cnbc--2020-06-01--Judge in Michael Flynn case defends decision not to immediately drop criminal case

Gen. Michael Flynn , former national security adviser to US President Donald Trump , leaves Federal Court on December 1 , 2017 in Washington , DC .
Federal Judge Emmet Sullivan on Monday defended his refusal to immediately grant the Justice Department 's request to drop its case against President Donald Trump 's former national security advisor , Michael Flynn .
Sullivan should not be required to `` serve as a mere rubber stamp , '' his attorneys told a federal appeals court , which is being asked by Flynn 's lawyers to force Sullivan to grant the Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a lengthy brief that the appeals court should not `` short-circuit '' Sullivan 's evaluation of the Department of Justice 's motion to dismiss its charge against Flynn .
`` Mr. Flynn 's case has garnered considerable attention .
But that is no reason to resolve it outside the normal judicial process , '' lawyers for Sullivan said .
`` Because there is no reason for this Court to 'enter the fray now ' ... the petition should be denied . ''
The DOJ last month abruptly dropped its prosecution of Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court to lying to the FBI about his conversations with former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the weeks prior to Trump 's inauguration .
Rather than immediately grant the request , Sullivan has appointed retired Judge John Gleeson to make legal arguments on why the case should continue , and to analyze whether he should hold Flynn in criminal contempt for perjury for pleading guilty to a charge of which he now claims he is innocent .
`` It is unusual for a criminal defendant to claim innocence and move to withdraw his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he committed the crime , '' lawyers for Sullivan said in a 46-page court filing in the U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia .
`` It is unprecedented for an Acting U.S. Attorney to contradict the solemn representations that career prosecutors made time and again , and undermine the district court 's legal and factual findings , in moving on his own to dismiss the charge years after two different federal judges accepted the defendant 's plea , '' Sullivan 's lawyers wrote .
Flynn 's lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case and assign any future court proceedings to another judge .
A panel of judges on that bench ordered Sullivan to respond to Flynn 's request by Monday .
Flynn 's lawyer did not immediately respond to CNBC 's request for comment on Sullivan 's brief .
Attorneys for Sullivan , a U.S. District Court judge in Washington , D.C. , argued in the filing that it would be `` extraordinary '' and `` inappropriate '' for the appeals court to force his hand in Flynn 's case .
The brief argues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sullivan with a slew of `` substantial '' questions , including what he should do about Flynn 's multiple sworn statements `` where he repeatedly admitted to the crime and to the voluntariness of his guilty plea , only to now claim that he never lied to the government and was pressured and misled into pleading guilty ? ''
The Justice Department requested to dismiss Flynn 's case in May , arguing that the retired lieutenant general 's lie in his January 2017 interview with the FBI was not `` material '' to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Attorney General William Barr asked a U.S. attorney to review the DOJ 's handling of Flynn 's case .
Sullivan noted to the appeals court that this conclusion directly contradicted the DOJ 's previous claim that Flynn 's lie about his conversations with Kislyak was `` absolutely material . ''
The judge 's brief also defended his decision to appoint Gleeson to present counterarguments .
With Flynn and the Justice Department both requesting dismissal , `` Someone needs to fill the adversarial gap to ensure full consideration of the issues , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well positioned to do so , '' Sullivan 's lawyers said .

Gen. Michael Flynn, former national security adviser to US President Donald Trump, leaves Federal Court on December 1, 2017 in Washington, DC.
Federal Judge Emmet Sullivan on Monday defended his refusal to immediately grant the Justice Department's request to drop its case against President Donald Trump's former national security advisor, Michael Flynn.
Sullivan should not be required to "serve as a mere rubber stamp," his attorneys told a federal appeals court, which is being asked by Flynn's lawyers to force Sullivan to grant the Justice Department's request.
Sullivan's lawyers argued in a lengthy brief that the appeals court should not "short-circuit" Sullivan's evaluation of the Department of Justice's motion to dismiss its charge against Flynn.
"Mr. Flynn's case has garnered considerable attention. But that is no reason to resolve it outside the normal judicial process," lawyers for Sullivan said. "Because there is no reason for this Court to 'enter the fray now' ... the petition should be denied."
The DOJ last month abruptly dropped its prosecution of Flynn, who had repeatedly pleaded guilty in court to lying to the FBI about his conversations with former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the weeks prior to Trump's inauguration.
Rather than immediately grant the request, Sullivan has appointed retired Judge John Gleeson to make legal arguments on why the case should continue, and to analyze whether he should hold Flynn in criminal contempt for perjury for pleading guilty to a charge of which he now claims he is innocent.
"It is unusual for a criminal defendant to claim innocence and move to withdraw his guilty plea after repeatedly swearing under oath that he committed the crime," lawyers for Sullivan said in a 46-page court filing in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
"It is unprecedented for an Acting U.S. Attorney to contradict the solemn representations that career prosecutors made time and again, and undermine the district court's legal and factual findings, in moving on his own to dismiss the charge years after two different federal judges accepted the defendant's plea," Sullivan's lawyers wrote.
Flynn's lawyers had asked the appeals court to drop the case and assign any future court proceedings to another judge. A panel of judges on that bench ordered Sullivan to respond to Flynn's request by Monday.
Flynn's lawyer did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on Sullivan's brief.
Attorneys for Sullivan, a U.S. District Court judge in Washington, D.C., argued in the filing that it would be "extraordinary" and "inappropriate" for the appeals court to force his hand in Flynn's case.
The brief argues that the DOJ's sudden reversal presented Sullivan with a slew of "substantial" questions, including what he should do about Flynn's multiple sworn statements "where he repeatedly admitted to the crime and to the voluntariness of his guilty plea, only to now claim that he never lied to the government and was pressured and misled into pleading guilty?"
The Justice Department requested to dismiss Flynn's case in May, arguing that the retired lieutenant general's lie in his January 2017 interview with the FBI was not "material" to an ongoing investigation. That conclusion came after Attorney General William Barr asked a U.S. attorney to review the DOJ's handling of Flynn's case.
Sullivan noted to the appeals court that this conclusion directly contradicted the DOJ's previous claim that Flynn's lie about his conversations with Kislyak was "absolutely material."
The judge's brief also defended his decision to appoint Gleeson to present counterarguments.
With Flynn and the Justice Department both requesting dismissal, "Someone needs to fill the adversarial gap to ensure full consideration of the issues, and a former prosecutor and federal judge is well positioned to do so," Sullivan's lawyers said.


cnbc--2020-06-01--These 4 charts describe police violence in America

Protests over the death of George Floyd entered their seventh day on Monday as cities across the country imposed curfews and deployed police in riot gear to control demonstrators .
Floyd , a black man , was killed in police custody in Minneapolis one week ago .
Video taken by bystanders showed a white police officer kneeling on Floyd 's neck as the unarmed man lay handcuffed and cried out that he could not breathe .
The officer , Derek Chauvin , has been charged with murder .
The criminal complaint , issued on Friday , accuses Chauvin of having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight minutes and 46 seconds , including for nearly three minutes after Floyd was nonresponsive .
Chauvin and three other officers involved in the arrest have been fired .
The protests against police violence that have erupted across the country have mirrored those that followed the killing of Eric Garner in 2014 .
Garner , a black man , died after being choked by a white New York City police officer .
Garner 's plea , `` I ca n't breathe , '' became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracking police violence , though there have been efforts at the federal level to create one .
But data compiled by researchers have served as an important source of information about how often people in the United States are killed by police , and who is most likely to be killed .
Last year , more than 1,000 people were killed by police , according to Mapping Police Violence , one research group .
Black people were disproportionately among those killed , the group found .
Black people accounted for 24 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 13 % of the population .
Scientists have struggled to study whether racial bias is directly responsible for the disproportionate killing of black people , given limited data on the race of those with whom police regularly come into contact .
Mapping Police Violence , which says that it is able to track more than 90 % of killings in the U.S. , defines a police killing as any time someone dies as a result of `` being shot , beaten , restrained , intentionally hit by a police vehicle , pepper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by police officers , whether on-duty or off-duty . ''
The data from Mapping Police Violence is sourced from three databases — killedbypolice.net , fatalencounters.org and the U.S. Police Shootings Database — as well as original research focused on social media , obituaries , criminal records databases , police reports and other sources , according to the group .
Three charts below characterize violence attributed to police , while a fourth depicts attacks carried out against police .
American police forces killed three people per day in 2019 , for a total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far higher than in other wealthy western countries .
In comparison , The Guardian newspaper reported in 2015 that there was a total of 55 fatal police shootings in England and Wales between 1990 and 2014 .
Only 15 people were shot fatally by German police in 2010 and 2011 combined , the newspaper reported .
The U.S. population is about six times that of England and Wales , and four times that of Germany .
According to Mapping Police Violence data , December and January were the months with the most police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 110 people were killed by the police .
In January , the figure was 105 .
In February , the month with the fewest deaths , 80 people were killed by the police .
There were only 27 days in which no police killings were reported , according to the data .
Police killings per capita vary dramatically across America 's largest cities , the data shows .
The rate of police killings is highest in St. Louis , where police killed about 18 people per million residents annually between 2013 and 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate of police killings was the lowest , police killed about 1.3 people per million residents in those years .
St. Louis is also significant because of its proximity to the site of one of the police killings that was key in catalyzing the Black Lives Matter movement .
In 2014 , Michael Brown , a black 18-year-old , was shot by the white police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson , Mo.
, located about 10 miles outside St. Louis .
Wilson was not charged with a crime and a 2015 report by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions were not `` objectively unreasonable . ''
But Brown 's killing , and the phrase `` Hands up , do n't shoot ! ''
became symbols of the Black Lives Matter movement that developed over subsequent years .
Police are almost never charged after killings Despite the large number of police killings annually , police are almost never charged for excessive force violations .
Between 2013 and 2019 , 99 % of killings resulted in no charges , according to Mapping Police Violence .
Prosecutors are often wary of bringing charges against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtaining a conviction .
A doctrine known as `` qualified immunity '' protects police from prosecution in cases that do n't involve a `` clearly established '' violation of the law .
An investigation by Reuters published last month showed that , over the past three years , police won more than half of the excessive force suits in which they claimed qualified immunity , a sharp increase from prior periods .
Qualified immunity was `` making it easier for officers to kill or injure civilians with impunity , '' the news service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who announced the charges against Chauvin , acknowledged the difficulty of bringing charges against police officers in a press conference on Friday .
`` This is by far the fastest we 've ever charged a police officer , '' Freeman said .
Floyd 's family has called for charges to be brought against the other three officers involved in his arrest , and for Chauvin 's murder charge to be escalated from third degree to first degree , which would carry steeper penalties .

