usatoday--2020-09-28--President Donald Trump and Joe Biden brace for vicious matchup in first presidential debate in Cleve

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will meet face-to-face for the first time in the 2020 campaign Tuesday in what analysts expect will be a bruising presidential debate hinged on personal attacks .
The 90-minute contest in Cleveland , the first debate of the general election , will be stripped of typical debate standards .
There will be no handshake because of coronavirus concerns and no opening statements , fitting for an unconventional race that has been eclipsed by the coronavirus pandemic , social upheaval and a heated Supreme Court battle over the vacancy left by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A little over a month from Election Day , Trump will seek to close his nearly 7-point deficit in national polls while Biden will present his case for why he 's a better alternative , strategists and historians say .
Achieving these aims , they say , may mean that touchy subjects , such as attacks on the candidates ' children , will be on display for a national audience in prime time .
`` I think every aspect of this thing is going to be just a barroom brawl from the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Republican strategist who managed Sen. Marco Rubio 's 2016 presidential run .
`` That machismo is going to really come across when they 're face-to-face , and Trump is going to try to do some things to needle him . ''
Biden will be forced to balance standing up to Trump 's no-holds-barred approach without losing his cool while also portraying himself as a steady-hand alternative , said Nick Everhart , a Republican media consultant .
“ He ’ s running a campaign built on the idea that he 's this competent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle the challenges of the moment more calmly , '' Everhart said .
`` In being tough and fighting back , they don ’ t want to undermine his macro message that he 's more of a steady alternative compared to President Trump.
” Biden has insisted he can meet the challenge , telling supporters at a virtual fundraiser on Sept. 10 that he knows `` how to handle bullies . ''
“ I hope I don ’ t get baited into getting into a brawl with this guy , ” Biden said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be hard because I predict he ’ s going to be shouting ” and trying to interrupt throughout the debates .
Trump has leveled harsh criticism on his opponent , accusing Biden of taking performance-enhancing drugs , questioning his mental acuity and repeatedly attacking his son Hunter Biden .
The former vice president , for his part , delivered an impassioned speech calling Trump `` unfit '' for office after a report from The Atlantic alleged the president disparaged members of the U.S. military who have been captured and killed , a claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a threat to the safety of Americans for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic that has left more than 200,000 Americans dead , and he has accused him of fanning the flames of racially motivated violence .
Biden may have more fodder after The New York Times published a story Sunday showing Trump paid $ 750 in personal income tax in 2016 and 2017 and paid none in other years because of tax write-offs and business losses .
Trump 's taxes : Trump says he still ca n't share returns after report he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 and 2017 Though the race has tightened , Trump remains behind in several battleground states , according to recent polls .
A Washington Post-ABC News last week found Biden and his running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris , lead Trump and Vice President Mike Pence 53 % -43 % among registered voters , virtually unmoved from over the summer .
`` He needs to do something to shake up and move the narrative because right now the status quo is n't going to get him to a win , '' Everhart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outset : There will be no handshake between Trump and Biden over COVID-19 concerns , according to Peter Ayre , senior adviser to the Commission on Presidential Debates .
There will also be no opening statements from the candidates or the moderator , Chris Wallace , who will pose the first question to Trump .
Neither the candidates nor Wallace will wear masks once they take the stage at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic .
More : Trump : Biden will get a shot for energy at debate The Trump-Biden cage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contentious than the president 's first run against Hillary Clinton four years ago – in part because none of the contestants are women .
`` Clinton had to worry about debating as a woman and her 'likability , ' whereas Biden does n't , '' said Jennifer Mercieca , a Texas A & M University professor who teaches classes on presidential communication , argumentation and debate , and propaganda .
In the meantime , she said , `` Biden has shown that he 's willing to be aggressive when he needs to , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ match Trump 's aggressiveness . ''
Trump , who like this year was trailing in the polls as the debates approached in 2016 , was criticized for his aggressive attacks on Clinton and is likely to employ the same strategy this time around .
Trump aides have said for months , privately , that they need to chip away at Biden 's support to have a chance .
`` Trump 's style is to go in for the personal attack , '' said debate historian Alan Schroeder .
`` He certainly did that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he will do that with Biden as well . ''
Trump ’ s attacks on Biden have been so pervasive they are central to his core message , cropping up at both campaign and official White House events .
He has used the term “ Sleepy Joe ” at least 72 times in September at rallies and official White House events , according to a USA TODAY analysis of transcripts .
More : Trump moves campaign-style events to the White House as pandemic sidelines big rallies Few areas have been out of bounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusations in interviews that Biden is taking performance enhancing drugs and repeatedly mocked the former vice president for wearing a mask , among other attacks .
Trump has traditionally been far more likely to level ad hominem attacks while standing alone at a podium or during an interview than while sharing a stage with the subject of his barbs .
