cnbc--2020-05-28--GOP senator: U.S. cannot 'sit by idly' as China 'systematically' destroys Hong Kong's autonomy

Sen. Patrick Toomey told CNBC on Thursday that the U.S. must respond to Beijing 's latest encroachment on the autonomy of Hong Kong , which comes in the form of a new national security law approved by China 's parliament .
The Pennsylvania Republican touted legislation that he 's proposed , along with Sen. Chris Van Hollen , D-Md.
, saying the bill would be in addition to any action resulting from recent State Department moves .
`` The idea of this bill is to send a very clear message to Beijing that we 're not going to sit by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they promised to Hong Kong , '' Toomey said on `` Squawk Box . ''
The prospect of the Chinese-imposed national security law , announced last week , has triggered another wave of protests in the former British colony , following the widespread pro-democracy demonstrations there last year .
Hong Kong , a special administrative region of China , has been ruled under a `` one country , two systems '' principle , giving the city 's residents some freedoms that those on the mainland do not have .
In the 1997 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedoms in place for 50 years .
Critics of the national security law believe it would further erode those freedoms .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said the U.S. no longer considered Hong Kong autonomous from China , a decision that carries broad economic implications .
Pompeo 's decision unfortunately recognizes the `` obvious , '' Toomey said , arguing Hong Kong does not have the autonomy `` that was the precondition for a different relationship between the United States and Hong Kong versus , say , every other city in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said tariffs imposed on mainland China , but not Hong Kong , could lose that distinction as a result of Pompeo 's determination .
If his bill , the Hong Kong Autonomy Act , were to become law , Toomey said the State Department would have to list entities and people in China who `` are responsible for inflicting this crackdown on Hong Kong . ''
`` They will be subject to sanctions themselves , financial sanctions including things like freezing their assets but also secondary sanctions , which is to say restricting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals and those entities , '' Toomey said .
`` I think that 's a pretty big hammer to be wielding . ''
The U.S. relationship with Beijing is strained over the coronavirus pandemic and other tension points , Toomey acknowledged , but he said Washington must respond to the developments on Hong Kong .
Toomey , a member of the Senate Finance and Budget committees , said he believes China 's new national security law is `` much worse '' than the extradition proposal last year that triggered the widespread demonstrations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese criminal justice , or criminal injustice system , directly on the people of Hong Kong , '' he said .
`` It 's pretty essential , I think , that we respond to that . ''

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Sen. Patrick Toomey told CNBC on Thursday that the U.S. must respond to Beijing's latest encroachment on the autonomy of Hong Kong, which comes in the form of a new national security law approved by China's parliament. The Pennsylvania Republican touted legislation that he's proposed, along with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., saying the bill would be in addition to any action resulting from recent State Department moves. "The idea of this bill is to send a very clear message to Beijing that we're not going to sit by idly while they systemically destroy the autonomy that they promised to Hong Kong," Toomey said on "Squawk Box." The prospect of the Chinese-imposed national security law, announced last week, has triggered another wave of protests in the former British colony, following the widespread pro-democracy demonstrations there last year.
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Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, has been ruled under a "one country, two systems" principle, giving the city's residents some freedoms that those on the mainland do not have. In the 1997 handover, China promised to keep those freedoms in place for 50 years. Critics of the national security law believe it would further erode those freedoms. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said the U.S. no longer considered Hong Kong autonomous from China, a decision that carries broad economic implications. Pompeo's decision unfortunately recognizes the "obvious," Toomey said, arguing Hong Kong does not have the autonomy "that was the precondition for a different relationship between the United States and Hong Kong versus, say, every other city in China." For example, Toomey said tariffs imposed on mainland China, but not Hong Kong, could lose that distinction as a result of Pompeo's determination.
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If his bill, the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, were to become law, Toomey said the State Department would have to list entities and people in China who "are responsible for inflicting this crackdown on Hong Kong." "They will be subject to sanctions themselves, financial sanctions including things like freezing their assets but also secondary sanctions, which is to say restricting the activities of banks that finance those individuals and those entities," Toomey said. "I think that's a pretty big hammer to be wielding." The U.S. relationship with Beijing is strained over the coronavirus pandemic and other tension points, Toomey acknowledged, but he said Washington must respond to the developments on Hong Kong. Toomey, a member of the Senate Finance and Budget committees, said he believes China's new national security law is "much worse" than the extradition proposal last year that triggered the widespread demonstrations. "This would simply impose the entire Chinese criminal justice, or criminal injustice system, directly on the people of Hong Kong," he said. "It's pretty essential, I think, that we respond to that."


cnbc--2020-05-28--Trump attacks Twitter employee while defending fact-checked tweets on mail-in ballots

The president 's tweet came as he planned to sign an executive order Thursday that would push the Federal Communications Commission to set new rules on some websites ' protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act .
The law as it stands largely exempts those platforms from being held liable for much of the content on their websites .
Trump , in a tweet , shared the Twitter handle of the company 's `` Head of Site Integrity , '' Yoel Roth , who co-wrote a May 11 blog post explaining how the website would change the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced that Twitter would use new labels and warning messages on some tweets where readers may be `` confused or misled by the content . ''
President Donald Trump on Thursday singled out a Twitter employee while attacking the social media giant after it fact-checked his tweets on mail-in ballots .
On Tuesday , Twitter for the first time added warning tags to two of Trump 's tweets about mail-in ballots , inviting readers to `` get the facts '' and calling the president 's claims `` unsubstantiated . ''
Trump tweeted Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter trying to make the case that Mail-In Ballots are not subject to FRAUD . ''
`` How stupid , there are examples , & cases , all over the place .
Our election process will become badly tainted & a laughingstock all over the World , '' Trump 's tweet said .
The president added , `` Tell that to your hater , '' followed by Roth 's Twitter handle .
Roth has reportedly posted critical messages about Trump and his supporters in the past .
`` I 'm just saying , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a racist tangerine for a reason , '' Roth tweeted in November 2016 .
The Trump campaign has tweeted about Roth at least twice since Wednesday .
And Sen. Josh Hawley , R-Mo.
, referenced Roth – without using his name – in a letter to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey criticizing the decision to brand Trump 's tweets with warning labels .
But Twitter told BuzzFeed News that Roth was not responsible for fact-checking Trump 's tweets .
`` No one person at Twitter is responsible for our policies or enforcement actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual employees targeted for company decisions , '' the spokesperson told Buzzfeed .
Dorsey tweeted Wednesday night that `` there is someone ultimately accountable for our actions as a company , and that 's me .
Please leave our employees out of this . ''
Twitter referred CNBC to Dorsey 's tweet when asked for additional comment on the president 's post .
After Twitter 's fact-check , Trump accused the company of `` interfering '' in the 2020 presidential election and trying to `` CENSOR '' him .
`` If that happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I will never let it happen ! ''
Trump tweeted Wednesday night .

The president's tweet came as he planned to sign an executive order Thursday that would push the Federal Communications Commission to set new rules on some websites' protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The law as it stands largely exempts those platforms from being held liable for much of the content on their websites.
Trump, in a tweet, shared the Twitter handle of the company's "Head of Site Integrity," Yoel Roth, who co-wrote a May 11 blog post explaining how the website would change the way it handled misleading information. That post announced that Twitter would use new labels and warning messages on some tweets where readers may be "confused or misled by the content."
President Donald Trump on Thursday singled out a Twitter employee while attacking the social media giant after it fact-checked his tweets on mail-in ballots .
On Tuesday, Twitter for the first time added warning tags to two of Trump's tweets about mail-in ballots, inviting readers to "get the facts" and calling the president's claims "unsubstantiated."
Trump tweeted Thursday afternoon: "So ridiculous to see Twitter trying to make the case that Mail-In Ballots are not subject to FRAUD."
"How stupid, there are examples, & cases, all over the place. Our election process will become badly tainted & a laughingstock all over the World," Trump's tweet said.
The president added, "Tell that to your hater," followed by Roth's Twitter handle.
TWEET
Roth has reportedly posted critical messages about Trump and his supporters in the past. "I'm just saying, we fly over those states that voted for a racist tangerine for a reason," Roth tweeted in November 2016.
The Trump campaign has tweeted about Roth at least twice since Wednesday. And Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., referenced Roth – without using his name – in a letter to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey criticizing the decision to brand Trump's tweets with warning labels.
But Twitter told BuzzFeed News that Roth was not responsible for fact-checking Trump's tweets. "No one person at Twitter is responsible for our policies or enforcement actions, and it's unfortunate to see individual employees targeted for company decisions," the spokesperson told Buzzfeed.
Dorsey tweeted Wednesday night that "there is someone ultimately accountable for our actions as a company, and that's me. Please leave our employees out of this."
Twitter referred CNBC to Dorsey's tweet when asked for additional comment on the president's post.
After Twitter's fact-check, Trump accused the company of "interfering" in the 2020 presidential election and trying to "CENSOR" him.
"If that happens, we no longer have our freedom. I will never let it happen!" Trump tweeted Wednesday night.
Disclosure: CNBC parent NBCUniversal is a minority investor in BuzzFeed.


cnbc--2020-05-28--Trump to sign executive order aimed at cracking down on Facebook and Twitter, vows 'FAIRNESS!'

