cnbc--2020-05-29--Trump's China press conference could mark the end of his cautious approach to Beijing

Beijing , in turn , has suggested the virus originated in U.S. service members , a claim widely rejected by international health experts .
For weeks , the Trump administration has been ratcheting up pressure on Beijing over its alleged cover-up of early coronavirus cases .
Trump has publicly blamed China for the virus itself and for its outsized severity in the United States .
The White House declined to comment on the content of Friday 's presidential announcement , and advisers said they did n't want to get ahead of the president by discussing it in advance .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tweeting one word , `` CHINA ! ''
on Friday morning .
Between 3:15 p.m. , when news of the Friday press conference hit , and the 4 p.m. close of trading , the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 300 points , giving up its positive gains for the day and ending down half a percent .
Even without any details , Trump 's announcement on Thursday at the White House was enough to send markets tumbling .
The White House later announced that the event would be held in the Rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be broadcast live .
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he would hold a news conference `` on China '' on Friday , but he offered no details as to what he would say .
In the past week , however , the pressure from the United States has taken a more serious turn in response to a proposed Chinese security law that threatens the long-standing independence of Hong Kong .
The law , formally approved Thursday by China 's People 's Congress , is expected to criminalize most forms of political protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and `` subversion . ''
On Wednesday , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a report to Congress declaring that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China .
`` No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China , given facts on the ground , '' Pompeo said in a statement accompanying the report .
The shift in Hong Kong 's status immediately jeopardizes the former British colony 's favorable trade relationship with the United States , which has so far meant that Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a hallmark of Trump 's trade war with Beijing .
The State Department was required to issue a determination on Hong Kong 's autonomy under pro-democracy legislation passed by Congress late last year .
The law also requires Trump to impose sanctions on foreigners who undermine `` fundamental freedoms and autonomy in Hong Kong . ''
For investors , a revocation of Hong Kong 's favored status is a worst-case outcome of Friday 's news conference .
But it 's far from guaranteed .
Trump has been reluctant to take action on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship into an outright confrontation .
As president , Trump is acutely aware of the United States ' interdependence with China as a market for American exports and a supplier of manufactured goods .
He also still believes that his phase one trade deal , signed in January , can and will be seen as one of the high points of his presidency , fulfilling a key campaign promise he made in 2016 .
Likewise , since the coronavirus arrived in the U.S. , Trump has shown little appetite for signing any legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But this could all change Friday .
On Wednesday , the House overwhelmingly approved a Senate bill that would require Trump to submit reports to Congress identifying Chinese government officials it believes are responsible for the forced detention of up to 2 million ethnic Muslims , known as Uighurs , in China 's western Xinjiang province .
The Uighur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 condemns the Chinese Communist Party for its treatment of Uighurs , and it requires the State Department to conduct a detailed assessment of the human rights violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress .
The bill passed the House 413-1 .
Despite the bill 's veto-proof majority in both chambers , Trump has yet to indicate whether he will sign it , another subject that could come up at Friday 's news conference .
If Trump were to sign the Uighur bill on Friday , for example , but not take formal steps to revoke Hong Kong 's favored status , this would likely be viewed as a more cautious approach and be welcomed by investors .
Another potential issue that Trump could raise Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and India , which Trump has offered to mediate .
On Thursday , Trump said he had spoken to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the dispute .
`` He 's not in a good mood , '' Trump said of Modi .
There are other factors Trump is reportedly weighing with regard to China , which are bigger than any one policy position .
One is the rising anti-China public sentiment in the United States .
Trump 's reelection campaign is trying to capitalize on the growing number of Americans who say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Attack ads aimed at presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden portray him as too friendly to China , and there 's an effort to stick the former vice president with the moniker `` Beijing Biden . ''
As Trump 's reelection campaign tries to paint his opponent as `` soft on '' China , Trump , by contrast , needs to appear tough on China .
So far , this has been achieved chiefly through tweets .
On Friday , Americans will get a chance to see if there 's a bite behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Tucker Higgins and Tom Franck contributed to this report .

Beijing, in turn, has suggested the virus originated in U.S. service members, a claim widely rejected by international health experts.
For weeks, the Trump administration has been ratcheting up pressure on Beijing over its alleged cover-up of early coronavirus cases. Trump has publicly blamed China for the virus itself and for its outsized severity in the United States.
The White House declined to comment on the content of Friday's presidential announcement, and advisers said they didn't want to get ahead of the president by discussing it in advance. Even Trump was cryptic about the expected news, tweeting one word, "CHINA!" on Friday morning.
Between 3:15 p.m., when news of the Friday press conference hit, and the 4 p.m. close of trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 300 points, giving up its positive gains for the day and ending down half a percent.
Even without any details, Trump's announcement on Thursday at the White House was enough to send markets tumbling.
The White House later announced that the event would be held in the Rose Garden at 2:00 p.m., and would be broadcast live.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he would hold a news conference "on China" on Friday, but he offered no details as to what he would say.
In the past week, however, the pressure from the United States has taken a more serious turn in response to a proposed Chinese security law that threatens the long-standing independence of Hong Kong. The law, formally approved Thursday by China's People's Congress, is expected to criminalize most forms of political protest under blanket bans on "sedition" and "subversion."
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a report to Congress declaring that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China.
"No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground," Pompeo said in a statement accompanying the report.
The shift in Hong Kong's status immediately jeopardizes the former British colony's favorable trade relationship with the United States, which has so far meant that Hong Kong has been spared punishing tariffs that are a hallmark of Trump's trade war with Beijing.
The State Department was required to issue a determination on Hong Kong's autonomy under pro-democracy legislation passed by Congress late last year. The law also requires Trump to impose sanctions on foreigners who undermine "fundamental freedoms and autonomy in Hong Kong."
For investors, a revocation of Hong Kong's favored status is a worst-case outcome of Friday's news conference. But it's far from guaranteed.
Trump has been reluctant to take action on China that could tip the strained bilateral relationship into an outright confrontation. As president, Trump is acutely aware of the United States' interdependence with China as a market for American exports and a supplier of manufactured goods. He also still believes that his phase one trade deal, signed in January, can and will be seen as one of the high points of his presidency, fulfilling a key campaign promise he made in 2016.
Likewise, since the coronavirus arrived in the U.S., Trump has shown little appetite for signing any legislation he thinks could hinder the economic recovery.
But this could all change Friday.
On Wednesday, the House overwhelmingly approved a Senate bill that would require Trump to submit reports to Congress identifying Chinese government officials it believes are responsible for the forced detention of up to 2 million ethnic Muslims, known as Uighurs, in China's western Xinjiang province.
The Uighur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 condemns the Chinese Communist Party for its treatment of Uighurs, and it requires the State Department to conduct a detailed assessment of the human rights violations occurring in Xinjiang and submit it to Congress. The bill passed the House 413-1.
Despite the bill's veto-proof majority in both chambers, Trump has yet to indicate whether he will sign it, another subject that could come up at Friday's news conference.
If Trump were to sign the Uighur bill on Friday, for example, but not take formal steps to revoke Hong Kong's favored status, this would likely be viewed as a more cautious approach and be welcomed by investors.
Another potential issue that Trump could raise Friday is the ongoing border dispute between China and India, which Trump has offered to mediate. On Thursday, Trump said he had spoken to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the dispute. "He's not in a good mood," Trump said of Modi.
There are other factors Trump is reportedly weighing with regard to China, which are bigger than any one policy position. One is the rising anti-China public sentiment in the United States.
Trump's reelection campaign is trying to capitalize on the growing number of Americans who say they have an unfavorable view of Beijing.
Attack ads aimed at presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden portray him as too friendly to China, and there's an effort to stick the former vice president with the moniker "Beijing Biden."
As Trump's reelection campaign tries to paint his opponent as "soft on" China, Trump, by contrast, needs to appear tough on China. So far, this has been achieved chiefly through tweets.
TRUMP TWEET
On Friday, Americans will get a chance to see if there's a bite behind Trump's China bark.
— CNBC's Tucker Higgins and Tom Franck contributed to this report.


