man
I gotta be a macho man
Macho, macho man (yeah, yeah)
I gotta be a macho
Body, body, it's so hot, my body
Body, love to pop my body
Body, love to please my body
Body, don't you tease my body — Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) September 10, 2020 The scene here in Freeland, Michigan just before Trump takes the stage pic.twitter.com/GyExW645hO — Jill Colvin (@colvinj) September 10, 2020
Updated at 00.21 BST
10 Sept 2020 23.54 BST Emma Graham-Harrison The Afghan government and the Taliban will open peace talks on Saturday, trying to reach a power-sharing deal as American troops leave the country after nearly two decades. The negotiations to try to end the long civil war were agreed as part of a withdrawal deal that the US signed with the Taliban in February, but have stalled for months over details of a promised prisoner exchange. After several mass releases of Taliban fighters, the final stumbling block had been six insurgent prisoners held for killing French, Australian and American citizens. Those governments had objected to the men’s release, but agreed a compromise that will see them held under house arrest in Doha. On Thursday they were flown to Qatar, and the start of talks was announced. The Taliban delegation is headed by the group’s deputy leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who a decade ago was jailed by Pakistani authorities for trying to open peace talks with Afghan authorities. He was released in 2018. Religious scholar Mawlawi Abdul Hakim Haqqani will also take a senior role in negotiating on behalf of the Taliban and is thought to carry weight with fighters on the ground. The Afghan government delegation is led by Abdullah Abdullah, who for several years served as “CEO” in a government of national unity under president Ashraf Ghani. His team is a mix of government and opposition figures, with former intelligence chief Masoom Stanekzai serving as chief negotiator. Any progress is likely to be slow, as the two sides attempt to bridge the gap between the Taliban’s vision of Islamist rule and the democratic system enshrined in the current constitution. Afghan government to start peace talks with Taliban Read more
10 Sept 2020 23.30 BST Federal judges block Trump admin from excluding undocumented immigrants from census totals for allocating House seats A panel of three federal judges blocked the Trump administration on Thursday from excluding undocumented immigrants from the census totals used to determine how many seats in Congress each state gets. Trump acted unlawfully in July when he ordered the Commerce Department to produce data that would allow him to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count, the panel said. Federal law is clear that only a single data source – the census count of total population – can be used to apportion the 435 seats in the US House among states, the judges wrote. The decennial census does not ask about citizenship status and by requesting a second set of data outside of the decennial census, Trump ran afoul of the law. “Congress mandated that the president use a specific set of numbers – those produced by the decennial census itself – for purposes of the reapportionment,” the panel wrote. “By deviating from that mandate, the presidential memorandum exceeds the authority of the president.” The three judges who issued the unanimous ruling were US district judge Jesse Furman, an appointee of Barack Obama and appellate judges Peter Hall and Richard Wesley, George W Bush appointees. The decision, which is likely to be appealed to the US supreme court, is a major legal win for the civil rights and immigration groups, as well as nearly two dozen states and several cities, that challenged the law. The federal government has long included immigrants, regardless of their legal status, in the apportionment count and excluding them was understood as an unmistakable effort to preserve political power for white Americans. “This is a huge victory for voting rights and for immigrants’ rights. President Trump has tried and failed yet again to weaponize the census against immigrant communities,” said Dale Ho, the director of the Voting Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, which helped represent some of the plaintiffs. “The law is clear – every person counts in the census.” The ruling is the latest development in an ongoing legal battle over the 2020 census. The US supreme court blocked an effort to add a citizenship question to the decennial survey last year and there are ongoing legal challenges seeking to force the Trump administration to extend the deadline for counting Americans.
Updated at 02.05 BST
10 Sept 2020 23.17 BST Sam Levin Unprecedented wildfires and rushed evacuations in Oregon have wreaked havoc on the state’s incarcerated population, with thousands now packed into a single overcrowded prison that was already a major Covid-19 hotspot. A destructive and rapidly spreading fire in Marion county prompted the state to evacuate three prisons on Tuesday, transferring 1,450 people to the Oregon state penitentiary (OSP) in Salem. Evacuees are sleeping on the floor and on emergency beds throughout OSP, including in indoor recreational areas, program rooms and other facilities not typically used for housing. OSP had more than 2,000 prisoners before the evacuations and has reported at least 143 Covid-19 infections. Authorities admit the cramped conditions at the facility could further spread the virus. Activist are also worried about the impact of smoke on prisoners with respiratory problems. Family members and advocates told the Guardian problems at the facility were already escalating, with people packed into makeshift sleeping quarters, some struggling to breathe due to smoke, prisoners facing long waits for food, fights breaking out, and continuing confusion and chaos. Oregon fires: evacuated prisoners sleep on floor in packed Covid-19 hotspot Read more
10 Sept 2020 22.59 BST The Los Angeles Times has endorsed Joe Biden for president, noting, “nothing less than the health of our constitutional democracy is at stake”. The newspaper has endorsed the Democratic nominees in all recent elections: choosing Obama in 2008 and Clinton in 2016. California is a reliably blue state. But this year, the Times editorial board writes, the “presidential election confronts voters with the most consequential choice they have faced in decades, and for many, their lifetimes: between a divisive, authoritarian-leaning incumbent and a seasoned patriot who brings not only five decades of experience, ability and commitment to American values, but also bold ideas at a time of national crisis.” The endorsement continued: “So stark is the contrast between Donald Trump and Joe Biden that we feel compelled to announce our endorsement of the Democratic nominee a ... before the candidates take part in televised debates.” “It’s inconceivable that anything that will be said on the debate stage will close the cavernous fitness gap between the two candidates,” the board said. Beyond being the only viable alternative to Trump this election cycle, the board lauded Biden’s even temperament and his willingness to embrace progressive goals to reform policing, environmental policy and healthcare Read the endorsement here.
Updated at 23.36 BST
10 Sept 2020 22.24 BST From Lauren Gambino and David Smith in Washington and Joanna Walters in New York: Biden has branded Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic “almost criminal” after book revelations that the US president admitted in early February the disease was “deadly stuff” but deliberately played it down. As the death toll from Covid-19 nears 200,000 in America, the world’s highest, Biden excoriated his opponent in November’s election over the way he did not address the defining crisis of his presidency early and comprehensively. “He waved the white flag,” Biden told CNN’s Jake Tapper in an interview scheduled to be aired in full on Thursday afternoon. “He walked away. He didn’t do a damn thing – think about it! And it’s almost criminal.” Bob Woodward’s new book, Rage, highlights of which were revealed in his newspaper the Washington Post on Wednesday, features 18 interviews with Trump from late 2019 and into the early summer of 2020, covering the start and the peak of the pandemic in the US. Totalling nine hours, the interviews were recorded and are therefore impossible for Trump to deny. Woodward, a veteran journalist who helped break the Watergate scandal in the 70s that eventually brought down President Richard Nixon, discloses that in early February this year, just as the first infections were emerging in the US, Trump knew the extent of the deadly coronavirus threat.
And the president had been told that it was an airborne disease, and much deadlier than influenza, but he intentionally misled the public by deciding to “play it down”, saying it was under control when it wasn’t and predicting the virus would “disappear”. At the same time he was conceding to Woodward that “this is deadly stuff”. On 7 February he told Woodward in a phone call: “It goes through the air. That’s always tougher than the touch. You don’t have to touch things. Right? But the air, you just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed. And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.” Biden calls Trump’s handling of Covid ‘almost criminal’ after book revelations Read more
10 Sept 2020 22.12 BST Joe Biden said Donald Trump “seems to have no conception of what constitutes national security”. In an interview with CNN, the Democratic presidential nominee commented on revelations in Bob Woodward’s upcoming book. Biden expressed concern that Trump revealed the existence of a classified nuclear weapons system in interviews with Woodward. “This is the guy who said maybe the way to deal with a hurricane is drop a nuclear bomb on them. I mean – seriously, he said it!” Biden said. “I mean, God. Or you know, the problem with the Revolutionary War was they didn’t have enough airports. I mean, I just – it is beyond my comprehension.” In a roundtable discussion, Kamala Harris also condemned Trump for “reckless disregard of the lives and health and well being” of Americans, after Woodward reported that Trump downplayed the severity of the coronavirus threat. “There are so many reasons why Joe Biden needs to be elected president of the United States. And if those reasons did not make it clear why, this certainly does,” Harris said.
Updated at 22.18 BST
10 Sept 2020 22.00 BST Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: Trump claimed the US is “ rounding the final turn” in its coronavirus crisis as the country’s death toll nears 200,000. The president said during a White House press conference today, “We’re rounding the final turn, and a lot of good things are happening.” In reality, at least 191,536 Americans have already died from the virus, representing a far higher death toll than any other country in the world.
The president said during a White House press conference today, “We’re rounding the final turn, and a lot of good things are happening.” In reality, at least 191,536 Americans have already died from the virus, representing a far higher death toll than any other country in the world. Trump insisted he did not lie to the American people about coronavirus, after journalist Bob Woodard revealed that the president admitted to downplaying the pandemic back in March. During his press conference today, Trump again said he was only trying to keep the public calm, but Woodward reports in his new book that the president acknowledged coronavirus was deadly and airborne back in February, as he publicly dismissed concerns about the virus.
after journalist revealed that the president admitted to downplaying the pandemic back in March. During his press conference today, Trump again said he was only trying to keep the public calm, but Woodward reports in his new book that the president acknowledged coronavirus was deadly and airborne back in February, as he publicly dismissed concerns about the virus. Another 884,000 Americans filed first-time claims for unemployment last week. The latest numbers from the labor department, which are nearly identical to the figures from a week before, indicate the US job market is losing steam six months after the start of the pandemic.
The latest numbers from the labor department, which are nearly identical to the figures from a week before, indicate the US job market is losing steam six months after the start of the pandemic. The Republican “skinny” coronavirus relief bill failed to pass the Senate. As expected, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell failed to secure the 60 votes necessary to advance the legislation, leaving no current path forward for a relief package.
As expected, Senate majority leader failed to secure the 60 votes necessary to advance the legislation, leaving no current path forward for a relief package. Microsoft warned that hackers from Russia, China and Iran have launched unsuccessful attacks on people associated with both major presidential campaigns. “The activity we are announcing today makes clear that foreign activity groups have stepped up their efforts targeting the 2020 election as had been anticipated,” Microsoft said in a statement.
“The activity we are announcing today makes clear that foreign activity groups have stepped up their efforts targeting the 2020 election as had been anticipated,” Microsoft said in a statement. House speaker Nancy Pelosi said Trump’s efforts to downplay the pandemic show his “contempt” for Americans’ health. The Democratic speaker said the president’s comments to Woodward about trying to downplay the seriousness of coronavirus “showed his contempt -- contempt for the American people and their health, contempt for science, contempt for any real effort to crush the virus, contempt for his supporters, their children, their parents.” Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
10 Sept 2020 21.45 BST Joanna Walters Less than eight weeks before the November 3 elections, attorneys for the Trump campaign are urging a federal judge in Las Vegas to block a new state law and prevent mail-in ballots from going to all active Nevada voters amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The campaign argues in documents filed earlier this week in a bid to keep its lawsuit alive that it is hurt by the state law passed in July by the Democratic party-led legislature because it forces Republicans to divert resources to “educating Nevada voters on those changes and encouraging them to still vote.” Visitors walk on a pedestrian bridge between MGM Resorts International properties New York-New York Hotel & Casino and MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip in late August. Photograph: Ethan Miller/Getty Images The Trump campaign argues that sending ballots to nearly 1.7 million active voters in Nevada will impede Republicans’ ability to elect candidates “because the law will ‘confuse’ their voters and ‘create incentive’ to stay away from the polls.” Mail-in ballots are due to be sent out in the next few weeks, The Associated Press writes. The 16-page US District Court filing was an answer to Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske’s motion last month to throw out the lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign, Republican National Committee and state Republicans.
Cegavske, also a Republican, opposed the law as unaffordable before it passed. The lawsuit targeted her as the state’s top elections official. The office of state Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat, is defending the law in court. Nevada argues that the Trump campaign and Republicans don’t have legal standing to take the case to court and have failed to explain how they’d be harmed. The state also argues that Republicans do not support their “nebulous argument that (the state law) increases the likelihood of voter fraud.” The Democratic National Committee and state Democrats are seeking to join the lawsuit, and attorneys from around the country on both sides have applied to take part. Read the Guardian’s special Fight to Vote series here.
10 Sept 2020 21.25 BST During his White House press conference moments ago, Trump acknowledged he had spent much of the past 24 hours watching Fox News. Trump admits that he watched Fox News all night last night and then some more this morning pic.twitter.com/ORuXQRptJf — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 10, 2020 “I watch some of the shows,” the president said. “I watch Liz MacDonald, she’s fantastic. Fox Business. I watched Lou Dobbs last night. Sean Hannity last night, Tucker last night, Laura. I watched ‘Fox & Friends’ in the morning.” The admission was noteworthy considering another 1,206 Americans died of coronavirus yesterday, according to Johns Hopkins University. Trump also said last night (during a Fox News interview) that he probably wouldn’t read Bob Woodward’s new book because, “I don’t have time.”
10 Sept 2020 21.11 BST Trump claims US is 'rounding the final turn' as Fauci urges Americans to 'hunker down' Trump wrapped up his press conference after taking just a few questions, including one from an employee of the conservative website Newsmax that was not about the coronavirus pandemic. Asked why he spoke to Bob Woodward 18 times for his new book, Trump replied, “I did it out of curiosity.” The president said he wondered whether someone like Woodward, who is best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning work uncovering the Watergate scandal, “can write good.” Despite the country’s mounting coronavirus death toll, Trump sent an upbeat message that the crisis was coming to a close in the US. “We’re rounding the final turn,” Trump said. In comparison, Dr Anthony Fauci said earlier today, “We need to hunker down and get through this fall and winter, because it’s not going to be easy.” Trump also insisted Woodward should have released the tapes of their conversations sooner if he was concerned, echoing recent criticisms of the legendary journalist.
The president said, “If Bob Woodward thought what I said was bad, then he should have immediately, right after I said it, gone out to the authorities so they can prepare and let them know.” A Washington Post reporter replied, “Bob Woodward is not the president.” 01:18 Trump claims US 'rounding the final turn' on Covid as death toll nears 200,000 – video
Updated at 21.57 BST
10 Sept 2020 20.59 BST Trump again tried to deflect responsibility for the country’s climbing coronavirus death toll by blaming China for the pandemic, but the president expressed confidence that the US was in the final stretch of its crisis. “We’re rounding the final turn, and a lot of good things are happening,” Trump said. "We're rounding the final turn" -- Trump on the coronavirus pic.twitter.com/HAClFPSGfr — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 10, 2020 The president boasted about the “phenomenal job” his administration has done responding to the pandemic, even though the US death toll is far higher than that of any other country. Trump also continued to insist he downplayed the pandemic because he was trying to inspire calm in the country. The president said, “I don’t want to jump up and down and start screaming, ‘Death! Death!’”
10 Sept 2020 20.51 BST Trump: 'I didn't lie' to the American people Trump denied that he lied to the American people about the seriousness of coronavirus, despite admitting to Bob Woodward that he intentionally downplayed the pandemic. Asked by ABC News’ Jonathan Karl about his comments, Trump lashed out against the reporter for asking a “terrible question.” “I didn’t lie,” Trump said. But the president told Woodward in February that coronavirus was “deadly” and airborne, as he publicly downplayed the threat of the virus.
10 Sept 2020 20.49 BST During his White House press conference, Trump launched into a political attack against Democratic nominee Joe Biden. The president claimed Biden was “perfectly happy” to endanger Americans’ lives for political gain. But it was Trump who told Bob Woodward in March that he was purposefully trying to downplay the coronavirus pandemic.