President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday cracking down on online platforms such as Facebook , Google and Twitter , vowing `` a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS ! ''
The move , expected late Thursday afternoon , comes days after Twitter began fact-checking some of his tweets .
The order would push the Federal Communications Commission to write rules on when and how platforms can remove content from their platform and still maintain liability protection granted them under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act .
The law as it stands largely exempts those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the content on their websites .
The working order , which cites Twitter by name , would encourage the Federal Trade Commission to take action against companies that engage in `` deceptive '' acts of communication .
The order would also create a working group of state attorneys general to review relevant state statutes .
`` This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS ! ''
Trump tweeted .
Without congressional action , there are limits to what Trump can do with an executive order .
Still , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' share prices Thursday morning .
Shares of Twitter were down 5 % in premarket trading , while Facebook was down more than 3 % and Google was down more than 1 % .
Section 230 has become a lightning rod in the debate over online content .
Online publishers have defended the statute as necessary to allow people to express their opinions , while their detractors have argued it gives companies like Twitter a way to sidestep regulations imposed on traditional publishers , despite the crucial role they play in disseminating news @

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President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday cracking down on online platforms such as Facebook, Google and Twitter, vowing "a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS!" The move, expected late Thursday afternoon, comes days after Twitter began fact-checking some of his tweets. The order would push the Federal Communications Commission to write rules on when and how platforms can remove content from their platform and still maintain liability protection granted them under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The law as it stands largely exempts those publications from being held liable for much of the content on their websites.
The twitter page of US President Donald Trump's is displayed on a mobile phone on May 28, 2020, in Arlington, Virginia. Olivier Douliery | AFP | Getty Images
The working order, which cites Twitter by name, would encourage the Federal Trade Commission to take action against companies that engage in "deceptive" acts of communication. The order would also create a working group of state attorneys general to review relevant state statutes. "This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS!" Trump tweeted. tweet Without congressional action, there are limits to what Trump can do with an executive order. Still, his words seemingly weighed on social media companies' share prices Thursday morning. Shares of Twitter were down 5% in premarket trading, while Facebook was down more than 3% and Google was down more than 1%. Section 230 has become a lightning rod in the debate over online content. Online publishers have defended the statute as necessary to allow people to express their opinions, while their detractors have argued it gives companies like Twitter a way to sidestep regulations imposed on traditional publishers, despite the crucial role they play in disseminating news.


cnbc--2020-05-28--House Democrats withdraw foreign surveillance bill as Trump veto pledge threatens passage

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) speaks about the coronavirus response during her weekly news conference with Capitol Hill reporters in Washington May 7 , 2020 .
House Democrats withdrew a bill Thursday to reauthorize foreign surveillance powers as Republicans united to oppose the Senate-passed proposal .
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Md.
, announced he would pull the legislation Thursday morning after the chamber failed to pass it on Wednesday .
As the House considered the measure Wednesday , President Donald Trump pledged to veto it .
`` At the request of the Speaker of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FISA Act , '' Hoyer said in a written statement .
`` The two-thirds of the Republican party that voted for this bill in March have indicated they are going to vote against it now .
I am told they are doing so at the request of the President .
I believe this to be against the security interest of the United States and the safety of the American people . ''
In a letter to colleagues Thursday morning , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats want to go to conference committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal on a bill .
The House on Wednesday scrapped a plan to vote on a bipartisan amendment to the surveillance powers bill , which was designed to limit warrantless searches of Americans ' internet history .
The decision not to change legislation the Senate passed this month came as opposition from Republicans and the left wing of the Democratic Party threatened the measure 's passage .
The bill would reauthorize divisive foreign surveillance tools that aim to help U.S. law enforcement officials track suspected terrorists or spies .
Civil liberties advocates have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powers give the government too much authority to monitor Americans ' communications abroad .
Conservatives became more skeptical of the monitoring tools as they alleged abuses during the FBI 's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election .
GOP leaders encouraged members to vote against the proposal after Trump and the Justice Department said they opposed it .
`` If the FISA Bill is passed tonight on the House floor , I will quickly VETO it , '' the president wrote Wednesday .
`` Our Country has just suffered through the greatest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive abuse of FISA was a big part of it ! ''
In a follow-up tweet Thursday morning , he thanked Republicans for opposing the bill and argued it would `` perpetuate the abuse '' of the Russia probe .
Trump in particular has targeted the surveillance tools after an inspector general 's report outlined issues with applications to monitor former Trump campaign aide Carter Page as part of the investigation .
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif. , had urged Democrats to pull the bill .
He contended that if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Intelligence Surveillance Act powers , they would be `` playing politics . ''
At the same time , leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus announced their opposition to reauthorizing the powers on Wednesday .
Caucus co-Chair Rep. Mark Pocan , D-Wis. , said `` the people of this country are over-policed & over-surveilled , '' adding that `` I can not vote to continue and expand that surveillance today . ''
Democratic congressional leaders cited national security concerns as they urged representatives to support the legislation Wednesday .
Hoyer conceded the bill is @ @ @ @ @

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks about the coronavirus response during her weekly news conference with Capitol Hill reporters in Washington May 7, 2020.
House Democrats withdrew a bill Thursday to reauthorize foreign surveillance powers as Republicans united to oppose the Senate-passed proposal.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., announced he would pull the legislation Thursday morning after the chamber failed to pass it on Wednesday. As the House considered the measure Wednesday, President Donald Trump pledged to veto it.
"At the request of the Speaker of the House, I am withdrawing consideration of the FISA Act," Hoyer said in a written statement. "The two-thirds of the Republican party that voted for this bill in March have indicated they are going to vote against it now. I am told they are doing so at the request of the President. I believe this to be against the security interest of the United States and the safety of the American people."
In a letter to colleagues Thursday morning, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats want to go to conference committee negotiations with the Senate to reach a deal on a bill.
The House on Wednesday scrapped a plan to vote on a bipartisan amendment to the surveillance powers bill, which was designed to limit warrantless searches of Americans' internet history. The decision not to change legislation the Senate passed this month came as opposition from Republicans and the left wing of the Democratic Party threatened the measure's passage.
The bill would reauthorize divisive foreign surveillance tools that aim to help U.S. law enforcement officials track suspected terrorists or spies. Civil liberties advocates have long argued the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act powers give the government too much authority to monitor Americans' communications abroad. Conservatives became more skeptical of the monitoring tools as they alleged abuses during the FBI's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
GOP leaders encouraged members to vote against the proposal after Trump and the Justice Department said they opposed it.
"If the FISA Bill is passed tonight on the House floor, I will quickly VETO it," the president wrote Wednesday. "Our Country has just suffered through the greatest political crime in its history. The massive abuse of FISA was a big part of it!"
Donald Trump tweet
In a follow-up tweet Thursday morning, he thanked Republicans for opposing the bill and argued it would "perpetuate the abuse" of the Russia probe.
Donald Trump tweet 2
Trump in particular has targeted the surveillance tools after an inspector general's report outlined issues with applications to monitor former Trump campaign aide Carter Page as part of the investigation.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., had urged Democrats to pull the bill. He contended that if they moved forward with a vote on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act powers, they would be "playing politics."
At the same time, leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus announced their opposition to reauthorizing the powers on Wednesday. Caucus co-Chair Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., said "the people of this country are over-policed & over-surveilled," adding that "I cannot vote to continue and expand that surveillance today."
Mark Pocan tweet
The House easily passed a largely similar Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reauthorization bill in March.
Democratic congressional leaders cited national security concerns as they urged representatives to support the legislation Wednesday. Hoyer conceded the bill is "not perfect."
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cnbc--2020-05-28--House sends China sanctions bill to Trump's desk as tensions escalate

