inquisitr--2020-05-18--Bernie Sanders Slams Trump Administration For Lack Of Science-Based Reopening Plan, ’50 States Going

Bernie Sanders Slams Trump Administration For Lack Of Science-Based Reopening Plan, ’50 States Going It Alone’

Bernie Sanders is taking aim at the Trump administration for not having a national approach to allowing states to reopen , saying instead it has “ 50 states going it alone ” to decide how to begin lifting restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Appearing on ABC News ’ This Week , the Vermont senator slammed Donald Trump for not having a science-based approach on how to reopen state economies that have been heavily restricted for weeks since the start of the coronavirus outbreak .
The White House released guidelines for states but has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at times spoken in contradiction to these guidelines , calling for states to reopen more quickly .
When asked about Trump ’ s claims that former President Barack Obama was engaged in an undisclosed scandal that included criminal activity that the president dubbed “ Obamagate , ” Sanders said the real scandal was in the current White House and its lack of a plan to reopen the economy .
“ The scandal of the moment is that we don ’ t have national policy , ” Sanders said .
“ We should have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should have testing going on all over this country so that when we reopen the economy , workers understand that they ’ re working in a safe environment.
” Sanders is not the only one who has criticized the White House for what is seen as a lack of a coherent national plan to start lifting coronavirus restrictions .
States have taken differing approaches , with some keeping restrictions in place through at least early summer and others moving forward with lifting restrictions and allowing businesses to reopen — even as coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where this week the state Supreme Court struck down the governor ’ s stay-at-home order , the state just saw its single largest one-day increase in cases .
Texas , which began its own phased-in approach at the start of May by letting some businesses reopen , also saw its highest one-day death total this week .
In his interview , Sanders also expressed support for the $ 3 trillion coronavirus stimulus package passed late on Friday by the House .
While Sanders said he had “ some disagreements ” with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaker Nancy Pelosi for ushering it through and said he would like to see the Senate improve on it before it is passed .
Sanders said that working Americans are in need of help during the crisis , noting that 35 million have lost their jobs since the start of the outbreak .


inquisitr--2020-05-18--Republican Sen. Ben Sasse Tells High School Graduates That ‘Thugs In China’ Allowed Coronavirus To S

Republican Sen. Ben Sasse Tells High School Graduates That ‘Thugs In China’ Allowed Coronavirus To Spread

Republican Sen. Ben Sasse is coming under fire for an online commencement speech to local high school graduates in which he blamed “ thugs in China ” for allowing the coronavirus outbreak to take place .
The Nebraska senator was tapped to give an address to students at his alma mater , Freemont High School .
In the speech , which was posted to YouTube , Sasse made reference to the unusual and difficult time the graduates were facing as they ended their high school years amid a global pandemic — while placing blame squarely on China .
He noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at reunions and remember “ that time when China started a big global pandemic that created the worst public health crisis in over a century and brought the economy to its knees and we had to stay at home and everybody was hoarding toilet paper and we all watched this documentary about some weirdo dude who raised tigers.
” Sasse tried to strike an uplifting note for the seniors , saying that they would pull together and make it through the difficult times — and then deal with China , who he blamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring the economy back .
We are going to beat the virus… We ’ re going to have to have a serious reckoning with the thugs in China who let this mess spiral out of control by lying about it , ” he said .
Video of Sasse ’ s speech attracted some viral interest online , with many criticizing the political jabs and what appeared to be some ill-timed jokes about the physical fitness of students .
Sasse ’ s taking aim at China seemed to be in line with a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese government for allegedly withholding critical information about the outbreak , wasting critical time and failing to alert the world .
As The Inquisitr reported , a leaked memo written by top Republican strategists called on them not to spend time defending Donald Trump ’ s response but instead attack China for allowing the outbreak to spread .
The memo , credited to the political strategist firm O ’ Donnell & Associates , noted that China covered up evidence of the initial outbreak and then said Republicans should attempt to paint Democrats as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other reports have backed the idea that China ’ s government played a role in failing to address the outbreak , accusing its leadership of pressuring the World Health Organization not to release information and silencing doctors who tried to speak out in the earliest days of the outbreak .

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inquisitr--2020-05-18--Val Demings Reportedly Being Considered For Joe Biden’s Running Mate

According to a Sunday report from Politico , Florida Rep. Val Demings is being considered for Joe Biden ’ s running mate .
In April , after Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the presidential race , the former vice president became the Democratic Party ’ s presumptive presidential nominee .
Since then , Biden ’ s team has been vetting potential running mate candidates .
Biden has vowed to select a woman as a vice presidential candidate , and it has been speculated that several prominent Democratic Party politicians are on the shortlist .
Sens .
Kamala Harris of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts are all reportedly being discussed as potential vice presidential nominees .
Although not as widely known as the senators , Demings is reportedly “ attracting an increasing amount of attention ” from team Biden .
Biden has publicly lavished the congresswoman with praise .
“ She is one of a group of close to a dozen really qualified and talented women who are on the list .
She ’ s a very competent , very capable person , ” he said in an early May interview .
Demings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a former police chief .
First elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 , she served as a House impeachment manager against President Donald Trump earlier this year .
The congresswoman is reportedly a “ favorite ” of top Democrat Nancy Pelosi , and Biden ’ s team has warmed up to her .
However , the lack of political experience on the national stage could be a problem , according to a Biden consultant .
“ Val checks a lot of boxes , and the more you put it all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to score at the top of the list .
But the knock against her might be experience , ” the consultant said .
Biden is reportedly looking for someone who participated in a nationwide campaign and would prefer a running mate he is personally close with .
The former vice president and his team have not made a decision yet — and won ’ t , until July — but those familiar with Demings ’ work believe she would be the right person for the job .
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police chief , telling Politico that she is a “ brilliant , hard-working , professional and has a commanding presence.
” Demings told the publication that she is honored Biden ’ s team is considering her for the position .
“ The American Dream is alive and well if you work hard enough and you have enough people supporting you , ” she said .
Polling suggests that Florida will be a battleground state in the 2020 presidential election .
For instance , a Quinnipiac University poll released in late April showed Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The survey also found that Floridians view the Democrat more favorably than the president .

According to a Sunday report from Politico, Florida Rep. Val Demings is being considered for Joe Biden’s running mate.
In April, after Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the presidential race, the former vice president became the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee. Since then, Biden’s team has been vetting potential running mate candidates.
Biden has vowed to select a woman as a vice presidential candidate, and it has been speculated that several prominent Democratic Party politicians are on the shortlist.
Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts are all reportedly being discussed as potential vice presidential nominees. Although not as widely known as the senators, Demings is reportedly “attracting an increasing amount of attention” from team Biden.
Biden has publicly lavished the congresswoman with praise.
“She is one of a group of close to a dozen really qualified and talented women who are on the list. She’s a very competent, very capable person,” he said in an early May interview.
Demings, who is 63 years old, is a former police chief. First elected to the House of Representatives in 2016, she served as a House impeachment manager against President Donald Trump earlier this year. The congresswoman is reportedly a “favorite” of top Democrat Nancy Pelosi, and Biden’s team has warmed up to her.
However, the lack of political experience on the national stage could be a problem, according to a Biden consultant.
“Val checks a lot of boxes, and the more you put it all on paper, the more she starts to score at the top of the list. But the knock against her might be experience,” the consultant said.
Biden is reportedly looking for someone who participated in a nationwide campaign and would prefer a running mate he is personally close with. The former vice president and his team have not made a decision yet — and won’t, until July — but those familiar with Demings’ work believe she would be the right person for the job.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff praised the congresswoman’s record as police chief, telling Politico that she is a “brilliant, hard-working, professional and has a commanding presence.”
Demings told the publication that she is honored Biden’s team is considering her for the position.
“The American Dream is alive and well if you work hard enough and you have enough people supporting you,” she said.
Polling suggests that Florida will be a battleground state in the 2020 presidential election. For instance, a Quinnipiac University poll released in late April showed Biden polling four points ahead of Trump. The survey also found that Floridians view the Democrat more favorably than the president.


inquisitr--2020-05-18--Watchdog Fired By Donald Trump Reportedly Investigating Claim Mike Pompeo Made Staff Walk His Dog, G

Watchdog Fired By Donald Trump Reportedly Investigating Claim Mike Pompeo Made Staff Walk His Dog, Get Laundry

The State Department inspector general fired by Donald Trump on Friday was reportedly investigating a claim that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used the department ’ s staff to conduct a number of personal tasks for him , including walking his dog and picking up laundry .
As NBC News reported on Sunday , Inspector General Steve Linick was in the midst of ongoing investigations of Pompeo when he was fired by Trump on Friday .
That included claims that Pompeo used State Department staff to conduct personal errands for himself and his wife , which also included making dinner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s firing on Friday , leading to pushback among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who said that Trump was mandated to provide written justification to Congress whenever an inspector general is fired .
Other sources backed the claim that Linick was investigating Pompeo and that his firing may have been retribution .
A report from USA Today cited a senior State Department official speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of potential retribution said that Linick was indeed looking into the claim that Pompeo used the State Department staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his wife .
The source said that Linick ’ s firing may have been an act of retaliation from Trump and Pompeo .
“ If Secretary Pompeo is involved in firing his IG — who is heading up that investigation — then that is definitely retaliatory , ” the person said .
“ Someone obviously has something to hide that they don ’ t want the IG to find out about.
” The NBC News report noted that congressional Democrats have already been investigating a separate claim that Pompeo used his diplomatic security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary of state and his wife .
The report added that Pompeo himself had a hand in Linick ’ s firing , with a White House official telling NBC News that Pompeo “ recommended ” Linick to be fired and Trump agreed .
Trump has come under fire for firing a number of inspectors general who investigated himself or top members of his administration .
That included the inspector general for the intelligence community , fired earlier this year after having first brought forward a whistleblower complaint claiming Trump was improperly pressuring Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Linick had been critical of Trump in his handling of the State Department , especially the treatment of senior officials and a hiring freeze that has left a number of key positions vacant .

