cnbc--2020-07-13--Op-ed: The next stimulus bill should focus on dealing with Covid-19

By now everyone expects that Congress will pass another stimulus package .
The calculus is simple : we are in a recession in an election year .
Lawmakers will pass something so that they have something to talk about when they head home to campaign in the Fall .
A reasoned consideration of the matter would include acknowledging that roughly half of the roughly $ 2 trillion in CARES Act stimulus they passed in March has not yet left government coffers .
And of the money that has flowed out – including the additional trillions provided by the Federal Reserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in bank accounts , which have grown by more than $ 2 trillion since April .
Yet , despite those speed bumps , the economy appears to have already turned a corner .
Over seven million jobs have been created in the last two months , retail sales are up , and home new homes sales had a record May .
The CARES Act may have helped .
But so have other pre-Covid policies .
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement , for example , finally kicked on July 1 .
Though it did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already be helping the economy .
And , of course , the general deregulatory initiative of the Trump administration continues to snowball to the benefit of the economy , businesses and ordinary Americans .
It may be too soon , then , to reasonably conclude that another massive stimulus is necessary .
But if lawmakers still see the need to run the presses , they need to realize that the current economic crisis is public-health driven .
As such , using ordinary fiscal tools might not be particularly efficacious .
Put another way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going on vacation probably has more to do with fear of getting sick than it does with their economic condition .
Giving people a check , or some financial incentive to travel , wo n't solve their problem .
Make people feel safe to go back on an airplane or cruise ship , and they will of their own accord .
Any stimulus should be directed at the root cause of our recession : dealing with Covid .
I know it is n't popular to talk about in some Republican circles , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country .
My son was tested recently ; we had to wait 5 to 7 days for results .
My daughter wanted to get tested before visiting her grandparents , but was told she did n't qualify .
That is simply inexcusable at this point in the pandemic .
We could also direct more money for research .
Or more temporary hospital beds or therapeutics .
If we are going to borrow hundreds of billions of dollars , let 's do it to treat the cause of our economic illness , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if politics dictate that traditional fiscal stimulus has to be part of the package , then a payroll tax cut , and tying capital gains to inflation , are likely a politically viable package .
The former is one of the rare federal steps that can get money to the middle class quickly ; the latter could unlock trillions in free-market economic activity that has been sidelined because of unrealized gains .
But whatever lawmakers decide to do , they should tread carefully , as there are very real risks to additional stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not be entirely ignored .
Simply defined as too much money chasing too few goods , inflation would seem to be a very real risk when we pump trillions of dollars into an economy that is n't producing more things .
Granted , there are strong supply-side forces at work as a result of previous administration actions ( including the aforementioned USMCA and deregulation ) that could help boost production and lower the risk of inflation .
And in any event , not even the harshest fiscal hawks seem to think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between now and , say , the first week of November .
But voters ' expectations will .
And therein lies the real risk of another stimulus package : overpromising , and underdelivering .
Republicans would be wise to consider the example of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 .
Then , the newly empowered Democrats trumpeted their achievement as part of their strategy to create their so-called `` permanent majority . ''
Yet , as anemic economic growth appeared to be the only thing that was permanent under Democrat control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate , then the White House in the next three elections .
Elections , despite what too many politicians think , can not be bought .
But problems can be solved .
As lawmakers consider the next stimulus , let 's hope they focus on the latter .
Mick Mulvaney is a former congressman from South Carolina and recently served as acting chief of staff to President Donald Trump .
He is the United States ' special envoy for Northern Ireland .

By now everyone expects that Congress will pass another stimulus package. The calculus is simple: we are in a recession in an election year. Lawmakers will pass something so that they have something to talk about when they head home to campaign in the Fall.
A reasoned consideration of the matter would include acknowledging that roughly half of the roughly $2 trillion in CARES Act stimulus they passed in March has not yet left government coffers. And of the money that has flowed out – including the additional trillions provided by the Federal Reserve – much of it is sitting idle in bank accounts, which have grown by more than $2 trillion since April.
Yet, despite those speed bumps, the economy appears to have already turned a corner. Over seven million jobs have been created in the last two months, retail sales are up, and home new homes sales had a record May.
The CARES Act may have helped. But so have other pre-Covid policies. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, for example, finally kicked on July 1. Though it didn't receive much fanfare, business expectations may already be helping the economy. And, of course, the general deregulatory initiative of the Trump administration continues to snowball to the benefit of the economy, businesses and ordinary Americans.
It may be too soon, then, to reasonably conclude that another massive stimulus is necessary. But if lawmakers still see the need to run the presses, they need to realize that the current economic crisis is public-health driven. As such, using ordinary fiscal tools might not be particularly efficacious. Put another way, the fact that people aren't going on vacation probably has more to do with fear of getting sick than it does with their economic condition. Giving people a check, or some financial incentive to travel, won't solve their problem. Make people feel safe to go back on an airplane or cruise ship, and they will of their own accord.
Any stimulus should be directed at the root cause of our recession: dealing with Covid. I know it isn't popular to talk about in some Republican circles, but we still have a testing problem in this country. My son was tested recently; we had to wait 5 to 7 days for results. My daughter wanted to get tested before visiting her grandparents, but was told she didn't qualify. That is simply inexcusable at this point in the pandemic.
We could also direct more money for research. Or more temporary hospital beds or therapeutics. If we are going to borrow hundreds of billions of dollars, let's do it to treat the cause of our economic illness, not just the symptoms.
That said, if politics dictate that traditional fiscal stimulus has to be part of the package, then a payroll tax cut, and tying capital gains to inflation, are likely a politically viable package. The former is one of the rare federal steps that can get money to the middle class quickly; the latter could unlock trillions in free-market economic activity that has been sidelined because of unrealized gains.
But whatever lawmakers decide to do, they should tread carefully, as there are very real risks to additional stimulus.
Certainly, the threat of inflation cannot be entirely ignored. Simply defined as too much money chasing too few goods, inflation would seem to be a very real risk when we pump trillions of dollars into an economy that isn't producing more things. Granted, there are strong supply-side forces at work as a result of previous administration actions (including the aforementioned USMCA and deregulation) that could help boost production and lower the risk of inflation. And in any event, not even the harshest fiscal hawks seem to think that inflation will be something that kicks in between now and, say, the first week of November.
But voters' expectations will. And therein lies the real risk of another stimulus package: overpromising, and underdelivering. Republicans would be wise to consider the example of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Then, the newly empowered Democrats trumpeted their achievement as part of their strategy to create their so-called "permanent majority." Yet, as anemic economic growth appeared to be the only thing that was permanent under Democrat control, they lost the House, then the Senate, then the White House in the next three elections.
Elections, despite what too many politicians think, cannot be bought. But problems can be solved. As lawmakers consider the next stimulus, let's hope they focus on the latter.
Mick Mulvaney is a former congressman from South Carolina and recently served as acting chief of staff to President Donald Trump. He is the United States' special envoy for Northern Ireland.


cnbc--2020-07-13--Trump doesn't rule out pardoning Michael Flynn after commuting Roger Stone's prison sentence

President Donald Trump on Monday did not rule out granting a pardon to his first national security advisor Michael Flynn , just days after commuting the 40-month prison term of his longtime ally Roger Stone .
But Trump said `` I do n't have a decision to make '' about a potential pardon for Flynn `` until I find out what 's going to happen '' with Flynn 's efforts to get a dismissal of his conviction for lying to FBI agents .
`` I think he 's doing very well with respect to his case , '' Trump told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's going to be able to win it . ''
The Justice Department has asked that Flynn 's conviction be tossed out , but Judge Emmet Sullivan so far has not ruled on that request .
A federal appeals court panel ordered Sullivan to dismiss the case , which relates to Flynn 's discussions with a Russian diplomat in the weeks before Trump 's inauguration .
But Sullivan last week asked the appeals court 's full line-up of judges to reconsider that decision .
Flynn 's lawyer Sidney Powell said in an email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the inception of my representation , the government has long withheld evidence of Mr. Flynn 's innocence . ''
`` The FBI and [ special counsel 's office ] made up this prosecution and coerced his plea by multiple means .
The result for which we have steadfastly and relentlessly worked is his complete exoneration by the Department of Justice and the judicial system , '' Powell said .
`` We believe it is very important for the Rule of Law and the public 's trust in the system for his case to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motion and because of all the newly disclosed evidence of government misconduct and his innocence . ''
Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec in an email referred CNBC to the prior court filings and statements about Flynn submitted by the department and Attorney General William Barr .
On Friday , Trump commuted the full prison sentence of Stone , a Republican consultant who was convicted at trial last fall of lying to Congress and witness tampering .
Stone , who had at one point worked on Trump 's campaign , lied to a House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election to get emails from the document disclosure group WikiLeaks that had been stolen by Russian agents from the Democratic National Committee and from the chief of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton 's campaign .
Judge Amy Berman Jackson , in sentencing Stone this year , said , `` He was not prosecuted , as some have complained , for standing up for the President .
He was prosecuted for covering up for the President . ''
Stone and Flynn , a retired Army lieutenant general , were both investigated and prosecuted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counsel who was tasked with probing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election .
Trump has long been critical of Mueller 's investigation , calling the basis of it a `` hoax . ''
Trump said of Flynn on Monday , `` I think he was persecuted . ''
`` He did n't lie , '' Trump said .
`` The FBI said he did n't lie . ''
`` They treated him very unfairly , as they have many people on this side , '' the president said .
Flynn , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice admitted to Sullivan that he lied to FBI agents by falsely stating that he and then-Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak did not discuss sanctions on Russia imposed by the outgoing Obama administration .
Flynn later recanted his confession and argued that his conviction should be thrown out because prosecutors allegedly withheld evidence from his lawyers .
The Justice Department for months fought Flynn 's efforts to get the case tossed out .
But this spring , the department abruptly changed course and asked Sullivan to dismiss the conviction .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not claim that Flynn had not lied in his interview .
But the department 's court filing does say , `` The Government is not persuaded that the January 24 , 2017 interview was conducted with a legitimate investigative basis and therefore does not believe Mr. Flynn 's statements were material even if untrue . ''
`` Moreover , we [ do ] not believe that the Government can prove either the relevant false statements or their materiality beyond a reasonable doubt , '' the department said .
Trump was harshly criticized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee this year , as well as by top congressional Democrats and former prosecutors .
Mueller , who has rarely spoken out on the subject of the probe , wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Post , `` The Russia investigation was of paramount importance .
Stone was prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes .
He remains a convicted felon , and rightly so . ''
`` When a subject lies to investigators , it strikes at the core of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hold wrongdoers accountable .
It may ultimately impede those efforts , '' Mueller wrote .
But Trump on Monday said of Stone , `` This is an investigation that they said should have ended before it started , and if it did it should have ended immediately because they found , as you know as well as I do , they found nothing initially but it went on for two years or longer . ''
`` I 'm getting rave reviews for what I did for Roger Stone , and he frankly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his case , '' Trump said .