The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation calling for sanctions against Chinese officials for the detention and torture of Uighur Muslims in the country 's western region of Xinjiang as tensions between the U.S. and China continue to escalate .
The legislation was approved by a vote of 413-1 after passing overwhelmingly in the Senate earlier this month .
It will now head to President Donald Trump , who has not said whether he intends to sign it into law .
The vote was the first to take place under temporary rules established this month to allow representatives to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a precaution against the spreading coronavirus .
Republicans have brought a suit against Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi challenging proxy voting as unconstitutional .
The vote comes just hours after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo targeted Beijing over its efforts to tamp down on dissent in Hong Kong , announcing that the State Department no longer viewed Hong Kong as autonomous and reiterating U.S. support for anti-government protesters there .
China has warned that it will retaliate against any sanctions imposed and denies the allegations of abuse inside its reeducation camps , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a million Uighurs , ethnic Kazakhs and members of other minority groups .
The bill passed on Wednesday would give the president 180 days to put together a list of Chinese officials responsible for abuses .
Those officials would then face sanctions , though Trump could exempt certain individuals if he claims that the exemption is in the national interest .
The legislation resembles a measure that passed the House 407-1 last year .
It cites several Chinese officials by name , including Chen Quanguo , the official responsible for overseeing the camps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been labeled `` Xinjiang 's architect of mass detention . ''
The human rights legislation comes as the U.S.-China relationship face strains on several other fronts .
Earlier Wednesday , Pompeo declared that the U.S. no longer viewed Hong Kong as autonomous from the rest of China , following Beijing 's push to pass new national security legislation in the former British colony .
Protesters in the special administrative region have pushed back against Beijing 's encroachments for months in uprisings that have been met with harsh police crackdowns .
The U.S.-China trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kong into a recession last year .
Under a law passed last year , the State Department designation could open up Chinese officials to new U.S. sanctions .
It could also jeopardize the trade relationship between the U.S. and Hong Kong , a major business hub that is home to hundreds of U.S. businesses .
For months , the U.S. and China have also sparred over culpability for the coronavirus pandemic , which originated in Wuhan , China , last year .
Officials in both countries have sought to blame each other for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While Trump has criticized China for its handling of Covid-19 , his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping has been mixed .
After years of negotiations and a multiyear trade war , the two men clinched a `` phase one '' trade deal earlier this year , with plans to address more disagreements between the two countries in future phases .
Trump , who will face voters again in less than six months , has touted the agreement as one of the signature policy accomplishments of his term .

People buy food under Chinese national flags in the Old City in Kashgar in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China. Thomas Peter | Reuters
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation calling for sanctions against Chinese officials for the detention and torture of Uighur Muslims in the country's western region of Xinjiang as tensions between the U.S. and China continue to escalate. The legislation was approved by a vote of 413-1 after passing overwhelmingly in the Senate earlier this month. It will now head to President Donald Trump, who has not said whether he intends to sign it into law. The vote was the first to take place under temporary rules established this month to allow representatives to cast their ballots by proxy, as a precaution against the spreading coronavirus. Republicans have brought a suit against Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi challenging proxy voting as unconstitutional. The vote comes just hours after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo targeted Beijing over its efforts to tamp down on dissent in Hong Kong, announcing that the State Department no longer viewed Hong Kong as autonomous and reiterating U.S. support for anti-government protesters there.
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China has warned that it will retaliate against any sanctions imposed and denies the allegations of abuse inside its reeducation camps, which are believed to house as many as a million Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs and members of other minority groups. The bill passed on Wednesday would give the president 180 days to put together a list of Chinese officials responsible for abuses. Those officials would then face sanctions, though Trump could exempt certain individuals if he claims that the exemption is in the national interest.
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cnbc--2020-05-29--Trump targets social media companies with executive order after Twitter fact-checks his tweets

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a front page of the New York Post as he speaks to reporters while signing an executive order on social media companies in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington , U.S. , May 28 , 2020 .
The executive order came two days after Twitter , for the first time , added warning links to two of Trump 's tweets , inviting readers to `` get the facts . ''
The tweets made a series of claims about state-led mail-in voting services , an issue Trump has railed against in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president 's order does not repeal Section 230 , Trump added shortly after : `` One of the things we may do … is remove or totally change [ Section ] 230 . ''
Barr earlier this year signaled the department 's intention to look `` critically '' at the law , originally designed to allow growing technology companies protection .
But critics of the law have argued it allowed social media firms to turn a blind eye to unlawful content .
It is unclear , though , on what grounds the Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push the Federal Communications Commission to set new rules on some websites ' protections under Section 230 .
It would also encourage the Federal Trade Commission to take action against companies that engage in `` deceptive '' acts of communication , and it would form a working group of state attorneys general to review relevant state laws .
Attorney General William Barr , who also attended the signing , said the Justice Department would seek to sue social media companies , saying the statute `` has been stretched way beyond its original intention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are limits to what Trump can do with the executive order .
The president said Thursday that he would indeed pursue legislation in addition to the order .
The executive order targets companies granted liability protection through Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act .
Under the statute , large social media companies can not be sued for much of the content posted by others using their sites .
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order cracking down on `` censorship '' by social media sites , a move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter 's decision to slap fact-checking labels on the president 's tweets .
`` Trump falsely claimed that mail-in ballots would lead to ' a Rigged Election . '
However , fact-checkers say there is no evidence that mail-in ballots are linked to voter fraud , '' Twitter 's fact-checking page said , citing reporting from CNN , The Washington Post and other news outlets .
Trump said Thursday that social media companies selectively choosing who to fact-check is tantamount to `` political activism , and it 's inappropriate . ''
Twitter on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law , saying attempts to erode it `` threaten the future of online speech . ''
`` Facebook is a platform for diverse views .
We believe in protecting freedom of expression on our services , while protecting our community from harmful content including content designed to stop voters from exercising their right to vote .
Those rules apply to everybody .
Repealing or limiting section 230 will have the opposite effect .
It will restrict more speech online , not less .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that billions of people around the world say , this would penalize companies that choose to allow controversial speech and encourage platforms to censor anything that might offend anyone . ''
Google also released a statement which said the company had `` clear content policies and we enforce them without regard to political viewpoint . ''
`` Our platforms have empowered a wide range of people and organizations from across the political spectrum , giving them a voice and new ways to reach their audiences , '' the statement said .
`` Undermining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America 's economy and its global leadership on internet freedom . ''
On Wednesday night , Trump lashed out — on Twitter — accusing the social media giant of `` interfering '' in the 2020 presidential election and trying to `` CENSOR '' him .
`` If that happens , we no longer have our freedom .
I will never let it happen ! ''
Trump tweeted Wednesday night .
The president had earlier tweeted that `` Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices .
We will strongly regulate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ever allow this to happen . ''
While Section 230 has critics on both sides of the aisle , including apparent Democratic nominee Joe Biden , who has said he believes Section 230 should be `` revoked , '' the executive order was swiftly panned by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi .
`` The proliferation of disinformation is extremely dangerous , particularly as our nation faces the deadliest pandemic in history , '' Pelosi said in a statement .
`` Clearly and sadly , the President 's Executive Order is a desperate distraction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing strategy to defeat COVID-19 . ''
`` Much as he might wish otherwise , Donald Trump is not the president of Twitter , '' said American Civil Liberties Union senior legislative counsel Kate Ruane after a draft of the executive order was made public earlier Thursday .
`` This order , if issued , would be a blatant and unconstitutional threat to punish social media companies that displease the president . ''
Still , the order had some supporters , including the Internet Accountability Project , a conservative opponent to Big Tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Oracle .
`` The social media platforms , regardless of whether or not they are bound by the First Amendment , should be held accountable to their end-users , '' said Rachel Bovard , senior adviser for Internet Accountability Project .
`` There are many lawmakers looking to recalibrate the law in order to foster the accountability and transparency that achieves that goal .
President Trump 's Executive Order seeks those same ends . ''
Sen. Josh Hawley , R-Mo , who has introduced legislation tackling section 230 , took to Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Big Tech , though did not address the President 's order directly .
`` Got ta remember that key to # BigTech dominance/monopoly is advertising , and how they have manipulated [ section 230 ] to create behavioral advertising machine , '' he wrote .
Trump 's opponents have long pressured Twitter to take action against his frequent , and frequently criticized , use of the platform .
Of the 18,000-plus false or misleading claims Trump has made as president , more than 3,300 were made in tweets , according to The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached a fever pitch this week , as Trump continued making baseless suggestions that MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough might have been involved in the death in 2001 of his former staffer when he served in Congress .
The staffer 's widower asked Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to remove Trump 's tweets on the matter .
`` I 'm asking you to intervene in this instance because the President of the United States has taken something that does not belong to him — the memory of my dead wife — and perverted it for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in a letter to Dorsey .
Twitter refused to delete Trump 's tweets about Scarborough .
But Dorsey on Wednesday defended his company 's fact-checking labels , saying Twitter will `` continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally . ''