theguardian--2020-09-11--Trump can't exclude undocumented immigrants from census, judges rule

The Trump administration was blocked on Thursday from excluding undocumented immigrants from the census totals used to determine how many seats in Congress each state gets .
Donald Trump acted unlawfully in July when he ordered the commerce department to produce data that would allow him to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count , a panel of three judges said .
Federal law is clear that only a single data source – the census count of total population – can be used to apportion the 435 seats in the US House among states , the judges wrote .
The decennial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and by requesting a second set of data outside of the decennial census , Trump ran afoul of the law .
“ Congress mandated that the president use a specific set of numbers – those produced by the decennial census itself – for purposes of the reapportionment , ” the panel wrote .
“ By deviating from that mandate , the presidential memorandum exceeds the authority of the president.
” The three judges who issued the unanimous ruling were the US district judge Jesse Furman , an appointee of Barack Obama and appellate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George W Bush appointees .
The decision , which is likely to be appealed to the US supreme court , is a major legal win for the civil rights and immigration groups , as well as nearly two dozen states and several cities , that challenged the law .
The federal government has long included immigrants , regardless of their legal status , in the apportionment count and excluding them was understood as an unmistakable effort to preserve political power for white Americans .
“ This is a huge victory for voting rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has tried and failed yet again to weaponize the census against immigrant communities , ” said Dale Ho , the director of the Voting Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union , which helped represent some of the plaintiffs .
“ The law is clear – every person counts in the census.
” The ruling is the latest development in an ongoing legal battle over the 2020 census .
The US supreme court blocked an effort to add a citizenship question to the decennial survey last year and there are ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration to extend the deadline for counting Americans .
Federal law also requires apportionment to be based on the number of “ persons in each state ” – a phrase the Trump administration argued did not include undocumented people .
The panel dismissed that argument , noting that Congress had explicitly chosen not to exclude undocumented people from the apportionment base .
“ Since 1929 ( if not before ) , the consistent view of both political branches has been that Section 2a , if not the constitution , requires the inclusion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without regard for their legal status , ” they wrote .
“ When pressed at oral argument to cite ‘ any instance , any support .
.
.
in the historical record ’ for the proposition that the President has discretion under Section 2a to exclude illegal aliens from the apportionment base , defense counsel came up empty.
” The justice department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling .

The Trump administration was blocked on Thursday from excluding undocumented immigrants from the census totals used to determine how many seats in Congress each state gets.
Donald Trump acted unlawfully in July when he ordered the commerce department to produce data that would allow him to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count, a panel of three judges said. Federal law is clear that only a single data source – the census count of total population – can be used to apportion the 435 seats in the US House among states, the judges wrote. The decennial census does not ask about citizenship status and by requesting a second set of data outside of the decennial census, Trump ran afoul of the law.
“Congress mandated that the president use a specific set of numbers – those produced by the decennial census itself – for purposes of the reapportionment,” the panel wrote. “By deviating from that mandate, the presidential memorandum exceeds the authority of the president.” The three judges who issued the unanimous ruling were the US district judge Jesse Furman, an appointee of Barack Obama and appellate judges Peter Hall and Richard Wesley, George W Bush appointees.
The decision, which is likely to be appealed to the US supreme court, is a major legal win for the civil rights and immigration groups, as well as nearly two dozen states and several cities, that challenged the law. The federal government has long included immigrants, regardless of their legal status, in the apportionment count and excluding them was understood as an unmistakable effort to preserve political power for white Americans.
“This is a huge victory for voting rights and for immigrants’ rights. President Trump has tried and failed yet again to weaponize the census against immigrant communities,” said Dale Ho, the director of the Voting Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, which helped represent some of the plaintiffs. “The law is clear – every person counts in the census.”
The ruling is the latest development in an ongoing legal battle over the 2020 census. The US supreme court blocked an effort to add a citizenship question to the decennial survey last year and there are ongoing legal challenges seeking to force the Trump administration to extend the deadline for counting Americans.
Federal law also requires apportionment to be based on the number of “persons in each state” – a phrase the Trump administration argued did not include undocumented people. The panel dismissed that argument, noting that Congress had explicitly chosen not to exclude undocumented people from the apportionment base.
“Since 1929 (if not before), the consistent view of both political branches has been that Section 2a, if not the constitution, requires the inclusion of all residents in the apportionment base, without regard for their legal status,” they wrote. “When pressed at oral argument to cite ‘any instance, any support . . . in the historical record’ for the proposition that the President has discretion under Section 2a to exclude illegal aliens from the apportionment base, defense counsel came up empty.”
The justice department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.


theguardian--2020-09-11--Woodward tells how allies tried to rein in 'childish' Trump's foreign policy

Four days before ordering a drone strike against the Iranian military commander Qassem Suleimani , Donald Trump was debating the assassination on his own Florida golf course , according to Bob Woodward ’ s new book on the mercurial president .
Trump ’ s golfing partner that day was Senator Lindsey Graham , who had emerged as one of his closest advisers , and who urged him not to take such a “ giant step ” , that could trigger “ almost total war ” .
Graham warned Trump he would be raising the stakes from “ playing $ 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is over the top , ” the senator said .
“ How about hitting someone a level below Suleimani , which would be much easier for everyone to absorb ?
” Trump ’ s chief of staff at the time , Mick Mulvaney , also begged Graham to help change Trump ’ s mind .
Trump would not be persuaded , pointing to Iranian-orchestrated attacks on US soldiers in Iraq , which he said were masterminded by the Iranian general , the leader of the elite Quds force of the Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baghdad on 3 January , triggering a retaliatory Iranian missile strike against a US base in Iraq , but so far not the large-scale conflict Graham and others warned the president about .
The golf course exchange is described in a forthcoming book , Rage , a second volume on the Trump presidency by Woodward , a veteran investigative reporter famous for covering the Watergate affair and the consequent fall of an earlier scandal-ridden president , Richard Nixon .
Woodward interviewed Trump 18 times for the book and spoke extensively to Graham , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The portrait that emerges is familiar by now : a volatile president , easily swayed by authoritarian leaders and capable of swinging dramatically from fiery bellicosity to fawning over America ’ s most ardent adversaries .
Nowhere was that whiplash more violent than in policy towards North Korea .
The book chronicles the period between July and November 2017 when Pyongyang tested a succession of long-range missiles capable of hitting the US mainland and carried out its sixth underground nuclear test .
Conscious that the next missile could be heading towards the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be taken in minutes that could put the country on the path to nuclear war , the then defence secretary , James Mattis , took to sleeping in his gym clothes and having a flashing light and bell installed in his bathroom in case a missile alert happened when he was in the shower .
He also spent more time praying in the National Cathedral in Washington and preparing himself for the worst .
In the US command system , the president has sole authority to launch nuclear weapons , but Mattis believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ What do you do if you ’ ve got to do it ?
” Mattis asked Woodward .
“ You ’ re going to incinerate a couple million people .
No person has the right to kill a million people , as far as I ’ m concerned .
Yet that ’ s what I have to confront.
” Mattis ’ s fears were aggravated by Trump ’ s furious tweets threatening destruction and “ fire and fury ” against North Korea .
Mattis said the tweets were “ unproductive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump to stop .
“ I got over enjoying public humiliation by second grade , ” he told the president , to no avail .
A conflagration was ultimately averted and by early 2018 , the North Korean leader , Kim Jong-un , declared that the goal of developing a nuclear arsenal had been achieved and he would therefore pivot towards focusing on the economy .
Trump also switched direction and made peace overtures to Kim Jong-un , which led to a string of spectacular but ultimately ineffective summits and a remarkable flurry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – letters between the two leaders , which Woodward has published for the first time .
In December 2018 , Kim recalled their first summit 200 days earlier in Singapore .
“ Even now I can not forget that moment of history when I firmly held Your Excellency ’ s hand at that beautiful and sacred location as the whole world watched , ” the North Korean leader wrote .
Woodward noted that Trump was thrilled by the use of the title “ Excellency ” .
The US president described the missives as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had “ a unique style and a special friendship ” .
After the scare of 2017 , the president insisted the flattery was essential for avoiding disaster .
“ You can ’ t mock Kim , ” he warned Woodward .
“ I don ’ t want to get in a fucking nuclear war because you mocked him.
” US intelligence never worked out who had crafted Kim ’ s purple English prose , but Woodward wrote : “ The analysts marveled at the skill someone brought to finding the exact mixture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s sense of grandiosity and being center stage in history.
” The manipulation of Trump by foreign potentates is a recurring theme of the book .
Despite the fact that the special counsel ’ s Russia investigation found no proof of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin , the US director of national intelligence , Dan Coats , became convinced that Vladimir Putin “ had something on Trump ” .
“ How else to explain the president ’ s behavior ?
Coats could see no other explanation , ” Woodward wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He was sure that Trump had chosen to play on the dark side – the moneyed interests in the New York real estate culture , and international finance with its corrupt anything-to-make-a-buck deal making.
” Trump freely admits his affinity for foreign strongmen to Woodward .
“ It ’ s funny the relationships I have , ” he told the reporter .
“ The tougher and meaner they are , the better I get along with them … Explain that to me someday.
” Another example is the Saudi crown prince , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence in the murder and dismemberment of a US-based Saudi dissident and writer , Jamal Khashoggi , in October 2018 .
Trump refused to put his own intelligence chiefs ’ assessment and congressional outrage over the prince ’ s protestations of innocence .
“ I saved his ass , ” Trump is reported as saying .
“ I was able to get Congress to leave him alone .
I was able to get them to stop.
” Woodward repeatedly asked Trump whether he believed in Prince Mohammed ’ s innocence .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly that he didn ’ t do it ” and , when pressed further , diverted the conversation to US arms sales to Saudi Arabia .
In another extraordinary scene , the former secretary of state Rex Tillerson describes joining a meeting between Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu in May 2017 in Jerusalem , in which the Israeli leader showed the US president a videotape supposedly showing the Palestinian leader , Mahmoud Abbas , inciting violence against Jews .
Tillerson believed the tape had been faked or manipulated , splicing together words and sentences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had previously been distrustful of Netanyahu - was totally convinced .
The next day in Bethlehem , Trump hurled abuse at Abbas , calling him a liar and a murderer , and he severed diplomatic relations and financial support for the Palestinians soon after .
Tillerson came to the conclusion that “ Netanyahu had manufactured the tape to counter any pro-Palestinian sentiments that were surfacing ” .
The president also expressed pride in his relationship with Turkey ’ s leader , Recep Tayyip Erdoğan , who in October 2019 persuaded Trump to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , abandoning America ’ s Kurdish allies , who had taken the lead in the fight against Isis .
The decision was the last straw for an outraged Mattis .
“ When I was basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid , strategically jeopardizing our place in the world , and everything else .
That ’ s when I quit , ” the former defence secretary said .
Mattis predicted Trump ’ s impact on the country would be lasting .
“ This degradation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tangible .
Truth is no longer governing the White House statements , ” he said .
Coats , the former intelligence director , fired in July 2019 while he was playing golf on one of Trump ’ s courses , came to a similar conclusion .
“ To him , a lie is not a lie .
It ’ s just what he thinks , ” Coats said .
“ He doesn ’ t know the difference between the truth and a lie .
”