cnbc--2020-05-29--North Carolina, GOP convention planners at an impasse over social distancing

North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper listens to a question during a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic at the Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh , N.C. , Tuesday , May 26 , 2020 .
Republican National Convention organizers appear to have hit an impasse with the state of North Carolina over social distancing at the party 's nominating convention , scheduled to be held in Charlotte in late August .
After weeks of trading strongly worded letters , punctuated by angry threats from President Donald Trump to move the convention to a more accommodating city , the GOP organizers appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light for a massive gathering than they were a month ago .
Meanwhile , the state of North Carolina , where coronavirus cases are still surging , is no closer to getting the Republican nominating event to agree to limits on attendees or social distancing practices , both of which Trump has flatly rejected .
Officials from North Carolina requested in a letter released Friday that the Republican National Committee expand on their plans to host the convention safely while adhering to social distancing guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Roy Cooper .
`` The CDC currently has interim guidance regarding mass gatherings which details a number of safety protocols that organizers of major events should utilize amid this pandemic .
We would ask that the RNC further elaborate on its plans to protect convention participants and the people of Charlotte in accordance with CDC guidance , '' said the letter , sent by Mandy Cohen , secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services .
North Carolina has previously urged the RNC to come up with a plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimize potential to the spread of Covid-19 .
But the RNC has skirted the issue of releasing a social distancing plan in their discussions with North Carolina .
In a letter released Thursday , the RNC outlined a number of safety protocols such as temperature scans ahead of entry and availability of disinfectant in the convention site .
But absent from their plan is a way to encourage social distancing and cap the number of people who are able to attend the convention .
In a statement to CNBC , the RNC said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from North Carolina on how to host the convention in August .
`` We had hoped to receive from Gov .
Cooper concrete details on how to plan for our Convention in Charlotte .
After all , if public schools can be opened early on August 17th we should know how to proceed with an event on August 24th , '' said RNC spokesperson Rick Gorka .
`` Instead we do not have a commitment that provides clarity or guidance .
Like the rest of the state , we will be ready and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear guidance on how we should safely plan for the type of convention for which we originally contracted , '' Gorka said .
This stalemate comes days after President Donald Trump said he `` will be reluctantly forced '' to move the convention , leading several Republican officials in Texas , Atlanta and Florida to pitch their states as possible venues .
The coronavirus pandemic has cut the president off from his beloved rallies , and he sees the August convention as a key opportunity to showcase the passion and size of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Without the image on television of a packed convention hall wildly cheering for Trump , the president reportedly feels his campaign would appear diminished , and he would be deprived of the scenery that befits an incumbent president being renominated by his party .
Meanwhile , the Democratic National Convention is scheduled to occur the week before the GOP convention , and its organizers have indicated that they are planning to hold a virtual event .
In a May 13 statement , the DNC said it is taking these steps to `` plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can accomplish their official business without putting their own health at risk . ''
The statement continued : `` With much about the scale and impact of the coronavirus pandemic still unknown , this resolution will make it easier for our team to appropriately adjust things like the convention 's format , size , or date as the situation continues to unfold in real time , while still delivering an uplifting and unifying event that puts our nominee on the path to victory in November . ''
When reached for comment , DNC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement : `` 100,000 people have died and millions are unemployed given this President 's failed response to the pandemic .
In every area , Trump has ignored experts , and now he 's more concerned about packing 50,000 people in a stadium without listening to health officials .
We will continue to listen to local and national health officials , and do everything we can to ensure the safety of the people of Milwaukee and all those involved in the convention . ''
The outbreak has spread to dozens of countries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldwide and over 360,800 deaths , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
There are at least 1.7 million cases in the United States and at least 101,600 deaths , according to the latest tallies .

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper listens to a question during a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic at the Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, May 26, 2020.
Republican National Convention organizers appear to have hit an impasse with the state of North Carolina over social distancing at the party's nominating convention, scheduled to be held in Charlotte in late August.
After weeks of trading strongly worded letters, punctuated by angry threats from President Donald Trump to move the convention to a more accommodating city, the GOP organizers appear no closer to getting their desired green light for a massive gathering than they were a month ago.
Meanwhile, the state of North Carolina, where coronavirus cases are still surging, is no closer to getting the Republican nominating event to agree to limits on attendees or social distancing practices, both of which Trump has flatly rejected.
Officials from North Carolina requested in a letter released Friday that the Republican National Committee expand on their plans to host the convention safely while adhering to social distancing guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and enforced by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.
"The CDC currently has interim guidance regarding mass gatherings which details a number of safety protocols that organizers of major events should utilize amid this pandemic. We would ask that the RNC further elaborate on its plans to protect convention participants and the people of Charlotte in accordance with CDC guidance," said the letter, sent by Mandy Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Letter from NC
North Carolina has previously urged the RNC to come up with a plan to carry out the convention safely to minimize potential to the spread of Covid-19. But the RNC has skirted the issue of releasing a social distancing plan in their discussions with North Carolina.
In a letter released Thursday, the RNC outlined a number of safety protocols such as temperature scans ahead of entry and availability of disinfectant in the convention site.
But absent from their plan is a way to encourage social distancing and cap the number of people who are able to attend the convention.
In a statement to CNBC, the RNC said it was hoping to receive clearer guidance from North Carolina on how to host the convention in August.
"We had hoped to receive from Gov. Cooper concrete details on how to plan for our Convention in Charlotte. After all, if public schools can be opened early on August 17th we should know how to proceed with an event on August 24th," said RNC spokesperson Rick Gorka.
"Instead we do not have a commitment that provides clarity or guidance. Like the rest of the state, we will be ready and waiting for North Carolina leadership to offer clear guidance on how we should safely plan for the type of convention for which we originally contracted," Gorka said.
This stalemate comes days after President Donald Trump said he "will be reluctantly forced" to move the convention, leading several Republican officials in Texas, Atlanta and Florida to pitch their states as possible venues.
The coronavirus pandemic has cut the president off from his beloved rallies, and he sees the August convention as a key opportunity to showcase the passion and size of his base of support in the party.
Without the image on television of a packed convention hall wildly cheering for Trump, the president reportedly feels his campaign would appear diminished, and he would be deprived of the scenery that befits an incumbent president being renominated by his party.
Meanwhile, the Democratic National Convention is scheduled to occur the week before the GOP convention, and its organizers have indicated that they are planning to hold a virtual event.
In a May 13 statement, the DNC said it is taking these steps to "plan a safe event that guarantees every delegate can accomplish their official business without putting their own health at risk."
The statement continued: "With much about the scale and impact of the coronavirus pandemic still unknown, this resolution will make it easier for our team to appropriately adjust things like the convention's format, size, or date as the situation continues to unfold in real time, while still delivering an uplifting and unifying event that puts our nominee on the path to victory in November."
When reached for comment, DNC Communications Director Xochitl Hinojosa gave the following statement: "100,000 people have died and millions are unemployed given this President's failed response to the pandemic. In every area, Trump has ignored experts, and now he's more concerned about packing 50,000 people in a stadium without listening to health officials. We will continue to listen to local and national health officials, and do everything we can to ensure the safety of the people of Milwaukee and all those involved in the convention."
The outbreak has spread to dozens of countries, with more than 5.8 million confirmed cases worldwide and over 360,800 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. There are at least 1.7 million cases in the United States and at least 101,600 deaths, according to the latest tallies.


