cnbc--2020-12-22--Conspiracy theories and talk of martial law grip the White House as Trump seeks to undo Biden's win

U.S. President Donald Trump departs after speaking about the 2020 U.S. presidential election results in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington , U.S. , November 5 , 2020 .
Byrne 's admitted affair with Russian asset Maria Butina while giving the FBI information about her plays a key role in his conspiracy-minded worldview .
Another person who has pushed Trump to ignore the more-moderate suggestions made by White House counsel Pat Cipollone and other advisors is Patrick Byrne , the former CEO of Overstock.com .
Trump reportedly has mulled the idea of appointing her as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Powell did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Powell , who was fired from the campaign-reelection challenge team last month because her theories about voting machines being used to swing the election to Biden apparently were too extreme even for other Trump lawyers , has visited the White House three times since Friday .
`` People out there talk about martial law like it 's something that we 've never done , '' Flynn told the conservative news outlet Newsmax last week .
Leading the charge has been lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an election attorney last month , and Powell 's client Michael Flynn , the former national security advisor whom Trump recently pardoned for lying to FBI agents .
They have floated suggestions including having Trump declare martial law and rerunning the election in states where he narrowly lost ; trying to get congressional Republicans to void Biden 's win during a session next month ; and seizing voting machines .
President Donald Trump on Tuesday touted yet another false claim about the election as he reportedly has rattled close White House advisors by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his fantasies of undoing Joe Biden 's victory .
Byrne has said he was at a long , sometimes contentious meeting with Trump , Powell , Flynn and Trump advisors on Friday , when they discussed the election-challenge strategy .
NBC News has reported that White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Cipollone ended the meeting because it was headed in an alarming direction .
`` My involvement is I was in the room when it happened , '' Byrne wrote in a tweet .
`` The raised voices included my own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is being terribly served by his advisers .
They want him to lose and are lying to him .
He is surrounding by mendacious mediocrities . ''
Byrne later wrote , referring to Powell and Trump 's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani , `` For the first time in my life I feel sorry for Donald Trump .
He is standing up to his waist in snakes .
Trust Rudy and Sidney only . ''
The president 's discussions with Powell and the others were quickly leaked to The New York Times and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Trump 's own White House advisors are worried about the tenor of those talks .
The Times reported Saturday that Trump at the meeting had asked about Flynn 's suggestion of imposing martial law .
One of the Trump campaign 's other lawyers , Jenna Ellis , early Tuesday tweeted , `` To everyone balking at not using the Insurrection Act ( which does not apply in this context ) , consider that President Trump himself tweeted that it 's fake news he is even considering it . ''
`` He is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermine the rule of law , '' Ellis wrote in her tweet , which referred to the suggestions by some of Trump 's supporters that martial law be invoked by the president .
But Ellis ' tweet , and similar ones by her around the same time , were met by criticism by Trump backers who called for more extreme measures to undo Biden 's win beyond lawsuits and having state legislatures effectively hand the election to Trump , which they have refused to do .
`` That 's our problem .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' , Dems are breaking all of them , making up new ones , and getting away with all of it !
, '' one person wrote in reply to Ellis .
Trump has echoed that frustration , lashing out at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after the Kentucky Republican acknowledged Biden had defeated Trump .
McConnell also tried to dissuade other lawmakers from embarking on a almost-certainly doomed effort to have Congress nullify the election .
Trump 's personal assistant on Monday night emailed Republicans in Congress a slide that credited McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet and robocall recording by the president .
`` Sadly , Mitch forgot .
He was the first one off the ship ! ''
the slide said .
All the while , the president has kept up a steady pace of Twitter posts that underscore his refusal to accept that Biden has won and his baseless claim that he lost the election as a result of widespread voting fraud .
`` THE DEMOCRATS DUMPED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BALLOTS IN THE SWING STATES LATE IN THE EVENING , '' Trump tweeted Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the message : `` This claim about election fraud is disputed . ''
The social media site has repeatedly slapped that label on Trump 's tweets in recent weeks .
Trump 's ranting on Twitter about the election — and lack of messages about the spiraling coronavirus death toll — has led a number of observers to compare the president to King Lear , the Shakespeare character who madly rages over his perceived betrayal .
Trump and his allies have lost or withdrawn all of the dozens of lawsuits that sought to undo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Electoral College confirmed Biden 's win last week , and as a number of Republican members of Congress have accepted that Trump lost .
Particularly painful for the president was Attorney General William Barr telling The Associated Press that the Justice Department , which Barr oversees , had seen no evidence of widespread ballot fraud that would lead to Biden 's victory being undone .
While Trump can not control how judges rule , even judges he appointed , he is Barr 's boss , and the Justice Department is part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's pointed refusal to endorse Trump 's conspiracy theories about the election was soon followed by the attorney general 's resignation , which takes effect Wednesday .
The losses in court and of Barr as an ally willing to do the president 's bidding have left Trump with little more than hail Mary scenarios of the kind promoted by Powell , Flynn and Byrne .
CNBC asked White House spokesman Judd Deere asked about the advice Trump was getting from that trio , whether the president was contemplating declaring martial law as Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress should do on Jan. 6 .
That is the date on which Congress is scheduled to affirm the Electoral College results .
But on Monday , Trump met at the White House with Rep. Mo Brooks , R-Ala. , and around a dozen other House GOP members whom Brooks said were willing to challenge the Electoral College results .
`` President Trump is very supportive of our effort , '' Brooks told The Associated Press .

U.S. President Donald Trump departs after speaking about the 2020 U.S. presidential election results in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., November 5, 2020.
Byrne's admitted affair with Russian asset Maria Butina while giving the FBI information about her plays a key role in his conspiracy-minded worldview.
Another person who has pushed Trump to ignore the more-moderate suggestions made by White House counsel Pat Cipollone and other advisors is Patrick Byrne, the former CEO of Overstock.com.
Trump reportedly has mulled the idea of appointing her as special counsel to investigate purported election fraud. Powell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Powell, who was fired from the campaign-reelection challenge team last month because her theories about voting machines being used to swing the election to Biden apparently were too extreme even for other Trump lawyers, has visited the White House three times since Friday.
"People out there talk about martial law like it's something that we've never done," Flynn told the conservative news outlet Newsmax last week.
Leading the charge has been lawyer Sidney Powell, whom Trump fired as an election attorney last month, and Powell's client Michael Flynn, the former national security advisor whom Trump recently pardoned for lying to FBI agents.
They have floated suggestions including having Trump declare martial law and rerunning the election in states where he narrowly lost; trying to get congressional Republicans to void Biden's win during a session next month; and seizing voting machines.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday touted yet another false claim about the election as he reportedly has rattled close White House advisors by talking with conspiracy-minded allies who have fueled his fantasies of undoing Joe Biden 's victory.
Byrne has said he was at a long, sometimes contentious meeting with Trump, Powell, Flynn and Trump advisors on Friday, when they discussed the election-challenge strategy.
NBC News has reported that White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Cipollone ended the meeting because it was headed in an alarming direction.
"My involvement is I was in the room when it happened," Byrne wrote in a tweet.
"The raised voices included my own. I can promise you: President Trump is being terribly served by his advisers. They want him to lose and are lying to him. He is surrounding by mendacious mediocrities."
Byrne later wrote, referring to Powell and Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, "For the first time in my life I feel sorry for Donald Trump. He is standing up to his waist in snakes. Trust Rudy and Sidney only."
The president's discussions with Powell and the others were quickly leaked to The New York Times and other media outlets, underscoring their reports that Trump's own White House advisors are worried about the tenor of those talks.
The Times reported Saturday that Trump at the meeting had asked about Flynn's suggestion of imposing martial law.
Trump in a tweet Monday called that report "Fake News."
One of the Trump campaign's other lawyers, Jenna Ellis, early Tuesday tweeted, "To everyone balking at not using the Insurrection Act (which does not apply in this context), consider that President Trump himself tweeted that it's fake news he is even considering it."
"He is also a constitutionalist. We do not undermine the rule of law," Ellis wrote in her tweet, which referred to the suggestions by some of Trump's supporters that martial law be invoked by the president.
But Ellis' tweet, and similar ones by her around the same time, were met by criticism by Trump backers who called for more extreme measures to undo Biden's win beyond lawsuits and having state legislatures effectively hand the election to Trump, which they have refused to do.
"That's our problem. While we are worrying about following the 'rules', Dems are breaking all of them, making up new ones, and getting away with all of it!," one person wrote in reply to Ellis.
Trump has echoed that frustration, lashing out at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after the Kentucky Republican acknowledged Biden had defeated Trump. McConnell also tried to dissuade other lawmakers from embarking on a almost-certainly doomed effort to have Congress nullify the election.
Trump's personal assistant on Monday night emailed Republicans in Congress a slide that credited McConnell's own election victory to a Trump tweet and robocall recording by the president.
"Sadly, Mitch forgot. He was the first one off the ship!" the slide said.
All the while, the president has kept up a steady pace of Twitter posts that underscore his refusal to accept that Biden has won and his baseless claim that he lost the election as a result of widespread voting fraud.
"THE DEMOCRATS DUMPED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BALLOTS IN THE SWING STATES LATE IN THE EVENING," Trump tweeted Tuesday.
"IT WAS A RIGGED ELECTION!!!"
Twitter promptly labeled Trump's tweet with the message: "This claim about election fraud is disputed." The social media site has repeatedly slapped that label on Trump's tweets in recent weeks.
Trump's ranting on Twitter about the election — and lack of messages about the spiraling coronavirus death toll — has led a number of observers to compare the president to King Lear, the Shakespeare character who madly rages over his perceived betrayal.
Trump and his allies have lost or withdrawn all of the dozens of lawsuits that sought to undo or undercut Biden's victory, as the Electoral College confirmed Biden's win last week, and as a number of Republican members of Congress have accepted that Trump lost.
Particularly painful for the president was Attorney General William Barr telling The Associated Press that the Justice Department, which Barr oversees, had seen no evidence of widespread ballot fraud that would lead to Biden's victory being undone.
While Trump cannot control how judges rule, even judges he appointed, he is Barr's boss, and the Justice Department is part of the executive branch of government.
Barr's pointed refusal to endorse Trump's conspiracy theories about the election was soon followed by the attorney general's resignation, which takes effect Wednesday.
The losses in court and of Barr as an ally willing to do the president's bidding have left Trump with little more than hail Mary scenarios of the kind promoted by Powell, Flynn and Byrne.
CNBC asked White House spokesman Judd Deere asked about the advice Trump was getting from that trio, whether the president was contemplating declaring martial law as Flynn has suggested, and what Trump believes Congress should do on Jan. 6. That is the date on which Congress is scheduled to affirm the Electoral College results.
Deere declined to comment.
But on Monday, Trump met at the White House with Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., and around a dozen other House GOP members whom Brooks said were willing to challenge the Electoral College results.
"President Trump is very supportive of our effort," Brooks told The Associated Press.