But in his 2016 debates with Clinton , Trump described his Democratic opponent as “ angry ” and a “ liar , ” and he called her campaign “ crooked.
” Despite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their families out of the race .
When asked to say something positive about each other during a debate on Oct. 9 , 2016 , Clinton said she respected his children , whom she described as `` incredibly able and devoted , and I think that says a lot about Donald . ''
This time Trump has targeted his Democratic challenger 's son Hunter , who has become a sore spot for both the former vice president and the president .
Hunter Biden 's role on the board of a Ukrainian gas company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push in Kyiv under the Obama administration sparked a GOP Senate-led investigation that found no evidence of wrongdoing .
Trump was impeached for pressing Ukraine 's president to investigate the Bidens but was acquitted by the Senate .
More : From 'dark shadows ' to 'thugs ' on a plane , Trump wades deeper into conspiracy theories as election nears More : Explainer : Biden , allies pushed out Ukrainian prosecutor because he did n't pursue corruption cases '' Where is Hunter ? ''
Trump asked supporters at a recent rally in Fayetteville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become a battle cry on his campaign .
`` I think it will be brought up in the debate . ''
Sullivan noted that Trump has more to lose this time around .
`` Nobody thought he was going to win , and he did n't think he was going to win , '' he said .
`` Now it 's ridiculously personal because he 'll be embarrassed if he loses , so he 's much more defensive than he was last time . ''
But the president faces a historic challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tend to struggle in their first debate , analysts point out .
President Barack Obama faltered in his first debate against challenger Mitt Romney in 2012 , as did President George W. Bush against John Kerry in 2004 .
President George H.W .
Bush struggled to gain his footing in his first debate in 1992 , squeezed between challengers Bill Clinton and Ross Perot .
The examples go back decades : Ronald Reagan doddered his way through a 1984 clash with Walter Mondale ; four years before that , Jimmy Carter stumbled through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump has not had to debate anyone during his presidency , Schroeder pointed out , while Biden sharpened his skills during the Democratic presidential primary race .
`` Four years as an incumbent means four years in which you 've been deferred and people are telling you what you want to hear , '' said Schroeder , author of `` Presidential Debates : Risky Business on the Campaign Trail . ''
`` On a debate stage , your opponent is going to do the opposite . ''
The Trump campaign spent majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and unable to string sentences together without a teleprompter .
The campaign has accused the former vice president – who has campaigned largely virtually because of coronavirus concerns – of using the pandemic to get out of traditional campaigning and even the debates .
`` There 's this idea or thesis that Biden is going to slip up or is n't sharp enough to handle the moment , but I think if you look at it historically , he 's performed pretty well in most debates , '' Everhart said , with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which a gaffe-prone Biden was dragged for dated cultural references and cutting himself off early .
`` But the 10-candidate vs head-to-head debates are night and day , '' he said .
In recent weeks , Trump and his campaign aides have insisted Biden is likely to do well in the first round , given his decades of experience and more recent match-ups during the Democratic primary race .
`` He 's been doing it for 47 years .
I 've been doing it for 3½ years , so he should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more experienced , '' Trump told supporters at a rally in Ohio last week .
There will be a `` small number of ticketed guests '' instead of a traditionally packed audience , according to the commission .
The lack of crowd may undercut Trump , though it wo n't make him any less aggressive , said Mercieca , author of `` Demagogue For President : The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump . ''
`` Trump , in particular , feeds off of audience reaction , '' Mercieca said .
`` He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in class .
It works well when he is performing for his classmates , but it does n't work so well in the principal 's office . ''
Robert Barnett , a veteran Washington attorney who has advised Democratic presidential candidates on debate preparation since 1976 , argued that Trump and Biden are likely to approach Tuesday very differently , with Trump leaning heavily on his law-and-order message and his attempt to frame Democrats as “ socialists.
” Biden , on the other hand , will almost certainly focus on the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s response to both problems .
The coronavirus , he said , is likely to change the landscape of the debate , just as it has for election .
“ This time what ’ s going to be more important than the funny line or the personal attack is going to be ‘ What ’ s your life like the next day ?
’ when you have to remotely school your child , search for a job if you ’ re unemployed and , God forbid , battle a terrible pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , debate coach at the University of Michigan , said he expects a lower-key set of debates , in part because it would be in Biden 's best interest .
While Trump would likely want a loud contest , he said , Biden would be better off to refuse the bait and draw methodical contrasts on issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Supreme Court .
`` A contentious exchange would be magnified and create its own media cycles , '' Kall said .
The circumstances are also different this election , Kall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first debate in 2016 , and felt he had to be more aggressive in the second – especially after the revelation of the `` Access Hollywood '' tape in which he was heard speaking about groping women .