President Donald Trump on Monday did not rule out granting a pardon to his first national security advisor Michael Flynn, just days after commuting the 40-month prison term of his longtime ally Roger Stone.
But Trump said "I don't have a decision to make" about a potential pardon for Flynn "until I find out what's going to happen" with Flynn's efforts to get a dismissal of his conviction for lying to FBI agents.
"I think he's doing very well with respect to his case," Trump told reporters. "I hope that he's going to be able to win it."
The Justice Department has asked that Flynn's conviction be tossed out, but Judge Emmet Sullivan so far has not ruled on that request.
A federal appeals court panel ordered Sullivan to dismiss the case, which relates to Flynn's discussions with a Russian diplomat in the weeks before Trump's inauguration.
But Sullivan last week asked the appeals court's full line-up of judges to reconsider that decision.
Flynn's lawyer Sidney Powell said in an email, "As I have said from the inception of my representation, the government has long withheld evidence of Mr. Flynn's innocence."
"The FBI and [special counsel's office] made up this prosecution and coerced his plea by multiple means. The result for which we have steadfastly and relentlessly worked is his complete exoneration by the Department of Justice and the judicial system," Powell said.
"We believe it is very important for the Rule of Law and the public's trust in the system for his case to be dismissed according to the Government's motion and because of all the newly disclosed evidence of government misconduct and his innocence."
Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec in an email referred CNBC to the prior court filings and statements about Flynn submitted by the department and Attorney General William Barr.
On Friday, Trump commuted the full prison sentence of Stone, a Republican consultant who was convicted at trial last fall of lying to Congress and witness tampering.
Stone, who had at one point worked on Trump's campaign, lied to a House committee about his efforts during the 2016 election to get emails from the document disclosure group WikiLeaks that had been stolen by Russian agents from the Democratic National Committee and from the chief of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson, in sentencing Stone this year, said, "He was not prosecuted, as some have complained, for standing up for the President. He was prosecuted for covering up for the President."
Stone and Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, were both investigated and prosecuted by Robert Mueller, the Justice Department special counsel who was tasked with probing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Trump has long been critical of Mueller's investigation, calling the basis of it a "hoax."
Trump said of Flynn on Monday, "I think he was persecuted."
"He didn't lie," Trump said. "The FBI said he didn't lie."
"They treated him very unfairly, as they have many people on this side," the president said.
Flynn, who has yet to be sentenced, has twice admitted to Sullivan that he lied to FBI agents by falsely stating that he and then-Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak did not discuss sanctions on Russia imposed by the outgoing Obama administration.
Flynn later recanted his confession and argued that his conviction should be thrown out because prosecutors allegedly withheld evidence from his lawyers.
The Justice Department for months fought Flynn's efforts to get the case tossed out.
But this spring, the department abruptly changed course and asked Sullivan to dismiss the conviction.
In its dismissal request, the Justice Department did not claim that Flynn had not lied in his interview.
But the department's court filing does say, "The Government is not persuaded that the January 24, 2017 interview was conducted with a legitimate investigative basis and therefore does not believe Mr. Flynn's statements were material even if untrue."
"Moreover, we [do] not believe that the Government can prove either the relevant false statements or their materiality beyond a reasonable doubt," the department said.
Trump was harshly criticized for commuting Stone's sentence by former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee this year, as well as by top congressional Democrats and former prosecutors.
Mueller, who has rarely spoken out on the subject of the probe, wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Post, "The Russia investigation was of paramount importance. Stone was prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes. He remains a convicted felon, and rightly so."
"When a subject lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government's efforts to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable. It may ultimately impede those efforts," Mueller wrote.
But Trump on Monday said of Stone, "This is an investigation that they said should have ended before it started, and if it did it should have ended immediately because they found, as you know as well as I do, they found nothing initially but it went on for two years or longer."
"I'm getting rave reviews for what I did for Roger Stone, and he frankly is going to go and now appeal his case," Trump said.


cnbc--2020-07-13--Alleged Jeffrey Epstein sex crime accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell tried to flee from FBI agents before

Alleged Jeffrey Epstein sex crime accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell tried to flee from FBI agents before arrest, prosecutors reveal

