cnbc--2020-11-04--President Trump is projected to win Texas

President Donald Trump is projected to defeat Democratic challenger Joe Biden in Texas , NBC News reported .
As of @ @ @ @ @ was leading in the Lone Star State with 5.6 million votes , or 52.3 % @ @ @ @ @ votes , or 46.2 % for Biden , with 93 % percent of the expected @ @ @ @ @ 38 Electoral College votes , second only to California 's 55 .
Polling averages going @ @ @ @ @ close race , with a slight Trump advantage .
In 2016 , the president won @ @ @ @ @ .
Texas was considered a must-win state for Trump in 2020 .
A Democratic presidential @ @ @ @ @ since Jimmy Carter in 1976 .
A growing population and shifting demographics have inched the @ @ @ @ @ historical status as a Republican stronghold .

President Donald Trump is projected to defeat Democratic challenger Joe Biden in Texas, NBC News reported.
As of 1:12 a.m. Wednesday, Trump was leading in the Lone Star State with 5.6 million votes, or 52.3%, compared to 4.98 million votes, or 46.2% for Biden, with 93% percent of the expected votes tallied.
Texas has 38 Electoral College votes, second only to California's 55.
Polling averages going into Tuesday had indicated a close race, with a slight Trump advantage.
In 2016, the president won the state by 9 points. Texas was considered a must-win state for Trump in 2020.
A Democratic presidential candidate hasn't won Texas since Jimmy Carter in 1976. A growing population and shifting demographics have inched the state further left from its historical status as a Republican stronghold.


cnbc--2020-11-05--Georgia Senate runoff election is shaping up to cost tens of millions of dollars

The coming Georgia Senate runoff between GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock is shaping up to cost tens of millions of dollars .
Republicans are expected to shell out at least $ 100 million , according to a GOP strategist familiar with the plans .
This person also noted that Democrats are expected to spend a similar amount .
NBC News projected that Loeffler and Warnock are headed to a runoff after they placed in the top two of several candidates running for the seat in a special election .
The parties are expected to spend even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , between GOP Sen. David Perdue and Democrat Jon Ossoff , also heads to a January runoff .
NBC has not made a call in this race .
Each contest has been expensive so far .
The Warnock and Loeffler campaigns have combined to spend nearly $ 40 million , according to data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics .
Perdue and Ossoff have spent nearly $ 45 million .
Combined , House and Senate races across the country are expected to finish spending a total of $ 7 billion by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Senate Leadership Fund , a super PAC run by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , will be leading the way in outside spending for the GOP in those races , according to the Republican strategist .
A Democratic fundraiser agreed that both sides are gearing up to drop loads of cash on Georgia over the next couple months .
`` Both Georgia races are going to runoffs .
There will be more money spent on both sides than in any Senate races in history , '' according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evercore and a Democratic bundler .
Myers said that , if he was asked , he would start raising money for Warnock and possibly Ossoff if it 's needed .
Other Democratic donors , including longtime party financier Bernard Schwartz , told CNBC that they are preparing to , or already are , raising money for Warnock and are just waiting for Ossoff to initiate their networks .
Control of the Senate could be at stake if both races go to a runoff .
Still , some party bundlers told CNBC they 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't believe the races in Georgia are a worthwhile investment as they are n't convinced the candidates will win .
Georgia historically has been held by Republicans .
Yet there have been signs in recent years that the state has shifted somewhat toward Democrats .
As of Thursday afternoon , the race for the state 's 16 Electoral College votes in the presidential race was too close to call , according to NBC .
Warnock , according to people briefed on the matter , has started reaching out to some of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's likely going to be a grueling fight .
People who declined to be named in this story did so in order to speak freely .
Warnock himself warned his supporters in an ad on Twitter that `` the negative ads are coming . ''
The ad features a link to his ActBlue page , where he encourages small-dollar contributions .
The Senate Leadership Fund has already spent $ 43 million taking on Ossoff and just more than $ 770,000 targeting Rep. Doug Collins , a Republican who was running against Loeffler , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to data from CRP .
Its Democratic rivals in the Senate Majority PAC are gearing to engage in both races .
They spent more than $ 30 million against Perdue , CRP says .
`` We are committed to helping both Rev .
Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff win these seats in January , '' Rachel Irwin , a spokeswoman for the super PAC , told CNBC .
`` The Georgia Republican ticket is made up of a pair of corrupt , out-of-touch politicians who profited off of the pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgians ' health care . ''
The Lincoln Project , according to people familiar with the matter , will target Loeffler and could get involved in the other Georgia Senate race if that goes to a runoff .
Way to Lead PAC , a hybrid PAC helping candidates up and down ballot , plans to give $ 100,000 to the New South super PAC .
That committee is also supporting Warnock with digital ads and other forms of voter outreach .
The committee has also been involved with the other Georgia Senate race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden and President Donald Trump .
New South 's budget for its 2020 program was more than $ 2 million .
Democratic super PAC American Bridge already put out an ad against Perdue in the expectation his race will go to a runoff .
The spot claims Perdue profited after gaining insight from his Senate briefings on the coronavirus pandemic .
Loeffler and her husband , Intercontinental Exchange CEO Jeff Sprecher , liquidated their individual stock positions and related options after being criticized for selling millions of dollars in stock amid the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNBC it too is going to be pushing ahead into these races .
The committee specializes in opposition research .
`` Over the next two months , American Bridge 21st Century will continue to do what we do best : digging into Loeffler and Perdue 's shady records and holding them accountable to Georgia voters , just as we have for the last year .
They should buckle up , '' Zach Hudson , the group 's spokesman , said .
Both Democratic and Republican campaign committees appear to be bracing for both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The National Republican Senatorial Committee has prepared a variety of voter contact tools for each race , including TV and digital ads , along with having surrogates ready for media appearances .
`` David Perdue won this race in regular time and will do the same in overtime , '' NRSC Executive Director Kevin McLaughlin said in a statement .
`` Georgia is clearly now a purple battleground state , and Senator Perdue is a weak , scandal-plagued incumbent who ca n't defend his record of outsourcing and corruption , '' said Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senatorial Campaign Committee .
`` We 're ready to help Jon flip this Senate seat . ''

The coming Georgia Senate runoff between GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock is shaping up to cost tens of millions of dollars.
Republicans are expected to shell out at least $100 million, according to a GOP strategist familiar with the plans. This person also noted that Democrats are expected to spend a similar amount. NBC News projected that Loeffler and Warnock are headed to a runoff after they placed in the top two of several candidates running for the seat in a special election.
The parties are expected to spend even more if the other Georgia Senate election, between GOP Sen. David Perdue and Democrat Jon Ossoff, also heads to a January runoff. NBC has not made a call in this race.
Each contest has been expensive so far. The Warnock and Loeffler campaigns have combined to spend nearly $40 million, according to data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Perdue and Ossoff have spent nearly $45 million. Combined, House and Senate races across the country are expected to finish spending a total of $7 billion by the end of the 2020 election cycle.
The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC run by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will be leading the way in outside spending for the GOP in those races, according to the Republican strategist.
A Democratic fundraiser agreed that both sides are gearing up to drop loads of cash on Georgia over the next couple months.
"Both Georgia races are going to runoffs. There will be more money spent on both sides than in any Senate races in history," according to Charles Myers, former vice chairman of Evercore and a Democratic bundler. Myers said that, if he was asked, he would start raising money for Warnock and possibly Ossoff if it's needed.
Other Democratic donors, including longtime party financier Bernard Schwartz, told CNBC that they are preparing to, or already are, raising money for Warnock and are just waiting for Ossoff to initiate their networks.
Control of the Senate could be at stake if both races go to a runoff.
Still, some party bundlers told CNBC they're already preparing to tell Democratic leaders they don't believe the races in Georgia are a worthwhile investment as they aren't convinced the candidates will win.
Georgia historically has been held by Republicans. Yet there have been signs in recent years that the state has shifted somewhat toward Democrats. As of Thursday afternoon, the race for the state's 16 Electoral College votes in the presidential race was too close to call, according to NBC.
Warnock, according to people briefed on the matter, has started reaching out to some of his top donors to start raising for what's likely going to be a grueling fight.
People who declined to be named in this story did so in order to speak freely.
Warnock himself warned his supporters in an ad on Twitter that "the negative ads are coming." The ad features a link to his ActBlue page, where he encourages small-dollar contributions.
The Senate Leadership Fund has already spent $43 million taking on Ossoff and just more than $770,000 targeting Rep. Doug Collins, a Republican who was running against Loeffler, Warnock and others in the special election, according to data from CRP.
Its Democratic rivals in the Senate Majority PAC are gearing to engage in both races. They spent more than $30 million against Perdue, CRP says.
"We are committed to helping both Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff win these seats in January," Rachel Irwin, a spokeswoman for the super PAC, told CNBC. "The Georgia Republican ticket is made up of a pair of corrupt, out-of-touch politicians who profited off of the pandemic and will stop at nothing to take away Georgians' health care."
The Lincoln Project, according to people familiar with the matter, will target Loeffler and could get involved in the other Georgia Senate race if that goes to a runoff.
Way to Lead PAC, a hybrid PAC helping candidates up and down ballot, plans to give $100,000 to the New South super PAC. That committee is also supporting Warnock with digital ads and other forms of voter outreach. The committee has also been involved with the other Georgia Senate race and the presidential election there between Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.
New South's budget for its 2020 program was more than $2 million.
Democratic super PAC American Bridge already put out an ad against Perdue in the expectation his race will go to a runoff. The spot claims Perdue profited after gaining insight from his Senate briefings on the coronavirus pandemic. Loeffler and her husband, Intercontinental Exchange CEO Jeff Sprecher, liquidated their individual stock positions and related options after being criticized for selling millions of dollars in stock amid the pandemic.
Loeffler and Perdue have denied wrongdoing.
A spokesman for the PAC told CNBC it too is going to be pushing ahead into these races. The committee specializes in opposition research.
"Over the next two months, American Bridge 21st Century will continue to do what we do best: digging into Loeffler and Perdue's shady records and holding them accountable to Georgia voters, just as we have for the last year. They should buckle up," Zach Hudson, the group's spokesman, said.
Both Democratic and Republican campaign committees appear to be bracing for both races to head to January runoffs.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee has prepared a variety of voter contact tools for each race, including TV and digital ads, along with having surrogates ready for media appearances.
"David Perdue won this race in regular time and will do the same in overtime," NRSC Executive Director Kevin McLaughlin said in a statement.
"Georgia is clearly now a purple battleground state, and Senator Perdue is a weak, scandal-plagued incumbent who can't defend his record of outsourcing and corruption," said Scott Fairchild, executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "We're ready to help Jon flip this Senate seat."