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a front page of the New York Post as he speaks to reporters while signing an executive order on social media companies in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., May 28, 2020. Jonathan Ernst | REUTERS
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order cracking down on "censorship" by social media sites, a move widely seen by critics as retaliation against Twitter's decision to slap fact-checking labels on the president's tweets. The executive order targets companies granted liability protection through Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Under the statute, large social media companies cannot be sued for much of the content posted by others using their sites. Without congressional action, however, there are limits to what Trump can do with the executive order. The president said Thursday that he would indeed pursue legislation in addition to the order. Attorney General William Barr, who also attended the signing, said the Justice Department would seek to sue social media companies, saying the statute "has been stretched way beyond its original intention."
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The order would push the Federal Communications Commission to set new rules on some websites' protections under Section 230. It would also encourage the Federal Trade Commission to take action against companies that engage in "deceptive" acts of communication, and it would form a working group of state attorneys general to review relevant state laws. Barr earlier this year signaled the department's intention to look "critically" at the law, originally designed to allow growing technology companies protection. But critics of the law have argued it allowed social media firms to turn a blind eye to unlawful content. It is unclear, though, on what grounds the Justice Department might sue. While Barr said that the president's order does not repeal Section 230, Trump added shortly after: "One of the things we may do … is remove or totally change [Section] 230." The executive order came two days after Twitter , for the first time, added warning links to two of Trump's tweets, inviting readers to "get the facts." The tweets made a series of claims about state-led mail-in voting services, an issue Trump has railed against in recent weeks. The labels, when clicked, led Twitter users to a page describing Trump's claims as "unsubstantiated."
Source: Twitter
"Trump falsely claimed that mail-in ballots would lead to 'a Rigged Election.' However, fact-checkers say there is no evidence that mail-in ballots are linked to voter fraud," Twitter's fact-checking page said, citing reporting from CNN, The Washington Post and other news outlets. Trump said Thursday that social media companies selectively choosing who to fact-check is tantamount to "political activism, and it's inappropriate." Twitter on Thursday night called Trump's executive order "a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law, saying attempts to erode it "threaten the future of online speech." tweet Facebook issued the following statement Thursday evening: "Facebook is a platform for diverse views. We believe in protecting freedom of expression on our services, while protecting our community from harmful content including content designed to stop voters from exercising their right to vote. Those rules apply to everybody. Repealing or limiting section 230 will have the opposite effect. It will restrict more speech online, not less. By exposing companies to potential liability for everything that billions of people around the world say, this would penalize companies that choose to allow controversial speech and encourage platforms to censor anything that might offend anyone."
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Google also released a statement which said the company had "clear content policies and we enforce them without regard to political viewpoint." "Our platforms have empowered a wide range of people and organizations from across the political spectrum, giving them a voice and new ways to reach their audiences," the statement said. "Undermining Section 230 in this way would hurt America's economy and its global leadership on internet freedom." On Wednesday night, Trump lashed out — on Twitter — accusing the social media giant of "interfering" in the 2020 presidential election and trying to "CENSOR" him. "If that happens, we no longer have our freedom. I will never let it happen!" Trump tweeted Wednesday night. The president had earlier tweeted that "Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen." While Section 230 has critics on both sides of the aisle, including apparent Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who has said he believes Section 230 should be "revoked," the executive order was swiftly panned by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "The proliferation of disinformation is extremely dangerous, particularly as our nation faces the deadliest pandemic in history," Pelosi said in a statement. "Clearly and sadly, the President's Executive Order is a desperate distraction from his failure to provide a national testing strategy to defeat COVID-19." Social activists condemned the order as unconstitutional. "Much as he might wish otherwise, Donald Trump is not the president of Twitter," said American Civil Liberties Union senior legislative counsel Kate Ruane after a draft of the executive order was made public earlier Thursday. "This order, if issued, would be a blatant and unconstitutional threat to punish social media companies that displease the president." Still, the order had some supporters, including the Internet Accountability Project, a conservative opponent to Big Tech that is funded, in part, by Oracle. "The social media platforms, regardless of whether or not they are bound by the First Amendment, should be held accountable to their end-users," said Rachel Bovard, senior adviser for Internet Accountability Project.
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"There are many lawmakers looking to recalibrate the law in order to foster the accountability and transparency that achieves that goal. President Trump's Executive Order seeks those same ends." Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo, who has introduced legislation tackling section 230, took to Twitter to remind his followers of own battle with Big Tech, though did not address the President's order directly. "Gotta remember that key to #BigTech dominance/monopoly is advertising, and how they have manipulated [section 230] to create behavioral advertising machine," he wrote. Tweet Trump's opponents have long pressured Twitter to take action against his frequent, and frequently criticized, use of the platform. Of the 18,000-plus false or misleading claims Trump has made as president, more than 3,300 were made in tweets, according to The Washington Post. Those calls for action reached a fever pitch this week, as Trump continued making baseless suggestions that MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough might have been involved in the death in 2001 of his former staffer when he served in Congress. The staffer's widower asked Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to remove Trump's tweets on the matter. "I'm asking you to intervene in this instance because the President of the United States has taken something that does not belong to him — the memory of my dead wife — and perverted it for perceived political gain," the widower wrote in a letter to Dorsey. Twitter refused to delete Trump's tweets about Scarborough. But Dorsey on Wednesday defended his company's fact-checking labels, saying Twitter will "continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally."


cnbc--2020-05-29--Michael Flynn transcripts released, calls with Russian diplomat detailed

Former White House National Security Advisor Michael Flynn leaves the Prettyman Federal Courthouse following a sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court December 18 , 2018 in Washington , DC .
The transcript of a Dec. 29 , 2016 , call shows Flynn advising Kislyak that Russia should only respond in a proportional manner to any actions the Obama administration takes against the country before Trump is inaugurated .
Flynn has repeatedly admitted in court that he had falsely told FBI agents in January 2017 that he did not ask Kislyak to refrain from escalating the Obama administration 's sanctions against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national intelligence , John Ratcliffe , released the transcripts to Congress on Friday after lawmakers of both parties requested them .
Earlier this month , the Department of Justice moved to drop its case against Flynn .
Flynn , a retired Army lieutenant general , pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. at the time , Sergey Kislyak .
Transcripts of calls between former national security advisor Michael Flynn and Russia 's then-ambassador to the United States weeks before President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
The Obama administration announced sanctions against Russia that day in response to the country 's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election .
`` What I would ask Russia to do is to not -is - is -if anything - because I know you have to have some sort of action - to , to only make it reciprocal , '' Flynn had told Kislyak .
`` Make it reciprocal .
Do n't -do n't make it-do n't go any further than you have to .
Because I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to escalate , on a , you know , on a tit for tat . ''
Flynn was asked to resign by Trump after less than a month on the job because he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about what was said in the conversation with the Russian ambassador .
After nearly being sentenced in 2018 , Flynn replaced his legal team and asked U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan to dismiss his charge .
The Justice Department said this month that it , too , wants the case dropped , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have grounds to conduct a counterintelligence investigation of Flynn at the time agents interviewed him .
Sullivan has , for now , refused to grant the Justice Department 's motion to dismiss its prosecution of Flynn .
Instead , Sullivan has asked a retired federal judge , John Gleeson , to make legal arguments on why the case should not be dismissed , and to address whether Sullivan should hold Flynn in criminal contempt for pleading guilty to lying to FBI agents when he now argues he did not lie .
Sullivan has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on why he should , or should not , dismiss the case .
Flynn 's lawyers have asked a federal appeals court to bar Sullivan from allowing outside comments on the case in court filings , and to direct the judge to dismiss the case .