Ghislaine Maxwell attends VIP Evening of Conversation for Women 's Brain Health Initiative , Moderated by Tina Brown at Spring Studios on October 18 , 2016 in New York City .
Federal prosecutors told a judge Monday that Ghislaine Maxwell , the British socialite charged with helping the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein feed his craving for underage girls , tried to flee apprehension from FBI agents right before they arrested her this month .
Prosecutors revealed Maxwell 's effort in a court filing as they argued that she is likely to flee the United States if granted bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
Prosecutors cited the millions of dollars that Maxwell has held in `` dozens '' of overseas bank accounts , her citizenship in France , and the fact that she tried to hide from FBI agents who arrested her in a $ 1 million New Hampshire hideaway purchased under under the name of a legal entity to conceal the actual owner .
`` There will be no trial for the victims if the defendant is afforded the opportunity to flee the jurisdiction , and there is every reason to think that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is released , '' prosecutors wrote in a filing in U.S. District Court in Manhattan in advance of Maxwell 's detention hearing there Tuesday .
They called Maxwell `` an extreme risk of flight . ''
Prosecutors said they expect `` one or more victims '' will testify at the hearing .
Prosecutors said that Maxwell holds French citizenship , and if released on bail could flee to France and avoid extradition on the charges she faces in New York .
France does not extradite its own citizens , the prosecutors noted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge to release her on a $ 5 million personal recognizance bond , to be secured by a half-dozen signatories and more than $ 3 million in property .
She has been held without bail since her arrest , and denies the charges , which are based on claims that she helped Epstein recruit and groom girls as young as 14 to satisfy his sexual obsessions in the mid-1990s , and that she participated in the alleged abuse at times herself .
She is also charged with perjuring herself by allegedly denying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ litigation .
Maxwell 's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Epstein , a former friend of Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton , died from what authorities have ruled a suicide by hanging in a Manhattan federal jail , weeks after being arrested on child sex trafficking charges related to his alleged abuse of dozens of underage girls from 2002 through 2005 .
The wealthy investor Epstein , who once dated Maxwell and had paid her to manage his real estate holdings for years , had been denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , prosecutors said they were continuing to investigate possible co-conspirators of Epstein who allegedly help him procure a steady stream of girls and young women to satisfy his sexual compulsions .
Although Maxwell was not identified by name at the time , her arrest on July 2 confirmed the widespread suspicion that she was among the people being investigated by authorities .
In their filing Monday in her case , prosecutors wrote , `` When FBI agents arrived at the defendant 's remote property in New Hampshire on the morning of July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property was barred by a locked gate . ''
`` After breaching the gate , the agents observed an individual who was later determined to be a private security guard .
As the agents approached the front door to the main house , they announced themselves as FBI agents and directed the defendant [ Maxwell ] to open the door , '' the filing said .
`` Through a window , the agents saw the defendant ignore the direction to open the door and , instead , try to flee to another room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door behind her . ''
The filing added , `` Agents were ultimately forced to breach the door in order to enter the house to arrest the defendant , who was found in an interior room in the house . ''
When FBI agents searched the house , `` they also noticed a cell phone wrapped in tin foil on top of a desk , a seemingly misguided effort to evade detection , not by the press or public , which of course would have no ability to trace her phone or intercept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
After her arrest , FBI agents spoke with a security guard at the residence , who told them that one of Maxwell 's brothers `` had hired a security company staffed with former members of the British military to guard the defendant at the New Hampshire property . ''
Prosecutors also wrote in their filing , `` The charges against Ghislaine Maxwell arise from her essential role in sexual exploitation that caused deep and lasting harm to vulnerable victims .
At the heart of this case are brave women who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Ghislaine Maxwell attends VIP Evening of Conversation for Women's Brain Health Initiative, Moderated by Tina Brown at Spring Studios on October 18, 2016 in New York City.
Federal prosecutors told a judge Monday that Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite charged with helping the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein feed his craving for underage girls, tried to flee apprehension from FBI agents right before they arrested her this month.
Prosecutors revealed Maxwell's effort in a court filing as they argued that she is likely to flee the United States if granted bail of $5 million, or even more.
Prosecutors cited the millions of dollars that Maxwell has held in "dozens" of overseas bank accounts, her citizenship in France, and the fact that she tried to hide from FBI agents who arrested her in a $1 million New Hampshire hideaway purchased under under the name of a legal entity to conceal the actual owner.
"There will be no trial for the victims if the defendant is afforded the opportunity to flee the jurisdiction, and there is every reason to think that is exactly what she will do if she is released," prosecutors wrote in a filing in U.S. District Court in Manhattan in advance of Maxwell's detention hearing there Tuesday.
They called Maxwell "an extreme risk of flight."
Prosecutors said they expect "one or more victims" will testify at the hearing.
Prosecutors said that Maxwell holds French citizenship, and if released on bail could flee to France and avoid extradition on the charges she faces in New York. France does not extradite its own citizens, the prosecutors noted.
Maxwell, 58, has asked a judge to release her on a $5 million personal recognizance bond, to be secured by a half-dozen signatories and more than $3 million in property.
She has been held without bail since her arrest, and denies the charges, which are based on claims that she helped Epstein recruit and groom girls as young as 14 to satisfy his sexual obsessions in the mid-1990s, and that she participated in the alleged abuse at times herself. She is also charged with perjuring herself by allegedly denying that conduct under oath during depositions in civil litigation.
Maxwell's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Epstein, a former friend of Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, died from what authorities have ruled a suicide by hanging in a Manhattan federal jail, weeks after being arrested on child sex trafficking charges related to his alleged abuse of dozens of underage girls from 2002 through 2005.
The wealthy investor Epstein, who once dated Maxwell and had paid her to manage his real estate holdings for years, had been denied bail.
At the time of his death, prosecutors said they were continuing to investigate possible co-conspirators of Epstein who allegedly help him procure a steady stream of girls and young women to satisfy his sexual compulsions.
Although Maxwell was not identified by name at the time, her arrest on July 2 confirmed the widespread suspicion that she was among the people being investigated by authorities.
In their filing Monday in her case, prosecutors wrote, "When FBI agents arrived at the defendant's remote property in New Hampshire on the morning of July 2, 2020, they discovered the property was barred by a locked gate."
"After breaching the gate, the agents observed an individual who was later determined to be a private security guard. As the agents approached the front door to the main house, they announced themselves as FBI agents and directed the defendant [Maxwell] to open the door," the filing said.
"Through a window, the agents saw the defendant ignore the direction to open the door and, instead, try to flee to another room in the house, quickly shutting a door behind her."
The filing added, "Agents were ultimately forced to breach the door in order to enter the house to arrest the defendant, who was found in an interior room in the house."
When FBI agents searched the house, "they also noticed a cell phone wrapped in tin foil on top of a desk, a seemingly misguided effort to evade detection, not by the press or public, which of course would have no ability to trace her phone or intercept her communications, but by law enforcement."
After her arrest, FBI agents spoke with a security guard at the residence, who told them that one of Maxwell's brothers "had hired a security company staffed with former members of the British military to guard the defendant at the New Hampshire property."
Prosecutors also wrote in their filing, "The charges against Ghislaine Maxwell arise from her essential role in sexual exploitation that caused deep and lasting harm to vulnerable victims. At the heart of this case are brave women who are victims of serious crimes that demand justice."


cnbc--2020-07-13--Trump's clemency for Roger Stone also commuted his 2-year probation and $20,000 fine, order shows

Roger Stone makes an appearance outside his house on July 12 , 2020 in Fort Lauderdale , Florida .
In addition to commuting his 40-month prison term , President Donald Trump 's clemency order for his longtime ally Roger Stone commuted his two-year probation and the $ 20,000 fine that were also included in his sentence .
The new details were revealed Monday when the Department of Justice made public Trump 's executive order for Stone .
The order was released hours after the judge in Stone 's case asked whether Trump 's clemency only dealt with Stone 's prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the 24 months of supervised release that was part of his sentence .
Stone had been sentenced in February after being convicted last fall for lying to Congress , obstruction and witness tampering .
Those charges were brought as part of then-special counsel Robert Mueller 's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election .
The charges against Stone related to his efforts during that election to get information from WikiLeaks about emails stolen by Russian agents from the head of Hillary Clinton 's campaign , as well as from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge Amy Berman Jackson earlier Monday had ordered the parties in Stone 's case to clarify the `` scope '' of Trump 's executive action .
Jackson 's request came in response to `` questions raised by the U.S .
Probation Office , '' especially the question of whether Trump 's clemency applies to `` the sentence of incarceration alone or also the period of supervised release , '' she said in an order added to Stone 's case docket .
Jackson also asked for a copy of Trump 's executive order .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to CNBCs request for comment on Jackson 's request .

Roger Stone makes an appearance outside his house on July 12, 2020 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
In addition to commuting his 40-month prison term, President Donald Trump's clemency order for his longtime ally Roger Stone commuted his two-year probation and the $20,000 fine that were also included in his sentence.
The new details were revealed Monday when the Department of Justice made public Trump's executive order for Stone.
The order was released hours after the judge in Stone's case asked whether Trump's clemency only dealt with Stone's prison term, or if it also applied to the 24 months of supervised release that was part of his sentence.
Stone had been sentenced in February after being convicted last fall for lying to Congress, obstruction and witness tampering. Those charges were brought as part of then-special counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The charges against Stone related to his efforts during that election to get information from WikiLeaks about emails stolen by Russian agents from the head of Hillary Clinton's campaign, as well as from the Democratic National Committee.
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson earlier Monday had ordered the parties in Stone's case to clarify the "scope" of Trump's executive action.
Jackson's request came in response to "questions raised by the U.S. Probation Office," especially the question of whether Trump's clemency applies to "the sentence of incarceration alone or also the period of supervised release," she said in an order added to Stone's case docket.
Jackson also asked for a copy of Trump's executive order.
A lawyer for Stone did not respond to CNBCs request for comment on Jackson's request.


cnbc--2020-07-13--Trump retweets game show host Chuck Woolery's baseless claim that 'everyone is lying' about coronavi

Trump retweets game show host Chuck Woolery's baseless claim that 'everyone is lying' about coronavirus

President Donald Trump retweeted a post by game show host Chuck Woolery that baselessly claimed `` everyone is lying '' about the coronavirus pandemic in a possible effort to thwart Trump 's reelection by harming the economy .
The conservative Woolery , who hosted shows such as `` Love Connection , '' wrote in his Twitter post on Sunday evening , `` The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19 . ''
`` Everyone is lying .
The CDC [ federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] , Media , Democrats , our Doctors , not all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to trust , '' Woolery wrote .
`` I think it 's all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back , which is about the election .
I 'm sick of it , '' he added .
Woolery did not cite any evidence for his claim , or detail any purported `` lies '' by the targets of his tweet that the president reposted .
Soon after Trump shared the post , the president retweeted another comment by Woolery about the coronavirus outbreak in the United States .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence , that schools should open this fall .
It 's worldwide and it 's overwhelming .
BUT NO , '' wrote Woolery , whose game show resume also includes acting as the first host of `` Wheel of Fortune , '' and hosting `` Scrabble , '' `` Greed '' and `` Lingo . ''
Woolery 's comments and Trump 's rebroadcast of them were harshly criticized by a number of people , including Sen. Bernie Sanders , the Vermont independent who sought the Democratic presidential nomination this year .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president prefers to be briefed about the pandemic by a game show host on Twitter instead of scientists and doctors tells you everything you need to know about how clueless and pathetic the Trump administration is , '' Sanders wrote .
`` Trump must be defeated . ''
The journalist Kurt Eichenwald wrote : `` Let 's see .
A game show host , a politician , someone on social media , a guy on Fox News , or a person trained in epidemiology and infectious disease .
Huh .
You 're right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those to trust about issues involving epidemiology and infectious disease . ''
White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany , when asked about Trump 's retweet , told reporters , that while Trumo has confidence in the CDC , `` the president expressed his displeasure with the CDC , some rogue individuals leaking guidelines prematurely . ''
`` He believes that misleads the American public when they 're planning materials that are not in their fullest and best forms , '' McEnany said .
`` But the notion of the tweet was to point out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we have to use it in a way that 's not political . ''
Trump 's retweets came as the United States hit new records for coronavirus cases as the virus spread in the South and West , with new cases of Covid-19 topping or approaching 60,000 additional diagnoses each day for the past week .
On Sunday , Florida reported 15,299 new cases of Covid-19 in a single day , shattering New York state 's individual state daily record by more than 3,000 cases .
Trump 's implicit endorsement of Woolery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration sought to discredit Dr. Anthony Fauci , the top federal infectious disease official .
He has continued to issue stark warnings about the risks of reopening the country amid the pandemic .
On Monday , top executives at the Association of American Medical Colleges issued a statement saying the group `` is extremely concerned and alarmed by efforts to discredit Anthony Fauci . ''
`` Dr. Fauci has been an independent and outspoken voice for truth as the nation has struggled to fight the coronavirus pandemic , '' wrote AAMC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific officer Dr. Ross McKinney .
`` As we are seeing from the surge in COVID-19 cases in areas that have reopened , science and facts — not wishful thinking or politics — must guide America 's response to this pandemic , '' Skorton and McKinney said .