cnbc--2020-11-06--Democrats are projected to lose House seats but keep their majority

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , a Democrat from California , speaks during a news conference at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee headquarters in Washington , D.C. , U.S. , on Tuesday , Nov. 3 , 2020 .
In races called by NBC , Republicans have flipped a net six seats .
Democrats have won 208 seats , the GOP has carried 195 and 32 remain uncalled .
NBC estimates Democrats will hold 226 House seats , while Republicans will have 209 .
The figures could change , as NBC said the parties may ultimately end up with as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those projections .
( Eight fewer seats for Democrats would put them at 218 , the minimum they need for a majority ) .
But after a series of rough early returns from the 2020 election , the party will likely have fewer seats in January than it does now .
Democrats will keep their U.S. House majority in the next Congress , according to NBC News .
Republicans have so far cut into the Democratic majority mostly by gaining back ground they lost in the 2018 midterms , when Democrats flipped House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least seven House Democrats , including six first-term representatives .
They will also gain a seat previously occupied by independent Rep. Justin Amash .
• Republican Michelle Fischbach will prevail over longtime Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson in Minnesota 's 7th District .
• GOP candidate Yvette Herrell will win her rematch against first-term Democratic Rep. Xochitl Torres Small in New Mexico 's 2nd District .
• Republican Peter Meijer will win the race to replace Amash over Democrat Hillary Scholten .
Democrats have also gained two seats in races called by NBC News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win races for North Carolina 's 2nd and 6th Districts , respectively .
Both GOP-held seats became more friendly to Democrats after redistricting in the state .
Entering Election Day , forecasters projected Democrats would gain House seats and challenge for the Senate majority .
Now , Democrats may only end up with a narrow majority in the House , as states count final results to determine whether Republicans hold their advantage in the Senate .
Republicans may have benefited from certain swing voters backing presidential Democratic nominee Joe Biden and congressional GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantage for House Democrats , said Kyle Kondik , managing editor of the nonpartisan Sabato 's Crystal Ball .
He believes Democrats `` were expecting a better overall environment than what they got . ''
`` For the second straight presidential election , Donald Trump was not the drag down-ballot that it appeared he could have been — and , in fact , the turnout from Trump-loving voters probably helped Republicans more broadly in House and Senate races , '' Kondik said in an email .
In a letter to House Democrats on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence in Biden winning the presidential election .
Remaining tallies in states including Pennsylvania , Georgia , Nevada and Arizona will determine whether he or President Donald Trump occupy the White House for the next four years .
She said that the Democratic House and White House would `` have the opportunity to deliver extraordinary progress '' on issues including health care , infrastructure and clean government .
She acknowledged a `` challenging election '' and said Democratic candidates `` made us proud . ''
In a separate caucus call Thursday , Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not win every battle , but we did win the war , '' according to NBC News .
`` In 2018 , we won 40 seats .
We went deep into Trump districts when Trump was not on the ballot .
But clearly with Trump on the ballot , we knew it would be a steeper climb , '' NBC reported , citing a source on the call .
Out of the nine Democratic-held districts the nonpartisan Cook Political Report listed as toss-up races , NBC projects Republicans will win at least four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17 Republican seats and one independent-held district as toss-ups .
The GOP has won all nine of those races that NBC has called so far .
House Democrats aimed to expand their reach in the 2020 election , targeting a range of Republican seats in states including Texas , North Carolina and Florida .
After an often-discussed push by Democrats to win GOP-held seats in Texas , the party has not flipped any of the districts it targeted ( though NBC has not projected results in at least two of them ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seats in Florida , and two South Florida House Democrats currently trail in races not yet called by NBC .
Even so , NBC projects Democrats will hold a range of key districts they won in 2018 .
Reps. Lizzie Fletcher and Colin Allred are expected to keep their seats in Texas .
Rep. Lucy McBath will win reelection in Georgia , as will Reps. Elissa Slotkin and Haley Stevens of Michigan , Josh Harder of California , Kim Schrier of Washington , Jared Golden of Maine and Andy Kim and Tom Malinowski @ @ @ @

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, speaks during a news conference at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.
In races called by NBC, Republicans have flipped a net six seats. Democrats have won 208 seats, the GOP has carried 195 and 32 remain uncalled.
NBC estimates Democrats will hold 226 House seats, while Republicans will have 209. The figures could change, as NBC said the parties may ultimately end up with as many as eight seats more or less than those projections. (Eight fewer seats for Democrats would put them at 218, the minimum they need for a majority).
But after a series of rough early returns from the 2020 election , the party will likely have fewer seats in January than it does now.
Democrats will keep their U.S. House majority in the next Congress, according to NBC News.
Republicans have so far cut into the Democratic majority mostly by gaining back ground they lost in the 2018 midterms, when Democrats flipped House control. The GOP will defeat at least seven House Democrats, including six first-term representatives. They will also gain a seat previously occupied by independent Rep. Justin Amash.
Republican Nancy Mace will beat freshman Democratic Rep. Joe Cunningham in South Carolina's 1st District.
GOP candidate Stephanie Bice will defeat first-term Democratic Rep. Kendra Horn in Oklahoma's 5th District.
Republican Michelle Fischbach will prevail over longtime Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson in Minnesota's 7th District.
GOP candidate Yvette Herrell will win her rematch against first-term Democratic Rep. Xochitl Torres Small in New Mexico's 2nd District.
Republican Ashley Hinson will defeat first-term Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer in Iowa's 1st District.
GOP candidate Maria Elvira Salazar will beat freshman Rep. Donna Shalala in Florida's 27th District.
Republican Peter Meijer will win the race to replace Amash over Democrat Hillary Scholten.
Republican Carlos Gimenez will unseat Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in Florida's 26th District.
Democrats have also gained two seats in races called by NBC News. Deborah Ross and Kathy Manning will win races for North Carolina's 2nd and 6th Districts, respectively. Both GOP-held seats became more friendly to Democrats after redistricting in the state.
Entering Election Day, forecasters projected Democrats would gain House seats and challenge for the Senate majority. Now, Democrats may only end up with a narrow majority in the House, as states count final results to determine whether Republicans hold their advantage in the Senate.
Republicans may have benefited from certain swing voters backing presidential Democratic nominee Joe Biden and congressional GOP candidates, along with a reduced incumbency advantage for House Democrats, said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of the nonpartisan Sabato's Crystal Ball. He believes Democrats "were expecting a better overall environment than what they got."
"For the second straight presidential election, Donald Trump was not the drag down-ballot that it appeared he could have been — and, in fact, the turnout from Trump-loving voters probably helped Republicans more broadly in House and Senate races," Kondik said in an email.
In a letter to House Democrats on Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi projected confidence in Biden winning the presidential election. Remaining tallies in states including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona will determine whether he or President Donald Trump occupy the White House for the next four years.
She said that the Democratic House and White House would "have the opportunity to deliver extraordinary progress" on issues including health care, infrastructure and clean government. She acknowledged a "challenging election" and said Democratic candidates "made us proud."
In a separate caucus call Thursday, Pelosi told Democrats that the party "did not win every battle, but we did win the war," according to NBC News.
"In 2018, we won 40 seats. We went deep into Trump districts when Trump was not on the ballot. But clearly with Trump on the ballot, we knew it would be a steeper climb," NBC reported, citing a source on the call.
Out of the nine Democratic-held districts the nonpartisan Cook Political Report listed as toss-up races, NBC projects Republicans will win at least four. Five are unresolved.
Cook considered 17 Republican seats and one independent-held district as toss-ups. The GOP has won all nine of those races that NBC has called so far.
House Democrats aimed to expand their reach in the 2020 election, targeting a range of Republican seats in states including Texas, North Carolina and Florida. After an often-discussed push by Democrats to win GOP-held seats in Texas, the party has not flipped any of the districts it targeted (though NBC has not projected results in at least two of them).
The party also did not gain any seats in Florida, and two South Florida House Democrats currently trail in races not yet called by NBC.
Even so, NBC projects Democrats will hold a range of key districts they won in 2018. Reps. Lizzie Fletcher and Colin Allred are expected to keep their seats in Texas.
Rep. Lucy McBath will win reelection in Georgia, as will Reps. Elissa Slotkin and Haley Stevens of Michigan, Josh Harder of California, Kim Schrier of Washington, Jared Golden of Maine and Andy Kim and Tom Malinowski of New Jersey.


cnbc--2020-11-05--Trump campaign will sue in Nevada, claiming votes by people who moved or who are dead; Biden lead wi

Trump campaign will sue in Nevada, claiming votes by people who moved or who are dead; Biden lead widens