The State Department inspector general fired by Donald Trump on Friday was reportedly investigating a claim that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used the department’s staff to conduct a number of personal tasks for him, including walking his dog and picking up laundry.
As NBC News reported on Sunday, Inspector General Steve Linick was in the midst of ongoing investigations of Pompeo when he was fired by Trump on Friday. That included claims that Pompeo used State Department staff to conduct personal errands for himself and his wife, which also included making dinner reservations.
The White House announced Linick’s firing on Friday, leading to pushback among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who said that Trump was mandated to provide written justification to Congress whenever an inspector general is fired.
Other sources backed the claim that Linick was investigating Pompeo and that his firing may have been retribution. A report from USA Today cited a senior State Department official speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of potential retribution said that Linick was indeed looking into the claim that Pompeo used the State Department staff to run personal errands for himself and his wife.
The source said that Linick’s firing may have been an act of retaliation from Trump and Pompeo.
“If Secretary Pompeo is involved in firing his IG — who is heading up that investigation — then that is definitely retaliatory,” the person said. “Someone obviously has something to hide that they don’t want the IG to find out about.”
The NBC News report noted that congressional Democrats have already been investigating a separate claim that Pompeo used his diplomatic security agents to perform personal tasks for the secretary of state and his wife. The report added that Pompeo himself had a hand in Linick’s firing, with a White House official telling NBC News that Pompeo “recommended” Linick to be fired and Trump agreed.
Trump has come under fire for firing a number of inspectors general who investigated himself or top members of his administration. That included the inspector general for the intelligence community, fired earlier this year after having first brought forward a whistleblower complaint claiming Trump was improperly pressuring Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden.
Linick had been critical of Trump in his handling of the State Department, especially the treatment of senior officials and a hiring freeze that has left a number of key positions vacant.


inquisitr--2020-05-18--Mark Cuban Wants New ‘Use It Or Lose It’ Stimulus Program

Mark Cuban took to Twitter on Sunday to explain how he thinks the U.S. should handle the next round of stimulus checks to the American people .
In the tweet thread , Cuban explained he believed the first round of stimulus , otherwise known as the PPP , had failed .
He said it was a great plan , but the execution was complicated and ultimately didn ’ t work as well as people had hoped .
In its place , Cuban said he had an idea for a new kind of stimulus , though there would be some caveats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of funding .
Cuban said the only thing that will save businesses is “ consumer demand.
” He then said the best way to create that demand wasn ’ t just to send them one check for a couple of thousand dollars .
Instead , the payments need to be spread out over a period of time , but people need to qualify for them .
Cuban suggested the government needed to find a way to get people stable jobs , but in the meantime , it should send every household in America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next two months .
The qualifier was to get access to the money ; the people had to spend those checks within 10 days of receipt .
If the checks aren ’ t spent in that time , they expire .
The billionaire businessman dubbed the endeavor the “ use it or lose it program.
” The philanthropist , who also owns the NBA ’ s Dallas Mavericks , estimated the entire program would cost the federal government about $ 500 billion .
He added the cost would be offset because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for non essential products and services to increase… keeping most businesses alive , as we learn what the impact of re-opening is on the spread and whether or not employment grows organically.
” Cuban admitted there was a lot of risk in his idea .
He added risks needed to be taken to try and save the economy and businesses in the country .
At the end of the tweet thread , he asked for his followers ’ opinions and did receive feedback in short order .
One user posted a tweet suggesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people weren ’ t spending the money on “ vices ” like drugs and alcohol .
Other users asked a question Cuban didn ’ t address in his thread .
It ’ s not clear how the federal government would track what the funds were being used for once they received the check .
Depositing or cashing the check would not , on its own , mean the money was “ spent .
”


inquisitr--2020-05-18--United States Economy Will Not Rebound From Coronavirus By End Of 2020, Federal Reserve Chair Says

In a Sunday evening interview with 60 Minutes , Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell predicted that the U.S. economy would not likely rebound from coronavirus before the end of 2020 , The Hill reported .
“ You really can ’ t put into words the pain people are feeling and the uncertainty they ’ re realizing , and it ’ s going to take a while for us to get back but I would just say this : In the long run , and even in the medium run , you wouldn ’ t want to bet against the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Powell said the economy might begin an upturn in the second half of the year , he claimed that a return to pre-pandemic strength would hinge on how soon people are confident of returning to a standard routine .
This level of confidence , Powell says , may only arise when a vaccine becomes available .
“ The parts of the economy that involve people being in the same place very close together , those parts of the economy will be challenged until people feel really safe again , ” Powell said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy would be able to move forward but said a full recovery is not possible until people are comfortable with the parts that involve close contact .
According to Powell , “ medical metrics ” are the most important things to follow .
He said that any economic data being tracked is a function of the effectiveness of social distancing measures .
Despite Powell ’ s grim prediction , President Donald Trump continues to remain optimistic about reopening the country ’ s economy , CNN reported .
Trump has suggested that a vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the year , which health experts disagree with , and he has also ignored guidelines that he proposed as necessary for reopening the economy .
According to CNN , Trump ’ s strength lies in his salesmanship as opposed to policy-making .
The publication also claimed that the president ’ s minimization of the virus ’ s danger is an attempt to save the economy and , in turn , his re-election campaign .
A premature reopening has caused public health experts to warn that such a move could be a step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the pandemic thus far .
As The Inquisitr reported , the state of Texas reported a significant increase in coronavirus cases on Saturday , which marks two weeks since the state rolled back pandemic restrictions and allowed businesses to reopen .
The state experienced 1,901 new confirmed cases on Saturday , which is significantly higher than the average of 1,227 per day over the preceding week .
Before Saturday , the state had never seen more than 1,500 cases in a single day .


inquisitr--2020-05-18--Jake Tapper Accuses Donald Trump Of Waging ‘Unprecedented War On Accountability’

On Sunday , CNN anchor Jake Tapper accused President Donald Trump of waging an “ unprecedented war on accountability , ” The Hill reported .
Tapper blasted Trump for firing government watchdogs , stating that the president is “ partly focused on purging inspectors general from his administration ” as the nation grapples with the devastating coronavirus pandemic .
The anchor pointed out that inspectors general serve under both Republican and Democratic presidents , arguing that Trump is “ getting away ” with purging them from the government .
“ Inspectors general are there during Democratic and Republican administrations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ money , to make sure your government is operating efficiently and free of corruption , ” he said .
Tapper revealed that he discussed the issue with a former inspector general , who explained to him that Trump ’ s firings send a dangerous message to other government watchdogs .
The host said that Trump “ eliminated ” an important norm , setting a precedent for future presidents — Democratic or Republican — to do the same .
He then slammed Republicans in Congress for not standing up to the commander-in-chief .
Tapper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s decision to fire Inspector General Steve Linick .
But Linick ’ s was only the most recent in a series of controversial firings .
According to The New York Times , since his acquittal in the Senate ’ s impeachment trial , Trump has fired several key government watchdogs .
Department of Health and Human Service Inspector General Christi A. Grimm was fired in May , after publishing a report about the federal government ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
A month later , the president fired Michael K. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence community .
Lastly , on Friday night , he fired Linick , who was reportedly investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo .
As Tapper pointed out , Republicans have by and large remained silent .
Few have expressed opposition to Trump ’ s firings so far .
Notably , Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah — who was the only Republican to vote to convict Trump in the impeachment trial — denounced the firings as a “ threat to accountable democracy.
” Linick was reportedly fired at Pompeo ’ s urging , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elliot Engel of New York and Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey — have decided to launch a formal investigation into the matter .

On Sunday, CNN anchor Jake Tapper accused President Donald Trump of waging an “unprecedented war on accountability,” The Hill reported.
Tapper blasted Trump for firing government watchdogs, stating that the president is “partly focused on purging inspectors general from his administration” as the nation grapples with the devastating coronavirus pandemic.
The anchor pointed out that inspectors general serve under both Republican and Democratic presidents, arguing that Trump is “getting away” with purging them from the government.
“Inspectors general are there during Democratic and Republican administrations. They’re there to protect your money, to make sure your government is operating efficiently and free of corruption,” he said.
Tapper revealed that he discussed the issue with a former inspector general, who explained to him that Trump’s firings send a dangerous message to other government watchdogs.
The host said that Trump “eliminated” an important norm, setting a precedent for future presidents — Democratic or Republican — to do the same. He then slammed Republicans in Congress for not standing up to the commander-in-chief.
“So while Republicans in Congress sit back cowardly and don’t raise a peep, keep in mind this is not just about President Trump’s unprecedented war on accountability. This is about the kind of nation we will have after President Trump leaves office whether in January or 2025.”
Tapper made the remarks in response to Trump’s decision to fire Inspector General Steve Linick. But Linick’s was only the most recent in a series of controversial firings. According to The New York Times, since his acquittal in the Senate’s impeachment trial, Trump has fired several key government watchdogs.
Department of Health and Human Service Inspector General Christi A. Grimm was fired in May, after publishing a report about the federal government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. A month later, the president fired Michael K. Atkinson, the inspector general for the intelligence community. Lastly, on Friday night, he fired Linick, who was reportedly investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
As Tapper pointed out, Republicans have by and large remained silent. Few have expressed opposition to Trump’s firings so far. Notably, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah — who was the only Republican to vote to convict Trump in the impeachment trial — denounced the firings as a “threat to accountable democracy.”
Linick was reportedly fired at Pompeo’s urging, which is why two top Democrats — Rep. Elliot Engel of New York and Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey — have decided to launch a formal investigation into the matter.