Amid that furor , Trump packed the gallery with women who claimed improper sexual advances by President Bill Clinton and went on the attack against Hillary Clinton during the debate .
The Trump-Biden showdown lacks that kind of melodrama , Everhart said .
`` The problem or challenge in facing off against Joe Biden is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far greater degree of goodwill and higher favorability , who in showing empathy has really created an emotional connection with people , and you risk real blowback if you go over the top , '' he said .
An expected surge in early voting and vote-by-mail this year over COVID-19 concerns may raise the stakes for the first match-up .
Twenty-nine states begin mailing absentee ballots to voters in September , and an additional nine states open up in-person voting this month .
More : Election 2020 : When early voting and mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' With so many states allowing more than just Election Day voting options , every day becomes a mini Election Day , so the importance of winning along the way each and every day and not just cresting and peaking in that final stretch to Election Day is crucial to winning in a way it hasn ’ t been in so many states before , '' Everhart said .
Trump , Barnett said , often goes back to what has worked for him in the past – and in the case of debates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debates is a familiar balm .
“ Diminishing , dominating and dissing , ” Barnett said .
“ I think he will revert to that .
But I ’ m not sure that that would be a wise move because I think people are serious right now because they ’ re facing challenges like none of us have ever faced in our lifetime.
” If Trump does bring his campaign trail insults onto the debate stage , Barnett ’ s advice for Biden is straightforward : “ Avoid taking the bait .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay on the substantive issues , the better he ’ ll do .
”

Courtney Subramanian, John Fritze and David Jackson, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump and Joe Biden brace for vicious matchup in first presidential debate in Cleveland
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump: Election will 'end up in the Supreme Court' President Donald Trump predicted Wednesday the 2020 presidential election "will end up in the Supreme Court." And he suggested that's one of the reasons he is pushing so strongly to fill the vacant seat before the Nov. 3 election. (Sept. 23) AP
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will meet face-to-face for the first time in the 2020 campaign Tuesday in what analysts expect will be a bruising presidential debate hinged on personal attacks.
The 90-minute contest in Cleveland, the first debate of the general election, will be stripped of typical debate standards. There will be no handshake because of coronavirus concerns and no opening statements, fitting for an unconventional race that has been eclipsed by the coronavirus pandemic, social upheaval and a heated Supreme Court battle over the vacancy left by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg's death.
A little over a month from Election Day, Trump will seek to close his nearly 7-point deficit in national polls while Biden will present his case for why he's a better alternative, strategists and historians say. Achieving these aims, they say, may mean that touchy subjects, such as attacks on the candidates' children, will be on display for a national audience in prime time.
"I think every aspect of this thing is going to be just a barroom brawl from the very beginning," said Terry Sullivan, a Republican strategist who managed Sen. Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential run. "That machismo is going to really come across when they're face-to-face, and Trump is going to try to do some things to needle him."
Live election updates: New York Times releases details of Trump's income taxes; first presidential debate Tuesday
Biden will be forced to balance standing up to Trump's no-holds-barred approach without losing his cool while also portraying himself as a steady-hand alternative, said Nick Everhart, a Republican media consultant.
“He’s running a campaign built on the idea that he's this competent, tempered and even-keeled leader who would handle the challenges of the moment more calmly," Everhart said. "In being tough and fighting back, they don’t want to undermine his macro message that he's more of a steady alternative compared to President Trump.”
Biden has insisted he can meet the challenge, telling supporters at a virtual fundraiser on Sept. 10 that he knows "how to handle bullies."
“I hope I don’t get baited into getting into a brawl with this guy,” Biden said. “It’s going to be hard because I predict he’s going to be shouting” and trying to interrupt throughout the debates.
Trump has leveled harsh criticism on his opponent, accusing Biden of taking performance-enhancing drugs, questioning his mental acuity and repeatedly attacking his son Hunter Biden.
The former vice president, for his part, delivered an impassioned speech calling Trump "unfit" for office after a report from The Atlantic alleged the president disparaged members of the U.S. military who have been captured and killed, a claim Trump denies. Biden also declared Trump a threat to the safety of Americans for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic that has left more than 200,000 Americans dead, and he has accused him of fanning the flames of racially motivated violence. Biden may have more fodder after The New York Times published a story Sunday showing Trump paid $750 in personal income tax in 2016 and 2017 and paid none in other years because of tax write-offs and business losses.
Trump's taxes: Trump says he still can't share returns after report he paid only $750 in income taxes in 2016 and 2017
Though the race has tightened, Trump remains behind in several battleground states, according to recent polls. A Washington Post-ABC News last week found Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, lead Trump and Vice President Mike Pence 53%-43% among registered voters, virtually unmoved from over the summer.
"He needs to do something to shake up and move the narrative because right now the status quo isn't going to get him to a win," Everhart added.