President Donald Trump 's campaign said it is filing a federal lawsuit in Nevada on Thursday seeking to block alleged `` illegal votes '' from thousands of people , including those who became non-residents during the coronavirus pandemic or who are dead .
`` We 're asking the judges to go through all the irregularities to stop the counting '' of the disputed ballots , said Adam Laxalt , a former Nevada Attorney General , who announced the lawsuit .
But when pressed for evidence of those alleged illegal ballots , a Trump campaign surrogate refused to answer reporters at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the ballots should be directed to the Clark County , Nevada , clerk 's office .
At of Thursday afternoon , the promised lawsuit still had not been filed .
Joe Gloria , the Clark County Registrar of Voters , at a press conference later Thursday said that he is not aware of any improper ballots being counted .
Nevada , where ongoing ballot counts show Democratic nominee Joe Biden ahead of Trump , has six Electoral College votes at stake in the presidential contest .
Meanwhile , Biden 's lead on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of newly reported ballots , leaving him ahead by about 11,500 votes .
Trump 's campaign already had filed suits in Michigan , Pennsylvania and Georgia related to ballot counting .
Democrat Joe Biden is just 17 Electoral College votes shy of clinching a win for the White House , according to NBC News projections .
`` We know these [ election ] rolls were unclean '' before Election Day , Laxalt said at a press conference in Las Vegas .
`` We firmly believe that there are many voters in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proper voters , '' he said .
`` We believe there are dead voters that have been counted , '' he said .
`` We are also confident that there are thousands of people who have been counted who moved out of Clark County [ Nevada ] during the pandemic . ''
Appearing with Laxalt at the event were Trump 's former acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell , and American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp .
Grenell chided reporters for asking questions during the press conference , saying , `` Listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job , it 's pretty easy . ''
Grennell said reporters should ask the County Clerk about the ballots the Trump campaign believes are invalid .
Grenell later said , during an interview with Lou Dobbs on Fox Business , that there are `` 3,060 people here in Nevada that voted ... illegally , they are not residents of Nevada . ''
`` We found it out today , '' Grenell said .
During a call with reporters on Thusday , before the Nevada lawsuit was anounced , Biden 's campaign again dismissed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign .
`` The lawsuits are meritless , '' said Bob Bauer , a legal advisor to Biden 's campaign , and a former White House counsel .
`` They 're intended to give the Trump campaign the opportunity to argue that the vote count should stop .
It 's not going to stop , '' Bauer said .
`` I want to emphasize for their purposes these lawsuits do n't have to have merit .
That 's not the purpose -- is not to bring bonafide claims before the court , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to message falsely about what 's taking place in the electoral process . ''
Biden 's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Nevada lawsuit .
Grenell tweeted Thursday morning : `` Recklessly throwing ballots in the mail means illegal votes come back .
Non-residents and dead people have voted .
Democrats planned this .
It 's an attack on our Democracy .
We must only count LEGAL votes . ''
Laxalt during an interview Wednesday on Fox News ' `` Tucker Carlson Tonight , '' claimed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump would have won Nevada last night convincingly if we did not move to mail-in ballots . ''
`` We do n't know how [ many ] bad voters there are in this giant stack [ of mail-in ballots ] We also know there are likely to be dead voters .
There are likely to be people that have moved out of Las Vegas but found their ballots were still cast , '' Laxalt said .
`` So we 're looking into all of this . ''
Trump on Thursday morning tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Laxalt 's comments to Carlson .
Michigan and Wisconsin were called for Biden on Wednesday by NBC News .
The Trump campaign has requested a recount in Wisconsin .
Biden is gaining votes on Trump in counts in Georgia and Pennsylvania , two other battleground states that have yet to be called .
Biden is also ahead in Arizona , which has 11 Electoral College votes .
To win the Electoral College count , a candidate must have 270 votes .

A Clark County election worker scans mail-in ballots at the Clark County Election Department on October 20, 2020 in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller | Getty Images
President Donald Trump's campaign said it is filing a federal lawsuit in Nevada on Thursday seeking to block alleged "illegal votes" from thousands of people, including those who became non-residents during the coronavirus pandemic or who are dead. "We're asking the judges to go through all the irregularities to stop the counting" of the disputed ballots, said Adam Laxalt, a former Nevada Attorney General, who announced the lawsuit. But when pressed for evidence of those alleged illegal ballots, a Trump campaign surrogate refused to answer reporters at a press conference, and said questions about the ballots should be directed to the Clark County, Nevada, clerk's office. At of Thursday afternoon, the promised lawsuit still had not been filed.
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Joe Gloria, the Clark County Registrar of Voters, at a press conference later Thursday said that he is not aware of any improper ballots being counted. Nevada, where ongoing ballot counts show Democratic nominee Joe Biden ahead of Trump, has six Electoral College votes at stake in the presidential contest. Meanwhile, Biden's lead on Trump in the popular vote grew by thousands of newly reported ballots, leaving him ahead by about 11,500 votes. Trump's campaign already had filed suits in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia related to ballot counting. Democrat Joe Biden is just 17 Electoral College votes shy of clinching a win for the White House, according to NBC News projections. "We know these [election] rolls were unclean" before Election Day, Laxalt said at a press conference in Las Vegas. "We firmly believe that there are many voters in this group of mail-in people who are not proper voters," he said. "We believe there are dead voters that have been counted," he said. "We are also confident that there are thousands of people who have been counted who moved out of Clark County [Nevada] during the pandemic." Appearing with Laxalt at the event were Trump's former acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell, and American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp. Grenell chided reporters for asking questions during the press conference, saying, "Listen you're getting information ... do your job, it's pretty easy."
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cnbc--2020-11-05--GOP pollster says Trump cannot beat Biden without wins in swing states Arizona and Pennsylvania

President Donald Trump 's path to securing a second term now relies on defeating Democrat Joe Biden in Arizona , Republican strategist and pollster Frank Luntz told CNBC on Thursday .
The outcome in Arizona , which has 11 electoral votes , remains too early to call , according to NBC News .
But with 86 % of the state 's expected vote tallied , Biden leads with 50.5 % versus Trump 's 48.1 % .
`` Arizona is the place where the battle is going to happen , because the president can not be reelected without winning both Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Squawk Box . ''
Biden currently has 253 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency , according to NBC News .
Trump has 214 .
In addition to Arizona , the presidential contests have not been called by NBC News in Nevada , Georgia , Pennsylvania , North Carolina and Alaska .
All together , there are 71 electoral votes that are unclaimed , according to NBC News .
Luntz said he believes Arizona is critical to Trump 's fortunes due to his personal outlook on the race in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
NBC News considers the contest too close to call , with 86 % of the expected vote in .
Biden has 49.3 % compared with Trump 's 48.7 % , per NBC News .
`` I believe Nevada , when all the votes are counted , stays in Biden 's camp , '' Luntz said .
`` There are too many votes that are missing there from Las Vegas , and not enough missing from the rest of the state , which is more likely to vote Republican than Vegas is .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not yet writing off Arizona as election officials in the state continue to tabulate votes .
There are nearly 500,000 votes yet to be tallied , according to NBC News .
`` Arizona can flip to Trump , based on where the votes are still coming from , '' Luntz said .
On Wednesday , the presidential contests in Wisconsin and Michigan were called in favor of Biden , according to NBC News .
Wisconsin has 10 electoral votes , while Michigan has 16 .
Pennsylvania 's race is too close to call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote in , according to NBC News .
Trump leads in the Keystone State with 50.7 % of the vote , compared with Biden 's 48.1 % .
A victory alone in Pennsylvania , which has 20 electoral votes , would put Biden over the key 270 threshold .
Another path to victory for Biden includes winning Arizona and Nevada .
While Luntz said he believes Trump will prevail in North Carolina and Georgia , he said he likes Biden 's chances to win Pennsylvania , and by extension the overall race , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Based on the fact that so many of them are coming from Philadelphia or the Philadelphia suburbs , which is so strongly Democratic at this point , ...
I think that it does flip to Joe Biden , '' Luntz said .
With his path to 270 narrowing , Trump 's campaign is pursuing legal action in Pennsylvania , Michigan and Georgia pertaining to vote counting .
The Trump campaign also wants a recount in Wisconsin , which has already been called by NBC News for Biden .

President Donald Trump's path to securing a second term now relies on defeating Democrat Joe Biden in Arizona, Republican strategist and pollster Frank Luntz told CNBC on Thursday.
The outcome in Arizona, which has 11 electoral votes, remains too early to call, according to NBC News. But with 86% of the state's expected vote tallied, Biden leads with 50.5% versus Trump's 48.1%.
"Arizona is the place where the battle is going to happen, because the president cannot be reelected without winning both Arizona and Pennsylvania," Luntz said on "Squawk Box."
Biden currently has 253 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency, according to NBC News. Trump has 214. In addition to Arizona, the presidential contests have not been called by NBC News in Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Alaska. All together, there are 71 electoral votes that are unclaimed, according to NBC News.
Luntz said he believes Arizona is critical to Trump's fortunes due to his personal outlook on the race in Nevada, which has six electoral votes. NBC News considers the contest too close to call, with 86% of the expected vote in. Biden has 49.3% compared with Trump's 48.7%, per NBC News.
"I believe Nevada, when all the votes are counted, stays in Biden's camp," Luntz said. "There are too many votes that are missing there from Las Vegas, and not enough missing from the rest of the state, which is more likely to vote Republican than Vegas is."
However, Luntz said he was not yet writing off Arizona as election officials in the state continue to tabulate votes. There are nearly 500,000 votes yet to be tallied, according to NBC News. "Arizona can flip to Trump, based on where the votes are still coming from," Luntz said.
On Wednesday, the presidential contests in Wisconsin and Michigan were called in favor of Biden, according to NBC News. Wisconsin has 10 electoral votes, while Michigan has 16.
Pennsylvania's race is too close to call, with 89% of the expected vote in, according to NBC News. Trump leads in the Keystone State with 50.7% of the vote, compared with Biden's 48.1%.
A victory alone in Pennsylvania, which has 20 electoral votes, would put Biden over the key 270 threshold. Another path to victory for Biden includes winning Arizona and Nevada.
While Luntz said he believes Trump will prevail in North Carolina and Georgia, he said he likes Biden's chances to win Pennsylvania, and by extension the overall race, as the additional mail-in votes are counted. "Based on the fact that so many of them are coming from Philadelphia or the Philadelphia suburbs, which is so strongly Democratic at this point, ... I think that it does flip to Joe Biden," Luntz said.
With his path to 270 narrowing, Trump's campaign is pursuing legal action in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia pertaining to vote counting. The Trump campaign also wants a recount in Wisconsin, which has already been called by NBC News for Biden.