inquisitr--2020-05-17--Nancy Pelosi Says Donald Trump Firing Inspector General Late On A Friday Night Is ‘Typical’ Of The W

Nancy Pelosi Says Donald Trump Firing Inspector General Late On A Friday Night Is ‘Typical’ Of The White House

Nancy Pelosi is speaking out against Donald Trump ’ s decision to fire Inspector General Steve Linick , saying it is typical of the White House to try dumping a controversial decision like that on a Friday night .
Pelosi appeared on CBS News ’ Face the Nation on Sunday , saying that she did not know the reason for Linick ’ s firing , but found it in line with the White House to hide a decision like that at a time when few would be paying attention .
“ Well , this is new to us and typical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is very unsavory , ” she said .
“ They would do it late on a Friday night.
” The White House announced Linick ’ s firing on Friday night , a decision that was met with criticism amid reports that the inspector general had been investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo .
As ABC News reported , Linick had been publicly critical of Trump ’ s handling of the State Department , especially in regard to the treatment of former staff and a hiring freeze that left a number of key positions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was investigating Pompeo at the time of his firing , and that Pompeo himself recommended to Trump that Linick be fired .
Pelosi added that the White House is obligated to show cause for a firing of this sort , but did not give an indication to Congress that Linick would be fired or offering a reason for it .
As Pelosi noted , a number of Republicans have objected to the firing , including many who have called on the White House to provide an explanation for Linick ’ s ouster .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who said in a statement that the White House is obligated to provide Congress with a written justification when an inspector general is fired .
“ Inspectors general are crucial in correcting government failures and promoting the accountability that the American people deserve , ” he said .
Trump has come under criticism for firings of other inspectors general , including one in charge of the intelligence community who first brought forward the whistleblower complaint regarding Trump ’ s pressuring the Ukrainian president to launch an investigation of Joe Biden .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventual acquittal .
Afterward , Trump fired a number of figures who testified during the trial , including Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman , who was removed from his position and escorted out of the White House by security after the conclusion of the trial .

Nancy Pelosi is speaking out against Donald Trump’s decision to fire Inspector General Steve Linick, saying it is typical of the White House to try dumping a controversial decision like that on a Friday night.
Pelosi appeared on CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday, saying that she did not know the reason for Linick’s firing, but found it in line with the White House to hide a decision like that at a time when few would be paying attention.
“Well, this is new to us and typical of the White House announcing something that is very unsavory,” she said. “They would do it late on a Friday night.”
The White House announced Linick’s firing on Friday night, a decision that was met with criticism amid reports that the inspector general had been investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
As ABC News reported, Linick had been publicly critical of Trump’s handling of the State Department, especially in regard to the treatment of former staff and a hiring freeze that left a number of key positions open. The report added that Linick was investigating Pompeo at the time of his firing, and that Pompeo himself recommended to Trump that Linick be fired.
Pelosi added that the White House is obligated to show cause for a firing of this sort, but did not give an indication to Congress that Linick would be fired or offering a reason for it.
As Pelosi noted, a number of Republicans have objected to the firing, including many who have called on the White House to provide an explanation for Linick’s ouster. That included Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, who said in a statement that the White House is obligated to provide Congress with a written justification when an inspector general is fired.
“Inspectors general are crucial in correcting government failures and promoting the accountability that the American people deserve,” he said.
Trump has come under criticism for firings of other inspectors general, including one in charge of the intelligence community who first brought forward the whistleblower complaint regarding Trump’s pressuring the Ukrainian president to launch an investigation of Joe Biden.
That led to Trump’s impeachment and eventual acquittal.
Afterward, Trump fired a number of figures who testified during the trial, including Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who was removed from his position and escorted out of the White House by security after the conclusion of the trial.


inquisitr--2020-05-17--Billionaire Donald Trump Supporter Slammed President Behind His Back For Coronavirus Response, Repor

Billionaire Donald Trump Supporter Slammed President Behind His Back For Coronavirus Response, Report Says

A Sunday report from The Daily Beast claims that billionaire Peter Thiel , who the publication calls one of Donald Trump ‘ s “ most important backers , ” has slammed the president for his coronavirus response behind closed doors .
According to The Daily Beast , several people familiar with the situation claim that Thiel has privately criticized the president and said his disaffection stems from Trump ’ s COVID-19 response .
One person allegedly said that Thiel has been “ sh*t-talking ” Trump over what he sees as a botched response to the pandemic .
Another reportedly said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Trump ’ s public appearances ; in particular , his performance at White House press briefings .
One senior 2020 Trump campaign source told The Daily Beast that Thiel has not been in recent contact with the campaign .
Per The Daily Beast , Thiel ’ s apparent decision to pull back is not surprising to those close to him .
Although Thiel spoke at the Republican Party ’ s 2016 convention and was once a “ proud ” supporter of the president , he is seldom seen publicly supporting Trump in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s re-election a year and a half ago , he has not donated money to the re-election campaign or Republican National Committee since 2018 , and it ’ s unclear if he plans to in the coming months .
However , as The Daily Beast notes , May is when Thiel typically begins donating to political candidates he supports .
Despite Thiel ’ s alleged issues with Trump ’ s handling of coronavirus , Palantir Technologies , which he co-founded , has reportedly seen a significant increase in its government contracts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 800 million data-management contract with the Pentagon , as well as a $ 7.5 million deal with to work on a platform for the Department of Health and Human Services .
As reported by Vanity Fair , the latter project will help the government track coronavirus , although it ’ s unclear what data is being collected and how it ’ s being used .
According to The Daily Beast ’ s Erin Banco and Spencer Ackerman , the information will play a role in the reopening of the American economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegedly dined with Thiel and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in October of 2019 .
Although it ’ s unclear what was discussed at the meeting , which was held in secret , Facebook allegedly attempted to downplay the significance of the meeting .


inquisitr--2020-05-19--Nancy Pelosi Says It’s Dangerous For Donald Trump To Take Coronavirus Drug Because He’s ‘Morbidly Ob

Nancy Pelosi Says It’s Dangerous For Donald Trump To Take Coronavirus Drug Because He’s ‘Morbidly Obese’

Nancy Pelosi is pushing back after Donald Trump said he had been taking an untested coronavirus drug shown to cause patient deaths in early trials , saying it is dangerous for the president because he is “ morbidly obese , ” The House speaker made the statement during an appearance on CNN on Monday evening , hours after Trump made the controversial admission that he had been taking hydroxychloroquine , a potential coronavirus treatment that he had touted as a “ game changer ” but has shown mixed and sometimes dangerous results in trials .
The statement was met with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was unsafe given the untested nature of the drug , and Pelosi expressed concern for the risks .
“ I would rather he not be taking that has not been approved by the scientists , especially in his age group , and in his , shall we say , weight group : ‘ morbidly obese.
’ So , I think it ’ s not a good idea , ” Pelosi said .
As CNN reported , Trump earlier in the day made what to many was a startling admission that he was taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studied as a potential treatment for coronavirus but has not been known to have preventative properties.Trump has been tested for coronavirus a number of times , with all known tests coming back negative .
“ A couple of weeks ago , I started taking it , ” Trump said , adding that he had been taking it every day for a week and a half .
As The Inquisitr had reported , a study of VA patients who had been treated with the drug found that it had no medical benefit .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be halted after patient deaths .
Pelosi ’ s statement appeared to be a dig at Trump , who has been accused of lying about his weight to conceal the fact that he would technically qualify as obese .
The president sparked controversy after a 2018 physical listed him as 6-foot-3 and 239 pounds , with both numbers coming under scrutiny .
Many have pointed out that Trump appears shorter than his listed height , which many pointed out after he stood side-by-side with Canadian leader Justin Trudeau — who is listed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
Others noted that Trump appeared heavier than 239 pounds , which put him just below the line for being listed as obese .
A 2019 physical showed that Trump had gained four pounds and was listed at 243 pounds , but that still came under question from those who believed he was heavier than the weight listed .