Four days before ordering a drone strike against the Iranian military commander Qassem Suleimani, Donald Trump was debating the assassination on his own Florida golf course, according to Bob Woodward’s new book on the mercurial president.
Trump’s golfing partner that day was Senator Lindsey Graham, who had emerged as one of his closest advisers, and who urged him not to take such a “giant step”, that could trigger “almost total war”.
Graham warned Trump he would be raising the stakes from “playing $10 blackjack to $10,000-a-hand blackjack”.
“This is over the top,” the senator said. “How about hitting someone a level below Suleimani, which would be much easier for everyone to absorb?”
Trump’s chief of staff at the time, Mick Mulvaney, also begged Graham to help change Trump’s mind.
Trump would not be persuaded, pointing to Iranian-orchestrated attacks on US soldiers in Iraq, which he said were masterminded by the Iranian general, the leader of the elite Quds force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Suleimani was killed in Baghdad on 3 January, triggering a retaliatory Iranian missile strike against a US base in Iraq, but so far not the large-scale conflict Graham and others warned the president about.
The golf course exchange is described in a forthcoming book, Rage, a second volume on the Trump presidency by Woodward, a veteran investigative reporter famous for covering the Watergate affair and the consequent fall of an earlier scandal-ridden president, Richard Nixon.
Trump plays golf in Sterling, Virginia, in July. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
Woodward interviewed Trump 18 times for the book and spoke extensively to Graham, as well as many presidential aides.
The portrait that emerges is familiar by now: a volatile president, easily swayed by authoritarian leaders and capable of swinging dramatically from fiery bellicosity to fawning over America’s most ardent adversaries.
Nowhere was that whiplash more violent than in policy towards North Korea. The book chronicles the period between July and November 2017 when Pyongyang tested a succession of long-range missiles capable of hitting the US mainland and carried out its sixth underground nuclear test.
Conscious that the next missile could be heading towards the US, and that decisions would have to be taken in minutes that could put the country on the path to nuclear war, the then defence secretary, James Mattis, took to sleeping in his gym clothes and having a flashing light and bell installed in his bathroom in case a missile alert happened when he was in the shower.
He also spent more time praying in the National Cathedral in Washington and preparing himself for the worst. In the US command system, the president has sole authority to launch nuclear weapons, but Mattis believed he would be asked for his recommendations.
“What do you do if you’ve got to do it?” Mattis asked Woodward. “You’re going to incinerate a couple million people. No person has the right to kill a million people, as far as I’m concerned. Yet that’s what I have to confront.”
Mattis’s fears were aggravated by Trump’s furious tweets threatening destruction and “fire and fury” against North Korea.
Mattis said the tweets were “unproductive, childish and dangerous” and pleaded with Trump to stop.
“I got over enjoying public humiliation by second grade,” he told the president, to no avail.
A conflagration was ultimately averted and by early 2018, the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, declared that the goal of developing a nuclear arsenal had been achieved and he would therefore pivot towards focusing on the economy.
Trump also switched direction and made peace overtures to Kim Jong-un, which led to a string of spectacular but ultimately ineffective summits and a remarkable flurry of 27 warm – sometimes breathlessly affectionate – letters between the two leaders, which Woodward has published for the first time.
In December 2018, Kim recalled their first summit 200 days earlier in Singapore.
“Even now I cannot forget that moment of history when I firmly held Your Excellency’s hand at that beautiful and sacred location as the whole world watched,” the North Korean leader wrote. Woodward noted that Trump was thrilled by the use of the title “Excellency”.
The US president described the missives as “love letters” and told Kim they had “a unique style and a special friendship”. After the scare of 2017, the president insisted the flattery was essential for avoiding disaster.
“You can’t mock Kim,” he warned Woodward. “I don’t want to get in a fucking nuclear war because you mocked him.”
Donald Trump described his correspondence with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as ‘love letters’. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
US intelligence never worked out who had crafted Kim’s purple English prose, but Woodward wrote: “The analysts marveled at the skill someone brought to finding the exact mixture of flattery while appealing to Trump’s sense of grandiosity and being center stage in history.”
The manipulation of Trump by foreign potentates is a recurring theme of the book. Despite the fact that the special counsel’s Russia investigation found no proof of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin, the US director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, became convinced that Vladimir Putin “had something on Trump”.
“How else to explain the president’s behavior? Coats could see no other explanation,” Woodward wrote after interviewing the former spy chief. “He was sure that Trump had chosen to play on the dark side – the moneyed interests in the New York real estate culture, and international finance with its corrupt anything-to-make-a-buck deal making.”
Trump freely admits his affinity for foreign strongmen to Woodward.
“It’s funny the relationships I have,” he told the reporter. “The tougher and meaner they are, the better I get along with them … Explain that to me someday.”
Another example is the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, implicated by US intelligence in the murder and dismemberment of a US-based Saudi dissident and writer, Jamal Khashoggi, in October 2018. Trump refused to put his own intelligence chiefs’ assessment and congressional outrage over the prince’s protestations of innocence.
“I saved his ass,” Trump is reported as saying. “I was able to get Congress to leave him alone. I was able to get them to stop.”
Woodward repeatedly asked Trump whether he believed in Prince Mohammed’s innocence. The president replied only that “he says very strongly that he didn’t do it” and, when pressed further, diverted the conversation to US arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
In another extraordinary scene, the former secretary of state Rex Tillerson describes joining a meeting between Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu in May 2017 in Jerusalem, in which the Israeli leader showed the US president a videotape supposedly showing the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, inciting violence against Jews.
Tillerson believed the tape had been faked or manipulated, splicing together words and sentences out of context, but Trump - who had previously been distrustful of Netanyahu - was totally convinced. The next day in Bethlehem, Trump hurled abuse at Abbas, calling him a liar and a murderer, and he severed diplomatic relations and financial support for the Palestinians soon after.
Tillerson came to the conclusion that “Netanyahu had manufactured the tape to counter any pro-Palestinian sentiments that were surfacing”.
The president also expressed pride in his relationship with Turkey’s leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who in October 2019 persuaded Trump to announce a troop withdrawal from north-eastern Syria, abandoning America’s Kurdish allies, who had taken the lead in the fight against Isis.
The decision was the last straw for an outraged Mattis.
“When I was basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid, strategically jeopardizing our place in the world, and everything else. That’s when I quit,” the former defence secretary said.
Mattis predicted Trump’s impact on the country would be lasting.
“This degradation of the American experiment is real. This is tangible. Truth is no longer governing the White House statements,” he said.
Coats, the former intelligence director, fired in July 2019 while he was playing golf on one of Trump’s courses, came to a similar conclusion.
“To him, a lie is not a lie. It’s just what he thinks,” Coats said. “He doesn’t know the difference between the truth and a lie.”


theguardian--2020-09-11--Trump claims US is 'rounding the corner' as coronavirus death toll nears 200,000 – as it happened

Less than eight weeks before the November 3 elections , attorneys for the Trump campaign are urging a federal judge in Las Vegas to block a new state law and prevent mail-in ballots from going to all active Nevada voters amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The campaign argues in documents filed earlier this week in a bid to keep its lawsuit alive that it is hurt by the state law passed in July by the Democratic party-led legislature because it forces Republicans to divert resources to “ educating Nevada voters on those changes and encouraging them to still vote.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to nearly 1.7 million active voters in Nevada will impede Republicans ’ ability to elect candidates “ because the law will ‘ confuse ’ their voters and ‘ create incentive ’ to stay away from the polls.
” Mail-in ballots are due to be sent out in the next few weeks , The Associated Press writes .
The 16-page US District Court filing was an answer to Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske ’ s motion last month to throw out the lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign , Republican National Committee and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican , opposed the law as unaffordable before it passed .
The lawsuit targeted her as the state ’ s top elections official .
The office of state Attorney General Aaron Ford , a Democrat , is defending the law in court .
Nevada argues that the Trump campaign and Republicans don ’ t have legal standing to take the case to court and have failed to explain how they ’ d be harmed .
The state also argues that Republicans do not support their “ nebulous argument that ( the state law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Democratic National Committee and state Democrats are seeking to join the lawsuit , and attorneys from around the country on both sides have applied to take part .
Read the Guardian ’ s special Fight to Vote series here .