cnbc--2020-11-05--Ex-VP nominee Joe Lieberman: Trump must follow Gore's lead if he loses election fight in court

Former Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Lieberman told CNBC on Thursday that President Donald Trump 's campaign has the right to file lawsuits challenging state election outcomes .
However , the former U.S. senator from Connecticut said he hopes that Trump takes lessons from how Al Gore handled the hotly contested 2000 election that went to the Supreme Court if the litigation does not go his way .
`` You 've got a right to take your case to the courts .
Let the judges decide .
But most of all , as Al Gore did in 2000 , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the good of the country , '' Lieberman said on `` Squawk Box . ''
`` You 've got to have a transfer of power and pull together . ''
Lieberman has endorsed Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 race against the incumbent Trump .
The Trump campaign is pursuing legal action over vote counting in a number of closely watched states , including Michigan , Georgia and Pennsylvania .
NBC News projects Biden as the winner of Michigan 's presidential contest , but it has not made a call yet for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also wants a recount in Wisconsin , where Biden is the apparent winner , according to NBC News .
Biden has 253 electoral votes , compared with Trump 's 214 , in the battle for the 270 needed to win the presidency , according to a tally from NBC News .

Former Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Lieberman told CNBC on Thursday that President Donald Trump's campaign has the right to file lawsuits challenging state election outcomes. However, the former U.S. senator from Connecticut said he hopes that Trump takes lessons from how Al Gore handled the hotly contested 2000 election that went to the Supreme Court if the litigation does not go his way.
"You've got a right to take your case to the courts. Let the judges decide. But most of all, as Al Gore did in 2000, it has got to end at some point for the good of the country," Lieberman said on "Squawk Box." "You've got to have a transfer of power and pull together." Lieberman has endorsed Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 race against the incumbent Trump.
The Trump campaign is pursuing legal action over vote counting in a number of closely watched states, including Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania. NBC News projects Biden as the winner of Michigan's presidential contest, but it has not made a call yet for Georgia and Pennsylvania. The Trump campaign also wants a recount in Wisconsin, where Biden is the apparent winner, according to NBC News.
Biden has 253 electoral votes, compared with Trump's 214, in the battle for the 270 needed to win the presidency, according to a tally from NBC News.


cnbc--2020-11-05--The ways Joe Biden or Donald Trump would get 270 electoral votes and the White House

As states worked to tally remaining ballots two days after Election Day , Democratic nominee Joe Biden sat just shy Thursday of the electoral votes needed to win the White House .
Votes counted in undecided states so far show the paths both he and President Donald Trump have to the 270 electoral vote threshold that would earn them the presidency .
As of Thursday morning Biden had won 253 electoral votes , according to NBC News projections .
Trump trailed with 214 .
The race appeared to come down to a handful of states NBC classified as either too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania , Georgia , North Carolina , Arizona , Nevada and Alaska .
As of 8:30 a.m .
ET on Thursday , Biden held at least narrow leads in states that award 17 electoral votes .
Winning both of those — Arizona and Nevada — would get him to the finish line with exactly 270 electoral votes .
Biden got a major boost Wednesday as NBC News said it expects him to win a combined 29 electoral votes in Michigan , Wisconsin and Maine .
The Democrat 's campaign said Wednesday that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presidential election .
If Trump held his current advantages in Pennsylvania , Georgia , North Carolina and Alaska , he would fall just short of a second term with 263 electoral votes .
He would therefore have to overtake Biden elsewhere , as well .
The rivals may only have tenuous holds on their leads in some states as election officials continue counting votes .
More tallied votes , particularly Democratic-leaning mail-in ballots , could still change the dynamic in uncalled states and give the candidates new pathways to winning .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone would get him to 270 electoral votes .
• If Biden can carry Pennsylvania 's 20 electoral votes , he does not need any other states to win the presidency .
• Several combinations of states , including Georgia 's 16 electoral votes and Nevada 's six , would also get him across the finish line .
• Meanwhile , Trump 's most clear path to victory is holding his current lead in every state and surpassing Biden in Arizona , which awards 11 electoral votes .
Trump needs to carry Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He had a lead of more than 150,000 votes Thursday morning with about 90 % of votes counted .
Pennsylvania has not tallied more than 750,000 remaining mail-in ballots , according to the secretary of state 's office .
The votes are expected to include many from the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas , which skew heavily Democratic .
In Philadelphia County , Biden has won more than three-quarters of the vote counted so far , according to NBC .
As noted above , Biden does not need Pennsylvania to get to 270 electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state where the president currently leads , Biden would have to hold on in both Arizona and Nevada .
The Democrat leads in Arizona by about 70,000 votes , but the Trump campaign thinks it can make up ground when the state counts remaining ballots .
Biden holds a lead of only about 8,000 votes in Nevada .
Still , at least 150,000 more votes are expected to come in from Clark County , the Democratic-leaning area that includes Las Vegas .
Biden has one more big opportunity to gain ground on Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roughly 25,000 votes in Georgia as the state tallies its final ballots .

Avishek Das | LightRocket | Getty Images
As states worked to tally remaining ballots two days after Election Day, Democratic nominee Joe Biden sat just shy Thursday of the electoral votes needed to win the White House. Votes counted in undecided states so far show the paths both he and President Donald Trump have to the 270 electoral vote threshold that would earn them the presidency. As of Thursday morning Biden had won 253 electoral votes, according to NBC News projections. Trump trailed with 214. The race appeared to come down to a handful of states NBC classified as either too close or too early to call: Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada and Alaska.
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
As of 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Biden held at least narrow leads in states that award 17 electoral votes. Winning both of those — Arizona and Nevada — would get him to the finish line with exactly 270 electoral votes. Biden got a major boost Wednesday as NBC News said it expects him to win a combined 29 electoral votes in Michigan, Wisconsin and Maine. The Democrat's campaign said Wednesday that he is "on track" to win the presidential election.
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If Trump held his current advantages in Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina and Alaska, he would fall just short of a second term with 263 electoral votes. He would therefore have to overtake Biden elsewhere, as well. The rivals may only have tenuous holds on their leads in some states as election officials continue counting votes. More tallied votes, particularly Democratic-leaning mail-in ballots, could still change the dynamic in uncalled states and give the candidates new pathways to winning. For Biden, winning Arizona and Nevada alone would get him to 270 electoral votes.
If Biden can carry Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes, he does not need any other states to win the presidency.
Several combinations of states, including Georgia's 16 electoral votes and Nevada's six, would also get him across the finish line.
Meanwhile, Trump's most clear path to victory is holding his current lead in every state and surpassing Biden in Arizona, which awards 11 electoral votes. Trump needs to carry Pennsylvania in order to win the election. He had a lead of more than 150,000 votes Thursday morning with about 90% of votes counted. Pennsylvania has not tallied more than 750,000 remaining mail-in ballots, according to the secretary of state's office. The votes are expected to include many from the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas, which skew heavily Democratic. In Philadelphia County, Biden has won more than three-quarters of the vote counted so far, according to NBC.
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cnbc--2020-11-06--Steve Bannon's podcast barred from Twitter after he made beheading comment about Fauci, FBI Director

Steve Bannon's podcast barred from Twitter after he made beheading comment about Fauci, FBI Director Wray

Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon exits the Manhattan Federal Court , following his arraignment hearing for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering , in New York , August 20 , 2020 .
Former top Trump aide Steve Bannon 's podcast was permanently suspended by Twitter and had an episode yanked from YouTube after he implied that FBI Director Christopher Wray and leading government infectious-diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci should be beheaded and have their heads put on pikes outside the White House .
Those comments by Bannon on Thursday came while he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bond in a federal criminal case in which he is accused of defrauding donors to a nonprofit group purportedly dedicated to building a wall on the southern border of the United States .
A spokeswoman for Bannon said that he was not suggesting that Fauci and Wray actually be beheaded , but was speaking metaphorically by referencing the bloody politics of Tudor-era England .
She also said he has `` never called for violence of any kind . ''
A spokesman for prosecutors in the Southern District of New York declined to comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask a Manhattan federal court judge to either revoke Bannon 's bond , or to issue a gag order on him .
Bannon made the remarks about Wray and Fauci on his `` War Room : Pandemic '' podcast , when he was discussing a hypothetical second term for President Donald Trump .
Bannon ran Trump 's 2016 campaign and served as a senior White House advisor until Trump fired him in August 2017 .
Bannon during the podcast said , `` Second term kicks off with firing Wray , firing Fauci .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ go a step farther , but I realize the president is a kind-hearted man and a good man , '' Bannon continued .
`` I 'd actually like to go back to the old times of Tudor England , I 'd put the heads on pikes , right , I 'd put them at the two corners of the White House as a warning to federal bureaucrats .
You either get with the program or you 're gone – time to stop playing games . ''
`` Blow it all up , put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the FBI , that 'll light them up , right , '' Bannon said .
Grenell is a hard-core Trump loyalist who served as former acting director of national intelligence and ambassador to Germany .
Bannon 's co-host Jack Maxey then said , `` You know what , Steve , just yesterday there was the anniversary of the hanging of two Tories in Philadelphia , these were Quaker businessmen who had cohabitated , if you will , with the British while they were occupying Philadelphia . ''
`` These people were hung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do to traitors , '' Maxey said .
Bannon replied , `` That 's how you won the revolution .
No one wants to talk about it . ''
`` The [ American ] revolution was n't some sort of garden party , right ? ''
Bannon said .
`` It was a civil war .
It was a civil war . ''
Twitter said it suspended Bannon 's account because of the remarks on `` War Room . ''
A Twitter spokeperson in a statement said , `` The @ WarRoomPandemic account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter Rules , specifically our policy on the glorification of violence . ''
YouTube removed the episode , but other War Room episodes remain available .
Alex Joseph , a spokesperson for YouTube , which is owned by Google , said , `` We 've removed this video for violating our policy against inciting violence .
We will continue to be vigilant as we enforce our policies in the post-election period . ''
YouTube has a three-strikes policy before an account is terminated .
While the Bannon show 's channel is still available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disables uploading for at least a week , according to YouTube .
Bannon 's spokeswoman , in an emailed statement , said , `` Mr Bannon did not , would not and has never called for violence of any kind . ''
`` Mr. Bannon 's commentary was clearly meant metaphorically .
He previously played a clip of St. Thomas More 's trial and was making an allusion to this historical event in Tudor England for rhetorical purposes , '' the spokeswoman said .
`` Mr. Bannon has been openly critical of FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for his firing for his failure to investigate and address Hunter Biden 's hard drive and that has been in Director Wray 's possession since in Dec 2019 , '' she said .
`` In addition , Mr. Bannon has supported comments from the White House calling for the immediate firing of Dr .
Fauci . ''
In a 2016 interview with The Hollywood Reporter , Bannon compared himself to the famous chief minister to England 's King Henry VIII , who had him beheaded .
`` I am Thomas Cromwell in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bannon said in that interview .
Bannon was arrested Aug. 20 off the coast of Connecticut aboard a 150-yacht owned by Chinese billionaire Bannon and three associates , Timothy Shea , Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato , are accused of defrauding donors as they raised more than $ 25 million to build a wall along the southern border for the We Build the Wall nonprofit group .
Bannon has pleaded not guilty in the case .
He is free on a $ 5 million bond secured by $ 1.75 million in cash or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for next May .
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss , after the men were charged , said in a statement , `` The defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors , capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars , under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction . ''
`` While repeatedly assuring donors that Brian Kolfage , the founder and public face of We Build the Wall , would not be paid a cent , the defendants secretly schemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Kolfage , which he used to fund his lavish lifestyle . ''
Prosecutors say Bannon received $ 1 million in funds from We Build the Wall , and that to divert that money used a separate nonprofit he had already created , whose ostensible purpose was `` promoting economic nationalism and American sovereignty . ''

Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon exits the Manhattan Federal Court, following his arraignment hearing for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in New York, August 20, 2020.
Former top Trump aide Steve Bannon's podcast was permanently suspended by Twitter and had an episode yanked from YouTube after he implied that FBI Director Christopher Wray and leading government infectious-diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci should be beheaded and have their heads put on pikes outside the White House.
Those comments by Bannon on Thursday came while he is free on a $5 million release bond in a federal criminal case in which he is accused of defrauding donors to a nonprofit group purportedly dedicated to building a wall on the southern border of the United States.
A spokeswoman for Bannon said that he was not suggesting that Fauci and Wray actually be beheaded, but was speaking metaphorically by referencing the bloody politics of Tudor-era England. She also said he has "never called for violence of any kind."
A spokesman for prosecutors in the Southern District of New York declined to comment Thursday night when asked whether they will ask a Manhattan federal court judge to either revoke Bannon's bond, or to issue a gag order on him.
Bannon made the remarks about Wray and Fauci on his "War Room: Pandemic" podcast, when he was discussing a hypothetical second term for President Donald Trump.
Bannon ran Trump's 2016 campaign and served as a senior White House advisor until Trump fired him in August 2017.
Bannon during the podcast said, "Second term kicks off with firing Wray, firing Fauci."
"Now I actually want to go a step farther, but I realize the president is a kind-hearted man and a good man," Bannon continued.
"I'd actually like to go back to the old times of Tudor England, I'd put the heads on pikes, right, I'd put them at the two corners of the White House as a warning to federal bureaucrats. You either get with the program or you're gone – time to stop playing games."
"Blow it all up, put Ric Grenell today as the interim head of the FBI, that'll light them up, right," Bannon said.
Grenell is a hard-core Trump loyalist who served as former acting director of national intelligence and ambassador to Germany.
Bannon's co-host Jack Maxey then said, "You know what, Steve, just yesterday there was the anniversary of the hanging of two Tories in Philadelphia, these were Quaker businessmen who had cohabitated, if you will, with the British while they were occupying Philadelphia."
"These people were hung. This is what we used to do to traitors," Maxey said.
Bannon replied, "That's how you won the revolution. No one wants to talk about it."
"The [American] revolution wasn't some sort of garden party, right?" Bannon said. "It was a civil war. It was a civil war."
Twitter said it suspended Bannon's account because of the remarks on "War Room."
A Twitter spokeperson in a statement said, "The @WarRoomPandemic account has been permanently suspended for violating the Twitter Rules, specifically our policy on the glorification of violence."
YouTube removed the episode, but other War Room episodes remain available.
Alex Joseph, a spokesperson for YouTube, which is owned by Google, said, "We've removed this video for violating our policy against inciting violence. We will continue to be vigilant as we enforce our policies in the post-election period."
YouTube has a three-strikes policy before an account is terminated. While the Bannon show's channel is still available, the strike from this incident temporarily disables uploading for at least a week, according to YouTube.
Bannon's spokeswoman, in an emailed statement, said, "Mr Bannon did not, would not and has never called for violence of any kind."
"Mr. Bannon's commentary was clearly meant metaphorically. He previously played a clip of St. Thomas More's trial and was making an allusion to this historical event in Tudor England for rhetorical purposes," the spokeswoman said.
"Mr. Bannon has been openly critical of FBI Director Chris Wray for weeks and has called for his firing for his failure to investigate and address Hunter Biden's hard drive, and that has been in Director Wray's possession since in Dec 2019," she said.
"In addition, Mr. Bannon has supported comments from the White House calling for the immediate firing of Dr. Fauci."
In a 2016 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bannon compared himself to the famous chief minister to England's King Henry VIII, who had him beheaded.
"I am Thomas Cromwell in the court of the Tudors," Bannon said in that interview.
Bannon was arrested Aug. 20 off the coast of Connecticut aboard a 150-yacht owned by Chinese billionaire
Bannon and three associates, Timothy Shea, Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato, are accused of defrauding donors as they raised more than $25 million to build a wall along the southern border for the We Build the Wall nonprofit group.
Bannon has pleaded not guilty in the case.
He is free on a $5 million bond secured by $1.75 million in cash or property while awaiting his trial, scheduled for next May.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss, after the men were charged, said in a statement, "The defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction."
"While repeatedly assuring donors that Brian Kolfage, the founder and public face of We Build the Wall, would not be paid a cent, the defendants secretly schemed to pass hundreds of thousands of dollars to Kolfage, which he used to fund his lavish lifestyle."
Prosecutors say Bannon received $1 million in funds from We Build the Wall, and that to divert that money used a separate nonprofit he had already created, whose ostensible purpose was "promoting economic nationalism and American sovereignty."


cnbc--2020-11-06--Trump campaign will sue in Nevada, claiming votes by people who moved or who are dead; Biden lead wi


cnbc--2020-11-06--GOP pollster says Trump cannot beat Biden without wins in swing states Arizona and Pennsylvania


cnbc--2020-11-06--Ex-VP nominee Joe Lieberman: Trump must follow Gore's lead if he loses election fight in court


cnbc--2020-11-06--Trump campaign says it is suing to stop Michigan and Pennsylvania ballot counts

President Donald Trump 's campaign said Wednesday that it filed suits to halt the counting of ballots in Michigan and Pennsylvania , as the campaign demanded increased access to observe the tallying process at numerous locations in those battleground states .
The states have a combined 36 Electoral College votes at stake , more than double the 17 electoral votes that Democratic nominee Joe Biden needed as of Wednesday evening to clinch victory in the White House race .
The Trump campaign said that its Michigan lawsuit demands that the campaign be allowed to `` review those ballots '' ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we did not have meaningful access . ''
The lawsuit came before NBC News projected Biden , a former vice president , as the winner of Michigan 's presidential vote .
In Pennsylvania , the Trump campaign said that it is moving to intervene in an existing Supreme Court case related to that state 's extension of its mail-in ballot receipt deadline .
Separately in the Keystone State , the campaign is filing two legal actions : one aimed at stopping what the campaign called the `` hiding '' by Democratic officials of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican poll observers '' and another that seeks to undo an order extending the deadline for absentee and mail-in voters to provide missing proof of identification .
As the actions were announced , Trump 's inner circle tried to prematurely and falsely claim victory for the president in Pennsylvania even as the count remained incomplete there .
Later Wednesday , the Trump campaign said it had filed suit in Georgia seeking to require all counties there to separate ballots that arrive after the voting deadline from other , `` legally cast ballots .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ spurred by a Republican poll observer who reportedly witnessed 53 late-arriving absentee ballots `` illegally added to a stack of on-time absentee ballots in Chatham County . ''
As in Pennsylvania , Trump 's lead against Biden is narrowing in a count of ballots in Georgia , where an updated tally on Wednesday night showed the president ahead of the challenger by less than 50,000 votes , a margin of about 1 percent of all ballots counted .
Trump is also behind Biden in Nevada and Arizona .
If Biden wins both those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College voters , enough to secure a national win .
In Pennsylvania , where 20 Electoral College votes are at stake , Trump was leading , with 3,099,477 votes , or 52.3 % , compared with 2,745,468 votes , or 46.4 % , for Biden .
A total of 83 % of the expected votes had been tallied in Pennsylvania , which does not expect to have a final result for days .
NBC News has the current Electoral College tally as 253 for Biden and 214 for Trump .