Protesters clash with police in Chicago, on May 30, 2020 during a protest against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while while being arrested and pinned to the ground by the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Jim Vondruska | NurPhoto | Getty Images
Protests over the death of George Floyd entered their seventh day on Monday as cities across the country imposed curfews and deployed police in riot gear to control demonstrators. Floyd, a black man, was killed in police custody in Minneapolis one week ago. Video taken by bystanders showed a white police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck as the unarmed man lay handcuffed and cried out that he could not breathe. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with murder. The criminal complaint, issued on Friday, accuses Chauvin of having his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, including for nearly three minutes after Floyd was nonresponsive.
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Chauvin and three other officers involved in the arrest have been fired. The protests against police violence that have erupted across the country have mirrored those that followed the killing of Eric Garner in 2014. Garner, a black man, died after being choked by a white New York City police officer. Garner's plea, "I can't breathe," became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement. No comprehensive official database exists for tracking police violence, though there have been efforts at the federal level to create one. But data compiled by researchers have served as an important source of information about how often people in the United States are killed by police, and who is most likely to be killed. Last year, more than 1,000 people were killed by police, according to Mapping Police Violence, one research group. Black people were disproportionately among those killed, the group found. Black people accounted for 24% of those killed, despite making up only about 13% of the population. Scientists have struggled to study whether racial bias is directly responsible for the disproportionate killing of black people, given limited data on the race of those with whom police regularly come into contact. Mapping Police Violence, which says that it is able to track more than 90% of killings in the U.S., defines a police killing as any time someone dies as a result of "being shot, beaten, restrained, intentionally hit by a police vehicle, pepper sprayed, tasered, or otherwise harmed by police officers, whether on-duty or off-duty."
watch now
The data from Mapping Police Violence is sourced from three databases — killedbypolice.net, fatalencounters.org and the U.S. Police Shootings Database — as well as original research focused on social media, obituaries, criminal records databases, police reports and other sources, according to the group. Three charts below characterize violence attributed to police, while a fourth depicts attacks carried out against police.
Police killed 3 people per day last year
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
American police forces killed three people per day in 2019, for a total of nearly 1,100 killings. Those numbers are far higher than in other wealthy western countries. In comparison, The Guardian newspaper reported in 2015 that there was a total of 55 fatal police shootings in England and Wales between 1990 and 2014. Only 15 people were shot fatally by German police in 2010 and 2011 combined, the newspaper reported. The U.S. population is about six times that of England and Wales, and four times that of Germany. According to Mapping Police Violence data, December and January were the months with the most police killings last year. In December, 110 people were killed by the police. In January, the figure was 105. In February, the month with the fewest deaths, 80 people were killed by the police. There were only 27 days in which no police killings were reported, according to the data.
Killings per capita vary across cities
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
Police killings per capita vary dramatically across America's largest cities, the data shows. The rate of police killings is highest in St. Louis, where police killed about 18 people per million residents annually between 2013 and 2019. In New York, where the rate of police killings was the lowest, police killed about 1.3 people per million residents in those years. St. Louis is also significant because of its proximity to the site of one of the police killings that was key in catalyzing the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2014, Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old, was shot by the white police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo., located about 10 miles outside St. Louis. Wilson was not charged with a crime and a 2015 report by the Department of Justice found that his actions were not "objectively unreasonable." But Brown's killing, and the phrase "Hands up, don't shoot!" became symbols of the Black Lives Matter movement that developed over subsequent years.
Police are almost never charged after killings
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
Despite the large number of police killings annually, police are almost never charged for excessive force violations. Between 2013 and 2019, 99% of killings resulted in no charges, according to Mapping Police Violence. Prosecutors are often wary of bringing charges against police because of the steep hurdles to obtaining a conviction. A doctrine known as "qualified immunity" also protects police from excessive force lawsuits in cases that don't involve a "clearly established" violation of the law. An investigation by Reuters published last month showed that, over the past three years, police won more than half of the excessive force suits in which they claimed qualified immunity, a sharp increase from prior periods. Qualified immunity was "making it easier for officers to kill or injure civilians with impunity," the news service reported. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, who announced the charges against Chauvin, acknowledged the difficulty of bringing charges against police officers in a press conference on Friday. "This is by far the fastest we've ever charged a police officer," Freeman said. Floyd's family has called for charges to be brought against the other three officers involved in his arrest, and for Chauvin's murder charge to be escalated from third degree to first degree, which would carry steeper penalties.
Dozens of police killed annually
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
Policing can be dangerous work. According to FBI data, 48 police officers were killed in the line of duty in 2019, with an additional 41 dying accidentally. The agency reported that 40 of the victim officers were white, seven were black, and one was Asian. -- Graphics by CNBC's John Schoen Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly characterized the protection afforded to police by the doctrine of qualified immunity.


cnbc--2020-06-01--Governors blast Trump: President's rhetoric on George Floyd protests is 'dangerous' and 'making it w

Governors blast Trump: President's rhetoric on George Floyd protests is 'dangerous' and 'making it worse'

Two Democratic governors fired back at President Donald Trump on Monday , accusing the president of `` inflammatory '' and `` dangerous '' rhetoric about protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody .
Illinois Gov .
Jay `` J.B. '' Pritzker directly challenged Trump during a conference call Monday morning with the nation 's governors , in which the president castigated many of them for what he called their `` weak '' response to the protests that have occurred since Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police .
`` I 've been extraordinarily concerned about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , '' Pritzker told Trump , according to a transcript of their exchange tweeted by New York Times reporter Katie Rogers .
`` It 's been inflammatory , and it 's not okay for that officer to choke George Floyd to death , '' Pritzker said .
Trump during the call had said : `` You have to dominate , if you do n't dominate you 're wasting your time .
They 're going to run over you , you 're going to look like a bunch of jerks , '' `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have to track people , you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you 'll never see this stuff again , '' the president said .
Pritzker noted that he had called out the Illinois National Guard and state police to deal with civil disturbances during protests over Floyd 's death .
`` But the rhetoric that 's coming out of the White House is making it worse , '' Pritzker said .
`` And I need to say that people are feeling real pain out there and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for calm and making sure that we 're addressing the concerns of legitimate peaceful protestors , '' Pritzker said during Monday 's call .
`` That will help us to bring order . ''
Trump dismissed Pritzker 's criticism by suggesting that the governor had failed to respond effectively to the coronavirus outbreak in Illinois .
`` OK , well thank you very much , J.B. , '' Trump replied .
`` I do n't like your rhetoric much either because I watched it with respect to the coronavirus I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I think you could 've done a much better job , frankly , '' the president said .
`` But that 's okay .
And you know , we do n't agree with each other . ''
Another Democratic governor , Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan , said in a statement after the call that Trump 's remarks during it were `` deeply disturbing . ''
`` Instead of offering support or leadership to bring down the temperature at protests , President Trump told governors to 'put it down ' or we would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` He said governors should 'dominate ' protesters , 'or you 'll look like a bunch of jerks , ' '' Whitmer said .
`` The president repeatedly and viciously attacked governors , who are doing everything they can to keep the peace while fighting a once-in-a-generation global pandemic . ''
`` The president 's dangerous comments should be gravely concerning to all Americans , because they send a clear signal that this administration is determined to sow the seeds of hatred and division , which I fear will only lead to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` We must reject this way of thinking .
This is a moment that calls for empathy , humanity , and unity . ''
`` I do n't know why Gov .
Whitmer would be dismayed at the president telling governors to do their job '' Kayleigh McEnany , White House spokeswoman , said when asked about Whitmer 's comments at Monday 's press briefing .
`` It is their responsibility to police their streets .
they have the police power ... they have quite clearly , many of them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pritzker last week had called Trump a `` racist , misognyist , homophobe '' after the president had tweeted `` when the looting starts , the shooting starts '' in response to the Floyd protests .
`` His tweets , his reaction , his failure to address the racism in America is stoking the flames in subtle and not so subtle ways , '' Pritzker said Friday .

