cnbc--2020-10-08--Here are the highlights from the vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris

The one and only debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris was quieter , clearer and more disciplined than the resentful , chaotic presidential debate a week earlier .
Despite the calmer tone — and the two sheets of plexiglass separating the contenders — sparks flew from both sides of the stage with no less frequency throughout the evening .
The contest , held in Utah before a small , socially distanced audience , began with a focus on the coronavirus pandemic but quickly fanned out to encompass a broad range of issues , including climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posture toward China .
While Pence , Harris and moderator Susan Page were the only ones on stage , President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden were the biggest targets of the debate .
Harris dropped the gloves from the outset .
`` The American people have witnessed what is the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country , '' she said in her very first answer , launching into a sweeping attack on the Trump administration 's handling of the Covid-19 crisis .
As the debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump polls the highest — Pence offered his sharpest critiques of Biden 's policy record .
When Harris slammed the Trump administration 's trade war with China , the vice president retorted : `` Joe Biden never fought it . ''
Less than four weeks remain until the Nov. 3 election .
The debate kicked off with a question about the coronavirus , which has killed more than 210,000 people in the U.S. What , the moderator asked , would the Biden administration do to combat the coronavirus pandemic ?
Harris highlighted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. , and slammed the White House for failing to act in the early days of the pandemic .
`` They knew what was happening and they did n't tell you , '' she said .
`` They knew , and they covered it up . ''
Pence defended the Trump administration 's handling of the crisis , and argued that a Biden administration would have fared no better under the same scenario .
`` Our nation 's gone through a very challenging time this year , but I want the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first day , President Trump has put the health of the American people first , '' he said .
Pence and Harris both dodge questions about their running mates ' ages Page asked both Pence and Harris about concerns on the ages of Trump , 74 , and Biden , 77 .
The Trump campaign has made Biden 's age a central attack line of the election .
Trump , meanwhile , was discharged from a hospital just two days before Pence and Harris sat down to debate , and he is currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House .
When Harris tore into Trump over damning reports about his attitude and actions toward the U.S. military , Pence refused to move on without completing his rebuttal — and forcing a rebuke from the moderator .
`` Joe Biden would hold Russia to account , '' Harris said after referencing reports that Russia offered bounties to Afghan militants to kill U.S. troops .
Page attempted to move on , but Pence insisted he be allowed to respond .
When Page gave him 15 seconds , he replied , `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` The slanders against President Donald Trump regarding men and women of our armed forces are absurd , '' Pence said .
Page cut in , but Pence kept talking , leading to a moment reminiscent of the interruption-fest between Trump and Biden a week earlier .
`` You 've had more time than she 's had so far '' Page said amid the crosstalk .
`` I did not create the rules tonight . ''
Critics pounced on Pence for steamrolling Harris and Page .
Some also said that Page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from speaking after his time ran out .
And a few suggested that Harris should be allowed more time to compensate .
An eighth grader 's question : If you ca n't get along , how can we ?
Page asked the vice presidential candidates the last question of the night submitted by an eighth grader from Springville , Utah .
`` When I watch the news , all I see are two candidates from opposing parties , trying to tear each other down .
If our leaders ca n't get along , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along ? ''
Page read .
`` Your examples could make all the difference to bring us together . ''
Pence offered advice to the student : `` Do n't assume that what you 're seeing on your local news networks is synonymous with the American people . ''
He gave the example of the late Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia , who were famously close friends despite their staunchly opposing political views .
Pence had been speaking about law enforcement , pushing back on the notion of implicit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insult '' to officers .
But at least on social media , audiences were instantly distracted by the visiting insect .

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The one and only debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris was quieter, clearer and more disciplined than the resentful, chaotic presidential debate a week earlier. Despite the calmer tone — and the two sheets of plexiglass separating the contenders — sparks flew from both sides of the stage with no less frequency throughout the evening. The contest, held in Utah before a small, socially distanced audience, began with a focus on the coronavirus pandemic but quickly fanned out to encompass a broad range of issues, including climate change, trade, jobs and America's posture toward China. While Pence, Harris and moderator Susan Page were the only ones on stage, President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden were the biggest targets of the debate.
US Democratic vice presidential nominee and Senator from California, Kamala Harris speaks during the vice presidential debate in Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah on October 7, 2020, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Robyn Beck | AFP | Getty Images
Harris dropped the gloves from the outset. "The American people have witnessed what is the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country," she said in her very first answer, launching into a sweeping attack on the Trump administration's handling of the Covid-19 crisis. As the debate shifted focus toward economic issues — where Trump polls the highest — Pence offered his sharpest critiques of Biden's policy record. When Harris slammed the Trump administration's trade war with China, the vice president retorted: "Joe Biden never fought it." Less than four weeks remain until the Nov. 3 election. Here are the highlights:
Coronavirus takes center stage
The debate kicked off with a question about the coronavirus, which has killed more than 210,000 people in the U.S. What, the moderator asked, would the Biden administration do to combat the coronavirus pandemic? Harris highlighted the staggering death toll of the virus in the U.S., and slammed the White House for failing to act in the early days of the pandemic. "They knew what was happening and they didn't tell you," she said. "They knew, and they covered it up."
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks during the vice presidential campaign debate with Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Kamala Harris held on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, October 7, 2020. Lucy Nicholson | Reuters
Pence defended the Trump administration's handling of the crisis, and argued that a Biden administration would have fared no better under the same scenario. "Our nation's gone through a very challenging time this year, but I want the American people to know that from the very first day, President Trump has put the health of the American people first," he said.
Pence and Harris both dodge questions about their running mates' ages
Page asked both Pence and Harris about concerns on the ages of Trump, 74, and Biden, 77. Neither candidate provided a direct answer. The Trump campaign has made Biden's age a central attack line of the election. Trump, meanwhile, was discharged from a hospital just two days before Pence and Harris sat down to debate, and he is currently being treated for the coronavirus at the White House.
Echoes of the Trump-Biden debate
When Harris tore into Trump over damning reports about his attitude and actions toward the U.S. military, Pence refused to move on without completing his rebuttal — and forcing a rebuke from the moderator. "Joe Biden would hold Russia to account," Harris said after referencing reports that Russia offered bounties to Afghan militants to kill U.S. troops. Page attempted to move on, but Pence insisted he be allowed to respond. When Page gave him 15 seconds, he replied, "I've got to have more than that." "The slanders against President Donald Trump regarding men and women of our armed forces are absurd," Pence said. Page cut in, but Pence kept talking, leading to a moment reminiscent of the interruption-fest between Trump and Biden a week earlier.
US Vice President Mike Pence speaks during the vice presidential debate in Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah on October 7, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Eric Baradat | Getty Images
"You've had more time than she's had so far" Page said amid the crosstalk. "I did not create the rules tonight." Critics pounced on Pence for steamrolling Harris and Page. Some also said that Page could have done more to prevent Pence from speaking after his time ran out. And a few suggested that Harris should be allowed more time to compensate.
An eighth grader's question: If you can't get along, how can we?
Page asked the vice presidential candidates the last question of the night submitted by an eighth grader from Springville, Utah. "When I watch the news, all I see are two candidates from opposing parties, trying to tear each other down. If our leaders can't get along, how are the citizen supposed to get along?" Page read. "Your examples could make all the difference to bring us together." Pence offered advice to the student: "Don't assume that what you're seeing on your local news networks is synonymous with the American people." He gave the example of the late Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia, who were famously close friends despite their staunchly opposing political views.
US Democratic vice presidential nominee and Senator from California, Kamala Harris speaks during the vice presidential debate in Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah on October 7, 2020, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Eric Baradat | AFP | Getty Images
Harris took the opportunity to talk up Biden's character. "Joe has a longstanding reputation of working across the aisle," she said. "Joe Biden has a history of lifting people up and fighting for their dignity."
The buzz
In a debate without a single jaw-dropping moment, optics gain outsize importance. Unfortunately for the vice president, that meant viewers were acutely aware that a fly landed on his head late in the evening.
A fly briefly lands on head of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during in the vice presidential debate against Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) at the University of Utah on October 7, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Alex Wong | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Pence had been speaking about law enforcement, pushing back on the notion of implicit bias in policing as "a great insult" to officers. But at least on social media, audiences were instantly distracted by the visiting insect.


cnbc--2020-10-08--Biden and Democrats scored big fundraising hauls on vice presidential debate day

A digital truck broadcasts the debate between U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris outside a tavern in San Diego , California , October , 7 , 2020 .
Joe Biden 's campaign for president raised $ 12 million on the day of the vice presidential debate featuring his running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris , and Vice President Mike Pence , Biden 's team told CNBC .
The haul comes after Harris took on Pence at a debate that hit on key topics of the coronavirus , health care , the Supreme Court and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic fundraising machine ActBlue ended up raising just over $ 9 million between the start of the debate at 9:00 pm and midnight .
The other key to success stemming from the debate , according to the Biden campaign , was their overall engagement on the Democratic National Committee 's voter registration website , Iwillvote.com .
A large amount of the engagement came through the website FlyWillVote.com .
The link brings users back to the main page of the website that helps people register to vote .
In the past 24 hours there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Over 6,000 people told the campaign that they would like to vote in person , and over 12,000 people took the first step to registering to vote .
The Fly Will Vote link is a reference to the fly that landed on Pence 's head during the debate .
They sold over 35,000 `` Truth Over Flies '' fly swatters and they sold out within a few hours .