Nancy Pelosi responded to Donald Trump’s claim that he had been taking an unproven coronavirus drug, saying it is dangerous for the president to use because he is “morbidly obese.”
The House speaker made the statement during a Monday evening appearance on CNN, hours after Trump made the admission that he had been taking hydroxychloroquine, a potential coronavirus treatment that he had touted as a “game changer” but has shown mixed and sometimes dangerous results in trials. The statement was met with alarm from critics who believed it was unsafe given the untested nature of the drug, and Pelosi expressed concern for the risks.
“I would rather he not be taking that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group, and in his, shall we say, weight group: ‘morbidly obese.’ So, I think it’s not a good idea.”
As CNN reported, hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug that has been studied as a potential treatment for coronavirus. However, it has yet to be proven if the drug has preventative properties. Trump — along with everyone that comes in contact with him — is currently being tested for the virus on a daily basis, per CNBC. All of Trump’s tests have come back negative.
.@SpeakerPelosi just said that Trump shouldn't take Plaquenil because he is "morbidly obese." Don't RT this or it'll piss off @realDonaldTrump. pic.twitter.com/LOKlr6s39Q — Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 19, 2020
“A couple of weeks ago, I started taking it,” Trump said, adding that he had been taking it every day for a week and a half.
A study of VA patients who had been treated with hydroxychloroquine found that it had no medical benefit. Another study of the drug from Brazil had to be halted after patient deaths.
Pelosi’s statement appeared to be a dig at Trump, who has been accused of lying about his weight to conceal the fact that he would technically qualify as obese. The president sparked controversy after his 2018 physical listed him as 6 feet, 3 inches and 239 pounds, with both numbers coming under scrutiny. Many have pointed out that Trump appears to be shorter than his listed height, in particular after he stood side-by-side with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — who is listed at 6 feet, 2 inches but was visibly taller than Trump.
Others noted that Trump appeared heavier than 239 pounds, which would put him just below the line for being listed as obese. A 2019 physical showed that Trump had gained four pounds and was listed at 243 pounds, but that still came under question from those who believed he was heavier than the weight listed.


inquisitr--2020-05-19--Donald Trump Defends Hydroxychloroquine Use: ‘I Think It Gives You An Additional Level Of Safety’

Amid criticism for the revelation that he is taking hydroxychloroquine as an unproven treatment to protect from coronavirus , President Donald Trump defended his decision on Tuesday after a Senate GOP lunch , The Hill reported .
“ I think it gives you an additional level of safety , ” Trump told reporters .
“ But you can ask many doctors who are in favor of it .
Many front-line workers won ’ t go there unless they have the hydroxy.
” Nevertheless , Trump , who received the medication with the approval of his doctor , Sean Conley , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an individual basis .
“ This is an individual decision to make , ” he said .
“ But it ’ s had a great reputation and if it was somebody else other than me people would say , ‘ Gee isn ’ t that smart . '
” According to Conley , the risks of taking hydroxychloroquine are less than the risk Trump faces from contracting coronavirus .
Possible side effects of hydroxychloroquine include heart failure , liver disease , mood swings , and suicidal thoughts .
Jonathan Reiner , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cardiologist , believes that the president faces a 15 to 20 percent risk of dying if he contracts COVID-19 .
Hydroxychloroquine has shown antiviral properties in lab settings and can allegedly inhibit viruses from entering cells and prevent replication once they are inside .
However , a recent study analyzed the outcomes of patients hospitalized at Veterans Health Administration medical centers .
The results revealed that there were two primary outcomes for coronavirus patients treated with hydroxychloroquine : death and requiring mechanical ventilation .
As reported by TRT World , a study from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has yet to be peer-reviewed , suggests that combining hydroxychloroquine with zinc can increase the drug ’ s effectiveness in treating coronavirus .
“ Zinc itself has antiviral properties and past research has suggested it may reduce the time people suffer from common colds , ” the TRT World report reads .
According to Joseph Rahimian , senior investigator on the study , zinc is the primary substance that attacks COVID-19 when combined with hydroxychloroquine .
Per BBC News , Trump said he is taking both zinc and the antibiotic azithromycin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the virus .
Given the variation in research on hydroxychloroquine ’ s effectiveness for treating coronavirus , the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has warned against using the drug unless within the context of clinical trials or prescribed by a medical professional in an emergency .
Clinical trials are currently underway in the United States and around the world to determine hydroxychloroquine ’ s potential for treating the virus .
Such trials often test to drug on front-line workers who face high risk of exposure to the pathogen .


inquisitr--2020-05-19--Governor Ralph Northam Hits Back At Trump After President Says ‘We’re Going After Virginia’

On Tuesday , President Donald Trump hosted an event with farmers to discuss the $ 3 billion Farmers to Families Food Box relief initiative his administration started amid the coronavirus pandemic .
After a speaker from Virginia finished , Trump stood up and attacked the governor , who is a Democrat , quipping that there will be nobody watching potatoes for farmers in the state .
Upon hearing that , Governor Ralph Northam hit back at the president via a tweet .
During the discussion , David Hickman , a farmer in Dublin who specializes in potatoes , spoke about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and those grown in Virginia , according to an ABC 13 News report .
Hickman also invited the president to tour his farm .
When the president stepped back up to the microphone , he blasted the governor of Virginia .
MSNBC Senior producer , Kyle Griffin tweeted a video of President Trump ’ s comments about the state ’ s governor , and what he said was the Democrats ’ plans to take away citizens ’ Second Amendment rights .
“ I grew up on a Virginia farm , Mr. President—our potatoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical doctor among our nation ’ s governors , I suggest you stop taking hydroxychloroquine .
Let ’ s all get back to work , ” Governor Northam tweeted .
Northam ’ s advice about the drug came because yesterday , President Trump announced that he had been taking the anti-malaria drug for about a week and a half as a preventative measure against COVID-19 infection .
Although he reassured reporters that he hadn ’ t been exposed , the president said he decided to take it after asking the White House doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s surprising revelation prompted many to speak out against taking the drug , especially for people in higher-risk categories .
The president also received pushback about his comment that he ’ s going after Virginia and it ’ s governor from the state ’ s Attorney General , Mark Herring , who also spoke out against Trump via Twitter .
Herring blasted Trump for not focusing on the coronavirus pandemic and saving lives as states reopen after the stay at home orders enacted in March to flatten the curve and prevent hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Where to begin… Suffice it to say these are not the words and thoughts of someone who is focused on the task at hand–saving lives and slowing the spread of COVID , ” Herring wrote in a tweet .


inquisitr--2020-05-19--Republican Sen. Martha McSally ‘Doing Terribly’ As Poll Shows Her Down 13 Points To Mark Kelly, Poll

Republican Sen. Martha McSally ‘Doing Terribly’ As Poll Shows Her Down 13 Points To Mark Kelly, Pollster Says

Republican Senator Martha McSally could be in big trouble in her re-election bid , a pollster says .
As AZCentral.com reported , the Arizona incumbent is trailing by 13 points to Democrat Mark Kelly in OH Predictive Insights tracking poll , which the news outlet obtained this week .
The poll showed that McSally , who lost a Senate race to Kyrsten Sinema in 2018 and was later appointed to an open Senate seat after the death of longtime Senator John McCain , had the support of 38 percent of voters compared to 51 percent for Kelly .
The poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last OH Predictive Insights poll taken in April , while Kelly ’ s support has remained steady at 51 percent .
Pollster Mike Noble told AZCentral.com that the numbers are unquestionably difficult for the Republican .
“ McSally is doing terribly , ” said .
“ There ’ s no way to find a bright spot on that one.
” The report noted that Kelly has jumped out to a lead by winning a significant number of independent voters — leading by a 2-to-1 margin — and by making inroads in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed that Kelly was winning 54 percent to 36 percent among voters in this county , the state ’ s most populous .
The latest poll showed that his lead was growing , as Kelly had held a five-point lead in Maricopa County taken in May 2019 .
Democrats nationally have pointed to Arizona as a potential place to flip a Republican-held seat in the party ’ s bid to take back control of the U.S. Senate .
There have been signs of progress in that effort , once considered a long-shot as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring the Senate to a 50-50 tie , which they could break by winning the White House .
If Donald Trump were to win re-election , Democrats would need to net four seats in order to take control .
As Politico noted in an April report , Democrats have appeared to seize some momentum with significant fundraising in a number of key races .
Steven Law , president of the Republican super PAC Senate Leadership Fund and an ally of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , told Politico that Republican donors are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The sense is that , no matter what else happens , we ’ ve got to hold the Senate majority .
And it ’ s not a given , ” Law said .
“ There ’ s just a broad front to defend , and it ’ s going to take a lot of resources and a lot of hard work to do it .
”

Republican Senator Martha McSally could be in big trouble in her re-election bid, a pollster claimed.
As AZCentral.com reported, the Arizona incumbent is trailing by 13 points to Democrat Mark Kelly in the OH Predictive Insights tracking poll, which the news outlet obtained this week. The poll showed that McSally — who lost a Senate race to Kyrsten Sinema in 2018 and was later appointed to an open Senate seat after the death of longtime Senator John McCain — had the support of 38 percent of voters compared Kelly’s 51 percent. The poll showed that McSally lost four points from the last OH Predictive Insights poll taken in April, while Kelly’s support has remained steady.
Pollster Mike Noble told AZCentral.com that the numbers are unquestionably difficult for the Republican.
“McSally is doing terribly,” he said. “There’s no way to find a bright spot on that one.”
The report noted that Kelly’s lead has come from winning a significant number of independent voters — leading by a 2-to-1 margin in that demographic — and from making inroads in the typically Republican Maricopa County. The poll showed that Kelly was pulling 54 percent to 36 percent support among voters in that county, which is the state’s most populous. The latest poll also showed his lead growing, as Kelly had previously held a five-point lead in Maricopa County in May 2019.
Democrats nationally have pointed to Arizona as a potential spot to flip a Republican-held seat in the party’s bid to take back control of the U.S. Senate. There have been signs of progress in that effort that was once considered a long-shot, as Democrats need to net three seats to bring the Senate to a 50-50 tie, which they could break by winning the White House. If Donald Trump were to win re-election, Democrats would need to net four seats in order to take control.
As Politico noted in an April report, Democrats have appeared to seize some momentum with significant fundraising in a number of key races.
Steven Law, president of the Republican super PAC Senate Leadership Fund and an ally of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, told Politico that Republican donors are seeing a difficult road ahead of them.
“The sense is that, no matter what else happens, we’ve got to hold the Senate majority. And it’s not a given,” Law said. “There’s just a broad front to defend, and it’s going to take a lot of resources and a lot of hard work to do it.”


inquisitr--2020-05-19--Donald Trump’s Attacks On Barack Obama Will Likely Backfire, Columnist Says

