cnbc--2020-03-03--Supreme Court looks likely to weaken Consumer Financial Protection Bureau but leave it standing

Kathy Kraninger , director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , prepares to testify at a House Financial Services Committee hearing titled `` Putting Consumers First ?
A Semi-Annual Review of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , '' in Rayburn Building on Thursday , March 7 , 2019 .
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court looked likely to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , but leave it standing , as the justices heard oral arguments Tuesday in a major business regulation case .
The case concerned whether the regulatory agency established in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its director .
Under the legislation that established the bureau , the head of the CFPB , who serves a five-year term , may only be removed by the president for `` inefficiency , neglect of duty , or malfeasance in office . ''
The justices sparred on Tuesday over whether that removal provision placed an unconstitutional burden on the president 's ability to exercise his executive power and , if so , whether the provision could be severed from the rest of the legislation while leaving the CFPB otherwise in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of June .
The top court upheld a similar for-cause removal standard for members of the FTC in the 1935 case Humphrey 's Executor v. United States and for independent counsels in the 1988 case Morrison v. Olson .
The bureau has come under sustained legal attack from conservatives since it was established nearly 10 years ago after being envisioned by Sen. Elizabeth Warren , a Democratic presidential candidate , while she was a professor at Harvard Law School .
The regulator oversees consumer financial markets like credit cards and home mortgages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to consumers through 2017 , but has sharply curtailed enforcement actions under President Donald Trump .
Chief Justice John Roberts , viewed as the swing justice in the case , largely avoided the question of severability and suggested that for-cause removal was n't that high a bar to meet .
`` Just take inefficiency , '' Roberts said .
`` The president might determine that a particular approach of the agency to consumer protection was not as efficient as another approach .
And I do n't know why you could n't say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' But Roberts did take aim at the agency 's funding , which largely comes from the Federal Reserve System rather than Congress , another element of the bureau 's independence which had come under scrutiny .
The CFPB case was being closely watched in part because of potential implications it could have for other independent agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission , the Securities and Exchange Commission and the National Labor Relations Board , particularly if Humphrey 's Executor were to be overturned .
It did not seem after arguments that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do so , however .
Justice Brett Kavanaugh , who wrote as a federal appeals court judge that he believed the agency director had too much independence , did not give any hints that his view had changed .
While sitting on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C .
Circuit , Kavanaugh once said that the director of the CFPB was , except for the president , the `` single most powerful official in the entire U.S. Government , at least when measured in terms of unilateral power . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ view that the for-cause removal provision could be stripped from the legislation without crippling the agency entirely .
Kavanaugh noted that the legislation that created the bureau included a clause that indicated that the rest of the law should remain standing if any part of it is found to be unconstitutional .
`` You mentioned we would be rewriting the Dodd-Frank act , '' Kavanaugh said to Kannon Shanmugam , a managing partner at the law firm Paul Weiss who argued for the elimination of the CFPB .
`` But would n't we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the severability clause ? ''
Shanmugam responded that the clause was `` boilerplate '' and that the legislation also described the CFPB as `` independent . ''
Justices Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito , conservatives who have expressed skepticism of the power of federal agencies , seemed particularly disposed to weakening or doing away with the CFPB .
Alito suggested the severability clauses like the one that Kavanaugh cited were not always dispositive , while Gorsuch griped about the potential for for-clause removal provisions applying to members of the Cabinet .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court-appointed defender of the CFPB , Paul Clement , a solicitor general under former President George W. Bush , grew testy , with Gorsuch warning the veteran Supreme Court attorney to `` avoid disparaging '' Solicitor General Noel Francisco , one of the two attorneys arguing for the other side .
Francisco argued in favor of abolishing the for-cause removal restriction but not for eliminating the entire CFPB .
The latter position was held by Seila Law , the California law firm that brought the case after it was targeted by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seila Law was represented in court by Shanmugam .
The court 's four liberals seemed inclined to side with the CFPB , which was defended by Clement as well as Douglas Letter , general counsel to the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives .
Justice Elena Kagan compared removal to a `` nuclear bomb , '' and said there were many mechanisms outside of removal with which a president could control an independent agency .
Letter later pursued the argument , noting that presidents have `` all sorts of ways that they influence agencies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation where a president convinces a Supreme Court justice to leave that post , '' he said .
Kagan seemed to direct some of her remarks at Roberts , with whom she sharply disagreed last term in a case over partisan political gerrymandering .
Roberts , writing for the court , wrote that such gerrymandering could not be resolved by federal courts but was instead better left to the political branches .
Discussing the for-cause removal provision , Kagan noted that `` this is a Constitution that does n't say anything about removal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for cause or at will or anything else . ''
`` Why do n't we just leave it to the political branches that actually know about these things ? ''
she wondered aloud .
Justice Sonia Sotomayor said that `` for over 200 years '' the court has waited for disputes between the president and a department head whom he or she wants to fire in order to resolve questions about removal standards .
Justice Stephen Breyer , for his part , bristled at the suggestion from Francisco that the court could eliminate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overturning Humphrey 's Executor because the 1935 case dealt with multimember commissions rather than single-director-led agencies .
Breyer acknowledged that such a standard was clear , but questioned its `` workability . ''
Ginsburg said that it appeared the president could be even more restrained by a multimember commission than by a single director .
`` It seems the president is hemmed in even more if , for every one of those people , he ca n't remove them at whim , '' she said .
`` I do n't understand why it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The case is Seila Law v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , No .
19-7 .