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


theguardian--2020-09-10--Russian hackers targeting US political campaigns ahead of elections, Microsoft warns

The same Russian military intelligence outfit that hacked the Democrats in 2016 has attempted similar intrusions into the computer systems of organizations involved in the 2020 elections , Microsoft said Thursday .
Those efforts , which have targeted more than 200 organizations including political parties and consultants , appear to be part of a broader increase in targeting of US political campaigns and related groups , the company said .
“ What we ’ ve seen is consistent with previous attack patterns that not only target candidates and campaign staffers but also those who they consult on key issues , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said in a blogpost .
Most of the infiltration attempts by Russian , Chinese and Iranian agents were halted by Microsoft security software and the targets notified , he said .
The company would not comment on who may have been successfully hacked or the impact .
Microsoft did not assess which foreign adversary poses the greater threat to the integrity of the November presidential election .
The consensus among cybersecurity experts is that Russian interference is the gravest .
Senior Trump administration officials have disputed that , though without offering any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – as in 2016 – the Russian government is attempting to undermine the Democratic candidate and boost Donald Trump ’ s chances of winning .
In 2016 , actors working on behalf of the Russian government hacked email accounts of the Democratic National Committee and publicly released stolen files and emails .
The Russian government also funded “ troll farms ” in St Petersburg where nationals pretending to be from the US would post misinformation online to sow unrest .
“ This is the actor from 2016 , potentially conducting business as usual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of intelligence analysis at the cybersecurity firm FireEye .
“ We believe that Russian military intelligence continues to pose the greatest threat to the democratic process.
” The subject of Russian interference has been an ongoing frustration for Trump , who has disputed the country ’ s meddling in the 2016 elections despite extensive evidence , calling it a “ witch hunt ” .
Trump loyalists at the Department of Homeland Security have also manipulated and fabricated intelligence reports to downplay the threat of Russian interference , a whistleblower claimed on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it takes cybersecurity threats “ very seriously ” and does not publicly comment on specific efforts it is making .
“ As President Trump ’ s re-election campaign , we are a large target , so it is not surprising to see malicious activity directed at the campaign or our staff , ” she said .
“ We work closely with our partners , Microsoft and others , to mitigate these threats.
” The attempted hacks come at a time when election security concerns are remarkably high , given that many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Covid-19 pandemic .
An international body in August called these “ the most challenging ” US election in recent decades .
Campaigns are also at a heightened risk for hacking given that many employees are now working from home without heightened security measures that may exist on workplace computers , said Bob Stevens , the vice-president of mobile security firm Lookout .
“ Mobile devices now exist at the intersection of our work and personal lives , ” he said .
“ Considering how reliant we are on them to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actors have taken note.
” The Microsoft revelations on Thursday show that Russian military intelligence continues to pursue election-related targets undeterred by US indictments , sanctions and other countermeasures , Hultquist said .
Microsoft , which has visibility into these efforts because its software is both ubiquitous and highly rated for security , did not address whether US officials who manage elections or operate voting systems have been targeted by state-backed hackers this year .
US intelligence officials say they have so far not seen no evidence of that .

The same Russian military intelligence outfit that hacked the Democrats in 2016 has attempted similar intrusions into the computer systems of organizations involved in the 2020 elections, Microsoft said Thursday.
Those efforts, which have targeted more than 200 organizations including political parties and consultants, appear to be part of a broader increase in targeting of US political campaigns and related groups, the company said.
“What we’ve seen is consistent with previous attack patterns that not only target candidates and campaign staffers but also those who they consult on key issues,” Tom Burt, a Microsoft vice-president, said in a blogpost.
Most of the infiltration attempts by Russian, Chinese and Iranian agents were halted by Microsoft security software and the targets notified, he said. The company would not comment on who may have been successfully hacked or the impact.
Microsoft did not assess which foreign adversary poses the greater threat to the integrity of the November presidential election. The consensus among cybersecurity experts is that Russian interference is the gravest. Senior Trump administration officials have disputed that, though without offering any evidence.
Intelligence officials have found that – as in 2016 – the Russian government is attempting to undermine the Democratic candidate and boost Donald Trump’s chances of winning. In 2016, actors working on behalf of the Russian government hacked email accounts of the Democratic National Committee and publicly released stolen files and emails. The Russian government also funded “troll farms” in St Petersburg where nationals pretending to be from the US would post misinformation online to sow unrest.
“This is the actor from 2016, potentially conducting business as usual,” said John Hultquist, the director of intelligence analysis at the cybersecurity firm FireEye. “We believe that Russian military intelligence continues to pose the greatest threat to the democratic process.”
The subject of Russian interference has been an ongoing frustration for Trump, who has disputed the country’s meddling in the 2016 elections despite extensive evidence, calling it a “witch hunt”. Trump loyalists at the Department of Homeland Security have also manipulated and fabricated intelligence reports to downplay the threat of Russian interference, a whistleblower claimed on Wednesday.
A spokeswoman for the Trump campaign said it takes cybersecurity threats “very seriously” and does not publicly comment on specific efforts it is making.
“As President Trump’s re-election campaign, we are a large target, so it is not surprising to see malicious activity directed at the campaign or our staff,” she said. “We work closely with our partners, Microsoft and others, to mitigate these threats.”
The attempted hacks come at a time when election security concerns are remarkably high, given that many people will be voting with mail-in ballots due to the Covid-19 pandemic. An international body in August called these “the most challenging” US election in recent decades.
Campaigns are also at a heightened risk for hacking given that many employees are now working from home without heightened security measures that may exist on workplace computers, said Bob Stevens, the vice-president of mobile security firm Lookout.
“Mobile devices now exist at the intersection of our work and personal lives,” he said. “Considering how reliant we are on them to support all aspects of our lives, bad actors have taken note.”
The Microsoft revelations on Thursday show that Russian military intelligence continues to pursue election-related targets undeterred by US indictments, sanctions and other countermeasures, Hultquist said.
Microsoft, which has visibility into these efforts because its software is both ubiquitous and highly rated for security, did not address whether US officials who manage elections or operate voting systems have been targeted by state-backed hackers this year. US intelligence officials say they have so far not seen no evidence of that.


theguardian--2020-09-10--Why is a Trump official charging taxpayers thousands for a 'girls’ night'?

They say money can ’ t buy you happiness , but it can buy you a really expensive girls ’ night – which is exactly what Seema Verma , the Trump administration ’ s top Medicaid official , has been spending on – and charging the taxpayer for it too .
In 2018 , Verma spent $ 2,933 organizing a “ girls ’ night ” at a reporter ’ s house and charged it to expenses , according to a 17-month investigation conducted by congressional Democrats .
Maybe the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ( CMS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , the backlash she got for making it harder for poor Americans to access healthcare can ’ t be good for one ’ s complexion ( which could explain this $ 345 moisturizer that Verma charged taxpayers for in 2018 ) .
But that ’ s just the problem : Verma has been in the spotlight for her expenses for a while – last year she also came under fire for expensing $ 50,000 for luggage she lost on a three-day trip .
Then again , considering that practically the entire Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made a habit of expensing random stuff to the American taxpayer ( remember Donald Trump Jr ’ s $ 76,000 Mongolian shooting trip ? )
perhaps it shouldn ’ t be surprising ( heck , a $ 3,000 party seems paltry in comparison ) .
But that ’ s not all that she spent .
In fact , the congressional inquiry has revealed that Verma has spent more than $ 3.5m in expenses , spent at times improperly , to pay for consultants who helped her to pitch op-eds and wrote her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 977 consultancy fee , paid to a consultant who helped her to get an op-ed about Obamacare on the Fox News website ; and over $ 13,000 on consultants who spent months helping her to win awards .
Verma has rejected the idea that her expenses have been improper : she told a House committee in October 2019 that “ all the contracts we have at CMS are based on promoting the work of CMS ” and her expensing habits were “ consistent with how the agency has used resources in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems like a nice person .
Verma ’ s father once described her as having sympathy for the poor because she used to pull over and give cash to the same homeless man on her way to work every morning – something he said he was “ amazed ” by .
Let ’ s just hope she wasn ’ t expensing that too .