cnbc--2020-12-22--WV Gov. Jim Justice acknowledges Biden presidency, but says U.S. is not ready to move away from coal

WV Gov. Jim Justice acknowledges Biden presidency, but says U.S. is not ready to move away from coal and gas

West Virginia Republican Gov .
Jim Justice said Tuesday he does not believe the U.S. is ready to move away from coal and gas even though President-elect Joe Biden has made tackling climate change a core part of his agenda .
`` All of us would be in favor of all the alternative energy sources and everything as we move forward , ... but to think that today this nation can do without coal and natural gas , we 'd be blowing our legs off , '' Justice said on CNBC 's `` Squawk on the Street . ''
President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fossil fuels .
His administration rolled back many regulatory rules impacting oil , coal and gas companies throughout his presidency .
Biden 's energy plan includes a push for a `` 100 % clean energy economy , '' for the U.S. to reach `` net-zero emissions no later than 2050″ and for a `` historic investment in clean energy and climate research and innovation . ''
During the presidential debates , Biden called for a `` transition '' away from the oil industry , though he later softened that statement , assuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or move away from them any time soon .
The president-elect introduced key picks for his climate team on Dec. 19 , including former Michigan Gov .
Jennifer Granholm for Energy secretary .
People familiar with the transition told CNBC that Granholm has a strong record when it comes to clean energy .
Justice said he believes `` good sense will prevail '' when it comes to Biden 's energy plan and that it will be `` reasonable . ''
`` I worked really hard with the Trump administration , '' Justice told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our new president is President Biden , I 'll work just as hard with him , too . ''
Justice is a prominent Trump ally and joined a cohort of Republicans in November who refused to acknowledge Biden 's victory in the presidential election .
Trump has repeatedly made baseless claims about widespread voter fraud in an attempt to overturn the election results .
The governor acknowledged on Dec. 2 that `` it surely looks like ... Biden will be our president . ''
The billionaire governor is the wealthiest person in West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inherited a coal business from his father and owns coal mines in five states , along with other businesses .
A coal company owned by the governor , Bluestone Coal , pledged to stop violating water pollution rules in West Virginia in a settlement filed Dec. 3 in federal court , ProPublica reported .
ProPublica also found that the governor 's companies have accumulated more than $ 140 million in judgments and settlements over unpaid bills .

West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice said Tuesday he does not believe the U.S. is ready to move away from coal and gas even though President-elect Joe Biden has made tackling climate change a core part of his agenda.
"All of us would be in favor of all the alternative energy sources and everything as we move forward, ... but to think that today this nation can do without coal and natural gas, we'd be blowing our legs off," Justice said on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."
President Donald Trump has been a big supporter of fossil fuels. His administration rolled back many regulatory rules impacting oil, coal and gas companies throughout his presidency. Biden's energy plan includes a push for a "100% clean energy economy," for the U.S. to reach "net-zero emissions no later than 2050″ and for a "historic investment in clean energy and climate research and innovation."
During the presidential debates, Biden called for a "transition" away from the oil industry, though he later softened that statement, assuring that he would not ban fossil fuels or move away from them any time soon.
The president-elect introduced key picks for his climate team on Dec. 19, including former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm for Energy secretary. People familiar with the transition told CNBC that Granholm has a strong record when it comes to clean energy.
Justice said he believes "good sense will prevail" when it comes to Biden's energy plan and that it will be "reasonable."
"I worked really hard with the Trump administration," Justice told CNBC's Morgan Brennan. "If our new president is President Biden, I'll work just as hard with him, too."
Justice is a prominent Trump ally and joined a cohort of Republicans in November who refused to acknowledge Biden's victory in the presidential election. Trump has repeatedly made baseless claims about widespread voter fraud in an attempt to overturn the election results.
The governor acknowledged on Dec. 2 that "it surely looks like ... Biden will be our president."
The billionaire governor is the wealthiest person in West Virginia, according to Forbes. He inherited a coal business from his father and owns coal mines in five states, along with other businesses.
A coal company owned by the governor, Bluestone Coal, pledged to stop violating water pollution rules in West Virginia in a settlement filed Dec. 3 in federal court, ProPublica reported. ProPublica also found that the governor's companies have accumulated more than $140 million in judgments and settlements over unpaid bills.


cnbc--2020-12-22--Pentagon sends 7,000 gallons of eggnog and 21,000 pounds of ham to U.S. troops around the world

Landing signal officers direct an approaching aircraft for landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz during flight operations on Christmas Day in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility .
WASHINGTON – Ahead of the holiday season , the Pentagon sent nearly 51,000 pounds of roasted turkey and 7,000 gallons of eggnog to American troops stationed on U.S. military installations around the world .
This year , the holiday meals will be switched to grab-and-go style takeout instead of large group gatherings in dining facilities in order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus , the Pentagon said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the additional complexities that Covid-19 put in front of us , the DLA Troop Support Subsistence team went above and beyond to make sure our service men and women around the world will have a wonderful Christmas dinner , '' said Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Commander Army Brig .
Gen. Gavin Lawrence .
`` Giving our men and women in uniform a taste of home during the holidays , especially in this extraordinarily difficult year , is extremely important , '' he added .
In all , the Pentagon 's Defense Logistics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holiday food , such as ham and sweet potatoes , to service members throughout the Middle East , Europe and Africa , as well as other locations .

Landing signal officers direct an approaching aircraft for landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz during flight operations on Christmas Day in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.
WASHINGTON – Ahead of the holiday season, the Pentagon sent nearly 51,000 pounds of roasted turkey and 7,000 gallons of eggnog to American troops stationed on U.S. military installations around the world.
This year, the holiday meals will be switched to grab-and-go style takeout instead of large group gatherings in dining facilities in order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, the Pentagon said in a statement.
"This year, despite the additional complexities that Covid-19 put in front of us, the DLA Troop Support Subsistence team went above and beyond to make sure our service men and women around the world will have a wonderful Christmas dinner," said Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Commander Army Brig. Gen. Gavin Lawrence.
"Giving our men and women in uniform a taste of home during the holidays, especially in this extraordinarily difficult year, is extremely important," he added.
In all, the Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency delivered nearly 300,000 pounds of traditional holiday food, such as ham and sweet potatoes, to service members throughout the Middle East, Europe and Africa, as well as other locations.
This year's menu includes:
• 9,000 whole turkeys
• 51,000 pounds of roasted turkeys
• 74,000 pounds of beef
• 21,000 pounds of ham
• 67,000 pounds of shrimp
• 16,000 pounds of sweet potatoes
• 19,000 pounds of pies and cakes
• 7,000 gallons of eggnog


cnbc--2020-12-22--White House task force kept airport Covid screeners in place despite known risk of infection, source

White House task force kept airport Covid screeners in place despite known risk of infection, sources say

