cnbc--2020-12-04--Trump, RNC raise over $200M on vote fraud claims, but some big-money donors aren't backing his fight

President Donald Trump speaks about the election after presenting the Medal of Freedom to former college football coach Lou Holtz in the Oval Office of the White House on December 3 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
President Donald Trump told a crowd of supporters in October that if he really wanted to overcome Joe Biden 's fundraising supremacy , he could call the heads of any major company and they would come to his aid .
`` All I have to do is call up the head of every Wall Street firm , head of every major company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company , 'Do me a favor , send me $ 10 million for my campaign . '
Yes , sir , ' '' Trump told the crowd of supporters in Arizona in October .
However , new Federal Election Commission records , tracking fundraising from Oct. 15 to Nov. 23 , show that wealthy GOP financiers largely did not help Trump in the final weeks of the bruising battle with Biden as he dropped in the polls or parachute in millions toward his current legal fight .
It 's the latest sign that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with President-elect Biden .
In the case of the legal fight , some of the leading party donors had previously maxed out to the campaign and Republican National Committee , leaving Trump 's political team unable to turn to them for financial assistance .
The Trump campaign , the Republican National Committee , his two joint fundraising committees and the president 's leadership committee , Save America , raised over $ 200 million since Election Day .
Save America will likely be used to fund any political initiatives Trump is planning after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running for president again in 2024 .
Trump 's fraud pitch , while apparently not moving many business leaders , appears to be resonating with small-dollar donors , who may be convinced that their money is going expressly to the fraud fight , and likely provided much of the money raised in the period .
Steve Schwarzman , the CEO of private equity behemoth Blackstone , and a longtime Trump confidant , did not contribute to any pro-Trump groups in recent weeks , according to election filings .
Instead , he gave $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leadership Fund , a super PAC aligned with Sen. Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. As CNBC reported , Schwarzman was one of the many Wall Street executives who walked away from helping Trump in the final stretch of the election .
Schwarzman said in late November that , after supporting the president for the past four years , he 's now ready to move on to `` help President-elect Biden and his team as they confront the significant challenges of rebuilding our post-Covid economy . ''
Since Election Day on Nov. 3 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fights in states where Biden has been deemed the winner , including in Pennsylvania , Michigan and Georgia .
Trump and his allies have lost or withdrawn essentially every court case related to the election , failing to invalidate any votes for Biden .
Attorney General William Barr this week said that the Justice Department has found no evidence of widespread ballot fraud , much less any fraud that would overturn Biden 's projected victory .
The campaign spent millions on legal fees linked to the `` recount , '' filings say , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law firm Kasowitz Benson Torres .
The firm was founded by longtime Trump attorney Marc Kasowitz .
The Trump campaign requested a partial recount in Wisconsin , for which it paid $ 3 million .
But Reuters reported last month that large chunks of contributions are , in fact , not going toward efforts to overturn the election results and instead are going to Save America or the Republican National Committee .
The fine print on the Trump election defense fund donation page says that `` 75 % of each contribution [ goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to $ 5,000 , '' suggesting that a majority of contributions to the legal matter actually go to Trump 's committee for other purposes .
`` We enjoy unprecedented financial support from an ever-growing group of investors , large and small , because President Trump and Republicans continue to fight on the issues that a majority of Americans care about , most notably ensuring the integrity of our elections and defending the Republican majority in the Senate , '' Cassie Smedile , RNC deputy communications director , said in a statement .
Representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to requests for comment .
Trump donor Dan Eberhart told CNBC that many Republican business leaders were not interested in investing in a candidate that had flailing public poll numbers in the final weeks of the election or his next moves in politics .
By Election Day , a Real Clear Politics national polling average had Biden up by seven points .
`` Only the crazies still believe , '' Eberhart told CNBC when discussing who is still giving to Trump .
`` This is grassroots , true believers , '' he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNBC on the condition of anonymity that big-money donors that had n't yet given to the cause had shied away by the end of the campaign because the president was n't taking part in certain in-person events because of the coronavirus pandemic and some executives would n't attend if he was n't there .
This person declined to be named in order to speak freely .
Some GOP megadonors had given big earlier in the election cycle toward Trump 's joint fundraising committees , which allow donors to write six-figure checks , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlimited amount of money from contributors .
Most recently , many decided to spend millions on the battles being waged in both the Senate and House campaigns .
Of the top Republican big-money donors that , combined , gave over $ 500 million throughout the 2020 election cycle to Trump and other GOP campaigns , only a handful gave to entities supporting the commander-in-chief over the six-week period from mid-October to late November .
Those few Republican megadonors that did spend heavily for the president in the final weeks of the election include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who contributed a combined $ 15 million to the pro-Trump PAC Preserve America .
Bernard Marcus , a co-founder of Home Depot , gave a $ 5 million contribution to the same PAC .
That PAC is currently not involved with the president 's legal battle , and records show that those big donations came in the final two weeks of October .
The new records show that Miriam Adelson recently gave $ 106,500 to the RNC , as did Marcus .
The Adelsons finished the 2020 election cycle donating at least $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Elizabeth Uihlein , the founders of shipping supply company Uline and longtime Trump supporters , also virtually disappeared in financially assisting the president , recording minimal contributions since mid-October .
The couple , who recently tested positive for the coronavirus , had previously spent over $ 65 million on GOP-related causes this cycle .
Timothy Mellon , the chairman of Pan Am Systems , gave $ 5 million to the Senate Leadership Fund in November .
Pro-Trump groups saw very little from him over that same period , after he gave millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign .
In September , Ike Perlmutter , chairman of Marvel Entertainment and a reputed outside advisor to Trump on the Department of Veterans Affairs , combined with his wife to give $ 21 million to America First Action .
Since mid-October , records show no sign of the Perlmutters spending in the latter stages of the campaign to help Trump .
Even some of Trump 's friends who supported him in the past seem to be distancing themselves from the president 's future endeavors .
Ronald Lauder , the heir of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's , donated $ 3.5 million to the Senate Leadership Fund in October .
The most recent records show that since the late stages of the election , he has not given anything to the president .
CNBC reported in August that Lauder has gone quiet on supporting Trump .

President Donald Trump speaks about the election after presenting the Medal of Freedom to former college football coach Lou Holtz in the Oval Office of the White House on December 3, 2020 in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump told a crowd of supporters in October that if he really wanted to overcome Joe Biden's fundraising supremacy, he could call the heads of any major company and they would come to his aid.
"All I have to do is call up the head of every Wall Street firm, head of every major company, the head of every major energy company, 'Do me a favor, send me $10 million for my campaign.' Yes, sir,'" Trump told the crowd of supporters in Arizona in October.
However, new Federal Election Commission records, tracking fundraising from Oct. 15 to Nov. 23, show that wealthy GOP financiers largely did not help Trump in the final weeks of the bruising battle with Biden as he dropped in the polls or parachute in millions toward his current legal fight.
It's the latest sign that many executives could be ready to work with President-elect Biden. In the case of the legal fight, some of the leading party donors had previously maxed out to the campaign and Republican National Committee, leaving Trump's political team unable to turn to them for financial assistance.
The Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, his two joint fundraising committees and the president's leadership committee, Save America, raised over $200 million since Election Day. Save America will likely be used to fund any political initiatives Trump is planning after he leaves the White House, including possibly running for president again in 2024.
Trump's fraud pitch, while apparently not moving many business leaders, appears to be resonating with small-dollar donors, who may be convinced that their money is going expressly to the fraud fight, and likely provided much of the money raised in the period.
Steve Schwarzman, the CEO of private equity behemoth Blackstone, and a longtime Trump confidant, did not contribute to any pro-Trump groups in recent weeks, according to election filings. Instead, he gave $15 million in November to the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
As CNBC reported, Schwarzman was one of the many Wall Street executives who walked away from helping Trump in the final stretch of the election. Schwarzman said in late November that, after supporting the president for the past four years, he's now ready to move on to "help President-elect Biden and his team as they confront the significant challenges of rebuilding our post-Covid economy."
Since Election Day on Nov. 3, the Trump campaign has initiated dozens of legal fights in states where Biden has been deemed the winner, including in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia. Trump and his allies have lost or withdrawn essentially every court case related to the election, failing to invalidate any votes for Biden.
Attorney General William Barr this week said that the Justice Department has found no evidence of widespread ballot fraud, much less any fraud that would overturn Biden's projected victory. The campaign spent millions on legal fees linked to the "recount," filings say, including $600,000 that went toward the law firm Kasowitz Benson Torres. The firm was founded by longtime Trump attorney Marc Kasowitz.
The Trump campaign requested a partial recount in Wisconsin, for which it paid $3 million.
But Reuters reported last month that large chunks of contributions are, in fact, not going toward efforts to overturn the election results and instead are going to Save America or the Republican National Committee. The fine print on the Trump election defense fund donation page says that "75% of each contribution [goes] first to Save America, up to $5,000," suggesting that a majority of contributions to the legal matter actually go to Trump's committee for other purposes.
"We enjoy unprecedented financial support from an ever-growing group of investors, large and small, because President Trump and Republicans continue to fight on the issues that a majority of Americans care about, most notably ensuring the integrity of our elections and defending the Republican majority in the Senate," Cassie Smedile, RNC deputy communications director, said in a statement.
Representatives for the Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
Trump donor Dan Eberhart told CNBC that many Republican business leaders were not interested in investing in a candidate that had flailing public poll numbers in the final weeks of the election or his next moves in politics. By Election Day, a Real Clear Politics national polling average had Biden up by seven points.
"Only the crazies still believe," Eberhart told CNBC when discussing who is still giving to Trump. "This is grassroots, true believers," he added.
A former senior campaign official told CNBC on the condition of anonymity that big-money donors that hadn't yet given to the cause had shied away by the end of the campaign because the president wasn't taking part in certain in-person events because of the coronavirus pandemic and some executives wouldn't attend if he wasn't there. This person declined to be named in order to speak freely.
Some GOP megadonors had given big earlier in the election cycle toward Trump's joint fundraising committees, which allow donors to write six-figure checks, or pro-Trump super PACs, which accept an unlimited amount of money from contributors. Most recently, many decided to spend millions on the battles being waged in both the Senate and House campaigns.
Of the top Republican big-money donors that, combined, gave over $500 million throughout the 2020 election cycle to Trump and other GOP campaigns, only a handful gave to entities supporting the commander-in-chief over the six-week period from mid-October to late November.
Those few Republican megadonors that did spend heavily for the president in the final weeks of the election include casino magnates Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, who contributed a combined $15 million to the pro-Trump PAC Preserve America. Bernard Marcus, a co-founder of Home Depot, gave a $5 million contribution to the same PAC. That PAC is currently not involved with the president's legal battle, and records show that those big donations came in the final two weeks of October.
The new records show that Miriam Adelson recently gave $106,500 to the RNC, as did Marcus. The Adelsons finished the 2020 election cycle donating at least $200 million toward Republican efforts.
Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, the founders of shipping supply company Uline and longtime Trump supporters, also virtually disappeared in financially assisting the president, recording minimal contributions since mid-October. The couple, who recently tested positive for the coronavirus, had previously spent over $65 million on GOP-related causes this cycle.
Timothy Mellon, the chairman of Pan Am Systems, gave $5 million to the Senate Leadership Fund in November. Pro-Trump groups saw very little from him over that same period, after he gave millions to the president's cause earlier in the campaign.
In September, Ike Perlmutter, chairman of Marvel Entertainment and a reputed outside advisor to Trump on the Department of Veterans Affairs, combined with his wife to give $21 million to America First Action. Since mid-October, records show no sign of the Perlmutters spending in the latter stages of the campaign to help Trump.
Even some of Trump's friends who supported him in the past seem to be distancing themselves from the president's future endeavors. Ronald Lauder, the heir of Estee Lauder Companies and a friend of Trump's, donated $3.5 million to the Senate Leadership Fund in October. The most recent records show that since the late stages of the election, he has not given anything to the president.
CNBC reported in August that Lauder has gone quiet on supporting Trump.