They say money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you a really expensive girls’ night – which is exactly what Seema Verma, the Trump administration’s top Medicaid official, has been spending on – and charging the taxpayer for it too.
In 2018, Verma spent $2,933 organizing a “girls’ night” at a reporter’s house and charged it to expenses, according to a 17-month investigation conducted by congressional Democrats.
Maybe the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) needed a little self-care, after all, the backlash she got for making it harder for poor Americans to access healthcare can’t be good for one’s complexion (which could explain this $345 moisturizer that Verma charged taxpayers for in 2018).
But that’s just the problem: Verma has been in the spotlight for her expenses for a while – last year she also came under fire for expensing $50,000 for luggage she lost on a three-day trip. Then again, considering that practically the entire Trump family, including the president himself, have made a habit of expensing random stuff to the American taxpayer (remember Donald Trump Jr’s $76,000 Mongolian shooting trip?) perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising (heck, a $3,000 party seems paltry in comparison).
But that’s not all that she spent. In fact, the congressional inquiry has revealed that Verma has spent more than $3.5m in expenses, spent at times improperly, to pay for consultants who helped her to pitch op-eds and wrote her Twitter posts. Her other expenses include a $977 consultancy fee, paid to a consultant who helped her to get an op-ed about Obamacare on the Fox News website; and over $13,000 on consultants who spent months helping her to win awards.
Verma has rejected the idea that her expenses have been improper: she told a House committee in October 2019 that “all the contracts we have at CMS are based on promoting the work of CMS” and her expensing habits were “consistent with how the agency has used resources in the past”.
Plus, she seems like a nice person. Verma’s father once described her as having sympathy for the poor because she used to pull over and give cash to the same homeless man on her way to work every morning – something he said he was “amazed” by. Let’s just hope she wasn’t expensing that too.


theguardian--2020-09-10--Bob Woodward rejects criticism that he sat on Trump 'deadly' virus remarks

Bob Wooodward has been forced to defend himself against criticism that he waited too long to reveal that Donald Trump had told him in early February that he knew coronavirus was “ deadly stuff ” .
The journalist and author ’ s revelation on Wednesday , ahead of his next book ’ s release , that Trump knew how dangerous the virus was so early on has prompted outrage against the president , but also raised an ethical question : shouldn ’ t Woodward have immediately made this public ?
Trump , who has regularly played down the threat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200,000 in the US , has justified his stance as not wanting to cause panic .
“ Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months .
If he thought they were so bad or dangerous , why didn ’ t he immediately report them in an effort to save lives ?
Didn ’ t he have an obligation to do so ?
No , because he knew they were good and proper answers .
Calm , no panic !
” Trump tweeted on Thursday morning .
Critics of Woodward saw self-interest in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Woodward knew the truth behind the administration ’ s deadly bungling – and worse – and he saved it for his book , which will be released to wild acclaim and huge profits after nearly 200,000 Americans have died , ” Esquire ’ s Charles P Pierce wrote on Twitter .
Adweek ’ s Scott Nover said : “ These interviews about Covid-19 were done in February and March .
Why are we learning about it in a book published in September ?
Isn ’ t there a journalistic imperative to publish this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a pandemic ?
“ This is really troubling .
As journalists we ’ re supposed to work in the public interest .
I think there ’ s been a failure here.
” Woodward defended his decision not to come forward sooner .
In an interview with the Washington Post ’ s media columnist , Margaret Sullivan , Woodward said he needed to provide more complete context than he would a news story .
Woodward told Sullivan he did not know where Trump acquired his information and “ the biggest problem I had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , is I didn ’ t know if it was true ” .
“ My job is to understand it , and to hold him accountable , and to hold myself accountable , ” said Woodward , explaining that it took months to contextualize everything with reporting .
“ I did the best I could.
” “ If I had done the story at that time about what he knew in February , that ’ s not telling us anything we didn ’ t know , ” Woodward said in an interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at that juncture , the issue dealt more with politics than public health .
His goal became revealing this story before the presidential election in November .
“ That was the demarcation line for me , ” Woodward remarked .
“ Had I decided that my book was coming out on Christmas , the end of this year , that would have been unthinkable.
” Woodward wrote in his forthcoming book , Rage , that Trump knew about Covid ’ s virulence weeks before it spread unchecked , remarking in a 7 February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just breathe the air and that ’ s how it ’ s passed.
” Trump reportedly said : “ And so that ’ s a very tricky one .
That ’ s a very delicate one .
It ’ s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus … This is deadly stuff , ” Some of Woodward ’ s defenders have argued that going public in February would not have made any difference .
Others disputed this .
Journalism professor Christian Cristensen wrote on Twitter : “ Saying Woodward immediately revealing what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve made no difference because it would be been dismissed as fake news is bullshit , because that ’ s a total surrender to the anti-democratic forces of disinformation .
By that logic , why publish anything ?
”

Bob Wooodward has been forced to defend himself against criticism that he waited too long to reveal that Donald Trump had told him in early February that he knew coronavirus was “deadly stuff”.
The journalist and author’s revelation on Wednesday, ahead of his next book’s release, that Trump knew how dangerous the virus was so early on has prompted outrage against the president, but also raised an ethical question: shouldn’t Woodward have immediately made this public?
Trump, who has regularly played down the threat of a virus which has now killed almost 200,000 in the US, has justified his stance as not wanting to cause panic.
“Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months. If he thought they were so bad or dangerous, why didn’t he immediately report them in an effort to save lives? Didn’t he have an obligation to do so? No, because he knew they were good and proper answers. Calm, no panic!” Trump tweeted on Thursday morning.
Critics of Woodward saw self-interest in his sitting on the information.
“Bob Woodward knew the truth behind the administration’s deadly bungling – and worse – and he saved it for his book, which will be released to wild acclaim and huge profits after nearly 200,000 Americans have died,” Esquire’s Charles P Pierce wrote on Twitter.
Adweek’s Scott Nover said: “These interviews about Covid-19 were done in February and March. Why are we learning about it in a book published in September? Isn’t there a journalistic imperative to publish this information in a timely manner, especially during a pandemic?
“This is really troubling. As journalists we’re supposed to work in the public interest. I think there’s been a failure here.”
Woodward defended his decision not to come forward sooner. In an interview with the Washington Post’s media columnist, Margaret Sullivan, Woodward said he needed to provide more complete context than he would a news story.
Woodward told Sullivan he did not know where Trump acquired his information and “the biggest problem I had, which is always a problem with Trump, is I didn’t know if it was true”.
“My job is to understand it, and to hold him accountable, and to hold myself accountable,” said Woodward, explaining that it took months to contextualize everything with reporting. “I did the best I could.”
“If I had done the story at that time about what he knew in February, that’s not telling us anything we didn’t know,” Woodward said in an interview with the Associated Press. Woodward said at that juncture, the issue dealt more with politics than public health. His goal became revealing this story before the presidential election in November.
“That was the demarcation line for me,” Woodward remarked. “Had I decided that my book was coming out on Christmas, the end of this year, that would have been unthinkable.”
Woodward wrote in his forthcoming book, Rage, that Trump knew about Covid’s virulence weeks before it spread unchecked, remarking in a 7 February call with the journalist: “You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed.”
Trump reportedly said: “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus … This is deadly stuff,”
Some of Woodward’s defenders have argued that going public in February would not have made any difference. Others disputed this.
Journalism professor Christian Cristensen wrote on Twitter: “Saying Woodward immediately revealing what Trump had said about Covid-19 would’ve made no difference because it would be been dismissed as fake news is bullshit, because that’s a total surrender to the anti-democratic forces of disinformation. By that logic, why publish anything?”


theguardian--2020-09-10--Pelosi: Woodward interview shows Trump's contempt for supporters – video

Nancy Pelosi has said that Donald Trump ’ s interview with Bob Woodward , where the president said he intentionally @ @ @ @ @ avoid panic , was evidence of ‘ contempt ’ for Americans ’ health .
During @ @ @ @ @ the House speaker said Trump ’ s comments were not a sign of real leadership @ @ @ @ @ as row over Woodward coronavirus revelations continues – live

Nancy Pelosi has said that Donald Trump’s interview with Bob Woodward, where the president said he intentionally downplayed the coronavirus pandemic to avoid panic, was evidence of 'contempt' for Americans’ health.
During her weekly press conference, the House speaker said Trump’s comments were not a sign of real leadership


theguardian--2020-09-11--9/11 remembered amid raging wildfires and coronavirus recriminations – live