President Donald Trump's campaign said Wednesday that it filed suits to halt the counting of ballots in Michigan and Pennsylvania, as the campaign demanded increased access to observe the tallying process at numerous locations in those battleground states.
The states have a combined 36 Electoral College votes at stake, more than double the 17 electoral votes that Democratic nominee Joe Biden needed as of Wednesday evening to clinch victory in the White House race.
The Trump campaign said that its Michigan lawsuit demands that the campaign be allowed to "review those ballots" ... "which were opened and counted while we did not have meaningful access."
The lawsuit came before NBC News projected Biden, a former vice president, as the winner of Michigan's presidential vote.
In Pennsylvania, the Trump campaign said that it is moving to intervene in an existing Supreme Court case related to that state's extension of its mail-in ballot receipt deadline.
Separately in the Keystone State, the campaign is filing two legal actions: one aimed at stopping what the campaign called the "hiding" by Democratic officials of "ballot counting and processing from our Republican poll observers" and another that seeks to undo an order extending the deadline for absentee and mail-in voters to provide missing proof of identification.
As the actions were announced, Trump's inner circle tried to prematurely and falsely claim victory for the president in Pennsylvania even as the count remained incomplete there.
Later Wednesday, the Trump campaign said it had filed suit in Georgia seeking to require all counties there to separate ballots that arrive after the voting deadline from other, "legally cast ballots."
The campaign said the suit was spurred by a Republican poll observer who reportedly witnessed 53 late-arriving absentee ballots "illegally added to a stack of on-time absentee ballots in Chatham County."
As in Pennsylvania, Trump's lead against Biden is narrowing in a count of ballots in Georgia, where an updated tally on Wednesday night showed the president ahead of the challenger by less than 50,000 votes, a margin of about 1 percent of all ballots counted.
Georgia has 16 Electoral College votes at stake.
Trump is also behind Biden in Nevada and Arizona. If Biden wins both those states, he would have 270 Electoral College voters, enough to secure a national win.
In Pennsylvania, where 20 Electoral College votes are at stake, Trump was leading, with 3,099,477 votes, or 52.3%, compared with 2,745,468 votes, or 46.4%, for Biden. A total of 83% of the expected votes had been tallied in Pennsylvania, which does not expect to have a final result for days.
NBC News has the current Electoral College tally as 253 for Biden and 214 for Trump.


cnbc--2020-11-06--McConnell says reaching an economic stimulus deal is ‘job one’ when Senate returns

`` As I 've said repeatedly in the last few months , we need another rescue package , '' McConnell , R-Ky. , said Wednesday morning .
`` Hopefully , the partisan passions that prevented us from doing another rescue package will subside with the election .
And I think we need to do it and I think we need to do it before the end of the year . ''
He also said that state and local aid , a consistent Democratic demand in relief discussions with the White House , could be included in a new bill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reelection bid for a seventh six-year Senate term , said from a news conference in Kentucky that another relief package would be the chamber 's chief focus when it reconvenes next week .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday said his top priority remains passing a new economic stimulus bill before the end of the year .
`` I think that 's job one when we get back , '' McConnell said .
`` Hopefully we get a more cooperative situation than we 've had . ''
Although Republicans appeared set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Wednesday afternoon , McConnell struck a cautious outlook and cited tight contests in key battleground states .
Democrats did win the Senate race in Colorado , and are leading in Arizona , but as of 1:55 p.m .
ET they appear to be set to fall short of becoming the majority .
NBC News projects Democrats will keep control of the House of Representatives .
Maine Democrat Sara Gideon 's concession to incumbent Sen. Susan Collins makes flipping the chamber even more difficult , though NBC News has yet to make an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , McConnell 's comments could rekindle relief talks between the two parties after months of stalled negotiations between Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House officials including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
The mired talks come even as the U.S. recorded another 91,500 new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday , the second-highest single-day tally to date , according to Johns Hopkins data .
The disease has now killed more than 230,000 Americans .
Up until the weeks immediately preceding the election , McConnell had warned that a potential $ 2 trillion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack sufficient support in the Senate out of fears it could be too expensive .
`` The Speaker laid out a $ 2.5 trillion package with all kinds of things that I felt were simply unrelated to the subject , '' the majority leader said Wednesday .
`` I laid on the Senate floor not once , but twice , half a trillion dollars ... targeting the school situation , the need to replenish PPP small loan program . ''
McConnell tried early in 2020 to advance his own , far-smaller bill that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments as well as omitted another round of $ 1,200 direct payment checks to most Americans .
That effort was blocked by Senate Democrats — who argued that it lacked enough relief — and by some Republicans that said even the watered-down bill was too costly .
Congress has not enacted any new major stimulus since the spring when lawmakers muscled through four bipartisan bills worth about $ 3 trillion .
`` Ultimately , you 've got to kill the [ virus ] before we get back to normal .
Because there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal .
You can keep keep pumping money into the economy forever and it wo n't solve the problem until we kill the virus , '' McConnell said .
`` Having said that , there are other sectors that need help and I outlined what I think is appropriate , but I do n't get to make the final decision .
We have to deal with the Democrats , '' he added .
`` And what I 'm saying is , I think now that the election 's over , the need is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work this out . ''

"As I've said repeatedly in the last few months, we need another rescue package," McConnell, R-Ky., said Wednesday morning. "Hopefully, the partisan passions that prevented us from doing another rescue package will subside with the election . And I think we need to do it and I think we need to do it before the end of the year."
He also said that state and local aid, a consistent Democratic demand in relief discussions with the White House, could be included in a new bill.
McConnell, who Tuesday evening won his reelection bid for a seventh six-year Senate term, said from a news conference in Kentucky that another relief package would be the chamber's chief focus when it reconvenes next week.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday said his top priority remains passing a new economic stimulus bill before the end of the year.
"I think that's job one when we get back," McConnell said. "Hopefully we get a more cooperative situation than we've had."
Although Republicans appeared set to retain their majority in the Senate as of Wednesday afternoon, McConnell struck a cautious outlook and cited tight contests in key battleground states.
Democrats did win the Senate race in Colorado, and are leading in Arizona, but as of 1:55 p.m. ET they appear to be set to fall short of becoming the majority. NBC News projects Democrats will keep control of the House of Representatives.
Maine Democrat Sara Gideon's concession to incumbent Sen. Susan Collins makes flipping the chamber even more difficult, though NBC News has yet to make an official call on that race.
Still, McConnell's comments could rekindle relief talks between the two parties after months of stalled negotiations between Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House officials including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
The mired talks come even as the U.S. recorded another 91,500 new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, the second-highest single-day tally to date, according to Johns Hopkins data. The disease has now killed more than 230,000 Americans.
Up until the weeks immediately preceding the election, McConnell had warned that a potential $2 trillion package negotiated between Mnuchin and Pelosi may lack sufficient support in the Senate out of fears it could be too expensive.
"The Speaker laid out a $2.5 trillion package with all kinds of things that I felt were simply unrelated to the subject," the majority leader said Wednesday. "I laid on the Senate floor not once, but twice, half a trillion dollars ... targeting the school situation, the need to replenish PPP small loan program."
McConnell tried early in 2020 to advance his own, far-smaller bill that lacked fiscal support for state and local governments as well as omitted another round of $1,200 direct payment checks to most Americans.
That effort was blocked by Senate Democrats — who argued that it lacked enough relief — and by some Republicans that said even the watered-down bill was too costly. Congress has not enacted any new major stimulus since the spring when lawmakers muscled through four bipartisan bills worth about $3 trillion.
"Ultimately, you've got to kill the [virus] before we get back to normal. Because there's no other way to get back to normal. You can keep keep pumping money into the economy forever and it won't solve the problem until we kill the virus," McConnell said.
"Having said that, there are other sectors that need help and I outlined what I think is appropriate, but I don't get to make the final decision. We have to deal with the Democrats," he added. "And what I'm saying is, I think now that the election's over, the need is there and need to sit down and work this out."


cnbc--2020-11-06--The ways Joe Biden or Donald Trump would get 270 electoral votes and the White House


cnbc--2020-11-06--Supreme Court leans in favor of Catholic adoption agency that won't work with LGBT couples