A digital truck broadcasts the debate between U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris outside a tavern in San Diego, California, October, 7, 2020.
Joe Biden's campaign for president raised $12 million on the day of the vice presidential debate featuring his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, and Vice President Mike Pence, Biden's team told CNBC.
The haul comes after Harris took on Pence at a debate that hit on key topics of the coronavirus, health care, the Supreme Court and the economy.
That same night, the Democratic fundraising machine ActBlue ended up raising just over $9 million between the start of the debate at 9:00 pm and midnight.
The other key to success stemming from the debate, according to the Biden campaign, was their overall engagement on the Democratic National Committee's voter registration website, Iwillvote.com. A large amount of the engagement came through the website FlyWillVote.com. The link brings users back to the main page of the website that helps people register to vote.
In the past 24 hours there have been 18,000 vote by mail submissions. Over 6,000 people told the campaign that they would like to vote in person, and over 12,000 people took the first step to registering to vote.
The Fly Will Vote link is a reference to the fly that landed on Pence's head during the debate. They sold over 35,000 "Truth Over Flies" fly swatters and they sold out within a few hours.


cnbc--2020-10-08--Pelosi, Mnuchin speak about broad stimulus bill as White House sends mixed signals

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaks during a news conference to announce the Trump administration 's restoration of sanctions on Iran , at the U.S. State Department in Washington , September 21 , 2020 .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke about a broad coronavirus stimulus plan Thursday , capping another day of jumbled efforts in Washington to inject more aid into a floundering economy .
Pelosi and Mnuchin had a 40-minute afternoon phone conversation about `` whether there is any prospect of an imminent agreement on a comprehensive bill , '' the speaker 's spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hammill said Mnuchin `` made clear '' Trump had interest in finding agreement on a comprehensive relief package — generally considered one that would address a range of issues including jobless benefits , direct payments , state and local government relief , and aid to airlines to cover payrolls .
Pelosi pointed out comments from White House communications director Alyssa Farah , who on Thursday afternoon cast doubts on Trump 's desire to craft broad legislation .
Farah told reporters the White House wants to address stimulus checks , small business loans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not as `` part of a larger package . ''
The speaker would take Mnuchin 's word that Trump wants a broad proposal , Hammill added .
`` The Speaker trusts that the Secretary speaks for the President , '' he wrote .
Later Thursday , Farah told reporters `` we 're open to going with something bigger . ''
But `` we 're not going to operate from the $ 2.2 trillion that the speaker laid out , '' she said .
The developments Thursday afternoon continue a confusing week of back-and-forth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sides make a last-ditch push to send more aid to Americans before the 2020 election .
Barring a quick resolution , it appears doubtful Congress can pass another relief bill before Nov. 3 even as more signs of a faltering economic recovery emerge .
Early in the week , Pelosi and Mnuchin had conversations about a fifth pandemic aid package that Congress has struggled to craft for months .
As the White House and Democrats tried to find common ground between their $ 1.6 trillion and $ 2.2 trillion offers , respectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to call off stimulus talks until after the election .
He quickly reversed course that night .
The president pushed for piecemeal bills to send direct payments to Americans and relief to airlines .
Trump reiterated his call for stand-alone bills Thursday .
After Pelosi opened the door to a separate bill only to send money to airlines to prevent tens of thousands of furloughs , she shut it on Thursday .
She then suggested talks about a comprehensive plan could move forward .
`` We 're at the table .
We want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made some progress , we 're exchanging language , '' the speaker told reporters .
The frenetic discussions have left even congressional leaders perplexed .
`` I think we 're still talking and trying to see if we can narrow our differences , '' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday in Kentucky .
`` And you know , the discussion from day to day can be confusing for all of us to follow , but we 're still engaging and hoping we can find a way forward .
He added : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have to find a way forward because I do think there is bipartisan agreement that we need another package .
But the amount of money is not irrelevant , you know . ''
It is still unclear what kind of legislation could get through the Democratic-held House and GOP-controlled Senate before the election .
Senate Republicans have expressed concerns about putting too much money in another bill after Congress put trillions into the coronavirus response this year .
The Senate GOP most recently proposed $ 500 billion legislation .
Neither party has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position .
Many economists and policymakers have pushed for fiscal stimulus to avoid sharpening pain for people left jobless and struggling to afford food and housing months into the crisis .
Earlier this week , Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell urged Congress to pass more relief to avoid `` tragic '' consequences .
He warned lawmakers against pulling back from boosting the economy .
`` By contrast , the risks of overdoing it seem , for now , to be smaller , '' he said .
The president appears to have reversed course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned by the sudden stock market drop after he called off talks , told House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy he wants a `` big deal '' with Pelosi , according to Axios .

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaks during a news conference to announce the Trump administration's restoration of sanctions on Iran, at the U.S. State Department in Washington, September 21, 2020.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke about a broad coronavirus stimulus plan Thursday, capping another day of jumbled efforts in Washington to inject more aid into a floundering economy.
Pelosi and Mnuchin had a 40-minute afternoon phone conversation about "whether there is any prospect of an imminent agreement on a comprehensive bill," the speaker's spokesman Drew Hammill said in a tweet.
Hammill said Mnuchin "made clear" Trump had interest in finding agreement on a comprehensive relief package — generally considered one that would address a range of issues including jobless benefits, direct payments, state and local government relief, and aid to airlines to cover payrolls.
Pelosi pointed out comments from White House communications director Alyssa Farah, who on Thursday afternoon cast doubts on Trump's desire to craft broad legislation. Farah told reporters the White House wants to address stimulus checks, small business loans and an "airline bailout," but not as "part of a larger package."
The speaker would take Mnuchin's word that Trump wants a broad proposal, Hammill added.
"The Speaker trusts that the Secretary speaks for the President," he wrote.
Later Thursday, Farah told reporters "we're open to going with something bigger." But "we're not going to operate from the $2.2 trillion that the speaker laid out," she said.
The developments Thursday afternoon continue a confusing week of back-and-forth between the Trump administration and Pelosi as the sides make a last-ditch push to send more aid to Americans before the 2020 election. Barring a quick resolution, it appears doubtful Congress can pass another relief bill before Nov. 3 even as more signs of a faltering economic recovery emerge.
Early in the week, Pelosi and Mnuchin had conversations about a fifth pandemic aid package that Congress has struggled to craft for months. As the White House and Democrats tried to find common ground between their $1.6 trillion and $2.2 trillion offers, respectively, Trump on Tuesday ordered his administration to call off stimulus talks until after the election.
He quickly reversed course that night. The president pushed for piecemeal bills to send direct payments to Americans and relief to airlines. Trump reiterated his call for stand-alone bills Thursday.
After Pelosi opened the door to a separate bill only to send money to airlines to prevent tens of thousands of furloughs, she shut it on Thursday. She then suggested talks about a comprehensive plan could move forward.
"We're at the table. We want to continue the conversation. We've made some progress, we're exchanging language," the speaker told reporters.
The frenetic discussions have left even congressional leaders perplexed.
"I think we're still talking and trying to see if we can narrow our differences," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday in Kentucky. "And you know, the discussion from day to day can be confusing for all of us to follow, but we're still engaging and hoping we can find a way forward.
He added: "At some point, we're going to have to find a way forward because I do think there is bipartisan agreement that we need another package. But the amount of money is not irrelevant, you know."
It is still unclear what kind of legislation could get through the Democratic-held House and GOP-controlled Senate before the election. Senate Republicans have expressed concerns about putting too much money in another bill after Congress put trillions into the coronavirus response this year. The Senate GOP most recently proposed $500 billion legislation.
Neither party has showed willingness to budge from its current position.
Many economists and policymakers have pushed for fiscal stimulus to avoid sharpening pain for people left jobless and struggling to afford food and housing months into the crisis. Earlier this week, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell urged Congress to pass more relief to avoid "tragic" consequences.
He warned lawmakers against pulling back from boosting the economy.
"By contrast, the risks of overdoing it seem, for now, to be smaller," he said.
The president appears to have reversed course since Tuesday. Trump, who was concerned by the sudden stock market drop after he called off talks, told House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy he wants a "big deal" with Pelosi, according to Axios.


cnbc--2020-10-08--Companies distance themselves from Trump ally who launched vulgar attack on Kamala Harris