President Donald Trump retweeted a post by game show host Chuck Woolery that baselessly claimed "everyone is lying" about the coronavirus pandemic in a possible effort to thwart Trump's reelection by harming the economy.
The conservative Woolery, who hosted shows such as "Love Connection," wrote in his Twitter post on Sunday evening, "The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19."
"Everyone is lying. The CDC [federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], Media, Democrats, our Doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust," Woolery wrote.
"I think it's all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I'm sick of it," he added.
Woolery did not cite any evidence for his claim, or detail any purported "lies" by the targets of his tweet that the president reposted.
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Soon after Trump shared the post, the president retweeted another comment by Woolery about the coronavirus outbreak in the United States.
"There is so much evidence, yes scientific evidence, that schools should open this fall. It's worldwide and it's overwhelming. BUT NO," wrote Woolery, whose game show resume also includes acting as the first host of "Wheel of Fortune," and hosting "Scrabble," "Greed" and "Lingo."
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Woolery's comments and Trump's rebroadcast of them were harshly criticized by a number of people, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who sought the Democratic presidential nomination this year.
"The fact that our 'very stable genius' president prefers to be briefed about the pandemic by a game show host on Twitter instead of scientists and doctors tells you everything you need to know about how clueless and pathetic the Trump administration is," Sanders wrote. "Trump must be defeated."
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The journalist Kurt Eichenwald wrote: "Let's see. A game show host, a politician, someone on social media, a guy on Fox News, or a person trained in epidemiology and infectious disease. Huh. You're right. Hard to know which one of those to trust about issues involving epidemiology and infectious disease."
White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany, when asked about Trump's retweet, told reporters, that while Trumo has confidence in the CDC, "the president expressed his displeasure with the CDC, some rogue individuals leaking guidelines prematurely."
"He believes that misleads the American public when they're planning materials that are not in their fullest and best forms," McEnany said. "But the notion of the tweet was to point out the fact that when we use science, we have to use it in a way that's not political."
Trump's retweets came as the United States hit new records for coronavirus cases as the virus spread in the South and West, with new cases of Covid-19 topping or approaching 60,000 additional diagnoses each day for the past week.
On Sunday, Florida reported 15,299 new cases of Covid-19 in a single day, shattering New York state's individual state daily record by more than 3,000 cases.
Trump's implicit endorsement of Woolery's comments also came as officials in the Trump administration sought to discredit Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top federal infectious disease official. He has continued to issue stark warnings about the risks of reopening the country amid the pandemic.
On Monday, top executives at the Association of American Medical Colleges issued a statement saying the group "is extremely concerned and alarmed by efforts to discredit Anthony Fauci."
"Dr. Fauci has been an independent and outspoken voice for truth as the nation has struggled to fight the coronavirus pandemic," wrote AAMC President Dr. David Skorton, and chief scientific officer Dr. Ross McKinney.
"As we are seeing from the surge in COVID-19 cases in areas that have reopened, science and facts — not wishful thinking or politics — must guide America's response to this pandemic," Skorton and McKinney said.


cnbc--2020-07-13--George Soros foundation announces $220 million investment in push for racial justice

Hungarian-born US investor and philanthropist George Soros delivers a speech on the sideline of the World Economic Forum ( WEF ) annual meeting , on January 23 , 2020 in Davos , eastern Switzerland .
Open Society Foundations , a philanthropic organization founded by liberal megadonor George Soros , announced Monday that it is investing $ 220 million into the push for racial justice .
The largest portion , $ 150 million , will be given in five-year grants to various civil rights and racial equality groups like Black Voters Matter and the Equal Justice Initiative , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are tackling racial inequality in different forms , such as fighting for police reform and increased ballot access for people of color .
The money will be delivered over five years because `` real progress requires sustained support over many years and letting leaders accountable to impacted communities shape the path forward , '' the foundation said .
The remaining $ 70 million will be divvied up among local initiatives that support the progression toward racial equality .
Some of the money will be used to fund young people participating in internships and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to fight voter suppression and disinformation , '' according to the announcement .
The investment comes amid widespread protests for racial equality and calls for police reform that sprung after the death of George Floyd , a Black man who was killed at the hands of Minneapolis police on Memorial Day .
Floyd , 46 , died after being subdued during an investigation into whether he had used a counterfeit $ 20 bill .
`` It is inspiring and powerful to experience this transformational moment in the racial justice movement , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
`` We are honored to be able to carry on the vital work of fighting for rights , dignity , and equity for oppressed people the world over started by our founder and chair , George Soros . ''
The 89-year-old Soros has long supported marginalized groups .
He has been a frequent target of anti-Semitic and right-wing groups , including in his native Hungary .

Hungarian-born US investor and philanthropist George Soros delivers a speech on the sideline of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting, on January 23, 2020 in Davos, eastern Switzerland.
Open Society Foundations, a philanthropic organization founded by liberal megadonor George Soros, announced Monday that it is investing $220 million into the push for racial justice.
The largest portion, $150 million, will be given in five-year grants to various civil rights and racial equality groups like Black Voters Matter and the Equal Justice Initiative, according to the foundation. The groups receiving these grants are tackling racial inequality in different forms, such as fighting for police reform and increased ballot access for people of color.
The money will be delivered over five years because "real progress requires sustained support over many years and letting leaders accountable to impacted communities shape the path forward," the foundation said.
The remaining $70 million will be divvied up among local initiatives that support the progression toward racial equality. Some of the money will be used to fund young people participating in internships and civic engagement, as well as "efforts to fight voter suppression and disinformation," according to the announcement.
The investment comes amid widespread protests for racial equality and calls for police reform that sprung after the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed at the hands of Minneapolis police on Memorial Day. Floyd, 46, died after being subdued during an investigation into whether he had used a counterfeit $20 bill.
"It is inspiring and powerful to experience this transformational moment in the racial justice movement," said Open Society Foundations President Patrick Gaspard in a statement.
"We are honored to be able to carry on the vital work of fighting for rights, dignity, and equity for oppressed people the world over started by our founder and chair, George Soros."
The 89-year-old Soros has long supported marginalized groups. He has been a frequent target of anti-Semitic and right-wing groups, including in his native Hungary.


cnbc--2020-07-13--Sen. Marco Rubio says the costs of not reopening schools in Florida are 'extraordinary' despite surg

Sen. Marco Rubio says the costs of not reopening schools in Florida are 'extraordinary' despite surge in coronavirus cases

The senator 's remarks came a day after Florida reported the largest single-day increase in positive Covid-19 cases of any state since the crisis began .
More than 15,000 cases were confirmed Sunday in the Sunshine state .
`` I think we need to be flexible about all sorts of things , '' Rubio said on CNBC 's `` Squawk Box , '' while stressing that `` the costs of not reopening our schools are extraordinary . ''
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio suggested Monday that some high-risk Florida counties take `` additional measures '' to reopen schools in the fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .
Less than a week earlier , Florida 's education commissioner ordered schools throughout the state to reopen in August for in-person instruction at least five days a week .
In a tweet later Monday morning , Rubio reiterated that despite the risks , `` at some point this fall kids need to be back in school . ''
Despite the record-breaking number of infections , Rubio said most Florida counties will be able to safely reopen their schools on schedule .
`` Florida 's an enormous state .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week now in northwest Florida where the vast majority of the counties could reopen .
They 're not facing this , '' Rubio said .
`` So I think in many of our counties the answer to that question is yes , we could . ''
In the counties being hardest hit by the surge in cases , Rubio said he believed extra precautions should be taken – but he did not suggest that those areas should wait longer to reopen their schools .
For those areas , `` I think we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be able reopen schools and I think we need to be flexible about all sorts of things , '' Rubio said .
`` It is n't going to be school the way we 're used to in normal times , but at some point you have to make those decisions on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis : What are the costs of not reopening schools , what are the benefits with regard to the virus for not opening schools , '' Rubio said .
`` And I think in the short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` I have no doubt we can do this safely , '' DeSantis said at a press conference Thursday , CNN reported .
`` We spent months saying that there were certain things that were essential -- that included fast food restaurants , it included Walmart , it included Home Depot .
If fast food and Walmart and Home Depot -- and look , I do all that , so I 'm not looking down on it -- but if all that is essential , then educating our kids is absolutely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed state leaders to reopen their schools in the fall , threatening to cut off funding if in-person classes do n't resume .
Vice President Mike Pence said that the Trump administration is considering ways to use a potential additional round of federal coronavirus relief to provide `` incentives '' for schools to reopen their doors .
Teachers ' advocates have pushed back on the pressure to get kids back in the classroom , warning that reopening prematurely could pose risks .
The nation 's second largest teachers union last week announced it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign aimed at lobbying Congress to approve additional funds to help schools prepare for reopening .