cnbc--2020-12-04--U.S. Foreign Service group blasts State Department's plans for large indoor holiday events during Co

U.S. Foreign Service group blasts State Department's plans for large indoor holiday events during Covid surge

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the media prior to meeting with Kuwait 's Foreign Minister in Washington , D.C. , U.S. , November 24 , 2020 .
As Covid-19 surges across the country , the American Foreign Service Association on Friday criticized large indoor holiday events scheduled at the U.S. State Department .
AFSA , whose members include active-duty and retired Foreign Service officers and specialists at the State Department and other federal agencies , said in a statement that it is `` very concerned to see reports of plans to host holiday parties with hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other State Department officials have planned several indoor holiday parties , including one with at least 900 guests invited , The Washington Post reported .
The scheduled events fly in the face of a Nov. 25 notice from State Department leadership that instructed employees to avoid hosting non-mission critical events in person and `` opt for virtual events , '' NBC News reported .
`` We urge the Department to reverse course and model responsible behavior in accordance with its own guidelines , '' AFSA said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to thin out the number of individuals in all spaces at one time , and plan to keep outdoors space open and available to attendees , weather permitting , '' a State Department spokesperson said in an email in response to AFSA 's statement , adding that the department plans to follow health precautions including requiring masks , social distancing and temperature checks .
The spokesperson did not provide guidance on how the State Department will enforce mask-wearing while food and beverages are provided at the events .
The Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says poses more risk of coronavirus spread than outdoor gatherings .
The White House also plans to host at least 20 indoor holiday parties , according to NBC News , including one held Tuesday night featuring an appearance from President Donald Trump .
Pictures from the event show several attendees not wearing masks .
Several White House events , including the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett and an election night celebration , have resulted in dozens of coronavirus cases .
In all , at least 45 people connected to the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows have tested positive for the virus .
When asked during a press conference Wednesday whether the White House is setting a good example for Americans by hosting in-person holiday parties , press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said , `` You can celebrate the holiday of Christmas , and you can do it responsibly ... We will engage in the celebration of Christmas . ''
McEnany tested positive for Covid-19 in October .
A report from the White House 's own coronavirus task force obtained by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID risk to all Americans is at a historic high . ''
The report urged Americans to avoid social gatherings and said , `` It must be made clear that if you are over 65 or have significant health conditions , you should not enter any indoor public spaces where anyone is unmasked due to the immediate risk to your health . ''
The U.S. reported a record number of daily new Covid-19 cases , current hospitalizations and single-day deaths on Thursday , indicating that the national virus crisis is only accelerating .

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the media prior to meeting with Kuwait's Foreign Minister in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 24, 2020.
As Covid-19 surges across the country, the American Foreign Service Association on Friday criticized large indoor holiday events scheduled at the U.S. State Department.
AFSA, whose members include active-duty and retired Foreign Service officers and specialists at the State Department and other federal agencies, said in a statement that it is "very concerned to see reports of plans to host holiday parties with hundreds of invitees at the Department of State."
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other State Department officials have planned several indoor holiday parties, including one with at least 900 guests invited, The Washington Post reported.
The scheduled events fly in the face of a Nov. 25 notice from State Department leadership that instructed employees to avoid hosting non-mission critical events in person and "opt for virtual events," NBC News reported.
"We urge the Department to reverse course and model responsible behavior in accordance with its own guidelines," AFSA said.
"We've taken every precaution to thin out the number of individuals in all spaces at one time, and plan to keep outdoors space open and available to attendees, weather permitting," a State Department spokesperson said in an email in response to AFSA's statement, adding that the department plans to follow health precautions including requiring masks, social distancing and temperature checks.
The spokesperson did not provide guidance on how the State Department will enforce mask-wearing while food and beverages are provided at the events.
The Centers for Disease Control cautions against indoor gatherings, which it says poses more risk of coronavirus spread than outdoor gatherings.
The White House also plans to host at least 20 indoor holiday parties, according to NBC News, including one held Tuesday night featuring an appearance from President Donald Trump. Pictures from the event show several attendees not wearing masks.
Several White House events, including the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett and an election night celebration, have resulted in dozens of coronavirus cases. In all, at least 45 people connected to the White House, including Trump, first lady Melania Trump and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows have tested positive for the virus.
When asked during a press conference Wednesday whether the White House is setting a good example for Americans by hosting in-person holiday parties, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, "You can celebrate the holiday of Christmas, and you can do it responsibly...We will engage in the celebration of Christmas." McEnany tested positive for Covid-19 in October.
A report from the White House's own coronavirus task force obtained by NBC News on Wednesday warned "the COVID risk to all Americans is at a historic high."
The report urged Americans to avoid social gatherings and said, "It must be made clear that if you are over 65 or have significant health conditions, you should not enter any indoor public spaces where anyone is unmasked due to the immediate risk to your health."
The U.S. reported a record number of daily new Covid-19 cases, current hospitalizations and single-day deaths on Thursday, indicating that the national virus crisis is only accelerating.


cnbc--2020-12-04--Pelosi sees 'momentum' toward a Covid stimulus deal as job growth slows

