cnbc--2020-06-11--How the U.S. could reform police in response to protests against brutality and racism

Repeated police killings of black Americans have sparked the widest push for law enforcement reform in years .
The nationwide movement fueled by George Floyd 's death last month has already kick-started change in cities and states .
The coming months will help to determine just how far officials go in reshaping departments — and whether Congress will join state and local lawmakers in taking steps to overhaul policing .
Policymakers across the country have targeted several major areas in their reform discussions , including : • Ensuring more transparency about police use of force and disciplinary records • Making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who commit abuses Activists and some Democratic officials want to reimagine the system to root out structural racism , calling to redirect chunks of police funding to social services or even replace whole departments with a new public safety system .
As municipalities start to respond to sustained demonstrations against police brutality — including violence against protesters — significant reform at the national level is far from assured .
Democrats and Republicans who want to make policing changes will have to contend with a president often reluctant to criticize officers or excessive use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take shape in cities Certain U.S. cities have moved to either remake or cut money from their police departments as activists argue incremental changes have failed .
While officials across the country have identified similar problems with the justice system , early actions indicate state and local governments could take drastically different paths as they overhaul law enforcement .
In Minneapolis , where Floyd died after an officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes , most of the city council told demonstrators they wanted to begin the process of dismantling the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distrust .
It will likely take Minneapolis years to decide how it would replace the police force .
Other cities have taken the step of pledging to cut police funding as they face pressure for over-policing communities of color while neglecting key programs .
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would cut an unspecified sum from the country 's largest police force and redirect it to youth and social services .
But de Blasio has so far not provided specific plans , which has rankled activists frustrated by the mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent years .
Communities United for Police Reform , a coalition of organizations pushing to end discriminatory policies by the NYPD , wants the city to cut the department 's $ 6 billion annual budget by $ 1 billion in fiscal year 2021 by targeting areas such as new hiring and counterterrorism .
`` It 's very clear that in a pandemic New Yorkers need social services more than policing , '' said Anthonine Pierre , deputy director of the Brooklyn Movement Center , one of the organizations that is part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added that `` times have shifted and the need for policing has shifted , '' especially after the coronavirus devastated the city .
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti also announced plans to put $ 250 million into health care and youth jobs programs while cutting as much as $ 150 million from the city 's police budget .
Many who want to reform a flawed justice system have warned against large-scale police budget cuts .
`` Indiscriminate cuts '' that do not target specific problems in a police department budget `` may actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Taryn Merkl , senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law and a former federal prosecutor .
As New York City grapples with how to reshape its police department , a flurry of activity in the state legislature this week could foreshadow changes around the country .
State lawmakers voted this week to repeal a law known as 50-a , which barred the release of police disciplinary records .
Advocates such as Communities United for Police Reform have sought to roll back the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It came under scrutiny when New York City said it could not disclose the disciplinary file of Daniel Pantaleo , the officer fired five years after his chokehold led to Eric Garner 's death in Staten Island .
Pierre called the bill 's passage a `` step forward for the rest of the country . ''
The state legislature also approved a bill to criminalize police use of chokeholds .
The NYPD already banned the practice , but officers such as Pantaleo continued to use it .
During a memorial service for Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lived much of his life , the city 's mayor , Sylvester Turner , said he would sign an executive order banning chokeholds and requiring police officers to give a warning before they fire a weapon .
At the federal level , congressional Democrats have already introduced sweeping changes designed to reduce violence and address systemic racism — without cutting police funding .
But it remains to be seen whether the Republican-held Senate or President Donald Trump will agree to substantive reforms .
Congress can control the practices of federal law enforcement officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over city and state police departments , they can still affect policy by tying conditions to federal funding or grants .
A bill introduced by House and Senate Democrats this week would make various reforms without shaking up the foundations of the U.S. police structure .
It would change `` qualified immunity '' rules for officers in an attempt to remove a hurdle for victims of abuses or their family members who try to recover damages .
The legislation would change the federal standard for criminal misconduct to make it easier to prosecute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal registry of police misconduct and make states report uses of force to the Justice Department .
The bill would tie federal funding for state and local departments to several reforms , such as banning chokeholds and carotid holds , stopping `` no-knock '' search warrants and requiring racial , religious and implicit-bias training .
Calls to stop no-knock warrants , under which police can enter a home without notifying residents , have increased following the death of Breonna Taylor , a black woman who Louisville police shot dead in her apartment in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear reluctant to embrace many of the reforms in the Democratic plan .
Sen. Tim Scott , one of three black senators , is leading a Republican group working on its own policing plan .
The South Carolina senator has not released a full proposal but could do so this week .
As of Tuesday , the bill would require states that get federal money to report police shootings , including information such as the age and race of the victim , according to NBC News .
It would not bar chokeholds or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information on both practices , NBC reported .
Like the Democratic legislation , it would classify lynching a federal hate crime .
Sen. Rand Paul , R-Ky. , has held up a House-passed , standalone anti-lynching bill in the Senate .
Trump will play a huge role in determining how far overhauls go at the federal level .
The president , who has in the past suggested police should use more force , has spent more time in recent weeks calling to maintain `` law and order '' than discussing potential reform .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ own reform plan in the coming days .
During a planned roundtable in Dallas on Thursday , Trump could detail actions he wants to take by executive order , according to NBC .
A Trump administration platform could include a database to track officers who face multiple accusations of misconduct .
The president opposes rolling back qualified immunity , NBC reported .
Scott met with White House advisors about police reform on Tuesday .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , has embraced more police reform plans than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November .
He has backed Democratic proposals such as banning chokeholds , collecting data on use of force , requiring bias training and ensuring police intervene when fellow officers abuse their power .
But Biden , who has faced backlash for his role in the 1994 crime bill that contributed to mass incarceration in the U.S. , has said he does not want to cut law enforcement funding .
He instead wants to direct another $ 300 million to community policing .
`` While I do not believe federal dollars should go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights or turning to violence as the first resort , I do not support defunding police , '' he wrote in USA Today on Wednesday .
`` The better answer is to give police departments the resources they need to implement meaningful reforms , and to condition other federal dollars on completing those reforms . ''
Merkl of NYU 's Brennan Center also highlighted community policing funds as a way to build trust between law enforcement and communities .
She also said changing the metrics by which departments evaluate success and bolstering resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ substance abuse rather than arresting them , among other changes , could help to root out problems in the justice system .
Merkl outlined those recommendations this week in written testimony to the President 's Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice , which the Justice Department established in January .
As activists and officials take on what will likely be a long and messy process to root out ingrained problems , Merkl said , `` No one law will solve every problem related to race , policing and the criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. needs to `` move away from the expectation that criminal law and the criminal justice system will provide redress for so many wrongs . ''