cnbc--2020-05-29--Democrats expand probe into State Dept. inspector general's firing, plan interviews with Trump offic

Democrats expand probe into State Dept. inspector general's firing, plan interviews with Trump officials

Steve Linick , State Department inspector general , center , exits after closed-door testimony on Capitol Hill in Washington , D.C. , U.S. , on Wednesday , Oct. 2 , 2019 .
Democratic lawmakers on Friday announced they will seek interviews with `` key officials '' as part of an expanded investigation into President Donald Trump 's decision to fire State Department Inspector General Steve Linick .
Trump dismissed Linick in a surprise move on May 15 on a recommendation from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , who was involved in at least two investigations reportedly being conducted by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` If Secretary Pompeo pushed for Mr. Linick 's dismissal to cover up his own misconduct , that would constitute an egregious abuse of power and a clear attempt to avoid accountability , '' three Democratic committee leaders said in a statement Friday .
`` Congress has demanded answers about the abrupt firing of the Inspector General , but Secretary Pompeo has failed to explain his actions , '' the Democrats said .
`` We call upon administration officials to comply and appear for interviews with the Committees , and for Secretary Pompeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not obstruct the American people from discovering the truth about his own actions . ''
House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel , D-N.Y. , House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , and Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Bob Menendez , D-N.J. , said they plan to publicly release transcripts of their interviews `` as quickly as possible . ''
They also vowed to take `` further public-facing steps '' related to their probe .
`` The truth about Mr. Linick 's firing will come out , '' they said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ requested documents from the Trump administration related to Linick 's firing .
The administration not yet provided any such documents , the Democrats said Friday .
The State Department did not immediately respond to CNBC 's request for comment on the press release .
Pompeo maintains that he was not retaliating against Linick because he was not aware of the investigations being conducted by the inspector general 's office .
But he revealed last week that he had previously submitted written responses to questions from the watchdog .
Trump said he had an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , in a letter that he had lost `` confidence '' in the watchdog , without providing further explanation .
Pelosi later said the firing could be `` unlawful '' if it was an act of retaliation .
Linick was investigating alleged wrongdoing by Pompeo related to having a political appointee at the department perform personal tasks for him and his wife , Susan Pompeo , NBC News and other outlets have reported .
Multiple outlets also reported that Linick was nearly done with another probe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approval of a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Saudi Arabia that bypassed congressional approval .
On Fox News on Thursday night , Pompeo said that he should have recommended Linick 's firing earlier , and added that Linick `` was investigating policies he simply did n't like . ''
But the Foreign Affairs Committee tweeted Friday morning that Linick was investigating the arms sale `` because we asked him to . ''

Steve Linick, State Department inspector general, center, exits after closed-door testimony on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019.
Democratic lawmakers on Friday announced they will seek interviews with "key officials" as part of an expanded investigation into President Donald Trump's decision to fire State Department Inspector General Steve Linick.
Trump dismissed Linick in a surprise move on May 15 on a recommendation from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was involved in at least two investigations reportedly being conducted by the watchdog's office at the time.
"If Secretary Pompeo pushed for Mr. Linick's dismissal to cover up his own misconduct, that would constitute an egregious abuse of power and a clear attempt to avoid accountability," three Democratic committee leaders said in a statement Friday.
"Congress has demanded answers about the abrupt firing of the Inspector General, but Secretary Pompeo has failed to explain his actions," the Democrats said. "We call upon administration officials to comply and appear for interviews with the Committees, and for Secretary Pompeo to comply with the Committees' investigation and not obstruct the American people from discovering the truth about his own actions."
House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said they plan to publicly release transcripts of their interviews "as quickly as possible." They also vowed to take "further public-facing steps" related to their probe.
"The truth about Mr. Linick's firing will come out," they said.
Democrats have demanded Linick's reinstatement and requested documents from the Trump administration related to Linick's firing. The administration not yet provided any such documents, the Democrats said Friday.
The State Department did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the press release.
Pompeo maintains that he was not retaliating against Linick because he was not aware of the investigations being conducted by the inspector general's office. But he revealed last week that he had previously submitted written responses to questions from the watchdog.
Trump said he had an absolute right to fire Linick. He told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in a letter that he had lost "confidence" in the watchdog, without providing further explanation. Pelosi later said the firing could be "unlawful" if it was an act of retaliation.
Linick was investigating alleged wrongdoing by Pompeo related to having a political appointee at the department perform personal tasks for him and his wife, Susan Pompeo, NBC News and other outlets have reported.
Multiple outlets also reported that Linick was nearly done with another probe, this one dealing with Pompeo's approval of a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Saudi Arabia that bypassed congressional approval.
On Fox News on Thursday night, Pompeo said that he should have recommended Linick's firing earlier, and added that Linick "was investigating policies he simply didn't like."
But the Foreign Affairs Committee tweeted Friday morning that Linick was investigating the arms sale "because we asked him to."
HFAC TWEET


cnbc--2020-05-29--Biden 'furious' over Trump's call for violence against Americans in Minneapolis protests of George F

Biden 'furious' over Trump's call for violence against Americans in Minneapolis protests of George Floyd death

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden is seen at War Memorial Plaza during Memorial Day , amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) , in New Castle , Delaware , U.S. May 25 , 2020 .
Former vice president Joe Biden on Friday said he is `` furious '' over President Donald Trump `` calling for violence against American citizens '' during the protests in Minneapolis over the death in police hands of a black man , George Floyd .
`` Enough , '' wrote Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posts from Trump .
The president early Friday , after a police precinct in Minneapolis was torched by protestors , wrote on Twitter that he was willing to send the National Guard to deal with the chaos , adding : `` when the looting starts , the shooting starts . ''
At the time of Trump 's tweet , the Minneapolis National Guard had already been activated by the state 's governor , Tim Walz .
Biden said in remarks that were live-streamed on the Internet later Friday that he had spoken with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's death `` an act of brutality '' that was just the latest in a series of injustices stemming from racism against black people , which Biden said was the `` original sin '' of the United States , which `` still stains '' the nation .
`` An act of brutality so elemental , it did more than deny one more black man in America his civil rights and human rights .
It denied him of his very humanity , it denied him of his life , '' Biden said of Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we need real leadership right now , '' Biden said .
`` We need justice for George Floyd .
We need real police reform . ''
Biden directly thanked Floyd 's family for talking to him and said , `` I promise you , I promise you , we 'll do everything in our power to see that justice is had . ''