Democratic leaders , who have for months called for a sweeping package to boost the U.S. economy and health-care system , cited the jobs report as new justification for Congress to act .
Pelosi described the data as `` further indicative of the need for us to crush the virus so the economy can get going . ''
`` The tone of our conversations is one that is indicative of the decision to get the job done , '' Pelosi told reporters at the Capitol .
The California Democrat said she and the Kentucky Republican agreed they want to attach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill — if they can resolve outstanding issues with that legislation .
Lawmakers need to approve a spending plan by Dec. 11 to prevent a government shutdown .
Pelosi spoke to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday for the first time in at least a month .
The conversation boosted hopes about an agreement on Capitol Hill to lift an economy and health-care system damaged by the coronavirus .
Nonfarm payrolls grew by 245,000 in November , falling significantly below expectations of 440,000 .
The sign of a flagging economic recovery comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic relief bill before the end of the year .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said `` there is momentum '' toward a coronavirus stimulus deal after new data Friday showed sluggish jobs growth in the face of an infection surge .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) speaks to reporters during her weekly news conference at the U.S.Capitol in Washington , U.S. , December 4 , 2020 .
Meanwhile , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , said in a statement that `` this latest jobs report shows the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more important than ever . ''
`` Senate Republicans are increasingly understanding this urgency , and Leader McConnell should hear their pleas as well as those of the millions of struggling American families , '' he said .
`` This jobs report is blaring warning that a double-dip recession is looming and must be a wakeup call for anyone who is standing in the way of true bipartisan emergency relief , '' he continued .
After his conversation with Pelosi on Thursday , McConnell told reporters the leaders are `` both interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ omnibus and on a coronavirus package . ''
Democrats , who hold the House and can block legislation in the Senate , have backed a $ 908 billion bipartisan relief framework unveiled by members of both chambers as a basis for talks with McConnell .
The leader of the GOP-controlled Senate wants to pass a more narrow $ 500 billion aid plan .
President-elect Joe Biden echoed the Democratic congressional leaders Friday after what he called a `` grim '' jobs report .
The former vice president , who will spearhead the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office in January , said he was `` encouraged '' by the renewed push to pass a stimulus deal .
`` Congress and President Trump must get a deal done for the American people , '' he said in a statement .
`` But any package passed in the lame duck session is not enough .
It 's just the start . ''
The sides still need to hammer out disagreements over issues including unemployment insurance , support for state and local governments , education funding , and liability protections for businesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` good start . ''
Pelosi said she agrees with his assessment .
She noted that `` it 's not everything we want '' and Democrats will likely push for more aid when Biden takes office on Jan. 20 .
The bipartisan proposal includes $ 288 billion in Paycheck Protection Program small business loans , a $ 300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and $ 160 billion for state and local governments that face cuts to essential services .
It also puts money into Covid-19 vaccine distribution , education , transportation and rental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill that costs at least $ 2.2 trillion , which would have reinstated an extra $ 600 per week in unemployment insurance and sent another $ 1,200 direct payment .
McConnell 's bill , like the Democratic plan , would temporarily extend an expansion of unemployment insurance eligibility , authorize another round of small business loans and bolster the inoculation effort .
However , it would not include an enhanced jobless benefit or state and local aid .
It also would offer businesses a shield from Covid-19 lawsuits .
It is unclear how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contents of a relief bill — or how quickly Congress can pass it .
Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming , the third-ranking GOP member of the chamber , cited Friday 's jobs report as a testament to the strength of his party 's economic policies .
In a statement , he called for `` targeted relief for families in Wyoming and across the country '' centered around PPP loans and Covid-19 vaccine distribution funds .
`` We do n't have time to waste , '' Barrasso said .
About 12 million people will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fails to extend provisions passed earlier this year .
More than 20 million people are receiving some form of unemployment insurance as the economy struggles during the outbreak .
Protections from eviction and a federal student loan payment moratorium will expire at the end of the year .
The White House has generally downplayed the extent of the economic pain in recent months .
Still , National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow called for a targeted relief plan on Friday .
Speaking to CNBC , he said the discussions on Capitol Hill seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is good , we may be moving forward , '' he said .
But he added , `` I ca n't promise anything this morning . ''

Democratic leaders, who have for months called for a sweeping package to boost the U.S. economy and health-care system, cited the jobs report as new justification for Congress to act. Pelosi described the data as "further indicative of the need for us to crush the virus so the economy can get going."
"The tone of our conversations is one that is indicative of the decision to get the job done," Pelosi told reporters at the Capitol.
The California Democrat said she and the Kentucky Republican agreed they want to attach aid measures to a must-pass government funding bill — if they can resolve outstanding issues with that legislation. Lawmakers need to approve a spending plan by Dec. 11 to prevent a government shutdown.
Pelosi spoke to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday for the first time in at least a month. The conversation boosted hopes about an agreement on Capitol Hill to lift an economy and health-care system damaged by the coronavirus .
Nonfarm payrolls grew by 245,000 in November , falling significantly below expectations of 440,000. The sign of a flagging economic recovery comes amid a renewed congressional effort to pass a pandemic relief bill before the end of the year.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said "there is momentum" toward a coronavirus stimulus deal after new data Friday showed sluggish jobs growth in the face of an infection surge.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks to reporters during her weekly news conference at the U.S.Capitol in Washington, U.S., December 4, 2020.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement that "this latest jobs report shows the need for strong, urgent emergency relief is more important than ever."
"Senate Republicans are increasingly understanding this urgency, and Leader McConnell should hear their pleas as well as those of the millions of struggling American families," he said. "This jobs report is blaring warning that a double-dip recession is looming and must be a wakeup call for anyone who is standing in the way of true bipartisan emergency relief," he continued.
After his conversation with Pelosi on Thursday, McConnell told reporters the leaders are "both interested in getting an outcome, both on the omnibus and on a coronavirus package."
Democrats, who hold the House and can block legislation in the Senate, have backed a $908 billion bipartisan relief framework unveiled by members of both chambers as a basis for talks with McConnell. The leader of the GOP-controlled Senate wants to pass a more narrow $500 billion aid plan.
President-elect Joe Biden echoed the Democratic congressional leaders Friday after what he called a "grim" jobs report. The former vice president, who will spearhead the federal response to the pandemic when he takes office in January, said he was "encouraged" by the renewed push to pass a stimulus deal.
"Congress and President Trump must get a deal done for the American people," he said in a statement. "But any package passed in the lame duck session is not enough. It's just the start."
The sides still need to hammer out disagreements over issues including unemployment insurance, support for state and local governments, education funding, and liability protections for businesses.
Biden previously called the bipartisan framework a "good start." Pelosi said she agrees with his assessment. She noted that "it's not everything we want" and Democrats will likely push for more aid when Biden takes office on Jan. 20.
The bipartisan proposal includes $288 billion in Paycheck Protection Program small business loans, a $300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and $160 billion for state and local governments that face cuts to essential services. It also puts money into Covid-19 vaccine distribution, education, transportation and rental assistance. Democrats previously pushed for a bill that costs at least $2.2 trillion, which would have reinstated an extra $600 per week in unemployment insurance and sent another $1,200 direct payment.
McConnell's bill, like the Democratic plan, would temporarily extend an expansion of unemployment insurance eligibility, authorize another round of small business loans and bolster the inoculation effort. However, it would not include an enhanced jobless benefit or state and local aid. It also would offer businesses a shield from Covid-19 lawsuits.
It is unclear how much the jobs report will affect the contents of a relief bill — or how quickly Congress can pass it. Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the third-ranking GOP member of the chamber, cited Friday's jobs report as a testament to the strength of his party's economic policies.
In a statement, he called for "targeted relief for families in Wyoming and across the country" centered around PPP loans and Covid-19 vaccine distribution funds.
"We don't have time to waste," Barrasso said.
About 12 million people will lose unemployment benefits after Christmas if Congress fails to extend provisions passed earlier this year. More than 20 million people are receiving some form of unemployment insurance as the economy struggles during the outbreak.
Protections from eviction and a federal student loan payment moratorium will expire at the end of the year.
The White House has generally downplayed the extent of the economic pain in recent months. Still, National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow called for a targeted relief plan on Friday.
Speaking to CNBC, he said the discussions on Capitol Hill seem to be making progress.
"Talk is good, we may be moving forward," he said.
But he added, "I can't promise anything this morning."
Disclosure: Larry Kudlow is a former CNBC contributor
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cnbc--2020-12-04--Biden endorses the latest bipartisan Covid stimulus deal, says it 'a good start'

WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden endorsed the bipartisan Covid stimulus bill currently being negotiated on Capitol Hill , calling the $ 908 billion proposal `` a good start . ''
`` I think it should be passed , '' Biden said during an interview Thursday on CNN .
He added that after he is inaugurated in January , `` I 'm going to have to ask for more help when we get there to get things done . ''
Biden also expressed cautious optimism about his ability to work with Senate Republicans , despite the fact that most of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the rightful winner of the Nov. 3 presidential election .
The president-elect said his former Senate colleagues have been more supportive of him behind closed doors than they 've been in public .
`` More than several sitting Republican senators privately called to congratulate '' him on his victory , Biden said , although he declined to name them .
As long as President Donald Trump refuses to concede and continues to falsely claim the election was `` rigged , '' Republicans in the Senate are in a `` very tough position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand the situation they find themselves in . ''
Biden 's comments were part of a wide-ranging interview that he and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris gave to CNN in their first joint interview since winning the White House a month ago .
Over the course of an hour , Biden addressed the Covid crisis in-depth , describing how his approach to China policy would be the opposite of Trump 's , and he pledged to respect the independence of the Department of Justice .
As the nation again set records on Thursday for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that as soon as he was sworn in he would mandate masks on all federal property and on interstate transportation .
Biden added that on his first day in office , he would ask Americans to wear masks for 100 days .
`` Just 100 days to mask , '' Biden said .
`` Not forever .
100 days .
And I think we 'll see a significant reduction '' in Covid transmission .
By refusing to wear a mask himself and questioning their efficacy , Trump has turned a lifesaving public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has also set a dangerous example that millions of his supporters across the country have followed , fueling the surge in new cases of Covid .
As the Trump administration failed to execute a national strategy to control the spread of the virus this year , the president nonetheless insisted that schools and businesses should reopen quickly .
Ignoring public health experts , Trump argued that the economic and psychological harm of virus mitigation efforts was worse than the hundreds of thousands of deaths the virus was causing .
By contrast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening would not be an either-or , where schools would either prioritize the need for children to return to the classroom or the need for teachers to avoid getting infected and to feel safe returning to work .
The key to this balancing act is government funding , said Biden .
`` We can safely open those elementary schools or [ places at the ] highest risk of people transmitting the disease , '' he said , and `` we can make it safe for teachers if we invest in what needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , upgraded ventilation and smaller classes .
`` But you 've got to pay for this stuff , '' he added .
Another topic Biden addressed was how his administration would approach China , a crucial trading partner for the U.S. but a strategic adversary on nearly every other front .
Trump has insisted for nearly a year that Beijing must be punished and penalized for its government 's lack of transparency during the earliest days of the coronavirus pandemic , which originated in China 's Wuhan province .
Biden intends to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach to China has been backwards , '' he said .
`` It 's not about punishing them for the Covid virus , it 's about insisting that there be international norms that are established that they play by , '' said Biden , noting that he frequently engaged with Chinese leaders while he was vice president .
`` My concern from the beginning is to make it really clear to China there are international rules , that if you want to play by , then we 'll play with you , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't , we 're not going to play . ''
Actually enforcing these international rules , however , requires more than just a unilateral edict from the U.S. To be effective , Biden said , America must act in concert `` with the rest of our allies to make sure that in Europe and in Asia we insist that , for example , [ China halt ] the secret stealing of artificial intelligence capacity . ''
It is difficult to overstate how deeply Biden 's approach to global alliances will differ from that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's general disdain for multilateralism was one of the few truly animating principles of his foreign policy .
At its heart was Trump 's belief that treaties and accords took unfair advantage of America 's wealth and military might , and that somehow they cheated the U.S. out of what it was owed .
Biden was also asked about reports that Trump is considering whether to issue preemptive pardons for as many as 20 of his associates and family members before leaving office .
`` It concerns me , in terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the rest of the world looks at us as a nation of laws and justice , '' said Biden .
`` You 're not going to see in our administration that kind of approach to pardons , nor are you going to see in our administration the approach to making policy by tweets , '' he said a few minutes later .
`` It 's just going to be a totally different way in which we approach the justice system . ''
Trump has reportedly mused that preemptive pardons could be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children and his allies from being targeted for politically motivated prosecution by a Biden Justice Department .
Trump recently granted a full pardon to Michael Flynn , his former national security advisor who had previously pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI .
For Biden , however , the idea that any president would direct federal prosecutors to target his political rivals , or anyone for that matter , seemed almost incomprehensible .
`` Our Justice Department is going to operate independently on those issues [ relating to Trump and ] how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` I 'm not going to be telling them what they have to do and do n't have to do .
I 'm not going to be saying , 'go prosecute A , B , or C. ' '' `` It 's not my Justice Department .
It 's the people 's Justice Department , '' Biden added .
`` So , the person or persons I pick to run that department are going to be people who are going to have the independent capacity to decide who gets prosecuted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his own family 's business endeavors , Biden went a step further than he has before , when he pledged that no one in his family would be involved in any business , foreign or domestic , that might create the appearance of a conflict of interest .
`` My son , my family will not be involved in any business , any enterprise that is in conflict with or appears to be in conflict , with inappropriate distance from the presidency and government , '' Biden told CNN .
Earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his family or associated with him would be involved `` in any foreign operation whatsoever . ''
Biden and his son Hunter Biden both came under scrutiny from Republicans in Congress earlier this year over unfounded allegations that Biden had intervened as vice president to help his son close business deals .
After a lengthy investigation , however , Senate Republicans concluded that Biden had done nothing wrong , nor had he used his official position to benefit his son .

WILMINGTON, DE - NOVEMBER 19: President-elect Joe Biden answers a reporter question after he delivered remarks at the Queen in Wilmington, Delaware on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. (Photo by Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images
WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden endorsed the bipartisan Covid stimulus bill currently being negotiated on Capitol Hill, calling the $908 billion proposal "a good start." "I think it should be passed," Biden said during an interview Thursday on CNN. He added that after he is inaugurated in January, "I'm going to have to ask for more help when we get there to get things done." Biden also expressed cautious optimism about his ability to work with Senate Republicans, despite the fact that most of them have yet to even publicly acknowledge Biden as the rightful winner of the Nov. 3 presidential election. The president-elect said his former Senate colleagues have been more supportive of him behind closed doors than they've been in public. "More than several sitting Republican senators privately called to congratulate" him on his victory, Biden said, although he declined to name them. As long as President Donald Trump refuses to concede and continues to falsely claim the election was "rigged," Republicans in the Senate are in a "very tough position," Biden said. "I understand the situation they find themselves in." Biden's comments were part of a wide-ranging interview that he and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris gave to CNN in their first joint interview since winning the White House a month ago. Over the course of an hour, Biden addressed the Covid crisis in-depth, describing how his approach to China policy would be the opposite of Trump's, and he pledged to respect the independence of the Department of Justice.
A new approach to Covid
As the nation again set records on Thursday for coronavirus cases and deaths, Biden said that as soon as he was sworn in he would mandate masks on all federal property and on interstate transportation. Biden added that on his first day in office, he would ask Americans to wear masks for 100 days. "Just 100 days to mask," Biden said. "Not forever. 100 days. And I think we'll see a significant reduction" in Covid transmission.
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By refusing to wear a mask himself and questioning their efficacy, Trump has turned a lifesaving public health measure into a political litmus test. He has also set a dangerous example that millions of his supporters across the country have followed, fueling the surge in new cases of Covid. As the Trump administration failed to execute a national strategy to control the spread of the virus this year, the president nonetheless insisted that schools and businesses should reopen quickly. Ignoring public health experts, Trump argued that the economic and psychological harm of virus mitigation efforts was worse than the hundreds of thousands of deaths the virus was causing. By contrast, Biden said his administration's approach to reopening would not be an either-or, where schools would either prioritize the need for children to return to the classroom or the need for teachers to avoid getting infected and to feel safe returning to work. The key to this balancing act is government funding, said Biden. "We can safely open those elementary schools or [places at the] highest risk of people transmitting the disease," he said, and "we can make it safe for teachers if we invest in what needs to be done" like new sanitizing procedures, upgraded ventilation and smaller classes. "But you've got to pay for this stuff," he added.
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"The states are running out of money ... so that's a federal government responsibility short term, which will have a long-term positive impact on growth and on the mental health and the educational capacity of our children," Biden said.
A shift in China policy
Another topic Biden addressed was how his administration would approach China, a crucial trading partner for the U.S. but a strategic adversary on nearly every other front. Trump has insisted for nearly a year that Beijing must be punished and penalized for its government's lack of transparency during the earliest days of the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China's Wuhan province. Biden intends to do the opposite. "The president's approach to China has been backwards," he said. "It's not about punishing them for the Covid virus, it's about insisting that there be international norms that are established that they play by," said Biden, noting that he frequently engaged with Chinese leaders while he was vice president. "My concern from the beginning is to make it really clear to China there are international rules, that if you want to play by, then we'll play with you," Biden said. "If you don't, we're not going to play."
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shake hands with U.S Vice President Joe Biden (L) inside the Great Hall of the People on December 4, 2013 in Beijing, China. Getty Images
Actually enforcing these international rules, however, requires more than just a unilateral edict from the U.S. To be effective, Biden said, America must act in concert "with the rest of our allies to make sure that in Europe and in Asia we insist that, for example, [China halt] the secret stealing of artificial intelligence capacity." It is difficult to overstate how deeply Biden's approach to global alliances will differ from that of his predecessor. As president, Trump's general disdain for multilateralism was one of the few truly animating principles of his foreign policy. At its heart was Trump's belief that treaties and accords took unfair advantage of America's wealth and military might, and that somehow they cheated the U.S. out of what it was owed.
Pardons and prosecutions
Biden was also asked about reports that Trump is considering whether to issue preemptive pardons for as many as 20 of his associates and family members before leaving office. "It concerns me, in terms of what kind of precedent it sets and how the rest of the world looks at us as a nation of laws and justice," said Biden. "You're not going to see in our administration that kind of approach to pardons, nor are you going to see in our administration the approach to making policy by tweets," he said a few minutes later. "It's just going to be a totally different way in which we approach the justice system." Trump has reportedly mused that preemptive pardons could be the best way to protect him, his children and his allies from being targeted for politically motivated prosecution by a Biden Justice Department. Trump recently granted a full pardon to Michael Flynn, his former national security advisor who had previously pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
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cnbc--2020-12-04--Ivanka Trump says she was deposed for 5 hours in inaugural spend probe. Here's what she failed to me

Ivanka Trump says she was deposed for 5 hours in inaugural spend probe. Here's what she failed to mention