In a nearly 17-year career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection , Officer Omar E. Palmer had encountered plenty of precarious situations , from suitcases filled with weapons and drugs to disorderly passengers in John F. Kennedy Airport 's international terminal , according to his longtime friend and significant other .
`` I would often get calls , when he would get off work in the middle of the night -- about what happened , or who he met , or a particular seize that happened , '' said Yvette Williams .
`` Omar was fearless . ''
Williams , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college English course , began to feel fearful and helpless from afar .
Palmer , who lived in New York with his aging mother , said long-term quarantining was n't possible , and he sent her selfies in personal protective equipment to ease her worries .
`` His favorite phrase to me was , ' I am not some delicate flower , ' '' Williams said .
`` I said , 'You 're not a delicate flower , but you 're a human being . '
'' Williams ' gut feeling was right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airport , and died in early May after a monthlong stay in intensive care .
Palmer was among hundreds of federal personnel whose responsibilities were adjusted to include evaluating the health of passengers arriving from overseas .
The goal of the screening program was to identify and isolate sick travelers who were bringing the virus into the country , in hopes that it would thwart any possible community spread .
In interviews with dozens of federal employees and task force officials over four months , CNBC learned that the program proved not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One former official on the White House coronavirus task force estimated that that three- to four-dozen personnel were infected by the end of May .
To compare , nine travelers out of hundreds of thousands screened in the program were detected to have been infected by the end of September .
Yet the White House chose not to dismantle it , in a bid to avoid worrying the public .
`` 'We are doing everything we possibly can to protect the homeland ' — that was the message that was being sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a former Health and Human Services official , speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations .
`` But at some point you have to adapt .
You have to say : 'This is n't working . '
'' The White House , the National Security Council , the Department of Transportation , and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not respond to requests for comment .
The office of the vice president , who was appointed to lead the task force in February once the system was in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Department of Health and Human Services noted the administration had little institutional knowledge to inform early policy and accused China of obscuring information about the nature of the virus .
`` Airport screening seemed to be an immediate tool to mitigate the threat of COVID-19 entering the country undetected so that strong measures could be taken to slow the spread within the country , '' the spokesperson said in a statement sent after the publication of this article .
The plan , hatched by the White House task force in mid-January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itineraries originated in China would be diverted to one of three airports , where a few dozen screeners would evaluate their symptoms .
As the virus spread west through the Middle East and Europe , the program swelled to 15 airports , flights from 31 countries , and some 750 screeners and support personnel .
At the program 's peak , agents were conducting roughly 30,000 screenings daily , according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data .
The Department of Homeland Security staffed the first line of defense : Customs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , goggles and N95 masks , would check temperatures and administer a flu-symptom questionnaire to arriving passengers , in addition to checking passports .
Anyone who registered above-grade would be sent for further evaluation in rooms staffed by nearly 500 agency analysts and outside contractors organized by the CDC .
Publicly , the Trump administration attempted to foster confidence in the strategy , sending the country 's top health officials to the White House briefing room to field questions from reporters .
`` These prudent and targeted actions will decrease the pressure on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expedite the processing of U.S. citizens returning from China , and ensure resources are focused on the health and safety of the American people , '' Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Jan. 31 , two weeks after the program began .
But behind the scenes , early data showed the program was not doing what it purported to do .
`` We were n't finding anybody .
I mean , we were finding , like , zero people , '' said Joe Grogan , who was the director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May .
`` It became pretty clear relatively quickly that it was , from a public health perspective , as far as identifying people who were Covid positive , it was a failure . ''
The numbers were indeed near zero .
According to CDC data , screeners evaluated 776,044 passengers from mid-January to mid-September .
Only nine positive cases of coronavirus resulted from the screens , or 0.001 % .
The nature of this virus — in particular , its widespread transmission by healthy-looking people — rendered the screeners ' search for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who actually had a temperature , that the net actually caught , '' the former HHS official says , `` I mean , it was so minimal . ''
What 's more , the nature of the asymptomatic spread meant contagious travelers were going undetected , while exposing the airport staff to the virus at high rates , according to Grogan and three task force officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they still serve in the administration .
`` It was a pretty stark data point , '' Grogan told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the program .
`` It was relayed out that -- not only are we not finding anybody , we are getting more CDC and DHS employees infected with Covid at the airports than we are finding people . ''
As the nation 's largest employer , it 's no surprise the government saw a high incidence of Covid cases .
After the Postal Service , the Department of Homeland Security saw the highest infection rate among federal agencies , with more than 4,000 at Customs and order Protection alone .
CBP did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of how many of those cases occurred at airports .
Unlike other agencies , the CDC does not provide information about agency infections on a publicly available dashboard .
When requested by CNBC , the CDC declined to provide data about infection rates among screeners .
The CDC also declined requests for interviews with top officials , including Director Dr. Robert Redfield and Dr. Marty Cetron , to discuss their concerns about the program .
'We were aware they were getting sick' The ineffectiveness of the program became widely understood by mid-March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to weigh dismantling it and reallocating resources to other hot spots , according to six task force officials involved in the discussions .
These officials requested anonymity because they still serve in , or do business with , the administration and did not have authorization to discuss the matter .
One task force official said the debate was not about the screeners themselves .
`` We were aware they were getting sick , but it was whether [ the testing of passengers ] was effective , '' the official said .
A second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether to end the funneling and disperse the CBP and CDC personnel to other functions was `` a running discussion for a couple of months , '' beginning in April .
A third task force official said the decision to keep it intact was made because `` it presents a show of force '' to the American people , `` and it did n't cost a lot , relatively speaking . ''
A fourth official said the role of these screeners was an important `` deterrent '' for otherwise-sick passengers to board a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security served on the task force and helped to execute its efforts , acknowledged that there were travelers the program simply missed due to asymptomatic spread .
He also suggested that responsibility for the program 's shortcomings is shared across the government .
`` We were the experts on transportation logistics , but we did not make the medical decisions , '' Cuccinelli told CNBC , who said his workforce was handicapped by training limited to `` eyeballing '' passengers , and a tool set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this was done — or continued — because it did catch some people . ''
Three task force officials , including Grogan , recalled a tension between the Department of Homeland Security — whose employees served an essential function at airports regardless of the pandemic — and the CDC , whose leaders were early advocates of reshuffling its people away from the airports to serve nursing homes and other critical needs around the country .
`` If you just pulled all those CDC public health employees out and said , 'You 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , `` [ DHS ] would n't have been comforted by that . ''
CDC declined to comment on the discussion .
A report released in November described the program as `` resource-intensive , with low yield '' and concluded that `` symptom-based screening programs are ineffective . ''
Cuccinelli said it was unconscionable that DHS would have withdrawn its workers at a time the country was facing significant threats .
`` The idea that we would n't do anything strikes me as unsupportable — that 's not even plausible Monday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program remained largely intact until Sept. 13 , when the CDC announced its official end — eight months after its inception and six months after officials recall learning it was n't working .
And while the number of federal workers who fell ill was not an eye-popping amount , `` it was enough to make you concerned with what 's going on , '' said the former HHS official .
While far greater than the rate of passengers detected , Cuccinelli told CNBC he did n't find the incidence of infection among his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was roughly the same as the broader public , and the agency could n't be sure they did n't pick it up outside of work .
`` There 's always risk for people on the front line , '' Cuccinelli said .
`` But what we have found , including with our own front-line folks is that those individuals tended to be the ones who have caught the virus have done so at rates similar to the communities in which they were working . ''
Unions like the American Federation of Government Employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus bill `` automatic presumption of workplace illness '' to help workers access greater sick leave and workers ' compensation .
Until the final text of the $ 900 billion relief deal is made public , it remains unclear whether lawmakers included these protections .
They have not been major items in negotiations .
Customs and Border Protection had not recorded an officer death since 2015 .
In 2020 , there have been nine deaths , all due to Covid-19 .
Memorial pages set up in remembrance of Palmer and his colleague CK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus while at work .
`` U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Omar Palmer performed many assigned tasks with professionalism and integrity , his passing was tragic and we kindly ask that you respect his family 's privacy during this difficult time , '' an agency spokesman at JFK said .
Palmer lived with his mother , herself a former DHS employee , and took strict precautions to protect her health , Williams said .
He limited his contact , and wore gloves and masks .
On April 1 , he planned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home in Brooklyn to drop off a package of N95 masks and gloves , then in short supply around the country .
Instead , he called to notify her he had be quarantining after being exposed to Covid at the airport .
By the end of the week , he was in intensive care , and two weeks later , on a ventilator and in a coma .
Palmer died May 4 .
He was 40 .
Williams visits his grave , and she wonders what government brass could have done to save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's murder , '' Williams said , holding back tears .
`` When you know better , you should do better .
There is no excuse . ''