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden is seen at War Memorial Plaza during Memorial Day, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Castle, Delaware, U.S. May 25, 2020.
Former vice president Joe Biden on Friday said he is "furious" over President Donald Trump "calling for violence against American citizens" during the protests in Minneapolis over the death in police hands of a black man, George Floyd.
"Enough," wrote Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in a tweet thread responding to Twitter posts from Trump.
The president early Friday, after a police precinct in Minneapolis was torched by protestors, wrote on Twitter that he was willing to send the National Guard to deal with the chaos, adding: "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."
At the time of Trump's tweet, the Minneapolis National Guard had already been activated by the state's governor, Tim Walz.
Biden said in remarks that were live-streamed on the Internet later Friday that he had spoken with Floyd's family.
He called Floyd's death "an act of brutality" that was just the latest in a series of injustices stemming from racism against black people, which Biden said was the "original sin" of the United States, which "still stains" the nation.
"An act of brutality so elemental, it did more than deny one more black man in America his civil rights and human rights. It denied him of his very humanity, it denied him of his life," Biden said of Floyd.
"This is national crisis, and we need real leadership right now," Biden said. "We need justice for George Floyd. We need real police reform."
Biden directly thanked Floyd's family for talking to him and said, "I promise you, I promise you, we'll do everything in our power to see that justice is had."


cnbc--2020-05-29--New York City mayor condemns Minneapolis officers in George Floyd killing

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announces new rules for restaurants , bars , cafes to serve only take-out & delivery , movie theaters , gyms to close because of COVID-19 epidemic at City Hall .
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio condemned the four Minneapolis officers involved in the death of George Floyd , saying this `` horrifying '' situation can not happen again .
`` I watched that video and my heart broke .
It was ...
I could not believe the officer 's lack of concern , and it was horrifying , and it just ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blasio said at a news briefing on Friday .
Floyd , a black man in Minneapolis , died Monday after a white police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest while ignoring Floyd 's pleas for help .
A video that captured Floyd gasping and saying `` I ca n't breathe '' set off a national outcry and led to violent protests in Minneapolis .
The officers involved in the confrontation were fired , but no charges have been filed .
On Thursday , de Blasio said in a tweet that Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he were white .
De Blasio received some backlash on social media after urging that criminal charges be filed immediately against the police officers .
The New York Police Department has also come under scrutiny for instances of police brutality .
The officer who applied the fatal chokehold on Eric Garner in New York City in 2014 during de Blasio 's first year in office was removed from his job only five years later .
On Garner 's death , de Blasio said he 's been `` really clear about the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mistake in believing the U.S. Department of Justice would do its job , and I will be very blunt and clear about that .
When the city took over there was due process , there was a trial , our police commissioner made a decision , it was the right decision . ''
`` The thing I feel very clearly in retrospect is we should 've ignored the Department of Justice because what they did was unconscionable in not acting and just moved ahead and that 's what we 'll do from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When asked whether Garner would be alive today if he were white , de Blasio said , `` absolutely . ''
Correction : This article was revised to recast the circumstances surrounding the Eric Garner case .

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announces new rules for restaurants, bars, cafes to serve only take-out & delivery, movie theaters, gyms to close because of COVID-19 epidemic at City Hall.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio condemned the four Minneapolis officers involved in the death of George Floyd, saying this "horrifying" situation cannot happen again.
"I watched that video and my heart broke. It was ... I could not believe the officer's lack of concern, and it was horrifying, and it just can't go on this way," de Blasio said at a news briefing on Friday.
Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, died Monday after a white police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest while ignoring Floyd's pleas for help. A video that captured Floyd gasping and saying "I can't breathe" set off a national outcry and led to violent protests in Minneapolis. The officers involved in the confrontation were fired, but no charges have been filed.
On Thursday, de Blasio said in a tweet that Floyd was murdered and would still be alive if he were white.
tweet
De Blasio received some backlash on social media after urging that criminal charges be filed immediately against the police officers. The New York Police Department has also come under scrutiny for instances of police brutality. The officer who applied the fatal chokehold on Eric Garner in New York City in 2014 during de Blasio's first year in office was removed from his job only five years later.
On Garner's death, de Blasio said he's been "really clear about the fact we made a mistake, I made a mistake in believing the U.S. Department of Justice would do its job, and I will be very blunt and clear about that. When the city took over there was due process, there was a trial, our police commissioner made a decision, it was the right decision."
"The thing I feel very clearly in retrospect is we should've ignored the Department of Justice because what they did was unconscionable in not acting and just moved ahead and that's what we'll do from now on absolutely," he said.
When asked whether Garner would be alive today if he were white, de Blasio said, "absolutely."
Correction: This article was revised to recast the circumstances surrounding the Eric Garner case.


cnbc--2020-05-29--Trump's social media order could affect the campaign, even if it doesn't change the law