U.S. President Donald Trump approaches reporters as he departs on campaign travel to Minnesota from the South Lawn at the White House in Washington , September 30 , 2020 .
Big companies distanced themselves from a Washington , D.C. , consultant and Trump ally who launched a vulgar attack on Sen. Kamala Harris during the vice presidential debate Wednesday night .
Harlan Hill , an advocate of President Donald Trump 's , is the head of the Logan Circle Group .
The website of the company says it is a `` boutique public relations and political consulting firm '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be clients under a title of `` Trusted by the best . ''
Corporate giants such as American Airlines and AT & T are among those listed .
There are also political organizations , including the Trump campaign and the House campaign of California Republican Darrell Issa .
Hill , who had been an occasional guest in the past on Fox News , called Harris a vulgar name on Twitter on Wednesday .
`` Kamala Harris comes off as such an insufferable lying b -- -- .
Sorry , it 's just true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not respond to CNBC 's request for comment .
After publication of the story , Hill said he has done work for both AT & T and American Airlines , either directly or through what he calls `` consulting partners . ''
`` In my 10 years in consulting , I have done work for all of the companies mentioned on the Logan Circle Group websites — either directly or thru consulting partners — when I 'm released from our NDAs , I will be happy to discuss the specifics of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hill will no longer be allowed to appear on Fox News , the network said Thursday .
Both American Airlines and AT & T distanced themselves from him on Thursday and demanded he stop using their names and logo on his website .
`` We have found no record of this person working for us , and he certainly never will in the future .
We have contacted him and demanded he remove our name and logo from his website , '' Jim Greer , a spokesman for AT & T , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has found no record of working with Hill .
Anti-Trump Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt retweeted Hill 's tweet about Harris , asking AT & T and American Airlines whether they were comfortable with Hill representing him .
`` You are right , '' the airline tweeted from its account .
`` We wo n't tolerate it .
We just told Mr. Hill to stop using our name & logo .
He does n't represent us & never will . ''
Hill also has seen pushback from other groups that his website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice , a nonprofit organization that , according to its website , provides `` pro bono legal services to protect children 'lost in the system ' after exposure to family violence , physical/sexual abuse , substance addictions or neglect '' is also on Hill 's company website as an organization that trusts him .
The executive director of the group , Eileen King , told CNBC that the group hired Hill years ago to help it build a new website but he has n't done any work for it since .
After being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said her group may consider asking him to now remove its name from his website entirely .
Further , she added , the work he did on the website was n't great .
`` It was kind of eh .
Nothing horrible .
Nothing too great .
I do n't think he had any particular interest or sympathy with our cause , '' she said .

U.S. President Donald Trump approaches reporters as he departs on campaign travel to Minnesota from the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, September 30, 2020.
Big companies distanced themselves from a Washington, D.C., consultant and Trump ally who launched a vulgar attack on Sen. Kamala Harris during the vice presidential debate Wednesday night.
Harlan Hill, an advocate of President Donald Trump's, is the head of the Logan Circle Group. The website of the company says it is a "boutique public relations and political consulting firm" and lists a slew of what appear to be clients under a title of "Trusted by the best."
Corporate giants such as American Airlines and AT&T are among those listed. There are also political organizations, including the Trump campaign and the House campaign of California Republican Darrell Issa.
Hill, who had been an occasional guest in the past on Fox News, called Harris a vulgar name on Twitter on Wednesday.
"Kamala Harris comes off as such an insufferable lying b----. Sorry, it's just true," Hill tweeted. He initially did not respond to CNBC's request for comment.
After publication of the story, Hill said he has done work for both AT&T and American Airlines, either directly or through what he calls "consulting partners."
"In my 10 years in consulting, I have done work for all of the companies mentioned on the Logan Circle Group websites — either directly or thru consulting partners — when I'm released from our NDAs, I will be happy to discuss the specifics of these campaigns," Hill told CNBC.
Hill will no longer be allowed to appear on Fox News, the network said Thursday.
Both American Airlines and AT&T distanced themselves from him on Thursday and demanded he stop using their names and logo on his website.
"We have found no record of this person working for us, and he certainly never will in the future. We have contacted him and demanded he remove our name and logo from his website," Jim Greer, a spokesman for AT&T, told CNBC.
American Airlines told CNBC that it has found no record of working with Hill. Anti-Trump Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt retweeted Hill's tweet about Harris, asking AT&T and American Airlines whether they were comfortable with Hill representing him. "You are right," the airline tweeted from its account. "We won't tolerate it. We just told Mr. Hill to stop using our name & logo. He doesn't represent us & never will."
Hill also has seen pushback from other groups that his website says he has ties with.
Child Justice, a nonprofit organization that, according to its website, provides "pro bono legal services to protect children 'lost in the system' after exposure to family violence, physical/sexual abuse, substance addictions or neglect" is also on Hill's company website as an organization that trusts him.
The executive director of the group, Eileen King, told CNBC that the group hired Hill years ago to help it build a new website but he hasn't done any work for it since.
After being informed of Hill attacking Harris, King said her group may consider asking him to now remove its name from his website entirely. Further, she added, the work he did on the website wasn't great.
"It was kind of eh. Nothing horrible. Nothing too great. I don't think he had any particular interest or sympathy with our cause," she said.
After publication, King confirmed that the organization has asked Hill to take down their name and logo from his website.


cnbc--2020-10-08--Trump says he wants troops in Afghanistan 'home by Christmas,' but it's unclear that will happen

An airman observes an Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan , Feb. 9 , 2018 .
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump , who campaigned in 2016 on ending `` ridiculous endless wars '' in the Middle East , took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce that American forces currently serving in Afghanistan will be home by Christmas .
It was unclear if Trump , who is seeking reelection next month , was giving an order via tweet or reiterating a long-held campaign promise in order to appeal to voters .
The Taliban welcomed Trump 's announcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward a peace agreement .
Earlier this year , the United States brokered a peace deal with the Taliban that would usher in a permanent cease-fire and reduce the U.S. military 's footprint from approximately 13,000 to 8,600 by mid-July .
And by May 2021 , all foreign forces would leave the war-torn country .
Trump 's tweet Wednesday came on the 19th anniversary of the start of the war in Afghanistan , which has dragged on to become America 's longest conflict .
Earlier on Wednesday , Trump 's national security advisor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. forces .
`` When President Trump took office , there were over 10,000 American troops in Afghanistan , '' Robert O'Brien said in a national security speech at the law school of the University of Nevada , Las Vegas .
`` As of today , there are under 5,000 and that will go to 2,500 by early next year , '' he said .
The National Security Council , White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to CNBC 's request for comment for clarity on the administration 's drawdown timeline in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House for treatment after testing positive for the coronavirus , has previously directed the Pentagon to reduce the U.S. fighting force in conflict zones .
In 2018 , Trump tweeted that the United States would be withdrawing troops out of Syria , a move that sent a shock wave through the Pentagon and contributed in part to the resignation of then-Defense Secretary James Mattis .
Trump later reversed his decision to withdraw from Syria .
In May , Trump complained on Twitter that America 's role in Afghanistan has been reduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a `` fighting force . ''
When asked about the tweet by reporters during a White House event , Trump said that the U.S. could go back to Afghanistan if needed .
`` We can always go back if we have to .
If we have to go back , we 'll go back , and we 'll go back raging , '' Trump said in May .
The collective wars in Afghanistan , Iraq and Syria have cost U.S. taxpayers more than $ 1.57 trillion since Sept. 11 , 2001 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The current U.S. military operations , designated Operation Freedom 's Sentinel in Afghanistan , Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria and Iraq , and Operation Noble Eagle , have accounted for $ 266 billion of that sum .
Of the three current operations , Freedom 's Sentinel takes the lion 's share of costs at $ 193 billion .

An airman observes an Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan, Feb. 9, 2018.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump, who campaigned in 2016 on ending "ridiculous endless wars" in the Middle East, took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce that American forces currently serving in Afghanistan will be home by Christmas.
It was unclear if Trump, who is seeking reelection next month, was giving an order via tweet or reiterating a long-held campaign promise in order to appeal to voters.
The Taliban welcomed Trump's announcement, saying it was a positive step toward a peace agreement.
Earlier this year, the United States brokered a peace deal with the Taliban that would usher in a permanent cease-fire and reduce the U.S. military's footprint from approximately 13,000 to 8,600 by mid-July. And by May 2021, all foreign forces would leave the war-torn country.
Trump's tweet Wednesday came on the 19th anniversary of the start of the war in Afghanistan, which has dragged on to become America's longest conflict.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump's national security advisor gave a more conservative timeline for reducing U.S. forces.
"When President Trump took office, there were over 10,000 American troops in Afghanistan," Robert O'Brien said in a national security speech at the law school of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
"As of today, there are under 5,000 and that will go to 2,500 by early next year," he said.
The National Security Council, White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment for clarity on the administration's drawdown timeline in Afghanistan.
Trump, currently confined in the White House for treatment after testing positive for the coronavirus, has previously directed the Pentagon to reduce the U.S. fighting force in conflict zones.
In 2018, Trump tweeted that the United States would be withdrawing troops out of Syria, a move that sent a shock wave through the Pentagon and contributed in part to the resignation of then-Defense Secretary James Mattis. Trump later reversed his decision to withdraw from Syria.
In May, Trump complained on Twitter that America's role in Afghanistan has been reduced to a "police force" and not a "fighting force."
When asked about the tweet by reporters during a White House event, Trump said that the U.S. could go back to Afghanistan if needed.
"We can always go back if we have to. If we have to go back, we'll go back, and we'll go back raging," Trump said in May.
The collective wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria have cost U.S. taxpayers more than $1.57 trillion since Sept. 11, 2001, according to a Defense Department report.
The current U.S. military operations, designated Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan, Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria and Iraq, and Operation Noble Eagle, have accounted for $266 billion of that sum.
Of the three current operations, Freedom's Sentinel takes the lion's share of costs at $193 billion.