The Supreme Court 's conservative majority on Wednesday seemed prepared to rule in favor of a Roman Catholic adoption agency in Philadelphia that argued that it is entitled to discriminate against potential foster parents on the basis of sexual orientation .
Arguments in the case , known as Fulton v. City of Philadelphia , No .
19-123 , concluded around 12 p.m .
ET , as the votes from the previous night 's election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden continued to be tabulated .
The case was the first major dispute to come before Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the court late last month .
Barrett 's views on LGBT rights and religion came under heavy scrutiny during her Senate confirmation process .
Trump suggested early Wednesday morning that he would challenge the results of the election at the Supreme Court , though the topic of the 2020 race was not broached during the course of two hours of arguments .
NBC News has not yet called a winner in the presidential contest .
The adoption agency case arose after the city of Philadelphia learned in 2018 that Catholic Social Services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Roman Catholic Church , would not certify same-sex couples as suitable parents for children in the city 's foster care system .
After Philadelphia learned about CSS ' policy , the city stopped referring the group new children , citing a city law prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination , and updated its 2019 contract with foster care services providers to explicitly forbid such discrimination against potential parents .
Catholic Social Services argues that Philadelphia 's exclusion of it from the city 's foster care system amounts to religious discrimination , in violation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religious exercise .
Two lower courts sided with Philadelphia , citing the 1990 Supreme Court precedent known as Employment Division v. Smith , which permits laws that affect religion as long as they are neutral and generally applied .
CSS asked the court to overturn Smith , which was authored by the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia .
Arguments featured a familiar clash between the court 's conservatives , who now occupy six of the nine seats on the bench and have proven deferential to religious interests , and its liberals , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sexual minorities .
`` Coming into oral arguments , I might have said the court would side with the adoption agency either six to three or five to four , '' said Elizabeth Sepper , a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin who studies religious liberty and equality .
Based on arguments , she said , `` we can count to five pretty clearly . ''
Sepper said that the `` foundational disagreement '' raised during arguments was whether the court will see CSS as running a government program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide a service .
Religious groups typically have little leeway to shape government programs that they object to .
`` I was listening closely as to whether there would be hints as to reversal of Smith , and Smith just did not come up all that much in oral argument , '' Sepper said .
`` They just wanted to go round and round as to what this program is , whether it 's a government program or regulation . ''
The court 's liberal wing , which includes Justices Stephen Breyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemed to latch onto arguments made by Neal Katyal , the attorney for Philadelphia , that the stakes of the case extended to virtually all government services .
`` I do n't think the framing of this as religion versus same-sex equality is the right one , '' Katyal told the justices , saying it could more aptly be described as `` religion versus religion . ''
Katyal said that if the court allows CSS to claim an exemption to Philadelphia 's nondiscrimination law , it would `` radiate far beyond foster care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would allow private contractors to refuse to provide services to religious groups from `` Buddhist to Baptist '' if those contractors cite their own religious convictions .
Jeffrey Fisher , who represented two nonprofits siding with Philadelphia , suggested that the rule that CSS was pushing for could allow police officers to decline to enforce certain laws if they cite religious reasons .
But the court 's conservatives seemed to think that Philadelphia had an ulterior motive and was not being respectful of CSS ' religious beliefs .
Justice Brett Kavanaugh , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it appeared Philadelphia was `` looking for a fight '' and `` created a clash . ''
`` If we are honest about what is really going on here , it 's not about ensuring that same-sex couples in Philadelphia have the opportunity to be foster parents , '' said Justice Samuel Alito , an appointee of President George W. Bush .
`` It 's the fact the city ca n't stand the message that Catholic Social Services and the Archdiocese are sending by continuing to adhere to the old-fashioned view about marriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she viewed Philadelphia as overreaching .
She asked Katyal whether a state could take over hospitals and force the doctors to perform abortions .
Katyal responded that the reason Barrett 's hypothetical sounded so bad was the premise that a state could take over hospitals in the first place , which he suggested was not analogous to Philadelphia 's role in the foster care system , and raised distinct problems .
Both the liberal justices and the conservatives suggested that the other side was making the case harder than it needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that no same-sex couple had ever approached CSS , and that , if they had , the group would have simply referred them to another one of the city 's many agencies .
`` I fully appreciate the stigmatic harm , '' Kavanaugh said .
`` But we need to find a balance that also respects religious beliefs . ''
Kavanaugh called Philadelphia 's position `` absolutist '' and `` extreme '' and said it would require the court to `` go back on the promise of respect for religious believers '' that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court 's landmark 2015 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage , Obergefell v. Hodges .
On the other side , Breyer said that Philadelphia had agreed to allow CSS to note its objections to same-sex couples , as long as it did not refuse to work with them .
`` What 's the problem ?
I still do n't quite see it , '' Breyer asked of Lori Windham , who argued on behalf of CSS .
`` They say they are imposing a requirement that does not interfere with your — they ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
Windham said that even if CSS were to `` tag a disclaimer '' on its forms related to same-sex couples , it would still require the group to `` evaluate , assess , and approve '' of relationships that go against its religious beliefs .
Hashim Mooppan , a Justice Department attorney who argued on behalf of the U.S. in favor of CSS , said that Philadelphia 's nondiscrimination policy targeted religion because it provided exceptions for some secular purposes , but did not provide an exemption to CSS .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself engages in the consideration of protected traits when certifying and placing foster children , '' Mooppan said , noting that a potential foster parent 's disability status or race could sometimes be considered .
Katyal said that he could find only one instance of Philadelphia considering the race of potential foster parents .
The city , he said , decided not to place a foster child who had used a racial slur in the home of a family of that race .
Several of the justices pressed Windham and Mooppan to explain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups to discriminate on the basis of race , such as by rejecting interracial couples .
The attorneys said that it would not , though their explanations did not seem to satisfy the court 's Democratic appointees .
CSS sued alongside two foster moms , Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch .
Attorneys for the women provided statements on their behalf after arguments concluded .
Fulton said that as `` a single woman of color , I 've learned a thing or two about discrimination over the years— but I 've never experienced the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have expressed toward my faith . ''
Simms-Busch said she was `` grateful the Justices took our arguments seriously and seemed to understand that foster parents like me just want to provide loving homes for children . ''
Marcel Pratt , City Solicitor of Philadelphia , said in a statement that Philadelphia `` proudly respects and protects all of our residents ' religious freedoms , a commitment that we hold dear .
But those freedoms do not allow contractors performing a City service to choose which residents they will serve based on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opportunity to present our case to the Court today .
The Court asked hard questions of both sides , and we are grateful for them .
We look forward to the Court 's resolution of this important case , '' Pratt added .
A decision in the case is expected by the end of June .

The Supreme Court's conservative majority on Wednesday seemed prepared to rule in favor of a Roman Catholic adoption agency in Philadelphia that argued that it is entitled to discriminate against potential foster parents on the basis of sexual orientation.
Arguments in the case, known as Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, No. 19-123, concluded around 12 p.m. ET, as the votes from the previous night's election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden continued to be tabulated.
The case was the first major dispute to come before Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was confirmed to the court late last month. Barrett's views on LGBT rights and religion came under heavy scrutiny during her Senate confirmation process.
Trump suggested early Wednesday morning that he would challenge the results of the election at the Supreme Court, though the topic of the 2020 race was not broached during the course of two hours of arguments. NBC News has not yet called a winner in the presidential contest.
The adoption agency case arose after the city of Philadelphia learned in 2018 that Catholic Social Services, a foster care services provider affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, would not certify same-sex couples as suitable parents for children in the city's foster care system.
After Philadelphia learned about CSS' policy, the city stopped referring the group new children, citing a city law prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination, and updated its 2019 contract with foster care services providers to explicitly forbid such discrimination against potential parents.
Catholic Social Services argues that Philadelphia's exclusion of it from the city's foster care system amounts to religious discrimination, in violation of the First Amendment's protections for religious exercise.
Two lower courts sided with Philadelphia, citing the 1990 Supreme Court precedent known as Employment Division v. Smith, which permits laws that affect religion as long as they are neutral and generally applied. CSS asked the court to overturn Smith, which was authored by the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia.
Arguments featured a familiar clash between the court's conservatives, who now occupy six of the nine seats on the bench and have proven deferential to religious interests, and its liberals, who are typically more protective of the rights of sexual minorities.
"Coming into oral arguments, I might have said the court would side with the adoption agency either six to three or five to four," said Elizabeth Sepper, a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin who studies religious liberty and equality. Based on arguments, she said, "we can count to five pretty clearly."
Sepper said that the "foundational disagreement" raised during arguments was whether the court will see CSS as running a government program or as the recipient of a license to provide a service. Religious groups typically have little leeway to shape government programs that they object to.
"I was listening closely as to whether there would be hints as to reversal of Smith, and Smith just did not come up all that much in oral argument," Sepper said. "They just wanted to go round and round as to what this program is, whether it's a government program or regulation."
The court's liberal wing, which includes Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, seemed to latch onto arguments made by Neal Katyal, the attorney for Philadelphia, that the stakes of the case extended to virtually all government services.
"I don't think the framing of this as religion versus same-sex equality is the right one," Katyal told the justices, saying it could more aptly be described as "religion versus religion."
Katyal said that if the court allows CSS to claim an exemption to Philadelphia's nondiscrimination law, it would "radiate far beyond foster care." He said such a ruling would allow private contractors to refuse to provide services to religious groups from "Buddhist to Baptist" if those contractors cite their own religious convictions.
Jeffrey Fisher, who represented two nonprofits siding with Philadelphia, suggested that the rule that CSS was pushing for could allow police officers to decline to enforce certain laws if they cite religious reasons.
But the court's conservatives seemed to think that Philadelphia had an ulterior motive and was not being respectful of CSS' religious beliefs. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was appointed by Trump, told Katyal it appeared Philadelphia was "looking for a fight" and "created a clash."
"If we are honest about what is really going on here, it's not about ensuring that same-sex couples in Philadelphia have the opportunity to be foster parents," said Justice Samuel Alito, an appointee of President George W. Bush.
"It's the fact the city can't stand the message that Catholic Social Services and the Archdiocese are sending by continuing to adhere to the old-fashioned view about marriage," Alito said.
Barrett suggested that she viewed Philadelphia as overreaching.
She asked Katyal whether a state could take over hospitals and force the doctors to perform abortions.
Katyal responded that the reason Barrett's hypothetical sounded so bad was the premise that a state could take over hospitals in the first place, which he suggested was not analogous to Philadelphia's role in the foster care system, and raised distinct problems.
Both the liberal justices and the conservatives suggested that the other side was making the case harder than it needed to be.
Alito and Kavanaugh repeatedly mentioned that no same-sex couple had ever approached CSS, and that, if they had, the group would have simply referred them to another one of the city's many agencies.
"I fully appreciate the stigmatic harm," Kavanaugh said. "But we need to find a balance that also respects religious beliefs."
Kavanaugh called Philadelphia's position "absolutist" and "extreme" and said it would require the court to "go back on the promise of respect for religious believers" that Justice Anthony Kennedy had included in the court's landmark 2015 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, Obergefell v. Hodges.
On the other side, Breyer said that Philadelphia had agreed to allow CSS to note its objections to same-sex couples, as long as it did not refuse to work with them.
"What's the problem? I still don't quite see it," Breyer asked of Lori Windham, who argued on behalf of CSS.
"They say they are imposing a requirement that does not interfere with your — they can't figure out, how does it interfere?"
Windham said that even if CSS were to "tag a disclaimer" on its forms related to same-sex couples, it would still require the group to "evaluate, assess, and approve" of relationships that go against its religious beliefs.
Hashim Mooppan, a Justice Department attorney who argued on behalf of the U.S. in favor of CSS, said that Philadelphia's nondiscrimination policy targeted religion because it provided exceptions for some secular purposes, but did not provide an exemption to CSS.
"The city both requires, tolerates and itself engages in the consideration of protected traits when certifying and placing foster children," Mooppan said, noting that a potential foster parent's disability status or race could sometimes be considered.
Katyal said that he could find only one instance of Philadelphia considering the race of potential foster parents. The city, he said, decided not to place a foster child who had used a racial slur in the home of a family of that race.
Several of the justices pressed Windham and Mooppan to explain whether CSS' position would enable religious groups to discriminate on the basis of race, such as by rejecting interracial couples. The attorneys said that it would not, though their explanations did not seem to satisfy the court's Democratic appointees.
CSS sued alongside two foster moms, Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch. Attorneys for the women provided statements on their behalf after arguments concluded.
Fulton said that as "a single woman of color, I've learned a thing or two about discrimination over the years— but I've never experienced the vindictive religious discrimination the City's politicians have expressed toward my faith."
Simms-Busch said she was "grateful the Justices took our arguments seriously and seemed to understand that foster parents like me just want to provide loving homes for children."
Marcel Pratt, City Solicitor of Philadelphia, said in a statement that Philadelphia "proudly respects and protects all of our residents' religious freedoms, a commitment that we hold dear. But those freedoms do not allow contractors performing a City service to choose which residents they will serve based on their sexual orientation."
"We appreciated the opportunity to present our case to the Court today. The Court asked hard questions of both sides, and we are grateful for them. We look forward to the Court's resolution of this important case," Pratt added.
A decision in the case is expected by the end of June.