President Donald Trump 's executive order targeting social media companies Thursday immediately sparked outcry among the president 's critics .
But it was also dismissed as legally toothless .
Yet , with the 2020 election on the horizon , that may not matter .
The order gives Trump another weapon to wield from the bully pulpit of an incumbent presidency , serving as a warning shot to social media platforms that he is willing to put them through costly litigation if he is unhappy with the content on their sites .
He will also use those platforms , specifically Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his message out .
`` It 's an enormous amount of words , bluster and attention for doing effectively nothing anytime soon , '' said Deborah Pearlstein , a professor of constitutional law at Cardozo Law school .
`` The issue is whether its purpose is to intimidate and chill free speech , rather than actually affect legal change . ''
There has been growing support among Democrats and Republicans for a need to review section 230 of the Communications Decency Act , a controversial statue that gives technology companies immunity from being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump 's rival in the election , apparent Democratic nominee Joe Biden , has said he believes Section 230 should be `` revoked . ''
House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi unsuccessfully fought to remove Section 230 from U.S. trade law .
Online platforms have defended the statute as necessary to allow people to express their opinions and for their companies to grow .
But their detractors have argued it gives companies like Twitter a way to sidestep regulations imposed on traditional publishers , despite the crucial role they play in disseminating news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his critics argue , is n't necessarily about Section 230 .
It 's about presidential power .
`` There is a serious and long-term debate about the effectiveness of 230 as it is currently written , and there are serious and smart arguments and lots of different sides of the debate , '' said Pearlstein .
`` This is not that debate . ''
Pelosi , meantime , decried the executive order as doing `` nothing to address big Internet companies ' complete failure to fight the spread of disinformation . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President is encouraging Facebook and other social media giants to continue to exploit and profit off falsehoods with total impunity – while at the same time directing the federal government to dismantle efforts to help users distinguish fact from fiction . ''
While Democrats and Republicans have both proposed legislation to modify the law , Trump seemingly wants to sidestep Congress altogether .
Instead , his order would rope in the power of federal agencies to tackle content modification .
Trump announced plans to sign an executive order days after he slammed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his tweets that made misleading claims about mail-in voting .
In the initial draft form of the order , the final version of which has not yet been viewed by CNBC , Trump pushes the National Telecommunications and Information Administration , which is part of the executive branch to lobby the Federal Trade Commission to take actions against companies that engage in `` deceptive '' acts of communication .
The FCC does not report to the president and has historically avoided giving itself a role in defining politically sensitive information .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defining what is good faith seems kind of treacherous , '' said Megan Brown , a partner with law firm Wiley Rein .
`` Who at the FCC is going to want to get the crystal ball out and opine on what is reasonable But even if the FCC does n't do as Trump hopes , it will likely at least explore rule-making as a result of the order -- if signed in its current form .
That , say , experts , could open the door or opponents of the social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and complaints about their practices .
Attorney General William Barr said Thursday that the Justice Department would also seek to sue social media companies , saying the application of Section 230 `` has been stretched way beyond its original intention . ''
Twitter on Thursday night called Trump 's executive order `` a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law , saying attempts to erode it `` threaten the future of online speech . ''
Google issued a statement , saying : `` We have clear content policies and we enforce them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platforms have empowered a wide range of people and organizations from across the political spectrum , giving them a voice and new ways to reach their audiences .
Undermining Section 230 in this way would hurt America 's economy and its global leadership on internet freedom . ''
And the executive order could open the floodgates to litigation , even if it 's ultimately ruled illegal .
Lawyers and lobbyists who spoke to CNBC said they had spent much of Wednesday evening and Thursday scrambling to understand the executive order and its legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has demonstrated a seeming belief in the power of the threat of costly litigation , lodging libel suits against both The Washington Post and The New York Times .
Critics have said these suits are unlikely to be victorious , but that does n't mean they wo n't cost money - or rile up Trump 's base .
That base may be of increasing focus as the coronavirus pandemic threatens the U.S. economy , a benchmark of Trump 's reelection campaign .
Trump has shown signs of losing ground with some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 , including seniors .
Critics on Thursday were quick to point to what they say was an immediate impact of Trump 's battle cry .
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told CNBC he does not think social networks should be fact-checking what politicians post .
`` Facebook is a platform for diverse views .
We believe in protecting freedom of expression on our services , while protecting our community from harmful content including content designed to stop voters from exercising their right to vote .
Those rules apply to everybody .
Repealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposite effect .
It will restrict more speech online , not less .
By exposing companies to potential liability for everything that billions of people around the world say , this would penalize companies that choose to allow controversial speech and encourage platforms to censor anything that might offend anyone . ''
`` At even the first hint of this unlawful White House action , Facebook 's Mark Zuckerberg immediately caved to the President , arguing that it 's not his job to ensure the American people receive accurate information about voting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Change the Terms and co-CEO of Free Press .

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U.S. President Donald Trump makes a statement to reporters about reopening churches across the United States during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, May 22, 2020. Leah Millis | Reuters
President Donald Trump's executive order targeting social media companies Thursday immediately sparked outcry among the president's critics. But it was also dismissed as legally toothless. Yet, with the 2020 election on the horizon, that may not matter. The order gives Trump another weapon to wield from the bully pulpit of an incumbent presidency, serving as a warning shot to social media platforms that he is willing to put them through costly litigation if he is unhappy with the content on their sites. He will also use those platforms, specifically Twitter, to his direct advantage in getting his message out. "It's an enormous amount of words, bluster and attention for doing effectively nothing anytime soon," said Deborah Pearlstein, a professor of constitutional law at Cardozo Law school. "The issue is whether its purpose is to intimidate and chill free speech, rather than actually affect legal change." There has been growing support among Democrats and Republicans for a need to review section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a controversial statue that gives technology companies immunity from being sued over the content on their platforms. Trump's rival in the election, apparent Democratic nominee Joe Biden, has said he believes Section 230 should be "revoked." House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi unsuccessfully fought to remove Section 230 from U.S. trade law. Online platforms have defended the statute as necessary to allow people to express their opinions and for their companies to grow. But their detractors have argued it gives companies like Twitter a way to sidestep regulations imposed on traditional publishers, despite the crucial role they play in disseminating news.
It's about presidential power
But Trump's action Thursday, his critics argue, isn't necessarily about Section 230. It's about presidential power. "There is a serious and long-term debate about the effectiveness of 230 as it is currently written, and there are serious and smart arguments and lots of different sides of the debate," said Pearlstein. "This is not that debate." Pelosi, meantime, decried the executive order as doing "nothing to address big Internet companies' complete failure to fight the spread of disinformation." "Instead," she said, "the President is encouraging Facebook and other social media giants to continue to exploit and profit off falsehoods with total impunity – while at the same time directing the federal government to dismantle efforts to help users distinguish fact from fiction." While Democrats and Republicans have both proposed legislation to modify the law, Trump seemingly wants to sidestep Congress altogether. Instead, his order would rope in the power of federal agencies to tackle content modification. Trump announced plans to sign an executive order days after he slammed Twitter for applying warning labels to two of his tweets that made misleading claims about mail-in voting. In the initial draft form of the order, the final version of which has not yet been viewed by CNBC, Trump pushes the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is part of the executive branch to lobby the Federal Trade Commission to take actions against companies that engage in "deceptive" acts of communication. The FCC does not report to the president and has historically avoided giving itself a role in defining politically sensitive information. "Putting the FCC in the position of defining what is good faith seems kind of treacherous," said Megan Brown, a partner with law firm Wiley Rein. "Who at the FCC is going to want to get the crystal ball out and opine on what is reasonable But even if the FCC doesn't do as Trump hopes, it will likely at least explore rule-making as a result of the order -- if signed in its current form. That, say, experts, could open the door or opponents of the social media companies to pour in with negative comments and complaints about their practices. Attorney General William Barr said Thursday that the Justice Department would also seek to sue social media companies, saying the application of Section 230 "has been stretched way beyond its original intention." Twitter on Thursday night called Trump's executive order "a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law, saying attempts to erode it "threaten the future of online speech." tweet Google issued a statement, saying: "We have clear content policies and we enforce them without regard to political viewpoint. Our platforms have empowered a wide range of people and organizations from across the political spectrum, giving them a voice and new ways to reach their audiences. Undermining Section 230 in this way would hurt America's economy and its global leadership on internet freedom."
Flood of litigation


cnbc--2020-05-30--Ex-Minneapolis cop charged with murder in death of George Floyd

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

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


cnbc--2020-05-30--Next coronavirus stimulus bill will be the 'final' one, Mitch McConnell says

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

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


cnbc--2020-05-30--Joe Biden sees surge in health-care industry fundraising as Trump slumps in polls over coronavirus r

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

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

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


cnbc--2020-06-01--Chinese state media lash out at the U.S. for threatening Hong Kong and China with sanctions

Police officers outside Prince Edward MTR railway station during the commemoration of the tenth month after hundreds of anti-government demonstrators were attacked by riot police in clashes at the subway station .
China 's state media hit back at President Donald Trump 's decision to strip Hong Kong of its special status with the U.S. , and said Washington should deal with its own problems at home instead of interfering in other countries ' affairs .
In response to Beijing 's decision to impose a national security law on Hong Kong , a semi-autonomous region under Chinese rule , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kong 's preferential treatment as a separate customs and travel territory from the rest of China . ''
Trump also said the U.S. will take `` necessary steps to sanction '' both Chinese and Hong Kong officials who are `` directly or indirectly involved in eroding Hong Kong 's autonomy . ''
Top Chinese Communist Party newspaper People 's Daily said in a commentary on Sunday evening that the U.S. move to slap sanctions on Hong Kong is nothing but a show of political posturing .
It highlighted that Washington announced those sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the killing of an unarmed black man , George Floyd , by Minneapolis police .
The paper questioned why the U.S. was `` complaining about others '' and `` attacking '' them instead of focusing on its own problems .
The commentary also noted that U.S. deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic have hit a new high .
`` With domestic crises on the rise , ( the U.S. ) has not forgotten to interfere in the affairs of foreign countries , as well as withdrawing from the world 's largest health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referring to Trump 's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization .
`` The logic of the US side is understandable and incomprehensible , '' it added .