"I think we need to be flexible about all sorts of things," Rubio said on CNBC's "Squawk Box," while stressing that "the costs of not reopening our schools are extraordinary."
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio suggested Monday that some high-risk Florida counties take "additional measures" to reopen schools in the fall as the state gets battered by the coronavirus pandemic.
Less than a week earlier, Florida's education commissioner ordered schools throughout the state to reopen in August for in-person instruction at least five days a week.
In a tweet later Monday morning, Rubio reiterated that despite the risks, "at some point this fall kids need to be back in school."
Rubio TWEET
Despite the record-breaking number of infections, Rubio said most Florida counties will be able to safely reopen their schools on schedule.
"Florida's an enormous state. We have 67 counties. I spent over a week now in northwest Florida where the vast majority of the counties could reopen. They're not facing this," Rubio said. "So I think in many of our counties the answer to that question is yes, we could."
In the counties being hardest hit by the surge in cases, Rubio said he believed extra precautions should be taken – but he did not suggest that those areas should wait longer to reopen their schools.
For those areas, "I think we are going to have to take additional measures to be able reopen schools and I think we need to be flexible about all sorts of things," Rubio said.
"It isn't going to be school the way we're used to in normal times, but at some point you have to make those decisions on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis: What are the costs of not reopening schools, what are the benefits with regard to the virus for not opening schools," Rubio said. "And I think in the short and long term the costs are extraordinary."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, agreed.
"I have no doubt we can do this safely," DeSantis said at a press conference Thursday, CNN reported. "We spent months saying that there were certain things that were essential -- that included fast food restaurants, it included Walmart, it included Home Depot. If fast food and Walmart and Home Depot -- and look, I do all that, so I'm not looking down on it -- but if all that is essential, then educating our kids is absolutely essential."
President Donald Trump has pushed state leaders to reopen their schools in the fall, threatening to cut off funding if in-person classes don't resume. Vice President Mike Pence said that the Trump administration is considering ways to use a potential additional round of federal coronavirus relief to provide "incentives" for schools to reopen their doors.
Teachers' advocates have pushed back on the pressure to get kids back in the classroom, warning that reopening prematurely could pose risks.
The nation's second largest teachers union last week announced it would launch a $1 million ad campaign aimed at lobbying Congress to approve additional funds to help schools prepare for reopening.


cnbc--2020-07-13--Op-ed: We still have a coronavirus 'testing problem in this country'


cnbc--2020-07-12--White House seeks to discredit Fauci amid coronavirus surge

Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , speaks during a Senate Health , Education , Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on efforts to get back to work and school during the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) outbreak , in Washington , D.C. , June 30 , 2020 .
The White House is seeking to discredit Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's leading infectious disease expert , as it works to marginalize him and his dire warnings about the shortcomings in the U.S. coronavirus response .
A White House official told NBC News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things . ''
The official provided NBC News with a lengthy list of past comments by Fauci earlier in the pandemic , including Fauci saying in January that coronavirus was `` not a major threat '' and `` not driven by asymptomatic carriers '' and Fauci 's comment in March that `` people should not be walking around with masks . ''
Many of the past statements the White House is criticizing Fauci for are ones that were based on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were widely echoed by Trump , other members of the task force and senior White House officials .
As Surgeon General Jerome Adams told CBS News on Sunday , `` When you learn more , you change those recommendations .
Our recommendations have changed . ''
The attacks on Fauci come as coronavirus surges nationwide , which Trump has repeatedly downplayed as a result of increased testing rather than increased infections .
Florida on Sunday reported over 15,000 new cases , the most any state has reported in a single day since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also surpassed 70,000 new coronavirus cases nationwide for the first time ever .
The list circulated by the White House bears striking resemblance to the opposition research that political candidates often circulate to the media about their opponents .

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on efforts to get back to work and school during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Washington, D.C., June 30, 2020.
The White House is seeking to discredit Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, as it works to marginalize him and his dire warnings about the shortcomings in the U.S. coronavirus response.
A White House official told NBC News that "several White House officials are concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things." The official provided NBC News with a lengthy list of past comments by Fauci earlier in the pandemic, including Fauci saying in January that coronavirus was "not a major threat" and "not driven by asymptomatic carriers" and Fauci's comment in March that "people should not be walking around with masks."
Many of the past statements the White House is criticizing Fauci for are ones that were based on the best available data at the time and were widely echoed by Trump, other members of the task force and senior White House officials. As Surgeon General Jerome Adams told CBS News on Sunday, "When you learn more, you change those recommendations. Our recommendations have changed."
The attacks on Fauci come as coronavirus surges nationwide, which Trump has repeatedly downplayed as a result of increased testing rather than increased infections. Florida on Sunday reported over 15,000 new cases, the most any state has reported in a single day since the pandemic began. The U.S. on Friday also surpassed 70,000 new coronavirus cases nationwide for the first time ever.
The list circulated by the White House bears striking resemblance to the opposition research that political candidates often circulate to the media about their opponents.


cnbc--2020-07-14--U.S. Supreme Court allows federal executions to proceed

Members of the news media gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court , where justices made it clear that a sitting president can not evade criminal investigations , ruling that a prosecutor in New York City can obtain President Donald Trump 's financial records including tax returns , in Washington , July 9 , 2020 .
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the first federal executions in 17 years could proceed , overturning an injunction blocking them in order to allow legal challenges to the government 's lethal-injection protocol to continue .
Judge Tanya Chutkan of the U.S. district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the justice department to delay four executions scheduled for July and August .
Chutkan 's order was issued less than seven hours before the execution of Daniel Lee was due to take place in Terre Haute , Indiana .
The order was later affirmed by a U.S. appeals court .
`` The plaintiffs in this case have not made the showing required to justify last-minute intervention by a Federal Court .
Last-minute stays like that issued this morning should be the extreme exception , not the norm , '' the Supreme Court said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert testimony of its own , indicating that any pulmonary edema occurs only after the prisoner has died or been rendered fully insensate , '' the court added .
The authorities were prepared to move forward with Lee 's execution at 4 am EDT ( 0800 GMT ) on Tuesday after the Supreme Court 's decision , documents filed in the district court in Washington by Lee 's lawyers showed .
`` In light of the imminent and irreparable harm that he faces , Lee respectfully requests that the court immediately issue a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motion for preliminary injunction , '' his lawyers said .
Reuters could not verify if the execution took place at 4 am EDT .
The U.S. justice department did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
Attorney General William Barr had announced last July that the Justice Department would resume carrying out executions of some of the 62 inmates on federal death row .
He originally scheduled five executions for last December , but was ordered to delay them by Chutkan while long-running lawsuits challenging the government 's lethal-injection protocol played out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in April , and Barr announced new execution dates for July and August of four inmates , all men convicted of murdering children : Lee , Wesley Purkey , Dustin Honken and Keith Nelson .

A correction officer patrols outside Federal Correctional Institution, Terre Haute, as Daniel Lewis Lee, convicted in the killing of three members of an Arkansas family in 1996, is set to be put to death in the first federal execution in 17 years, in Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S. July 13, 2020.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — The federal government on Tuesday carried out its first execution in almost two decades, killing by lethal injection a man convicted of murdering an Arkansas family in a 1990s plot to build a whites-only nation in the Pacific Northwest.
The execution of Daniel Lewis Lee came over the objection of the victims' relatives and following days of legal wrangling and delays.
Lee, 47, of Yukon, Oklahoma, professed his innocence just before he was executed at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.
"I didn't do it," Lee said. "I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I'm not a murderer."
His final words were: "You're killing an innocent man."
The decision to move forward with the first execution by the Bureau of Prisons since 2003 -- and two others scheduled later in the week — drew scrutiny from civil rights groups and the relatives of Lee's victims, who had sued to try to halt it, citing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has killed more than 135,000 people in the United States and is ravaging prisons nationwide.
Critics argued that the government was creating an unnecessary and manufactured urgency for political gain.
One of Lee's lawyers, Ruth Friedman, said it was "shameful that the government saw fit to carry out this execution during a pandemic."
"And it is beyond shameful that the government, in the end, carried out this execution in haste," Friedman said in a statement.
The developments are likely to add a new front to the national conversation about criminal justice reform in the lead-up to the 2020 elections.
The execution of Lee, who died at 8:07 a.m. EDT, went off after a series of legal volleys that ended when the Supreme Court stepped in early Tuesday in a 5-4 ruling and allowed it to move forward.
Attorney General William Barr has said the Justice Department has a duty to carry out the sentences imposed by the courts, including the death penalty, and to bring a sense of closure to the victims and those in the communities where the killings happened.
But relatives of those killed by Lee in 1996 strongly opposed that idea and long argued that Lee deserved a sentence of life in prison. They wanted to be present to counter any contention that the execution was being done on their behalf.
"For us it is a matter of being there and saying, 'This is not being done in our name; we do not want this,'" relative Monica Veillette said.


cnbc--2020-07-14--Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized for possible infection

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates in a discussion during the Library of Congress National Book Festival at the @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday , August 31 , 2019 .
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was @ @ @ @ @ infection , according to a spokeswoman for the court .
The justice , 87 , @ @ @ @ @ Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after experiencing fever and chills .
She underwent a procedure to @ @ @ @ @ and will stay in the hospital for a `` few days , '' court spokeswoman @ @ @ @ @ statement .
`` The Justice is resting comfortably and will stay in the hospital for @ @ @ @ @ intravenous antibiotic treatment , '' she said .
Ginsburg , the oldest Supreme Court justice @ @ @ @ @ of health issues in recent years .
In January , she said she was `` @ @ @ @ @ for what was likely pancreatic cancer last year .