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker Brian Cassella | Chicago Tribune | Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Two Democratic governors fired back at President Donald Trump on Monday, accusing the president of "inflammatory" and "dangerous" rhetoric about protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. Illinois Gov. Jay "J.B." Pritzker directly challenged Trump during a conference call Monday morning with the nation's governors, in which the president castigated many of them for what he called their "weak" response to the protests that have occurred since Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police. "I've been extraordinarily concerned about the rhetoric that's been used by you," Pritzker told Trump, according to a transcript of their exchange tweeted by New York Times reporter Katie Rogers.
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"It's been inflammatory, and it's not okay for that officer to choke George Floyd to death," Pritzker said. Trump during the call had said: "You have to dominate, if you don't dominate you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you, you're going to look like a bunch of jerks," "You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again," the president said. Pritzker noted that he had called out the Illinois National Guard and state police to deal with civil disturbances during protests over Floyd's death. "But the rhetoric that's coming out of the White House is making it worse," Pritzker said. Tweet "And I need to say that people are feeling real pain out there and we've got to have national leadership in calling for calm and making sure that we're addressing the concerns of legitimate peaceful protestors," Pritzker said during Monday's call. "That will help us to bring order." Trump dismissed Pritzker's criticism by suggesting that the governor had failed to respond effectively to the coronavirus outbreak in Illinois. "OK, well thank you very much, J.B.," Trump replied. "I don't like your rhetoric much either because I watched it with respect to the coronavirus I don't like your rhetoric much either." "I think you could've done a much better job, frankly," the president said. "But that's okay. And you know, we don't agree with each other."
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Another Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, said in a statement after the call that Trump's remarks during it were "deeply disturbing." "Instead of offering support or leadership to bring down the temperature at protests, President Trump told governors to 'put it down' or we would be 'overridden,'" she said. "He said governors should 'dominate' protesters, 'or you'll look like a bunch of jerks,'" Whitmer said. "The president repeatedly and viciously attacked governors, who are doing everything they can to keep the peace while fighting a once-in-a-generation global pandemic." "The president's dangerous comments should be gravely concerning to all Americans, because they send a clear signal that this administration is determined to sow the seeds of hatred and division, which I fear will only lead to more violence and destruction," Whitmer said. "We must reject this way of thinking. This is a moment that calls for empathy, humanity, and unity." "I don't know why Gov. Whitmer would be dismayed at the president telling governors to do their job" Kayleigh McEnany, White House spokeswoman, said when asked about Whitmer's comments at Monday's press briefing. "It is their responsibility to police their streets. they have the police power ... they have quite clearly, many of them, failed to do their job." Pritzker last week had called Trump a "racist, misognyist, homophobe" after the president had tweeted "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" in response to the Floyd protests. "His tweets, his reaction, his failure to address the racism in America is stoking the flames in subtle and not so subtle ways," Pritzker said Friday.


cnbc--2020-06-01--The GOP doesn't want more stimulus checks. How that could change

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) after a May 19 closed Senate Republican policy lunch meeting with President Donald Trump to discuss the response to the coronavirus outbreak .
The president is warming up to the idea .
Most Democrats are down .
But will Republicans get behind the idea of a second round of stimulus checks ?
The $ 1,200 cash payments sent out as part of the CARES Act are likely already long gone for many Americans struggling amid the pandemic .
Now , Republicans and Democrats are trying to figure out the best ways to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other relief measures dry up .
The Federal Reserve estimates the unemployment rate could spill over 30 % .
House Democrats passed a $ 3 trillion stimulus bill earlier this month that would have given $ 1,200 to each American who earned less than $ 75,000 a year .
President Donald Trump quickly called the legislation `` dead on arrival . ''
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , has called for a `` pause '' in new relief funding .
As a result , one writer for Forbes put the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Americans at around `` 0 % . ''
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Savings interest rates sink How to make your money work harder in the coronavirus crash These banks are offering coronavirus financial aid '' I think many Republicans are realizing that 'stimulus ' checks are poorly targeted and not stimulative , '' said Adam Mitchel , a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation .
The checks go to people who are still employed and do n't need the money , and are n't always spent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , Mitchel said .
In the first stimulus package `` there seemed to be a willingness to try just about anything and at any cost , '' he said .
`` Now that the initial frenzy has past , those initial ideas are being refined and thought through more clearly . ''
Instead of another round of stimulus checks , Republicans have rallied behind a proposal to cut payroll taxes .
Although such a move would leave some Americans with bigger paychecks , critics point out that it would fail to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the downturn .
Meanwhile , even some Democrats have voiced reservations about sending out another round of checks , saying that beefing up unemployment benefits would deliver more meaningful relief .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) after a May 19 closed Senate Republican policy lunch meeting with President Donald Trump to discuss the response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The president is warming up to the idea. Most Democrats are down. But will Republicans get behind the idea of a second round of stimulus checks?
The $1,200 cash payments sent out as part of the CARES Act are likely already long gone for many Americans struggling amid the pandemic. Now, Republicans and Democrats are trying to figure out the best ways to deliver more help as jobless levels soar and other relief measures dry up. The Federal Reserve estimates the unemployment rate could spill over 30%.
House Democrats passed a $3 trillion stimulus bill earlier this month that would have given $1,200 to each American who earned less than $75,000 a year.
President Donald Trump quickly called the legislation "dead on arrival." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has called for a "pause" in new relief funding. As a result, one writer for Forbes put the chances of another round of direct payments to Americans at around "0%."
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"I think many Republicans are realizing that 'stimulus' checks are poorly targeted and not stimulative," said Adam Mitchel, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation. The checks go to people who are still employed and don't need the money, and aren't always spent in a way that adds steam to the economy, Mitchel said.
In the first stimulus package "there seemed to be a willingness to try just about anything and at any cost," he said. "Now that the initial frenzy has past, those initial ideas are being refined and thought through more clearly."
Instead of another round of stimulus checks, Republicans have rallied behind a proposal to cut payroll taxes. Although such a move would leave some Americans with bigger paychecks, critics point out that it would fail to help those out of work and hardest hit by the downturn.
Meanwhile, even some Democrats have voiced reservations about sending out another round of checks, saying that beefing up unemployment benefits would deliver more meaningful relief.


cnbc--2020-06-01--Trump unloads on governors over George Floyd protests: 'Most of you are weak'