Tensions could build from the outset: There will be no handshake between Trump and Biden over COVID-19 concerns, according to Peter Ayre, senior adviser to the Commission on Presidential Debates. There will also be no opening statements from the candidates or the moderator, Chris Wallace, who will pose the first question to Trump.
Neither the candidates nor Wallace will wear masks once they take the stage at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic.
More: Trump: Biden will get a shot for energy at debate
More: How young poll workers may save Americans from Election Day chaos
More Republicans publicly support Biden for president Prominent Republicans have publicly endorsed or shown support for Joe Biden instead of their party's incumbent, Donald Trump. USA TODAY
The Trump-Biden cage match is likely to be even more contentious than the president's first run against Hillary Clinton four years ago – in part because none of the contestants are women.
"Clinton had to worry about debating as a woman and her 'likability,' whereas Biden doesn't," said Jennifer Mercieca, a Texas A&M University professor who teaches classes on presidential communication, argumentation and debate, and propaganda.
In the meantime, she said, "Biden has shown that he's willing to be aggressive when he needs to, and I think we'll see him match Trump's aggressiveness."
Trump, who like this year was trailing in the polls as the debates approached in 2016, was criticized for his aggressive attacks on Clinton and is likely to employ the same strategy this time around. Trump aides have said for months, privately, that they need to chip away at Biden's support to have a chance.
"Trump's style is to go in for the personal attack," said debate historian Alan Schroeder. "He certainly did that with Hillary Clinton, and I expect he will do that with Biden as well."
Trump’s attacks on Biden have been so pervasive they are central to his core message, cropping up at both campaign and official White House events. He has used the term “Sleepy Joe” at least 72 times in September at rallies and official White House events, according to a USA TODAY analysis of transcripts.
More: USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll: Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by 7 points in battleground Minnesota
More: Trump moves campaign-style events to the White House as pandemic sidelines big rallies
Few areas have been out of bounds for Trump, who has leveled baseless accusations in interviews that Biden is taking performance enhancing drugs and repeatedly mocked the former vice president for wearing a mask, among other attacks.
Trump has traditionally been far more likely to level ad hominem attacks while standing alone at a podium or during an interview than while sharing a stage with the subject of his barbs. But in his 2016 debates with Clinton, Trump described his Democratic opponent as “angry” and a “liar,” and he called her campaign “crooked.”
Despite the vitriol, Clinton and Trump largely left their families out of the race. When asked to say something positive about each other during a debate on Oct. 9, 2016, Clinton said she respected his children, whom she described as "incredibly able and devoted, and I think that says a lot about Donald."
This time Trump has targeted his Democratic challenger's son Hunter, who has become a sore spot for both the former vice president and the president.
Hunter Biden's role on the board of a Ukrainian gas company while his father led an international anti-corruption push in Kyiv under the Obama administration sparked a GOP Senate-led investigation that found no evidence of wrongdoing. Trump was impeached for pressing Ukraine's president to investigate the Bidens but was acquitted by the Senate.
More: From 'dark shadows' to 'thugs' on a plane, Trump wades deeper into conspiracy theories as election nears
More: Explainer: Biden, allies pushed out Ukrainian prosecutor because he didn't pursue corruption cases
"Where is Hunter?" Trump asked supporters at a recent rally in Fayetteville, N.C., repeating a phrase that has become a battle cry on his campaign. "I think it will be brought up in the debate."
Sullivan noted that Trump has more to lose this time around.
"Nobody thought he was going to win, and he didn't think he was going to win," he said. "Now it's ridiculously personal because he'll be embarrassed if he loses, so he's much more defensive than he was last time."
But the president faces a historic challenge as well. Incumbent presidents seeking reelection tend to struggle in their first debate, analysts point out.
President Barack Obama faltered in his first debate against challenger Mitt Romney in 2012, as did President George W. Bush against John Kerry in 2004. President George H.W. Bush struggled to gain his footing in his first debate in 1992, squeezed between challengers Bill Clinton and Ross Perot. The examples go back decades: Ronald Reagan doddered his way through a 1984 clash with Walter Mondale; four years before that, Jimmy Carter stumbled through his one and only debate with Reagan.
Trump has not had to debate anyone during his presidency, Schroeder pointed out, while Biden sharpened his skills during the Democratic presidential primary race.
"Four years as an incumbent means four years in which you've been deferred and people are telling you what you want to hear," said Schroeder, author of "Presidential Debates: Risky Business on the Campaign Trail." "On a debate stage, your opponent is going to do the opposite."
The Trump campaign spent majority of the summer excoriating Biden as incoherent and unable to string sentences together without a teleprompter. The campaign has accused the former vice president – who has campaigned largely virtually because of coronavirus concerns – of using the pandemic to get out of traditional campaigning and even the debates.