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates in a discussion during the Library of Congress National Book Festival at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, August 31, 2019.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized Tuesday for a possible infection, according to a spokeswoman for the court.
The justice, 87, received treatment at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after experiencing fever and chills. She underwent a procedure to clean a bile duct stent and will stay in the hospital for a "few days," court spokeswoman Kathleen Arberg said in a statement.
"The Justice is resting comfortably and will stay in the hospital for a few days to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment," she said.
Ginsburg, the oldest Supreme Court justice, has endured a range of health issues in recent years. In January, she said she was "cancer-free" after undergoing treatment for what was likely pancreatic cancer last year.


cnbc--2020-07-14--Judge denies bail for Ghislaine Maxwell after she pleads not guilty in Jeffrey Epstein sex crimes ca

Judge denies bail for Ghislaine Maxwell after she pleads not guilty in Jeffrey Epstein sex crimes case

A federal judge on Tuesday denied bail for Ghislaine Maxwell , the British socialite accused of facilitating the sexual abuse of young girls in the mid-1990s by her former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein , the now-dead investor .
Maxwell , who will remain in jail pending trial , pleaded not guilty at the bail hearing in Manhattan federal court , where her lawyer had sought her release on a $ 5 million bond .
`` The risk is simply too great '' for Maxwell to be released on bail , Nathan said .
The judge noted Maxwell 's wealth , citizenship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ties and lack of strong family or business connections in the United States as she denied the bail request .
Nathan also cited the `` seriousness '' of Maxwell 's alleged crimes as a reason she would have to flee and said no bail condition , or combination of conditions , would ensure she would willingly appear in court on the charges .
Maxwell , 58 , faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted of crimes that include enticing minors into traveling to have sex with Epstein , and perjury .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ media baron Robert Maxwell did not visibly react to the judge 's decision , which she saw and listened to via a video teleconference from a Brooklyn , New York , federal jail .
The bail denial came nearly a year to the day after Epstein was himself denied bail on child sex trafficking charges after his lawyers offered to post a whopping $ 100 million bond .
A federal prosecutor who argued against Maxwell 's bail request told Nathan that Maxwell had posed as `` Jen Marshall , '' a `` journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November when she looked at purchasing the New Hampshire house where she was found in her pajamas and arrested by FBI agents on the morning of July 2 .
Maxwell , according to a real estate agent involved in the purchase , posed as the wife of a man who identified himself as `` Scott Marshall , '' a purported retired member of the British military who was writing a book , the prosecutor , Alison Moe , said .
The $ 1 million house , which sits on more than 150 acres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a legal entity set up for that purpose , and to hide the actual identity of the people who purchased the residence .
The real estate agent realized that Maxwell was the British-accented `` journalist '' who used another name after she saw news stories about her arrest , Moe said .
The prosecutor said that Maxwell 's deception with the real estate agent , and other factors , warranted detaining her without bail , as did wealth of up to $ 10 million in assets , at least $ 4 million of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Maxwell , who waived her physical appearance in court due to the coronavirus pandemic , spoke in a clear , firm voice as she denied the charges laid out in a six-count indictment against her .
`` Not guilty , '' Maxwell told Nathan early in the hearing , which lasted slightly more than two hours , and which was listened to on a conference call by more than 1,000 people .
Moe estimated that the trial would take three weeks .
Annie Farmer , one of three women whose claims are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maxwell , told the judge that she should deny the bail request , saying that `` the danger Maxwell posed must be taken seriously . ''
`` She is a sexual predator who groomed and abused me and countless other children and young women .
She has never shown any remorse for her heinous crimes or the devastating , lasting effects her actions caused , '' Farmer said , after telling the judge she first met Maxwell when she was 16 years old .
Farmer , who requested to be identified by her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , `` Those that survived implore this court that she be detained pending trial . ''
Another accuser , identified as Jane Doe , said in a statement read to the judge by Moe , that , `` Without Ghislaine , Jeffrey could not have done what he did . ''
Prosecutors had called Maxwell an `` extreme '' flight risk due to wealth , and cited her talent for `` hiding '' as she moved around New England in the past year since Epstein 's arrest in July 2019 .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nations where she holds citizenship , does not extradite its own citizens on criminal charges .
`` There is an incredibly strong incentive for the defendant to flee , '' Moe said .
And `` there 's a real concern here that the defendant could live beyond the reach for extradition for years , '' the prosecutor said .
Moe scoffed at Maxwell 's claim to federal Pretrial Services that she has `` no income , '' which the prosecutor said was not credible given the lifestyle that Maxwell has been enjoying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Maxwell was offering to have someone else 's property secure her potential bond , at the same time she proposed to be released and to stay at a luxury hotel in New York City as her case proceeds to trial .
In a court filing Monday , prosecutors told Nathan that when the FBI went to arrest Maxwell in the New Hampshire home , she ignored an order `` to open the door and , instead , [ tried ] to flee to another room in the house , quickly shutting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that after she was taken into custody FBI agents found a cellphone belonging to Maxwell at the house that had been wrapped in aluminum foil in an apparent effort to prevent authorities from tracking its whereabouts .
Prosecutors said that since her arrest , other people have come forward to bolster their case against her .
Maxwell 's lawyers , in turn , had asked Nathan to set a personal recognizance bond for Maxwell in the amount of $ 5 million .
Defense attorneys said that bond would be secured by six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property in Britain worth $ 3.75 million .
The lawyers also proposed that Maxwell , who is the first person other than Epstein to be charged in connection with his alleged sex crimes , be confined to a residence in New York , with electronic monitoring , as a condition of her bail .
`` Ms. Maxwell vigorously denies the charges , intends to fight them , and is entitled to the presumption of innocence , '' her lawyers , Mark Cohen and Jeffrey Pagliuca , wrote in a court filing last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that prosecutors failed to show Maxwell was a flight risk , noting that she had remained in the United States in the year since Epstein 's arrest , and that her attorneys had been in regular contact with the prosecutors ' office in an effort to dissuade them from filing charges against her .
Cohen told the judge that `` It 's just not realistic , '' particularly given restrictions in place because of the Covid-19 outbreak , that Maxwell and her lawyers can prepare effectively for her trial while she is being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the judge that the defense will be making a `` very significant [ legal ] motion that will decide whether this indictment survives , or the shape of this indictment . ''
Maxwell 's lawyers argue that the bulk of the case against her , the charges relating to the sexual contact with minors by Epstein and her , are barred by a nonprosecution agreement that Epstein signed with federal prosecutors in South Florida in 2007 , as part of his agreement to plead guilty to state criminal charges in 2008 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ covers Epstein 's co-conspirators , of whom Maxwell allegedly is one .
But Moe said that Maxwell is not covered by that agreement .
Maxwell is charged with conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts , enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sexual acts , conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity , transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity , and two counts of perjury .
The hearing came a day after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also under investigation by the U.S. Virgin Islands ' Justice Department for her alleged participation in Epstein 's sex trafficking operation .
Epstein owned a large private island in the Virgin Islands , which was locally known as `` Pedophile Island . ''