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump lashed out at governors during a teleconference Monday following days of mass protests over the police killing of an unarmed black man , George Floyd , in Minneapolis last week .
`` You have to dominate , if you do n't dominate you 're wasting your time .
They 're going to run over you , you 're going to look like a bunch of jerks , '' Trump admonished the governors , according to audio of the call first obtained by CBS News .
The president boasted that the nation 's capital `` was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're going to have it under much more control .
We 're going to pull in thousands of people . ''
Following a weekend of fires and looting , Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a citywide curfew on Monday beginning at 7 p.m. Trump repeatedly encouraged the governors to take a harder line with protesters , who have taken to the streets in dozens of U.S. cities to protest police brutality against black Americans .
The president 's harsh rhetoric on the protests , which originated in Minneapolis , stands in sharp contrast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yield to the demands of protesters to reopen their states ' economies amid the coronavirus pandemic .
`` You 've got to arrest people , you have to track people , you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you 'll never see this stuff again , '' Trump told the governors Monday .
At least one Democratic governor , Jay Pritzker of Illinois , pushed back against the president during the call , reportedly telling Trump his divisive rhetoric was n't helping the situation .
`` I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with respect to coronavirus .
You could 've done a much better job , '' Trump replied , according to The New York Times ' Nick Corasaniti .
CNBC reached out to the White House about the call in general and specifically about the exchange with Pritzker .
Attorney General Bill Barr also spoke to governors on the call , which was going on more than an hour after its 11 a.m. scheduled start time .
Barr reportedly told the governors `` we have to control the streets , '' and said this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that included the National Guard .
Governors in dozens of states have already mobilized state-based National Guard troops to help support local law enforcement .
For now , National Guard units are being used primarily to secure public buildings , assist with surveillance and protect paramedics and emergency responders , not to interact directly with protesters .
Later in the call , Trump also offered suggestions of how law enforcement should respond to aggressive protesters , saying , `` you 're allowed to fight back . ''
`` When they have bricks — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And they have bricks and rocks , big rocks , and they have other big things , and they throw them .
You know , you 're allowed to fight back , folks , '' Trump told the governors .
`` You do n't have to have a brick hit you in the face , and you do n't do anything about it .
You are allowed to fight back . ''
Turning to Barr , Trump said `` Bill , if a brick is thrown at somebody , and it hits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't hit them , your very tough , strong , powerful people are allowed to fight back against that guy .
And very strongly and powerfully . ''
Trump 's phone call Monday is only the latest example of the president angrily demanding more drastic actions be taken against the mass protests .
Over the weekend , as protests erupted across the nation , Trump blamed Democratic mayors and governors , the media , the anarchist movement antifa , presumed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and `` thugs '' for the protests that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not been seen in public since Saturday , when he attended the launch of a SpaceX rocket in Florida .
Trump did not make any public appearances on Sunday , and he has no events on his schedule Monday that are open to the press .
Biden spent Monday visiting with African American religious leaders in Wilmington , Delaware , to talk about the protests and the anger over police brutality .
Biden 's event , unlike Trump 's , was open to the press .
The former vice president is scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with several big city mayors that will also be open to media .
Massive protests sprang up across the country in the past week after Floyd , a 46-year-old unarmed black man , died in Minneapolis after being pinned to the ground by officer Derek Chauvin , who held his knee on Floyd 's neck for more than eight minutes .
Chauvin , whose confrontation with Floyd was captured on video , was fired from the police department and later was arrested on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter .
While the demonstrations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ erupted in numerous cities over the weekend as groups of protesters clashed with law enforcement officers .
At least 4,400 people have been arrested in connection with the protests , according to The Associated Press .

watch now
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump lashed out at governors during a teleconference Monday following days of mass protests over the police killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis last week. "You have to dominate, if you don't dominate you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you, you're going to look like a bunch of jerks," Trump admonished the governors, according to audio of the call first obtained by CBS News. CBS TWEET The president boasted that the nation's capital "was under very good control, but we're going to have it under much more control. We're going to pull in thousands of people."
Police stand by burning barricades in front of the White House during a protest against the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police in Washington, D.C. on May 31, 2020. Samuel Corum | AFP | Getty Images
Following a weekend of fires and looting, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a citywide curfew on Monday beginning at 7 p.m. Trump repeatedly encouraged the governors to take a harder line with protesters, who have taken to the streets in dozens of U.S. cities to protest police brutality against black Americans. The president's harsh rhetoric on the protests, which originated in Minneapolis, stands in sharp contrast to his recent call for governors to yield to the demands of protesters to reopen their states' economies amid the coronavirus pandemic. "You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again," Trump told the governors Monday. At least one Democratic governor, Jay Pritzker of Illinois, pushed back against the president during the call, reportedly telling Trump his divisive rhetoric wasn't helping the situation. "I don't like your rhetoric much either, especially with respect to coronavirus. You could've done a much better job," Trump replied, according to The New York Times' Nick Corasaniti.


cnbc--2020-06-01--Barack Obama applauds activists, condemns violence in blog post on George Floyd protests

Former U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally for Richard Cordray , Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio , in Cleveland , Ohio , U.S. , on Thursday , Sept. 13 , 2018 .
Former President Barack Obama on Monday offered advice to activists on how to turn the outrage over George Floyd 's death at the hands of a police officer into meaningful reform , while condemning the violence and destruction that has grown out of the protests .
Obama , who worked as a community organizer in Chicago before running for elected office , published a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reject feeling cynical about the importance of voting .
`` The bottom line is this : if we want to bring about real change , then the choice is n't between protest and politics .
We have to do both , '' Obama said .
The essay from President Donald Trump 's predecessor demonstrates a starkly different approach to the current president 's rhetoric in response to the crisis .
Trump has opted to share his thoughts on Twitter , rather than in a written speech or an Oval Office address , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committing violence and theft .
Massive protests sprang up across the country in the past week after Floyd , a 46-year-old unarmed black man , died in Minneapolis after being pinned to the ground by officer Derek Chauvin , who held his knee on Floyd 's neck for more than eight minutes .
Chauvin , whose conduct with Floyd was captured on video , was arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter .
While the demonstrations were largely peaceful , violence and looting erupted in numerous cities over the weekend as groups of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At least 4,400 people have been arrested in connection with the protests , according to the Associated Press .
In his blog post , Obama said the protests represent `` a genuine and legitimate frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States . ''
`` The overwhelming majority of participants have been peaceful , courageous , responsible , and inspiring .
They deserve our respect and support , not condemnation , '' Obama said .
But the former president criticized `` the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to violence in various forms , whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism '' for `` putting innocent people at risk , compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause . ''
He urged Americans not to make excuses for the violence : `` If we want our criminal justice system , and American society at large , to operate on a higher ethical code , then we have to model that code ourselves . ''
Obama , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 election , argued that reforming police departments can come through the ballot box .
He advocated for increased civic participation in state and local elections , and encouraged activists to craft specific demands to hold accountable leaders who might otherwise `` offer lip service to the cause and then fall back into business as usual '' once the protests have died down .
`` Yes , we should be fighting to make sure that we have a president , a Congress , a U.S. Justice Department , and a federal judiciary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about it , '' Obama said .
`` But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels . ''
The protests have made Obama `` hopeful '' amid the fear and uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic , he said .
`` If , going forward , we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful , sustained , and effective action , then this moment can be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long journey to live up to our highest ideals . ''

Former U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally for Richard Cordray, Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio, in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018.
Former President Barack Obama on Monday offered advice to activists on how to turn the outrage over George Floyd's death at the hands of a police officer into meaningful reform, while condemning the violence and destruction that has grown out of the protests.
Obama, who worked as a community organizer in Chicago before running for elected office, published a blog post on Medium urging activists to reject feeling cynical about the importance of voting.
"The bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn't between protest and politics. We have to do both," Obama said.
The essay from President Donald Trump's predecessor demonstrates a starkly different approach to the current president's rhetoric in response to the crisis. Trump has opted to share his thoughts on Twitter, rather than in a written speech or an Oval Office address, and has mostly trained his focus on those committing violence and theft.
TWEET Crossing State lines to incite violence is a FEDERAL CRIME! Liberal Governors and Mayors must get MUCH tougher or the Federal Government will step in and do what has to be done, and that includes using the unlimited power of our Military and many arrests. Thank you!
Massive protests sprang up across the country in the past week after Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, died in Minneapolis after being pinned to the ground by officer Derek Chauvin, who held his knee on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes.
Chauvin, whose conduct with Floyd was captured on video, was arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter.
While the demonstrations were largely peaceful, violence and looting erupted in numerous cities over the weekend as groups of protesters clashed with law enforcement officers. At least 4,400 people have been arrested in connection with the protests, according to the Associated Press.
In his blog post, Obama said the protests represent "a genuine and legitimate frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States."
"The overwhelming majority of participants have been peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring. They deserve our respect and support, not condemnation," Obama said.
But the former president criticized "the small minority of folks who've resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism" for "putting innocent people at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause."
He urged Americans not to make excuses for the violence: "If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves."
Obama, who has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, argued that reforming police departments can come through the ballot box. He advocated for increased civic participation in state and local elections, and encouraged activists to craft specific demands to hold accountable leaders who might otherwise "offer lip service to the cause and then fall back into business as usual" once the protests have died down.
"Yes, we should be fighting to make sure that we have a president, a Congress, a U.S. Justice Department, and a federal judiciary that actually recognize the ongoing, corrosive role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about it," Obama said. "But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels."
The protests have made Obama "hopeful" amid the fear and uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, he said.
"If, going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this moment can be a real turning point in our nation's long journey to live up to our highest ideals."


cnbc--2020-06-01--How Joe Biden's leading VP contenders stack up in the wake of protests over George Floyd's death