Ivanka Trump arrives to introduce her father , US President Donald Trump during a `` Make America Great Again '' rally at Total Sports Park on November 1 , 2020 , in Washington , Michigan .
But what the senior White House advisor did not mention is that she only said that after being warned by a top inaugural committee official of the `` quite high '' minimum rate of $ 3.6 million for food and beverage and use of the banquet halls during inauguration week that the committee was being quoted by the Trump International Hotel .
Ivanka Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politically motivated '' included an email that indicates she told managers of her father 's hotel in Washington to charge `` fair market rate '' for its services during the inauguration after Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election .
But in doing so she conspicuously omitted the $ 3.6 million question posed by a Republican felon that underscored fears the Trump family was profiting from a nonprofit set up to celebrate the White House victory .
President Donald Trump 's daughter Ivanka Trump on Thursday blasted the Washington , D.C. , attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lawsuit related to 2017 inauguration spending .
Nor did Ivanka Trump mention that the mere fact of having an incoming president having his inaugural committee buy goods and services from a hotel he owned was unprecedented in U.S. history , much less when that hotel wanted to charge that committee , a nonprofit entity funded by private donors , millions of dollars for those services .
Ivanka Trump 's effort to spin news of the deposition comes as President Donald Trump 's company faces a criminal probe by the Manhattan district attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxes , as that company is under investigation by the New York state attorney general for possible misstatement of asset values and as her father is being sued by a writer for defaming her after the writer said he raped her in the 1990s .
And it comes more than a month after her brother Eric Trump was deposed in the New York AG 's case after trying to duck complying with a subpoena until after the presidential election , which their father lost by nearly 7 million votes to President-elect Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general , Karl Racine , announced he was suing the Trump Inaugural Committee , The Trump Organization and the Trump International Hotel `` for blatantly and unlawfully abusing nonprofit funds to enrich the Trump family . ''
`` An independent investigation by my office has revealed that the Inaugural Committee made exorbitant and unlawful payments to the Trump Hotel to rent event space for Inaugural activities , '' Racine said .
`` This came as a result of coordination between Inaugural Committee Deputy Chairman Rick Gates , Trump International Hotel management , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Racine 's suit alleges more than $ 1 million in improper payments to the hotel by the inaugural committee .
On Tuesday , as part of that suit , Ivanka Trump , who is a senior White House advisor to her father — as is her husband , real estate mogul Jared Kushner — was deposed by lawyers for the AG 's office .
`` This week spent 5+ hours in a deposition with the Democrat D.C. AG 's office where they questioned the rates charged by the Trump Hotel at the inauguration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet Thursday .
`` I shared with them an email from 4 years ago where I sent instructions to the hotel to charge ' a fair market rate ' ( see below ) which the hotel then did , '' she wrote .
`` This 'inquiry ' is another politically motivated demonstration of vindictiveness & waste of taxpayer dollars . ''
The tweet includes what purports to be an email that Ivanka Trump sent the hotel 's managers on Dec. 14 , 2016 , saying , `` Just seeing this .
why do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be a fair market rate . ''
Not included in her tweet are prior emails about the hotel 's rates or subsequent ones , which underscore the concern among top inaugural committee officials about whether the Trump hotel was overcharging for its services , and in doing so lining the Trump family 's pockets .
Those emails are posted online by the DC AG 's office .
After this story was first published , Racine tweeted a reposnse to Ivanka Trump 's criticism of him , and linked to emails that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit after gathering evidence that the Presidential Inaugural Committee knowingly entered into a grossly overpriced contract with the Trump Hotel , '' Racine wrote .
`` Any claim to the contrary is incorrect . ''
`` DC law requires nonprofits to use funds for stated public purposes , and to avoid unreasonable , wasteful expenses , '' the attorney general said .
`` Our investigation revealed the Committee willfully used nonprofit funds to enrich the Trump family.It 's very simple : They broke the law .
That 's why we sued . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was written on Dec. 10 , 2016 , by Patricia Tang , director of sales and marketing for the hotel , who told inaugural committee staffer Ramsey Ratcliffe that the price for room rental and minimum F & B — food and beverage — `` is $ 3,600,000 . ''
Ratcliffe forwarded that email less than three minutes later to his other inaugural committee staffers with a one word comment : `` Ummm ... . ''
Gates , a longtime Republican consultant and high-ranking official in the Trump 2016 campaign , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Ivanka Trump .
Gates told Ivanka he had `` two concerns '' with Tang 's email .
`` First , the cost itself seems quite high compared to other property buyouts for the week , '' Gates wrote , referring to the costs of renting other non-Trump-owned hotels out for inauguration week .
`` Second , I am a bit worried about the optics of PIC [ Presidential Inaugural Committee ] paying Trump Hotel a high fee and the media making a big story out of it , '' added Gates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges of conspiracy and to making false statements related to his work with former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort in Ukraine .
Two days after that email , Ivanka Trump replied to Gates , saying she had asked `` our GM Mickael '' Damelincourt , of the hotel `` to call you directly . ''
Gates replied that he and Damelincourt were planning to meet the next morning `` and sort out the issues . ''
An email from Damelincourt to Gates on Dec. 16 , 2016 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow up to our conversation earlier today , '' quotes a revised price of $ 700,000 , or $ 175,000 per day , for the entire ballroom space for Tuesday , Wednesday , Thursday and Friday of inauguration week .
And there would be no minimum charge for food and beverage , the general manager said .
Later that same day , the woman running the inauguration preparation efforts , Stephanie Winston Wolkoff , who was best friends with first lady Melania Trump before they had a falling out , wrote Gates to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revised rates quoted by the Trump-owned hotel .
`` These are events in PE 's [ president-elect 's ] honor at his hotel and one of them is with and for family and close friends , '' Winston Wolkoff wrote .
`` Please take this into consideration that when this is audited it will become public knowledge that the locations were also gifted and costs underwritten to lower rental fees , '' she wrote .
`` I understand that compared to the original pricing this is great but we should look at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinion , '' Winston Wolkoff told Gates , `` the max rental fee should be $ 85,000 per day . ''
That fee would be $ 90,000 less per day than the lower , revised price quoted by the general manager that Ivanka Trump had instructed to ask for a `` fair market rate '' from her father 's inaugural committee .
Alan Garten , a spokesman for the Trump Organization , told NBC News on Wednesday when asked about Ivanka Trump 's deposition , `` Ms. Trump 's only involvement was connecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge a 'fair market rate ' , which the hotel did . ''
Garten did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC on Thursday about Ivanka Trump 's tweet .
Ivanka Trump and her brother Donald Trump Jr. previously were targeted years ago by prosecutors in the Manhattan district attorney 's office , who were looking into whether prospective buyers at the Trump SoHo hotel in New York had been misled about the building 's success .
The two Trump children narrowly avoided being criminally charged in 2012 , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ProPublica and WNYC .
The outlets reported that Marc Kasowitz , a lawyer for Ivanka and Donald Jr. , had donated $ 25,000 to DA Cyrus Vance 's reelection campaign and directly appealed to him that the case should be dropped .
That donation had been returned before Vance met with Kasowitz , according to the outlets .