Police officers outside Prince Edward MTR railway station during the commemoration of the tenth month after hundreds of anti-government demonstrators were attacked by riot police in clashes at the subway station.
China's state media hit back at President Donald Trump's decision to strip Hong Kong of its special status with the U.S., and said Washington should deal with its own problems at home instead of interfering in other countries' affairs.
In response to Beijing's decision to impose a national security law on Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous region under Chinese rule, Trump said Friday it will "revoke Hong Kong's preferential treatment as a separate customs and travel territory from the rest of China."
Trump also said the U.S. will take "necessary steps to sanction" both Chinese and Hong Kong officials who are "directly or indirectly involved in eroding Hong Kong's autonomy."
Top Chinese Communist Party newspaper People's Daily said in a commentary on Sunday evening that the U.S. move to slap sanctions on Hong Kong is nothing but a show of political posturing.
It highlighted that Washington announced those sanctions just as protests were escalating stateside, after the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, by Minneapolis police. The paper questioned why the U.S. was "complaining about others" and "attacking" them instead of focusing on its own problems.
The commentary also noted that U.S. deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic have hit a new high.
"With domestic crises on the rise, (the U.S.) has not forgotten to interfere in the affairs of foreign countries, as well as withdrawing from the world's largest health organization," the paper said, referring to Trump's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization.
"The logic of the US side is understandable and incomprehensible," it added.


cnbc--2020-06-01--Trump says the top U.S. military officer is 'in charge' as George Floyd protests rock the nation

U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley answers reporters ' questions during a news conference at the Pentagon the day after it was announced that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a U.S. raid in Syria October 28 , 2019 in Arlington , Virginia .
WASHINGTON — In a contentious call with the nation 's governors Monday , President Donald Trump said he was putting America 's highest-ranking military officer `` in charge '' as protests over the death of George Floyd rock the United States for a seventh day .
`` General Milley is here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Staff , a fighter , a warrior , and a lot of victories and no losses .
And he hates to see the way it 's being handled in the various states .
And I 've just put him in charge , '' Trump told governors , according to audio obtained by NBC .
It was not immediately clear what Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley would be tasked with as it relates to the domestic unrest across the nation .
The Pentagon added few details .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary of Defense , '' Pentagon spokesperson U.S. Army Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell said .
`` As of this morning , 23 states and the District of Columbia had mobilized personnel in support of state and local authorities .
Combined , they provided over 17,000 National Guard troops in support , '' Mitchell added .
When asked to elaborate , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she would not `` get ahead of any actions that will be announced '' on the matter .
`` There will be additional federal assets deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a central command center in conjunction with the state and local governments that will include general Milley , [ Defense Secretary Mark ] Esper and [ Attorney General William ] Barr , but I wo n't go any further in announcing any actions , '' McEnany said during a White House press briefing .
NBC News reported that Trump has considered using the Insurrection Act , which was adopted in 1807 .
Under the move , he would deploy troops to respond to the demonstrations .
The law was last invoked during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the request of then-Gov .
Pete Wilson , according to NBC .
The latest revelation comes as Trump called for governors on Monday to use force when confronting protesters , who have taken to the streets across the U.S. to protest Floyd 's death as well as police brutality .
Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
The officer was charged with third-degree murder .
An independent autopsy found that asphyxiation was the cause of Floyd 's death .
Follow CNBC 's live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the demonstrations gripping the United States .

U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley answers reporters' questions during a news conference at the Pentagon the day after it was announced that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a U.S. raid in Syria October 28, 2019 in Arlington, Virginia.
WASHINGTON — In a contentious call with the nation's governors Monday, President Donald Trump said he was putting America's highest-ranking military officer "in charge" as protests over the death of George Floyd rock the United States for a seventh day.
"General Milley is here who's head of Joint Chiefs of Staff, a fighter, a warrior, and a lot of victories and no losses. And he hates to see the way it's being handled in the various states. And I've just put him in charge," Trump told governors, according to audio obtained by NBC.
It was not immediately clear what Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley would be tasked with as it relates to the domestic unrest across the nation. The Pentagon added few details. "The chairman will continue to advise the secretary of Defense," Pentagon spokesperson U.S. Army Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell said.
"As of this morning, 23 states and the District of Columbia had mobilized personnel in support of state and local authorities. Combined, they provided over 17,000 National Guard troops in support," Mitchell added.
When asked to elaborate, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she would not "get ahead of any actions that will be announced" on the matter.
"There will be additional federal assets deployed across the nation and there will be a central command center in conjunction with the state and local governments that will include general Milley, [Defense Secretary Mark] Esper and [Attorney General William] Barr, but I won't go any further in announcing any actions," McEnany said during a White House press briefing.
NBC News reported that Trump has considered using the Insurrection Act, which was adopted in 1807. Under the move, he would deploy troops to respond to the demonstrations. The law was last invoked during the 1992 Rodney King riots in California, at the request of then-Gov. Pete Wilson, according to NBC.
The latest revelation comes as Trump called for governors on Monday to use force when confronting protesters, who have taken to the streets across the U.S. to protest Floyd's death as well as police brutality. Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The officer was charged with third-degree murder. An independent autopsy found that asphyxiation was the cause of Floyd's death.
Follow CNBC's live blog covering all the latest news on the demonstrations gripping the United States.


cnbc--2020-06-01--Some voters are scared the coronavirus will stop them from casting a ballot