Kathy Kraninger, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, prepares to testify at a House Financial Services Committee hearing titled "Putting Consumers First? A Semi-Annual Review of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau," in Rayburn Building on Thursday, March 7, 2019.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court looked likely to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but leave it standing, as the justices heard oral arguments Tuesday in a major business regulation case.
The case concerned whether the regulatory agency established in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis was structured unconstitutionally by giving too much power to its director.
Under the legislation that established the bureau, the head of the CFPB, who serves a five-year term, may only be removed by the president for "inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office."
The justices sparred on Tuesday over whether that removal provision placed an unconstitutional burden on the president's ability to exercise his executive power and, if so, whether the provision could be severed from the rest of the legislation while leaving the CFPB otherwise in place. A decision is expected by the end of June.
The top court upheld a similar for-cause removal standard for members of the FTC in the 1935 case Humphrey's Executor v. United States and for independent counsels in the 1988 case Morrison v. Olson.
The bureau has come under sustained legal attack from conservatives since it was established nearly 10 years ago after being envisioned by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate, while she was a professor at Harvard Law School.
The regulator oversees consumer financial markets like credit cards and home mortgages. It returned nearly $12 billion to consumers through 2017, but has sharply curtailed enforcement actions under President Donald Trump.
Chief Justice John Roberts, viewed as the swing justice in the case, largely avoided the question of severability and suggested that for-cause removal wasn't that high a bar to meet.
"Just take inefficiency," Roberts said. "The president might determine that a particular approach of the agency to consumer protection was not as efficient as another approach. And I don't know why you couldn't say that that's a ground of efficiency."
But Roberts did take aim at the agency's funding, which largely comes from the Federal Reserve System rather than Congress, another element of the bureau's independence which had come under scrutiny.
The CFPB case was being closely watched in part because of potential implications it could have for other independent agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the National Labor Relations Board, particularly if Humphrey's Executor were to be overturned. It did not seem after arguments that a majority of the court was eager to do so, however.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who wrote as a federal appeals court judge that he believed the agency director had too much independence, did not give any hints that his view had changed. While sitting on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Kavanaugh once said that the director of the CFPB was, except for the president, the "single most powerful official in the entire U.S. Government, at least when measured in terms of unilateral power."
But Kavanaugh also seemed to maintain his view that the for-cause removal provision could be stripped from the legislation without crippling the agency entirely. Kavanaugh noted that the legislation that created the bureau included a clause that indicated that the rest of the law should remain standing if any part of it is found to be unconstitutional.
"You mentioned we would be rewriting the Dodd-Frank act," Kavanaugh said to Kannon Shanmugam, a managing partner at the law firm Paul Weiss who argued for the elimination of the CFPB. "But wouldn't we be rewriting it by ignoring the text of the severability clause?"
Shanmugam responded that the clause was "boilerplate" and that the legislation also described the CFPB as "independent."
Justices Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito, conservatives who have expressed skepticism of the power of federal agencies, seemed particularly disposed to weakening or doing away with the CFPB.
Alito suggested the severability clauses like the one that Kavanaugh cited were not always dispositive, while Gorsuch griped about the potential for for-clause removal provisions applying to members of the Cabinet.
At one point, Gorsuch's exchange with the court-appointed defender of the CFPB, Paul Clement, a solicitor general under former President George W. Bush, grew testy, with Gorsuch warning the veteran Supreme Court attorney to "avoid disparaging" Solicitor General Noel Francisco, one of the two attorneys arguing for the other side.
Francisco argued in favor of abolishing the for-cause removal restriction but not for eliminating the entire CFPB. The latter position was held by Seila Law, the California law firm that brought the case after it was targeted by the CFPB as part of an investigation. Seila Law was represented in court by Shanmugam.
The court's four liberals seemed inclined to side with the CFPB, which was defended by Clement as well as Douglas Letter, general counsel to the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.
Justice Elena Kagan compared removal to a "nuclear bomb," and said there were many mechanisms outside of removal with which a president could control an independent agency.
Letter later pursued the argument, noting that presidents have "all sorts of ways that they influence agencies."
"Sometimes you might have a situation where a president convinces a Supreme Court justice to leave that post," he said.
Kagan seemed to direct some of her remarks at Roberts, with whom she sharply disagreed last term in a case over partisan political gerrymandering. Roberts, writing for the court, wrote that such gerrymandering could not be resolved by federal courts but was instead better left to the political branches.
Discussing the for-cause removal provision, Kagan noted that "this is a Constitution that doesn't say anything about removal. It does not say anything about for cause or at will or anything else."
"Why don't we just leave it to the political branches that actually know about these things?" she wondered aloud.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg called the for-cause removal provision a "very modest restraint."
Justice Sonia Sotomayor said that "for over 200 years" the court has waited for disputes between the president and a department head whom he or she wants to fire in order to resolve questions about removal standards.
Justice Stephen Breyer, for his part, bristled at the suggestion from Francisco that the court could eliminate the CFPB's for-cause removal provision without overturning Humphrey's Executor because the 1935 case dealt with multimember commissions rather than single-director-led agencies.
Breyer acknowledged that such a standard was clear, but questioned its "workability."
Ginsburg said that it appeared the president could be even more restrained by a multimember commission than by a single director.
"It seems the president is hemmed in even more if, for every one of those people, he can't remove them at whim," she said. "I don't understand why it doesn't go the other way."
The case is Seila Law v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, No. 19-7.