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In a nearly 17-year career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Officer Omar E. Palmer had encountered plenty of precarious situations, from suitcases filled with weapons and drugs to disorderly passengers in John F. Kennedy Airport's international terminal, according to his longtime friend and significant other. "I would often get calls, when he would get off work in the middle of the night -- about what happened, or who he met, or a particular seize that happened," said Yvette Williams. "Omar was fearless." Williams, living in Ohio where she teaches a college English course, began to feel fearful and helpless from afar. Palmer, who lived in New York with his aging mother, said long-term quarantining wasn't possible, and he sent her selfies in personal protective equipment to ease her worries. "His favorite phrase to me was, 'I am not some delicate flower,'" Williams said. "I said, 'You're not a delicate flower, but you're a human being.'" Williams' gut feeling was right: Palmer contracted the virus at the airport, and died in early May after a monthlong stay in intensive care. Palmer was among hundreds of federal personnel whose responsibilities were adjusted to include evaluating the health of passengers arriving from overseas.
Yvette Williams and Omar Palmer Courtesy: Palmer family
The goal of the screening program was to identify and isolate sick travelers who were bringing the virus into the country, in hopes that it would thwart any possible community spread. In interviews with dozens of federal employees and task force officials over four months, CNBC learned that the program proved not only ineffective but dangerous from its earliest days. One former official on the White House coronavirus task force estimated that that three- to four-dozen personnel were infected by the end of May. To compare, nine travelers out of hundreds of thousands screened in the program were detected to have been infected by the end of September. Yet the White House chose not to dismantle it, in a bid to avoid worrying the public. "'We are doing everything we possibly can to protect the homeland' — that was the message that was being sent by continuing the screenings," said a former Health and Human Services official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. "But at some point you have to adapt. You have to say: 'This isn't working.'" The White House, the National Security Council, the Department of Transportation, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not respond to requests for comment. The office of the vice president, who was appointed to lead the task force in February once the system was in place, declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services noted the administration had little institutional knowledge to inform early policy and accused China of obscuring information about the nature of the virus. "Airport screening seemed to be an immediate tool to mitigate the threat of COVID-19 entering the country undetected so that strong measures could be taken to slow the spread within the country," the spokesperson said in a statement sent after the publication of this article.
Quick spread
The plan, hatched by the White House task force in mid-January, began modestly enough: Travelers whose itineraries originated in China would be diverted to one of three airports, where a few dozen screeners would evaluate their symptoms. As the virus spread west through the Middle East and Europe, the program swelled to 15 airports, flights from 31 countries, and some 750 screeners and support personnel. At the program's peak, agents were conducting roughly 30,000 screenings daily, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The Department of Homeland Security staffed the first line of defense: Customs and Border Protection agents, outfitted in gloves, goggles and N95 masks, would check temperatures and administer a flu-symptom questionnaire to arriving passengers, in addition to checking passports. Anyone who registered above-grade would be sent for further evaluation in rooms staffed by nearly 500 agency analysts and outside contractors organized by the CDC.
Joe Grogan CNBC
Publicly, the Trump administration attempted to foster confidence in the strategy, sending the country's top health officials to the White House briefing room to field questions from reporters. "These prudent and targeted actions will decrease the pressure on public health officials screening incoming travelers, expedite the processing of U.S. citizens returning from China, and ensure resources are focused on the health and safety of the American people," Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Jan. 31, two weeks after the program began. But behind the scenes, early data showed the program was not doing what it purported to do. "We weren't finding anybody. I mean, we were finding, like, zero people," said Joe Grogan, who was the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council until May. "It became pretty clear relatively quickly that it was, from a public health perspective, as far as identifying people who were Covid positive, it was a failure." The numbers were indeed near zero. According to CDC data, screeners evaluated 776,044 passengers from mid-January to mid-September. Only nine positive cases of coronavirus resulted from the screens, or 0.001%.
'A pretty stark data point'
The nature of this virus — in particular, its widespread transmission by healthy-looking people — rendered the screeners' search for visible symptoms useless. "The people who actually had a temperature, that the net actually caught," the former HHS official says, "I mean, it was so minimal." What's more, the nature of the asymptomatic spread meant contagious travelers were going undetected, while exposing the airport staff to the virus at high rates, according to Grogan and three task force officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they still serve in the administration. "It was a pretty stark data point," Grogan told CNBC in an exclusive interview to discuss the program. "It was relayed out that -- not only are we not finding anybody, we are getting more CDC and DHS employees infected with Covid at the airports than we are finding people." As the nation's largest employer, it's no surprise the government saw a high incidence of Covid cases. After the Postal Service, the Department of Homeland Security saw the highest infection rate among federal agencies, with more than 4,000 at Customs and order Protection alone. CBP did not respond to a request for a breakdown of how many of those cases occurred at airports. Unlike other agencies, the CDC does not provide information about agency infections on a publicly available dashboard. When requested by CNBC, the CDC declined to provide data about infection rates among screeners. The CDC also declined requests for interviews with top officials, including Director Dr. Robert Redfield and Dr. Marty Cetron, to discuss their concerns about the program.
'We were aware they were getting sick'
The ineffectiveness of the program became widely understood by mid-March, leading the White House and federal agencies to weigh dismantling it and reallocating resources to other hot spots, according to six task force officials involved in the discussions. These officials requested anonymity because they still serve in, or do business with, the administration and did not have authorization to discuss the matter. One task force official said the debate was not about the screeners themselves. "We were aware they were getting sick, but it was whether [the testing of passengers] was effective," the official said. A second task force official said the questions of whether to end the funneling and disperse the CBP and CDC personnel to other functions was "a running discussion for a couple of months," beginning in April. A third task force official said the decision to keep it intact was made because "it presents a show of force" to the American people, "and it didn't cost a lot, relatively speaking." A fourth official said the role of these screeners was an important "deterrent" for otherwise-sick passengers to board a flight. Ken Cuccinelli, who as acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security served on the task force and helped to execute its efforts, acknowledged that there were travelers the program simply missed due to asymptomatic spread. He also suggested that responsibility for the program's shortcomings is shared across the government.
Ken Cuccinelli CNBC
"We were the experts on transportation logistics, but we did not make the medical decisions," Cuccinelli told CNBC, who said his workforce was handicapped by training limited to "eyeballing" passengers, and a tool set limited to taking temperatures. "Some of this was done — or continued — because it did catch some people." Three task force officials, including Grogan, recalled a tension between the Department of Homeland Security — whose employees served an essential function at airports regardless of the pandemic — and the CDC, whose leaders were early advocates of reshuffling its people away from the airports to serve nursing homes and other critical needs around the country. "If you just pulled all those CDC public health employees out and said, 'You're on your own,'" Grogan said, "[DHS] wouldn't have been comforted by that." CDC declined to comment on the discussion. A report released in November described the program as "resource-intensive, with low yield" and concluded that "symptom-based screening programs are ineffective." Cuccinelli said it was unconscionable that DHS would have withdrawn its workers at a time the country was facing significant threats. "The idea that we wouldn't do anything strikes me as unsupportable — that's not even plausible Monday morning quarterbacking," he said. The program remained largely intact until Sept. 13, when the CDC announced its official end — eight months after its inception and six months after officials recall learning it wasn't working. And while the number of federal workers who fell ill was not an eye-popping amount, "it was enough to make you concerned with what's going on," said the former HHS official.
'Risk on the front line'
While far greater than the rate of passengers detected, Cuccinelli told CNBC he didn't find the incidence of infection among his workforce concerning: The coronavirus transmission rate was roughly the same as the broader public, and the agency couldn't be sure they didn't pick it up outside of work. "There's always risk for people on the front line," Cuccinelli said. "But what we have found, including with our own front-line folks is that those individuals tended to be the ones who have caught the virus have done so at rates similar to the communities in which they were working." Unions like the American Federation of Government Employees lobbied lawmakers to include in the Covid stimulus bill "automatic presumption of workplace illness" to help workers access greater sick leave and workers' compensation. Until the final text of the $900 billion relief deal is made public, it remains unclear whether lawmakers included these protections. They have not been major items in negotiations. Customs and Border Protection had not recorded an officer death since 2015. In 2020, there have been nine deaths, all due to Covid-19. Memorial pages set up in remembrance of Palmer and his colleague CK Yan said the two men contracted the virus while at work. "U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Omar Palmer performed many assigned tasks with professionalism and integrity, his passing was tragic and we kindly ask that you respect his family's privacy during this difficult time," an agency spokesman at JFK said. Palmer lived with his mother, herself a former DHS employee, and took strict precautions to protect her health, Williams said. He limited his contact, and wore gloves and masks. On April 1, he planned to visit Williams' adult daughters at their home in Brooklyn to drop off a package of N95 masks and gloves, then in short supply around the country. Instead, he called to notify her he had be quarantining after being exposed to Covid at the airport. By the end of the week, he was in intensive care, and two weeks later, on a ventilator and in a coma. Palmer died May 4. He was 40. Williams visits his grave, and she wonders what government brass could have done to save him. "It's irresponsible. It's murder," Williams said, holding back tears. "When you know better, you should do better. There is no excuse."
Wreath dedicated to Omar Palmer. Courtesy: Palmer family


cnbc--2020-12-24--Trump vetoes colossal $740 billion defense bill, breaking with Republican-led Senate