Former White House National Security Advisor Michael Flynn leaves the Prettyman Federal Courthouse following a sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court December 18, 2018 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
Transcripts of calls between former national security advisor Michael Flynn and Russia's then-ambassador to the United States weeks before President Donald Trump's inauguration were publicly released Friday. Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. at the time, Sergey Kislyak. Earlier this month, the Department of Justice moved to drop its case against Flynn. Trump's new director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, released the transcripts to Congress on Friday after lawmakers of both parties requested them. Flynn has repeatedly admitted in court that he had falsely told FBI agents in January 2017 that he did not ask Kislyak to refrain from escalating the Obama administration's sanctions against Russia. The transcript of a Dec. 29, 2016, call shows Flynn advising Kislyak that Russia should only respond in a proportional manner to any actions the Obama administration takes against the country before Trump is inaugurated.
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The Obama administration announced sanctions against Russia that day in response to the country's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. "What I would ask Russia to do is to not -is - is -if anything - because I know you have to have some sort of action - to, to only make it reciprocal," Flynn had told Kislyak. "Make it reciprocal. Don't -don't make it-don't go any further than you have to. Because I don't want us to get into something that has to escalate, on a, you know, on a tit for tat." Flynn was asked to resign by Trump after less than a month on the job because he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about what was said in the conversation with the Russian ambassador. After nearly being sentenced in 2018, Flynn replaced his legal team and asked U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan to dismiss his charge. The Justice Department said this month that it, too, wants the case dropped, after finding that the FBI did not have grounds to conduct a counterintelligence investigation of Flynn at the time agents interviewed him. Sullivan has, for now, refused to grant the Justice Department's motion to dismiss its prosecution of Flynn. Instead, Sullivan has asked a retired federal judge, John Gleeson, to make legal arguments on why the case should not be dismissed, and to address whether Sullivan should hold Flynn in criminal contempt for pleading guilty to lying to FBI agents when he now argues he did not lie. Sullivan has also allowed third parties to file arguments on why he should, or should not, dismiss the case. Flynn's lawyers have asked a federal appeals court to bar Sullivan from allowing outside comments on the case in court filings, and to direct the judge to dismiss the case.
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cnbc--2020-05-29--Joe Biden sees surge in health-care industry fundraising as Trump slumps in polls over coronavirus r

Joe Biden sees surge in health-care industry fundraising as Trump slumps in polls over coronavirus response

Democratic presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden arrives to pay his respects to fallen service members on Memorial Day at Delaware Memorial Bridge Veteran 's Memorial Park in Newcastle , Delaware , May 25 , 2020 .
Joe Biden has seen a surge in support from health-care professionals as President Donald Trump struggles to bring in cash from those working in an industry under pressure from the coronavirus pandemic .
The apparent Democratic nominee for president is ahead of Trump not just in many national polls but also in financial support from individuals in the health-care business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in the field have given over $ 3.8 million in donations to Biden 's campaign and the outside groups that are supporting him , including to pro-Biden super PACs , according to data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics .
Over the month of April , when most states started to go into lockdown mode due to fears of Covid-19 and donors struggled to find the time to work the fundraising circuit , Biden and his allied groups raised over $ 680,000 from health-care workers who gave up to six-figure checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pharmaceutical and health-product industries have combined to spend $ 2.6 million on Biden 's run for the White House so far .
Biden 's fundraising surge from health-care leaders and their employees comes as Trump 's coronavirus response has come under withering criticism from Democrats .
The U.S. has confirmed just over 1.7 million cases of the virus and over 100,000 deaths , and over 40 million Americans are unemployed .
Trump 's approval rating has been stuck below 50 % , according to most national polls .
American Bridge 21st Century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden , saw a major donation in March from Patricia Cloherty , listed as a chairman of Mojave Therapeutics .
The PAC has seen an uptick in contributions since the market started rebounding through at least the month of May , according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter , who declined to be named as these efforts are made in private .
Party donors appear to sense an opportunity as most national surveys show Trump falling to Biden , this person added .
A Real Clear Politics national polling average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to four points .
Biden also leads Trump in several swing states , polls show .
Trump , on the other hand , has a massive war chest , but the campaign and his affiliated external groups have struggled to match Biden 's haul from a similar donor pool .
Trump and committees supporting him have brought in at least $ 2.4 million from health professionals during the election cycle , with close to $ 1.6 million from those who are involved with nursing homes , the data show .
In April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting him raised just over $ 4,500 from health-care workers .
Many of the donations that have gone toward Trump 's reelection bid have come from retirees .
But a recent Quinnipiac survey shows Biden ahead of Trump by 10 points with voters over the age of 65 .
Biden and the Democratic National Committee combined to raise $ 60.5 million in April , while Trump and the Republican National Committee brought in just over $ 61 million .
The Republican-led effort , however , has $ 255 million on hand .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on hand going into May .
All campaigns have gone fully virtual in the wake of the pandemic , although Trump reportedly will start hosting small in-person events in June .
Representatives for Trump and Biden did not respond to a request for comment .
The Democratic Party as a whole has placed health care at the top of its 2020 policy platform , according to a memo released by the Democratic National Committee and other official campaign organizations for the party .
Democrats successfully ran on the issue during the 2018 congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. House of Representatives .
Biden has taken a more moderate approach to campaigning on the issue of health care .
He has repeatedly said he would not support `` Medicare for All '' and would rather build on the Affordable Care Act , also known as Obamacare , while adding a public option .
`` I do not support Medicare for All .
I will not support Medicare for All .
But I do support making sure that Obamacare is around with a public option , '' Biden said in an interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Bundlers involved with helping Biden raise campaign cash say they sense that health-care workers are giving big to the former vice president because they have nothing to fear from his policies if he becomes president .
`` Biden is more centrist on health-care policy , '' said Charles Myers , the former vice chairman of investment firm Evercore .
`` Even Elizabeth Warren has backtracked on Medicare for All , so a Biden administration will not be a transformation or punitive for the health-care sector . ''
Of the nearly $ 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , over $ 670,000 came in the month of April , the same time states were in lockdown due to the pandemic and the president was besieged by his rivals for what they argued was a bungled response .
A large chunk of last month 's surge came on the back of a massive $ 500,000 donation from a longtime Democratic donor , Joe Kiani , to Priorities USA Action , a super PAC working to get Biden elected .
He 's previously given six-figure checks to another pro-Biden super PAC , Unite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hosted a virtual fundraiser for Biden , is the CEO of Masimo , a medical device company that produces , among other items , ventilation monitors .
Kiani has been an ally of the Clinton family for years and contributed to both Hillary Clinton 's campaign and the Democratic National Committee when she ran for president in 2016 .
Another health-care donor who gave big to a pro-Biden group is New York-based Dr. Lisa Minsky-Primus .
She gave $ 400,000 to Unite the Country earlier this year .
Employees at pharmaceutical giants Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26,000 to Biden in the month of April .