Joe Biden 's options for his running mate may have narrowed even further in the wake of mass protests across the country in reaction to the killing of George Floyd , who died as a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on the neck of the unarmed black man for nearly nine minutes .
As the Floyd protests continue five months ahead of Election Day and President Donald Trump 's response to the crisis comes under fire , political observers are now paying more attention to Biden 's potential running mate .
The protests have sparked a new wave of public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman to be vice president .
Biden has said he will make his choice by Aug. 1 .
He is ahead of Trump in a Real Clear Politics national polling average by close to 6 points .
Three of the women on Biden 's shortlist , Sens .
Amy Klobuchar , D-Minn. and Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , and Rep. Val Demings , D-Fla. , all have track records of working in or with law enforcement .
Political strategists say their past legal work could push them out the running to be Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D-Mass.
, on the other hand , has openly said she would agree to be Biden 's VP choice if he asked .
A Morning Consult poll shows voters believe she would give the apparent Democratic nominee the biggest boost with voters under 45 , and blacks and Hispanics .
Here is a look at these four top contenders to be Biden 's vice presidential pick : Klobuchar 's recent campaign for president in the 2020 Democratic primary was largely based on the platform that her moderate approach to governance would help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swing states that he won four years ago , such as Michigan and Wisconsin .
Still , her ability to appeal to Democrats and independents who backed Trump in those states may be overshadowed by her record as a Minnesota prosecutor before she made her way to the U.S. Senate in 2007 .
Klobuchar was the Hennepin County attorney , where she declined to bring cases against multiple police officers and instead pushed them to a grand jury .
That piece of her past , according to people close to her , may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming vice president .
`` It 's very bad and not good , '' an ally of Klobuchar 's who was recently pushing her to Biden 's team as the ideal choice , told CNBC .
`` The pickings are slim and this could push Val Demings up , '' this person noted , who declined to be named because these efforts have been made in private .
In a recent interview with MSNBC 's Andrea Mitchell , Klobuchar admitted that , in hindsight , she made a wrong choice not to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I think that was wrong now .
I think it would 've been much better , if I took the responsibility and looked at the cases and made the decision myself , '' she said , while later brushing off the idea that she is going to drop out of consideration for the VP slot , noting that it 's Biden 's decision to make .
That has n't stopped progressives from publicly calling on her to pull out of the running to be on the ticket with Biden , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clyburn , a black congressman from South Carolina and one of Biden 's most loyal supporters , appeared to pour cold water on Klobuchar getting picked in recent comments he made to reporters .
`` This is very tough timing for Amy Klobuchar , '' he said .
Harris was California 's attorney general before she was elected to the Senate in 2016 .
Her record came under fire as the state 's top law enforcer when she went against Biden and a plethora of other Democrats in the primary .
And political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutor may come under siege again in the wake of Floyd 's death .
`` She already had the scraping of her own record as attorney general during the presidential campaign .
What does it look like in the wake of this ? ''
Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh said .
`` She 's got some challenges with her own record as AG , too . ''
During a CNN primary debate last year , Rep. Tulsi Gabbard , D-Hawaii , took on Harris ' record as district attorney of San Francisco and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general 's office , including cases that went after people who were charged with marijuana possession .
Harris ' supporters , though , argue that she would be the best pick to appeal to the black community and women across the country , especially in the wake of Floyd 's death .
`` In my view , Biden will satisfy more of the Democratic base by choosing a black woman — energized women of all races and energized black men and women – than he does from a Midwest white woman , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Harris supporter .
Harris has also apparently been angling for the job in public .
She recently tweeted out a photo of Biden 's deceased son , Beau , in honoring the five year anniversary of his death .
Beau Biden and Harris were close friends .
She also went to a protest in front of the White House this weekend and has called Floyd 's death a `` public execution . ''
Following Floyd 's death , Demings , who was chief of the Orlando Police Department before she made it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an op-ed in The Washington Post calling for changes to hiring and recruiting police officers .
`` As a nation , we must conduct a serious review of hiring standards and practices , diversity , training , use-of-force policies , pay and benefits ( remember , you get what you pay for ) , early warning programs , and recruit training programs , '' she wrote last week .
Demings has publicly confirmed that she is on Biden 's VP short list .
Yet she has no experience running for president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she is chosen to be Biden 's running mate , Democrats still are n't likely to win Florida , a critical swing state that Trump and Biden are vying for .
`` Can she bring in Florida ?
Nobody can bring in Florida , '' Marsh said .
Demings will have her work cut out for her if she wants the electorate to get to know her .
A Morning Consult poll shows that voters believing she would be a net negative for Biden 's chances against Trump .
Three in 5 participants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard of or have no opinion of Demings .
She did serve as an impeachment manager for Trump 's Senate trial that ended in acquittal .
Warren has publicly reiterated that she would jump on the ticket with Biden if he asked her to be his vice president .
Since the protests erupted she has positioned herself as someone who is trying to unify , not just the Democratic Party , but the nation as a whole .
Warren was recently interviewed by the Color of Change , a nonprofit civil rights advocacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Hurricane Katrina .
`` We are past just protesting .
We have to make real change in this country .
And some of that is going to be on the legal side and some of it is going to be standing up and saying who we are as a people , '' she told the group 's president , Rashad Robinson .
Before the Floyd death , strategists observed that she had notably appeared to pivot on her `` Medicare for All '' platform , something she vehemently ran on when she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic primaries .
`` I think right now people want to see improvements in our health-care system , and that means strengthening the Affordable Care Act , '' Warren recently told students at the University of Chicago 's Institute of Politics , according to Politico .
The move suggests that she 's willing to ditch her original stance and instead broaden her appeal to moderate voters .
`` It 's clear she would love to be picked and she 's running for vice president as she did for president , '' Marsh said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All ' shows she can be a team player . ''
Representatives for Biden and all the potential VP nominees named in this story did not return requests for comment .