NYPD Police officers listen as Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York President Pat Lynch and representatives from other NYPD and law enforcement unions holds a news conference at the Icahn Stadium parking lot on June 9, 2020 to address the "current anti-law enforcement environment." in New York. Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images
Repeated police killings of black Americans have sparked the widest push for law enforcement reform in years. The nationwide movement fueled by George Floyd's death last month has already kick-started change in cities and states. The coming months will help to determine just how far officials go in reshaping departments — and whether Congress will join state and local lawmakers in taking steps to overhaul policing. Policymakers across the country have targeted several major areas in their reform discussions, including: Ensuring more transparency about police use of force and disciplinary records
Banning chokeholds
Making it easier to sue or prosecute officers who commit abuses Activists and some Democratic officials want to reimagine the system to root out structural racism, calling to redirect chunks of police funding to social services or even replace whole departments with a new public safety system. As municipalities start to respond to sustained demonstrations against police brutality — including violence against protesters — significant reform at the national level is far from assured. Democrats and Republicans who want to make policing changes will have to contend with a president often reluctant to criticize officers or excessive use of force.
Reform and defund efforts take shape in cities
watch now
Certain U.S. cities have moved to either remake or cut money from their police departments as activists argue incremental changes have failed. While officials across the country have identified similar problems with the justice system, early actions indicate state and local governments could take drastically different paths as they overhaul law enforcement. In Minneapolis, where Floyd died after an officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, most of the city council told demonstrators they wanted to begin the process of dismantling the city's police department amid longstanding public distrust. It will likely take Minneapolis years to decide how it would replace the police force. Other cities have taken the step of pledging to cut police funding as they face pressure for over-policing communities of color while neglecting key programs. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would cut an unspecified sum from the country's largest police force and redirect it to youth and social services. But de Blasio has so far not provided specific plans, which has rankled activists frustrated by the mayor's handling of police violence and reform in recent years. Communities United for Police Reform, a coalition of organizations pushing to end discriminatory policies by the NYPD, wants the city to cut the department's $6 billion annual budget by $1 billion in fiscal year 2021 by targeting areas such as new hiring and counterterrorism. "It's very clear that in a pandemic New Yorkers need social services more than policing," said Anthonine Pierre, deputy director of the Brooklyn Movement Center, one of the organizations that is part of Communities United for Police Reform. She added that "times have shifted and the need for policing has shifted," especially after the coronavirus devastated the city. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti also announced plans to put $250 million into health care and youth jobs programs while cutting as much as $150 million from the city's police budget. Many who want to reform a flawed justice system have warned against large-scale police budget cuts. "Indiscriminate cuts" that do not target specific problems in a police department budget "may actually undercut efforts" to improve law enforcement, said Taryn Merkl, senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law and a former federal prosecutor. As New York City grapples with how to reshape its police department, a flurry of activity in the state legislature this week could foreshadow changes around the country. State lawmakers voted this week to repeal a law known as 50-a, which barred the release of police disciplinary records. Advocates such as Communities United for Police Reform have sought to roll back the measure in a push for transparency. It came under scrutiny when New York City said it could not disclose the disciplinary file of Daniel Pantaleo, the officer fired five years after his chokehold led to Eric Garner's death in Staten Island. Pierre called the bill's passage a "step forward for the rest of the country." The state legislature also approved a bill to criminalize police use of chokeholds. The NYPD already banned the practice, but officers such as Pantaleo continued to use it. During a memorial service for Floyd on Tuesday in Houston, where he lived much of his life, the city's mayor, Sylvester Turner, said he would sign an executive order banning chokeholds and requiring police officers to give a warning before they fire a weapon.
The role Congress can play
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At the federal level, congressional Democrats have already introduced sweeping changes designed to reduce violence and address systemic racism — without cutting police funding. But it remains to be seen whether the Republican-held Senate or President Donald Trump will agree to substantive reforms. Congress can control the practices of federal law enforcement officers. While U.S. lawmakers have limited influence over city and state police departments, they can still affect policy by tying conditions to federal funding or grants. A bill introduced by House and Senate Democrats this week would make various reforms without shaking up the foundations of the U.S. police structure. It would change "qualified immunity" rules for officers in an attempt to remove a hurdle for victims of abuses or their family members who try to recover damages. The legislation would change the federal standard for criminal misconduct to make it easier to prosecute cops. It would also create a federal registry of police misconduct and make states report uses of force to the Justice Department. The bill would tie federal funding for state and local departments to several reforms, such as banning chokeholds and carotid holds, stopping "no-knock" search warrants and requiring racial, religious and implicit-bias training. Calls to stop no-knock warrants, under which police can enter a home without notifying residents, have increased following the death of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who Louisville police shot dead in her apartment in March. As of now, Republicans appear reluctant to embrace many of the reforms in the Democratic plan. Sen. Tim Scott, one of three black senators, is leading a Republican group working on its own policing plan.
watch now
The South Carolina senator has not released a full proposal but could do so this week. As of Tuesday, the bill would require states that get federal money to report police shootings, including information such as the age and race of the victim, according to NBC News. It would not bar chokeholds or no-knock warrants but instead aim to collect information on both practices, NBC reported. Like the Democratic legislation, it would classify lynching a federal hate crime. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has held up a House-passed, standalone anti-lynching bill in the Senate.
How Trump and Biden view reform
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cnbc--2020-06-11--Treasury Secretary Mnuchin says 'we can't shut down the economy again'

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC on Thursday that shutting down the economy for a second time to combat the spread of Covid-19 is n't a viable option and could cause even more headaches for Americans .
His comments came as Wall Street grew more concerned about a second wave of coronavirus cases in the United States .
Texas has reported three consecutive days of record-breaking Covid-19 hospitalizations while nine California counties are reporting a spike in new cases or hospitalizations of confirmed cases , AP reported Wednesday .
`` We ca n't shut down the economy again .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down the economy , you 're going to create more damage , '' Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC 's Jim Cramer on `` Squawk on the Street . ''
`` And not just economic damage , but there are other areas and we 've talked about this : medical problems and everything else that get put on hold , '' he added .
`` I think it was very prudent what the president did , but I think we 've learned a lot . ''
The rise cases amid U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states may have to reimpose business closures to again try to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
That pessimism contributed to the Dow Jones Industrial Average 's 800 point slide Thursday morning and the S & P 500 's 2.6 % loss .
Stocks that would benefit the most under a total U.S. reopening led the way lower , with United Airlines down 10 % , cruise operator Carnival losing 8.8 % and Gap shedding 6.6 % .

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC on Thursday that shutting down the economy for a second time to combat the spread of Covid-19 isn't a viable option and could cause even more headaches for Americans.
His comments came as Wall Street grew more concerned about a second wave of coronavirus cases in the United States. Texas has reported three consecutive days of record-breaking Covid-19 hospitalizations while nine California counties are reporting a spike in new cases or hospitalizations of confirmed cases, AP reported Wednesday.
"We can't shut down the economy again. I think we've learned that if you shut down the economy, you're going to create more damage," Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer on "Squawk on the Street."
"And not just economic damage, but there are other areas and we've talked about this: medical problems and everything else that get put on hold," he added. "I think it was very prudent what the president did, but I think we've learned a lot."
The rise cases amid U.S. reopening efforts has made investors nervous that states may have to reimpose business closures to again try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. That pessimism contributed to the Dow Jones Industrial Average's 800 point slide Thursday morning and the S&P 500's 2.6% loss.
Stocks that would benefit the most under a total U.S. reopening led the way lower, with United Airlines down 10%, cruise operator Carnival losing 8.8% and Gap shedding 6.6%.


cnbc--2020-06-11--Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Milley apologizes for appearing with Trump at church photo op

Trump stood in front of the historic St. John 's Church holding a Bible and posing for photographs .
He later motioned to members of his Cabinet to stand alongside him for more pictures .
Before the photo op , Trump stopped short of invoking the Insurrection Act but threatened to deploy active-duty U.S. military if states failed to quell demonstrations .
He then walked out to St. John 's with Milley , Defense Secretary Mark Esper and other members of the Cabinet , including Attorney General William Barr .
The protests were triggered by the death last month of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The unarmed black man died after a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyd 's neck for more than eight minutes .
The officer has been charged with second-degree murder .
Following a June 1 Rose Garden speech , Trump posed with a Bible outside St. John 's Episcopal Church after protesters were forcibly cleared from Lafayette Square across from the Executive Mansion .
`` My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics . ''
`` I should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Milley , the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , said in a video commencement address to National Defense University .
The nation 's highest-ranking military officer apologized Thursday for accompanying President Donald Trump to a photo opportunity at a Washington church after authorities violently moved protesters from an area outside the White House .
`` As senior leaders , everything you do will be closely watched , and I am not immune .
As many of you saw , the result of the photograph of me at Lafayette Square last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the role of the military in civil society , '' Milley said .
`` We who wear the cloth of our nation come from the people of our nation , '' the four-star general said .
`` And we must hold dear the principle of an apolitical military that is so deeply rooted in the very essence of our Republic .
And this is not easy .
It takes time and work and effort .
But it may be the most important thing each and every one of us does every single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful protests saying `` we should all be proud '' because the `` peaceful protests means American freedom is working . ''
A senior Defense Department official last week told reporters that Esper and Milley did not plan to participate in Trump 's photo-op in front of St. John 's Church , whose basement had been set on fire by protesters the night before .
`` The secretary and the chairman were both actually heading to the Washington Field Office of the FBI to be co-located with the director of the FBI and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership for response efforts last evening , '' the official said .
`` They were not aware that the Park Police and law enforcement had made a decision to clear the square .
And once they began that walk off the White House grounds with the president , their understanding was that they were going out of the White House to go into Lafayette Park to review the efforts to address the protests , '' said the official , who spoke on the condition of anonymity .
The latest revelation comes as former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's handling of the civil unrest .
Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis , who resigned from the Trump administration in December 2018 , wrote in a statement last week that he `` watched this week 's unfolding events , angry and appalled . ''
`` Militarizing our response , as we witnessed in Washington , D.C. , sets up a conflict—a false conflict—between the military and civilian society .
It erodes the moral ground that ensures a trusted bond between men and women in uniform and the society they are sworn to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a part . ''
Mattis , who was Trump 's first Defense secretary , also took issue with the June 1 incident in which protestors were forcibly cleared from Lafayette Square .
`` The words 'Equal Justice Under Law ' are carved in the pediment of the United States Supreme Court .
This is precisely what protesters are rightly demanding .
It is a wholesome and unifying demand—one that all of us should be able to get behind , '' Mattis wrote .
`` We must reject and hold accountable those in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our Constitution . ''