Ivanka Trump arrives to introduce her father, US President Donald Trump during a "Make America Great Again" rally at Total Sports Park on November 1, 2020, in Washington, Michigan.
But what the senior White House advisor did not mention is that she only said that after being warned by a top inaugural committee official of the "quite high" minimum rate of $3.6 million for food and beverage and use of the banquet halls during inauguration week that the committee was being quoted by the Trump International Hotel.
Ivanka Trump's tweet condemning the suit as "politically motivated" included an email that indicates she told managers of her father's hotel in Washington to charge "fair market rate" for its services during the inauguration after Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election.
But in doing so she conspicuously omitted the $3.6 million question posed by a Republican felon that underscored fears the Trump family was profiting from a nonprofit set up to celebrate the White House victory.
President Donald Trump 's daughter Ivanka Trump on Thursday blasted the Washington, D.C., attorney general's office for deposing her in a lawsuit related to 2017 inauguration spending.
Nor did Ivanka Trump mention that the mere fact of having an incoming president having his inaugural committee buy goods and services from a hotel he owned was unprecedented in U.S. history, much less when that hotel wanted to charge that committee, a nonprofit entity funded by private donors, millions of dollars for those services.
Ivanka Trump's effort to spin news of the deposition comes as President Donald Trump's company faces a criminal probe by the Manhattan district attorney's office that relates to his income taxes, as that company is under investigation by the New York state attorney general for possible misstatement of asset values and as her father is being sued by a writer for defaming her after the writer said he raped her in the 1990s.
And it comes more than a month after her brother Eric Trump was deposed in the New York AG's case after trying to duck complying with a subpoena until after the presidential election, which their father lost by nearly 7 million votes to President-elect Joe Biden.
Last January, Washington's attorney general, Karl Racine, announced he was suing the Trump Inaugural Committee, The Trump Organization and the Trump International Hotel "for blatantly and unlawfully abusing nonprofit funds to enrich the Trump family."
"An independent investigation by my office has revealed that the Inaugural Committee made exorbitant and unlawful payments to the Trump Hotel to rent event space for Inaugural activities," Racine said. "This came as a result of coordination between Inaugural Committee Deputy Chairman Rick Gates, Trump International Hotel management, and members of the Trump family."
Racine's suit alleges more than $1 million in improper payments to the hotel by the inaugural committee.
On Tuesday, as part of that suit, Ivanka Trump, who is a senior White House advisor to her father — as is her husband, real estate mogul Jared Kushner — was deposed by lawyers for the AG's office.
"This week spent 5+ hours in a deposition with the Democrat D.C. AG's office where they questioned the rates charged by the Trump Hotel at the inauguration," Ivanka Trump griped in her tweet Thursday.
"I shared with them an email from 4 years ago where I sent instructions to the hotel to charge 'a fair market rate' (see below) which the hotel then did," she wrote.
"This 'inquiry' is another politically motivated demonstration of vindictiveness & waste of taxpayer dollars."
The tweet includes what purports to be an email that Ivanka Trump sent the hotel's managers on Dec. 14, 2016, saying, "Just seeing this. why don't you call and negotiate. It should be a fair market rate."
Not included in her tweet are prior emails about the hotel's rates or subsequent ones, which underscore the concern among top inaugural committee officials about whether the Trump hotel was overcharging for its services, and in doing so lining the Trump family's pockets. Those emails are posted online by the DC AG's office.
After this story was first published, Racine tweeted a reposnse to Ivanka Trump's criticism of him, and linked to emails that she failed to mention.
"We filed suit after gathering evidence that the Presidential Inaugural Committee knowingly entered into a grossly overpriced contract with the Trump Hotel," Racine wrote. "Any claim to the contrary is incorrect."
"DC law requires nonprofits to use funds for stated public purposes, and to avoid unreasonable, wasteful expenses," the attorney general said. "Our investigation revealed the Committee willfully used nonprofit funds to enrich the Trump family.It's very simple: They broke the law. That's why we sued."
One email Ivanka Trump did not highlight, was written on Dec. 10, 2016, by
Patricia Tang, director of sales and marketing for the hotel, who told inaugural committee staffer Ramsey Ratcliffe that the price for room rental and minimum F&B — food and beverage — "is $3,600,000."
Ratcliffe forwarded that email less than three minutes later to his other inaugural committee staffers with a one word comment: "Ummm...."
Gates, a longtime Republican consultant and high-ranking official in the Trump 2016 campaign, then forwarded Ratcliffe's and Tang's emails to Ivanka Trump.
Gates told Ivanka he had "two concerns" with Tang's email.
"First, the cost itself seems quite high compared to other property buyouts for the week," Gates wrote, referring to the costs of renting other non-Trump-owned hotels out for inauguration week.
"Second, I am a bit worried about the optics of PIC [Presidential Inaugural Committee] paying Trump Hotel a high fee and the media making a big story out of it," added Gates, who within two years from that time pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges of conspiracy and to making false statements related to his work with former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort in Ukraine.
Two days after that email, Ivanka Trump replied to Gates, saying she had asked "our GM Mickael" Damelincourt, of the hotel "to call you directly."
"Thanks!" Ivanka added.
Gates replied that he and Damelincourt were planning to meet the next morning "and sort out the issues."
An email from Damelincourt to Gates on Dec. 16, 2016, which notes that this was "a follow up to our conversation earlier today," quotes a revised price of $700,000, or $175,000 per day, for the entire ballroom space for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of inauguration week. And there would be no minimum charge for food and beverage, the general manager said.
Later that same day, the woman running the inauguration preparation efforts, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, who was best friends with first lady Melania Trump before they had a falling out, wrote Gates to "express my concern" about the revised rates quoted by the Trump-owned hotel.
"These are events in PE's [president-elect's] honor at his hotel and one of them is with and for family and close friends," Winston Wolkoff wrote.
"Please take this into consideration that when this is audited it will become public knowledge that the locations were also gifted and costs underwritten to lower rental fees," she wrote. "I understand that compared to the original pricing this is great but we should look at the whole context."
"In my opinion," Winston Wolkoff told Gates, "the max rental fee should be $85,000 per day."
That fee would be $90,000 less per day than the lower, revised price quoted by the general manager that Ivanka Trump had instructed to ask for a "fair market rate" from her father's inaugural committee.
Alan Garten, a spokesman for the Trump Organization, told NBC News on Wednesday when asked about Ivanka Trump's deposition, "Ms. Trump's only involvement was connecting the parties and instructing the hotel to charge a 'fair market rate', which the hotel did."
Garten did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC on Thursday about Ivanka Trump's tweet.
A White House spokesman declined to comment.
Ivanka Trump and her brother Donald Trump Jr. previously were targeted years ago by prosecutors in the Manhattan district attorney's office, who were looking into whether prospective buyers at the Trump SoHo hotel in New York had been misled about the building's success.
The two Trump children narrowly avoided being criminally charged in 2012, according to an investigation by The New Yorker, ProPublica and WNYC.
The outlets reported that Marc Kasowitz, a lawyer for Ivanka and Donald Jr., had donated $25,000 to DA Cyrus Vance's reelection campaign and directly appealed to him that the case should be dropped.
That donation had been returned before Vance met with Kasowitz, according to the outlets.


cnbc--2020-12-05--Trump pushes Georgia governor to help overturn Biden election win

U.S. President Donald Trump is greeted by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp as he arrives at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta , Georgia , U.S. , July 15 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump called Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp on Saturday and asked him to convince state legislators to help overturn President-elect Joe Biden 's win in Georgia and permit an audit of signatures on absentee ballots .
The request is Trump 's latest attempt to interfere with the results of the 2020 presidential election in a state where two GOP Senate runoff races in January could decide which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was first reported by The Washington Post .
Trump has argued without evidence that Georgia election officials took voter ballots with signatures that did n't match the ones on file .
A recount in Georgia following the election affirmed Biden 's victory and the results have been certified .
The president referenced the call in a tweet on Saturday afternoon , calling for a signature audit of Georgia 's absentee ballots and claiming discrepancies in the process .
`` I will easily & quickly win Georgia if Governor @ BrianKempGA or the Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Trump wrote .
`` Has not been done and will show large scale discrepancies .
Why are these two `` Republicans '' saying no ?
If we win Georgia , everything else falls in place ! ''
Kemp , a Republican and longtime Trump ally , wrote on Saturday in response to the president 's tweet : `` As I told the President this morning , I 've publicly called for a signature audit three times ( 11/20 , 11/24 , 12/3 ) to restore confidence in our election process and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counted in Georgia . ''
In another tweet , the president urged Kemp to `` immediately '' request a special session in the state legislature .
The governor reportedly declined the president 's request during the call , an anonymous source told The Post .
Kemp 's office 's has said publicly that state law prohibits the governor from interfering in elections .
Gabriel Sterling , a Republican official in the Georgia Secretary of State 's office , said Trump 's baseless claims of election fraud have endangered election officials by inciting death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hall confirmed that the president called the governor , but only said that Trump offered his condolences on the death of Harrison Deal , a young aide for Sen. Kelly Loeffler .
CNBC has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment .
Trump is campaigning for Sens .
Loeffler and David Perdue in the state tonight , who are facing runoff elections against Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff .

U.S. President Donald Trump is greeted by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp as he arrives at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., July 15, 2020.
President Donald Trump called Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Saturday and asked him to convince state legislators to help overturn President-elect Joe Biden's win in Georgia and permit an audit of signatures on absentee ballots.
The request is Trump's latest attempt to interfere with the results of the 2020 presidential election in a state where two GOP Senate runoff races in January could decide which party controls the Senate. The call was first reported by The Washington Post.
Trump has argued without evidence that Georgia election officials took voter ballots with signatures that didn't match the ones on file. A recount in Georgia following the election affirmed Biden's victory and the results have been certified.
The president referenced the call in a tweet on Saturday afternoon, calling for a signature audit of Georgia's absentee ballots and claiming discrepancies in the process.
"I will easily & quickly win Georgia if Governor @BrianKempGA or the Secretary of State permit a simple signature verification," Trump wrote. "Has not been done and will show large scale discrepancies. Why are these two "Republicans" saying no? If we win Georgia, everything else falls in place!"
Kemp, a Republican and longtime Trump ally, wrote on Saturday in response to the president's tweet: "As I told the President this morning, I've publicly called for a signature audit three times (11/20, 11/24, 12/3) to restore confidence in our election process and to ensure that only legal votes are counted in Georgia."
In another tweet, the president urged Kemp to "immediately" request a special session in the state legislature.
The governor reportedly declined the president's request during the call, an anonymous source told The Post. Kemp's office's has said publicly that state law prohibits the governor from interfering in elections.
Gabriel Sterling, a Republican official in the Georgia Secretary of State's office, said Trump's baseless claims of election fraud have endangered election officials by inciting death threats and harassment.
Kemp spokesman Cody Hall confirmed that the president called the governor, but only said that Trump offered his condolences on the death of Harrison Deal, a young aide for Sen. Kelly Loeffler. CNBC has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
Trump is campaigning for Sens. Loeffler and David Perdue in the state tonight, who are facing runoff elections against Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.


cnbc--2020-12-06--Georgia Republican election official says Trump's false voter fraud claims undermine democracy

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a campaign rally for Republican U.S. senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler , ahead of their January runoff elections to determine control of the U.S. Senate , in Valdosta , Georgia , U.S. , December 5 , 2020 .
Republican election officials in Georgia on Sunday continued to rebut Donald Trump 's false claims of voter fraud , as the outgoing president tries to pressure the governor to help overturn President-elect Joe Biden 's win in the state '' The president 's statements are false , they 're misinformation , '' Gabriel Sterling , voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBC 's `` Meet the Press '' on Sunday morning .
`` They 're stoking anger and fear among his supporters . ''
`` This undermines democracy , '' said Sterling , who is a Republican .
`` We have got to get to a point where responsible people act responsibly . ''
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger also countered the president 's baseless claims of election fraud on Sunday morning in an interview on `` This Week '' with ABC .
`` We 've never found systemic fraud , not enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The Republican election officials made their comments a day after Trump appeared at a rally in Valdosta , Georgia , where he was campaigning for Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue who face runoff elections .
There , he continued to claim without evidence that the election was stolen from him .
The event was intended to encourage turnout for the Jan. 5 runoffs , which will determine the balance of power in the Senate .
`` We 're all deeply disturbed about the lying , cheating , robbing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections , '' Trump alleged at the rally .
Votes in Georgia have been recounted by hand and affirmed Biden 's win .
The results were certified on Nov. 20 .