cnbc--2020-03-03--Super Tuesday polls are opening: Here are the states holding 2020 Democratic primaries and what's at

Super Tuesday polls are opening: Here are the states holding 2020 Democratic primaries and what's at stake

Democratic presidential candidates former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-VT ) share a moment during the Democratic presidential primary debate in the Sullivan Arena at St. Anselm College on February 07 , 2020 in Manchester , New Hampshire .
The graphics below show the delegates up for grabs in each state , along with key characteristics including race and health-care coverage .
Here are the states voting Tuesday , in alphabetical order .
Polls started opening as early as 6 a.m. : Fourteen states and American Samoa hold presidential primaries on Super Tuesday .
The contests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than a third of the total available in the 2020 Democratic race .
If Democrats are hurtling toward a brawl between Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden for their presidential nomination , Tuesday will help to set them on that path .
After jumping out to an early delegate lead , the independent Sen. Sanders of Vermont hopes to pull in enough delegates to propel him to the majority needed to snag the nomination .
A big win in California , a 415-delegate jackpot where Sanders has comfortably led recent polls , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden hopes a few recent breaks will help him keep pace with Sanders .
A huge win in Saturday 's South Carolina primary brought him to 53 total pledged delegates , only seven short of Sanders .
He appears competitive in Texas , which awards the second most delegates on Tuesday with 228 , along with North Carolina and other Southern states .
By cutting into Sanders ' margins in key states , Biden could improve the odds that no candidate heads to the Democratic National Convention in July with a majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota dropped out of the 2020 race in the last two days and endorsed him — moves that could consolidate more of the votes for a candidate other than Sanders .
The Vermont senator brushed off the endorsements Monday night .
He told CNN he has fought the `` establishment , '' and it 's `` no surprise they do not want me to become president . ''
Another rival to Sanders and Biden will enter the fray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg , propelled by more than $ 500 million in personal spending , will appear on ballots for the first time .
The primaries will test his strategy of an ad bombardment across the country , particularly focused on Southern states .
While he may lop off chunks of Biden 's support , Bloomberg may not actually win any states .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also hopes to stack up delegates across the states , though she also may have a tough time prevailing in any individual states .
She is even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in her home state , which votes Tuesday .

Democratic presidential candidates former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) share a moment during the Democratic presidential primary debate in the Sullivan Arena at St. Anselm College on February 07, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire.
The graphics below show the delegates up for grabs in each state, along with key characteristics including race and health-care coverage.
Here are the states voting Tuesday, in alphabetical order. Polls started opening as early as 6 a.m.:
Fourteen states and American Samoa hold presidential primaries on Super Tuesday . The contests will award 1,344 national pledged delegates, more than a third of the total available in the 2020 Democratic race.
If Democrats are hurtling toward a brawl between Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden for their presidential nomination, Tuesday will help to set them on that path.
After jumping out to an early delegate lead, the independent Sen. Sanders of Vermont hopes to pull in enough delegates to propel him to the majority needed to snag the nomination. A big win in California, a 415-delegate jackpot where Sanders has comfortably led recent polls, would help to create some distance from Biden.
Biden hopes a few recent breaks will help him keep pace with Sanders. A huge win in Saturday's South Carolina primary brought him to 53 total pledged delegates, only seven short of Sanders. He appears competitive in Texas, which awards the second most delegates on Tuesday with 228, along with North Carolina and other Southern states.
By cutting into Sanders' margins in key states, Biden could improve the odds that no candidate heads to the Democratic National Convention in July with a majority of delegates. He got a boost when former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota dropped out of the 2020 race in the last two days and endorsed him — moves that could consolidate more of the votes for a candidate other than Sanders.
The Vermont senator brushed off the endorsements Monday night. He told CNN he has fought the "establishment," and it's "no surprise they do not want me to become president."
Another rival to Sanders and Biden will enter the fray Tuesday. Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, propelled by more than $500 million in personal spending, will appear on ballots for the first time.
The primaries will test his strategy of an ad bombardment across the country, particularly focused on Southern states. While he may lop off chunks of Biden's support, Bloomberg may not actually win any states.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also hopes to stack up delegates across the states, though she also may have a tough time prevailing in any individual states. She is even locked in a close race with Sanders in her home state, which votes Tuesday.
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cnbc--2020-03-03--5G technology will be a key part of the US Space Force mission, officials say