Ghislaine Maxwell appears via video link during her arraignment hearing where she was denied bail for her role aiding Jeffrey Epstein to recruit and eventually abuse of minor girls, in Manhattan Federal Court, in New York, July 14, 2020 in this courtroom sketch. Jane Rosenberg | Reuters
A federal judge on Tuesday denied bail for Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite accused of facilitating the sexual abuse of young girls in the mid-1990s by her former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein, the now-dead investor. Maxwell, who will remain in jail pending trial, pleaded not guilty at the bail hearing in Manhattan federal court, where her lawyer had sought her release on a $5 million bond. Maxwell poses "a substantial risk of flight," said Judge Alison Nathan. "The risk is simply too great" for Maxwell to be released on bail, Nathan said. The judge noted Maxwell's wealth, her citizenship in Britain and France, other international ties, and her lack of strong family or business connections in the United States, as she denied the bail request. Nathan also cited the "seriousness" of Maxwell's alleged crimes as a reason she would have to flee and said no bail condition, or combination of conditions, would ensure she would willingly appear in court on the charges. Maxwell, 58, faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted of crimes that include enticing minors into traveling to have sex with Epstein, and perjury. The daughter of the dead crooked British media baron Robert Maxwell did not visibly react to the judge's decision, which she saw and listened to via a video teleconference from a Brooklyn, New York, federal jail. The bail denial came nearly a year to the day after Epstein was himself denied bail on child sex trafficking charges after his lawyers offered to post a whopping $100 million bond. A federal prosecutor who argued against Maxwell's bail request told Nathan that Maxwell had posed as "Jen Marshall," a "journalist" who was seeking privacy, last November when she looked at purchasing the New Hampshire house where she was found in her pajamas and arrested by FBI agents on the morning of July 2.
Ghislaine Maxwell appears via video link during her arraignment hearing where she was denied bail for her role aiding Jeffrey Epstein to recruit and eventually abuse of minor girls, in Manhattan Federal Court, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. July 14, 2020 in this courtroom sketch. Jane Rosenberg | Reuters
Maxwell, according to a real estate agent involved in the purchase, posed as the wife of a man who identified himself as "Scott Marshall," a purported retired member of the British military who was writing a book, the prosecutor, Alison Moe, said. The $1 million house, which sits on more than 150 acres of land, later was bought by a legal entity set up for that purpose, and to hide the actual identity of the people who purchased the residence. The real estate agent realized that Maxwell was the British-accented "journalist" who used another name after she saw news stories about her arrest, Moe said. The prosecutor said that Maxwell's deception with the real estate agent, and other factors, warranted detaining her without bail, as did wealth of up to $10 million in assets, at least $4 million of which is in a Swiss bank account. Maxwell, who waived her physical appearance in court due to the coronavirus pandemic, spoke in a clear, firm voice as she denied the charges laid out in a six-count indictment against her. "Not guilty," Maxwell told Nathan early in the hearing, which lasted slightly more than two hours, and which was listened to on a conference call by more than 1,000 people. Nathan scheduled Maxwell's trial to begin on July 12, 2021. Moe estimated that the trial would take three weeks.
Annie Farmer, one of three women whose claims are the basis for the criminal case against Maxwell, told the judge that she should deny the bail request, saying that "the danger Maxwell posed must be taken seriously." "She is a sexual predator who groomed and abused me and countless other children and young women. She has never shown any remorse for her heinous crimes or the devastating, lasting effects her actions caused," Farmer said, after telling the judge she first met Maxwell when she was 16 years old. Farmer, who requested to be identified by her real name during the court hearing, said, "Those that survived implore this court that she be detained pending trial." Another accuser, identified as Jane Doe, said in a statement read to the judge by Moe, that, "Without Ghislaine, Jeffrey could not have done what he did."
Protestors gather outside court as Ghislaine Maxwell is set to make her first court appearance on July 14, 2020 at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, on a video link from her cell at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, over sex-trafficking charges tied to her former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein in New York. Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images
Prosecutors had called Maxwell an "extreme" flight risk due to wealth, and cited her talent for "hiding" as she moved around New England in the past year since Epstein's arrest in July 2019. They also argued that France, one of the nations where she holds citizenship, does not extradite its own citizens on criminal charges. "There is an incredibly strong incentive for the defendant to flee," Moe said. And "there's a real concern here that the defendant could live beyond the reach for extradition for years," the prosecutor said. Moe scoffed at Maxwell's claim to federal Pretrial Services that she has "no income," which the prosecutor said was not credible given the lifestyle that Maxwell has been enjoying. Moe also said it was troublesome that Maxwell was offering to have someone else's property secure her potential bond, at the same time she proposed to be released and to stay at a luxury hotel in New York City as her case proceeds to trial. In a court filing Monday, prosecutors told Nathan that when the FBI went to arrest Maxwell in the New Hampshire home, she ignored an order "to open the door and, instead, [tried] to flee to another room in the house, quickly shutting a door behind her." Prosecutors also said that after she was taken into custody FBI agents found a cellphone belonging to Maxwell at the house that had been wrapped in aluminum foil in an apparent effort to prevent authorities from tracking its whereabouts. Prosecutors said that since her arrest, other people have come forward to bolster their case against her. Maxwell's lawyers, in turn, had asked Nathan to set a personal recognizance bond for Maxwell in the amount of $5 million. Defense attorneys said that bond would be secured by six unidentified co-signers, as well as by property in Britain worth $3.75 million. The lawyers also proposed that Maxwell, who is the first person other than Epstein to be charged in connection with his alleged sex crimes, be confined to a residence in New York, with electronic monitoring, as a condition of her bail. "Ms. Maxwell vigorously denies the charges, intends to fight them, and is entitled to the presumption of innocence," her lawyers, Mark Cohen and Jeffrey Pagliuca, wrote in a court filing last week. Cohen argued during Tuesday's hearing that prosecutors failed to show Maxwell was a flight risk, noting that she had remained in the United States in the year since Epstein's arrest, and that her attorneys had been in regular contact with the prosecutors' office in an effort to dissuade them from filing charges against her. Cohen told the judge that "It's just not realistic," particularly given restrictions in place because of the Covid-19 outbreak, that Maxwell and her lawyers can prepare effectively for her trial while she is being held in jail. The attorney also told the judge that the defense will be making a "very significant [legal] motion that will decide whether this indictment survives, or the shape of this indictment." Maxwell's lawyers argue that the bulk of the case against her, the charges relating to the sexual contact with minors by Epstein and her, are barred by a nonprosecution agreement that Epstein signed with federal prosecutors in South Florida in 2007, as part of his agreement to plead guilty to state criminal charges in 2008. That agreement, the lawyers say, covers Epstein's co-conspirators, of whom Maxwell allegedly is one. But Moe said that Maxwell is not covered by that agreement. Maxwell is charged with conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sexual acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and two counts of perjury. The hearing came a day after the Bloomberg news service reported that Maxwell is also under investigation by the U.S. Virgin Islands' Justice Department for her alleged participation in Epstein's sex trafficking operation. Epstein owned a large private island in the Virgin Islands, which was locally known as "Pedophile Island."


cnbc--2020-07-14--U.S. could sanction Chinese officials for illegal claims in South China Sea, diplomat says

Crew members of the Chinese Navy stand guard on the deck of Chinese PLA Navy ship on May 23 , 2014 .
WASHINGTON — The nation 's top diplomat for East Asia said in remarks Tuesday that the Trump administration could use sanctions to target Chinese officials ' actions in the hotly contested South China Sea .
`` Nothing 's off the table , '' David Stilwell , assistant secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs , said when asked whether the U.S. would consider using sanctions to rein in China .
`` There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language China understands , demonstrable and tangible action , '' he told a virtual audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies .
`` Wherever you are , Beijing increasingly wants to stake claims , coerce , and control .
By its nature , it can not accept a pluralistic world with fundamental freedoms of choice and conscience , '' Stilwell said , adding that U.S. involvement in the region was to simply enforce existing law .
`` This is housekeeping .
These are things that we should have done for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stilwell 's comments come on the heels of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo 's blistering Monday rebuke of Beijing 's `` campaign of bullying '' in the South China Sea .
Pompeo said the U.S. would bolster its position in the region and described the bulk of Chinese territorial claims in the disputed waters as illegal .
`` The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire , '' he said .
The Chinese Embassy in Washington also said Monday that the U.S. was `` throwing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world . ''
`` Under the pretext of preserving stability , it is flexing muscles , stirring up tension and inciting confrontation in the region , '' the statement said , adding that the U.S. was `` not a country directly involved in the disputes '' and was interfering .
The unfolding coronavirus health pandemic and escalated tensions in the South China Sea are the latest in a string of issues rattling the relationship between Washington and Beijing .
The world 's two largest economies are engaged in a disruptive trade struggle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a major sticking point between the two nations .
Last week , FBI Director Christopher Wray slammed the Chinese government for its use of espionage and cyberattacks against the United States .
He said the Chinese campaign has amounted to `` one of the largest transfers of wealth in human history . ''
The South China Sea , which is home to more than 200 specks of land , serves as a gateway to global sea routes where nearly $ 4 trillion of trade passes annually .
More than $ 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. market .
The sea is also home to an estimated $ 2.6 trillion in recoverable offshore oil and gas .
Five claimants — China , Malaysia , the Philippines , Taiwan and Vietnam — occupy nearly 70 disputed reefs and islets across the South China Sea .
Over the years , claimants have built and expanded approximately 90 outposts on these contested features .

Crew members of the Chinese Navy stand guard on the deck of Chinese PLA Navy ship on May 23, 2014.
WASHINGTON — The nation's top diplomat for East Asia said in remarks Tuesday that the Trump administration could use sanctions to target Chinese officials' actions in the hotly contested South China Sea.
"Nothing's off the table," David Stilwell, assistant secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said when asked whether the U.S. would consider using sanctions to rein in China.
"There is room for that and this is a language China understands, demonstrable and tangible action," he told a virtual audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
"Wherever you are, Beijing increasingly wants to stake claims, coerce, and control. By its nature, it cannot accept a pluralistic world with fundamental freedoms of choice and conscience," Stilwell said, adding that U.S. involvement in the region was to simply enforce existing law.
"This is housekeeping. These are things that we should have done for a long time," he said.
Stilwell's comments come on the heels of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's blistering Monday rebuke of Beijing's "campaign of bullying" in the South China Sea.
Pompeo said the U.S. would bolster its position in the region and described the bulk of Chinese territorial claims in the disputed waters as illegal. "The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire," he said.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington also said Monday that the U.S. was "throwing its weight around in every sea of the world."
"Under the pretext of preserving stability, it is flexing muscles, stirring up tension and inciting confrontation in the region," the statement said, adding that the U.S. was "not a country directly involved in the disputes" and was interfering.
The unfolding coronavirus health pandemic and escalated tensions in the South China Sea are the latest in a string of issues rattling the relationship between Washington and Beijing. The world's two largest economies are engaged in a disruptive trade struggle with intellectual property theft and cybersecurity proving to be a major sticking point between the two nations.
Last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray slammed the Chinese government for its use of espionage and cyberattacks against the United States. He said the Chinese campaign has amounted to "one of the largest transfers of wealth in human history."
The South China Sea, which is home to more than 200 specks of land, serves as a gateway to global sea routes where nearly $4 trillion of trade passes annually. More than $1 trillion of that is linked to the U.S. market. The sea is also home to an estimated $2.6 trillion in recoverable offshore oil and gas.
Five claimants — China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam — occupy nearly 70 disputed reefs and islets across the South China Sea. Over the years, claimants have built and expanded approximately 90 outposts on these contested features.


cnbc--2020-07-14--Coronavirus concerns push RNC to consider holding August convention in Florida outdoors