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a campaign rally for Republican U.S. senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, ahead of their January runoff elections to determine control of the U.S. Senate, in Valdosta, Georgia, U.S., December 5, 2020.
Republican election officials in Georgia on Sunday continued to rebut Donald Trump's false claims of voter fraud, as the outgoing president tries to pressure the governor to help overturn President-elect Joe Biden's win in the state
"The president's statements are false, they're misinformation," Gabriel Sterling, voting system implementation manager for Georgia, told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday morning. "They're stoking anger and fear among his supporters."
"This undermines democracy," said Sterling, who is a Republican. "We have got to get to a point where responsible people act responsibly."
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger also countered the president's baseless claims of election fraud on Sunday morning in an interview on "This Week" with ABC.
"We've never found systemic fraud, not enough to overturn the election," he said.
The Republican election officials made their comments a day after Trump appeared at a rally in Valdosta, Georgia, where he was campaigning for Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue who face runoff elections. There, he continued to claim without evidence that the election was stolen from him.
The event was intended to encourage turnout for the Jan. 5 runoffs, which will determine the balance of power in the Senate.
"We're all deeply disturbed about the lying, cheating, robbing, stealing that's gone on with our elections," Trump alleged at the rally.
Votes in Georgia have been recounted by hand and affirmed Biden's win. The results were certified on Nov. 20.


cnbc--2020-12-07--Michigan, Arizona legislatures postpone work due to Covid diagnosis for Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani , personal attorney to U.S. President Donald Trump , speaks about the 2020 U.S. presidential election results during a news conference in Washington , November 19 , 2020 .
The legislatures of Arizona and Michigan said that they would postpone work as a result of a positive coronavirus test for President Donald Trump 's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani , who appeared without a mask at information sessions hosted by Republican lawmakers from both states in the past week .
Arizona 's Senate and House on Sunday are closing for a week `` out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases and concerns relating to covid-19 , '' according to a letter sent to lawmakers .
In Michigan , state Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield said the House would be in session on Tuesday , `` but no voting will take place and attendance will not be taken . ''
`` Multiple representatives have requested time to receive results from recent COVID-19 tests before returning to session , out of an abundance of caution , '' Chatfield said in a statement .
The moves came in reaction to Trump 's announcement Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been leading the president 's last-ditch , long-shot efforts to reverse Joe Biden 's win in the presidential race , had tested positive for the coronavirus .
The former New York City mayor and top federal prosecutor on Monday was at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington , D.C. , with mild symptoms , according to a source who spoke to NBC News .
Giuliani had appeared , without a mask and without observing social distancing guidelines , at events hosted by GOP lawmakers in Arizona and Michigan in the days before his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and others promoted baseless claims of fraud , which they alleged swindled Trump out of electoral victories in Arizona and Michigan , as well as in other states that Biden won .
In a statement issued Sunday night , the Trump campaign said , `` Mayor Giuliani tested negative twice immediately preceding his trip to Arizona , Michigan , and Georgia . ''
`` The Mayor did not experience any symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 until more than 48 hours after his return , '' the campaign said .
No legislators in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are on the contact tracing list , under current CDC [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] Guidelines . ''
`` Other team members who are defined as having had close contact will be following their physicians ' directives and CDC guidelines on self-isolation and testing . ''
Trump during a White House event on Monday told reporters that `` Rudy 's doing well . ''
`` I just spoke to him .
No temperature .
He actually called me early this morning .
It was the first call I got , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was hospitalized after testing positive for Covid-19 .
Giuliani 's son , Andrew , who is a special assistant to Trump , tested positive for Covid-19 on Nov. 20 , a day after attending a crowded press conference in Washington led by his father and Jenna Ellis , a senior legal advisor to the Trump campaign .
Neither the elder Giuliani , nor Ellis or another campaign legal advisor , Boris Epshteyn , wore masks or socially distanced during that press conference .
Epshteyn tested positive for coronavirus six days after the press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign challenge effort after the original boss , David Bossie , tested positive for Covid-19 .
All of the campaign 's legal efforts and those of Trump allies have failed to invalidate any votes for Biden , who is projected to win 306 votes in the Electoral College when it meets Dec. 14 .
To win the presidency , a candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes .

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, personal attorney to U.S. President Donald Trump, speaks about the 2020 U.S. presidential election results during a news conference in Washington, November 19, 2020.
The legislatures of Arizona and Michigan said that they would postpone work as a result of a positive coronavirus test for President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who appeared without a mask at information sessions hosted by Republican lawmakers from both states in the past week.
Arizona's Senate and House on Sunday are closing for a week "out of an abundance of caution for recent cases and concerns relating to covid-19," according to a letter sent to lawmakers.
In Michigan, state Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield said the House would be in session on Tuesday, "but no voting will take place and attendance will not be taken."
"Multiple representatives have requested time to receive results from recent COVID-19 tests before returning to session, out of an abundance of caution," Chatfield said in a statement.
The moves came in reaction to Trump's announcement Sunday on Twitter that Giuliani, who had been leading the president's last-ditch, long-shot efforts to reverse Joe Biden's win in the presidential race, had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The former New York City mayor and top federal prosecutor on Monday was at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., with mild symptoms, according to a source who spoke to NBC News.
Giuliani had appeared, without a mask and without observing social distancing guidelines, at events hosted by GOP lawmakers in Arizona and Michigan in the days before his diagnosis.
At those events, Giuliani and others promoted baseless claims of fraud, which they alleged swindled Trump out of electoral victories in Arizona and Michigan, as well as in other states that Biden won.
In a statement issued Sunday night, the Trump campaign said, "Mayor Giuliani tested negative twice immediately preceding his trip to Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia."
"The Mayor did not experience any symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 until more than 48 hours after his return," the campaign said. No legislators in any state or members of the press are on the contact tracing list, under current CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] Guidelines."
"Other team members who are defined as having had close contact will be following their physicians' directives and CDC guidelines on self-isolation and testing."
Trump during a White House event on Monday told reporters that "Rudy's doing well."
"I just spoke to him. No temperature. He actually called me early this morning. It was the first call I got," said Trump, who in October was hospitalized after testing positive for Covid-19.
Giuliani's son, Andrew, who is a special assistant to Trump, tested positive for Covid-19 on Nov. 20, a day after attending a crowded press conference in Washington led by his father and Jenna Ellis, a senior legal advisor to the Trump campaign.
Neither the elder Giuliani, nor Ellis or another campaign legal advisor, Boris Epshteyn, wore masks or socially distanced during that press conference. Epshteyn tested positive for coronavirus six days after the press conference.
Giuliani had assumed leadership of the Trump campaign challenge effort after the original boss, David Bossie, tested positive for Covid-19.
All of the campaign's legal efforts and those of Trump allies have failed to invalidate any votes for Biden, who is projected to win 306 votes in the Electoral College when it meets Dec. 14.
To win the presidency, a candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes.


cnbc--2020-12-07--Trump to sign 'America First' executive order on Covid-19 vaccines Tuesday