Democratic presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden arrives to pay his respects to fallen service members on Memorial Day at Delaware Memorial Bridge Veteran's Memorial Park in Newcastle, Delaware, May 25, 2020.
Joe Biden has seen a surge in support from health-care professionals as President Donald Trump struggles to bring in cash from those working in an industry under pressure from the coronavirus pandemic.
The apparent Democratic nominee for president is ahead of Trump not just in many national polls but also in financial support from individuals in the health-care business. Throughout the 2020 election cycle, people in the field have given over $3.8 million in donations to Biden's campaign and the outside groups that are supporting him, including to pro-Biden super PACs, according to data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
Over the month of April, when most states started to go into lockdown mode due to fears of Covid-19 and donors struggled to find the time to work the fundraising circuit, Biden and his allied groups raised over $680,000 from health-care workers who gave up to six-figure checks, the data shows.
Employees in the pharmaceutical and health-product industries have combined to spend $2.6 million on Biden's run for the White House so far.
Biden's fundraising surge from health-care leaders and their employees comes as Trump's coronavirus response has come under withering criticism from Democrats. The U.S. has confirmed just over 1.7 million cases of the virus and over 100,000 deaths, and over 40 million Americans are unemployed. Trump's approval rating has been stuck below 50%, according to most national polls.
American Bridge 21st Century, one of the super PACs backing Biden, saw a major donation in March from Patricia Cloherty, listed as a chairman of Mojave Therapeutics. The PAC has seen an uptick in contributions since the market started rebounding through at least the month of May, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who declined to be named as these efforts are made in private.
Party donors appear to sense an opportunity as most national surveys show Trump falling to Biden, this person added. A Real Clear Politics national polling average shows Biden ahead of Trump by close to four points. Biden also leads Trump in several swing states, polls show.
Trump, on the other hand, has a massive war chest, but the campaign and his affiliated external groups have struggled to match Biden's haul from a similar donor pool. Trump and committees supporting him have brought in at least $2.4 million from health professionals during the election cycle, with close to $1.6 million from those who are involved with nursing homes, the data show. In April, though, Trump and the outside committees supporting him raised just over $4,500 from health-care workers.
Many of the donations that have gone toward Trump's reelection bid have come from retirees. But a recent Quinnipiac survey shows Biden ahead of Trump by 10 points with voters over the age of 65.
Biden and the Democratic National Committee combined to raise $60.5 million in April, while Trump and the Republican National Committee brought in just over $61 million. The Republican-led effort, however, has $255 million on hand. Biden and the DNC had $103 million on hand going into May. All campaigns have gone fully virtual in the wake of the pandemic, although Trump reportedly will start hosting small in-person events in June.
Representatives for Trump and Biden did not respond to a request for comment.
The Democratic Party as a whole has placed health care at the top of its 2020 policy platform, according to a memo released by the Democratic National Committee and other official campaign organizations for the party. Democrats successfully ran on the issue during the 2018 congressional midterm elections, when they flipped the U.S. House of Representatives.
Biden has taken a more moderate approach to campaigning on the issue of health care. He has repeatedly said he would not support "Medicare for All" and would rather build on the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, while adding a public option.
"I do not support Medicare for All. I will not support Medicare for All. But I do support making sure that Obamacare is around with a public option," Biden said in an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box."
Bundlers involved with helping Biden raise campaign cash say they sense that health-care workers are giving big to the former vice president because they have nothing to fear from his policies if he becomes president.


cnbc--2020-05-29--Trump taking action to eliminate special treatment for Hong Kong

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Friday announced he would begin taking steps to revoke Hong Kong 's favored trade status with the United States , in response to a controversial new security law passed by China 's parliament that would effectively bar political protest in Hong Kong .
`` I am directing my administration to begin the process of eliminating policy exemptions that give Hong Kong different and special treatment , '' Trump said during a Rose Garden event at the White House .
`` My announcement today will affect the full range of agreements that we have with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to our export controls and technologies , '' Trump said .
`` We will take action to revoke Hong Kong 's preferential treatment as a separate customs and travel territory from the rest of China . ''
The shift in Hong Kong 's status immediately jeopardizes several aspects of the former British colony 's relationship with the United States , which has so far meant that Hong Kong has been spared punishing tariffs that are a hallmark of Trump 's trade war with Beijing .
But Trump did not provide details about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in what order , and a White House spokesman declined to comment when CNBC asked for additional clarification on the expected moves .
Trump also said he was ready to take action to mandate that Chinese and other foreign companies listed on U.S. financial exchanges abide by American accounting and audit standards .
The issue has long been a source of frustration among Washington policymakers , several of whom have introduced legislation that would bar trading in any shares where the company 's auditor has n't faced an inspection from the Public Company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump has not said whether he will sign the bill , which is currently making its way through Congress .
But the president did say Friday that he would instruct his `` presidential working group on financial markets to study the different practices of Chinese companies listed on the U.S. financial markets , with a goal of protecting American investors . ''
`` Investment firms should not be subjecting their clients to the hidden and undue risks associated with financing Chinese companies that do not play by the same rules , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are entitled to fairness and transparency . ''
A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a question from CNBC about whether Trump would sign the legislation if it gets to his desk .
During the same address , Trump also announced that the United States would be terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization , a move likely to draw criticism from public health experts and U.S. allies .
The president said the organization had failed to make `` the requested and greatly needed reforms , '' and he blamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of `` transparency . ''
Trump did not take any questions from reporters after he finished speaking .
Financial markets reacted positively to Trump 's announcement , reflecting overall relief that he did not announce some of the more drastic and punitive measures that analysts and investors had feared he might .
These included additional tariffs on Chinese products , broad sanctions and a withdrawal from the U.S.-China trade deal .
For weeks , the Trump administration has been ratcheting up pressure on Beijing over its alleged cover-up of early coronavirus cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus itself and for its outsized severity in the United States .
Beijing , in turn , has suggested the virus originated in U.S. service members , a claim widely rejected by international health experts .
In the past week , however , the pressure from the United States has taken a more serious turn in response to a proposed Chinese security law that threatens the long-standing semi-autonomy of Hong Kong .
The law , formally approved Thursday by China 's People 's Congress , is expected to criminalize most forms of political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and `` subversion . ''
On Wednesday , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a report to Congress declaring that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China .
`` No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China , given facts on the ground , '' Pompeo said in a statement accompanying the report .
Even as relations have grown more hostile , Trump has been reluctant to take action on China that could tip the strained bilateral relationship into an outright confrontation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of the United States ' interdependence with China as a market for American exports and a supplier of manufactured goods .
He also still believes that his `` phase one '' trade deal , signed in January , can and will be seen as one of the high points of his presidency , fulfilling a key campaign promise he made in 2016 .
Likewise , since the coronavirus arrived in the U.S. , Trump has shown little appetite for signing any legislation he thinks could hinder the economic recovery .