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden wears a protective face mask as he arrives to visit the Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. June 1, 2020. REUTERS/Jim Bourg Jim Bourg | Reuters
Joe Biden's options for his running mate may have narrowed even further in the wake of mass protests across the country in reaction to the killing of George Floyd, who died as a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on the neck of the unarmed black man for nearly nine minutes. As the Floyd protests continue five months ahead of Election Day and President Donald Trump's response to the crisis comes under fire, political observers are now paying more attention to Biden's potential running mate. The protests have sparked a new wave of public lobbying for Biden to pick a black woman to be vice president. Biden has said he will make his choice by Aug. 1. He is ahead of Trump in a Real Clear Politics national polling average by close to 6 points. Three of the women on Biden's shortlist, Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. and Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., all have track records of working in or with law enforcement. Political strategists say their past legal work could push them out the running to be Biden's vice president. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on the other hand, has openly said she would agree to be Biden's VP choice if he asked. A Morning Consult poll shows voters believe she would give the apparent Democratic nominee the biggest boost with voters under 45, and blacks and Hispanics. Here is a look at these four top contenders to be Biden's vice presidential pick:
Sen. Amy Klobuchar
Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks into the microphone as his former rival for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Amy Klobuchar, endorses him during a campaign event in Dallas, Texas, U.S., March 2, 2020. Eric Thayer | Reuters
Klobuchar's recent campaign for president in the 2020 Democratic primary was largely based on the platform that her moderate approach to governance would help her party overtake Trump in key Midwest swing states that he won four years ago, such as Michigan and Wisconsin. Still, her ability to appeal to Democrats and independents who backed Trump in those states may be overshadowed by her record as a Minnesota prosecutor before she made her way to the U.S. Senate in 2007. Klobuchar was the Hennepin County attorney, where she declined to bring cases against multiple police officers and instead pushed them to a grand jury. That piece of her past, according to people close to her, may have all but ended her chances of becoming vice president. "It's very bad and not good," an ally of Klobuchar's who was recently pushing her to Biden's team as the ideal choice, told CNBC. "The pickings are slim and this could push Val Demings up," this person noted, who declined to be named because these efforts have been made in private. In a recent interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell, Klobuchar admitted that, in hindsight, she made a wrong choice not to take on those cases herself as a prosecutor. "I think that was wrong now. I think it would've been much better, if I took the responsibility and looked at the cases and made the decision myself," she said, while later brushing off the idea that she is going to drop out of consideration for the VP slot, noting that it's Biden's decision to make. That hasn't stopped progressives from publicly calling on her to pull out of the running to be on the ticket with Biden, including the liberal organization MoveOn. Rep. James Clyburn, a black congressman from South Carolina and one of Biden's most loyal supporters, appeared to pour cold water on Klobuchar getting picked in recent comments he made to reporters. "This is very tough timing for Amy Klobuchar," he said.
Sen. Kamala Harris
Democratic presidential candidate , U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) speaks during the Nevada Democrats' "First in the West" event at Bellagio Resort & Casino on November 17, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. David Becker/Getty Images
Harris was California's attorney general before she was elected to the Senate in 2016. Her record came under fire as the state's top law enforcer when she went against Biden and a plethora of other Democrats in the primary. And political strategists believe that her record as a prosecutor may come under siege again in the wake of Floyd's death. "She already had the scraping of her own record as attorney general during the presidential campaign. What does it look like in the wake of this?" Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh said. "She's got some challenges with her own record as AG, too." During a CNN primary debate last year, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, took on Harris' record as district attorney of San Francisco and later the leader of the state attorney general's office, including cases that went after people who were charged with marijuana possession. Harris' supporters, though, argue that she would be the best pick to appeal to the black community and women across the country, especially in the wake of Floyd's death. "In my view, Biden will satisfy more of the Democratic base by choosing a black woman — energized women of all races and energized black men and women – than he does from a Midwest white woman," said Julie Zebrak, a political fundraiser and Harris supporter. Harris has also apparently been angling for the job in public. She recently tweeted out a photo of Biden's deceased son, Beau, in honoring the five year anniversary of his death. Beau Biden and Harris were close friends. She also went to a protest in front of the White House this weekend and has called Floyd's death a "public execution." Tweet
Rep. Val Demings
In this screenshot taken from a Senate Television webcast, Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) answers a question from a senator during impeachment proceedings in the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol on January 30, 2020 in Washington, DC. Senate Television via Getty Images
Following Floyd's death, Demings, who was chief of the Orlando Police Department before she made it to Congress in 2017, came out with an op-ed in The Washington Post calling for changes to hiring and recruiting police officers. "As a nation, we must conduct a serious review of hiring standards and practices, diversity, training, use-of-force policies, pay and benefits (remember, you get what you pay for), early warning programs, and recruit training programs," she wrote last week. Demings has publicly confirmed that she is on Biden's VP short list. Yet she has no experience running for president, and some strategists argue that even if she is chosen to be Biden's running mate, Democrats still aren't likely to win Florida, a critical swing state that Trump and Biden are vying for. "Can she bring in Florida? Nobody can bring in Florida," Marsh said. Demings will have her work cut out for her if she wants the electorate to get to know her. A Morning Consult poll shows that voters believing she would be a net negative for Biden's chances against Trump. Three in 5 participants of that survey say they've never heard of or have no opinion of Demings. She did serve as an impeachment manager for Trump's Senate trial that ended in acquittal.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Democratic 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks at a campaign Get Out the Vote Event in Charleston, South Carolina, on Feb. 26, 2020. Brian Snyder | Reuters
Warren has publicly reiterated that she would jump on the ticket with Biden if he asked her to be his vice president. Since the protests erupted she has positioned herself as someone who is trying to unify, not just the Democratic Party, but the nation as a whole. Warren was recently interviewed by the Color of Change, a nonprofit civil rights advocacy organization that was formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. "We are past just protesting. We have to make real change in this country. And some of that is going to be on the legal side and some of it is going to be standing up and saying who we are as a people," she told the group's president, Rashad Robinson. Tweet Before the Floyd death, strategists observed that she had notably appeared to pivot on her "Medicare for All" platform, something she vehemently ran on when she was trying to overtake Biden in the Democratic primaries. "I think right now people want to see improvements in our health-care system, and that means strengthening the Affordable Care Act," Warren recently told students at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics, according to Politico. The move suggests that she's willing to ditch her original stance and instead broaden her appeal to moderate voters. "It's clear she would love to be picked and she's running for vice president as she did for president," Marsh said. "Her clarification on 'Medicare for All' shows she can be a team player." Representatives for Biden and all the potential VP nominees named in this story did not return requests for comment.


cnbc--2020-06-01--Supreme Court hands hedge fund loss, rules Puerto Rico financial oversight board is legal

( L-R ) Natalie Jaresko Executive Director of for the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico , Noel Zamot Revitalization Coordinator for the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico and Angel Perez Otero Mayor of the City of Guaynabo at the House Natural Resources Committee Hearing on Examining Challenges in Puerto Rico 's Recovery efforts on Capital Hill on November 7 , 2017 in Washington , DC .
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled unanimously that appointments to Puerto Rico 's financial oversight board were lawful , finding that its members exercise `` primarily local powers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Senate under the Constitution .
The case was brought by a hedge fund run by the investor Marc Brodsky and a local Puerto Rico labor union whose arguments that Puerto Rico 's financial oversight board was improperly constituted threatened to disrupt more than $ 100 billion in debt restructuring proceedings that the panel has carried out since it was established in 2016 .
Congress created the Financial Oversight and Management Board to address a fiscal crisis on the island that was exacerbated the following year by Hurricanes Maria and Irma , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure .
Aurelius Investment , an owner of Puerto Rico 's debt , and UTIER , the workers union , alleged that appointments to the seven-member board were made unconstitutionally by President Barack Obama .
They argued that the members of the board are federal officials who must be confirmed by the Senate under the Constitution 's Appointments Clause .
The oversight board , backed by the Trump administration 's Department of Justice , countered that the board members are local officers and therefore do not require Senate confirmation .
Justice Stephen Breyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court , wrote that some of the board 's actions `` of course , may have nationwide consequences . ''
`` But the same can be said of many actions taken by many Governors or other local officials .
Taking actions with nationwide consequences does not automatically transform a local official into an 'Officer of the United States , ' '' he wrote .
Breyer said that the law that established the oversight board gave it `` a structure , a set of duties , and related powers all of which are consistent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the local Puerto Rican government .
`` In short , the Board possesses considerable power — including the authority to substitute its own judgment for the considered judgment of the Governor and other elected officials .
But this power primarily concerns local matters , '' Breyer wrote .
A federal appeals court sided against the board last year , but refused to erase its past actions on the basis that doing otherwise would have `` negative consequences for the many , if not thousands , of innocent third parties . ''
Following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent nominations of members of the board to the Senate .
Ahead of Monday 's ruling , those nominations remained under consideration .
Attorneys for Aurelius Investment , UTIER and the oversight board did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
The case is Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico v. Aurelius Investment , No .
18-1334 .

(L-R) Natalie Jaresko Executive Director of for the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico ,Noel Zamot Revitalization Coordinator for the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico and Angel Perez Otero Mayor of the City of Guaynabo at the House Natural Resources Committee Hearing on Examining Challenges in Puerto Rico's Recovery efforts on Capital Hill on November 7, 2017 in Washington, DC.
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled unanimously that appointments to Puerto Rico's financial oversight board were lawful, finding that its members exercise "primarily local powers" and therefore do not require confirmation by the Senate under the Constitution.
The case was brought by a hedge fund run by the investor Mark Brodsky and a local Puerto Rico labor union whose arguments that Puerto Rico's financial oversight board was improperly constituted threatened to disrupt more than $100 billion in debt restructuring proceedings that the panel has carried out since it was established in 2016.
Congress created the Financial Oversight and Management Board to address a fiscal crisis on the island that was exacerbated the following year by Hurricanes Maria and Irma, which destroyed much of Puerto Rico's infrastructure.
Aurelius Capital Management, an owner of Puerto Rico's debt, and UTIER, the workers union, alleged that appointments to the seven-member board were made unconstitutionally by President Barack Obama.
They argued that the members of the board are federal officials who must be confirmed by the Senate under the Constitution's Appointments Clause.
The oversight board, backed by the Trump administration's Department of Justice, countered that the board members are local officers and therefore do not require Senate confirmation.
Justice Stephen Breyer, who authored the opinion of the court, wrote that some of the board's actions "of course, may have nationwide consequences."
"But the same can be said of many actions taken by many Governors or other local officials. Taking actions with nationwide consequences does not automatically transform a local official into an 'Officer of the United States,'" he wrote.
Breyer said that the law that established the oversight board gave it "a structure, a set of duties, and related powers all of which are consistent" with making the board a part of the local Puerto Rican government.
"In short, the Board possesses considerable power — including the authority to substitute its own judgment for the considered judgment of the Governor and other elected officials. But this power primarily concerns local matters," Breyer wrote.
A federal appeals court sided against the board last year, but refused to erase its past actions on the basis that doing otherwise would have "negative consequences for the many, if not thousands, of innocent third parties."
Following the ruling, President Donald Trump officially sent nominations of members of the board to the Senate. Ahead of Monday's ruling, those nominations remained under consideration.
Attorneys for Aurelius Capital Management, UTIER and the oversight board did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The case is Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico v. Aurelius Investment, No. 18-1334.


cnbc--2020-06-01--China reportedly says Trump's plan to sever ties with WHO shows U.S. has become 'addicted to quittin