In a Monday op-ed for The Washington Post , Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Eugene Robinson suggested that Donald Trump ’ s recent attacks on former President Barack Obama “ reek of panic ” and are likely to backfire .
Robinson highlighted the precarious position the Republican Party is in as they face the possibility of losing the presidency and the Senate in November .
He then noted that Obama has an “ unprecedented ability ” to push black Americans to vote in “ tidal-wave numbers.
” “ I ’ m not going out on a limb by positing that there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American voters and the first African American president , ” Robinson wrote .
“ When Trump yells ‘ Obamagate !
, ’ he ’ s strengthening that bond , not weakening it , and motivating black voters to turn out in the fall for Obama ’ s loyal wingman , Biden.
” Although Robinson notes that some analysts believe Trump is playing the long game with his attacks on Obama , he remains unconvinced .
Instead , Robinson says , Trump ’ s attacks bear a closer resemblance to his tendency to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robinson pointed to the similar tactic deployed on Joe Biden by attacking his son , Hunter , which he believes was a strategy that arose from the president ’ s inability to compete with the former vice president on integrity , ideas , or performance .
Robinson also noted that Biden ’ s biggest challenge would be drawing in not just black voters from Obama ’ s coalition but other minorities , women , young people , and urbanites .
“ Polls indicate that Biden is already doing just fine with these Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama into the race will only help Biden do better , ” he said .
As reported by Business Insider , Trump is allegedly taking aim at Obama to decrease his power as a Biden campaign surrogate .
This approach is reportedly aligned with his party ’ s attempts to create a “ political storm aimed at engulfing Biden ” to help the president ’ s chances in November as he faces criticism for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
According to two people involved in Trump ’ s reelection campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to weaken both Biden and Obama , the latter of whom recently tested exceptionally well in a Republican National Committee poll of voters in 17 battleground states .
A recent Politico/Morning Consult poll revealed that the majority of Americans believe Obama would have handled the pandemic more effectively than Trump .
Specifically , 52 percent of the 1,990 respondents said Obama would have performed better , while just 38 percent said Trump would have .
In addition , the poll found that approval of Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic continues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well for his reelection chances .

In a Monday op-ed for The Washington Post, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Eugene Robinson suggested that Donald Trump’s recent attacks on former President Barack Obama “reek of panic” and are likely to backfire.
Robinson highlighted the precarious position the Republican Party is in as they face the possibility of losing the presidency and the Senate in November. He then noted that Obama has an “unprecedented ability” to push black Americans to vote in “tidal-wave numbers.”
“I’m not going out on a limb by positing that there is a unique and enduring bond between African American voters and the first African American president,” Robinson wrote.
“When Trump yells ‘Obamagate!,’ he’s strengthening that bond, not weakening it, and motivating black voters to turn out in the fall for Obama’s loyal wingman, Biden.”
Although Robinson notes that some analysts believe Trump is playing the long game with his attacks on Obama, he remains unconvinced. Instead, Robinson says, Trump’s attacks bear a closer resemblance to his tendency to “drag opponents down to his level.” Robinson pointed to the similar tactic deployed on Joe Biden by attacking his son, Hunter, which he believes was a strategy that arose from the president’s inability to compete with the former vice president on integrity, ideas, or performance.
Robinson also noted that Biden’s biggest challenge would be drawing in not just black voters from Obama’s coalition but other minorities, women, young people, and urbanites.
“Polls indicate that Biden is already doing just fine with these Democratic constituencies — and history suggests that bringing Obama into the race will only help Biden do better,” he said.
Trump responds to Obama's commencement address by saying he "was an incompetent president. That's all I can say. Grossly incompetent." Quite the accusation coming from the guy currently overseeing the most incompetent response to the crisis of any nation.pic.twitter.com/P2MMR6MtH6 — Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) May 17, 2020
As reported by Business Insider, Trump is allegedly taking aim at Obama to decrease his power as a Biden campaign surrogate. This approach is reportedly aligned with his party’s attempts to create a “political storm aimed at engulfing Biden” to help the president’s chances in November as he faces criticism for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. According to two people involved in Trump’s reelection campaign, Obamagate, in particular, is designed to weaken both Biden and Obama, the latter of whom recently tested exceptionally well in a Republican National Committee poll of voters in 17 battleground states.
A recent Politico/Morning Consult poll revealed that the majority of Americans believe Obama would have handled the pandemic more effectively than Trump. Specifically, 52 percent of the 1,990 respondents said Obama would have performed better, while just 38 percent said Trump would have. In addition, the poll found that approval of Trump’s handling of the pandemic continues to wane, which doesn’t bode well for his reelection chances.


inquisitr--2020-05-19--Donald Trump Faces ’15 To 20 Percent Risk’ Of Dying If He Contracts Coronavirus, Cardiologist Says

Jonathan Reiner , who was former Vice President Dick Cheney ’ s cardiologist for years , made a Tuesday appearance on CNN and touched on the risk President Donald Trump faces of dying if he contracts coronavirus .
As reported by Breitbart , Reiner spoke to host Alisyn Camerota about Trump ’ s recent revelation that he is taking the antimalaria drug hydroxychloroquine prophylactically .
Camerota pointed to the drug ’ s possible side effects of mood swings and emotional changes and asked about the influence it could have on the president ’ s judgment .
“ Right , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this president to have mood swings , ” Reiner said .
The George Washington University Medical Center professor continued to highlight the drug ’ s most dangerous side effect , malignant cardiac arrhythmia , which can lead to death .
Reiner noted that the White House operates by rules that diverge from the public , and doctors have 24-hour access to Trump , meaning they have unique ways of mitigating the risk that comes with the drug .
Nevertheless , Reiner pushed back on Trump ’ s decision to take the medication , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
“ I agree with [ CNN ’ s Dr. Sanjay Gupta ] completely , this drug is unproven and the data we have suggests it doesn ’ t work or can be harmful , ” he said .
“ No one in this country should use it in the manner that the president is using it.
” According to Reiner , the White House likely determined that Trump faces less risk taking hydroxychloroquine than he does from contracting coronavirus .
According to The Guardian , the doctor who approved Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conley , indeed concluded that the potential benefit of the unproven regimen outweighed the risks Trump faces from coronavirus .
“ I asked him ‘ what do you think ? '
” Trump said of his interaction with Conley .
However , the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has warned against using the drug outside of clinical trials or in emergency hospital settings due to its possible adverse effects on the heart .
As The Inquisitr previously reported , some health experts have expressed alarm at Trump ’ s decision to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infectious disease doctor at Emory University , suggested that remdesivir would be a better alternative due to its promising early results for treating coronavirus .


inquisitr--2020-05-19--Donald Trump Must Wear Mask While Touring Ford Factory, The Automaker Says

President Donald Trump has opted not to wear a face mask for several recent factory tours , prompting criticism from the press , political pundits , and health experts .
But for his upcoming tour of the Ford Motor Co. factory in Ypsilanti , Michigan , he ’ ll need to don facial covering , the auto manufacturer says .
Ford issued a statement saying that all people touring the facility will need to wear personal protective equipment in accordance with the company ’ s policy .
This was put in place for the safety of employees to protect them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Crain ’ s reports .
“ Our policy is that everyone wears PPE to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , ” spokeswoman Rachel McCleery said .
“ We shared all of Ford ’ s safety protocols , including our manufacturing playbook , employee pamphlet and self-assessment survey with the White House ahead of time and in preparation for this trip.
” Trump went without personal protective equipment while touring the Owens & Minor medical distribution factory in Allentown , Pennsylvania , last week .
A week prior to that , he didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Honeywell facility in Phoenix , Arizona .
Both events prompted some backlash from people who said that he was setting a bad example and putting other individuals at risk .
“ I had a mask on for a period of time , ” Trump said , according to Reuters .
When pressed on how long he had worn the mask before removing it , the president said that he hadn ’ t worn it for a great length of time .
“ Not too long , but I had it on .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said you didn ’ t need it , ” he said .
Critics say that Trump refuses to wear a mask because it sends “ the wrong message.
” Allegedly , he believes that doing so could hurt his chances of winning re-election in November , as The Inquisitr previously reported .
Apparently , the president believes that images of him wearing a mask could be used against him in campaign ads and that it could make people think that he is worrying more about the virus and getting sick than restarting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is slated to visit the 64-year-old auto parts manufacturer on Thursday as part of his ongoing tour of PPE factories .


inquisitr--2020-05-19--New Poll Shows Joe Biden Leading By Six Points Nationally

A new poll released exclusively to The Hill on Tuesday showed Joe Biden with a six-point lead over Donald Trump nationally .
The latest survey done by Harvard CAPS/Harris showed that 53 percent of voters would vote for former Vice-President Biden if the election were held today , while only 47 percent of voters said they would vote for President Trump .
Other recent national polls have also shown a preference for Biden .
Monday ’ s polling numbers from Real Clear Politics also showed Biden with a six-point lead over Trump with numbers that almost exactly matched the numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysis of polling data found that Trump is losing crucial support from older voters .
Biden has a one-point lead over Trump with voters over 65 — a demographic that Trump decisively won in 2016 .
The data showed that Trump is also losing support from voters in the 45 to 64 , 50 to 64 , and 50-plus demographics , but the loss of support has not been as dramatic as it has been with voters over 65 .
According to The Hill , Trump ’ s approval rating is dropping at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead is increasing .
Recent survey data shows that Trump ’ s approval rating was at 47 percent on Tuesday , which is two points lower than it was in previous polling .
Approval of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic is also declining .
Only 46 percent of voters approve of his pandemic response as of Tuesday , a five percent drop from previous polling .
The Hill posited that Biden ’ s increasing lead over Trump in national polling may be a result of voters reacting to the response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Penn , the director of the Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll , told The Hill that Trump ’ s approval rating had been improving over the last 11 months , but that they began to plummet after the coronavirus daily press briefing when the president pondered whether using household disinfectants internally could be a cure for coronavirus .
Penn also told The Hill that the percentage of voters who say they would vote for Biden if the election was today has remained relatively steady while the President ’ s numbers have steadily declined .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still close and could go either way .
The Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll The Hill cited surveyed over 1,800 voters and was conducted between May 13 and 14 .
The results were appropriately weighted in order to match national demographics , as is customary with national polling data .