The 45th Space Wing successfully launches a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket for the U.S. Navy lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 July 9 , 2013 , Cape Canaveral Air Force Station , Fla. ORLANDO , Fla. — Air Force leadership stressed that the global race to develop 5G networks will be a crucial part of developing the military 's newest sister service branch dedicated to space .
`` We need to up our game in 5G , '' Will Roper , the Air Force 's acquisition head , explained Friday at the Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the edge of the internet of things , it 's going to have to be supported by more bandwidth , '' he said , adding that space-based communications will play a key role in connecting 5G devices .
`` It would be a shame that if something that is going to control most of the data moving from machine to machine commercializes first overseas , '' Roper added .
The Trump administration is working to isolate China 's Huawei , the world 's largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer , from developing a larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration has specifically worked to keep members of the `` five eyes '' intelligence-sharing group — the U.S. , U.K. , Canada , Australia and New Zealand — from working with Huawei .
In January , the Trump administration expressed disappointment after the U.K. announced it would allow Huawei to have limited access to some British 5G mobile networks .
The move has since sparked an aggressive U.S. campaign to deter allies from working with Huawei .
`` Our partnerships and our alliances and our friendships , we are about collaboration and cooperation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Lt. Gen. David Thompson , vice commander of the Pentagon 's newly minted U.S. Space Force , told CNBC on Friday when asked how the Department of Defense would compete against China .
`` 5G is as important to the future of the Space Force as it is to the Air Force , '' he added .
The commander of American air forces in Europe added emphasis to the military 's warnings about China and next-generation technology .
`` At the end of the day , I think we need to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do with 5G .
It 's something that globally we need to pay attention to because that 's a threat that frankly if you do n't pay attention to it you 're going to get yourself in a square corner , '' U.S. Air Force Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian told CNBC on Friday when asked about the budding tech race between the United States and China .
`` It 's a complex situation , and frankly I think it 's one that as we , the collective we , move forward on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5G because there are nuances , '' he added , on the sidelines of the Air Warfare Symposium .
Last month at the Munich Security Conference , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned nations against doing business with Huawei .
`` If you want to build a collective conscience of values and respect for human rights and the rest , do n't go near Huawei and instead , let 's internationalize and build something together that will be about freedom of information , '' Pelosi , D-Calif. , told an audience at the conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies : 'Do n't go near Huawei' Similarly , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the conference described Huawei and other Chinese state-backed tech companies as `` Trojan horses for Chinese intelligence . ''
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper also said in a speech at the conference that Beijing was carrying out a `` nefarious strategy '' through Huawei .

The 45th Space Wing successfully launches a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket for the U.S. Navy lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 July 9, 2013, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Air Force leadership stressed that the global race to develop 5G networks will be a crucial part of developing the military's newest sister service branch dedicated to space.
"We need to up our game in 5G," Will Roper, the Air Force's acquisition head, explained Friday at the Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida.
"As more autonomy moves to the edge of the internet of things, it's going to have to be supported by more bandwidth," he said, adding that space-based communications will play a key role in connecting 5G devices. "It would be a shame that if something that is going to control most of the data moving from machine to machine commercializes first overseas," Roper added.
The Trump administration is working to isolate China's Huawei, the world's largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer, from developing a larger foothold in U.S. partner countries. The administration has specifically worked to keep members of the "five eyes" intelligence-sharing group — the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand — from working with Huawei.
In January, the Trump administration expressed disappointment after the U.K. announced it would allow Huawei to have limited access to some British 5G mobile networks.
The move has since sparked an aggressive U.S. campaign to deter allies from working with Huawei.
"Our partnerships and our alliances and our friendships, we are about collaboration and cooperation, our adversaries are about coercion," Lt. Gen. David Thompson, vice commander of the Pentagon's newly minted U.S. Space Force, told CNBC on Friday when asked how the Department of Defense would compete against China.
"5G is as important to the future of the Space Force as it is to the Air Force," he added.
The commander of American air forces in Europe added emphasis to the military's warnings about China and next-generation technology.
"At the end of the day, I think we need to be clear-eyed that what the Chinese are trying to do with 5G. It's something that globally we need to pay attention to because that's a threat that frankly if you don't pay attention to it you're going to get yourself in a square corner," U.S. Air Force Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian told CNBC on Friday when asked about the budding tech race between the United States and China.
"It's a complex situation, and frankly I think it's one that as we, the collective we, move forward on this is going to require some education on 5G because there are nuances," he added, on the sidelines of the Air Warfare Symposium.
Last month at the Munich Security Conference, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned nations against doing business with Huawei.
"If you want to build a collective conscience of values and respect for human rights and the rest, don't go near Huawei and instead, let's internationalize and build something together that will be about freedom of information," Pelosi, D-Calif., told an audience at the conference.
Read more: Pelosi warns US allies: 'Don't go near Huawei'
Similarly, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the conference described Huawei and other Chinese state-backed tech companies as "Trojan horses for Chinese intelligence."
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper also said in a speech at the conference that Beijing was carrying out a "nefarious strategy" through Huawei.