Trump stood in front of the historic St. John's Church holding a Bible and posing for photographs. He later motioned to members of his Cabinet to stand alongside him for more pictures.
Before the photo op, Trump stopped short of invoking the Insurrection Act but threatened to deploy active-duty U.S. military if states failed to quell demonstrations. He then walked out to St. John's with Milley, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and other members of the Cabinet, including Attorney General William Barr.
The protests were triggered by the death last month of George Floyd at the hands of police. The unarmed black man died after a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes. The officer has been charged with second-degree murder.
Following a June 1 Rose Garden speech, Trump posed with a Bible outside St. John's Episcopal Church after protesters were forcibly cleared from Lafayette Square across from the Executive Mansion.
"My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics."
"I should not have been there," Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a video commencement address to National Defense University.
The nation's highest-ranking military officer apologized Thursday for accompanying President Donald Trump to a photo opportunity at a Washington church after authorities violently moved protesters from an area outside the White House.
"As senior leaders, everything you do will be closely watched, and I am not immune. As many of you saw, the result of the photograph of me at Lafayette Square last week, that sparked a national debate about the role of the military in civil society," Milley said.
"We who wear the cloth of our nation come from the people of our nation," the four-star general said. "And we must hold dear the principle of an apolitical military that is so deeply rooted in the very essence of our Republic. And this is not easy. It takes time and work and effort. But it may be the most important thing each and every one of us does every single day."
Milley praised the mostly peaceful protests saying "we should all be proud" because the "peaceful protests means American freedom is working."
A senior Defense Department official last week told reporters that Esper and Milley did not plan to participate in Trump's photo-op in front of St. John's Church, whose basement had been set on fire by protesters the night before.
"The secretary and the chairman were both actually heading to the Washington Field Office of the FBI to be co-located with the director of the FBI and the Attorney General to observe and provide leadership for response efforts last evening," the official said.
"They were not aware that the Park Police and law enforcement had made a decision to clear the square. And once they began that walk off the White House grounds with the president, their understanding was that they were going out of the White House to go into Lafayette Park to review the efforts to address the protests," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The latest revelation comes as former national security leaders criticized Esper and Milley's handling of the civil unrest.
Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who resigned from the Trump administration in December 2018, wrote in a statement last week that he "watched this week's unfolding events, angry and appalled."
"Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict—a false conflict—between the military and civilian society. It erodes the moral ground that ensures a trusted bond between men and women in uniform and the society they are sworn to protect, and of which they themselves are a part."
Mattis, who was Trump's first Defense secretary, also took issue with the June 1 incident in which protestors were forcibly cleared from Lafayette Square.
"The words 'Equal Justice Under Law' are carved in the pediment of the United States Supreme Court. This is precisely what protesters are rightly demanding. It is a wholesome and unifying demand—one that all of us should be able to get behind," Mattis wrote.
"We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution."


cnbc--2020-06-11--White House, GOP push coronavirus relief talks to late July, sources say

White House and Republican negotiators are not planning to hold formal negotiations on a fourth coronavirus stimulus package until late July , when Congress returns from recess , according to two senior administration officials and two senior GOP aides .
The Senate and House of Representatives are scheduled to return to Washington on July 21 , after two weeks working and campaigning in their home districts , and 10 days before certain critical programs under the CARES Act , like increased unemployment insurance payments , are set to expire .
GOP lawmakers and the administration are now armed with encouraging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of previous stimulus money remains unspent .
In May , businesses hired or rehired 2.5 million workers , mostly in the hospitality and construction industries .
At a hearing Wednesday to discuss the program allowing small businesses to take out forgivable loans , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that program – and others – had created successful incentives for companies to retain workers , but the White House wanted to allow more stimulus funds to be spent before negotiating new aid .
`` We want to be careful at this point , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , '' Mnuchin testified to the Senate committee on Small Business .
`` A lot of the money is still not in it . ''
The Trump administration is estimating that more than half of funds from the last three stimulus packages remains `` unobligated , '' or not yet spent , according to three sources briefed on calculations conducted by the Office of Management and Budget .
CNBC obtained a detailed breakdown provided by OMB to lawmakers that shows less than a third of the money allocated to pay for expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FEMA disaster relief loans had been disbursed .
It shows just $ 22 billion of $ 500 billion earmarked to the Treasury Department for business loans having been spent , though that number will rise in the coming days when the Federal Reserve begins generating business loans under its Main Street Loan Facility .
On Wednesday , Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell said that more stimulus would likely be needed to restore an economy that may see elevated unemployment for several years .
Powell said the central bank would not change course based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The labor market may have hit bottom in May , '' Powell said at a press conference .
`` We 're going to be here with our tools supporting this economy for as long as it 's needed . ''
White House and Republican leaders have yet to craft a united position on what programs should be included in a future stimulus bill .
In meetings , the common thread among participants was a desire to provide liability protection to businesses that decide to open .
When Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next stimulus package should not go above $ 1 trillion , the response from the White House was `` divided , '' according to a second senior administration official .
House Democrats , meanwhile , passed a $ 3 trillion package in mid May .
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and top economic advisor Larry Kudlow were among the fiscal conservatives said to be against additional handouts , but two senior administration officials told CNBC in mid-May that , in the end , if additional stimulus checks were needed , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump has said , we are going to ensure that we take care of all Americans so that we emerge from this challenge healthy , stronger , and with economic prosperity , which is why the White House is focused on pro-growth , middle class tax and regulatory relief .
The President 's bold policies of low taxes , deregulation , reciprocal trade , and energy independence took this economy to record setting historic highs once , and they will do so again . ''

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White House and Republican negotiators are not planning to hold formal negotiations on a fourth coronavirus stimulus package until late July, when Congress returns from recess, according to two senior administration officials and two senior GOP aides. The Senate and House of Representatives are scheduled to return to Washington on July 21, after two weeks working and campaigning in their home districts, and 10 days before certain critical programs under the CARES Act, like increased unemployment insurance payments, are set to expire. GOP lawmakers and the administration are now armed with encouraging data on unemployment and calculations showing that much of previous stimulus money remains unspent. In May, businesses hired or rehired 2.5 million workers, mostly in the hospitality and construction industries. At a hearing Wednesday to discuss the program allowing small businesses to take out forgivable loans, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that program – and others – had created successful incentives for companies to retain workers, but the White House wanted to allow more stimulus funds to be spent before negotiating new aid. "We want to be careful at this point, seeing how much money is in the economy," Mnuchin testified to the Senate committee on Small Business. "A lot of the money is still not in it."
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The Trump administration is estimating that more than half of funds from the last three stimulus packages remains "unobligated," or not yet spent, according to three sources briefed on calculations conducted by the Office of Management and Budget. CNBC obtained a detailed breakdown provided by OMB to lawmakers that shows less than a third of the money allocated to pay for expanded unemployment insurance, hospital reimbursements, and FEMA disaster relief loans had been disbursed. It shows just $22 billion of $500 billion earmarked to the Treasury Department for business loans having been spent, though that number will rise in the coming days when the Federal Reserve begins generating business loans under its Main Street Loan Facility.
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cnbc--2020-06-11--Dems, GOP continue to spar over extension of extra $600 in unemployment benefits