US President Donald Trump speaks during a ceremony presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to wrestler Dan Gable in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington , DC on December 7 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Tuesday designed to ensure that U.S. efforts to assist other countries in vaccinating their populations against Covid-19 take on a lower priority than domestic inoculations .
In a call with reporters Monday afternoon , a senior administration official described the order as primarily a `` reaffirmation of the president 's commitment to America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directs a handful of government agencies , including the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development , to work together to help international partners and allies procure Covid vaccines , the official said .
CNBC has not reviewed the proposed text of the executive order , which could prove to be largely symbolic .
The plans for the executive order were earlier reported by Fox News .
An administration official told NBC News on Monday that the timeline for providing foreign assistance will be shaped by supply and demand but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarter .
President-elect Joe Biden will take office on Jan. 20 and is likely to shape his own policy for obtaining and distributing Covid-19 vaccines , possibly limiting the impact of Trump 's order .
Trump is expected to sign the order after delivering remarks at the start of a Covid-19 summit at the White House on Tuesday , a senior administration official said on Monday 's call .
The event will feature talks with administration officials and drug distributors , who will discuss the process of reviewing vaccine candidates and distributing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely ignored the growing coronavirus crisis in recent weeks despite a surge in infections and a mounting death toll that has surpassed 2,000 fatalities per day , instead focusing on legal efforts to overturn the results of November 's presidential election .
Nonetheless , the signing will come at a particularly critical phase of vaccine development .
Trump will sign the order just days before the Food and Drug Administration meets , on Thursday , to review a promising vaccine made by Pfizer and German drugmaker BioNTech .
That vaccine may be authorized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this week .
The FDA will meet to discuss another candidate , made by Moderna , on Dec. 17 .
While some particularly vulnerable Americans could be vaccinated shortly after the vaccines are approved , officials are warning that it will take months for everyone who wants a vaccine to receive one .
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar predicted on Sunday that vaccines are not likely to be available to everyone who requests one until the second quarter .
The Trump administration signed a deal over the summer to purchase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it worked , enough to supply 50 million Americans .
On Monday afternoon , The New York Times reported that the administration declined an offer from Pfizer at the time for additional doses .
The Times , citing unnamed people familiar with the matter , reported that the company may now be limited in how much vaccine it can supply as a result of its commitments to other countries and may not be able to provide additional vaccine to the U.S. until June .
A spokesperson for the HHS , pressed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an opportunity to purchase more of Pfizer 's vaccine , said , `` We are confident that we will have 100 million doses of Pfizer 's vaccine as agreed to in our contract , and beyond that , we have five other vaccine candidates . ''
A spokesperson for Pfizer told the Times that `` the company is not able to comment on any confidential discussions that may be taking place with the U.S .
government . ''
The White House and the HHS did not immediately provide details of the executive order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to emails seeking comment .

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Tuesday designed to ensure that U.S. efforts to assist other countries in vaccinating their populations against Covid-19 take on a lower priority than domestic inoculations.
In a call with reporters Monday afternoon, a senior administration official described the order as primarily a "reaffirmation of the president's commitment to America First." Additionally, the order directs a handful of government agencies, including the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development, to work together to help international partners and allies procure Covid vaccines, the official said.
CNBC has not reviewed the proposed text of the executive order, which could prove to be largely symbolic. The plans for the executive order were earlier reported by Fox News.
An administration official told NBC News on Monday that the timeline for providing foreign assistance will be shaped by supply and demand but is anticipated to begin in the second quarter. President-elect Joe Biden will take office on Jan. 20 and is likely to shape his own policy for obtaining and distributing Covid-19 vaccines, possibly limiting the impact of Trump's order.
Trump is expected to sign the order after delivering remarks at the start of a Covid-19 summit at the White House on Tuesday, a senior administration official said on Monday's call. The event will feature talks with administration officials and drug distributors, who will discuss the process of reviewing vaccine candidates and distributing them, the official said.
Trump has largely ignored the growing coronavirus crisis in recent weeks despite a surge in infections and a mounting death toll that has surpassed 2,000 fatalities per day, instead focusing on legal efforts to overturn the results of November's presidential election.
Nonetheless, the signing will come at a particularly critical phase of vaccine development.
Trump will sign the order just days before the Food and Drug Administration meets, on Thursday, to review a promising vaccine made by Pfizer and German drugmaker BioNTech.
That vaccine may be authorized for use as soon as the end of this week. The FDA will meet to discuss another candidate, made by Moderna, on Dec. 17.
While some particularly vulnerable Americans could be vaccinated shortly after the vaccines are approved, officials are warning that it will take months for everyone who wants a vaccine to receive one.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar predicted on Sunday that vaccines are not likely to be available to everyone who requests one until the second quarter.
The Trump administration signed a deal over the summer to purchase 100 million doses of Pfizer's vaccine if it worked, enough to supply 50 million Americans.
On Monday afternoon, The New York Times reported that the administration declined an offer from Pfizer at the time for additional doses.
The Times, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, reported that the company may now be limited in how much vaccine it can supply as a result of its commitments to other countries and may not be able to provide additional vaccine to the U.S. until June.
A spokesperson for the HHS, pressed by the Times about whether the government missed an opportunity to purchase more of Pfizer's vaccine, said, "We are confident that we will have 100 million doses of Pfizer's vaccine as agreed to in our contract, and beyond that, we have five other vaccine candidates."
A spokesperson for Pfizer told the Times that "the company is not able to comment on any confidential discussions that may be taking place with the U.S. government."
The White House and the HHS did not immediately provide details of the executive order. Pfizer and BioNTech did not reply to emails seeking comment.


cnbc--2020-12-07--Congress aims to fund government for a week to buy time for spending, Covid relief deals

Congress aims to extend government funding for an additional week while lawmakers try to scrape together spending and coronavirus relief packages , Republican and Democratic leaders said Monday .
The House plans to vote Wednesday on the short-term measure to keep the government running through Dec. 18 , according to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Md .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , later reiterated the plan .
Funding will lapse on Saturday if Congress can not approve a spending bill .
Politico first reported plans for a one-week extension .
The decision to buy more time comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a broad appropriations plan and a package to boost the health-care system and economy as a sustained Covid-19 infection surge stresses hospitals across the country .
Congressional leaders previously signaled they wanted to tie aid provisions to a funding proposal .
But familiar sticking points have emerged as a bipartisan group tries to put the finishing touches on legislation they hope will serve as the template for a year-end rescue package .
Failure to act before the end of the year would send millions of Americans spiraling into deeper financial peril .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ release a more detailed outline of their $ 908 billion aid proposal on Monday as they prepare legislative text .
Democratic leaders have backed the plan as the basis for an emergency relief bill .
Sen. Bill Cassidy , a Louisiana Republican and part of the bipartisan group that crafted the $ 908 billion plan , told CNBC on Monday that state and local government support and business liability from coronavirus-related lawsuits are the biggest remaining issues in the relief package .
He believes the proposal has a better chance of getting through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's desk than existing bills written by only one party .
`` I think in some way this package passes , '' Cassidy told CNBC 's `` Squawk Box . ''
Despite the bipartisan momentum behind a larger package , McConnell on Monday again urged passage of what he calls a `` targeted '' package worth about $ 500 billion .
He aims to address small business loans , vaccine distribution funding , a temporary extension of unemployment provisions and a liability shield .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , had called for more than $ 2 trillion in spending before they embraced the bipartisan plan .
On Sunday , Schumer described the compromise as a stopgap to buoy the country until next year .
He hopes Washington can pass a `` much bigger bill '' after President-elect Joe Biden takes office Jan. 20 .
`` We 're at the last minute , we have a bipartisan compromise .
It should be the framework for the emergency we have now , to deal with things in the next few months , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Key unemployment expansion provisions put in place earlier this year expire at the end of the month .
About 12 million people could lose benefits if Congress fails to act .
Millions of Americans also face the threat of eviction if lawmakers do not sustain a moratorium that lapses at the end of 2020 .
The bipartisan package would extend those lifelines .
It would put nearly $ 300 billion into Paycheck Protection Program small business loans and another $ 160 billion into state and local government aid .
The proposal would reinstate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 300 per week .
It would also direct funds to Covid-19 vaccine distribution , schools and the transportation sector , among other provisions .
It would not include a second round of $ 1,200 direct payments to most Americans .
Lawmakers such as Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , have questioned how much help families would actually get without another stimulus check .
On Friday , Biden said direct payments `` may still be in play '' as part of a relief package .
McConnell has also backed broad protections for businesses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and others who caucus with Democrats oppose .
The bipartisan plan as introduced last week would create a temporary federal liability shield while states determine their own laws .
McConnell and Trump have also opposed additional aid for cash-crunched state and local governments .
However , Cassidy and other Republicans have championed relief as a step to save jobs among first responders and teachers who could otherwise lose their jobs as governments cut costs .
`` This is about robust growth , '' Cassidy said Monday .
`` This about taking care of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be the guy defunding the police . ''

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Congress aims to extend government funding for an additional week while lawmakers try to scrape together spending and coronavirus relief packages, Republican and Democratic leaders said Monday. The House plans to vote Wednesday on the short-term measure to keep the government running through Dec. 18, according to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., later reiterated the plan. Funding will lapse on Saturday if Congress cannot approve a spending bill. Politico first reported plans for a one-week extension. The decision to buy more time comes as lawmakers rush to reach agreement both on a broad appropriations plan and a package to boost the health-care system and economy as a sustained Covid-19 infection surge stresses hospitals across the country. Congressional leaders previously signaled they wanted to tie aid provisions to a funding proposal. But familiar sticking points have emerged as a bipartisan group tries to put the finishing touches on legislation they hope will serve as the template for a year-end rescue package. Failure to act before the end of the year would send millions of Americans spiraling into deeper financial peril.
A display is seen as bipartisan members of the Senate and House gather to announce a framework for fresh Covid-19 relief legislation at a Capitol Hill news conference on Dec. 1, 2020. Kevin Lemarque | Reuters
The Senate and House lawmakers aim to release a more detailed outline of their $908 billion aid proposal on Monday as they prepare legislative text. Democratic leaders have backed the plan as the basis for an emergency relief bill. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and part of the bipartisan group that crafted the $908 billion plan, told CNBC on Monday that state and local government support and business liability from coronavirus-related lawsuits are the biggest remaining issues in the relief package. He believes the proposal has a better chance of getting through a divided Congress and past President Donald Trump's desk than existing bills written by only one party. "I think in some way this package passes," Cassidy told CNBC's "Squawk Box."
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