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Friday announced he would begin taking steps to revoke Hong Kong's favored trade status with the United States, in response to a controversial new security law passed by China's parliament that would effectively bar political protest in Hong Kong.
"I am directing my administration to begin the process of eliminating policy exemptions that give Hong Kong different and special treatment," Trump said during a Rose Garden event at the White House.
"My announcement today will affect the full range of agreements that we have with Hong Kong, from our extradition treaty, to our export controls and technologies," Trump said. "We will take action to revoke Hong Kong's preferential treatment as a separate customs and travel territory from the rest of China."
The shift in Hong Kong's status immediately jeopardizes several aspects of the former British colony's relationship with the United States, which has so far meant that Hong Kong has been spared punishing tariffs that are a hallmark of Trump's trade war with Beijing.
But Trump did not provide details about precisely which steps would be taken or in what order, and a White House spokesman declined to comment when CNBC asked for additional clarification on the expected moves.
Trump also said he was ready to take action to mandate that Chinese and other foreign companies listed on U.S. financial exchanges abide by American accounting and audit standards.
The issue has long been a source of frustration among Washington policymakers, several of whom have introduced legislation that would bar trading in any shares where the company's auditor hasn't faced an inspection from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board for three consecutive years.
Trump has not said whether he will sign the bill, which is currently making its way through Congress.
But the president did say Friday that he would instruct his "presidential working group on financial markets to study the different practices of Chinese companies listed on the U.S. financial markets, with a goal of protecting American investors."
"Investment firms should not be subjecting their clients to the hidden and undue risks associated with financing Chinese companies that do not play by the same rules," said Trump, adding that "Americans are entitled to fairness and transparency."
A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a question from CNBC about whether Trump would sign the legislation if it gets to his desk.
During the same address, Trump also announced that the United States would be terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization, a move likely to draw criticism from public health experts and U.S. allies.
The president said the organization had failed to make "the requested and greatly needed reforms," and he blamed the global health group for a lack of "transparency."
Trump did not take any questions from reporters after he finished speaking.
Financial markets reacted positively to Trump's announcement, reflecting overall relief that he did not announce some of the more drastic and punitive measures that analysts and investors had feared he might. These included additional tariffs on Chinese products, broad sanctions and a withdrawal from the U.S.-China trade deal.
For weeks, the Trump administration has been ratcheting up pressure on Beijing over its alleged cover-up of early coronavirus cases. Trump has publicly blamed China for the virus itself and for its outsized severity in the United States.
Beijing, in turn, has suggested the virus originated in U.S. service members, a claim widely rejected by international health experts.
In the past week, however, the pressure from the United States has taken a more serious turn in response to a proposed Chinese security law that threatens the long-standing semi-autonomy of Hong Kong. The law, formally approved Thursday by China's People's Congress, is expected to criminalize most forms of political protest under blanket bans on "sedition" and "subversion."
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a report to Congress declaring that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China.
"No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground," Pompeo said in a statement accompanying the report.
Even as relations have grown more hostile, Trump has been reluctant to take action on China that could tip the strained bilateral relationship into an outright confrontation.
As president, Trump is acutely aware of the United States' interdependence with China as a market for American exports and a supplier of manufactured goods. He also still believes that his "phase one" trade deal, signed in January, can and will be seen as one of the high points of his presidency, fulfilling a key campaign promise he made in 2016.
Likewise, since the coronavirus arrived in the U.S., Trump has shown little appetite for signing any legislation he thinks could hinder the economic recovery.


cnbc--2020-05-29--Ex-Minneapolis cop charged with murder in death of George Floyd

Derek Chauvin , a former Minneapolis police officer who was filmed kneeling on George Floyd 's neck before he died , is in custody and has been charged with murder , Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Friday .
Chauvin was among the four officers involved in Floyd 's violent arrest on Monday that has since spurred days of protests in Minnesota 's largest city .
Chauvin is white and Floyd was black .
`` We have now been able to put together the evidence that we need , '' Freeman said at a news conference .
`` Even as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't have all that we needed .
We have now found it . ''
`` This is by far the fastest we 've ever charged a police officer , '' he added .
Floyd , who was 46 , died after being arrested on suspicion that he attempted to use a counterfeit bill .
Tape of the arrest , which was caught by onlookers , shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd 's neck as Floyd , who is handcuffed , cries out that he can not breathe .
Chauvin , 44 , was charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under the Minnesota penal code , third-degree murder involves `` perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind '' but without the intent to cause death .
A conviction for third-degree murder has a maximum possible sentence of 25 years in prison , and second-degree manslaughter carries a max of 10 years .
The complaint , released 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 .
`` Police are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous , '' the complaint reads .
According to the complaint , preliminary findings from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner do not support a diagnosis of strangulation , but suggest that Floyd 's underlying heart conditions , combined with the police restraint and `` potential intoxicants in his system '' likely contributed to his death .
In a statement , Floyd 's family called the arrest a `` welcome but overdue step on the road to justice . ''
`` We expected a first-degree murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge .
And we want to see the other officers arrested , '' they said in a statement issued by their attorney Ben Crump .
The other officers involved in the arrest were Thomas Lane , Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng .
All four were fired on Tuesday .
Freeman said Friday that he anticipated charges for the other officers but did not go into detail .
Efforts to reach the officers or their attorneys have been unsuccessful .
The incident recalled the 2014 death of Eric Garner , a black man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathe '' while a white New York police officer , Daniel Pantaleo , grasped his neck and wrestled him to the ground .
The New York City Medical Examiner ruled that the death was a homicide , but Pantaleo was not charged with any crime .
Because of the incident , `` I ca n't breathe '' became a rallying cry at protests about police violence around the country .
Floyd 's death prompted calls from local and national figures for Chauvin 's prosecution , and a federal investigation led by the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Investigation .
`` The Department of Justice has made the investigation a top priority and has assigned experienced prosecutors and FBI criminal investigators to the matter , '' the agencies said in a joint statement Thursday .

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Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who was filmed kneeling on George Floyd's neck before he died, is in custody and has been charged with murder, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Friday. Chauvin was among the four officers involved in Floyd's violent arrest on Monday that has since spurred days of protests in Minnesota's largest city. Chauvin is white and Floyd was black. "We have now been able to put together the evidence that we need," Freeman said at a news conference. "Even as late as yesterday afternoon, we didn't have all that we needed. We have now found it." "This is by far the fastest we've ever charged a police officer," he added. Floyd, who was 46, died after being arrested on suspicion that he attempted to use a counterfeit bill.
Booking photo of former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin Photo provided by Ramsey County Jail
Tape of the arrest, which was caught by onlookers, shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck as Floyd, who is handcuffed, cries out that he cannot breathe. Chauvin, 44, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Under the Minnesota penal code, third-degree murder involves "perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind" but without the intent to cause death. A conviction for third-degree murder has a maximum possible sentence of 25 years in prison, and second-degree manslaughter carries a max of 10 years. The complaint, released 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. "Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous," the complaint reads. According to the complaint, preliminary findings from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner do not support a diagnosis of strangulation, but suggest that Floyd's underlying heart conditions, combined with the police restraint and "potential intoxicants in his system" likely contributed to his death. In a statement, Floyd's family called the arrest a "welcome but overdue step on the road to justice." "We expected a first-degree murder charge. We want a first-degree murder charge. And we want to see the other officers arrested," they said in a statement issued by their attorney Ben Crump. The other officers involved in the arrest were Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng. All four were fired on Tuesday. Freeman said Friday that he anticipated charges for the other officers but did not go into detail. Efforts to reach the officers or their attorneys have been unsuccessful. The incident recalled the 2014 death of Eric Garner, a black man who died gasping "I can't breathe" while a white New York police officer, Daniel Pantaleo, grasped his neck and wrestled him to the ground. The New York City Medical Examiner ruled that the death was a homicide, but Pantaleo was not charged with any crime. Because of the incident, "I can't breathe" became a rallying cry at protests about police violence around the country. Floyd's death prompted calls from local and national figures for Chauvin's prosecution, and a federal investigation led by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "The Department of Justice has made the investigation a top priority and has assigned experienced prosecutors and FBI criminal investigators to the matter," the agencies said in a joint statement Thursday.
A protester hold sign board "Justice for George" into a fire outside a Target store near the Third Police Precinct on May 28, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images


cnbc--2020-05-29--Next coronavirus stimulus bill will be the 'final' one, Mitch McConnell says