cnbc--2020-03-03--Super Tuesday Senate primaries: Here's everything you need to know

WASHINGTON — With 1,344 pledged Democratic delegates up for grabs on Super Tuesday , most of the nation 's attention will be focused on the battle for the party 's presidential nomination .
But a Republican White House is n't the only thing on the line this November .
Republican control of the Senate is also up in the air , with the GOP defending 23 Senate seats , while Democrats are defending only 12 .
On Tuesday , the battle for three of those Senate seats will officially begin , in North Carolina , Alabama and Texas , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against those sitting senators in November .
Here 's what 's at stake in each race .
Incumbent Republican Sen. Thom Tillis has one of the lowest approval ratings of any GOP senator up for reelection , and Democrats consider his seat a prime pickup opportunity .
Tuesday 's primary is expected to answer the question of who will run against Tillis in November .
The powerful Washington-based Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee , or DSCC , is backing former state Sen. Cal Cunningham , a military veteran who is considered the most moderate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rival is state Sen. Erica Smith , who has staked out a more progressive platform .
An NBC/Marist poll released Sunday showed Cunningham winning support from 51 % of likely Democratic primary voters , while Smith got 18 % .
The race is also noteworthy because a group with ties to Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky paid $ 1 million for ads promoting Erica Smith .
The voice in the ads calls Smith `` one of us , '' strongly implying to viewers that the ads are being paid for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they 're a ploy by Republicans to boost the Democrat who they think Tillis would have the best chances of beating in November .
In a hypothetical general election matchup , the NBC/Marist poll showed Cunningham leading Tillis by 5 points , 48 % to 43 % .
Three Republicans are competing here for the chance to run against vulnerable Democratic Sen. Doug Jones , who is widely considered the most endangered senator up for reelection .
Tuesday 's primary contest pits former Alabama senator and Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuberville , a former Auburn University football coach .
If no one gets a 50 % majority on Tuesday , the top two finishers will face off later this month in a runoff .
With all three candidates polling close to one another , the race has the potential to be one of the most contentious primaries in the country , with all three candidates trying to run as close to Trump — who enjoys a 60 % approval rating in Alabama — as they can .
It is also a highly risky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of favor with Trump after he recused himself from Robert Mueller 's Russia investigation .
Sessions stepped down in 2018 , and Trump has not endorsed his Senate bid .
Prior to joining the Trump administration , Sessions represented Alabama in Congress for three decades , first in the House and then the Senate .
For Sessions , ending his political career with a loss in a primary runoff would surely tarnish his legacy .
If Tuberville comes out victorious , it could also pose fresh challenges for the Republican Senate majority .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Auburn in 2008 and has never run for public office before , so it 's unclear how he would handle the intense scrutiny that comes with a major Senate campaign .
Powerful Republican Sen. John Cornyn is also up for reelection in November , and on Tuesday , Democratic voters there will elect his challenger .
While not nearly as vulnerable as Tillis or Jones , Cornyn is running in a state that is shifting from solidly conservative , to , increasingly , a toss-up .
And just like in North Carolina , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a moderate Democrat who consistently leads in the polls : MJ Hegar , a former Air Force helicopter pilot and entrepreneur .
The DSCC 's decision to endorse Hegar in December sparked several of her challengers to accuse the Senate Democrats ' fundraising arm of ignoring more qualified candidates of color .
The Texas primary is also expected to result in a run-off , potentially offering one of Hegar 's challengers the opportunity to consolidate the opposition .