cnbc--2020-11-06--Postal Service data shows poor mail-in ballot delivery rate in key swing states, judge suggests Post

Postal Service data shows poor mail-in ballot delivery rate in key swing states, judge suggests Postmaster General DeJoy might have to testify

Returned ballots , where the voter could not be located , are stacked in United States Postal Service containers during the 2020 Presidential election in Provo , Utah , U.S. , on Tuesday , Nov. 3 , 2020 .
The Postal Service on Election Day failed to deliver a significant percentage of mail-in ballots to several states that could determine who wins the presidential contest between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden , data filed with a federal court suggested Wednesday .
The states seeing relatively poor levels of mail deliveries of ballots include Georgia , Pennsylvania , Michigan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which have yet to declare victors in their tallies for Trump and Biden .
The current vote tallies in those states show thin margins between the two candidates .
The outcomes in those states could hinge on the mailed-in ballots .
A Postal Service spokesman later Wednesday said that , `` The assumption that there are unaccounted ballots within the Postal Service network is inaccurate . ''
`` These ballots were delivered in advance of the election deadlines , '' the spokesman said .
`` We employed extraordinary measures to deliver ballots directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this occurs , by design , these ballots bypass certain processing operations and do not receive a final scan .
Instead , they are expedited directly to the boards of elections .
We remain in close contact with state and local boards of elections and we do not currently have any open issues .
Additionally , the Postal Inspection Service has physically inspected all plants that process ballots . ''
The Postal Service also Wednesday told a federal judge that it had failed to comply with his order that Postal officials sweep mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots on Tuesday during the time frame set by the judge .
The disclosures came in advance of hearing in U.S. District Court in Washington , D.C. Judge Emmet Sullivan , at that hearing , was furious with the failure of Postal officials to inform him on Tuesday of the failure to do the sweeps as ordered , as opposed to telling him on Wednesday , long after poll locations were closed nationwide .
`` Someone may have a price to pay for that , '' said Sullivan , who also said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testify or be deposed in the case .
`` I 'd like you to explain just what the heck happened yesterday , '' Sullivan told Joseph Borson , the Justice Department lawyer who is representing the Postal Service in the case .
Borson said that the sweeps of the facilities already had been scheduled to happen after the 3 p.m .
ET Tuesday deadline set by Sullivan , and that they could not be moved to earlier .
`` The postmaster is either going to have to be deposed or appear before me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions were not taken after the court issued its injunction , '' Sullivan said .
`` Whether we should spend time on that today , I 'm not sure we should , but I 'm not going to forget it either . ''
Kevin Bray , the Postal Service executive responsible for mail processing in the election , testified about the ballot handling process when the hearing resumed .

Returned ballots, where the voter could not be located, are stacked in United States Postal Service containers during the 2020 Presidential election in Provo, Utah, U.S., on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.
The Postal Service on Election Day failed to deliver a significant percentage of mail-in ballots to several states that could determine who wins the presidential contest between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden, data filed with a federal court suggested Wednesday.
The states seeing relatively poor levels of mail deliveries of ballots include Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin, all of which have yet to declare victors in their tallies for Trump and Biden.
The current vote tallies in those states show thin margins between the two candidates. The outcomes in those states could hinge on the mailed-in ballots.
A Postal Service spokesman later Wednesday said that, "The assumption that there are unaccounted ballots within the Postal Service network is inaccurate."
"These ballots were delivered in advance of the election deadlines," the spokesman said.
"We employed extraordinary measures to deliver ballots directly to local boards of elections. When this occurs, by design, these ballots bypass certain processing operations and do not receive a final scan. Instead, they are expedited directly to the boards of elections. We remain in close contact with state and local boards of elections and we do not currently have any open issues. Additionally, the Postal Inspection Service has physically inspected all plants that process ballots."
The Postal Service also Wednesday told a federal judge that it had failed to comply with his order that Postal officials sweep mail facilities in 12 geographic areas for remaining ballots on Tuesday during the time frame set by the judge. The disclosures came in advance of hearing in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
Judge Emmet Sullivan, at that hearing, was furious with the failure of Postal officials to inform him on Tuesday of the failure to do the sweeps as ordered, as opposed to telling him on Wednesday, long after poll locations were closed nationwide.
"Someone may have a price to pay for that," said Sullivan, who also said that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy may have to testify or be deposed in the case.
"I'd like you to explain just what the heck happened yesterday," Sullivan told Joseph Borson, the Justice Department lawyer who is representing the Postal Service in the case. Borson said that the sweeps of the facilities already had been scheduled to happen after the 3 p.m. ET Tuesday deadline set by Sullivan, and that they could not be moved to earlier.
"The postmaster is either going to have to be deposed or appear before me and testify under oath about why some actions were not taken after the court issued its injunction," Sullivan said.
"Whether we should spend time on that today, I'm not sure we should, but I'm not going to forget it either."
Kevin Bray, the Postal Service executive responsible for mail processing in the election, testified about the ballot handling process when the hearing resumed.


cnbc--2020-11-06--Biden and Trump campaigns both claim to be winning the election

Dillon explained that the Democratic nominee is on track to win the key battleground states of Michigan , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania and Nevada , and that if the vote counting ended as of the call , he would win the election .
`` I want to share with all of you that Joe Biden is on track to win this election and he will be the next president of the United States , '' said Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon .
The campaigns for President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden hosted dueling press calls Wednesday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presidential election , based on anticipated vote counts in states that are crucial to an Electoral College victory .
Dillon , who offered a state-by-state breakdown of why the campaign is confident of a victory , said that Biden plans to make a public address later Wednesday afternoon .
But Trump 's campaign , in its own press call , said the Republican incumbent will win those states , as well as Arizona and Nevada .
The president 's campaign manager Bill Stepien said , `` We feel like the president is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position this morning . ''
Trump campaign official Jason Miller said , `` There are anywhere between 1.2 to 1.4.million ballots yet to be counted in Pennsylvania .
We know there are upwards of 500,000 in Arizona .
We know that there are outstanding ballots to be counted in Nevada 's outlying Republican counties , and right now [ Trump and Biden ] are within 1 % in Michigan and Wisconsin . ''
`` But honing in specifically on Pennsylvania and Arizona .
If all legally cast ballots are counted , the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He added , `` These are not just realistic estimates of vote shares that we expect the president to achieve , these are conservative estimates . ''
Election Day on Tuesday ended without a clear winner being declared in any of the states highlighted during the press calls .

Dillon explained that the Democratic nominee is on track to win the key battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Nevada, and that if the vote counting ended as of the call, he would win the election.
"I want to share with all of you that Joe Biden is on track to win this election and he will be the next president of the United States," said Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon.
The campaigns for President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden hosted dueling press calls Wednesday morning where each insisted their candidate would win the presidential election , based on anticipated vote counts in states that are crucial to an Electoral College victory.
Dillon, who offered a state-by-state breakdown of why the campaign is confident of a victory, said that Biden plans to make a public address later Wednesday afternoon.
But Trump's campaign, in its own press call, said the Republican incumbent will win those states, as well as Arizona and Nevada.
The president's campaign manager Bill Stepien said, "We feel like the president is in a very very, very good position this morning."
Trump campaign official Jason Miller said, "There are anywhere between 1.2 to 1.4.million ballots yet to be counted in Pennsylvania. We know there are upwards of 500,000 in Arizona. We know that there are outstanding ballots to be counted in Nevada's outlying Republican counties, and right now [Trump and Biden] are within 1% in Michigan and Wisconsin."
"But honing in specifically on Pennsylvania and Arizona. If all legally cast ballots are counted, the president will win," Miller said.
He added, "These are not just realistic estimates of vote shares that we expect the president to achieve, these are conservative estimates."
Election Day on Tuesday ended without a clear winner being declared in any of the states highlighted during the press calls.