"There's this idea or thesis that Biden is going to slip up or isn't sharp enough to handle the moment, but I think if you look at it historically, he's performed pretty well in most debates," Everhart said, with the exception of the early Democratic primary debates in which a gaffe-prone Biden was dragged for dated cultural references and cutting himself off early.
"But the 10-candidate vs head-to-head debates are night and day," he said.
In recent weeks, Trump and his campaign aides have insisted Biden is likely to do well in the first round, given his decades of experience and more recent match-ups during the Democratic primary race.
"He's been doing it for 47 years. I've been doing it for 3½ years, so he should be able to beat me. He's much more experienced," Trump told supporters at a rally in Ohio last week.
There will be a "small number of ticketed guests" instead of a traditionally packed audience, according to the commission. The lack of crowd may undercut Trump, though it won't make him any less aggressive, said Mercieca, author of "Demagogue For President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump."
"Trump, in particular, feeds off of audience reaction," Mercieca said. "He's like a child who acts out in class. It works well when he is performing for his classmates, but it doesn't work so well in the principal's office."
Robert Barnett, a veteran Washington attorney who has advised Democratic presidential candidates on debate preparation since 1976, argued that Trump and Biden are likely to approach Tuesday very differently, with Trump leaning heavily on his law-and-order message and his attempt to frame Democrats as “socialists.” Biden, on the other hand, will almost certainly focus on the pandemic, the economic turmoil it has caused and Trump’s response to both problems.
The coronavirus, he said, is likely to change the landscape of the debate, just as it has for election.
“This time what’s going to be more important than the funny line or the personal attack is going to be ‘What’s your life like the next day?’ when you have to remotely school your child, search for a job if you’re unemployed and, God forbid, battle a terrible pandemic,” Barnett said.
Aaron Kall, debate coach at the University of Michigan, said he expects a lower-key set of debates, in part because it would be in Biden's best interest.
While Trump would likely want a loud contest, he said, Biden would be better off to refuse the bait and draw methodical contrasts on issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Supreme Court.
"A contentious exchange would be magnified and create its own media cycles," Kall said.
The circumstances are also different this election, Kall noted.
Trump performed poorly in his first debate in 2016, and felt he had to be more aggressive in the second – especially after the revelation of the "Access Hollywood" tape in which he was heard speaking about groping women.
Amid that furor, Trump packed the gallery with women who claimed improper sexual advances by President Bill Clinton and went on the attack against Hillary Clinton during the debate.
The Trump-Biden showdown lacks that kind of melodrama, Everhart said.
"The problem or challenge in facing off against Joe Biden is you are talking about someone with a far greater degree of goodwill and higher favorability, who in showing empathy has really created an emotional connection with people, and you risk real blowback if you go over the top," he said.
An expected surge in early voting and vote-by-mail this year over COVID-19 concerns may raise the stakes for the first match-up. Twenty-nine states begin mailing absentee ballots to voters in September, and an additional nine states open up in-person voting this month.
More: Election 2020: When early voting and mail voting for president begins in every state
Don't sit this election out. YOUR VOTE MATTERS Are you sick of the election? Are you thinking about staying home on Election Day? DON'T. Here's why. USA TODAY NETWORK
"With so many states allowing more than just Election Day voting options, every day becomes a mini Election Day, so the importance of winning along the way each and every day and not just cresting and peaking in that final stretch to Election Day is crucial to winning in a way it hasn’t been in so many states before," Everhart said.
Trump, Barnett said, often goes back to what has worked for him in the past – and in the case of debates, his performance in the 2016 primary debates is a familiar balm.
“Diminishing, dominating and dissing,” Barnett said. “I think he will revert to that. But I’m not sure that that would be a wise move because I think people are serious right now because they’re facing challenges like none of us have ever faced in our lifetime.”
If Trump does bring his campaign trail insults onto the debate stage, Barnett’s advice for Biden is straightforward: “Avoid taking the bait. I think the more the vice president can stay on the substantive issues, the better he’ll do.”


usatoday--2020-09-28--'You have the power': Kamala Harris urges voters to oppose Trump, Senate GOP over Supreme Court nomi

Sen. Kamala Harris , the Democratic vice presidential nominee , urged voters Monday to rally against President Donald Trump 's nominee to the Supreme Court nominee as a threat to health care and reproductive rights , and vote against Republicans in the coming election .
Harris , D-Calif. , implored voters to pay attention to the voting on Trump 's nominee , federal appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett , because she could help overturn the life 's work of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for equal rights .
Harris argued that Barrett would work to overturn the Affordable Care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that established a right to abortion .
Both parties are using Barrett 's nomination to rally support .
The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to be able to confirm Barrett .
Harris , a member of the Judiciary Committee , did n't talk about ways to prevent Barrett 's confirmation during the 19-minute speech at Shaw University , a historically Black college in Raleigh , N.C .