There ’ s a worrying poll being reported by Cheyanne Mumphrey and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher of the Associated Press which suggests that the coronavirus pandemic has taken a harsh toll on the mental health of young adults in the US .
They report that adults under 35 are especially likely to report negative feelings or experience physical or emotional symptoms associated with stress and anxiety .
56 % of Americans from ages 18 to 34 say that they have at least sometimes felt isolated in the past month , compared with about 4 in 10 older Americans who feel the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Response Tracking Study conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago .
Twenty-five percent of young adults rate their mental health as fair or poor , whereas 56 % of older adults say their mental health is excellent or very good .
In the midst of the pandemic , young adults are navigating life transitions such as starting college and finding jobs , all without being able to experience normal social activities that might be especially essential for people who are less likely to have already married and started their own families .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ adult lives amid a recession , and older members of the group are already experiencing their second .
Christina Torres , 32 , a middle school teacher in Honolulu , had to postpone her June wedding and was not able to travel to her grandmother ’ s funeral in California because of the pandemic .
She misses being able to deal with stress by going to the gym and getting together with friends .
“ And so it ’ s hard to not feel really hopeless sometimes , especially because the numbers keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The study found that younger Americans also consistently show higher rates of psychosomatic symptoms , like having trouble sleeping , getting headaches or crying , compared to other age groups .
The likelihood of experiencing such symptoms decreases with age .
Young adults also face constant exposure to social media , and he survey found that frequently watching , reading or talking about the virus is consistently linked with higher rates of negative mental health symptoms .
Wayne Evans , 18 , a freshman at North Carolina State University studying remotely after being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school , said social media provided daily reminders of COVID-19 .
“ In some ways social media has added to my stressors , yes .
Just the information overload that ’ s unavoidable on social media platforms can be distracting , ” he said .