A woman casts her ballot during early voting for the California Democratic Primary in Los Angeles, California on March 2, 2020. Mark Ralston | AFP | Getty Images
WASHINGTON — With 1,344 pledged Democratic delegates up for grabs on Super Tuesday, most of the nation's attention will be focused on the battle for the party's presidential nomination. But a Republican White House isn't the only thing on the line this November. Republican control of the Senate is also up in the air, with the GOP defending 23 Senate seats, while Democrats are defending only 12. On Tuesday, the battle for three of those Senate seats will officially begin, in North Carolina, Alabama and Texas, where primary voters will pick challengers to run against those sitting senators in November. Here's what's at stake in each race.
North Carolina
Incumbent Republican Sen. Thom Tillis has one of the lowest approval ratings of any GOP senator up for reelection, and Democrats consider his seat a prime pickup opportunity. Tuesday's primary is expected to answer the question of who will run against Tillis in November. The powerful Washington-based Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, or DSCC, is backing former state Sen. Cal Cunningham, a military veteran who is considered the most moderate Democrat in the primary. His closest rival is state Sen. Erica Smith, who has staked out a more progressive platform. An NBC/Marist poll released Sunday showed Cunningham winning support from 51% of likely Democratic primary voters, while Smith got 18%. The race is also noteworthy because a group with ties to Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky paid $1 million for ads promoting Erica Smith. The voice in the ads calls Smith "one of us," strongly implying to viewers that the ads are being paid for by a Democratic group. In reality, they're a ploy by Republicans to boost the Democrat who they think Tillis would have the best chances of beating in November. In a hypothetical general election matchup, the NBC/Marist poll showed Cunningham leading Tillis by 5 points, 48% to 43%.
Alabama
Three Republicans are competing here for the chance to run against vulnerable Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, who is widely considered the most endangered senator up for reelection. Tuesday's primary contest pits former Alabama senator and Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions against Rep. Bradley Byrne and political newcomer Tommy Tuberville, a former Auburn University football coach. If no one gets a 50% majority on Tuesday, the top two finishers will face off later this month in a runoff.
Jeff Sessions campaigns at a Jefferson County GOP candidate pancake breakfast, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, in Birmingham, Ala. Vasha Hunt | AP
With all three candidates polling close to one another, the race has the potential to be one of the most contentious primaries in the country, with all three candidates trying to run as close to Trump — who enjoys a 60% approval rating in Alabama — as they can. It is also a highly risky venture for Sessions, who fell out of favor with Trump after he recused himself from Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Sessions stepped down in 2018, and Trump has not endorsed his Senate bid. Prior to joining the Trump administration, Sessions represented Alabama in Congress for three decades, first in the House and then the Senate. For Sessions, ending his political career with a loss in a primary runoff would surely tarnish his legacy. If Tuberville comes out victorious, it could also pose fresh challenges for the Republican Senate majority. Tuberville is an Arkansas native who left Auburn in 2008 and has never run for public office before, so it's unclear how he would handle the intense scrutiny that comes with a major Senate campaign.
Texas
Powerful Republican Sen. John Cornyn is also up for reelection in November, and on Tuesday, Democratic voters there will elect his challenger. While not nearly as vulnerable as Tillis or Jones, Cornyn is running in a state that is shifting from solidly conservative, to, increasingly, a toss-up. And just like in North Carolina, here again the powerful DSCC has endorsed a moderate Democrat who consistently leads in the polls: MJ Hegar, a former Air Force helicopter pilot and entrepreneur. The DSCC's decision to endorse Hegar in December sparked several of her challengers to accuse the Senate Democrats' fundraising arm of ignoring more qualified candidates of color. The Texas primary is also expected to result in a run-off, potentially offering one of Hegar's challengers the opportunity to consolidate the opposition.
Risky bets for the DSCC


cnbc--2020-03-03--Sen. Amy Klobuchar will drop out of the presidential race, endorse Joe Biden

Klobuchar tried to carve out space in the Democratic primary field by running on a more moderate platform than many of her rivals and touting her ability to appeal to Midwestern voters .
But the third-term senator from Minnesota struggled to gain a foothold in a crowded field despite a flash of early success .
Biden , like Klobuchar , has positioned himself as a pragmatic candidate suited for those uncomfortable with Sanders ' sweeping policy proposals .
It is unclear whether Klobuchar supporters would be more inclined to support Biden over alternatives such as Sanders , former New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Massachusetts — though her endorsement could push them in the direction of the former vice president .
The departure of Klobuchar , and former South Bend , Ind .
Mayor Pete Buttigieg a day earlier , leaves a chunk of the vote up for grabs across the 14 states holding primaries on Tuesday .
Klobuchar and Buttigieg 's presence in the race threatened to sap delegates from Biden , who narrowly trails Sen. Bernie Sanders in the national delegate race after four contests .
The Minnesota senator will join her soon-to-be former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support his bid for the nomination , a campaign spokesman confirmed .
Klobuchar will leave the race a day before her state holds its presidential primary .
Minnesota will award 75 national pledged delegates .
Sen. Amy Klobuchar will drop out of the 2020 Democratic presidential race on Monday and endorse former Vice President Joe Biden .
Democratic presidential candidates ( L-R ) former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-MN ) walk on stage prior to the Democratic presidential primary debate at the Charleston Gaillard Center on February 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Klobuchar focused on issues such as health care and climate change during her presidential bid .
As she tried to distance herself from her rivals in recent weeks , she criticized early frontrunner Sanders for his `` Medicare for All '' plan and Buttigieg for a lack of experience .
After a fifth-place finish in the Iowa caucus , Klobuchar rode a strong debate performance to third in the New Hampshire primary .
But she failed to replicate the success in the caucus in Nevada , a state with a more diverse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to gain traction with voters of color .
Indeed , she had another poor showing in the South Carolina primary , where black voters make up the majority of the Democratic electorate .
Only 1 % of black voters in the Palmetto State chose Klobuchar , according to exit polls .
After a sixth-place finish in Nevada , Klobuchar said her campaign `` exceeded expectations '' at every turn .
She argued she could offer a haven to voters in the middle of the ideological spectrum weary of President Donald Trump 's personality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst nightmare is that the people in the middle , the people who are tired of the mudslinging and the name calling , will have a place to call home this November and that has been our mission from the beginning , '' the senator said after a sixth-place finish in Nevada .
After Sanders ' win in Nevada , some Democrats called for White House hopefuls to drop out of the race so voters uncomfortable with the Vermont senator could coalesce around one alternative .
Klobuchar said she would not leave the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would I get out ? ''
Klobuchar narrowly leads recent polls in Minnesota over Sanders .
The Vermont senator will hold a rally in St. Paul on Monday night as he makes his final push in the state .
Minnesota has early voting , meaning thousands of people chose their preferred Democrat before Klobuchar left the race .
In a tweet Monday congratulating Klobuchar for running a `` strong , issues oriented campaign , '' Sanders said he hoped `` her supporters will join us in our fight to defeat Donald Trump in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For most of the primary , Klobuchar failed to keep up with the fundraising pace of the top Democratic candidates .
Sanders , in particular , enjoyed success with small-dollar donors .
She did get a boost after the New Hampshire debate , taking in more than $ 12 million in a week .
She bought television ads across multiple states holding primaries on this week 's Super Tuesday , when 14 states held nominating contests .
In January , The New York Times endorsed her for president , along with Warren , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes than Klobuchar did .
But Klobuchar ultimately failed to break into the top echelon of candidates in the vast majority of primary polls .
The senator faced criticism earlier in 2019 for reports that she mistreated Senate staff members .
She responded by saying she had `` high standards '' and was `` tough '' enough to deal with world leaders .