But Harris said voters should understand what Barrett 's ascension to the court would mean to current law and legal precedent , and use it as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Senate on Nov. 3 .
“ We will not let the infection that President Trump has injected into the presidency and into Congress , that has paralyzed our politics and pitted Americans against each other , spread to the United States Supreme Court , '' Harris said .
“ This election is about our democracy . ''
Ginsburg , 87 , died Sept. 18 .
Trump nominated Barrett , 48 , who serves on the 7th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals and teaches at the University of Notre Dame , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barrett 's confirmation hearing to begin Oct. 12 and it is expected to last several days with opening statements from senators , questions and testimony from experts .
Trump has urged the Senate to confirm Barrett before the Nov. 3 election .
“ They just want to jam this nomination through as fast as they can , '' Harris said .
`` It ’ s called raw power .
But President Trump and his party are about to learn something .
They may think that it is they who have the power in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t .
The American people are the ones who have the power .
You have the power . ''
Former Vice President Joe Biden , the Democratic nominee for president , and other critics have warned that Barrett could vote on the high court to overturn the Affordable Care Act , which is nicknamed Obamacare , and the decision called Roe v. Wade that established a right to abortion .
Barrett has said she would follow the Constitution and not legislate from the bench .
She has criticized Chief Justice John Roberts ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court 's earlier decision in Roe v. Wade .
Harris said no other decision would dishonor and disrespect Ginsburg 's legacy than overturning Roe v. Wade .
Harris said striking down the Affordable Care Act could jeopardize health insurance for 20 million people who participate in the program and for 100 million with pre-existing conditions who were assured of coverage under the law .
Harris also argued that voting rights could be at stake with Barrett on the high court , after she said the court in 2013 `` gutted the heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She said Texas , North Carolina , Alabama , Mississippi each adopted discriminatory laws to suppress the vote after that decision .
“ Vote as if your life , your choice depends on it – because it does , '' Harris said .
“ He knows he can ’ t win if the people vote .
Donald Trump is weak so he is throwing up every roadblock he can to try to suppress the vote .
We the people can not let him get away with it .
”

'You have the power': Kamala Harris urges voters to oppose Trump, Senate GOP over Supreme Court nominee
Show Caption Hide Caption Supreme Court: Amy Coney Barrett is nominated by President Trump President Donald Trump has selected federal appeals court Judge Amy Coney Barrett to be his third nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. USA TODAY
Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, urged voters Monday to rally against President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court nominee as a threat to health care and reproductive rights, and vote against Republicans in the coming election.
Harris, D-Calif., implored voters to pay attention to the voting on Trump's nominee, federal appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett, because she could help overturn the life's work of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for equal rights. Harris argued that Barrett would work to overturn the Affordable Care Act and an earlier high court decision that established a right to abortion.
Both parties are using Barrett's nomination to rally support. The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to be able to confirm Barrett. Harris, a member of the Judiciary Committee, didn't talk about ways to prevent Barrett's confirmation during the 19-minute speech at Shaw University, a historically Black college in Raleigh, N.C.
But Harris said voters should understand what Barrett's ascension to the court would mean to current law and legal precedent, and use it as a rallying cry against Trump and Republican members of the Senate on Nov. 3.
“We will not let the infection that President Trump has injected into the presidency and into Congress, that has paralyzed our politics and pitted Americans against each other, spread to the United States Supreme Court," Harris said. “This election is about our democracy."
Ginsburg, 87, died Sept. 18. Trump nominated Barrett, 48, who serves on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and teaches at the University of Notre Dame, on Saturday.
The Judiciary Committee scheduled Barrett's confirmation hearing to begin Oct. 12 and it is expected to last several days with opening statements from senators, questions and testimony from experts. Trump has urged the Senate to confirm Barrett before the Nov. 3 election.
“They just want to jam this nomination through as fast as they can," Harris said. "It’s called raw power. But President Trump and his party are about to learn something. They may think that it is they who have the power in this country, but they don’t. The American people are the ones who have the power. You have the power."
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, and other critics have warned that Barrett could vote on the high court to overturn the Affordable Care Act, which is nicknamed Obamacare, and the decision called Roe v. Wade that established a right to abortion.
Barrett has said she would follow the Constitution and not legislate from the bench. She has criticized Chief Justice John Roberts' decision upholding the Affordable Care Act and the court's earlier decision in Roe v. Wade.
Trump told a Pennsylvania rally Saturday that Barrett would uphold "God-given rights."
Harris said no other decision would dishonor and disrespect Ginsburg's legacy than overturning Roe v. Wade. Harris said striking down the Affordable Care Act could jeopardize health insurance for 20 million people who participate in the program and for 100 million with pre-existing conditions who were assured of coverage under the law.