cnbc--2020-10-08--Scandal and coronavirus rattle pivotal North Carolina Senate race between Thom Tillis and Cal Cunnin

Scandal and coronavirus rattle pivotal North Carolina Senate race between Thom Tillis and Cal Cunningham

For an election that could tip the balance of congressional power and help to shape the path of U.S. policy for two years , the North Carolina Senate race looked remarkably stable for months .
First , Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said he tested positive for coronavirus .
Tillis ' diagnosis , which came as President Donald Trump , several of Trump 's White House and campaign advisors and two other GOP senators confirmed Covid-19 infections , will keep the senator off the campaign trail for days as he tries to overcome a polling deficit in his reelection bid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ having `` mild '' symptoms .
As an outbreak raged through the highest levels of government , it only took a few hours for the attention to shift to Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham .
The former state senator and Army Reserve lieutenant colonel , who has put Tillis on his heels while running as a pragmatic family man , admitted to sending romantic texts to a California woman who is not his wife .
The Associated Press has since reported Cunningham had a physical relationship with public relations strategist Arlene Guzman Todd .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` I have hurt my family , disappointed my friends and am deeply sorry . ''
He added he would not drop out of the race .
Not enough time has passed to assess how both Cunningham 's scandal and Tillis ' illness will affect the outcome .
Before the developments , the election in swing-state North Carolina developed into a close contest defined by thorny issues including the government response to the coronavirus , access to health care and the GOP push to confirm Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to defend the seat and keep their 53-47 Senate majority — which would give a buffer against Democratic policies if former Vice President Joe Biden defeats Trump .
Democrats need to flip a net three seats to gain Senate control if Biden wins or four if he loses .
Underscoring the race 's importance , the two campaigns and outside groups have spent nearly $ 140 million in North Carolina , making it the most expensive 2020 Senate contest by a wide margin , according to the Center for Responsive Politics .
Cunningham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 28.3 million in the third quarter , while Tillis ' campaign has not released the amount of its fundraising haul yet .
`` It 's probably the closest state in the country , '' said Jason Roberts , associate chair of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 's political science department , of one of the few states that will play a huge role in determining who controls both the White House and Senate .
Cunningham leads Tillis by about 5 percentage points in an average of recent polls , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time for more surveys to capture how Cunningham 's scandal affects the race .
A CNBC/Change Research poll taken Friday through Sunday found Cunningham leading Tillis by 4 percentage points , compared with a 5 percentage point edge two weeks earlier .
`` I do n't know whether [ Cunningham 's affair or Tillis ' diagnosis ] makes a difference to people who have n't made up their minds , '' said Andrew Taylor , a political science professor at North Carolina State University .
Roberts said Cunningham 's relationship `` can only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will likely be decided by a close margin .
Tillis ' campaign has hammered the Democrat over the scandal .
The senator told Fox News this week that Cunningham `` owes the people of North Carolina a full explanation . ''
Cunningham emerged on the campaign trail for the first time in days Wednesday night to say he was `` deeply sorry . ''
He tried to refocus on the pandemic and health care in what he called `` by far the most important election in our lifetime . ''
Cunningham argued Tillis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make this campaign about something other than the issues '' because of the polling gap .
In a statement Wednesday night , Tillis campaign manager Luke Blanchat called Cunningham 's apology `` insincere . ''
He urged the Democrat to answer more questions about the affair .
In this week 's CNBC/Change Research survey , 3 % of likely voters said they were unsure whom to support and 1 % of respondents answered that they would not vote in the race .
As hundreds of North Carolina voters cast their ballots early , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they already voted .
At the same time , Biden leads Trump by an average of about 1 percentage point in North Carolina , according to RealClearPolitics .
The gap in support between Trump and Tillis could reflect the senator 's struggle to appeal to both conservatives who back the president and independent-minded voters wary of him .
`` Trying to thread the needle , I think he stabbed himself , '' Roberts said .
One illustrative episode for Tillis , a 60-year-old serving his first term in the Senate after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , came early last year .
He wrote a Washington Post column opposing Trump 's national emergency declaration that allowed the president to direct Pentagon funds to construction of barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border .
Tillis then reversed course and voted not to block the declaration on the Senate floor .
The senator has pushed for Barrett 's swift confirmation to lock up a 6-3 conservative Supreme Court majority — a possible signal that he sees high Republican turnout as his path to victory .
As he recovers from Covid-19 , Tillis aims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Barrett 's hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee .
Tillis is one of two GOP members of the panel , along with Sen. Mike Lee of Utah , who tested positive for coronavirus in recent days .
Cunningham has joined Senate Democrats in saying the next president should fill the court vacancy left by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's death .
Tillis ' efforts to reduce his vulnerability on health-care issues have also created dilemmas for the senator as Cunningham criticizes him for his 2017 vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aims to safeguard the ACA 's protections for people with pre-existing conditions .
But Tillis also did not join some of his vulnerable GOP colleagues last week in supporting a Democratic measure to stop the Trump administration 's support for a lawsuit that could toss out the health-care law .
Health care and other topics at the top of North Carolina voters ' minds mirror the concerns of the country as a whole .
Asked to pick the three most important issues facing the country , North Carolina respondents in this week 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , jobs and cost of living ( 40 % ) North Carolina 's economy has fared relatively well in recovering from the coronavirus-related shutdowns earlier this year .
The state 's 6.5 % unemployment rate in August tied for the 17th-lowest in the country , according to the Labor Department .
But the state 's jobless rate stands higher than the 4.3 % mark seen in March .
Leisure and hospitality jobs have taken the biggest hit , down 25 % in August from 12 months earlier .
Concerns have grown about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pass more relief .
Economists and policymakers including Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned this week of `` tragic '' consequences in a slowing economy if Congress fails to pass more fiscal stimulus .
Tillis supported a roughly $ 500 billion aid plan from Senate Republicans , which Democrats blocked as they pushed for a package that would put $ 2 trillion or more into the economy and health-care system .
Trump on Tuesday told his administration to back out of ongoing talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , then changed course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provisions including direct payments and small business loans .
When Cunningham 's campaign tweeted Tuesday for the first time since Friday , it highlighted jobless claims in North Carolina .
In the tweeted statement , the candidate said , `` Congress needs to pass bipartisan legislation—and quickly . ''
Meanwhile , the virus outbreak continues to spread .
North Carolina reported 1,711 new infections on Wednesday , and cases climbed nearly 6 % over the prior seven-day period , according to the Covid Tracking Project .
More than 1,000 people are hospitalized in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 % of North Carolina 's population but have made up 23 % of the state 's Covid-19 cases and 30 % of deaths where race is reported , the Covid Tracking Project found .
The state has reported race data for 79 % of cases and 95 % of deaths .
North Carolina , led by Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper , generally took a stricter approach to containing the virus than the neighboring Republican-controlled states of South Carolina , Tennessee and Georgia .
While North Carolina has generally not been `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the South , '' the governor has faced GOP resistance over public health restrictions as he runs for reelection , said Donald Taylor , a professor of public policy at Duke University .
`` I think the Republicans in the state have mostly painted a false choice of : You either address the virus , or you open the economy , '' he said .
Access to health care has come under more scrutiny during the pandemic , especially as millions of Americans lose employer-sponsored coverage along with their jobs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ expand Medicaid under the ACA , more than 13 % of people under 65 lack health insurance , according to U.S. Census estimates .
During the three times the candidates faced off on a debate stage , they touched on their health-care plans .
Tillis has said Obamacare does not work , but he has not outlined a comprehensive replacement proposal .
He has argued Cunningham wants to replace the private insurance market with a `` Medicare for All '' system .
The Democrat has said he does not want a single-payer system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wants a public option to allow more people to choose government plans .
He has pushed for the federal government to create incentives for states to expand Medicaid , the federal-state insurance program for low-income Americans .
As one of the key electoral swing states , North Carolina has a recent history of electing both Republicans and Democrats in statewide races .
President Barack Obama won the state in 2008 as Democrat Kay Hagan defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole .
GOP nominee Mitt Romney narrowly carried the state in the 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCrory won the governor 's office .
In 2014 , the Republican Tillis unseated the incumbent Democrat Hagan by a margin of fewer than 2 percentage points .
Trump carried the state by more than 3 percentage points in 2016 as GOP Sen. Richard Burr won reelection by more than 5 percentage points .
The current Democratic governor , Cooper , also defeated McCrory by a razor-thin margin .
Roberts said Republicans will aim to run up their margin of victory in the state 's more conservative rural areas .
Democrats have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state 's most populous city of Charlotte and several smaller urban areas , including the capital Raleigh , Greensboro and Durham .
To win , Democrats could also need large winning margins among Black voters , who fueled Biden 's 2020 primary success in North Carolina and neighboring South Carolina .
Black voters made up 27 % of North Carolina 's electorate in this year 's Democratic primary , and Biden garnered more than 60 % of support among the bloc , according to exit polls .
For now , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wave of new developments will affect the race between Tillis and Cunningham .
While Trump 's Covid-19 diagnosis , treatment and subsequent efforts to downplay the virus have taken up significant attention since Friday , Cunningham 's extramarital affair has received a flurry of coverage in both local news in North Carolina and national outlets .
Taylor of NC State said part of the trouble forecasting how the Democrat 's scandal will affect the race comes down to a lack of clarity around whether the story can get through the rapid-fire chaos of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
Tillis also has no more scheduled debates during which to press the issue .
`` The news cycle seems so crowded that it 's hard sometimes for information to penetrate and get into the minds of citizens , '' he said .