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday that Congress will decide whether to pass a `` final '' coronavirus relief package in the coming weeks .
`` We 're taking a careful look at a fourth and final bill , '' the Republican said in his home state of Kentucky .
`` You could anticipate the decision being made on whether to go forward in about a month .
And it will be narrowly crafted , designed to help us where we are a month from now , not where we were three months ago . ''
Congress has split @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care crises created by the pandemic .
As tens of millions of people file for unemployment insurance and state and local governments stare down budget shortfalls , House Democrats passed a sprawling $ 3 trillion stimulus bill this month .
McConnell , meanwhile , has stressed he wants to see how efforts to reopen businesses in most of the country affect the economy and job market before he would pass more legislation .
Democrats , who have pushed for measures including another round of direct payments of up to $ 1,200 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit , have argued the need for people to cover vital expenses requires more immediate action .
`` We need a pause ?
Tell that to the virus , '' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday .
`` Is the virus taking a pause ?
Is hunger in America taking a pause ? ''
In a separate letter to colleagues Friday , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , urged the Senate to take more action to address the pandemic when it returns next week .
He called on Republicans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , immediately . ''
Schumer also said Senate Democrats would try to pass a House-approved bill that aims to give small business owners more flexibility in how they spend money loaned as part of a coronavirus aid program .
McConnell outlined a set of conditions for the next coronavirus package .
He said it `` will be written in the Senate '' and `` supported by '' the Trump administration , with input from Democrats — whose support it will need to pass even the GOP-held Senate .
He again stressed he will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include a measure to shield doctors and businesses from certain lawsuits as the economy reopens .
Democrats have opposed sweeping liability protections .
McConnell also said Congress would `` help those who are still unemployed . ''
But he criticized the $ 600 per week federal benefit set to expire after July , which has in certain cases led to beneficiaries receiving more money than they would have from their previous paychecks .
The GOP Senate leader , who has opposed efforts to send more relief to states and municipalities , said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving them more funding .
He added that `` there may be additional assistance needed for small businesses , for health care . ''
McConnell 's comments and a House schedule released Friday afternoon indicate another relief bill likely will not become law for weeks .
A summer calendar sent by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer 's office does not list votes until June 30 , though the Maryland Democrat has noted representatives could return to Washington sooner if the Senate approves coronavirus-related legislation .
`` I expect , then , that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point in June , once the Senate does act , for further Floor action on this critical issue , '' he wrote in a letter to representatives , noting that he would give them 72 hours ' notice before they come back to the Capitol .
The U.S. this week surpassed 100,000 deaths from the pandemic .
More than 40 million people have now filed unemployment insurance claims during the crisis , though the number of people collecting benefits for at least two weeks in a row fell to about 21 million .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday that Congress will decide whether to pass a "final" coronavirus relief package in the coming weeks.
"We're taking a careful look at a fourth and final bill," the Republican said in his home state of Kentucky. "You could anticipate the decision being made on whether to go forward in about a month. And it will be narrowly crafted, designed to help us where we are a month from now, not where we were three months ago."
Congress has split over how next to address economic and health care crises created by the pandemic. As tens of millions of people file for unemployment insurance and state and local governments stare down budget shortfalls, House Democrats passed a sprawling $3 trillion stimulus bill this month. McConnell, meanwhile, has stressed he wants to see how efforts to reopen businesses in most of the country affect the economy and job market before he would pass more legislation.
Democrats, who have pushed for measures including another round of direct payments of up to $1,200 and an extension of an enhanced federal unemployment benefit, have argued the need for people to cover vital expenses requires more immediate action.
"We need a pause? Tell that to the virus," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday. "Is the virus taking a pause? Is hunger in America taking a pause?"
In a separate letter to colleagues Friday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged the Senate to take more action to address the pandemic when it returns next week. He called on Republicans to "join Democrats at the negotiating table, immediately."
Schumer also said Senate Democrats would try to pass a House-approved bill that aims to give small business owners more flexibility in how they spend money loaned as part of a coronavirus aid program.
McConnell outlined a set of conditions for the next coronavirus package. He said it "will be written in the Senate" and "supported by" the Trump administration, with input from Democrats — whose support it will need to pass even the GOP-held Senate.


cnbc--2020-05-29--Barack Obama says death of George Floyd at Minneapolis police hands 'shouldn't be normal in 2020 Ame

Barack Obama says death of George Floyd at Minneapolis police hands 'shouldn't be normal in 2020 America'

Citizens , came to Mauer Park , to inspect and to take photos in front of the mural of George Floyd , who died in police custody in Minneapolis of USA on Monday night , on May 29 , 2020 in Berlin , Germany .
Former President Barack Obama said Friday that the death of black man at the hands of the Minneapolis police , and the continued disparate treatment of other blacks and minorities in the United States , `` should n't be 'normal ' in 2020 America . ''
`` It ca n't be 'normal , ' '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals , we can and must be better , '' wrote Obama , who is the only black person elected to the White House .
The tweeted statement came as protests continued in Minneapolis over the death Monday of George Floyd , who in a video of his arrest in Minneapolis can be heard telling cops , repeatedly , `` I ca n't breathe . ''
A white officer , Derek Chauvin , held Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neck .
Chauvin and the other three officers involved in the incident were fired Tuesday .
On Friday afternoon , after Obama 's tweet , Chauvin was arrested in connection with Floyd 's death .
Obama 's tweet referenced a widely publicized and controversial incident in February in which an unarmed black man in Georgia named Ahmaud Arbery was fatally shot by one of two white men chasing him as he ran down a street .
The post also cited an incident from last weekend in which a white woman in Manhattan called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatened by a black man who had asked her to leash her dog as he bird-watched in Central Park .
Obama wrote that he received an email from an African American businessman who told him that , `` I cried when I saw that video '' of a cop using his knee to hold Floyd in place by the neck .
`` It broke me down , '' the businessman wrote , according to Obama .
`` The 'knee on the neck ' is a metaphor for how the system so cavalierly holds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for help .
People do n't care .
Truly tragic . ''
Obama wrote that he and `` millions of others '' shared an `` anguish '' over the death of Floyd and other such incidents .
`` It 's natural to wish for life 'to just get back to normal ' as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us , '' Obama wrote .
`` But we have to remember that for millions of Americans , being treated differently on account of race is tragically , painfully , maddeningly 'normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the health care system , or interacting with the criminal justice system , or jogging down the street , or just watching birds in a park . ''
`` This should n't be 'normal ' in 2020 America . ''
Obama wrote that it will be largely up to Minnesota officials to make sure that Floyd 's death is fully investigated , and `` that justice is ultimately done . ''
`` But it falls on all of us , regardless of our race or station — including the majority of men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pride in doing their tough job the right way , every day — to work together to create a 'new normal ' in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts . ''
Earlier Friday , Joe Biden , who was Obama 's vice president , blasted President Donald Trump for a tweet that threatened to send National Guard troops to deal with protesters in Minneapolis and warned that `` when the looting starts , the shooting starts . ''
Biden , who is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he was `` furious '' over Trump `` calling for violence against American citizens . ''

Citizens, came to Mauer Park, to inspect and to take photos in front of the mural of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis of USA on Monday night, on May 29, 2020 in Berlin, Germany.
Former President Barack Obama said Friday that the death of black man at the hands of the Minneapolis police, and the continued disparate treatment of other blacks and minorities in the United States, "shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America."
"It can't be 'normal,'" Obama wrote in a Twitter post.
"If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better," wrote Obama, who is the only black person elected to the White House.
The tweeted statement came as protests continued in Minneapolis over the death Monday of George Floyd, who in a video of his arrest in Minneapolis can be heard telling cops, repeatedly, "I can't breathe."
A white officer, Derek Chauvin, held Floyd down by pressing a knee into his neck.
Chauvin and the other three officers involved in the incident were fired Tuesday. On Friday afternoon, after Obama's tweet, Chauvin was arrested in connection with Floyd's death.
Obama's tweet referenced a widely publicized and controversial incident in February in which an unarmed black man in Georgia named Ahmaud Arbery was fatally shot by one of two white men chasing him as he ran down a street.
The post also cited an incident from last weekend in which a white woman in Manhattan called police and said that she was being threatened by a black man who had asked her to leash her dog as he bird-watched in Central Park.
Obama wrote that he received an email from an African American businessman who told him that, "I cried when I saw that video" of a cop using his knee to hold Floyd in place by the neck.
"It broke me down," the businessman wrote, according to Obama. "The 'knee on the neck' is a metaphor for how the system so cavalierly holds black folks down, ignoring the cries for help. People don't care. Truly tragic."
Obama wrote that he and "millions of others" shared an "anguish" over the death of Floyd and other such incidents.
"It's natural to wish for life 'to just get back to normal' as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us," Obama wrote.
"But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly 'normal' — whether it's while dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system, or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park."
"This shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America."
Tweet
Obama wrote that it will be largely up to Minnesota officials to make sure that Floyd's death is fully investigated, and "that justice is ultimately done."
"But it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or station — including the majority of men and women in law enforcement who take pride in doing their tough job the right way, every day — to work together to create a 'new normal' in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts."
Earlier Friday, Joe Biden, who was Obama's vice president, blasted President Donald Trump for a tweet that threatened to send National Guard troops to deal with protesters in Minneapolis and warned that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."
Biden, who is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee this year, said he was "furious" over Trump "calling for violence against American citizens."
"Enough," wrote Biden.