Harris also argued that voting rights could be at stake with Barrett on the high court, after she said the court in 2013 "gutted the heart of the Voting Rights Act." She said Texas, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi each adopted discriminatory laws to suppress the vote after that decision.
“Vote as if your life, your choice depends on it – because it does," Harris said. “He knows he can’t win if the people vote. Donald Trump is weak so he is throwing up every roadblock he can to try to suppress the vote. We the people cannot let him get away with it.”


usatoday--2020-09-28--President Trump's taxes already at center of at least two New York state investigations

ALBANY , N.Y. – President Donald Trump 's taxes were already at the center of at least two major New York investigations , even before The New York Times published a report Sunday on a trove of returns that raise a new round of questions and concerns .
New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance 's investigators have been scrutinizing the president and his companies for more than a year , with Vance 's battle to obtain Trump 's tax returns going the whole way to the Supreme Court .
In recent weeks , court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more light on the scope of their investigations and the type of potentially improper activity they 're looking for .
Now , those investigations will likely get fresh attention in the midst of the investigative report by The New York Times , which analyzed more than 15 years of Trump 's federal tax filings the newspaper obtained from confidential sources .
Here 's a closer look at the investigations : Vance 's office has been locked in a battle for Trump 's returns since at least early 2019 , when Trump sued Vance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's subpoena for tax records .
At the time , Vance , a Democrat , was investigating a $ 130,000 hush-money payment made by Michael Cohen , Trump 's former attorney and `` fixer , '' to adult film star Stormy Daniels at the height of the presidential campaign in 2016 .
Daniels claimed she had an affair with Trump years ago .
Cohen said he was reimbursed by Trump and the Trump Organization , raising questions about whether any business records were falsified to shield from potential political damage .
Vance subpoenaed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business tax returns from Mazars USA , the president 's accounting firm .
Last year , Trump sued in federal court to block the release , arguing the whole way to the Supreme Court .
The Supreme Court rejected Trump 's argument that he was entitled to immunity as president of the United States .
But the court allowed Trump , a Republican , to return to the lower courts to make other arguments against the subpoena , including whether it is overbroad and burdensome .
That court battle continues , with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a midlevel appeals court just last week .
As part of those arguments , Vance 's team submitted a court filing that suggested Trump could be subjected to a broader fraud investigation , citing a previous New York Times report and other news articles scrutinizing the Trump family 's tax strategies and the approaches it used to maximize the inheritance from the president 's father .
That 's why Trump should n't be able to block Vance 's subpoena for his tax records , Vance 's team argued .
`` Indeed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moderate when compared to the temporal scope of misconduct alleged in public reports , '' the filing reads .
In reply , Trump 's attorneys accused Vance of engaging in `` speculation and innuendo '' and said he was `` engaged in a fishing expedition designed to harass the President '' AG probing whether Trump inflated value of properties New York Attorney General Letitia James , a Democrat , launched an investigation of her own after Cohen testified before Congress in February 2019 , accusing Trump of inflating his assets for personal gain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big part of James ' investigation appears focused on Trump 's taxes .
Last month , James ' office laid out the scope of her current investigation in a wide-ranging court motion seeking to force Eric Trump , the president 's son , to sit for a deposition .
Her investigation is focused on whether Trump improperly inflated the value of four properties – including his massive Seven Springs estate in northern Westchester County – to obtain tax benefits and better terms on bank loans .
In 2015 , Donald Donald Trump agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American Land Trust for a 159-acre portion of the 212-acre Seven Springs property , vowing not to develop the land there after years of trying to turn it into a golf course or luxury housing .
The court filing shows James ' office is examining whether Trump inflated the assessed value of the sprawling property , which allowed one of his limited liability companies to claim a $ 21.1 million tax exemption on forms submitted to the IRS .
The Attorney General 's Office also is focusing on three other Trump properties , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Street in Manhattan , the Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago and the Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles .
Last week , a state judge ordered Eric Trump to sit for a deposition with James ' office by Oct. 7 , rejecting Trump 's push to delay the interview until after the election .
As in Vance 's investigation , James ' office has not accused Trump or his associates of any legal wrongdoing at this point .
More : Eric Trump must testify under oath in NY investigation before Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court says President Trump can not keep tax , financial records from prosecutors Jon Campbell is a New York state government reporter for the USA TODAY Network .
He can be reached at JCAMPBELL1 @ Gannett.com or on Twitter at @ JonCampbellGAN .
We cover the stories from the New York State Capitol and across New York that matter most to you and your family .
Please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription to the New York publication nearest you .
Check out the latest offer .

President Trump's taxes already at center of at least two New York state investigations
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump's tax return details revealed in New York Times series President Trump paid little to no federal income taxes in recent years, according to the first series of New York Times stories on his tax returns. USA TODAY
ALBANY, N.Y. – President Donald Trump's taxes were already at the center of at least two major New York investigations, even before The New York Times published a report Sunday on a trove of returns that raise a new round of questions and concerns.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance's investigators have been scrutinizing the president and his companies for more than a year, with Vance's battle to obtain Trump's tax returns going the whole way to the Supreme Court.