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.(L) and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham (R) Getty Images (L) | AP (R)
For an election that could tip the balance of congressional power and help to shape the path of U.S. policy for two years, the North Carolina Senate race looked remarkably stable for months. Then Oct. 2 happened. First, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said he tested positive for coronavirus. Tillis' diagnosis, which came as President Donald Trump, several of Trump's White House and campaign advisors and two other GOP senators confirmed Covid-19 infections, will keep the senator off the campaign trail for days as he tries to overcome a polling deficit in his reelection bid. Tillis has said he is improving after having "mild" symptoms. As an outbreak raged through the highest levels of government, it only took a few hours for the attention to shift to Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham. The former state senator and Army Reserve lieutenant colonel, who has put Tillis on his heels while running as a pragmatic family man, admitted to sending romantic texts to a California woman who is not his wife. The Associated Press has since reported Cunningham had a physical relationship with public relations strategist Arlene Guzman Todd. In a statement Friday, Cunningham said, "I have hurt my family, disappointed my friends and am deeply sorry." He added he would not drop out of the race. Not enough time has passed to assess how both Cunningham's scandal and Tillis' illness will affect the outcome. Before the developments, the election in swing-state North Carolina developed into a close contest defined by thorny issues including the government response to the coronavirus, access to health care and the GOP push to confirm Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett before the Nov. 3 election. Republicans hope to defend the seat and keep their 53-47 Senate majority — which would give a buffer against Democratic policies if former Vice President Joe Biden defeats Trump. Democrats need to flip a net three seats to gain Senate control if Biden wins or four if he loses. Underscoring the race's importance, the two campaigns and outside groups have spent nearly $140 million in North Carolina, making it the most expensive 2020 Senate contest by a wide margin, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Cunningham's campaign said it raised a staggering $28.3 million in the third quarter, while Tillis' campaign has not released the amount of its fundraising haul yet. "It's probably the closest state in the country," said Jason Roberts, associate chair of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's political science department, of one of the few states that will play a huge role in determining who controls both the White House and Senate.
Tillis lags behind Trump
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Cunningham leads Tillis by about 5 percentage points in an average of recent polls, according to RealClearPolitics. It could take time for more surveys to capture how Cunningham's scandal affects the race. A CNBC/Change Research poll taken Friday through Sunday found Cunningham leading Tillis by 4 percentage points, compared with a 5 percentage point edge two weeks earlier. "I don't know whether [Cunningham's affair or Tillis' diagnosis] makes a difference to people who haven't made up their minds," said Andrew Taylor, a political science professor at North Carolina State University. Roberts said Cunningham's relationship "can only hurt him" in a race that will likely be decided by a close margin. Tillis' campaign has hammered the Democrat over the scandal. The senator told Fox News this week that Cunningham "owes the people of North Carolina a full explanation." Cunningham emerged on the campaign trail for the first time in days Wednesday night to say he was "deeply sorry." He tried to refocus on the pandemic and health care in what he called "by far the most important election in our lifetime." Cunningham argued Tillis "has now resorted to trying to make this campaign about something other than the issues" because of the polling gap.
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
In a statement Wednesday night, Tillis campaign manager Luke Blanchat called Cunningham's apology "insincere." He urged the Democrat to answer more questions about the affair. In this week's CNBC/Change Research survey, 3% of likely voters said they were unsure whom to support and 1% of respondents answered that they would not vote in the race. As hundreds of North Carolina voters cast their ballots early, 13% of respondents in the state said they already voted. At the same time, Biden leads Trump by an average of about 1 percentage point in North Carolina, according to RealClearPolitics. The gap in support between Trump and Tillis could reflect the senator's struggle to appeal to both conservatives who back the president and independent-minded voters wary of him. "Trying to thread the needle, I think he stabbed himself," Roberts said. One illustrative episode for Tillis, a 60-year-old serving his first term in the Senate after a stint as North Carolina's House speaker, came early last year. He wrote a Washington Post column opposing Trump's national emergency declaration that allowed the president to direct Pentagon funds to construction of barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border. Tillis then reversed course and voted not to block the declaration on the Senate floor. The senator has pushed for Barrett's swift confirmation to lock up a 6-3 conservative Supreme Court majority — a possible signal that he sees high Republican turnout as his path to victory. As he recovers from Covid-19, Tillis aims to return to Washington on Oct. 12 for Barrett's hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Tillis is one of two GOP members of the panel, along with Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who tested positive for coronavirus in recent days. Cunningham has joined Senate Democrats in saying the next president should fill the court vacancy left by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death. Tillis' efforts to reduce his vulnerability on health-care issues have also created dilemmas for the senator as Cunningham criticizes him for his 2017 vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He has pushed for legislation that aims to safeguard the ACA's protections for people with pre-existing conditions. But Tillis also did not join some of his vulnerable GOP colleagues last week in supporting a Democratic measure to stop the Trump administration's support for a lawsuit that could toss out the health-care law.
What North Carolina voters care about
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Health care and other topics at the top of North Carolina voters' minds mirror the concerns of the country as a whole. Asked to pick the three most important issues facing the country, North Carolina respondents in this week's CNBC/Change Research survey chose: The economy, jobs and cost of living (40%)
Political corruption (35%)
Covid-19 (34%)
Health care and drug costs (33%)
Law and order (33%)
Racism and discrimination (31%)
Medicare and Social Security (22%)
Climate change and the environment (17%)
Immigration (13%)
Education (12%)
National security (10%)
Guns (8%)
Infrastructure (5%)
Taxes (4%)
The budget (4%) North Carolina's economy has fared relatively well in recovering from the coronavirus-related shutdowns earlier this year. The state's 6.5% unemployment rate in August tied for the 17th-lowest in the country, according to the Labor Department. But the state's jobless rate stands higher than the 4.3% mark seen in March. Leisure and hospitality jobs have taken the biggest hit, down 25% in August from 12 months earlier. Concerns have grown about the economic recovery faltering if Congress fails to pass more relief. Economists and policymakers including Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned this week of "tragic" consequences in a slowing economy if Congress fails to pass more fiscal stimulus. Tillis supported a roughly $500 billion aid plan from Senate Republicans, which Democrats blocked as they pushed for a package that would put $2 trillion or more into the economy and health-care system. Trump on Tuesday told his administration to back out of ongoing talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, then changed course and called for standalone bills related to provisions including direct payments and small business loans. When Cunningham's campaign tweeted Tuesday for the first time since Friday, it highlighted jobless claims in North Carolina. In the tweeted statement, the candidate said, "Congress needs to pass bipartisan legislation—and quickly." Meanwhile, the virus outbreak continues to spread. North Carolina reported 1,711 new infections on Wednesday, and cases climbed nearly 6% over the prior seven-day period, according to the Covid Tracking Project. More than 1,000 people are hospitalized in the state. Black people account for 21% of North Carolina's population but have made up 23% of the state's Covid-19 cases and 30% of deaths where race is reported, the Covid Tracking Project found. The state has reported race data for 79% of cases and 95% of deaths. North Carolina, led by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, generally took a stricter approach to containing the virus than the neighboring Republican-controlled states of South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. While North Carolina has generally not been "quite as bad as most of the rest of the South," the governor has faced GOP resistance over public health restrictions as he runs for reelection, said Donald Taylor, a professor of public policy at Duke University. "I think the Republicans in the state have mostly painted a false choice of: You either address the virus, or you open the economy," he said. Access to health care has come under more scrutiny during the pandemic, especially as millions of Americans lose employer-sponsored coverage along with their jobs. In North Carolina, which did not expand Medicaid under the ACA, more than 13% of people under 65 lack health insurance, according to U.S. Census estimates. During the three times the candidates faced off on a debate stage, they touched on their health-care plans. Tillis has said Obamacare does not work, but he has not outlined a comprehensive replacement proposal. He has argued Cunningham wants to replace the private insurance market with a "Medicare for All" system. The Democrat has said he does not want a single-payer system, but instead, like Biden, he wants a public option to allow more people to choose government plans. He has pushed for the federal government to create incentives for states to expand Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for low-income Americans.
North Carolina's swing-state status


cnbc--2020-10-08--GOP fundraiser Elliott Broidy charged in bid to lobby Trump administration to drop 1MDB case