`` Next week , December 28 , the House will take up the veto override with bipartisan support , '' she wrote .
`` Disturbingly , Trump is using his final hours in office to sow chaos , including by denying our servicemembers a long-overdue pay raise and hazard duty pay ; our families paid family leave , child care , housing and health protections ; and our veterans the benefits that they need and deserve , '' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a statement .
`` Donald Trump just vetoed a pay raise for our troops so he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer wrote on Twitter , highlighting one of Trump 's issues with the must-pass defense bill .
The bill 's passage , at the minimum , secures soldier pay raises and keeps crucial defense modernization programs running .
This year 's 4,517-page defense bill , which typically passes with strong bipartisan support and veto-proof majorities , funds America 's national security portfolio .
It has been signed into law for nearly six consecutive decades .
Congress must now vote again to override Trump .
The House is slated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said his chamber would vote on overriding the veto Tuesday .
Earlier this month , the National Defense Authorization Act passed both houses of Congress by veto-proof margins , meaning that any veto by Trump would likely be overridden .
`` Unfortunately , the Act fails to include critical national security measures , includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and our military 's history , and contradicts efforts by my administration to put America first in our national security and foreign policy actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement to Congress .
`` It is a 'gift ' to China and Russia , '' the president added , without citing specific details .
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday vetoed the sweeping defense bill that authorizes a topline of $ 740 billion in spending and outlines Pentagon policy .
Other senior Democratic lawmakers criticized Trump , as well .
`` The Kremlin is actively attacking our cyber networks .
Instead of standing up for our national security , the President is downplaying Russia 's involvement — which contradicts U.S. intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that contains actionable items that we can use to hold Putin accountable for this kind of belligerent behavior , '' Sen. Jeanne Shaheen , D-N.H. , a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee , wrote in a statement .
`` This is n't about politics , this is about the security of the United States and the safety of our men and women in uniform , '' Shaheen added .
Sen. Richard Blumenthal , D-Conn. , wrote in a statement that he was speechless after Trump 's decision to withhold signature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after what could be the most massive cyberattack in our nation 's history , the President is eliminating the new tools and authorities we need for our nation 's cyber defense , '' wrote Blumenthal , a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee .
`` I call on Republican colleagues not only to speak out , but stand up and look forward to a strong , bipartisan override vote , '' he added .
Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , wrote on Twitter that he would not vote to override @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not vote for the bill the first time .
Graham , who chairs the Senate judiciary committee , introduced legislation on Dec. 15 that would end , by Jan. 1 , 2023 , the protections of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act .
Section 230 protects tech giants such as Facebook and Twitter from being held legally liable for what is posted on their platforms .
Trump threatened earlier this month to veto the mammoth defense bill if lawmakers did not include a measure to eliminate Section 230 .
He has repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of choice , of unfairly censoring him .
In his message to Congress , Trump wrote that the NDAA failed `` to make any meaningful changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act . ''
He called on Congress to repeal the measure .
The president has previously said the measure posed a serious threat to U.S. national security as well as election integrity but did not give any further explanatory details .
Trump has also asserted that the bill favors China .
The president 's issue with Section 230 came to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labels to several of his tweets that alleged mail-in voting is fraudulent .
Trump has still not conceded the election to President-elect Joe Biden .
The NDAA , in its current form , does not include any measure related to Section 230 .
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have pushed back on Trump 's 11th-hour demand , saying that the repeal of Section 230 is irrelevant to the passage of the Pentagon 's top bill .
`` [ Section ] 230 has nothing to do with the military , '' Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-Okla. , told reporters Dec. 2 .
`` I agree with his sentiments , we ought to do away with 230 — but you ca n't do it in this bill , '' added Inhofe , a Trump ally .
The same day , Senate Majority Whip John Thune , R-S.D.
, said , `` I do n't think the defense bill is the place to litigate '' the Section 230 fight , according to The Hill .
Trump has also insisted that the defense-spending bill include language preventing the renaming of military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Armed Services Committee over the summer approved a provision from Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, requiring the Pentagon to rename military assets named after symbols of the Confederacy , the group of states that seceded from the U.S. and fought the Union in the Civil War .
Trump , in a multipart Twitter post in June , rejected that idea , contending that the Confederate names of the bases have become part of the nation 's great `` heritage . ''
`` It has been suggested that we should rename as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bases , such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina , Fort Hood in Texas , Fort Benning in Georgia , etc .
These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage , and a history of Winning , Victory , and Freedom , '' Trump wrote on Twitter .
`` The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds , and won two World Wars .
Therefore , my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations @ @ @ @ @ @

"Unfortunately, the Act fails to include critical national security measures, includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and our military's history, and contradicts efforts by my administration to put America first in our national security and foreign policy actions," Trump wrote in a lengthy statement to Congress. "It is a 'gift' to China and Russia," the president added, without citing specific details.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday vetoed the sweeping defense bill that authorizes a topline of $740 billion in spending and outlines Pentagon policy.
"Next week, December 28, the House will take up the veto override with bipartisan support," she wrote.
"Disturbingly, Trump is using his final hours in office to sow chaos, including by denying our servicemembers a long-overdue pay raise and hazard duty pay; our families paid family leave, child care, housing and health protections; and our veterans the benefits that they need and deserve," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a statement.
"Donald Trump just vetoed a pay raise for our troops so he can defend dead Confederate traitors," Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer wrote on Twitter, highlighting one of Trump's issues with the must-pass defense bill.
The bill's passage, at the minimum, secures soldier pay raises and keeps crucial defense modernization programs running.
This year's 4,517-page defense bill, which typically passes with strong bipartisan support and veto-proof majorities, funds America's national security portfolio. It has been signed into law for nearly six consecutive decades.
Congress must now vote again to override Trump. The House is slated to return from a holiday break on Monday, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said his chamber would vote on overriding the veto Tuesday .
Earlier this month, the National Defense Authorization Act passed both houses of Congress by veto-proof margins, meaning that any veto by Trump would likely be overridden.
Other senior Democratic lawmakers criticized Trump, as well.
"The Kremlin is actively attacking our cyber networks. Instead of standing up for our national security, the President is downplaying Russia's involvement — which contradicts U.S. intelligence — and now he just vetoed legislation that contains actionable items that we can use to hold Putin accountable for this kind of belligerent behavior," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote in a statement.
"This isn't about politics, this is about the security of the United States and the safety of our men and women in uniform," Shaheen added.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., wrote in a statement that he was speechless after Trump's decision to withhold signature on the NDAA.
"Literally right after what could be the most massive cyberattack in our nation's history, the President is eliminating the new tools and authorities we need for our nation's cyber defense," wrote Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
"I call on Republican colleagues not only to speak out, but stand up and look forward to a strong, bipartisan override vote," he added.
Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wrote on Twitter that he would not vote to override the president's veto. Graham did not vote for the bill the first time.
Graham, who chairs the Senate judiciary committee, introduced legislation on Dec. 15 that would end, by Jan. 1, 2023, the protections of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Section 230 protects tech giants such as Facebook and Twitter from being held legally liable for what is posted on their platforms.
Trump threatened earlier this month to veto the mammoth defense bill if lawmakers did not include a measure to eliminate Section 230.
He has repeatedly accused Twitter , his social media platform of choice, of unfairly censoring him.
Trump renewed the threat Thursday.
In his message to Congress, Trump wrote that the NDAA failed "to make any meaningful changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act." He called on Congress to repeal the measure.
The president has previously said the measure posed a serious threat to U.S. national security as well as election integrity but did not give any further explanatory details. Trump has also asserted that the bill favors China.
The president's issue with Section 230 came to light this summer after Twitter added warning labels to several of his tweets that alleged mail-in voting is fraudulent. Trump has still not conceded the election to President-elect Joe Biden.
The NDAA, in its current form, does not include any measure related to Section 230.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have pushed back on Trump's 11th-hour demand, saying that the repeal of Section 230 is irrelevant to the passage of the Pentagon's top bill.
"[Section] 230 has nothing to do with the military," Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe, R-Okla., told reporters Dec. 2. "I agree with his sentiments, we ought to do away with 230 — but you can't do it in this bill," added Inhofe, a Trump ally.
The same day, Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., said, "I don't think the defense bill is the place to litigate" the Section 230 fight, according to The Hill.
Trump has also insisted that the defense-spending bill include language preventing the renaming of military bases commemorating Confederate-era figures.
The Republican-led Senate Armed Services Committee over the summer approved a provision from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., requiring the Pentagon to rename military assets named after symbols of the Confederacy, the group of states that seceded from the U.S. and fought the Union in the Civil War.
Trump, in a multipart Twitter post in June, rejected that idea, contending that the Confederate names of the bases have become part of the nation's great "heritage."
"It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases, such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia, etc. These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom," Trump wrote on Twitter.
"The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations," the president wrote.
— CNBC's Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.


cnbc--2020-12-24--Trump's attack on Covid relief bill could lead to government shutdown, lapse in unemployment aid