Lawmakers are at loggerheads over an extension of enhanced unemployment benefits being paid to millions of out-of-work Americans .
Congressional Democrats want to continue the extra $ 600 weekly jobless payments that began when the CARES Act was enacted in March , calling them a financial lifeline that has helped families pay rent and put food on the table .
Not extending them would disproportionately disadvantage minority workers , they said .
But Republicans , including U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia , have dug in their heels .
They appear resolute in blocking such action , calling the enhanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mute the economic recovery .
The $ 600 weekly benefits , which are funded by the federal government , will expire after July 31 absent of any congressional action .
Republicans are leveraging a surprisingly strong May employment report — which said the economy added 2.5 million jobs last month , instead of losing a projected 7.5 million jobs — to suggest that the country is in growth mode and federal policies should encourage Americans to return to work .
`` Our economy has turned the corner against the coronavirus , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by President Donald Trump last year , in testimony at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Tuesday afternoon .
`` The best thing for workers is work , not unemployment , '' he added .
More from Personal Finance : The U.S. is in a recession but the stock market marches higher Many young adults were bypassed for stimulus checks The road to full recovery is long for small businesses But Sen. Michael Bennet , D-Colo. , said it would be a `` profound mistake '' to let the expanded unemployment benefits expire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevented a level of severe hardship that is almost impossible to comprehend , '' he said at the hearing .
By not extending the benefits , Bennet added , `` I 'd argue we 'd throw tens of millions of people who rely on them into a financial crisis , family by family , all across the United States of America . ''
The federally funded extra $ 600 weekly unemployment benefit is paid in addition to traditional state-level benefits , which Americans could collect past July .
Those state benefits generally replace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Critics of the $ 600 enhancement say it promotes remaining on unemployment rolls rather than returning to work .
Many workers can theoretically make more than their prior wages while receiving benefits .
`` We should never pay people not to work , '' said Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas .
`` We should try to help people get back to work . ''
Republicans have considered an employment `` bonus '' as a way to give cash assistance to Americans while encouraging them to find a job .
A proposal from Sen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay people who return to work an extra $ 450 a week .
Democrats have floated the idea of tying the amount and duration of unemployment aid to economic conditions such as the state unemployment rate .
The $ 600 aid would decrease as the public health crisis recedes and state unemployment rates improve .
The potential disincentive to work promoted by enhanced unemployment benefits is a `` valid textbook concern , '' said Ernie Tedeschi , an economist at Evercore ISI .
But withdrawing those benefits too soon after July could dampen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall again , he said .
Absent the $ 600 weekly enhancement , the average recipient 's income would immediately revert to less than half their prior take-home pay .
That could lead to less household spending .
Nearly 30 million Americans were collecting unemployment benefits as of May 16 , according to the Labor Department .
It 's also important to keep May 's jobs numbers in perspective , Tedeschi said .
Despite the job growth recorded in May , employment is still down 19.6 million jobs since February .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we should be celebrating that , '' Tedeschi said .
`` [ But ] we 'd need nine more jobs reports like May to get back to where we were in February with respect to employment . ''
The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 13.3 % in May , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ' monthly jobs report released Friday , which records data as of mid-month .
That means 1 in every 7.5 Americans in the labor force ca n't find work .
It 's an improvement from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still the worst since the Great Depression , when unemployment topped 25 % .
During the country 's last economic downturn , the Great Recession , the unemployment rate peaked at 10 % , in October 2009 .
Republicans believe the labor market improvement points to workers being able to reclaim jobs in roughly two months ' time .
These `` rosy expectations '' that people can go back to work `` just wo n't be realized '' by the time the $ 600 unemployment benefit expires , according to Sen. Bob @ @ @ @

Michael Duva
Lawmakers are at loggerheads over an extension of enhanced unemployment benefits being paid to millions of out-of-work Americans. Congressional Democrats want to continue the extra $600 weekly jobless payments that began when the CARES Act was enacted in March, calling them a financial lifeline that has helped families pay rent and put food on the table. Not extending them would disproportionately disadvantage minority workers, they said. But Republicans, including U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia, have dug in their heels. They appear resolute in blocking such action, calling the enhanced benefits a disincentive to work that could mute the economic recovery.
$600 unemployment benefits controversy
Disincentive or lifeline?
The federally funded extra $600 weekly unemployment benefit is paid in addition to traditional state-level benefits, which Americans could collect past July. Those state benefits generally replace less than half of prior wages. Critics of the $600 enhancement say it promotes remaining on unemployment rolls rather than returning to work. Many workers can theoretically make more than their prior wages while receiving benefits. "We should never pay people not to work," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. "We should try to help people get back to work." Republicans have considered an employment "bonus" as a way to give cash assistance to Americans while encouraging them to find a job.
watch now
A proposal from Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, would pay people who return to work an extra $450 a week. Democrats have floated the idea of tying the amount and duration of unemployment aid to economic conditions such as the state unemployment rate. The $600 aid would decrease as the public health crisis recedes and state unemployment rates improve. The potential disincentive to work promoted by enhanced unemployment benefits is a "valid textbook concern," said Ernie Tedeschi, an economist at Evercore ISI. But withdrawing those benefits too soon after July could dampen job growth or even cause it to fall again, he said. Absent the $600 weekly enhancement, the average recipient's income would immediately revert to less than half their prior take-home pay. That could lead to less household spending.
We'd need nine more jobs reports like May to get back to where we were in February with respect to employment. Ernie Tedeschi economist at Evercore ISI
Nearly 30 million Americans were collecting unemployment benefits as of May 16, according to the Labor Department. It's also important to keep May's jobs numbers in perspective, Tedeschi said. Despite the job growth recorded in May, employment is still down 19.6 million jobs since February. "The May jobs report was a happy surprise and we should be celebrating that," Tedeschi said. "[But] we'd need nine more jobs reports like May to get back to where we were in February with respect to employment."
Unemployment rate
The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 13.3% in May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly jobs report released Friday, which records data as of mid-month. That means 1 in every 7.5 Americans in the labor force can't find work. It's an improvement from the 14.7% rate in April, but is still the worst since the Great Depression, when unemployment topped 25%. During the country's last economic downturn, the Great Recession, the unemployment rate peaked at 10%, in October 2009. Republicans believe the labor market improvement points to workers being able to reclaim jobs in roughly two months' time. These "rosy expectations" that people can go back to work "just won't be realized" by the time the $600 unemployment benefit expires, according to Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J.


cnbc--2020-06-12--It might be different this time: Lawmakers, activists more optimistic about police reform

Between the thousands marching across the globe , the legislation moving through government channels and even the actions of some private businesses , it 's clear that something is different this time .
An eruption of protests following George Floyd 's death last month has spread wider than any comparable movement in recent history , analysts say , with hundreds of thousands turning out in all 50 states — and even overseas — to demonstrate against police brutality and racism .
Floyd is not the only unarmed Black person whose death at the hands of police has driven protesters into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and activists alike are seeing signs that this political moment , which comes amid the coronavirus pandemic and an already-vicious presidential election season , could finally bring to fruition some of the reforms they 've pushed for years .
`` I 'm hopeful and I 'm optimistic that this is the straw that has broken the camel 's back , '' New York City Councilman Rory Lancman said in an interview .
Lancman , a Democratic council member from Queens , has reason to believe the political winds have shifted .
In 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chokeholds following the death of Eric Garner , a Black man who died in Staten Island in 2017 after an officer held him by the neck .
The bill had failed to gain enough support to override a veto by Mayor Bill de Blasio , who vowed to reject the legislation after two NYPD officers were killed in Brooklyn .
But in the wake of Floyd 's death , Lancman 's bill has gained enough support for a veto-proof majority , even as it has been broadened to ban officers from restricting `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compressing the windpipe , diaphragm , or the carotid arteries '' during an arrest .
Floyd died after a since-fired Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
The officer , Derek Chauvin , has been charged with murder .
Lancman said the current civil unrest is the `` deepest , broadest wave of public outcry '' for criminal justice reform he 's seen in his time in office .
`` This moment allowed us to move [ the bill ] forward with confidence , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Congress , where Democrats this week put forward sweeping police reform bills in the House and Senate .
The bills would overhaul police precincts across the country , in part by banning the use of chokeholds , ending `` no-knock '' search warrants in drug cases and applying new oversight measures to departments .
Republicans , led by South Carolina 's Tim Scott , one of only three Black U.S. senators , are working up their own alternative legislation to address the policing system .
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reform .
Local governments have already taken significant steps .
After Minnesota launched a civil rights probe into Floyd 's death , most of the Minneapolis City Council on Sunday committed to disbanding and replacing the city 's police force .
The move marked an advancement for the movement to `` defund the police '' that has sprung from the protests .
It will likely take Minneapolis years to decide how it would replace the police force .
De Blasio said Monday he would redirect some NYPD funding to youth and social services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform and a former police officer , said `` we 're in full support of '' the calls to defund the police .
`` There has to be a reevaluation from us collectively as a society as to what we are expecting the police to be in our day-to-day lives , '' Shrewsberry said .
`` We are in big favor that there needs to be a reduction in funding [ and ] a reduction in manpower , '' he said .
Timothy Lovelace , a Duke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the civil rights movement , said Floyd 's death , which was captured on video , `` added to the pain '' from other recent instances of unarmed Black men and women being killed .
Lovelace cited the shootings of Ahmaud Arbery in February and Breonna Taylor in March .
`` Far too frequently , we see Black men and women who are being murdered on camera , '' Lovelace said .
`` This leads to lots of frustrations and seems to be a reoccurring cycle . ''
Garner and Floyd were unarmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ca n't breathe '' before they died — pleas that have become rallying cries for protesters .
But where the officer who put Garner in a chokehold did not face criminal charges , Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder .
The three ex-officers who had assisted Chauvin 's arrest of Floyd have been charged with aiding and abetting murder .
The protests against police brutality and racism have also reignited a debate over whether monuments and other displays of Confederate symbols should be removed from public spaces .
And there has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well .
Some police-focused entertainment content is also getting canceled .
ViacomCBS announced it was dropping `` Cops , '' the reality show that has followed police officers on duty for 30 years .
Cable network A & E also announced that it was ending production of a similar show , `` Live PD , '' and Investigation Discovery 's version , `` Body Cam , '' has been removed from the network 's schedule .
`` My sense is that the outrage and the recognition of the injustices have now reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lancman said .
The coronavirus pandemic , which has forced state leaders to virtually shut down their state economies in an effort to slow transmission , may be providing additional oxygen to the protests .
`` Many Americans have more time to turn their attention to social justice issues because of the Covid-19 crisis , '' as well as `` new space and new time to protest , '' Lovelace said .
Shrewsberry concurred : `` Part of this is that we 're home right now and we 're not distracted by running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... You know , none of this is new .
This has been going on long before George Floyd died . ''