Elliott Broidy , a former top fundraiser for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party , was charged Thursday by federal authorities with violating a foreign lobbying law .
Prosecutors accused the venture capitalist Broidy of violating that law as part of a scheme to get the Justice Department to drop a major investigation into a foreign national widely believed to be fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low and to have a dissident Chinese billionaire returned home from the United States .
As part of that alleged scheme , Broidy , who ended up being paid $ 9 million by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a golf game between Trump and Malaysia 's prime minister , a court filing said .
Broidy hoped to earn as much as $ 75 million if he got the U.S. government to drop its probe of Low , according to the filing .
Broidy was charged in U.S. District Court in Washington , D.C. , via a document known as a criminal information , which is typically used when a defendant has agreed to plead guilty .
The charging document says Broidy agreed to lobby the Trump administration and the Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a `` foreign national '' for his role in the embezzlement of billions of dollars from the Malaysia state development fund , known as 1MDB .
Low , also known as Low Taek Jhon , was indicted two years ago by the Justice Department for allegedly conspiring to launder billions of dollars embezzled from 1MDB .
The Justice Department in the charging document filed Thursday said that Broidy and Nickie Lum Davis , an American consultant involved in the case , failed to disclose to the Trump administration or to the Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the foreign national .
Davis pleaded guilty in August to one count of violating the foreign lobbying act as part of the Justice Department 's probe involving 1MDB .
Davis admitted during her plea that she aided and abetted two other people , identified as Person A and Person B .
The Washington Post has reported that people familiar with the case said that Person A is Pras Michel , a former rapper with the hip-hop group Fugees , and that Person B is Broidy .
In May 2019 , the Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to defraud the U.S. government and for making foreign and conduit campaign contributions during the 2012 presidential election .
Michel has denied wrongdoing .
Both Broidy and Davis , along with Person A , tried to arrange a meeting between Malaysia 's prime minister and Trump in September 2017 `` to raise the resolution of the 1MDB matter with '' Trump , according to the filing charging Broidy .
The document notes that Broidy , Davis and Person A `` were unsuccessful in their efforts to have the 1MDB matters dropped or otherwise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The filing also said that the trio met with a minister of the People 's Republic of China in China and agreed that Broidy , assisted by the other two people , would lobby the Trump administration to return an unidentified Chinese national to China .
That Chinese national is understood to be the billionaire Guo Wengui , also known as Miles Kwok and Miles Guo , a critic of China 's government who has sought asylum in the United States .
Broidy is charged with conspiring to act as unregistered agent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his high-ranking role as the Republican National Committee 's deputy finance chairman in 2018 , following bombshell revelations that he agreed to pay $ 1.6 million to a former Playboy model he impregnated in an affair .
Trump 's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen represented Broidy in the deal for that payment .
In 2009 , Broidy pleaded guilty in New York state court to a misdemeanor charge related to his making nearly $ 1 million in gifts to state pension fund officials in exchange for Broidy 's private equity firm being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to manage .
The same investigation that snared Broidy in that case led to the conviction of former New York state comptroller Alan Hevesi .
Steve Bannon , Trump 's former senior advisor , was arrested in August and charged with defrauding thousands of donors through a crowdfunding campaign to privately build sections of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border .
Bannon , 66 , was apprehended by authorities while on a yacht owned by Guo .

Elliott Broidy, a former top fundraiser for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, was charged Thursday by federal authorities with violating a foreign lobbying law.
Prosecutors accused the venture capitalist Broidy of violating that law as part of a scheme to get the Justice Department to drop a major investigation into a foreign national widely believed to be fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low and to have a dissident Chinese billionaire returned home from the United States.
As part of that alleged scheme, Broidy, who ended up being paid $9 million by a foreign national, tried to arrange for a golf game between Trump and Malaysia's prime minister, a court filing said. Broidy hoped to earn as much as $75 million if he got the U.S. government to drop its probe of Low, according to the filing.
Broidy was charged in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., via a document known as a criminal information, which is typically used when a defendant has agreed to plead guilty.
The charging document says Broidy agreed to lobby the Trump administration and the Justice Department to drop or favorably resolve the investigation of a "foreign national" for his role in the embezzlement of billions of dollars from the Malaysia state development fund, known as 1MDB.
Low, also known as Low Taek Jhon, was indicted two years ago by the Justice Department for allegedly conspiring to launder billions of dollars embezzled from 1MDB.
The Justice Department in the charging document filed Thursday said that Broidy and Nickie Lum Davis, an American consultant involved in the case, failed to disclose to the Trump administration or to the Justice Department that Broidy was acting on behalf of the foreign national.
Davis pleaded guilty in August to one count of violating the foreign lobbying act as part of the Justice Department's probe involving 1MDB. Davis admitted during her plea that she aided and abetted two other people, identified as Person A and Person B.
The Washington Post has reported that people familiar with the case said that Person A is Pras Michel, a former rapper with the hip-hop group Fugees, and that Person B is Broidy.
In May 2019, the Justice Department charged Michel and Low with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and for making foreign and conduit campaign contributions during the 2012 presidential election. Michel has denied wrongdoing.
Both Broidy and Davis, along with Person A, tried to arrange a meeting between Malaysia's prime minister and Trump in September 2017 "to raise the resolution of the 1MDB matter with" Trump, according to the filing charging Broidy.
The document notes that Broidy, Davis and Person A "were unsuccessful in their efforts to have the 1MDB matters dropped or otherwise favorably resolved for Foreign National A."
The filing also said that the trio met with a minister of the People's Republic of China in China and agreed that Broidy, assisted by the other two people, would lobby the Trump administration to return an unidentified Chinese national to China.
That Chinese national is understood to be the billionaire Guo Wengui, also known as Miles Kwok and Miles Guo, a critic of China's government who has sought asylum in the United States.
Broidy is charged with conspiring to act as unregistered agent for a foreign principal.
Broidy resigned from his high-ranking role as the Republican National Committee's deputy finance chairman in 2018, following bombshell revelations that he agreed to pay $1.6 million to a former Playboy model he impregnated in an affair. Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen represented Broidy in the deal for that payment.
In 2009, Broidy pleaded guilty in New York state court to a misdemeanor charge related to his making nearly $1 million in gifts to state pension fund officials in exchange for Broidy's private equity firm being handed $250 million in pension funds to manage.
The same investigation that snared Broidy in that case led to the conviction of former New York state comptroller Alan Hevesi.
Steve Bannon, Trump's former senior advisor, was arrested in August and charged with defrauding thousands of donors through a crowdfunding campaign to privately build sections of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Bannon, 66, was apprehended by authorities while on a yacht owned by Guo.


cnbc--2020-10-08--Appeals court blocks order allowing extra week for counting Wisconsin absentee ballots

Election volunteer Nancy Gavney verifies voter and witness signatures on absentee ballots as they are counted at the City Hall during the presidential primary election held amid the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) outbreak in Beloit , Wisconsin , April 7 , 2020 .
A federal appeals court on Thursday blocked a judge 's ruling that would have extended the deadline for counting absentee ballots in Wisconsin a week past Election Day .
A 2-1 panel of the 7th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the Republican-led state legislature and the Republican National Committee , which appealed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ William Conley .
Wisconsin is one of a handful of battleground states expected to be crucial to the outcome of the November election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden .
Trump won the state in 2016 by less than 1 percentage point .
Democrats had pushed for the extension to the counting deadline because of the Covid-19 pandemic .
Conley 's ruling allowed absentee ballots to be counted if they were received as late as Nov. 9 , as long as they were mailed by Nov. 3 .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have to be received by Election Day .
In an unsigned opinion , the appeals court panel cited Supreme Court precedents that argued against judges changing voting rules near an election date .
The panel also said that it was up to political officials rather than judges to decide how to address the health crisis .
`` If the judge had issued an order in May based on April 's experience , it could not be called untimely .
By waiting until September , however , the district court acted too close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
The two judges in the panel 's majority were both nominated by Republican presidents .
Circuit Judge Frank Easterbrook was appointed by Ronald Reagan and Circuit Judge Amy St. Eve was appointed by Trump .
Circuit Judge Ilana Rovner , an appointee of George H.W .
Bush , also a Republican , wrote in a dissent that the majority 's decision was a `` travesty . ''
`` I suppose that the district court could have issued a preliminary injunction in May based on the experience with the April election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defendants no doubt would have argued that it was premature to deem modifications to the election code warranted so far in advance of the election , and there is a fair chance that this court might have agreed with them , '' Rovner wrote .
The case can still be appealed to the full 7th Circuit and the Supreme Court .