Organizers of the Republican National Convention are considering holding the event outdoors as coronavirus cases skyrocket in Florida , according @ @ @ @ @ The convention was pulled out of Charlotte , North Carolina , where it was originally @ @ @ @ @ and moved to Jacksonville , Florida , after President Donald Trump clashed with Democratic Gov @ @ @ @ @ expected organizers to adhere to strict social distancing guidelines during the event .
Officials in @ @ @ @ @ expressed interest in hosting the convention , set for Aug. 24-27 .
Florida , with @ @ @ @ @ backing , ultimately got the nod on June 11 .
But with Covid-19 cases now @ @ @ @ @ organizers are planning for the possibility of hosting the convention at least partly outdoors instead @ @ @ @ @ Veterans Memorial Arena as planned .
`` We are planning for multiple scenarios and various @ @ @ @ @ an RNC spokesperson .
`` We had already contracted with several venues around the Vystar @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Organizers of the Republican National Convention are considering holding the event outdoors as coronavirus cases skyrocket in Florida, according to a committee spokesperson.
The convention was pulled out of Charlotte, North Carolina, where it was originally expected to take place, and moved to Jacksonville, Florida, after President Donald Trump clashed with Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who expected organizers to adhere to strict social distancing guidelines during the event.
Officials in a handful of other states expressed interest in hosting the convention, set for Aug. 24-27. Florida, with Gov. Ron DeSantis' backing, ultimately got the nod on June 11.
But with Covid-19 cases now spiking in the state, organizers are planning for the possibility of hosting the convention at least partly outdoors instead of at the indoor VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena as planned.
"We are planning for multiple scenarios and various health precautions," said an RNC spokesperson. "We had already contracted with several venues around the Vystar, including multiple outdoor venues."


cnbc--2020-07-14--Joe Biden unveils $2 trillion green infrastructure and jobs plan

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about modernizing infrastructure and his plans for tackling climate change during a campaign event in Wilmington , Delaware , U.S. , July 14 , 2020 .
Former Vice President Joe Biden released a sprawling plan Tuesday to revamp American infrastructure and energy to both curb climate change and spur economic growth .
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee 's proposal aims to achieve carbon-free power generation by 2035 .
As the coronavirus pandemic leaves the U.S. mired in an economic crisis , Biden will set out to create `` millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least $ 15 per hour as the U.S. overhauls its roads , bridges , trains , auto industry and broadband system .
The plan , which comes days after a joint task force formed by the Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders campaigns outlined a climate change agenda , sets out a more ambitious approach to developing clean energy than the Biden campaign did during the Democratic primary .
It calls for $ 2 trillion in spending over four years , more than the $ 1.7 trillion the campaign previously proposed to spend over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were n't facing a pandemic and an economic crisis , we should be making these investments anyway , '' Biden said of the plan during remarks in Delaware .
He called the investments `` critical '' for the economy and public health .
The Democratic presidential hopeful also aims to use the federal government to reverse years of Trump administration efforts to ease environmental rules , including by setting up an environmental and climate justice division within the Justice Department .
The campaign said it would create tools to better monitor and root @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color with chronic health issues .
`` We need to be mindful of the historical wrongs and damage '' that companies have done to vulnerable communities , which are often comprised of people of color , Biden said .
He added that he aims to hold chief executive officers more accountable for practices that leave neighborhoods polluted .

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about modernizing infrastructure and his plans for tackling climate change during a campaign event in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., July 14, 2020.
Former Vice President Joe Biden released a sprawling plan Tuesday to revamp American infrastructure and energy to both curb climate change and spur economic growth.
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's proposal aims to achieve carbon-free power generation by 2035. As the coronavirus pandemic leaves the U.S. mired in an economic crisis, Biden said he will set out to create "millions" of union jobs that pay at least $15 per hour as the U.S. overhauls its roads, bridges, trains, auto industry and broadband system.
The plan, which comes days after a joint task force formed by the Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders campaigns outlined a climate change agenda, sets out a more ambitious approach to developing clean energy than the Biden campaign did during the Democratic primary. It calls for $2 trillion in spending over four years, more than the $1.7 trillion the campaign previously proposed to spend over a decade.
"Even if we weren't facing a pandemic and an economic crisis, we should be making these investments anyway," Biden said of the plan during remarks in Delaware. He called the investments "critical" for the economy and public health.
The Democratic presidential hopeful also aims to use the federal government to reverse years of Trump administration efforts to ease environmental rules, including by setting up an environmental and climate justice division within the Justice Department. The campaign said it would create tools to better monitor and root out pollution that disproportionately leaves communities of color with chronic health issues.
"We need to be mindful of the historical wrongs and damage" that companies have done to vulnerable communities, which are often composed of people of color, Biden said. He added that he aims to hold chief executive officers more accountable for practices that leave neighborhoods polluted.


cnbc--2020-07-14--House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she would delay August recess to pass coronavirus relief bill

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) addresses her weekly news conference with Capitol Hill reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington , U.S. , June 18 , 2020 .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would delay or cancel her chamber 's August recess to pass another coronavirus relief bill as financial lifelines are poised to expire in the coming days , she said Tuesday .
`` We absolutely have to .
We also have to come to an agreement , '' the California Democrat told CNN when asked if she would forgo or postpone representatives ' monthlong return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rush to craft pandemic relief legislation that could pass both the Democratic-held House and GOP-controlled Senate before the end of July .
The chambers have not found consensus yet on how to address an ongoing economic and health crisis as coronavirus cases surge in Southern and Western states .
Democrats have pushed for a sprawling aid package to build on previous bills , calling to extend the enhanced federal unemployment insurance provision , send more direct payments to individuals , offer assistance to renters and homeowners and send relief to state and local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrow approach : they aim to change rather than extend the jobless benefit , protect businesses and doctors from certain lawsuits , and potentially send stimulus checks to fewer people than Democrats would want .
If Congress can not act , millions of Americans will face a sudden and sharp drop in income when the $ 600 per week federal unemployment benefit expires at the end of the month .
States will only pay the benefit through July 25 or July 26 .
Pelosi also brought up the need to pass aid to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures expire in parts of the country .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has pushed to end the $ 600 per week benefit .
He has called it a `` mistake '' because it left many people making more at home than they did at their jobs .
Late last month , the Kentucky Republican said that `` to have the basic protections of [ standard ] unemployment insurance is extremely important and should be continued . ''
Speaking to CNBC last week , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobless benefit plan but did not give details on how it aimed to address the coming income gulf .
He said , `` you can assume '' individuals will get `` no more than 100 % '' of their normal pay .
The Trump administration has previously backed the possibility of offering Americans a `` return to work '' bonus .
The push to pass another relief bill comes as the pandemic rampages through the United States in a way that it has not hit any other country .
Coronavirus cases continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The U.S. has now reported more than 3.3 million cases and more than 135,000 deaths from the disease , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
California , the most populous U.S. state , on Monday rolled back its reopening plans .
After two strong months of U.S. jobs growth as states restarted their economies , President Donald Trump has publicly projected little concern about the ongoing crisis .
He has pushed for swift reopening of both businesses and schools .

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) addresses her weekly news conference with Capitol Hill reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., June 18, 2020.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would delay or cancel her chamber's August recess to pass another coronavirus relief bill as financial lifelines are poised to expire in the coming days, she said Tuesday.
"We absolutely have to. We also have to come to an agreement," the California Democrat told CNN when asked if she would forgo or postpone representatives' monthlong return to their districts.
Congress would need to rush to craft pandemic relief legislation that could pass both the Democratic-held House and GOP-controlled Senate before the end of July. The chambers have not found consensus yet on how to address an ongoing economic and health crisis as coronavirus cases surge in Southern and Western states.
Democrats have pushed for a sprawling aid package to build on previous bills, calling to extend the enhanced federal unemployment insurance provision, send more direct payments to individuals, offer assistance to renters and homeowners and send relief to state and local governments. Republicans have outlined a more narrow approach: they aim to change rather than extend the jobless benefit, protect businesses and doctors from certain lawsuits, and potentially send stimulus checks to fewer people than Democrats would want.
If Congress cannot act, millions of Americans will face a sudden and sharp drop in income when the $600 per week federal unemployment benefit expires at the end of the month. States will only pay the benefit through July 25 or July 26.
Pelosi also brought up the need to pass aid to help people stay in their homes as moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures expire in parts of the country.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has pushed to end the $600 per week benefit. He has called it a "mistake" because it left many people making more at home than they did at their jobs. Late last month, the Kentucky Republican said that "to have the basic protections of [standard] unemployment insurance is extremely important and should be continued."
Speaking to CNBC last week, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the White House wanted to overhaul the jobless benefit plan but did not give details on how it aimed to address the coming income gulf. He said, "you can assume" individuals will get "no more than 100%" of their normal pay.
The Trump administration has previously backed the possibility of offering Americans a "return to work" bonus.
The push to pass another relief bill comes as the pandemic rampages through the United States in a way that it has not hit any other country. Coronavirus cases continue to spike in California, Florida and Texas. The U.S. has now reported more than 3.3 million cases and more than 135,000 deaths from the disease, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
California, the most populous U.S. state, on Monday rolled back its reopening plans.
After two strong months of U.S. jobs growth as states restarted their economies, President Donald Trump has publicly projected little concern about the ongoing crisis. He has pushed for swift reopening of both businesses and schools.
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