An election official checks in a resident at a drive-up polling place set up outside of Roosevelt Elementary School on April 07 , 2020 in Racine , Wisconsin .
Erica Friedle had not missed a vote in seven years .
Then came the coronavirus pandemic .
Friedle told CNBC she did n't receive her absentee ballot for April 's Wisconsin presidential primary .
And now she fears that a lack of preparation by state officials and the continued threat of the disease might force her to sit out the upcoming November election in the swing state .
As health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fall , many states are beginning to plan for the likelihood of people opting to vote by mail instead of showing up in person , where the risk of contracting and spreading the coronavirus is greater .
For some people , the coronavirus has made voting a nerve-wracking action .
Some Americans and voting rights groups are concerned that the pandemic is forcing voters to choose between avoiding contact with people to stay healthy and exercising their right to vote .
Come November , these concerns might linger .
`` Are people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote ?
Are people going to be requesting absentee ballots ?
Do people even have the technology to request a ballot online ? ''
Friedle asked , listing out some of her immediate worries in an interview with CNBC .
`` There are so many unknowns right now . ''
The Wisconsin primary in particular has been criticized for its disorganization and last-minute changes , leading to voter confusion and disenfranchisement and serves as an example of what voting rights groups hope will not happen in November .
Complicating matters , President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party are on the attack against widespread mail-in voting while Democrats push for expanded access .
Late last month , Trump threatened to withhold funding from Michigan and Nevada for expanding their mail-in voting services in an effort to avoid crowded polling centers during the coronavirus pandemic .
`` More and more states are allowing vote-by-mail without voters having to provide a reason or excuse for it , '' said Andrea Hailey , CEO of Vote.org , a nonprofit focusing on advancing voter ballot access .
`` Other states are mailing applications to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that all voters can participate in the electoral process . ''
More than half , or 54 % , of Americans said they would back voting by mail in the upcoming presidential election if the pandemic persists , according to an April Morning Consult poll .
And 66 % of surveyed Americans said in March that they were concerned about voting in person during the coronavirus outbreak .
`` We are seeing signs that voters are registering at numbers unseen from our organization , and that they are very much interested in voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an email .
But mail-in voting can bring its own concerns , especially if there are underlying circumstances that affect support , such as the potential for U.S .
Postal Service operation failure or miscommunication between state officials and voters .
Friedle , a second-grade teacher , said she applied for an absentee ballot but did not receive it ahead of the Wisconsin presidential primary on April 7 .
She is a single mother with a 10-year-old child , sharing custody with her ex-husband , a scientist at a large pharmaceutical company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been working on a vaccine for Covid-19 .
The combination of being unable to leave her child alone and fearing getting sick at the polls made Friedle miss the vote .
`` I did n't want to put myself at risk for getting sick , '' she said .
`` I 've been taking care of my daughter the whole time .
Her father works crazy hours , and at that time , he was telling me he might get locked out in his work , that he would n't be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added : `` That just made me nervous .
Who 's gon na watch my daughter ? ''
Friedle , 41 , is not within the most vulnerable age group for contracting the most severe form of the virus .
But there 's still a lot at stake for people like Friedle : parents with young kids or teachers whose students are relying on them even as online classes persist .
Knowing the risks , Friedle chose instead to skip out on voting .
She feared if she contracted the virus , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or potentially be unable to teach .
Voting rights groups stress that the most susceptible people are `` older voters and people with pre-existing conditions , '' according to Brett Edkins , political director at New York-based Stand Up America , a nonprofit focused on advancing Democratic goals .
`` Children and younger parents are at relatively low risk of becoming seriously ill. Election experts across the partisan divide say that mail-in voting is the safest alternative to in-person voting . ''
But Friedle 's experience during the Wisconsin primary gave her a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for her and other voters across the nation , she said .
She 's hoping to see her state take action in the coming months to reduce the likelihood of people experiencing what she did .
This includes `` having multiple ways to vote , whether you want to vote early , via an absentee ballot or in person . ''
At the same time , she 's concerned about whether officials are considering the feasibility of these moves .
`` How can we do that ?
How can we do it safely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ germs or viruses ? ''
she asked .
`` Lots of organizations are out there that drive people to the polls .
Are people still organizing these things with Covid going on ? ''
In other states , some voters are concerned that there wo n't be enough done to make in-person voting safer .
Angel Wells , a frequent voter and a self-described human rights activist based in Arizona , said that 's what 's driving her fears today .
Voting can get chaotic in Arizona , said Wells , a veteran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are 64 voting offices where you can cast your vote .
But that 's not enough when you live in a valley with millions of people . ''
`` When people go out to vote , those lines are long .
The polling booths are close [ together ] .
They 're not six feet apart .
How are we supposed to have this vote and keep within health guidelines ? ''
`` People are rightly concerned about having to choose between their right to vote and their health , '' Edkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think we 're hearing a lot of those concerns from our community and from voters everywhere . ''

An election official checks in a resident at a drive-up polling place set up outside of Roosevelt Elementary School on April 07, 2020 in Racine, Wisconsin.
Erica Friedle had not missed a vote in seven years. Then came the coronavirus pandemic.
Friedle told CNBC she didn't receive her absentee ballot for April's Wisconsin presidential primary. And now she fears that a lack of preparation by state officials and the continued threat of the disease might force her to sit out the upcoming November election in the swing state.
As health officials predict that the pandemic might last into the fall, many states are beginning to plan for the likelihood of people opting to vote by mail instead of showing up in person, where the risk of contracting and spreading the coronavirus is greater.
For some people, the coronavirus has made voting a nerve-wracking action. Some Americans and voting rights groups are concerned that the pandemic is forcing voters to choose between avoiding contact with people to stay healthy and exercising their right to vote. Come November, these concerns might linger.
"Are people going to want to stay in line to vote? Are people going to be requesting absentee ballots? Do people even have the technology to request a ballot online?" Friedle asked, listing out some of her immediate worries in an interview with CNBC. "There are so many unknowns right now."
The Wisconsin primary in particular has been criticized for its disorganization and last-minute changes, leading to voter confusion and disenfranchisement and serves as an example of what voting rights groups hope will not happen in November.
Complicating matters, President Donald Trump and members of the Republican Party are on the attack against widespread mail-in voting while Democrats push for expanded access. Late last month, Trump threatened to withhold funding from Michigan and Nevada for expanding their mail-in voting services in an effort to avoid crowded polling centers during the coronavirus pandemic.
"More and more states are allowing vote-by-mail without voters having to provide a reason or excuse for it," said Andrea Hailey, CEO of Vote.org, a nonprofit focusing on advancing voter ballot access. "Other states are mailing applications to voters, which is critical for ensuring that all voters can participate in the electoral process."
More than half, or 54%, of Americans said they would back voting by mail in the upcoming presidential election if the pandemic persists, according to an April Morning Consult poll. And 66% of surveyed Americans said in March that they were concerned about voting in person during the coronavirus outbreak.
"We are seeing signs that voters are registering at numbers unseen from our organization, and that they are very much interested in voting by absentee," Hailey told CNBC in an email.
But mail-in voting can bring its own concerns, especially if there are underlying circumstances that affect support, such as the potential for U.S. Postal Service operation failure or miscommunication between state officials and voters.
Friedle, a second-grade teacher, said she applied for an absentee ballot but did not receive it ahead of the Wisconsin presidential primary on April 7. She is a single mother with a 10-year-old child, sharing custody with her ex-husband, a scientist at a large pharmaceutical company who at the time of the primary had been working on a vaccine for Covid-19.
The combination of being unable to leave her child alone and fearing getting sick at the polls made Friedle miss the vote.
"I didn't want to put myself at risk for getting sick," she said. "I've been taking care of my daughter the whole time. Her father works crazy hours, and at that time, he was telling me he might get locked out in his work, that he wouldn't be able to leave his work."
She added: "That just made me nervous. Who's gonna watch my daughter?"
Friedle, 41, is not within the most vulnerable age group for contracting the most severe form of the virus. But there's still a lot at stake for people like Friedle: parents with young kids or teachers whose students are relying on them even as online classes persist. Knowing the risks, Friedle chose instead to skip out on voting. She feared if she contracted the virus, she would pass it on to her daughter or potentially be unable to teach.
Voting rights groups stress that the most susceptible people are "older voters and people with pre-existing conditions," according to Brett Edkins, political director at New York-based Stand Up America, a nonprofit focused on advancing Democratic goals. "Children and younger parents are at relatively low risk of becoming seriously ill. Election experts across the partisan divide say that mail-in voting is the safest alternative to in-person voting."
But Friedle's experience during the Wisconsin primary gave her a taste of what November might look like for her and other voters across the nation, she said.
She's hoping to see her state take action in the coming months to reduce the likelihood of people experiencing what she did. This includes "having multiple ways to vote, whether you want to vote early, via an absentee ballot or in person."
At the same time, she's concerned about whether officials are considering the feasibility of these moves. "How can we do that? How can we do it safely so people aren't being exposed to germs or viruses?" she asked. "Lots of organizations are out there that drive people to the polls. Are people still organizing these things with Covid going on?"
In other states, some voters are concerned that there won't be enough done to make in-person voting safer.
Angel Wells, a frequent voter and a self-described human rights activist based in Arizona, said that's what's driving her fears today.
Voting can get chaotic in Arizona, said Wells, a veteran. In her voting area, "there are 64 voting offices where you can cast your vote. But that's not enough when you live in a valley with millions of people."
"When people go out to vote, those lines are long. The polling booths are close [together]. They're not six feet apart. How are we supposed to have this vote and keep within health guidelines?"
"People are rightly concerned about having to choose between their right to vote and their health," Edkins of Stand Up America said. "I think we're hearing a lot of those concerns from our community and from voters everywhere."