Election volunteer Nancy Gavney verifies voter and witness signatures on absentee ballots as they are counted at the City Hall during the presidential primary election held amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Beloit, Wisconsin, April 7, 2020.
A federal appeals court on Thursday blocked a judge's ruling that would have extended the deadline for counting absentee ballots in Wisconsin a week past Election Day.
A 2-1 panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the Republican-led state legislature and the Republican National Committee, which appealed the decision issued last month by District Judge William Conley.
Wisconsin is one of a handful of battleground states expected to be crucial to the outcome of the November election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Trump won the state in 2016 by less than 1 percentage point.
Democrats had pushed for the extension to the counting deadline because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Conley's ruling allowed absentee ballots to be counted if they were received as late as Nov. 9, as long as they were mailed by Nov. 3. If the appeals panel ruling stands, ballots will have to be received by Election Day.
In an unsigned opinion, the appeals court panel cited Supreme Court precedents that argued against judges changing voting rules near an election date. The panel also said that it was up to political officials rather than judges to decide how to address the health crisis.
"If the judge had issued an order in May based on April's experience, it could not be called untimely. By waiting until September, however, the district court acted too close to the election," the panel wrote.
The two judges in the panel's majority were both nominated by Republican presidents. Circuit Judge Frank Easterbrook was appointed by Ronald Reagan and Circuit Judge Amy St. Eve was appointed by Trump.
Circuit Judge Ilana Rovner, an appointee of George H.W. Bush, also a Republican, wrote in a dissent that the majority's decision was a "travesty."
"I suppose that the district court could have issued a preliminary injunction in May based on the experience with the April election, as my colleagues suggest, but the defendants no doubt would have argued that it was premature to deem modifications to the election code warranted so far in advance of the election, and there is a fair chance that this court might have agreed with them," Rovner wrote.
The case can still be appealed to the full 7th Circuit and the Supreme Court.


cnbc--2020-10-08--Biden's polling lead over Trump grows in wake of debate and president's Covid diagnosis

Former Vice President Joe Biden is gaining more ground over President Donald Trump in the polls , with 3½ weeks to go until Election Day .
Biden has been consistently leading in national averages throughout the campaign .
But the polls have shifted even further in the Democrat 's favor in the week following the candidates ' ugly first debate and Trump 's hospitalization with the coronavirus .
• The NBC News national polling average had Biden up more than 10 percentage points over Trump , 51.6 % -41.3 % .
That figure is based on an unweighted average of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls .
• The RealClearPolitics general election polling average showed Biden with a 9.7-point lead over Trump .
That 's 2.5 points higher than the gap displayed a week earlier .
An average of dozens of national polls compiled by FiveThirtyEight and analyzed by CNBC also shows Biden with a wide lead .
Trump 's decline in the polls comes as he remains off the campaign trail .
After announcing on Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for Covid-19 , the president entered Walter Reed National Military Medical Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is currently being treated at the White House by his doctors .
With little time left to make up the polling deficit with Biden , Trump is clearly eager to bring back the in-person campaign rallies that defined his successful 2016 presidential run against Hillary Clinton .
`` I think I 'm better .
I 'd love to do a rally tonight , '' Trump said Thursday morning in a phone interview on Fox Business Network , his first since revealing his diagnosis .
But the president , who has downplayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing recommendations issued by experts in his own administration , risks further turning off voters who have said in polls that Biden would do a better job leading on the public health crisis .
In a CNBC/Change Research poll released Tuesday , for example , a majority of respondents from six swing states — 53 % — said they think Biden and Democrats would do a better job handling the virus , compared with 47 % who chose Trump and Republicans .
The poll surveyed 2,688 likely voters from Friday to Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of plus or minus 1.89 percentage points .
The president may still be contagious , and experts say he should be isolating in the White House — where numerous people have recently tested positive for the virus .
But Trump was briefed in the Oval Office on Wednesday , and said in the interview with Fox Business , `` I do n't think I 'm contagious at all . ''
In that same interview , the president said he would refuse to participate in a second debate with Biden , which the Commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtually in order to `` protect the health and safety of all involved . ''
`` I 'm not going to waste my time on a virtual debate , '' Trump said , adding that he had not been told in advance about the debate commission 's change .
`` A virtual debate is a joke . ''
Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien , who also recently contracted Covid-19 , said in a statement that there was `` no need for this unilateral declaration . ''
He added : `` We 'll pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden and do a rally instead . ''
Stepien also claimed Trump won the first debate on Sept. 29 — but that 's not true , according to numerous scientific polls taken after the Sept. 29 event .
The next presidential debate , now in question , was supposed to be held next Thursday .
It was originally set to take place in Florida , a swing state rich in electoral votes that is crucial to most of the Trump campaign 's paths to victory .
Recent polls of the Sunshine State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also show Biden making gains .
RealClearPolitics ' average of Florida polls showed Biden up 4.5 percentage points as of Thursday morning .
In RCP 's broader average of surveys from Florida , Pennsylvania , Michigan , Wisconsin , North Carolina and Arizona , Biden held a 4.6-point advantage .
Democrats are hoping to win back not only the White House but also majority control of the Senate in the November election .
In the presidential race and in top Senate contests , Democrats are frequently outraising Republicans , though both parties are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains unclear whether Vice President Mike Pence 's performance in the debate Wednesday night against Sen. Kamala Harris will have any impact on the race .
The socially distanced event in Utah offered a stark contrast from the conflagration between Trump and Biden a week earlier , which was marked by the president 's frequent interruptions and Biden 's barbed insults .
The contenders in the vice presidential debate , while still willing to throw sharp elbows , were calmer and more courteous as they engaged each other on the coronavirus and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reactions in the immediate aftermath appeared to be less lopsided .
A CNN snap poll found 59 % of respondents saying Harris won the debate , while 38 % said Pence was the victor .
But GOP pollster Frank Luntz told CNBC on Thursday that 13 people in his 15-member focus group of undecided voters said Pence won .

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden gives a thumbs up when asked about how Kamala Harris will do in tonight's vice-presidential debate, as he arrives to record campaign messages in Wilmington, Delaware, October 7, 2020. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
Former Vice President Joe Biden is gaining more ground over President Donald Trump in the polls, with 3½ weeks to go until Election Day. Biden has been consistently leading in national averages throughout the campaign. But the polls have shifted even further in the Democrat's favor in the week following the candidates' ugly first debate and Trump's hospitalization with the coronavirus. Here's what polling trackers showed Thursday morning: The NBC News national polling average had Biden up more than 10 percentage points over Trump, 51.6%-41.3%. That figure is based on an unweighted average of the 10 most recent reliable public opinion polls.
The RealClearPolitics general election polling average showed Biden with a 9.7-point lead over Trump. That's 2.5 points higher than the gap displayed a week earlier.
FiveThirtyEight's national polling tracker gave Biden a 9.8-point advantage, a 1.6-point jump since last week. An average of dozens of national polls compiled by FiveThirtyEight and analyzed by CNBC also shows Biden with a wide lead.
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
Trump's decline in the polls comes as he remains off the campaign trail. After announcing on Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for Covid-19, the president entered Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he stayed until Monday evening. He is currently being treated at the White House by his doctors. With little time left to make up the polling deficit with Biden, Trump is clearly eager to bring back the in-person campaign rallies that defined his successful 2016 presidential run against Hillary Clinton. "I think I'm better. I'd love to do a rally tonight," Trump said Thursday morning in a phone interview on Fox Business Network, his first since revealing his diagnosis. But the president, who has downplayed the threat of the pandemic and ignored social distancing recommendations issued by experts in his own administration, risks further turning off voters who have said in polls that Biden would do a better job leading on the public health crisis.
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Democrats are hoping to win back not only the White House but also majority control of the Senate in the November election. In the presidential race and in top Senate contests, Democrats are frequently outraising Republicans, though both parties are spending unprecedented amounts of money. It remains unclear whether Vice President Mike Pence's performance in the debate Wednesday night against Sen. Kamala Harris will have any impact on the race. The socially distanced event in Utah offered a stark contrast from the conflagration between Trump and Biden a week earlier, which was marked by the president's frequent interruptions and Biden's barbed insults. The contenders in the vice presidential debate, while still willing to throw sharp elbows, were calmer and more courteous as they engaged each other on the coronavirus and other issues. Possibly for that reason, reactions in the immediate aftermath appeared to be less lopsided. A CNN snap poll found 59% of respondents saying Harris won the debate, while 38% said Pence was the victor. But GOP pollster Frank Luntz told CNBC on Thursday that 13 people in his 15-member focus group of undecided voters said Pence won.
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cnbc--2020-10-09--Six men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, 7 others arrested under st

Six men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, 7 others arrested under state anti-terrorism law