China reportedly says Trump's plan to sever ties with WHO shows U.S. has become 'addicted to quitting'

China 's foreign ministry has accused the U.S. of selfishly pursuing unilateralism , Reuters reported on Monday , following President Donald Trump 's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization .
Speaking during a daily briefing , China 's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters that the response from the international community had shown many disagree with the move .
`` The U.S. has become addicted to quitting groups and scrapping treaties , '' Zhao said , according to a Reuters report .
Trump on Friday had accused the WHO of becoming a puppet of China , claiming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Nations health agency .
The WHO has denied the U.S. president 's claim that it promoted so-called `` disinformation '' about the outbreak .
It has also described the U.S. decision to withdraw from the group in the midst of a pandemic as `` disappointing '' and `` inexplicable . ''
The European Union has since called on the U.S. to reconsider its position , saying the participation of all members in the UN health agency is required and `` very much needed . ''
To date , more than 6.1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globe , with 372,479 deaths , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
The U.S. has recorded by far the highest number of Covid-19 infections worldwide , surpassing the grim milestone of 100,000 deaths last week .
Trump 's decision to pull out of the WHO came after he warned the U.S would move to halt funding unless substantive changes were made within 30 days .
On Friday , he said the WHO had failed to meet the `` greatly needed '' requirements set out in his ultimatum .
The U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to the coronavirus pandemic , with the outbreak also a source of intensifying tension between Washington and Beijing .
Since his inauguration in January of 2017 , Trump has espoused the need for his administration to take an `` America First '' approach to foreign policy .
He has now pulled out of an international pact to tackle the climate emergency , the Iran nuclear deal , the cultural agency UNESCO , the UN Human Rights Council , the Open Skies Treaty and the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces , or INF , Treaty @ @ @

President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the start of their bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. Kevin Lemarque | Reuters
China's foreign ministry has accused the U.S. of selfishly pursuing unilateralism, Reuters reported on Monday, following President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization. Speaking during a daily briefing, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters that the response from the international community had shown many disagree with the move. "The U.S. has become addicted to quitting groups and scrapping treaties," Zhao said, according to a Reuters report.
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Trump on Friday had accused the WHO of becoming a puppet of China, claiming Beijing exercised "total control" over the United Nations health agency. The WHO has denied the U.S. president's claim that it promoted so-called "disinformation" about the outbreak. It has also described the U.S. decision to withdraw from the group in the midst of a pandemic as "disappointing" and "inexplicable." The European Union has since called on the U.S. to reconsider its position, saying the participation of all members in the UN health agency is required and "very much needed." To date, more than 6.1 million people have contracted Covid-19 across the globe, with 372,479 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. has recorded by far the highest number of Covid-19 infections worldwide, surpassing the grim milestone of 100,000 deaths last week.
Trump's decision to pull out of the WHO came after he warned the U.S would move to halt funding unless substantive changes were made within 30 days. On Friday, he said the WHO had failed to meet the "greatly needed" requirements set out in his ultimatum. The U.S. president has repeatedly criticized the organization's response to the coronavirus pandemic, with the outbreak also a source of intensifying tension between Washington and Beijing.
President Donald J. Trump Tom Williams | CQ Roll Call | Getty Images
Since his inauguration in January of 2017, Trump has espoused the need for his administration to take an "America First" approach to foreign policy. He has now pulled out of an international pact to tackle the climate emergency, the Iran nuclear deal, the cultural agency UNESCO, the UN Human Rights Council, the Open Skies Treaty and the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces, or INF, Treaty with Russia.


cnbc--2020-06-01--BET founder Robert Johnson calls for $14 trillion of reparations for slavery

Robert Johnson , founder of Black Entertainment Television , told CNBC on Monday the U.S. government should provide $ 14 trillion of reparations for slavery to help reduce racial inequality .
The wealth divide and police brutality against blacks are at the heart of protests that have erupted across the nation following last week 's killing of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis .
`` Now is the time to go big '' to keep America from dividing into two separate and unequal societies , Johnson said on `` Squawk Box . ''
`` Wealth transfer is what 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Think about this .
Since 200-plus-years or so of slavery , labor taken with no compensation , is a wealth transfer .
Denial of access to education , which is a primary driver of accumulation of income and wealth , is a wealth transfer . ''
Johnson , 74 made history as America 's first black billionaire when he sold BET to Viacom in 2001 .
Shortly after the sale , he started the investment firm The RLJ Cos .
He 's no longer on the Forbes billionaires list .
Calling reparations the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Johnson said they would send the signal that white Americans acknowledge `` damages that are owed '' for the unequal playing field created by slavery and the decades since with a `` wealth transfer to white Americans away from African Americans . ''

Robert Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television, told CNBC on Monday the U.S. government should provide $14 trillion of reparations for slavery to help reduce racial inequality.
The wealth divide and police brutality against blacks are at the heart of protests that have erupted across the nation following last week's killing of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis.
"Now is the time to go big" to keep America from dividing into two separate and unequal societies, Johnson said on "Squawk Box."
"Wealth transfer is what's needed," he argued. "Think about this. Since 200-plus-years or so of slavery, labor taken with no compensation, is a wealth transfer. Denial of access to education, which is a primary driver of accumulation of income and wealth, is a wealth transfer."
Johnson, 74 made history as America's first black billionaire when he sold BET to Viacom in 2001. Shortly after the sale, he started the investment firm The RLJ Cos. He's no longer on the Forbes billionaires list.
Calling reparations the "affirmative action program of all time," Johnson said they would send the signal that white Americans acknowledge "damages that are owed" for the unequal playing field created by slavery and the decades since with a "wealth transfer to white Americans away from African Americans."


cnbc--2020-06-02--Joe Biden sees fundraising surge in wake of George Floyd's death and Trump's response to protests

Democratic presidential candidate , and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about the unrest across the country from Philadelphia City Hall on June 2 , 2020 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , contrasting his leadership style with that of US President Donald Trump , and calling George Floyds death a wake-up call for our nation .
Joe Biden 's campaign for president is seeing a surge in fundraising in the wake of George Floyd 's death , particularly as President Donald Trump comes under scrutiny for his response to protests across the country .
Biden supporters and bundlers have seen a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commitments since the protests began last week , according to people with knowledge of the matter who declined to be named due to the private nature of their conversations .
Fundraisers said that they have each helped to raise between $ 200,000 and more than $ 1 million over the past week .
In some cases , bundlers say they are raising money at a much faster clip than they had in similar lengths of time .
Some are seeing individual fundraising highs compared with the same points in time in previous election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rendell told CNBC that he recently organized a virtual fundraiser , scheduled for next week , which was expected to raise close to $ 500,000 .
Instead , he said , it is likely to bring in over $ 1 million .
`` A lot of the data is coming back , because Biden has performed well and we 'll probably end up doing $ 1.1 million or $ 1.2 million , '' Rendell said Tuesday .
Part of these fundraising efforts could show up in Biden 's next Federal Election Commission filing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign brought in last month .
The filing deadline for all campaigns ' May fundraising totals is June 20 .
Biden and the Democratic National Committee combined to raise just over $ 60 million in April .
Trump and the Republican National Committee brought in a touch more than $ 61 million over that same period of time .
Biden is ahead of Trump in most national polls ; a RealClearPolitics polling average shows him with a nearly 6-point lead .
Although the GOP groups had more than $ 225 million on hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ace in the hole .
His ties to former President Barack Obama , who created a fundraising juggernaut of his own during the 2008 and 2012 campaigns for president , is likely going to be another difference maker for him in the final stretch of the election .
Biden 's and Obama 's teams , according to a source , are working on a potential big money fundraiser that may feature Obama himself .
It could help bring in millions of dollars to the former vice president 's run for president .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussions are fluid and nothing has been officially scheduled .
The recent boost to Biden 's campaign war chest over the past week came ahead of a speech in Philadelphia on Tuesday , when the apparent Democratic nominee blasted Trump 's handling of the protests that have ensued since Floyd 's death .
Floyd , a black man who was unarmed , died as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
Biden 's speech laid out his strategy for reforming the police system if he became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests includes threatening to deploy the U.S. military if states ca n't handle quelling the vast demonstrations on their own .
As Trump made that threat , riot and military police advanced outside the White House to clear Lafayette Square of what appeared to be peaceful protesters .
After they were moved , Trump and members of his administration walked to St. John 's Church , where the president posed with a Bible .
Charles Myers , a former vice chairman at Evercore and one of Biden 's fundraisers in the finance industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a massive increase in fundraising , more than he has at a similar point in time in other election years .
`` I 'm seeing a 30 % to 35 % increase in what I would normally see at this point five months out from the election in money , '' Myers said , while noting that jump includes what he is raising for Senate races .
Joe Donnelly , a former Democratic senator from Indiana who is now a partner at the law firm Akin Gump , said he 's noticed donors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ton of money .
According to Donnelly , they have also been trying to spread the word about how Biden , in their opinion , is the solution to a now-sluggish economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and has been more of an empathetic voice when it comes the civil unrest across the country .
Since states were forced to lock down due to the pandemic , more than 40 million Americans have lost their jobs .
`` What I can tell you is there is an increased commitment to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to .
I will crawl on my knees to Wisconsin to talk to a group of veterans about how there needs to be real change , ' '' Donnelly told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday .
Donnelly hosted a virtual fundraiser for Biden on Monday that brought in $ 500,000 .
Robert Wolf , a longtime ally in the business community of both Biden and Obama , explained to CNBC that he has been hearing that fundraising over the course of at least the past week has been strong .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Wolf said .
Biden 's `` thoughtful approach to Covid-19 and empathetic response to racism and civil unrest is clear to all especially to the current administration , '' he said .
Meanwhile , outside groups that are both backing Biden and vehemently opposed to Trump are seeing big fundraising hauls as well .
That big money could be a boost to these groups ' future TV ad buys that mainly have been attacking the president .
American Bridge 21st Century , a super PAC that 's backing Biden , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coffers since May 14 , a PAC official told CNBC .
It 's been their best two-week fundraising haul of the 2020 election cycle , this person added .
The Lincoln Project , an anti-Trump super PAC that 's run by a group of never-Trump Republicans said May , which included the start of the Floyd protests , was its best month of fundraising since it was created in the early stages of the 2020 election , according to Reed Galen , one of the group 's founders .
The group 's monthlong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fundraising after launching an attack on Trump titled `` Mourning in America , '' which triggered a scathing response from the president .
The super PAC was co-founded by the likes of conservative strategists and lawyers Steve Schmidt , John Weaver , Rick Wilson and George Conway , the husband of Trump 's senior advisor Kellyanne Conway .
Benjamin Wittes , an associate of former FBI Director James Comey and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution , gave his first-ever political donation to Biden 's campaign after the incident involving apparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with tear gas during Trump 's walk to the church .
The $ 2,800 donation is the legal maximum one can give directly to a campaign .
Wittes ' research often focuses on national security .
In an interview with CNBC he said that historically he has tried to be apolitical but , he contends , the president 's politicization of the military and intelligence services led him to contributing to Biden 's campaign .
Wittes co-authored a book about Trump 's presidency titled `` Unmaking the Presidency : Donald Trump 's War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` We have a president who is energetically attacking and trying to destroy the professional national security apparatus of the country and under those circumstances I do n't feel a stance of political neutrality is appropriate , '' Wittes told CNBC .
Wittes said he has seen support from some of colleagues in the national security sector after giving to Biden .
The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics , meanwhile , showed that employees of the U.S. Department of Defense have combined to give just more than $ 160,000 to Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign did not return a request for comment .