Demonstrators march down Pennsylvania Avenue near the Trump International Hotel during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 3, 2020 in Washington, DC. Tasos Katopodis | Getty Images
Between the thousands marching across the globe, the legislation moving through government channels and even the actions of some private businesses, it's clear that something is different this time. An eruption of protests following George Floyd's death last month has spread wider than any comparable movement in recent history, analysts say, with hundreds of thousands turning out in all 50 states — and even overseas — to demonstrate against police brutality and racism. Floyd is not the only unarmed Black person whose death at the hands of police has driven protesters into the streets demanding change. But lawmakers and activists alike are seeing signs that this political moment, which comes amid the coronavirus pandemic and an already-vicious presidential election season, could finally bring to fruition some of the reforms they've pushed for years. "I'm hopeful and I'm optimistic that this is the straw that has broken the camel's back," New York City Councilman Rory Lancman said in an interview.
A different moment
Lancman, a Democratic council member from Queens, has reason to believe the political winds have shifted. In 2014, he introduced a bill banning police chokeholds following the death of Eric Garner, a Black man who died in Staten Island in 2017 after an officer held him by the neck. The bill had failed to gain enough support to override a veto by Mayor Bill de Blasio, who vowed to reject the legislation after two NYPD officers were killed in Brooklyn.
Members of Black Lives Matter Greater NY and allies held a protest rally in Times Square on June 4, 2019 demanding justice. Erik McGregor | LightRocket | Getty Images
But in the wake of Floyd's death, Lancman's bill has gained enough support for a veto-proof majority, even as it has been broadened to ban officers from restricting "the flow of air or blood by compressing the windpipe, diaphragm, or the carotid arteries" during an arrest. Floyd died after a since-fired Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with murder. Lancman said the current civil unrest is the "deepest, broadest wave of public outcry" for criminal justice reform he's seen in his time in office. "This moment allowed us to move [the bill] forward with confidence," he said. That momentum appears to have carried over to Congress, where Democrats this week put forward sweeping police reform bills in the House and Senate. The bills would overhaul police precincts across the country, in part by banning the use of chokeholds, ending "no-knock" search warrants in drug cases and applying new oversight measures to departments. Republicans, led by South Carolina's Tim Scott, one of only three Black U.S. senators, are working up their own alternative legislation to address the policing system. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a proposal that steered clear of major police reform.
At the local level
A participant holding a Defund The Police sign at the protest. Thousands of protesters filled the streets of Brooklyn in a massive march to demand justice for George Floyd, killed by Officer Derek Chauvin and to make a loud call for the defunding of the police force. Erik McGregor | LightRocket | Getty Images
Randy Shrewsberry, executive director of the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform and a former police officer, said "we're in full support of" the calls to defund the police. "There has to be a reevaluation from us collectively as a society as to what we are expecting the police to be in our day-to-day lives," Shrewsberry said. "We are in big favor that there needs to be a reduction in funding [and] a reduction in manpower," he said. Timothy Lovelace, a Duke University law professor and legal historian of the civil rights movement, said Floyd's death, which was captured on video, "added to the pain" from other recent instances of unarmed Black men and women being killed. Lovelace cited the shootings of Ahmaud Arbery in February and Breonna Taylor in March. "Far too frequently, we see Black men and women who are being murdered on camera," Lovelace said. "This leads to lots of frustrations and seems to be a reoccurring cycle." Garner and Floyd were unarmed. Both men had also said "I can't breathe" before they died — pleas that have become rallying cries for protesters. But where the officer who put Garner in a chokehold did not face criminal charges, Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder. The three ex-officers who had assisted Chauvin's arrest of Floyd have been charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin poses for an undated booking photograph taken after he was transferred from a county jail to a Minnesota Department of Corrections state facility. Minnesota Department of Corrections | Reuters
The protests against police brutality and racism have also reignited a debate over whether monuments and other displays of Confederate symbols should be removed from public spaces. And there has been an impact on popular culture, as well. Some police-focused entertainment content is also getting canceled. ViacomCBS announced it was dropping "Cops," the reality show that has followed police officers on duty for 30 years. Cable network A&E also announced that it was ending production of a similar show, "Live PD," and Investigation Discovery's version, "Body Cam," has been removed from the network's schedule. "My sense is that the outrage and the recognition of the injustices have now reached almost every segment of society," Lancman said.
The Covid connection
The coronavirus pandemic, which has forced state leaders to virtually shut down their state economies in an effort to slow transmission, may be providing additional oxygen to the protests. "Many Americans have more time to turn their attention to social justice issues because of the Covid-19 crisis," as well as "new space and new time to protest," Lovelace said. Shrewsberry concurred: "Part of this is that we're home right now and we're not distracted by running back and forth to the office. ... You know, none of this is new. This has been going on long before George Floyd died."
Demonstrators protest outside of the state capital building on May 31, 2020 following the May 25, death of George Floyd in St. Paul, Minnesota. Scott Olson
All states have started taking steps to lift their strict social distancing rules, and Trump has pushed regional leaders to speed up the process. Trump is eager to get back on the campaign trail, which had been derailed by the pandemic. With less than five months until the 2020 election, Trump is ceding ground to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in multiple national polls. Trump's own popularity has declined as he faces criticism over his handling of the pandemic and his response to the protests over Floyd's death. More than 2 million Covid-19 cases, and at least 112,000 deaths, have been reported in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University.
President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion with African American supporters in the Cabinet Room of the White House on June 10, 2020. Doug Mills | Getty Images


cnbc--2020-06-12--Democrats push for simpler loan-forgiveness process in small business coronavirus bailout

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin testifies with Jovita Carranza , Administrator U.S. Small Business Administration during the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Hearings to examine implementation of Title I of the CARES Act on Capitol Hill on June 10 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
Senate Democrats want Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administration head Jovita Carranza to simplify the process of applying for loan forgiveness as part of the Paycheck Protection Program .
The senators urged a number of changes , including the creation of an easy-to-use form for smaller loans , a well-staffed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the program , and a `` suite '' of online tools designed to help applicants .
The senators also want the Treasury Department to issue guidance around safe harbor protection for lenders to borrowers requesting smaller loans .
`` As the program enters its next phase and borrowers begin to seek forgiveness of their loans , there is an immediate need for significant improvements to the forgiveness application process , which is tremendously cumbersome and overly complex , especially for very small businesses , sole proprietors , and underserved borrowers , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-N.Y. , and Sen. Ben Cardin , D-Md.
, to Mnuchin and Carranza .
The letter was signed by all 47 Senate Democrats and independents who caucus with Democrats .
It was delivered Friday .
The senators expressed concern that the current form , which is 11 pages long , `` is especially burdensome , time-consuming , and costly for very small and underserved businesses , including microbusinesses , sole proprietorships , rural , and minority-owned small businesses . ''
They worried those businesses `` will feel compelled to hire accountants and attorneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manner that provides comfort that the loans will be forgiven . ''
The program was initially rolled out in April , offering $ 349 billion to small businesses forced to shutter or curtail operations as the coronavirus spread .
After those funds quickly ran out , the government replenished the program with an additional $ 310 billion .
It offered companies forgivable loans provided a company maintains its employee compensation .
The loan was originally offered for eight weeks but was later extended to 24 weeks , along with other changes to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic began , more than 44 million workers have filed for unemployment .
As of early June , more than $ 120 billion of the additional $ 310 billion allotted to the program had yet to be used , sparking concern its design may be insufficient for the businesses it is intended for .
The program has also gone through several rounds of guidance , causing some critics to deem it too confusing or daunting for prospective applicants .
The senators also urged that Treasury include a section in an updated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data , including demographic information , to ensure that minority owners had sufficient access to the funds .