Klobuchar tried to carve out space in the Democratic primary field by running on a more moderate platform than many of her rivals and touting her ability to appeal to Midwestern voters. But the third-term senator from Minnesota struggled to gain a foothold in a crowded field despite a flash of early success.
Biden, like Klobuchar, has positioned himself as a pragmatic candidate suited for those uncomfortable with Sanders' sweeping policy proposals. It is unclear whether Klobuchar supporters would be more inclined to support Biden over alternatives such as Sanders, former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts — though her endorsement could push them in the direction of the former vice president.
The departure of Klobuchar, and former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg a day earlier , leaves a chunk of the vote up for grabs across the 14 states holding primaries on Tuesday. Klobuchar and Buttigieg's presence in the race threatened to sap delegates from Biden, who narrowly trails Sen. Bernie Sanders in the national delegate race after four contests.
The Minnesota senator will join her soon-to-be former rival at a rally in Dallas and support his bid for the nomination, a campaign spokesman confirmed. Klobuchar will leave the race a day before her state holds its presidential primary. Minnesota will award 75 national pledged delegates.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar will drop out of the 2020 Democratic presidential race on Monday and endorse former Vice President Joe Biden.
Democratic presidential candidates (L-R) former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) walk on stage prior to the Democratic presidential primary debate at the Charleston Gaillard Center on February 25, 2020 in Charleston, South Carolina.
Klobuchar focused on issues such as health care and climate change during her presidential bid. As she tried to distance herself from her rivals in recent weeks, she criticized early frontrunner Sanders for his "Medicare for All" plan and Buttigieg for a lack of experience.
After a fifth-place finish in the Iowa caucus, Klobuchar rode a strong debate performance to third in the New Hampshire primary. But she failed to replicate the success in the caucus in Nevada, a state with a more diverse electorate. Polls found Klobuchar generally struggled to gain traction with voters of color.
Indeed, she had another poor showing in the South Carolina primary, where black voters make up the majority of the Democratic electorate. Only 1% of black voters in the Palmetto State chose Klobuchar, according to exit polls.
After a sixth-place finish in Nevada, Klobuchar said her campaign "exceeded expectations" at every turn. She argued she could offer a haven to voters in the middle of the ideological spectrum weary of President Donald Trump's personality and policies.
"Donald Trump's worst nightmare is that the people in the middle, the people who are tired of the mudslinging and the name calling, will have a place to call home this November and that has been our mission from the beginning," the senator said after a sixth-place finish in Nevada.
After Sanders' win in Nevada, some Democrats called for White House hopefuls to drop out of the race so voters uncomfortable with the Vermont senator could coalesce around one alternative. Klobuchar said she would not leave the race then, asking, "Why would I get out?"
Klobuchar narrowly leads recent polls in Minnesota over Sanders. The Vermont senator will hold a rally in St. Paul on Monday night as he makes his final push in the state. Minnesota has early voting, meaning thousands of people chose their preferred Democrat before Klobuchar left the race.
In a tweet Monday congratulating Klobuchar for running a "strong, issues oriented campaign," Sanders said he hoped "her supporters will join us in our fight to defeat Donald Trump in November and win real change."
Bernie Sanders tweet
For most of the primary, Klobuchar failed to keep up with the fundraising pace of the top Democratic candidates. Sanders, in particular, enjoyed success with small-dollar donors.
She did get a boost after the New Hampshire debate, taking in more than $12 million in a week. She bought television ads across multiple states holding primaries on this week's Super Tuesday, when 14 states held nominating contests.
In January, The New York Times endorsed her for president, along with Warren, whose campaign called for more drastic policy changes than Klobuchar did.
But Klobuchar ultimately failed to break into the top echelon of candidates in the vast majority of primary polls.
The senator faced criticism earlier in 2019 for reports that she mistreated Senate staff members. She responded by saying she had "high standards" and was "tough" enough to deal with world leaders.
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cnbc--2020-03-03--White House places cap on Chinese state media employees in US following expulsion of WSJ reporters