A new poll released exclusively to The Hill on Tuesday showed Joe Biden with a six-point lead over Donald Trump nationally. The latest survey done by Harvard CAPS/Harris showed that 53 percent of voters would vote for former Vice-President Biden if the election were held today, while only 47 percent of voters said they would vote for President Trump.
Other recent national polls have also shown a preference for Biden. Monday’s polling numbers from Real Clear Politics also showed Biden with a six-point lead over Trump with numbers that almost exactly matched the numbers reported by The Hill.
A recent analysis of polling data found that Trump is losing crucial support from older voters. Biden has a one-point lead over Trump with voters over 65 — a demographic that Trump decisively won in 2016. The data showed that Trump is also losing support from voters in the 45 to 64, 50 to 64, and 50-plus demographics, but the loss of support has not been as dramatic as it has been with voters over 65.
According to The Hill, Trump’s approval rating is dropping at the same time Biden’s national lead is increasing. Recent survey data shows that Trump’s approval rating was at 47 percent on Tuesday, which is two points lower than it was in previous polling. Approval of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic is also declining. Only 46 percent of voters approve of his pandemic response as of Tuesday, a five percent drop from previous polling. The Hill posited that Biden’s increasing lead over Trump in national polling may be a result of voters reacting to the response to the coronavirus pandemic by the Trump administration.
New Civiqs poll from Georgia shows something interesting. Among voters who have an unfavorable view of both Biden and Trump, Biden leads 60% to 2%. If this holds, it would mark a shift from 2016, when Trump generally led among voters with an unfavorable view of both candidates pic.twitter.com/AxKPdUA0Sh — Michael Tracey (@mtracey) May 19, 2020
Mark Penn, the director of the Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll, told The Hill that Trump’s approval rating had been improving over the last 11 months, but that they began to plummet after the coronavirus daily press briefing when the president pondered whether using household disinfectants internally could be a cure for coronavirus.
Penn also told The Hill that the percentage of voters who say they would vote for Biden if the election was today has remained relatively steady while the President’s numbers have steadily declined. Though he also noted that the race is still close and could go either way.
“[Trump] continues to lag in the national presidential horse race while Biden’s numbers have shown no change up or down. This race is far from over and both candidates have potentially winning scenarios.”
The Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll The Hill cited surveyed over 1,800 voters and was conducted between May 13 and 14. The results were appropriately weighted in order to match national demographics, as is customary with national polling data.


inquisitr--2020-05-19--Donald Trump Says He’s ‘Looking For A New Outlet’ After Fox News Criticized His Hydroxychloroquine U

Donald Trump Says He’s ‘Looking For A New Outlet’ After Fox News Criticized His Hydroxychloroquine Use

On Monday , President Donald Trump told reporters that he was taking the controversial anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a preventative measure against the novel coronavirus .
Fox News host Neil Cavuto took time on his show to criticize the president ’ s decision , saying that it could kill people who have health conditions that might put them at risk .
Shortly after , Trump tweeted that he was “ looking for a new outlet ” and criticized the conservative-leaning news organization for employing “ anti-Trump people.
” “ @ FoxNews is no longer the same .
We miss the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-Trump people , by far , than ever before .
Looking for a new outlet !
” he commented in a re-tweet of a message criticizing Cavuto ’ s message .
Hydroxychloroquine has not been approved for the treatment of COVID-19 and several recent studies have suggested that it might not have much or any impact in battling the deadly virus .
But while speaking with the press on Monday , Trump said that he had been taking the drug every day for over a week .
“ I take it , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve told you that three to four days ago , but we never had a chance because you never asked me the question.
” After announcing that he had been taking the drug prophylactically , Trump faced criticism from pundits and medical experts , who warned that people in high-risk groups shouldn ’ t take the medication unless advised by their doctor to do so .
Cavuto weighed in with a warning to his viewers that taking the drug could kill them , as Business Insider reported .
“ If you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are taking this as a preventative treatment to ward off the virus… it will kill you , ” Cavuto said on Monday ’ s .
“ I can not stress this enough : This will kill you.
” Cavuto went on to add that a recent study in hospitals run by the Department of Veterans Affairs showed that those with heart ailments or lung issues could be harmed by the drug .
Trump has argued that the study was completed by people who “ aren ’ t big Trump fans.
” Shortly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fox host Greg Gutfeld championed the drug to viewers of the network .
The use of hydroxychloroquine has become a political issue , with progressives arguing against its use and conservatives advocating for it as a way to treat or prevent the virus .
Trump also re-tweeted a message from the Twitter account The Hoarse Whisperer , which is frequently critical of him and his administration , showing Trump saying that he ’ s taking the drug and Cavuto ’ s argument against it .


inquisitr--2020-05-19--Donald Trump Reportedly Won’t Unveil Barack Obama’s White House Portrait, Breaking With Tradition

President Donald Trump won ’ t be unveiling Barack Obama ’ s official White House portrait this year , breaking with decades of tradition .
According to a report from NBC News , the former president has “ no interest ” in the non-partisan event , which is meant to be an illustration of the peaceful transition of power that is a hallmark of the United States ’ system of government .
Trump , for his part , doesn ’ t appear to be concerned about hosting the tradition .
For the past 40 years , each president unveiled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lady in the East Room .
But , as NBC suggests , in an illustration of the partisan political divide plaguing the country , the traditional show of unity won ’ t take place .
Former President Barack Obama hosted former President George W. Bush for the unveiling of the Bush portraits in 2012 , despite having stark political differences from the 43rd president .
“ We may have our differences politically , but the presidency transcends those differences , ” Obama said at the time .
Trump has made headlines in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lobbing accusations that Obama had committed a crime , though the current president hasn ’ t specified what he believes took place or presented any evidence for his claims .
Obama , on the other hand , has made several veiled jabs at the current administration after years of largely holding his tongue .
Pundits argue that Obama has reached his “ breaking point ” and feels compelled to speak out .
Last week , while speaking to his former aides in a now-leaked phone call , Obama called the Trump administration ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ chaotic disaster.
” A few days later , while giving a digital commencement speech , he told the graduating class that the current occupiers of the West Wing didn ’ t appear to care about leading the country and weren ’ t competent leaders .
Obama reportedly isn ’ t interested in attending an event at the White House while Trump occupies the Oval Office , which could mean that he won ’ t see his portrait hanging among the other 43 former presidents until 2025 .
Former first lady Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband Bill Clinton ’ s portrait unveiled by Bush “ daunting.
” “ It is something that really does , more than any other act , sort of put your place in history in this building for all the ages and all the people who come through here to see and reflect upon , ” she said .
“ You ’ ve got a president who ’ s talking about putting the previous one in legal jeopardy , to put it nicely .
We have not seen a situation like that in history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes antipathy of a new president for a predecessor to a new level.
” Neither Obama nor Trump have responded to requests for a statement on the matter .

President Donald Trump won’t be unveiling Barack Obama’s official White House portrait this year, breaking with decades of tradition. According to a report from NBC News, the former president has “no interest” in the non-partisan event, which is meant to be an illustration of the peaceful transition of power that is a hallmark of the United States’ system of government. Trump, for his part, doesn’t appear to be concerned about hosting the tradition.
For the past 40 years, each president unveiled the portraits of the previous president and first lady in the East Room. But, as NBC suggests, in an illustration of the partisan political divide plaguing the country, the traditional show of unity won’t take place.
Former President Barack Obama hosted former President George W. Bush for the unveiling of the Bush portraits in 2012, despite having stark political differences from the 43rd president.
“We may have our differences politically, but the presidency transcends those differences,” Obama said at the time.
Trump has made headlines in recent weeks after repeatedly attacking his predecessor and lobbing accusations that Obama had committed a crime, though the current president hasn’t specified what he believes took place or presented any evidence for his claims.
Obama, on the other hand, has made several veiled jabs at the current administration after years of largely holding his tongue. Pundits argue that Obama has reached his “breaking point” and feels compelled to speak out.
Last week, while speaking to his former aides in a now-leaked phone call, Obama called the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic a “chaotic disaster.” A few days later, while giving a digital commencement speech, he told the graduating class that the current occupiers of the West Wing didn’t appear to care about leading the country and weren’t competent leaders.
Obama reportedly isn’t interested in attending an event at the White House while Trump occupies the Oval Office, which could mean that he won’t see his portrait hanging among the other 43 former presidents until 2025.
Former first lady Hillary Clinton called the experience of seeing her and husband Bill Clinton’s portrait unveiled by Bush “daunting.”
“It is something that really does, more than any other act, sort of put your place in history in this building for all the ages and all the people who come through here to see and reflect upon,” she said.
Presidential historian Michael Beschloss called the entire situation unprecedented.
“You’ve got a president who’s talking about putting the previous one in legal jeopardy, to put it nicely. We have not seen a situation like that in history,” he said. “It takes antipathy of a new president for a predecessor to a new level.”
Neither Obama nor Trump have responded to requests for a statement on the matter.


inquisitr--2020-05-19--President Trump Retweets A Message From A User Who’s Typically Critical Of Him