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin testifies with Jovita Carranza, Administrator U.S. Small Business Administration during the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Hearings to examine implementation of Title I of the CARES Act on Capitol Hill on June 10, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Senate Democrats want Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administration head Jovita Carranza to simplify the process of applying for loan forgiveness as part of the Paycheck Protection Program.
The senators urged a number of changes, including the creation of an easy-to-use form for smaller loans, a well-staffed hotline to offer help for those applying to the program, and a "suite" of online tools designed to help applicants. The senators also want the Treasury Department to issue guidance around safe harbor protection for lenders to borrowers requesting smaller loans.
"As the program enters its next phase and borrowers begin to seek forgiveness of their loans, there is an immediate need for significant improvements to the forgiveness application process, which is tremendously cumbersome and overly complex, especially for very small businesses, sole proprietors, and underserved borrowers," wrote Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., to Mnuchin and Carranza. The letter was signed by all 47 Senate Democrats and independents who caucus with Democrats. It was delivered Friday.
The senators expressed concern that the current form, which is 11 pages long, "is especially burdensome, time-consuming, and costly for very small and underserved businesses, including microbusinesses, sole proprietorships, rural, and minority-owned small businesses." They worried those businesses "will feel compelled to hire accountants and attorneys to complete the forgiveness form in a manner that provides comfort that the loans will be forgiven."
The program was initially rolled out in April, offering $349 billion to small businesses forced to shutter or curtail operations as the coronavirus spread. After those funds quickly ran out, the government replenished the program with an additional $310 billion. It offered companies forgivable loans provided a company maintains its employee compensation.
The loan was originally offered for eight weeks but was later extended to 24 weeks, along with other changes to the program that relaxed its guidelines.
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, more than 44 million workers have filed for unemployment.
As of early June, more than $120 billion of the additional $310 billion allotted to the program had yet to be used, sparking concern its design may be insufficient for the businesses it is intended for. The program has also gone through several rounds of guidance, causing some critics to deem it too confusing or daunting for prospective applicants.
The senators also urged that Treasury include a section in an updated, streamlined loan forgiveness form to collect data, including demographic information, to ensure that minority owners had sufficient access to the funds.


cnbc--2020-06-12--Trump suggests Lincoln's legacy is 'questionable,' brags about his own work for Black Americans

Members of the D.C. National Guard stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial monitoring demonstrators during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd , on June 2 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
President Donald Trump on Friday said that while President Abraham Lincoln — who freed Black people from slavery during the Civil War while also saving the Union — did some good , the `` end result '' of the 16th president 's actions are `` always questionable . ''
Trump 's bizarre comment about his fellow Republican came during an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in which the president said he has done more for the Black community than any other president , with the possible exception of Lincoln .
`` So , I think I 've done more for the Black community than any other president , and let 's take a pass on Abraham Lincoln , cause he did good , although it 's always questionable , '' Trump told Faulkner , who is Black .
`` You know , in other words , the end result , '' Trump continued .
Faulker then interrupted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free , Mr. President .
He did pretty well . ''
Trump replied : `` But we are free .
You understand what I mean .
So I 'm gon na take a pass on Abe , Honest Abe , as we call him . ''

Members of the D.C. National Guard stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial monitoring demonstrators during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 2, 2020 in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump on Friday said that while President Abraham Lincoln — who freed Black people from slavery during the Civil War while also saving the Union — did some good, the "end result" of the 16th president's actions are "always questionable."
Trump's bizarre comment about his fellow Republican came during an interview with Fox News' Harris Faulkner, in which the president said he has done more for the Black community than any other president, with the possible exception of Lincoln.
"So, I think I've done more for the Black community than any other president, and let's take a pass on Abraham Lincoln, cause he did good, although it's always questionable," Trump told Faulkner, who is Black.
"You know, in other words, the end result," Trump continued.
Faulker then interrupted Trump: "Well, we are free, Mr. President. He did pretty well."
Trump replied: "But we are free. You understand what I mean. So I'm gonna take a pass on Abe, Honest Abe, as we call him."


cnbc--2020-06-12--Hillary Clinton to Trump: Don't hold Tulsa campaign rally if you need coronavirus liability waiver

Hillary Clinton zinged President Donald Trump on Friday for requiring attendees at his planned rally in Oklahoma to waive their rights to sue his campaign if they catch the coronavirus at the event .
`` If your rallies come with a liability waiver , you should n't be holding them , '' Clinton tweeted .
The rally is scheduled for June 19 at 19,000-seat Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa .
The campaign rally will be Trump 's first since March 2 in North Carolina , just before the coronavirus pandemic began triggering lockdowns of businesses and social events in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the rally says , `` By clicking register below , you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present . ''
`` By attending the Rally , you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President , Inc. , '' as well as the rally site or organizers , `` liable for any illness or injury . ''
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Wednesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on health precautions for the event , `` we will ensure that everyone who goes is safe . ''

Hillary Clinton zinged President Donald Trump on Friday for requiring attendees at his planned rally in Oklahoma to waive their rights to sue his campaign if they catch the coronavirus at the event.
"If your rallies come with a liability waiver, you shouldn't be holding them," Clinton tweeted.
The rally is scheduled for June 19 at 19,000-seat Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa.
The campaign rally will be Trump's first since March 2 in North Carolina, just before the coronavirus pandemic began triggering lockdowns of businesses and social events in the United States.
Tweet
A registration form for the rally says, "By clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present."
"By attending the Rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.," as well as the rally site or organizers, "liable for any illness or injury."
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Wednesday that while she did not have specific information on health precautions for the event, "we will ensure that everyone who goes is safe."


cnbc--2020-06-12--Schumer slams Mnuchin for implying he won't disclose names of PPP recipients

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) speaks at a press conference June 09 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
Schumer and Sen. Mazie Hirono ( D-HI ) answered questions related to reforming law enforcement policies in the wake of the death of George Floyd .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer slammed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Friday for indicating the Trump administration may not disclose the names of those who received loans from the Paycheck Protection Program .
`` Given the many problems with the PPP program , it is imperative American taxpayers know if the money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the truly small and unbanked small business , '' said Schumer , a Democrat from New York .
`` The administration 's resistance to transparency is outrageous and only serves to raise further suspicions about how the funds are being distributed and who is actually benefiting . ''
Mnuchin , in testimony before the Senate Small Business Committee earlier this week , implied that the administration may not be disclosing the names of those who applied to the program , and the amount they requested .
`` As it relates to the names @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we believe that that 's proprietary information , '' he said .
`` And in many cases for sole proprietors and small businesses , is confidential information . ''
The Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration did n't immediately respond to a request for comment .
While the PPP is aimed at helping small businesses , more than 245 public companies applied for at least $ 905 million from the program , CNBC reported .
Many companies later refunded those loans after public criticism .
Disclosure around the funds aimed at coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since they began negotiating the more than $ 2 trillion CARES act aimed at helping businesses , states and individuals reeling from the pandemic .
President Donald Trump has pushed back against the authority of the inspector general supervising a $ 500 billion fund the Treasury oversees aimed at helping larger businesses , sparking similar outcry from Democrats .