11 Sept 2020 00.32 BST Most television news coverage of the wildfires in California, Washington and Oregon fails to mention the connection between the fires and the climate crisis, according to a new analysis by Media Matters. My colleagues Lois Beckett and Maanvi Singh report: Reviewing coverage aired over the 5-8 September holiday weekend, the progressive media watchdog group found that only 15% of corporate TV news segments on the fires mentioned the climate crisis. A separate analysis found that during the entire month of August only 4% of broadcast news wildfire coverage mentioned climate crisis ...
Although untangling the weather conditions from climate crisis is complicated, it’s clear that overall, in recent years “fire risk is increasing dramatically because of climate change”, said Chris Field, who directs the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Global heating has given rise to drier, hotter conditions and more frequent, extreme droughts that have left the landscape tinder-dry and prone to explosive blazes. The climate crisis is not the only factor involved in these historic fires, however. A century of fire suppression has led to a surfeit of vegetation fueling the blazes. “A deficit of fire, concatenated with the effects of climate change have led us here,” said Don Hankins, a fire ecologist at California State University, Chico. Washington governor Jay Inslee said at a press conference today that we should start calling wildfires “climate fires”. “This is not an act of God,” Inslee said, according to the AP. “This has happened because we have changed the climate of the state of Washington in dramatic ways.”
Inslee ran for the Democratic presidential nomination as a single-issue candidate, focusing entirely on the need for urgent action to address climate change.
Updated at 01.35 BST
11 Sept 2020 00.08 BST Rumors and misinformation about the origins of the wildfires across the west have frustrated officials and tied up resources, leading to pleas from public officials to stop sharing rumors on social media. Now the Portland office of the FBI is weighing in: pic.twitter.com/QxJ8BCe116 — FBI Portland (@FBIPortland) September 11, 2020 As I reported yesterday, much of this misinformation is circulating on Facebook. One particularly misleading article, which used a single source to allege that the fires might be part of a coordinated “attack”, on the website Law Enforcement Today was shared more than 70,000 times on Facebook, receiving nearly 350,000 engagements. Facebook’s third-party fact checkers have rated claims that the leftist anti-fascist activists known as “antifa” are behind the fires as false.
Updated at 01.36 BST
11 Sept 2020 23.31 BST Speaking of Georgia’s 14th district... QAnon supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene was running to fill the seat of Representative Tom Graves, who announced his decision not to run for re-election last December. Graves has just announced that he will “step down from Congress and begin the next chapter of life in October”. 🚨Georgia GOP Rep. TOM GRAVES stepping down. Wasn’t seeking re-election. But won’t even stick it out till January. pic.twitter.com/Is9aFFyjvT — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) September 11, 2020 That raises questions about whether the seat will be filled for the balance of the term.
Updated at 23.55 BST
11 Sept 2020 23.16 BST Facebook board member Peter Thiel met with “one of the most influential and vocal white nationalists in modern-day America” in the summer of 2016, BuzzFeed News reported today. According to emails seen by BuzzFeed News, Thiel met with Kevin DeAnna at a dinner party described as “Right Wing Dinner Squad, III”. DeAnna founded a far-right youth organization and has written extensively for white nationalist outlets, including Counter-Currents, American Renaissance and VDare. After the dinner, Thiel emailed DeAnna to say he “really enjoyed meeting” him and to suggest possible further meetings in San Francisco or Washington DC, according to the report. The full report by BuzzFeed has many more details about Thiel’s involvement with leaders of the “alt-right” – white nationalists who saw Donald Trump’s political ascendency as an opportunity to take their ideas mainstream in 2016. These white nationalists, who want to establish a whites-only ethnostate, apparently hoped that Thiel would fund their movement and become “our George Soros”. Neither Thiel nor Facebook commented to BuzzFeed News on Thiel’s association with white nationalists. Facebook did not ban white nationalism until March 2019, despite the company’s longstanding ban on hate movements and pressure from experts in extremism and civil rights. The company asserted that there was a meaningful distinction between white supremacy and white nationalism until March 2019, when it changed its policy. Despite this, white nationalist publications such as VDare remained on the site. VDare was finally banned by Facebook in May 2020, not because it is a white nationalist publication, but because it violated Facebook’s rules against coordinated inauthentic behavior.
Updated at 23.54 BST
11 Sept 2020 22.50 BST In the latest sign of how ugly the presidential race has become, Trump baselessly accused Joe Biden of using performance-enhancing drugs in a new interview. Fox News released a clip from Trump’s recent interview with host Jeanine Pirro, which will air in full tomorrow night. In the clip, Trump says of Biden, “I think there’s probably — possibly — drugs involved. That’s what I hear. I mean, there’s possibly drugs.” "I think there's probably, possibly drugs involved. That's what I hear." -- during interview with Judge Jeanine, Trump casually accuses Joe Biden of using performance enhancing drugs pic.twitter.com/RVWJMqPNhn — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 11, 2020 The evidence-free accusation appeared to be an odd acknowledgement from Trump that his Democratic opponent has delivered some successful speeches recently, including Biden’s widely praised nomination acceptance speech at last month’s virtual convention. “I don’t know how you can go from being so bad where you can’t even get out a sentence,” Trump said. “I mean, you saw some of those debates with the large number of people on the stage,” Mr Trump added. “He was — I mean, I used to say, ‘How is it possible that he can even go forward?’” Last month, Trump similarly called for Biden to be drug-tested before the two nominees face off in their first debate.
11 Sept 2020 22.25 BST Hello everyone, this is Julia Carrie Wong picking up the blog from smoky Oakland, California. I’ll have more news and politics coming your way for the rest of the evening. First up: QAnon-supporting candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene’s election to Congress is all but assured after her Democratic opponent, Kevin Van Ausdal, abruptly dropped out of the race to represent Georgia’s 14th district. Van Ausdal attributed his withdrawal from the race to “family and personal reasons” in a statement posted on Twitter. His campaign manager Vinny Olsziewski subsequently announced that the campaign will continue and that the Democratic Party of Georgia is attempting to find a replacement candidate. A message from Kevin Van Ausdal pic.twitter.com/Y5LtVcpK2B — Kevin Van Ausdal (D) (@KevinVanAusdal) September 11, 2020 Van Ausdal’s campaign was always a long shot. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution describes the 14th district, which covers north-west Georgia, as “one of the most reliably Republican territories on the East Coast”. But the race drew national attention due to Greene’s history of racist and bigoted statements and her embrace of the antisemitic QAnon conspiracy theory. Greene has argued that Muslims should not be allowed to serve in government, compared Black Lives Matter activists to neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan, and described the election of Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib as “an Islamic invasion”. She refused to apologize for posing for a photograph with a white supremacist, and has refused to disavow her support for the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory, which posits that a secret cabal of Satan-worshipping Democrats and celebrities run the world while engaging in pedophilia and drinking the blood of abused children. Despite these views, Greene has received support from prominent Republicans and praise from Donald Trump. As I reported last month, her primary campaign was backed by groups connected to the White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and his wife; the chairman of the board of prominent conservative thinktank the Heritage Foundation; and multiple Republican mega-donors. You can read more about Greene’s financial backers here: 'Mind-bogglingly irresponsible': meet the Republican donors helping QAnon reach Congress Read more
Updated at 22.35 BST
11 Sept 2020 22.00 BST Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Julia Carrie Wong, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: Trump and Biden attended ceremonies to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Both of the presidential nominees traveled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to honor the 40 passengers who died aboard Flight 93. “Our sacred task, our righteous duty, and our solemn pledge, is to carry forward the noble legacy of the brave souls who gave their lives for us 19 years ago,” Trump said in a speech.
Both of the presidential nominees traveled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to honor the 40 passengers who died aboard Flight 93. “Our sacred task, our righteous duty, and our solemn pledge, is to carry forward the noble legacy of the brave souls who gave their lives for us 19 years ago,” Trump said in a speech. Bahrain is joining the United Arab Emirates in normalizing relations with Israel, Trump announced. Bahrain is expected to join the UAE and Israel for a normalization signing ceremony at the White House next week.
Trump announced. Bahrain is expected to join the UAE and Israel for a normalization signing ceremony at the White House next week. Dr Anthony Fauci said life would likely not return to normal until “well into 2021”, even if a coronavirus vaccine comes later this year. Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, told MSNBC, “If you’re talking about getting back to a degree of normality which resembles where we were prior to Covid, it’s going to be well into 2021, maybe even towards the end of 2021.”
even if a coronavirus vaccine comes later this year. Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, told MSNBC, “If you’re talking about getting back to a degree of normality which resembles where we were prior to Covid, it’s going to be well into 2021, maybe even towards the end of 2021.” A federal prosecutor reportedly resigned from the investigation into the origins of the Russia investigation to protest political influence over the inquiry. The Hartford Courant reports that prosecutor Nora Dannehy resigned over concerns that attorney general William Barr was pressuring John Durham to prematurely release findings from his investigation. Some of the president’s allies have voiced hope the investigation will deliver an “October surprise” that could help carry Trump to reelection in November.
The Hartford Courant reports that prosecutor resigned over concerns that attorney general was pressuring to prematurely release findings from his investigation. Some of the president’s allies have voiced hope the investigation will deliver an “October surprise” that could help carry Trump to reelection in November. A federal appeals court ruled Florida was allowed to require former felons to repay all outstanding debts before registering to vote. Critics have denounced the requirement as a “poll tax”. The court’s decision could prevent hundreds of thousands of Florida residents from being able to vote in the November elections. Julia will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Updated at 22.02 BST
11 Sept 2020 21.39 BST At the White House this afternoon, Trump presented the Medal of Honor to Army Sergeant Major Thomas P Payne for “conspicuous gallantry”. Donald Trump presents the Medal of Honor to Army Sgt. Maj. Thomas P. Payne. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters The White House released a statement describing the act of heroism that won Payne the Medal of Honor. “On October 22, 2015, during a daring nighttime hostage rescue in Kirkuk Province, Iraq, in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, then-Sergeant First Class Payne led a combined assault team charged with clearing one of two buildings known to house hostages,” the statement says. “Sergeant Payne’s extraordinary heroism and selfless actions were key to liberating 75 hostages during a contested rescue mission that resulted in 20 enemy fighters killed in action.” During the White House ceremony, Payne said the rescue raid “underlined our country’s undying commitment to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.
Updated at 22.03 BST
11 Sept 2020 21.21 BST Trump voiced opposition to another massive coronavirus relief package, a day after the Senate failed to pass the Republican “skinny” relief bill. Trump said of the Democratic House speaker and Senate minority leader, “Pelosi and Schumer want Trillions of Dollars of BAILOUT money for Blue States that are doing badly, both economically and in terms of high crime, as a condition to making a deal on stimulus - But the USA is coming back strong!” Pelosi and Schumer want Trillions of Dollars of BAILOUT money for Blue States that are doing badly, both economically and in terms of high crime, as a condition to making a deal on stimulus - But the USA is coming back strong! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2020 Democrats have called for spending $2.2 trillion on the next relief package, but the White House has said a bill of that size is a non-starter. The Senate voted down Republicans’ $300 billion bill yesterday, leaving no current path forward for another relief package. Speaking in Kentucky today, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said, “I wish I could tell you we were going to get another package, but it doesn’t look that good right now.”
11 Sept 2020 21.01 BST Florida can require former felons to pay fines before voting, court rules The Guardian’s Sam Levine reports: Florida can require people with felony convictions to repay all outstanding debts before they are eligible to vote again, but does not have to tell them how much they owe, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. The hugely consequential decision will likely shut out hundreds of thousands of voters in the key battleground state in this fall’s presidential election. The 6-4 ruling from the US Court of Appeals for the 11th circuit came in a lawsuit challenging a 2019 Republican-backed law imposing the restrictions. After Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a 2018 measure - often called Amendment 4 - to automatically restore voting rights to people once they complete their criminal sentences, Republicans authored a new law requiring repayment of all fines, fees, and court costs before they can vote again. An estimated 774,000 people with felonies have outstanding debts, and many cannot afford to pay. In late May, US District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled that Florida could not block people from voting if they genuinely could not pay. But on Friday, the majority in the 11th circuit ruled Florida officials had broad discretion to choose the conditions people with felony convictions had to meet before their voting rights were restored. “This ruling runs counter to the foundational principle that Americans do not have to pay to vote. The gravity of this decision cannot be overstated,” said Julie Ebenstein, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs in the case from the American Civil Liberties Union.
11 Sept 2020 20.45 BST Legal experts said federal prosecutor Nora Dannehy’s resignation from the investigation into the origins of the Russia probe indicated possible corruption in the inquiry. From a former special counsel to the general counsel of the department of defense: 🚨🚨
Canary in coal mine dead.
Looks like profound corruption in Barr-Durham probe—attempted October surprise.
Top Durham aide, Nora Dannehy resigns partly because “team is being pressed for political reasons to produce a report before its work is done”!https://t.co/JvXtU8k4bY — Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) September 11, 2020 From a former spokesperson for the justice department under the Obama administration: Really big. Nora Dannehy is an incredibly well-respected prosecutor - not the type of person who would take this step for no reason. https://t.co/Oc4y2Foiv0 — Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) September 11, 2020 From a University of Alabama law professor: Nora Dannehy is highly regarded. She investigated the firings of 9 US Attys during the Bush administration & is widely viewed as a non-partisan professional. https://t.co/jla0svnMxJ — Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) September 11, 2020
11 Sept 2020 20.23 BST Prosecutor resigns from inquiry into Trump-Russia investigation over concerns about political pressure - report A federal prosecutor has reportedly resigned from John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the Russia probe over concerns about political pressure from attorney general William Barr. The Hartford Courant reports: Federal prosecutor Nora Dannehy, a top aide to U.S. Attorney John H. Durham in his Russia investigation, has quietly resigned from the U.S. Justice Department probe - at least partly out of concern that the investigative team is being pressed for political reasons to produce a report before its work is done, colleagues said.
Dannehy, a highly regarded prosecutor who has worked with or for Durham for decades, informed colleagues in the U.S. Attorney’s office in New Haven of her resignation from the Department of Justice by email Thursday evening. The short email was a brief farewell message and said nothing about political pressure, her work for Durham or what the Durham team has produced, according to people who received it. ... Colleagues said Dannehy is not a supporter of President Donald J. Trump and has been concerned in recent weeks by what she believed was pressure from Barr - who appointed Durham - to produce results before the election. They said she has been considering resignation for weeks, conflicted by loyalty to Durham and concern about politics. Durham’s investigation has attracted the interest of the president’s allies, some of whom have expressed hope the inquiry will produce an “October surprise” that will help Trump’s re-election bid. During his press conference yesterday, the president said of the investigation, “I could be involved if I wanted to. I thought it would be better if I wasn’t. I think it’s better if our great attorney general handles it. He has Durham, who is a very, very respected man, and we’re going to see what it is.”
Updated at 20.43 BST
11 Sept 2020 20.03 BST Fauci: life will not go back to normal until 'well into 2021' During his MSNBC interview this morning, Dr Anthony Fauci said it would probably take another year before life returns to a sense of “normality,” even if a coronavirus vaccine is approved in the coming months. Dr. Fauci discusses distributing the coronavirus vaccine to the public and returning to "normality":
"If you're talking about getting back to a degree of normality, which resembles where we were prior to COVID, it's gonna be well into 2021. Maybe even towards the end of 2021." pic.twitter.com/FHhdWhSsFb — MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 11, 2020 Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease specialist, echoed previous comments that he was cautiously optimistic a vaccine would be developed by the end of the year or early next year. “But by the time you mobilize the distribution of the vaccine and get a majority or more of the population vaccinated and protected, that’s likely not going to happen until the end of 2021,” Fauci said. “If you’re talking about getting back to a degree of normality which resembles where we were prior to Covid, it’s going to be well into 2021, maybe even towards the end of 2021.” Fauci, who serves as the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also expressed concern that the country’s rate of new coronavirus cases has plateaued at the alarmingly high level of 40,000 per day.
Updated at 20.22 BST