Joe Biden's campaign for president is seeing a surge in fundraising in the wake of George Floyd's death, particularly as President Donald Trump comes under scrutiny for his response to protests across the country.
Biden supporters and bundlers have seen a massive uptick in new contributions and donor commitments since the protests began last week, according to people with knowledge of the matter who declined to be named due to the private nature of their conversations.
Fundraisers said that they have each helped to raise between $200,000 and more than $1 million over the past week. In some cases, bundlers say they are raising money at a much faster clip than they had in similar lengths of time. Some are seeing individual fundraising highs compared with the same points in time in previous election cycles.
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told CNBC that he recently organized a virtual fundraiser, scheduled for next week, which was expected to raise close to $500,000. Instead, he said, it is likely to bring in over $1 million.
"A lot of the data is coming back, because Biden has performed well and we'll probably end up doing $1.1 million or $1.2 million," Rendell said Tuesday.
Part of these fundraising efforts could show up in Biden's next Federal Election Commission filing, which will show how much the campaign brought in last month. The filing deadline for all campaigns' May fundraising totals is June 20. Biden and the Democratic National Committee combined to raise just over $60 million in April. Trump and the Republican National Committee brought in a touch more than $61 million over that same period of time.
Biden is ahead of Trump in most national polls; a RealClearPolitics polling average shows him with a nearly 6-point lead.
Although the GOP groups had more than $225 million on hand going into May, Biden has an ace in the hole. His ties to former President Barack Obama, who created a fundraising juggernaut of his own during the 2008 and 2012 campaigns for president, is likely going to be another difference maker for him in the final stretch of the election.
Biden's and Obama's teams, according to a source, are working on a potential big money fundraiser that may feature Obama himself. It could help bring in millions of dollars to the former vice president's run for president. This person declined to be named as the discussions are fluid and nothing has been officially scheduled.
The recent boost to Biden's campaign war chest over the past week came ahead of a speech in Philadelphia on Tuesday, when the apparent Democratic nominee blasted Trump's handling of the protests that have ensued since Floyd's death. Floyd, a black man who was unarmed, died as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Biden's speech laid out his strategy for reforming the police system if he became president.
Trump's response to the protests includes threatening to deploy the U.S. military if states can't handle quelling the vast demonstrations on their own. As Trump made that threat, riot and military police advanced outside the White House to clear Lafayette Square of what appeared to be peaceful protesters. After they were moved, Trump and members of his administration walked to St. John's Church, where the president posed with a Bible.
Charles Myers, a former vice chairman at Evercore and one of Biden's fundraisers in the finance industry, told CNBC that he has seen a massive increase in fundraising, more than he has at a similar point in time in other election years.
"I'm seeing a 30% to 35% increase in what I would normally see at this point five months out from the election in money," Myers said, while noting that jump includes what he is raising for Senate races.
Joe Donnelly, a former Democratic senator from Indiana who is now a partner at the law firm Akin Gump, said he's noticed donors have been going beyond just raising a ton of money. According to Donnelly, they have also been trying to spread the word about how Biden, in their opinion, is the solution to a now-sluggish economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and has been more of an empathetic voice when it comes the civil unrest across the country. Since states were forced to lock down due to the pandemic, more than 40 million Americans have lost their jobs.
"What I can tell you is there is an increased commitment to say 'I will do anything I have to. I will crawl on my knees to Wisconsin to talk to a group of veterans about how there needs to be real change,'" Donnelly told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday. Donnelly hosted a virtual fundraiser for Biden on Monday that brought in $500,000.
Robert Wolf, a longtime ally in the business community of both Biden and Obama, explained to CNBC that he has been hearing that fundraising over the course of at least the past week has been strong.
"I am hearing fundraising is going very well," Wolf said. Biden's "thoughtful approach to Covid-19 and empathetic response to racism and civil unrest is clear to all especially to the current administration," he said.
Meanwhile, outside groups that are both backing Biden and vehemently opposed to Trump are seeing big fundraising hauls as well. That big money could be a boost to these groups' future TV ad buys that mainly have been attacking the president.
American Bridge 21st Century, a super PAC that's backing Biden, has seen $6.9 million come into its coffers since May 14, a PAC official told CNBC. It's been their best two-week fundraising haul of the 2020 election cycle, this person added.
The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump super PAC that's run by a group of never-Trump Republicans said May, which included the start of the Floyd protests, was its best month of fundraising since it was created in the early stages of the 2020 election, according to Reed Galen, one of the group's founders.
The group's monthlong success also included their best single day of fundraising after launching an attack on Trump titled "Mourning in America," which triggered a scathing response from the president. The super PAC was co-founded by the likes of conservative strategists and lawyers Steve Schmidt, John Weaver, Rick Wilson and George Conway, the husband of Trump's senior advisor Kellyanne Conway.
Benjamin Wittes, an associate of former FBI Director James Comey and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, gave his first-ever political donation to Biden's campaign after the incident involving apparent peaceful protesters being forced out Lafayette Square with tear gas during Trump's walk to the church. The $2,800 donation is the legal maximum one can give directly to a campaign.
Wittes' research often focuses on national security. In an interview with CNBC he said that historically he has tried to be apolitical but, he contends, the president's politicization of the military and intelligence services led him to contributing to Biden's campaign. Wittes co-authored a book about Trump's presidency titled "Unmaking the Presidency: Donald Trump's War on the World's Most Powerful Office."
"We have a president who is energetically attacking and trying to destroy the professional national security apparatus of the country and under those circumstances I don't feel a stance of political neutrality is appropriate," Wittes told CNBC.
Wittes said he has seen support from some of colleagues in the national security sector after giving to Biden. The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, meanwhile, showed that employees of the U.S. Department of Defense have combined to give just more than $160,000 to Biden's campaign.
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Representatives for the Biden campaign did not return a request for comment.