'The man who just retweeted me is a complete f*ckopotamus , ' the account-holder said in response .
President Donald Trump retweeted a tweet from an account that has consistently been harshly critical of him HuffPost reports .
On Monday night , much of the evening news cycle was dominated by Trump ’ s admission that he takes hydroxychloroquine prophylactically .
The anti-malaria drug has been touted by the president since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic — he at one time called it a “ game-changer ” — even though the medical community has largely rejected it .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , it ’ s also been linked to deaths of patients who have taken it .
One topic that was on Trump ’ s mind Monday night , at least as far as his Twitter feed goes , was Fox News host Neil Cavuto .
Cavuto has been clear that he is in disagreement with the president about hydroxychloroquine ’ s supposed benefits , and indeed , has even warned that it could be fatal .
In response , Trump lamented the state of the news channel , even suggesting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new news outlet .
Trump also retweeted a tweet containing the Fox News clip in which Cavuto rails against the use of hydroxychloroquine .
The tweet also seemed to reference the juxtaposition of the views of the drug shared by two different , prominent Fox News personalities .
The account , @ HoarseWhisperer , has been consistently critical of Trump .
Indeed , HuffPost writer Ed Mazza described the account as “ a pretty constant thorn in Trump ’ s social media side.
” Whoever manages the account certainly noticed that the Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention , although Trump may not be interested in retweeting what the account posted next .
And in a follow-up tweet , the account-holder tweeted that , while he or she had Trump ’ s attention , he or she wanted the president to direct his attention to a previous tweet written about him .
The identity of the person who manages the account is unclear , as of this writing .
Neither the Patreon page associated with it nor the respective Ko-fi page identify the owner , and on Twitter he or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of opinions , commentary and sarcasm .
”

President Donald Trump retweeted a tweet from an account that has consistently been harshly critical of him HuffPost reports.
On Monday night, much of the evening news cycle was dominated by Trump’s admission that he takes hydroxychloroquine prophylactically. The anti-malaria drug has been touted by the president since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic — he at one time called it a “game-changer” — even though the medical community has largely rejected it. Not only is the drug largely ineffective against the coronavirus, it’s also been linked to deaths of patients who have taken it.
One topic that was on Trump’s mind Monday night, at least as far as his Twitter feed goes, was Fox News host Neil Cavuto. Cavuto has been clear that he is in disagreement with the president about hydroxychloroquine’s supposed benefits, and indeed, has even warned that it could be fatal.
“If you are in a risky population here, and you are taking this as a preventative treatment to ward off the virus… it will kill you. I cannot stress this enough: This will kill you.”
In response, Trump lamented the state of the news channel, even suggesting that he’s considering looking for a new news outlet.
.@FoxNews is no longer the same. We miss the great Roger Ailes. You have more anti-Trump people, by far, than ever before. Looking for a new outlet! https://t.co/jXxsF0flUM — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2020
Trump also retweeted a tweet containing the Fox News clip in which Cavuto rails against the use of hydroxychloroquine. The tweet also seemed to reference the juxtaposition of the views of the drug shared by two different, prominent Fox News personalities.
Fox News on hydroxychloroquine in the last two days: Neil Cavuto: It’ll kill you!!! Laura Ingraham: Take it! Take it! Take it! pic.twitter.com/CrmnmXKKrI — The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) May 18, 2020
The account, @HoarseWhisperer, has been consistently critical of Trump. Indeed, HuffPost writer Ed Mazza described the account as “a pretty constant thorn in Trump’s social media side.”
Whoever manages the account certainly noticed that the Twitter feed had caught the president’s attention, although Trump may not be interested in retweeting what the account posted next.
“The man who just retweeted me is a complete f*ckopotamus. He is also the President.”
And in a follow-up tweet, the account-holder tweeted that, while he or she had Trump’s attention, he or she wanted the president to direct his attention to a previous tweet written about him.
“Your eventual tomb will see more urine than a stadium bathroom.”
The identity of the person who manages the account is unclear, as of this writing. Neither the Patreon page associated with it nor the respective Ko-fi page identify the owner, and on Twitter he or she simply identifies as a “purveyor of opinions, commentary and sarcasm.”


inquisitr--2020-05-20--Michael Cohen Reportedly To Be Released From Prison Due To Coronavirus, Serving Remainder Of Sentenc

Michael Cohen Reportedly To Be Released From Prison Due To Coronavirus, Serving Remainder Of Sentence At Home

President Donald Trump ’ s former personal attorney , Michael Cohen , will reportedly be released early from prison and will spend the rest of his sentence at home due to the coronavirus outbreak in the New York facility where he has been serving his sentence .
As the Wall Street Journal reports , Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to lying to Congress and for campaign finance violations .
He has been behind bars since last May and was expected to remain there until November of next year .
However , the federal correctional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has experienced an outbreak of COVID-19 , and Cohen was granted compassionate release , according to an insider .
Cohen initially appealed for compassionate release in March but was denied by the judge who said in the ruling that the lawyer was seeking to “ inject himself into the news cycle.
” “ Ten months into his prison term , it ’ s time that Cohen accept the consequences of his criminal convictions for serious crimes that had far-reaching institutional harms , ” NBC News reported that U.S. District Judge William Pauley III @ @ @ @ @ @ @ searching for a new argument to justify a modification of his sentence to home confinement , Cohen now raises the specter of COVID-19 , ” he added .
The Justice Department and the Bureau of Prisons have released numerous nonviolent or at-risk inmates as the novel coronavirus spreads throughout the prison system .
Cohen was initially told he would be released earlier last month , but the bureau narrowed its requirements for releasing prisoners and he was expected to stay behind bars .
So far , more than two dozen inmates and employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the facility where Cohen is being held .
Cohen will reportedly be released to his home on Thursday after processing .
The lawyer was previously a staunch supporter of Trump after working for him for years but has recently become a harsh critic of the president .
Cohen has been making headlines recently after revealing that he was writing a tell-all book about his experiences with Trump .
“ Michael spent a long time with Trump — he is going to go into everything and he ’ s not going to hold anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lawyers representing the president have reportedly sent a letter to his former ally to tell him to stop writing the expose , as The Inquistr previously reported .
Cohen reportedly signed a non-disclosure agreement that prohibits him from speaking of his time with the president , his business ventures , or his family .

President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, will reportedly be released early from prison and will spend the rest of his sentence at home due to the coronavirus outbreak in the New York facility where he has been serving his sentence.
As the Wall Street Journal reports, Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to lying to Congress and for campaign finance violations. He has been behind bars since last May and was expected to remain there until November of next year. However, the federal correctional institute in Otisville in upstate New York has experienced an outbreak of COVID-19, and Cohen was granted compassionate release, according to an insider.
Cohen initially appealed for compassionate release in March but was denied by the judge who said in the ruling that the lawyer was seeking to “inject himself into the news cycle.”
“Ten months into his prison term, it’s time that Cohen accept the consequences of his criminal convictions for serious crimes that had far-reaching institutional harms,” NBC News reported that U.S. District Judge William Pauley III wrote at the time.
“Apparently searching for a new argument to justify a modification of his sentence to home confinement, Cohen now raises the specter of COVID-19,” he added.
The Justice Department and the Bureau of Prisons have released numerous nonviolent or at-risk inmates as the novel coronavirus spreads throughout the prison system. Cohen was initially told he would be released earlier last month, but the bureau narrowed its requirements for releasing prisoners and he was expected to stay behind bars.
So far, more than two dozen inmates and employees have been infected with the disease at the facility where Cohen is being held.
Cohen will reportedly be released to his home on Thursday after processing. The lawyer was previously a staunch supporter of Trump after working for him for years but has recently become a harsh critic of the president.
Cohen has been making headlines recently after revealing that he was writing a tell-all book about his experiences with Trump.
“Michael spent a long time with Trump — he is going to go into everything and he’s not going to hold anything back,” an insider revealed.
Lawyers representing the president have reportedly sent a letter to his former ally to tell him to stop writing the expose, as The Inquistr previously reported.
Cohen reportedly signed a non-disclosure agreement that prohibits him from speaking of his time with the president, his business ventures, or his family.


inquisitr--2020-05-20--Joe Biden Opens Double-Digit Lead Over Donald Trump In New National Poll

According to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday , the Democratic Party ’ s presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden has opened up a double-digit lead over President Donald Trump nationwide .
The poll showed Biden polling at 50 percent , with an 11-point lead over Trump .
The vast majority of Democrats — 88 percent of them — expressed support for the former vice president .
Similarly , 87 percent of Republicans voiced support for Trump .
As for independent voters , 47 percent of them backed Biden and 36 percent backed Trump .
A majority of voters — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle health care better than the president .
The respondents also said that Biden is more honest than Trump , displays good leadership skills , and cares more about ordinary Americans .
Biden ’ s favorability rating was slightly higher than Trump ’ s , with 45 percent of voters saying they hold a favorable opinion of the former vice president , and 41 percent saying they hold a favorable view of Trump .
Trump ’ s overall approval rating has gone down since April , dropping to 42 percent .
When it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the response to the coronavirus pandemic , 56 percent of voters disapproved and 41 percent approved of it .
Notably , a majority of voters — 55 percent of them — said Biden would do a better job handling the crisis than Trump .
Furthermore , Democrats in Congress have a higher approval rating than Republicans .
The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the United States economy , but voters were split on who would do a better job handling it .
Forty-seven percent said Trump and 48 percent said Biden .
Fifty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is handling the economy , and 47 percent disapproved .
As Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy explained , with the 2020 presidential election fast-approaching , the poll is not good news for Trump .
“ What does the 11 point Biden lead tell us ?
At best for Team Trump , it says voter confidence in President Trump is shaky .
At worst for them , as coronavirus cases rise , Trump ’ s judgement is questioned — and November looms , ” Malloy said .
Numerous other polls paint a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harvard CAPS/Harris survey released earlier this week showed Biden with a six-point lead over Trump nationwide , with the data suggesting that Trump is losing support among older voters .
Even though Biden seems to hold a relatively comfortable national lead over Trump , some polls suggest that the president is stronger in key battleground states .
A CNN poll released last week found that the Democrat is struggling in swing states , largely because younger voters in those states are “ tilted in favor of Trump .
”


inquisitr--2020-05-20--Donald Trump Is Attempting ‘Voter Suppression’ Claims White House Reporter