President Donald Trump 's last-second opposition to a coronavirus relief and federal funding bill already passed by Congress threatens to torch jobless benefits for millions of Americans and shut down the government during a deadly public health crisis .
After weeks of no involvement in congressional efforts to pass another aid package , the outgoing president shocked Washington on Tuesday night by calling the bill a `` disgrace '' and pushing lawmakers to increase $ 600 direct payments to $ 2,000 .
While he did not explicitly say whether he would veto the bill or simply refuse to sign it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have to deliver a Covid relief package '' if Congress does not send him revised legislation .
Any delay in the measure becoming law threatens financial ruin for already struggling Americans .
The $ 900 billion coronavirus relief portion of the bill extends pandemic-era expansions of jobless benefits that cover 12 million people .
The provisions expire Saturday — the day after Christmas .
The $ 1.4 trillion appropriations piece of the legislation would keep the federal government running through Sept. 30 .
The government would shut down Tuesday if it does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal eviction moratorium — which the legislation would extend through Jan. 31 — would expire at the end of the year .
Tens of millions of people could face the threat of losing their homes if the measure lapses .
With Congress failing to pass new federal aid for most of the year , millions of people fell into poverty .
The package would send temporary help in the form of a weekly federal unemployment supplement of $ 300 through mid-March , the $ 600 payments and $ 284 billion in Paycheck Protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contains more than $ 8 billion for Covid vaccine distribution , $ 25 billion for rental assistance , $ 82 billion for education and $ 45 billion for transportation — including funds to help airlines keep employees on staff .
If Trump vetoes the bill , Congress could reconvene after Christmas to override it .
The measure got through both chambers with veto-proof majorities .
Lawmakers have already planned for the possibility of returning if the president vetoes a national defense bill .
As it takes days for Congress to formally send Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pages — it has not even come to his desk yet .
The president could kill the legislation through a so-called pocket veto if it does not get to him until Thursday or later .
He could let the full 10-day window to sign the bill ( which excludes Sundays ) wind down before the new session of Congress starts on Jan. 3 .
Speaking on a House Republican conference call Wednesday afternoon , Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif. , told members the president had not decided whether to veto the bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A spokesman for McCarthy did not immediately respond to a request to comment .

President Donald Trump's last-second opposition to a coronavirus relief and federal funding bill already passed by Congress threatens to torch jobless benefits for millions of Americans and shut down the government during a deadly public health crisis.
After weeks of no involvement in congressional efforts to pass another aid package, the outgoing president shocked Washington on Tuesday night by calling the bill a "disgrace" and pushing lawmakers to increase $600 direct payments to $2,000.
While he did not explicitly say whether he would veto the bill or simply refuse to sign it, Trump said the "next administration will have to deliver a Covid relief package" if Congress does not send him revised legislation.
Democrats will attempt to pass $2,000 direct payments on Thursday, but Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., will object, CNBC reported. Meanwhile, McCarthy plans to offer a new temporary spending bill separating State Department and foreign aid funding from the broader spending package — a plan Democrats would likely oppose.
Any delay in the measure becoming law threatens financial ruin for already struggling Americans. The $900 billion coronavirus relief portion of the bill extends pandemic-era expansions of jobless benefits that cover 12 million people. The provisions expire Saturday — the day after Christmas.
The $1.4 trillion appropriations piece of the legislation would keep the federal government running through Sept. 30. The government would shut down Tuesday if it doesn't become law before then.
A federal eviction moratorium — which the legislation would extend through Jan. 31 — would expire at the end of the year. Tens of millions of people could face the threat of losing their homes if the measure lapses.
With Congress failing to pass new federal aid for most of the year, millions of people fell into poverty. The package would send temporary help in the form of a weekly federal unemployment supplement of $300 through mid-March, the $600 payments and $284 billion in Paycheck Protection Program small business loans. It also contains more than $8 billion for Covid vaccine distribution, $25 billion for rental assistance, $82 billion for education and $45 billion for transportation — including funds to help airlines keep employees on staff.
If Trump vetoes the bill, Congress could reconvene after Christmas to override it. The measure got through both chambers with veto-proof majorities. Lawmakers have already planned for the possibility of returning if the president vetoes a national defense bill.
As it takes days for Congress to formally send Trump a bill of that size — 5,593 pages — it has not even come to his desk yet. The president could kill the legislation through a so-called pocket veto if it does not get to him until Thursday or later. He could let the full 10-day window to sign the bill (which excludes Sundays) wind down before the new session of Congress starts on Jan. 3.
Speaking on a House Republican conference call Wednesday afternoon, McCarthy told members the president had not decided whether to veto the bill, according to The New York Times. A spokesman for McCarthy did not immediately respond to a request to comment.


cnbc--2020-12-23--Dominion Voting lawyers warn Trump attorney Giuliani of litigation over alleged smear campaign, repo

Dominion Voting lawyers warn Trump attorney Giuliani of litigation over alleged smear campaign, report says

President Donald Trump 's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
President Donald Trump 's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and White House counsel Pat Cipollone both have reportedly been sent letters by defamation attorneys directing them to save all records related to claims that Dominion Voting Systems played a key role allegedly swindling Trump out of an election win .
Giuliani also has been warned by Dominion 's lawyers that `` litigation regarding these issues is imminent , '' according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was shown a copy of the letter .
The letters to Cipollone and Giuliani reportedly demanded that Giuliani stop `` making defamatory claims against Dominion , '' which makes voting machines .
Trump , his campaign lawyers and allies including the attorney Sidney Powell have claimed , without evidence , that illegal vote changes made to ballot counting machines fraudulently gave the national presidential election to Joe Biden .
Powell last week was sent a similar letter from Dominion 's lawyers about her `` wild , knowingly baseless , and false accusations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded that she retract her claims and preserve documents related to them .
Giuliani and a White House spokesman had no immediate comment when contacted by CNBC about CNN 's report .
CNBC has reached out for comment from Dominion and its lawyers .
The article came on the heels of a lawsuit filed by Dominion 's security director Eric Coomer against the Trump campaign , Giuliani , Powell , and a number of conservative media outlets .
Coomer 's lawsuit says that he has become the target of death threats and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false claims made about Dominion 's machines .
Dominion has posted a page on its web site entitled `` Setting the Record Straight : Facts & Rumors , '' to address claims about the company , which it has called `` disinformation , '' and a threat to democracy .
`` Baseless claims about the integrity of the system or the accuracy of the results have been dismissed by election authorities , subject matter experts and third-party fact-checkers , '' that page says .
`` Malicious and misleading false claims about Dominion have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harassment against the company and its employees , as well as election officials . ''
Biden last week was confirmed as the winner of the election by the Electoral College .
Trump has refused to concede defeat .

President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and White House counsel Pat Cipollone both have reportedly been sent letters by defamation attorneys directing them to save all records related to claims that Dominion Voting Systems played a key role allegedly swindling Trump out of an election win.
Giuliani also has been warned by Dominion's lawyers that "litigation regarding these issues is imminent," according to a new report by CNN, which was shown a copy of the letter.
The letters to Cipollone and Giuliani reportedly demanded that Giuliani stop "making defamatory claims against Dominion," which makes voting machines.
Trump, his campaign lawyers and allies including attorney Sidney Powell have claimed, without evidence, that illegal vote changes made to ballot-counting machines fraudulently gave the national presidential election to Joe Biden.
Powell last week was sent a similar letter from Dominion's lawyers about her "wild, knowingly baseless, and false accusations" about the company. The letter demanded that she retract her claims and preserve documents related to them.
Giuliani and a White House spokesman had no immediate comment when contacted by CNBC about CNN's report. CNBC has reached out for comment from Dominion and its lawyers.
The article came on the heels of a lawsuit filed by Dominion's security director, Eric Coomer, against the Trump campaign, Giuliani, Powell, and a number of conservative media outlets.
Coomer's lawsuit says that he has become the target of death threats and other harmful communications because of the defendants' false claims made about Dominion's machines.
Dominion has posted a page on its web site entitled "Setting the Record Straight: Facts & Rumors," to address claims about the company, which it has called "disinformation" and a threat to democracy.
"Baseless claims about the integrity of the system or the accuracy of the results have been dismissed by election authorities, subject matter experts and third-party fact-checkers," that page says.
"Malicious and misleading false claims about Dominion have resulted in dangerous levels of threats and harassment against the company and its employees, as well as election officials."
Biden last week was confirmed as the winner of the election by the Electoral College. Trump has refused to concede defeat.


cnbc--2020-12-23--Some donors to Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign scored contracts from South Bend when he was m

Some donors to Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign scored contracts from South Bend when he was mayor