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a signing ceremony for the U.S.-China `` phase-one '' trade agreement in Washington , D.C. , U.S. , on Wednesday , Jan. 15 , 2020 .
The reporters were expelled after outrage in China over an opinion piece printed in the Journal whose headline referred to China as `` the real sick man of Asia , '' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said during a news briefing on Feb. 19 .
The cap comes weeks after China revoked the press credentials of three Wall Street Journal reporters based in Beijing , a move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Today , we announced a personnel cap on Chinese government-controlled media organizations in the United States , '' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a tweet Monday .
`` We urge Beijing to respect freedom of expression and will continue to seek reciprocity across the bilateral relationship . ''
The Trump administration on Monday said it is imposing a cap on `` the number of Chinese citizens permitted to work '' for China 's major state-run media companies in the U.S. `` at any given time . ''
The move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Mao Zedong that China has expelled multiple journalists from one international news organization simultaneously , according to the Journal .
`` Our goal is reciprocity .
As we have done in other areas of the U.S.-China relationship , we seek to establish a long-overdue level playing field , '' Pompeo said in a statement to CNBC about the cap .
`` It is our hope that this action will spur Beijing to adopt a more fair and reciprocal approach to U.S. and other foreign press in China . ''
`` We urge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international commitments to respect freedom of expression , including for members of the press , '' Pompeo added .
The State Department cap will cut the number of Chinese nationals working for the state-run media companies in the United States to 100 employees down from 160 , according to the Wall Street Journal .
A State Department spokesperson told CNBC that the cap extends to five Chinese media entities : Xinhua News Agency , China Global Television Network , China Radio International , China Daily Distribution Corporation and Hai Tian Development USA .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ designated as foreign missions by the White House , meaning that none of the outlets will be regarded as an independent news organization in the country .
The move to impose a cap may escalate already-existing tensions between the United States and China , which come as the deadly coronavirus outbreak continues to spread globally .
China seemed unhappy with the move , according to a Foreign Ministry spokesperson who questioned the validity of the White House 's goal of `` reciprocity . ''
`` Now the US kicked off the game , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter early Tuesday .
— CNBC 's Amanda Macias and Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report .

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a signing ceremony for the U.S.-China "phase-one" trade agreement in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020.
The reporters were expelled after outrage in China over an opinion piece printed in the Journal whose headline referred to China as "the real sick man of Asia," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said during a news briefing on Feb. 19.
The cap comes weeks after China revoked the press credentials of three Wall Street Journal reporters based in Beijing, a move that sparked fury from White House officials .
"Today, we announced a personnel cap on Chinese government-controlled media organizations in the United States," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a tweet Monday. "We urge Beijing to respect freedom of expression and will continue to seek reciprocity across the bilateral relationship."
The Trump administration on Monday said it is imposing a cap on "the number of Chinese citizens permitted to work" for China's major state-run media companies in the U.S. "at any given time."
The move marked the first time since the era of Mao Zedong that China has expelled multiple journalists from one international news organization simultaneously, according to the Journal.
"Our goal is reciprocity. As we have done in other areas of the U.S.-China relationship, we seek to establish a long-overdue level playing field," Pompeo said in a statement to CNBC about the cap. "It is our hope that this action will spur Beijing to adopt a more fair and reciprocal approach to U.S. and other foreign press in China."
"We urge the Chinese government to immediately uphold its international commitments to respect freedom of expression, including for members of the press," Pompeo added.
The State Department cap will cut the number of Chinese nationals working for the state-run media companies in the United States to 100 employees down from 160, according to the Wall Street Journal.
A State Department spokesperson told CNBC that the cap extends to five Chinese media entities: Xinhua News Agency, China Global Television Network, China Radio International, China Daily Distribution Corporation and Hai Tian Development USA.
Last month, the Chinese outlets were designated as foreign missions by the White House, meaning that none of the outlets will be regarded as an independent news organization in the country.
The move to impose a cap may escalate already-existing tensions between the United States and China, which come as the deadly coronavirus outbreak continues to spread globally.
China seemed unhappy with the move, according to a Foreign Ministry spokesperson who questioned the validity of the White House's goal of "reciprocity."
"Now the US kicked off the game, let's play," she wrote on Twitter early Tuesday.
tweet
— CNBC's Amanda Macias and Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.