On Wednesday , President Donald Trump tweeted about absentee voting ballots that he called illegal in both Nevada and Michigan and said that he would try to withhold funding from the states .
The president claimed the mail-in voting would cause voter fraud , but one White House reporter named Brian Karem took to Twitter and accused Trump of attempting voter suppression .
“ Another Lie from @ realDonaldTrump .
Voter fraud ?
Nope .
An attempt at voter suppression from the president ?
Yep , ” tweeted Karem in a comment where he also retweeted Trump ’ s tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The reporter ’ s tweet received nearly 500 retweets and over 2,000 “ likes ” on the popular social media platform .
Some of the replies pointed out that states with Republican governors have also mailed out absentee ballot applications .
“ Maybe I ’ m mistaken , but didn ’ t Georgia also do the same thing ?
Why isn ’ t THAT a problem for Trump ?
I think we all know why , ” replied a Twitter user .
Several of the people who posted agreed with Karem , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users to report the president ’ s original tweet as being misleading about a political election .
“ Report the tweet.. he ’ s giving false information on voting , which is against the Twitter rules .
He ’ s lying about this being illegal – it ’ s NOT , ” another account noted .
“ A hit job and punishment for states run by Democratic leadership .
He did say if governors weren ’ t nice , he would do something about it , ” read a third reply .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coerce states into running their elections HIS way ?
” a fourth Twitter user wondered .
Currently , Utah , Colorado , Hawaii , Washington , and Oregon all vote primarily by mail , according to a Factcheck.org report .
Plus , every state has some form of absentee mail-in voting available to registered voters .
In 12 years between 2000 and 2012 , 491 cases of voter fraud were found , and billions of votes were cast during that time .
Of those , 24 percent of the prosecutions were related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s previous statements about absentee voting were misleading .
The Inquisitr reported that others have called out President Trump on his tweets today about Nevada and Michigan expanding absentee voting amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Jon Favreau , former Director of Speechwriting for President Barack Obama , said that Trump threatened to harm the citizens of both states , which was especially egregious because of the catastrophic flooding Michigan is experiencing in addition to COVID-19 concerns .
The president has a history of claims about voter fraud , and he even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it that he claimed occurred during the 2016 election .
However , an AP News report revealed that in 2018 the commission disbanded after it failed to find widespread voter fraud .

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump tweeted about absentee voting ballots that he called illegal in both Nevada and Michigan and said that he would try to withhold funding from the states. The president claimed the mail-in voting would cause voter fraud, but one White House reporter named Brian Karem took to Twitter and accused Trump of attempting voter suppression.
“Another Lie from @realDonaldTrump. Voter fraud? Nope. An attempt at voter suppression from the president? Yep,” tweeted Karem in a comment where he also retweeted Trump’s tweet about Michigan’s absentee ballot applications.
The reporter’s tweet received nearly 500 retweets and over 2,000 likes on the popular social media platform. Some of the replies pointed out that states with Republican governors have also mailed out absentee ballot applications.
“Maybe I’m mistaken, but didn’t Georgia also do the same thing? Why isn’t THAT a problem for Trump? I think we all know why,” replied a Twitter user.
Several of the people who posted agreed with Karem and at least a few encouraged Twitter users to report the president’s original tweet as being misleading about a political election.
“Report the tweet.. he’s giving false information on voting, which is against the Twitter rules. He’s lying about this being illegal – it’s NOT,” another account noted.
“A hit job and punishment for states run by Democratic leadership. He did say if governors weren’t nice, he would do something about it,” read a third reply.
“Since when does the POTUS get to coerce states into running their elections HIS way?” a fourth Twitter user wondered.
1. Michigan is sending absentee ballot *applications* — not absentee ballots. 2. Nevada is exploring all-mail voting, which CO HI UT OR WA already do. 3. None of this is “illegal” or “fraud.” Blue states, purple states and red states are trying to adapt to voting in a pandemic. pic.twitter.com/iAz5CjWcyO — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) May 20, 2020
Currently, Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, Washington, and Oregon all vote primarily by mail, according to a Factcheck.org report. Plus, every state has some form of absentee mail-in voting available to registered voters. In 12 years between 2000 and 2012, 491 cases of voter fraud were found, and billions of votes were cast during that time. Of those, 24 percent of the prosecutions were related to absentee ballots. The report found that Trump’s previous statements about absentee voting were misleading.
The Inquisitr reported that others have called out President Trump on his tweets today about Nevada and Michigan expanding absentee voting amid the coronavirus pandemic. Jon Favreau, former Director of Speechwriting for President Barack Obama, said that Trump threatened to harm the citizens of both states, which was especially egregious because of the catastrophic flooding Michigan is experiencing in addition to COVID-19 concerns.
The president has a history of claims about voter fraud, and he even created a commission to investigate possible instances of it that he claimed occurred during the 2016 election. However, an AP News report revealed that in 2018 the commission disbanded after it failed to find widespread voter fraud.


inquisitr--2020-05-20--Federal Judge Ruled Against Trump Family Allowing Lawsuit To Move Forward

A lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his family members will move forward after a decision made by a federal judge on Monday .
District Judge Lorna G. Schofield ruled that a class-action suit brought by four anonymous plaintiffs will not be delayed and their accusations against Trump and his children , Donald Trump Jr. , Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump on the issue of fraud and false advertising will soon be in court , according to Newsweek .
The Trump corporation is being accused of not only fraud but unfair competition due to entanglements with a multi-level marketing company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been forced to provide the plaintiffs with 15 years worth of records that might provide pertinent details on the case .
Schofield also denied the Trump corporation ’ s previous request that the court force arbitration despite the lack of written agreement between parties .
That denial was cited in the judge ’ s recent ruling , in addition to the other factors at play in her decision including how much harm a delay could inflict on the parties involved .
“ Weighing the two ‘ most critical ’ factors — likelihood of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — against each other , any prejudice that Defendants and ACN may suffer from proceeding with the litigation during the pendency of the appeal does not outweigh the strong likelihood that Defendants and ACN will not succeed on appeal , ” the judge wrote .
Trump ’ s first affiliation with ACN originated in the mid-2000s and ended shortly before his presidential campaign began in 2015 .
The suit against the president and his corporation was filed late in 2018 and claimed that the president made millions through false claims made to investors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” if they joined the company , according to Newsweek .
“ The Trumps conned each of these victims into giving up hundreds or thousands of dollars—losses that many experienced as a devastating and life-altering .
“ The Trumps conned each of these victims into giving up hundreds or thousands of dollars—losses that many experienced as a devastating and life-altering , ” The president later claimed to not be familiar with the company ’ s business practices in 2016 when questioned .
The Inquisitr reported just days ago that the president could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , if House Democrats find impeachable offenses in recently requested grand jury documents .
House general counsel Douglas Letter , said in a legal filing , which was dated Monday , that the materials requested by the House committee could indicate collusion on the part of the president and would potentially reopen an investigation into his 2016 presidential campaign .

A lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his family members will move forward after a decision made by a federal judge on Monday.
District Judge Lorna G. Schofield ruled that a class-action suit brought by four anonymous plaintiffs will not be delayed and their accusations against Trump and his children — Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump — on the issue of fraud and false advertising will soon be in court, according to Newsweek.
The Trump corporation is being accused of not only fraud but unfair competition due to entanglements with a multi-level marketing company called ACN, and Trump has now been forced to provide the plaintiffs with 15 years worth of records that might provide pertinent details on the case.
Schofield also denied the Trump corporation’s previous request that the court force arbitration despite the lack of written agreement between parties. That denial was cited in the judge’s recent ruling, in addition to the other factors at play in her decision. These include how much harm a delay could inflict on the parties involved.
“Weighing the two ‘most critical’ factors — likelihood of success on the merits and irreparable harm — against each other, any prejudice that Defendants and ACN may suffer from proceeding with the litigation during the pendency of the appeal does not outweigh the strong likelihood that Defendants and ACN will not succeed on appeal,” the judge wrote.
Trump’s first affiliation with ACN originated in the mid-2000s and ended shortly before his presidential campaign began in 2015. The suit against the president and his corporation was filed late in 2018, claiming that he made millions through false claims made to investors about the “reasonable probability of success” if they joined the company, according to Newsweek.
“The Trumps conned each of these victims into giving up hundreds or thousands of dollars—losses that many experienced as a devastating and life-altering.” “Surely the Trumps dismissed these amounts (and the lives they wrecked) as trivial. But by defrauding so many for so long, the Trumps made millions.”
Trump later claimed to be unfamiliar with the company’s business practices in 2016 when questioned. The Inquisitr reported just days ago that the president could be facing other, more serious legal action, however, if House Democrats find impeachable offenses in recently requested grand jury documents.
House general counsel Douglas Letter said in a legal filing dated Monday that the materials requested by the House committee could indicate collusion on the president’s part, thus potentially reopening an investigation into his 2016 campaign.