cnbc--2020-06-02--George Floyd family calls for first-degree murder charges against cop after independent autopsy find

George Floyd family calls for first-degree murder charges against cop after independent autopsy finds asphyxiation killed him

Terrence Floyd ( C ) attends a vigil where his brother George Floyd was killed by police one week ago on June 1 , 2020 in Minneapolis , Minnesota .
The ME 's autopsy noted `` other significant conditions '' in Floyd , which included `` arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease ; fentanyl intoxication ; recent methamphetamine use . ''
Hours later , the Hennepin County , Minnesota , Medical Examiner 's Office released updated findings of its official autopsy , which ruled that Floyd was the victim of a homicide , with the cause of death being cardiopulmonary arrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his neck .
Floyd 's family cited those findings as they called for criminal charges to be lodged against the three police officers who were with Chauvin as he knelt on Floyd 's neck for more than eight minutes .
Lawyers for George Floyd 's family on Monday called for a first-degree murder charge to be filed against ex-Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin , who already faces lesser murder and manslaughter charges , after an independent autopsy commissioned by the family found that Floyd died as the result of asphyxiation from sustained pressure on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ findings by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner did not support a diagnosis of strangulation as the independent autopsy by Floyd 's family did .
Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter last week after the preliminary findings of the official autopsy suggested that Floyd 's underlying heart conditions , combined with the police restraint and `` potential intoxicants in his system , '' likely contributed to his death .
But Dr. Michael Baden , one of the pathologists who performed the independent autopsy , at a news conference Monday said , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that caused or contributed to his death . ''
Baden 's autopsy found that Floyd 's death was a `` homicide caused by asphyxia due to neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain , '' according to a statement issued by the family 's lead attorney , Ben Crump .
`` Sustained pressure on the right side of Mr. Floyd 's carotid artery impeded blood flow to the brain , and weight on his back impeded his ability to breathe , '' the statement said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weight on the back , handcuffs and positioning were contributory factors because they impaired the ability of Mr. Floyd 's diaphragm to function . ''
Baden addressed the fact that Floyd repeatedly said , `` I ca n't breathe '' as Chauvin knelt on his neck .
`` Police have this false impression that if you can talk , you can breathe .
That 's not true , '' said Baden , a former New York City medical examiner , who conducted the second autopsy with Dr. Allecia Wilson of the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chauvin to leave his knee on George 's neck despite warnings and evidence that his life was in danger — and to continue that course for many minutes — demands a first-degree murder charge . ''
`` For George Floyd , the ambulance was his hearse , '' Crump said .
Antonio Romanucci , another lawyer for the Floyd family , said he would leave it up to state prosecutors to decide what charges should be lodged against Chauvin 's three fellow officers , but said that charges of some kind are warranted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` They knew that they were applying restraints that could or would cause death , '' said Romanucci about the other officers .
`` They are criminally liable because they knew what they were doing could lead to death . ''
`` Not only was the knee on George 's neck a cause of his death , but so was the weight of the other two police officers on his back , who not only prevented blood flow into his brain but also air flow into his lungs . ''
Minneapolis Police Chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all four officers are `` complicit '' in Floyd 's death .
The incident , which is the latest in a series of deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police , has ignited protests nationwide .
Crump and Floyd 's family said people should continue to protest , but urged them to not engage in violence or looting .
Chauvin and three other officers — all of whom have since been fired — detained and arrested Floyd on suspicion that he had used a counterfeit bill to make a purchase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accuses Chauvin of keeping his knee pressed down on Floyd 's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds , including for nearly three minutes after Floyd was unresponsive .

Terrence Floyd (C) attends a vigil where his brother George Floyd was killed by police one week ago on June 1, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen | Getty Images
Lawyers for George Floyd's family on Monday called for a first-degree murder charge to be filed against ex-Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin, who already faces lesser murder and manslaughter charges, after an independent autopsy commissioned by the family found that Floyd died as the result of asphyxiation from sustained pressure on his neck and back. Floyd's family cited those findings as they called for criminal charges to be lodged against the three police officers who were with Chauvin as he knelt on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes. Hours later, the Hennepin County, Minnesota, Medical Examiner's Office released updated findings of its official autopsy, which ruled that Floyd was the victim of a homicide, with the cause of death being cardiopulmonary arrest complicated by police restraining him and compressing his neck. The ME's autopsy noted "other significant conditions" in Floyd, which included "arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease; fentanyl intoxication; recent methamphetamine use."
Booking photo of former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin Photo provided by Ramsey County Jail
Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter last week after the preliminary findings of the official autopsy suggested that Floyd's underlying heart conditions, combined with the police restraint and "potential intoxicants in his system," likely contributed to his death. Those earlier findings by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner did not support a diagnosis of strangulation as the independent autopsy by Floyd's family did. But Dr. Michael Baden, one of the pathologists who performed the independent autopsy, at a news conference Monday said, "Mr. Floyd had no underlying medical problems that caused or contributed to his death." Baden's autopsy found that Floyd's death was a "homicide caused by asphyxia due to neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain," according to a statement issued by the family's lead attorney, Ben Crump. "Sustained pressure on the right side of Mr. Floyd's carotid artery impeded blood flow to the brain, and weight on his back impeded his ability to breathe," the statement said. "The independent examiners found that weight on the back, handcuffs and positioning were contributory factors because they impaired the ability of Mr. Floyd's diaphragm to function."
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