Federal authorities charged six men for allegedly plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer from her vacation home before November 's presidential election , with one of the defendants allegedly saying they would then try Whitmer for `` treason , '' officials revealed Thursday .
Seven other men known to be members or associates of the militia group Wolverine Watchmen were charged under Michigan 's anti-terrorism law .
The investigation that led to the prosecutions began in early 2020 when `` the FBI became aware through social media that a group of individuals were discussing the violent overthrow of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court records show .
The FBI later heard the men and others talking about attacking the Michigan state Capitol and using Molotov cocktails to destroy police vehicles .
The plot allegedly included one of the men surveilling Whitmer 's vacation home .
Charged federally in the case are five Michigan residents , Adam Fox , Ty Garbin , Kaleb Franks , Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta , and a Delaware man , Barry Croft .
Those defendants were arrested on Wednesday night , according to Andrew Birge , U.S. attorney for the Western @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men were arrested as they met in the eastern part of Michigan to pool money to buy explosives , Birge said .
One of the defendants had said he already had bought an 800,000-volt Taser to be used in the kidnap plot , according to a criminal complaint .
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel , the top state law enforcement official , at a news conference announced the arrests of seven other men on state charges related to the same wide-ranging investigation that led to the federal prosecution of the six other men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Bellar , Shawn Fix , Eric Molitor , Michael Null , William Null , Pete Musico , and Joseph Morrison , all of whom were charged with providing material support for terrorist acts and firearm crimes .
Bellar , Musico and Morrison also were each charged with gang membership .
Whitmer , a Democrat , earlier this year drew the ire of President Donald Trump , other conservatives and members of militia groups for her strict stay-at-home orders issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
That same month , thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , protested Whitmer 's orders at the state capitol in Lansing .
`` When I put my hand on the Bible and took the oath of office 22 months ago , I knew this job would be hard , '' Whitmer said at a news conference Thursday .
`` But I 'll be honest , I never could 've imagined anything like this . ''
Whitmer then suggested that President Donald Trump was `` complicit '' in the alleged plot .
`` Our head of state has spent the past seven months denying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stoking distrust , fomenting anger , and comfort to those who spread fear and hatred and division , '' Whitmer said .
`` Just last week , the president of the United States stood before the American people and refused to condemn white supremacists and hate groups like these two Michigan militia groups .
'Stand back and stand by , ' he told them .
'Stand back and stand by . '
Hate groups heard the president 's words , not as a rebuke , but as a rallying cry , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When our leaders speak , their words matter .
They carry weight .
When our leaders meet with , encourage or fraternize with domestic terrorists , they legitimize their actions and they were complicit .
When they contribute to hate speech , they are complicit , '' Whitmer said .
Nessel later told MSNBC that Trump `` seems to condone these types of actions . ''
`` This is a president that traffics in extremism and I hear the press frequently talk about it in terms of a dog whistle to these groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dog whistle , it 's really a command to action more than anything and especially I see that in terms of our governor , '' Nessel said .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany fired back , saying : `` President Trump has continually condemned white supremacists and all forms of hate .
Gov .
Whitmer is sowing division by making these outlandish allegations . ''
`` America stands united against hate and in support of our federal law enforcement who stopped this plot , '' McEnany said .
Democratic presidential nominee Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he believed that Trump 's `` Liberate Michigan '' tweet encouraged militias , reportedly said , `` Yes I do . ''
`` Why wo n't the president just say 'stop .
Stop , stop , stop . '
And if we will pursue you if you do n't , '' Biden added .
A criminal complaint , which includes an FBI agent 's affidavit , says that on June 6 there was a meeting in Dublin , Ohio , between Croft , Fox and about 13 other people from several states .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ talked about creating a society that followed the U.S. Bill of Rights and where they could be self-sufficient , '' the complaint said .
`` They discussed different ways of achieving this goal from peaceful endeavors to violent actions . ''
`` At one point , several members talked about state governments they believed were violating the U.S. Constitution , including the government of Michigan and Governor Gretchen Whitmer , '' the complaint said .
`` Several members talked about murdering 'tyrants ' or 'taking ; a sitting governor . '
The group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and encouraged each other to talk to their neighbors and spread their message .
As part of that recruitment effort , Fox reached out to a Michigan based militia group . ''
In June , Fox allegedly told an FBI source that he `` needed '200 men ' to storm the Capitol building in Lansing , Michigan , and take hostages , including the Governor , '' the complaint said .
`` Fox explained they would try the Governor of Michigan for 'treason , ' and he said they would execute the plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At at July 27 meeting with a confidential FBI source , Fox discussed `` their best opportunity to abduct Governor Whitmer , '' which would be `` when she was arriving at , or leaving , either her personal vacation home or the Governor 's official summer residence , '' the affidavit said , Fox then said that after kidnapping Whitmer , the group `` would remove her to a secure location in Wisconsin for 'trial , ' '' the affidavit said Fox allegedly said that day , `` Snatch and grab , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Governor .
Just grab the b -- -- .
Because at that point , we do that , dude -- it 's over , '' court documents allege .
And on Sept. 30 Fox phoned a confidential FBI source and `` discussed purchasing a taser for use in the kidnapping operation , '' the agent wrote .
Fox told the informant that his co-defendants in the case `` were aware of the $ 4,000 cost '' of that Taser , the agent wrote .
`` On October 2 ... Fox confirmed he purchased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chat message with '' the FBI 's source , the agent wrote .
The investigation that led to the arrests involved multiple confidential human sources and undercover FBI personnel .
The case came to light shortly after Trump , during an interview on the Fox Business channel , bragged about having won Michigan in the 2016 presidential election , and criticized Whitmer .
`` And we should win it again because I brought so much business there , because she 's the lockup queen , '' Trump said of Whitmer .
`` What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ horrible .
She 's locked it up .
She 's got people like living in prison .
The courts overturned her , they said what you are doing is unconstitutional . ''

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Federal authorities charged six men for allegedly plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer from her vacation home before November's presidential election, with one of the defendants allegedly saying they would then try Whitmer for "treason," officials revealed Thursday. Seven other men known to be members or associates of the militia group Wolverine Watchmen were charged under Michigan's anti-terrorism law. The investigation that led to the prosecutions began in early 2020 when "the FBI became aware through social media that a group of individuals were discussing the violent overthrow of certain government and law-enforcement components," court records show. The FBI later heard the men and others talking about attacking the Michigan state Capitol and using Molotov cocktails to destroy police vehicles. The plot allegedly included one of the men surveilling Whitmer's vacation home. Charged federally in the case are five Michigan residents, Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta, and a Delaware man, Barry Croft. Those defendants were arrested on Wednesday night, according to Andrew Birge, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Michigan.
Vehicles are seen outside of a home the FBI searched in a Hartland Township mobile home park late Wednesday night and into the morning in connection of a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, on October 8, 2020 in Heartland, Michigan. Jeff Kowalsky | AFP | Getty Images
Several of the men were arrested as they met in the eastern part of Michigan to pool money to buy explosives, Birge said. One of the defendants had said he already had bought an 800,000-volt Taser to be used in the kidnap plot, according to a criminal complaint. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, the top state law enforcement official, at a news conference announced the arrests of seven other men on state charges related to the same wide-ranging investigation that led to the federal prosecution of the six other men.
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Those Michigan residents were identified as Paul Bellar, Shawn Fix, Eric Molitor, Michael Null, William Null, Pete Musico, and Joseph Morrison, all of whom were charged with providing material support for terrorist acts and firearm crimes. Bellar, Musico and Morrison also were each charged with gang membership. Whitmer, a Democrat, earlier this year drew the ire of President Donald Trump, other conservatives and members of militia groups for her strict stay-at-home orders issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The president in April tweeted "Liberate Michigan!" That same month, thousands of demonstrators, some of whom were armed, protested Whitmer's orders at the state capitol in Lansing. "When I put my hand on the Bible and took the oath of office 22 months ago, I knew this job would be hard," Whitmer said at a news conference Thursday. "But I'll be honest, I never could've imagined anything like this." Whitmer then suggested that President Donald Trump was "complicit" in the alleged plot. "Our head of state has spent the past seven months denying science, ignoring his own health experts, stoking distrust, fomenting anger, and comfort to those who spread fear and hatred and division," Whitmer said. "Just last week, the president of the United States stood before the American people and refused to condemn white supremacists and hate groups like these two Michigan militia groups. 'Stand back and stand by,' he told them. 'Stand back and stand by.' Hate groups heard the president's words, not as a rebuke, but as a rallying cry, as a call to action." "When our leaders speak, their words matter. They carry weight. When our leaders meet with, encourage or fraternize with domestic terrorists, they legitimize their actions and they were complicit. When they contribute to hate speech, they are complicit," Whitmer said. Nessel later told MSNBC that Trump "seems to condone these types of actions." "This is a president that traffics in extremism and I hear the press frequently talk about it in terms of a dog whistle to these groups but to me it's not a dog whistle, it's really a command to action more than anything and especially I see that in terms of our governor," Nessel said. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany fired back, saying: "President Trump has continually condemned white supremacists and all forms of hate. Gov. Whitmer is sowing division by making these outlandish allegations." "America stands united against hate and in support of our federal law enforcement who stopped this plot," McEnany said. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Thursday, when asked if he believed that Trump's "Liberate Michigan" tweet encouraged militias, reportedly said, "Yes I do." "Why won't the president just say 'stop. Stop, stop, stop.' And if we will pursue you if you don't," Biden added. A criminal complaint, which includes an FBI agent's affidavit, says that on June 6 there was a meeting in Dublin, Ohio, between Croft, Fox and about 13 other people from several states. At that meeting, "the group talked about creating a society that followed the U.S. Bill of Rights and where they could be self-sufficient," the complaint said. "They discussed different ways of achieving this goal from peaceful endeavors to violent actions."
A broken window is seen on a home the FBI searched in a Hartland Township mobile home park late Wednesday night and into the morning in connection with a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, on October 8, 2020 in Heartland, Michigan. Jeff Kowalsky | AFP | Getty Images