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks at a press conference June 09, 2020 in Washington, DC. Schumer and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) answered questions related to reforming law enforcement policies in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer slammed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Friday for indicating the Trump administration may not disclose the names of those who received loans from the Paycheck Protection Program.
"Given the many problems with the PPP program, it is imperative American taxpayers know if the money is going where Congress intended — to the truly small and unbanked small business," said Schumer, a Democrat from New York.
"The administration's resistance to transparency is outrageous and only serves to raise further suspicions about how the funds are being distributed and who is actually benefiting."
Mnuchin, in testimony before the Senate Small Business Committee earlier this week, implied that the administration may not be disclosing the names of those who applied to the program, and the amount they requested.
"As it relates to the names and amounts of specific PPP loans, we believe that that's proprietary information," he said. "And in many cases for sole proprietors and small businesses, is confidential information."
The Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
While the PPP is aimed at helping small businesses, more than 245 public companies applied for at least $905 million from the program, CNBC reported. Many companies later refunded those loans after public criticism.
Disclosure around the funds aimed at coronavirus relief has been a touchstone for Democrats since they began negotiating the more than $2 trillion CARES act aimed at helping businesses, states and individuals reeling from the pandemic.
President Donald Trump has pushed back against the authority of the inspector general supervising a $500 billion fund the Treasury oversees aimed at helping larger businesses, sparking similar outcry from Democrats.


cnbc--2020-06-12--Trump says police chokeholds sound 'innocent' and 'perfect,' but he is open to banning them

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion with members of the faith community , law enforcement and small business at Gateway Church Dallas Campus in Dallas , Texas , U.S. , June 11 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump downplayed the danger of police chokeholds on Friday even as he suggested he could support banning the practice during a nationwide outcry against brutality .
In a Fox News interview , the president said that `` the concept of chokeholds sounds so innocent and so perfect '' in `` one-on-one '' struggles .
He added that it becomes `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if `` it 's two-on-one . ''
`` With that being said , it would be I think a very good thing that , generally speaking , it should be ended , '' Trump said .
Asked at what level of government a ban should take place , he said that `` in some cases '' the law could come from local officials , but the U.S. government could make `` very strong recommendations '' about the practice .
The killing of George Floyd , a 46-year-old unarmed Black man who died after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine minutes in Minneapolis last month , has sparked more than two weeks of demonstrations calling for officials to address police violence and systemic racism .
Floyd 's pleas of `` I ca n't breathe '' echoed the words of Eric Garner , a Black man killed in New York City when police held him in a banned chokehold in 2014 .

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion with members of the faith community, law enforcement and small business at Gateway Church Dallas Campus in Dallas, Texas, U.S., June 11, 2020.
President Donald Trump downplayed the danger of police chokeholds on Friday even as he suggested he could support banning the practice during a nationwide outcry against brutality.
In a Fox News interview, the president said that "the concept of chokeholds sounds so innocent and so perfect" in "one-on-one" struggles. He added that it becomes "a bit of a different story" if "it's two-on-one."
"With that being said, it would be I think a very good thing that, generally speaking, it should be ended," Trump said. Asked at what level of government a ban should take place, he said that "in some cases" the law could come from local officials, but the U.S. government could make "very strong recommendations" about the practice.
The killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed Black man who died after police knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis last month, has sparked more than two weeks of demonstrations calling for officials to address police violence and systemic racism. Floyd's pleas of "I can't breathe" echoed the words of Eric Garner, a Black man killed in New York City when police held him in a banned chokehold in 2014.


cnbc--2020-06-12--Ex-Trump advisor Michael Flynn faces skeptical appeals court

Michael Flynn , former U.S. national security adviser , exits federal court in Washington , D.C. , U.S. , on Monday , June 24 , 2019 .
A lawyer for former national security advisor Michael Flynn on Friday called his prosecution a `` travesty of justice , '' but a federal appeals court appeared skeptical of her request that it force a lower court judge to dismiss the case .
Sidney Powell , Flynn ' lawyer , told the appeals court that the case 's judge does not have the power to avoid granting the dismissal , as the Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn pleading guilty to lying to FBI agents about his conversations with a Russian diplomat before President Donald Trump was inaugurated .
Powell also said U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan lacks authority to ask an outside lawyer to make legal arguments against that request , as the judge has done .
`` It can not go on any longer , '' Powell told a three-judge panel at the U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington , D.C. '' There is nothing further for the court to do , '' she added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two hours , and was conducted over remote audio links due the coronavirus pandemic .
`` It 's a travesty of justice that this man has been dragged through '' a three-year court ordeal on a case that was `` absolutely concocted , '' Powell said of Flynn , a retired Army lieutenant general who briefly served as Trump 's first national security advisor .
But members of the appellate panel appeared skeptical that they should intervene in the case now , as Powell has asked , before Sullivan has actually ruled on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also questioned the idea that a federal judge does not have the power to either conduct an independent inquiry of prosecutors ' decision to drop a case , or to deny such a request .
One judge on the appeals panel asked several times why the appellate court could not just wait for Sullivan to rule on the dismissal request , and then review the case , if needed .
Sullivan has already proposed a hearing schedule for Flynn and the DOJ to argue their points .
Powell said that if the appeals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal district court in Washington on the dismissal motion , `` We would simply be delaying the inevitable . ''
She cited the already high legal costs for Flynn in fighting the case .
The Justice Department , in a bombshell and highly unusual motion , last month asked Sullivan to toss out the case , arguing that a review of the investigation found that Flynn should not have been questioned by the FBI or charged with lying to federal agents .
The department also said that potentially exculpatory evidence had been withheld @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had been on track to sentencing Flynn , so far has not granted the Justice Department 's request .
Instead , he appointed a former federal judge , the attorney John Gleeson , to make legal arguments for why the dismissal should not be granted .
Gleeson also was tasked with addressing the question of whether to hold Flynn in criminal contempt of court for having twice admitted under oath to criminal conduct that he now claims he did not commit .

Michael Flynn, former U.S. national security adviser, exits federal court in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, June 24, 2019.
A lawyer for former national security advisor Michael Flynn on Friday called his prosecution a "travesty of justice," but a federal appeals court appeared skeptical of her request that it force a lower court judge to dismiss the case.
Sidney Powell, Flynn' lawyer, told the appeals court that the case's judge does not have the power to avoid granting the dismissal, as the Justice Department has asked him to do despite Flynn pleading guilty to lying to FBI agents about his conversations with a Russian diplomat before President Donald Trump was inaugurated.
Powell also said U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan lacks authority to ask an outside lawyer to make legal arguments against that request, as the judge has done.
"It cannot go on any longer," Powell told a three-judge panel at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C.
"There is nothing further for the court to do," she added, during a hearing that lasted nearly two hours, and was conducted over remote audio links due the coronavirus pandemic.
"It's a travesty of justice that this man has been dragged through" a three-year court ordeal on a case that was "absolutely concocted," Powell said of Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general who briefly served as Trump's first national security advisor.
But members of the appellate panel appeared skeptical that they should intervene in the case now, as Powell has asked, before Sullivan has actually ruled on the dismissal request.
The appellate judge also questioned the idea that a federal judge does not have the power to either conduct an independent inquiry of prosecutors' decision to drop a case, or to deny such a request.
One judge on the appeals panel asked several times why the appellate court could not just wait for Sullivan to rule on the dismissal request, and then review the case, if needed.
Sullivan has already proposed a hearing schedule for Flynn and the DOJ to argue their points.
Powell said that if the appeals court allowed Sullivan to conduct hearings in federal district court in Washington on the dismissal motion, "We would simply be delaying the inevitable."
She cited the already high legal costs for Flynn in fighting the case.
The Justice Department, in a bombshell and highly unusual motion, last month asked Sullivan to toss out the case, arguing that a review of the investigation found that Flynn should not have been questioned by the FBI or charged with lying to federal agents. The department also said that potentially exculpatory evidence had been withheld from Flynn's lawyers.
Sullivan, who had been on track to sentencing Flynn, so far has not granted the Justice Department's request.
Instead, he appointed a former federal judge, the attorney John Gleeson, to make legal arguments for why the dismissal should not be granted.
Gleeson also was tasked with addressing the question of whether to hold Flynn in criminal contempt of court for having twice admitted under oath to criminal conduct that he now claims he did not commit.


cnbc--2020-06-13--Trump will address West Point graduates in person at ceremony reflecting coronavirus precautions

Cadets participate in the Class of 2019 Graduation Parade , May 24 , 2019 , at West Point , N.Y. , a day prior to Graduation .
Despite the coronavirus pandemic , the United States Military Academy at West Point on Saturday will graduate more than 1,000 cadets in an in-person ceremony , albeit one adapted with social distancing measures aimed at preventing transmission of the disease .
The altered ceremony for the Army 's newest second lieutenants will also mark President Donald Trump 's first graduation address at West Point .
At least 15 West Point cadets from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been brought back to campus for graduation , have reportedly tested positive for Covid-19 .
The U.S. Air Force Academy also held a socially distanced ceremony for graduating airmen and Space Force members on April 18 , nearly six weeks earlier than originally scheduled .
But the U.S .
Naval Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy held virtual graduation ceremonies in May .
Both events featured recorded commencement speeches .
Trump , who has pushed political leaders to lift their social distancing rules to revive the damaged U.S. economy , will appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ north of New York City , to deliver his address .
The ceremony defies New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo 's directive Sunday that outdoor graduations must not exceed 150 people , and that even those will only be permitted starting June 26 .
West Point , as a U.S. military facility , is not bound to those rules , the New York Daily News reported .
`` Saturday 's graduation is about these incredible cadets and their amazing accomplishments , and as the Commander-in-Chief , President Trump wants to celebrate that and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , '' White House spokesman Judd Deere said by email .
The U.S. Air Force Academy held a socially distanced ceremony for graduating airmen and Space Force members , nearly six weeks earlier than originally scheduled .
More than 381,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in New York , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .

Cadets participate in the Class of 2019 Graduation Parade, May 24, 2019, at West Point, N.Y., a day prior to Graduation.
WEST POINT, N.Y. — Less pomp, more circumstance.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the United States Military Academy at West Point on Saturday will graduate more than 1,000 cadets in an in-person ceremony, albeit one adapted with social distancing measures aimed at preventing transmission of the disease.
The altered ceremony for the Army's newest second lieutenants will also mark President Donald Trump's first graduation address at West Point.
At least 15 West Point cadets from the Class of 2020, whose members have been brought back to campus for graduation, have reportedly tested positive for Covid-19.
The U.S. Air Force Academy also held a socially distanced ceremony for graduating airmen and Space Force members on April 18, nearly six weeks earlier than originally scheduled.
But the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy held virtual graduation ceremonies in May. Both events featured recorded commencement speeches.
Trump, who has pushed political leaders to lift their social distancing rules to revive the damaged U.S. economy, will appear at West Point, about 50 miles north of New York City, to deliver his address.
The ceremony defies New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's directive Sunday that outdoor graduations must not exceed 150 people, and that even those will only be permitted starting June 26. West Point, as a U.S. military facility, is not bound to those rules, the New York Daily News reported.
"Saturday's graduation is about these incredible cadets and their amazing accomplishments, and as the Commander-in-Chief, President Trump wants to celebrate that and thank them for their service to our country," White House spokesman Judd Deere said by email.
The U.S. Air Force Academy held a socially distanced ceremony for graduating airmen and Space Force members, nearly six weeks earlier than originally scheduled.
More than 381,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in New York, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.


cnbc--2020-06-12--Trump impeachment prosecutors focused too 'narrowly' on Ukraine, John Bolton says in new book

US National Security Advisor John Bolton answers journalists questions after his meeting with Belarus President in Minsk on August 29 , 2019 .
WASHINGTON — Former national security advisor John Bolton will say in his forthcoming memoir that House Democrats who impeached President Donald Trump last year for withholding U.S. foreign aid to Ukraine were focused too narrowly on one country .
In reality , `` Ukraine-like transgressions existed across the full range '' of Trump 's foreign policy , Bolton writes in `` The Room Where It Happened : A White House Memoir . ''
The former national security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ transgressions ] were , and attempts by him and others in the Administration to raise alarms about them , '' according to a new promotional blurb from Bolton 's publisher , Simon & Schuster .
`` The Room Where it Happened '' is scheduled for release on June 23 , the publisher said Friday .
The memoir was originally scheduled for publication in March of this year but was held up for months awaiting clearance from the National Security Council , which has yet to fully sign off on it .
From @ @ @ @ @ @ @ astonished him : a President for whom getting reelected was the only thing that mattered , even if it meant endangering or weakening the nation . '
I am hard-pressed to identify any significant Trump decision during my tenure that was n't driven by reelection calculations . '
'' Bolton `` shows a President addicted to chaos , who embraced our enemies and spurned our friends , and was deeply suspicious of his own government ... who thought foreign policy is like closing a real estate deal — about personal relationships , made-for-TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
As a result of Trump 's selfish approach to foreign policy , Bolton argues in the book that , `` the U.S. lost an opportunity to confront its deepening threats , and in cases like China , Russia , Iran , and North Korea ended up in a more vulnerable place . ''
A spokesman for the National Security Council did not respond to a request for comment Friday from CNBC on the newly released details .
Simon & Schuster said Bolton worked `` in cooperation '' with the National Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The final , published version of this book reflects those changes , and Simon & Schuster is fully supportive of Ambassador Bolton 's First Amendment right to tell the story of his time in the Trump White House , '' said the publisher .
But the White House said earlier this month that it has not cleared the book for publication .
Bolton , however , has accused Trump and the administration of trying to quash the book under the pretext of national security reviews .
Friday 's announcement confirms that Bolton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move ahead with publication even without a formal sign-off .

US National Security Advisor John Bolton answers journalists questions after his meeting with Belarus President in Minsk on August 29, 2019.
WASHINGTON — Former national security advisor John Bolton will say in his forthcoming memoir that House Democrats who impeached President Donald Trump last year for withholding U.S. foreign aid to Ukraine were focused too narrowly on one country.
In reality, "Ukraine-like transgressions existed across the full range" of Trump's foreign policy, Bolton writes in "The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir."
The former national security advisor also "documents exactly what the [transgressions] were, and attempts by him and others in the Administration to raise alarms about them," according to a new promotional blurb from Bolton's publisher, Simon & Schuster.
"The Room Where it Happened" is scheduled for release on June 23, the publisher said Friday. The memoir was originally scheduled for publication in March of this year but was held up for months awaiting clearance from the National Security Council, which has yet to fully sign off on it.
From the publisher: "What Bolton saw astonished him: a President for whom getting reelected was the only thing that mattered, even if it meant endangering or weakening the nation. 'I am hard-pressed to identify any significant Trump decision during my tenure that wasn't driven by reelection calculations.'"
Bolton "shows a President addicted to chaos, who embraced our enemies and spurned our friends, and was deeply suspicious of his own government ... who thought foreign policy is like closing a real estate deal — about personal relationships, made-for-TV showmanship, and advancing his own interests."
As a result of Trump's selfish approach to foreign policy, Bolton argues in the book that, "the U.S. lost an opportunity to confront its deepening threats, and in cases like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea ended up in a more vulnerable place."
A spokesman for the National Security Council did not respond to a request for comment Friday from CNBC on the newly released details.
Simon & Schuster said Bolton worked "in cooperation" with the National Security Council to incorporate their recommended changes. "The final, published version of this book reflects those changes, and Simon & Schuster is fully supportive of Ambassador Bolton's First Amendment right to tell the story of his time in the Trump White House," said the publisher.
But the White House said earlier this month that it has not cleared the book for publication. Bolton, however, has accused Trump and the administration of trying to quash the book under the pretext of national security reviews. Friday's announcement confirms that Bolton and Simon & Schuster have decided to move ahead with publication even without a formal sign-off.


cnbc--2020-06-12--Trump should apologize for implying that an injured 75-year-old protester provoked cops in Buffalo,

Trump should apologize for implying that an injured 75-year-old protester provoked cops in Buffalo, Cuomo says

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ripped into President Donald Trump on Tuesday for tweeting the unsupported notion that an injured Buffalo , New York , protester was involved with antifa .
Early Tuesday Trump said the elderly man who had been pushed down by police officers while protesting against the death of unarmed black man George Floyd was part of the group .
`` Buffalo protester shoved by Police could be an ANTIFA provocateur .
75 year old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment , '' Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he fell harder than was pushed .
Was aiming scanner .
Could be a set up ?
The man , who has been identified by multiple news outlets as Martin Gugino , stood alone in front of an approaching line of police officers , video of the incident shows .
As he gestured to one of the cops , others yelled for him to move back , and two officers pushed him in the chest , knocking him over backward .
The video showed blood coming from the man 's head as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police did not immediately stop to help him .
`` If there was ever a reprehensible dumb comment — and from our president , '' Cuomo said in a press briefing Tuesday , slamming Trump for his statement on the injured protester .
`` He should apologize for that tweet .
Not a piece of proof .
Totally personally disparaging .
The man is still in the hospital .
Show some decency .
Show some humanity , '' Cuomo added .

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ripped into President Donald Trump on Tuesday for tweeting the unsupported notion that an injured Buffalo, New York, protester was involved with antifa.
Early Tuesday Trump said the elderly man who had been pushed down by police officers while protesting against the death of unarmed black man George Floyd was part of the group.
"Buffalo protester shoved by Police could be an ANTIFA provocateur. 75 year old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment," Trump tweeted. "@OANN I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?
Trump tweet
The man, who has been identified by multiple news outlets as Martin Gugino, stood alone in front of an approaching line of police officers, video of the incident shows. As he gestured to one of the cops, others yelled for him to move back, and two officers pushed him in the chest, knocking him over backward. The video showed blood coming from the man's head as he lay motionless on the ground. Police did not immediately stop to help him.
"If there was ever a reprehensible dumb comment — and from our president," Cuomo said in a press briefing Tuesday, slamming Trump for his statement on the injured protester.
"He should apologize for that tweet. Not a piece of proof. Totally personally disparaging. The man is still in the hospital. Show some decency. Show some humanity," Cuomo added.