Pete Buttigieg , President-elect Joe Biden 's choice for Transportation secretary and the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , received presidential campaign donations from executives at companies that had public works contracts with the city while he led it .
A CNBC review of dozens of the city 's infrastructure contracts during his second term as mayor , from 2016 into 2020 , shows that under Buttigieg , a portion of the city 's spending went toward contractors who later became donors to his campaign for president , which he launched in 2019 .
If he is confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as head of the Department of Transportation , would be responsible for pushing forward the incoming administration 's infrastructure proposals .
Buttigieg is 38 years old and is considered a rising star in the national Democratic Party .
His role as Transportation secretary could boost him if he seeks to run for higher office again .
Several of the contractors produced new roads , bridges and buildings for the city .
South Bend 's most recent budget is over $ 350 million .
The Department of Transportation will be going into the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 80 billion .
Buttigieg proposed a $ 1 trillion infrastructure plan when he ran for president .
Data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics shows Buttigieg finished raising nearly $ 100 million during his presidential campaign .
About $ 2 million came from donors in the real estate industry .
A report by the Center for Public Integrity and the progressive media outlet The Young Turks shows that Buttigieg received similar contributions from city contractors when he initially ran for mayor in 2011 .
In that case , potential contractors gave to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial agreements from the city after submitting competitive bids .
Those bids were then approved by the Board of Public Works .
After CNBC laid out most of the contracts and the ensuing contributions to the Biden transition team , a Buttigieg spokesperson sent CNBC a lengthy response .
The representative declined to be named in this story .
The spokesperson said Buttigieg was n't involved in the projects , while noting that the companies had done business with the city before Buttigieg was mayor .
The spokesperson also said the executives had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential campaigns , including Biden 's , Hillary Clinton 's and Barack Obama 's .
Some also gave to Republicans .
`` Pete avoided getting involved in who got these contracts for exactly this reason .
And I would also point out that on Pete 's first day as mayor he established a Code of Ethics , and in 2018 signed a responsible bidder ordinance aimed to ensure taxpayers ' dollars were spent efficiently by responsible contractors , '' the Buttigieg spokesperson said .
The spokesperson noted that Buttigieg signed an executive order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including himself , will not knowingly solicit or accept any gifts or favors from a person who has a business relationship or seeks a business relationship from any city agency .
`` You link to contracts that were approved by the Board of Public Works , which meets in public , does its business in public , and approved these contracts through an open and transparent procurement process that goes through a bidding process and — as I said before — has little involvement from the mayor , '' the representative said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of South Bend details about most of the contracts that were approved by the Board of Public Works and the executives who later contributed to Buttigieg 's campaign for president .
A spokesman defended the companies .
`` Each of these firms are well-respected and have a reputation locally for delivering high quality services for the city and South Bend residents , '' Caleb Bauer , the mayor 's office press secretary , told CNBC .
`` Each of these contracts also went through a professional procurement process that is public and transparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Works , which is governed by state law . ''
Still , some Democrats anticipate that Republicans will make a big deal out of the contributions Buttigieg received from contractors .
`` He will be accused of conflicts of interest and if the Republicans hold the Senate he will undergo a very , very tough confirmation process , '' veteran Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said .
In 2017 , construction company Walsh & Kelly signed a contract with South Bend for over $ 600,000 for a job around the site of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later the company was awarded subsequent contracts by South Bend worth just over $ 2.4 million .
The hotel opened in 2018 .
Walsh & Kelly 's president , Kevin Kelly , contributed $ 2,700 to Buttigieg 's campaign for president , CRP data says .
That 's nearly the maximum contribution an individual can legally give a campaign .
Arne Sorenson , Marriott 's CEO , gave $ 2,800 , the max amount , to Buttigieg 's campaign , records show .
`` Arne Sorenson gave to Pete Buttigieg 's presidential campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inspired by his campaign , '' Elynsey Price , a spokesman for the hotel chain , told CNBC .
`` Whatever was underway , around or involving the South Bend hotels would have been the responsibility of our franchisees or owners , not Marriott . ''
South Bend real estate development company JSK Hospitality struck one of its biggest deals in 2018 , when a subsidiary of the firm bought the former College Football Hall of Fame building in the city for over $ 525,000 , according to the South Bend Tribune .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave $ 1,000 to the Buttigieg campaign .
The Courtyard Marriott is listed as part of the firm 's hotel portfolio .
CNBC was unable to leave a message in JSK Hospitality 's general voice mailbox on Tuesday because its voicemail was full .
The same was true for Patel 's line .
Instead , CNBC left a message for the company 's chief financial officer , who did not respond to a request for comment .
In 2017 , the city came to an agreement with Epoch Architecture to help build a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company agreed to over $ 280,000 in payments from the city for the project .
The principal of the engineering and architecture company , Kyle Copelin , later gave $ 500 to the Buttigieg campaign , records show .
Copelin did not respond to a request for comment .
In 2017 , the city signed at least three contracts with Jones Petrie Rafinski , an architecture and engineering firm with offices in South Bend .
The firm saw over $ 200,000 in deals with the city that year .
Two years later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rafinski , contributed $ 500 to Buttigieg 's campaign for president .
His company also had other deals with South Bend throughout 2019 .
Rafinski told CNBC that he had no interaction with Buttigieg 's executive team while his company worked for South Bend .
`` The City of South Bend has been a client of ours since Pete was in high school , '' Rafinski said .
`` The work that we do is through the Board of Public Works .
We did n't have any interaction with Pete with our work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Board of Public Works . ''
Rafinski said he gave to Buttigieg 's presidential campaign because he thought the former mayor 's `` compassion '' was needed in national politics .
South Bend also came to a consulting agreement in 2017 with Canada-based Stantec .
The contract was worth over $ 105,000 .
The agreement with the designing and engineering company appeared to go through their nearby Chicago offices .
Later , Michael Toolis , who , according to his LinkedIn , is a Stantec vice president , gave $ 2,000 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once employed by VOA Associates , a Midwestern design firm that previously did work on the University of Notre Dame .
VOA was acquired by Stantec in 2016 .
`` The company does not permit political contributions to candidates on its behalf , '' Stantec spokeswoman Laura Leopold said in a one-line email in response to CNBC 's questions .
American Structurepoint , an engineering company with headquarters in Indianapolis , received at least seven contracts in 2018 for over $ 300,000 to do consulting and other services for South Bend .
Greg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gave the Buttigieg presidential campaign $ 2,700 a year later .
Both Stantec and American Structurepoint had contracts with the city in 2019 .
A spokeswoman for American Structurepoint did not respond to a request for comment .

Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be secretary of transportation, reacts to his nomination as Biden looks on during a news conference at Biden's transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., December 16, 2020. Kevin Lemarque | Reuters
Pete Buttigieg, President-elect Joe Biden's choice for Transportation secretary and the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, received presidential campaign donations from executives at companies that had public works contracts with the city while he led it. A CNBC review of dozens of the city's infrastructure contracts during his second term as mayor, from 2016 into 2020, shows that under Buttigieg, a portion of the city's spending went toward contractors who later became donors to his campaign for president, which he launched in 2019. If he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Buttigieg, as head of the Department of Transportation, would be responsible for pushing forward the incoming administration's infrastructure proposals. Buttigieg is 38 years old and is considered a rising star in the national Democratic Party. His role as Transportation secretary could boost him if he seeks to run for higher office again. Several of the contractors produced new roads, bridges and buildings for the city. South Bend's most recent budget is over $350 million. The Department of Transportation will be going into the new year with a budget of over $80 billion. Buttigieg proposed a $1 trillion infrastructure plan when he ran for president. Data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics shows Buttigieg finished raising nearly $100 million during his presidential campaign. About $2 million came from donors in the real estate industry. A report by the Center for Public Integrity and the progressive media outlet The Young Turks shows that Buttigieg received similar contributions from city contractors when he initially ran for mayor in 2011. In that case, potential contractors gave to his political organization and they then received financial agreements from the city after submitting competitive bids. Those bids were then approved by the Board of Public Works.
The Buttigieg team responds
After CNBC laid out most of the contracts and the ensuing contributions to the Biden transition team, a Buttigieg spokesperson sent CNBC a lengthy response. The representative declined to be named in this story. The spokesperson said Buttigieg wasn't involved in the projects, while noting that the companies had done business with the city before Buttigieg was mayor. The spokesperson also said the executives had a history of giving to other Democratic presidential campaigns, including Biden's, Hillary Clinton's and Barack Obama's. Some also gave to Republicans. "Pete avoided getting involved in who got these contracts for exactly this reason. And I would also point out that on Pete's first day as mayor he established a Code of Ethics, and in 2018 signed a responsible bidder ordinance aimed to ensure taxpayers' dollars were spent efficiently by responsible contractors," the Buttigieg spokesperson said. The spokesperson noted that Buttigieg signed an executive order in 2012 that stated a government employee, including himself, will not knowingly solicit or accept any gifts or favors from a person who has a business relationship or seeks a business relationship from any city agency. "You link to contracts that were approved by the Board of Public Works, which meets in public, does its business in public, and approved these contracts through an open and transparent procurement process that goes through a bidding process and — as I said before — has little involvement from the mayor," the representative said. CNBC laid out to the city of South Bend details about most of the contracts that were approved by the Board of Public Works and the executives who later contributed to Buttigieg's campaign for president. A spokesman defended the companies. "Each of these firms are well-respected and have a reputation locally for delivering high quality services for the city and South Bend residents," Caleb Bauer, the mayor's office press secretary, told CNBC. "Each of these contracts also went through a professional procurement process that is public and transparent before being approved by the Board of Public Works, which is governed by state law." Still, some Democrats anticipate that Republicans will make a big deal out of the contributions Buttigieg received from contractors. "He will be accused of conflicts of interest and if the Republicans hold the Senate he will undergo a very, very tough confirmation process," veteran Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said.
Companies and contracts
In 2017, construction company Walsh & Kelly signed a contract with South Bend for over $600,000 for a job around the site of a future Courtyard Marriott hotel. Two years later the company was awarded subsequent contracts by South Bend worth just over $2.4 million. The hotel opened in 2018. Walsh & Kelly's president, Kevin Kelly, contributed $2,700 to Buttigieg's campaign for president, CRP data says. That's nearly the maximum contribution an individual can legally give a campaign. Walsh & Kelly did not return calls seeking comment. Arne Sorenson, Marriott's CEO, gave $2,800, the max amount, to Buttigieg's campaign, records show. A Marriott spokeswoman defended Sorenson's donation to Buttigieg's political organization. "Arne Sorenson gave to Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign personally because his wife and kids were inspired by his campaign," Elynsey Price, a spokesman for the hotel chain, told CNBC. "Whatever was underway, around or involving the South Bend hotels would have been the responsibility of our franchisees or owners, not Marriott." South Bend real estate development company JSK Hospitality struck one of its biggest deals in 2018, when a subsidiary of the firm bought the former College Football Hall of Fame building in the city for over $525,000, according to the South Bend Tribune. The CEO, A.J. Patel, gave $1,000 to the Buttigieg campaign. The Courtyard Marriott is listed as part of the firm's hotel portfolio. CNBC was unable to leave a message in JSK Hospitality's general voice mailbox on Tuesday because its voicemail was full. The same was true for Patel's line. Instead, CNBC left a message for the company's chief financial officer, who did not respond to a request for comment. In 2017, the city came to an agreement with Epoch Architecture to help build a new South Bend fire station. The company agreed to over $280,000 in payments from the city for the project. The principal of the engineering and architecture company, Kyle Copelin, later gave $500 to the Buttigieg campaign, records show. Copelin did not respond to a request for comment. In 2017, the city signed at least three contracts with Jones Petrie Rafinski, an architecture and engineering firm with offices in South Bend. The firm saw over $200,000 in deals with the city that year. Two years later, the company's vice president, David Rafinski, contributed $500 to Buttigieg's campaign for president. His company also had other deals with South Bend throughout 2019. Rafinski told CNBC that he had no interaction with Buttigieg's executive team while his company worked for South Bend. "The City of South Bend has been a client of ours since Pete was in high school," Rafinski said. "The work that we do is through the Board of Public Works. We didn't have any interaction with Pete with our work at all. It was all through the Board of Public Works." Rafinski said he gave to Buttigieg's presidential campaign because he thought the former mayor's "compassion" was needed in national politics. South Bend also came to a consulting agreement in 2017 with Canada-based Stantec. The contract was worth over $105,000. The agreement with the designing and engineering company appeared to go through their nearby Chicago offices. Later, Michael Toolis, who, according to his LinkedIn, is a Stantec vice president, gave $2,000 to Buttigieg's presidential campaign. Toolis was once employed by VOA Associates, a Midwestern design firm that previously did work on the University of Notre Dame. VOA was acquired by Stantec in 2016. "The company does not permit political contributions to candidates on its behalf," Stantec spokeswoman Laura Leopold said in a one-line email in response to CNBC's questions. American Structurepoint, an engineering company with headquarters in Indianapolis, received at least seven contracts in 2018 for over $300,000 to do consulting and other services for South Bend. Greg Henneke, the senior executive vice president, gave the Buttigieg presidential campaign $2,700 a year later. Both Stantec and American Structurepoint had contracts with the city in 2019. A spokeswoman for American Structurepoint did not respond to a request for comment.


cnbc--2020-12-23--Democrats seize on Trump's push for $2,000 stimulus checks for boost in Georgia Senate race

Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Jon Ossoff ( R ) and Raphael Warnock ( L ) of Georgia wave to supporters during a rally on November 15 , 2020 in Marietta , Georgia .
The two Democratic Senate candidates , who have advocated for larger direct payments , wasted no time in responding to Trump 's move and criticizing their opponents .
In video posted Tuesday night , Trump called the $ 900 billion Covid relief bill passed by Congress an unsuitable `` disgrace '' and urged lawmakers to make a number of changes , including increasing the $ 600 stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crucial Georgia Senate runoff races , Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are using President Donald Trump 's latest push for larger stimulus checks to bash incumbent GOP Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler .
`` President Trump is , as ever , erratic and all over the place .
But on this point , tonight , he 's right , '' Ossoff said on CNN Tuesday night .
`` Six-hundred dollars is a joke .
They should send $ 2,000 checks to the American people right now because people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my opponent , who opposed even the first round of $ 1,200 checks ... has obstructed direct relief for the last eight months , and now decided he wanted to cut it down to 600 bucks when people can barely feed their families through no fault of their own , '' Ossoff added .
`` As I 've said from the start , the Senate should have acted on this months ago and support for Georgians should have been far greater .
Donald Trump is right , Congress should swiftly increase direct payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement Wednesday .
`` Once and for all Senator Loeffler should do what 's best for Georgia instead of focusing on what she can do for herself , '' Warnock continued .
When asked at an event Wednesday whether she would support increasing direct payments to $ 2,000 , Loeffler said , `` I 'll certainly look at supporting it if it repurposes wasteful spending toward that , yes , '' according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Greg Bluestein .
Covid relief has been central issue in the tight election that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least one Republican wins in the Jan. 5 election , the GOP will retain control of the upper chamber .
If both Democrats win , Democrats will have control of the White House and Congress .
For months , Ossoff and Warnock have positioned themselves as the key to President-elect Joe Biden 's ability to deliver on his agenda of coronavirus relief , which includes more stimulus checks .
The two have attacked Perdue and Loeffler for their handling of the coronavirus crisis .
Perdue and Loeffler have blamed Democrats for stalling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Republican senators have allied themselves strongly with Trump , including supporting his baseless accusations of widespread voter fraud and attempts to overturn the election results .
Earlier in the negotiations , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly said on a call with GOP senators that `` Kelly and David are getting hammered '' in the runoff races on the issue of direct payments to individuals and families .

Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Jon Ossoff (R) and Raphael Warnock (L) of Georgia wave to supporters during a rally on November 15, 2020 in Marietta, Georgia.
The two Democratic Senate candidates, who have advocated for larger direct payments, wasted no time in responding to Trump's move and criticizing their opponents.
In video posted Tuesday night, Trump called the $900 billion Covid relief bill passed by Congress an unsuitable "disgrace" and urged lawmakers to make a number of changes, including increasing the $600 stimulus checks to $2,000.
In the crucial Georgia Senate runoff races, Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are using President Donald Trump's latest push for larger stimulus checks to bash incumbent GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.
"President Trump is, as ever, erratic and all over the place. But on this point, tonight, he's right," Ossoff said on CNN Tuesday night. "Six-hundred dollars is a joke. They should send $2,000 checks to the American people right now because people are hurting."
"David Perdue, my opponent, who opposed even the first round of $1,200 checks ... has obstructed direct relief for the last eight months, and now decided he wanted to cut it down to 600 bucks when people can barely feed their families through no fault of their own," Ossoff added.
"As I've said from the start, the Senate should have acted on this months ago and support for Georgians should have been far greater. Donald Trump is right, Congress should swiftly increase direct payments to $2,0000," Warnock said in a statement Wednesday.
"Once and for all Senator Loeffler should do what's best for Georgia instead of focusing on what she can do for herself," Warnock continued.
When asked at an event Wednesday whether she would support increasing direct payments to $2,000, Loeffler said, "I'll certainly look at supporting it if it repurposes wasteful spending toward that, yes," according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Greg Bluestein.
Covid relief has been central issue in the tight election that will decide control of the Senate. If at least one Republican wins in the Jan. 5 election, the GOP will retain control of the upper chamber. If both Democrats win, Democrats will have control of the White House and Congress.
For months, Ossoff and Warnock have positioned themselves as the key to President-elect Joe Biden's ability to deliver on his agenda of coronavirus relief, which includes more stimulus checks. The two have attacked Perdue and Loeffler for their handling of the coronavirus crisis. Perdue and Loeffler have blamed Democrats for stalling efforts to pass a relief package.
The Republican senators have allied themselves strongly with Trump, including supporting his baseless accusations of widespread voter fraud and attempts to overturn the election results.
Earlier in the negotiations, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly said on a call with GOP senators that "Kelly and David are getting hammered" in the runoff races on the issue of direct payments to individuals and families.