In recent weeks, court filings from James and Vance have shed more light on the scope of their investigations and the type of potentially improper activity they're looking for.
Now, those investigations will likely get fresh attention in the midst of the investigative report by The New York Times, which analyzed more than 15 years of Trump's federal tax filings the newspaper obtained from confidential sources.
Here's a closer look at the investigations:
Payment probe leads to Trump tax battle
Vance's office has been locked in a battle for Trump's returns since at least early 2019, when Trump sued Vance in an attempt to block the prosecutor's subpoena for tax records.
At the time, Vance, a Democrat, was investigating a $130,000 hush-money payment made by Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney and "fixer," to adult film star Stormy Daniels at the height of the presidential campaign in 2016. Daniels claimed she had an affair with Trump years ago.
Cohen said he was reimbursed by Trump and the Trump Organization, raising questions about whether any business records were falsified to shield from potential political damage.
Vance subpoenaed eight years of Trump's personal and business tax returns from Mazars USA, the president's accounting firm. Last year, Trump sued in federal court to block the release, arguing the whole way to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court rejected Trump's argument that he was entitled to immunity as president of the United States. But the court allowed Trump, a Republican, to return to the lower courts to make other arguments against the subpoena, including whether it is overbroad and burdensome.
Court papers suggest Trump fraud probe could be warranted
That court battle continues, with Trump and Vance's attorneys arguing the case in a midlevel appeals court just last week.
As part of those arguments, Vance's team submitted a court filing that suggested Trump could be subjected to a broader fraud investigation, citing a previous New York Times report and other news articles scrutinizing the Trump family's tax strategies and the approaches it used to maximize the inheritance from the president's father.
That's why Trump shouldn't be able to block Vance's subpoena for his tax records, Vance's team argued.
"Indeed, the temporal scope of the subpoena is moderate when compared to the temporal scope of misconduct alleged in public reports," the filing reads.
In reply, Trump's attorneys accused Vance of engaging in "speculation and innuendo" and said he was "engaged in a fishing expedition designed to harass the President"
AG probing whether Trump inflated value of properties
New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, launched an investigation of her own after Cohen testified before Congress in February 2019, accusing Trump of inflating his assets for personal gain.
Like Vance's inquiry, a big part of James' investigation appears focused on Trump's taxes.
Last month, James' office laid out the scope of her current investigation in a wide-ranging court motion seeking to force Eric Trump, the president's son, to sit for a deposition.
Her investigation is focused on whether Trump improperly inflated the value of four properties – including his massive Seven Springs estate in northern Westchester County – to obtain tax benefits and better terms on bank loans.
In 2015, Donald Donald Trump agreed to a conservation easement with the North American Land Trust for a 159-acre portion of the 212-acre Seven Springs property, vowing not to develop the land there after years of trying to turn it into a golf course or luxury housing.
The court filing shows James' office is examining whether Trump inflated the assessed value of the sprawling property, which allowed one of his limited liability companies to claim a $21.1 million tax exemption on forms submitted to the IRS.
The Attorney General's Office also is focusing on three other Trump properties, according to the motion: 40 Wall Street in Manhattan, the Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago and the Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.
Last week, a state judge ordered Eric Trump to sit for a deposition with James' office by Oct. 7, rejecting Trump's push to delay the interview until after the election.
As in Vance's investigation, James' office has not accused Trump or his associates of any legal wrongdoing at this point.
More: New York reviewing tax fraud allegations against Trump family
More: Eric Trump must testify under oath in NY investigation before Election Day, judge rules
More: Supreme Court says President Trump cannot keep tax, financial records from prosecutors
Jon Campbell is a New York state government reporter for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at JCAMPBELL1@Gannett.com or on Twitter at @JonCampbellGAN.
Support local journalism
We cover the stories from the New York State Capitol and across New York that matter most to you and your family. Please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription to the New York publication nearest you. Check out the latest offer.


usatoday--2020-09-28--West Nile virus found in people in 2 Florida counties, prompting health advisory to take precautions

NAPLES , Fla. — State health officials advised residents in two southwest Florida counties to take precautions against mosquitoes after West Nile virus was confirmed in people .
The health department in Lee County reported one human case of West Nile , according to spokeswoman Tammy Yzaguirre .
The health department in Collier County declined to say how many cases of human infection have been identified .
The public is advised to take precautions against mosquitoes by covering exposed skin with clothing and using insect repellent .
In addition , the health department recommends reducing mosquito breeding grounds around homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birdbaths , coolers , garbage cans and other items where water can accumulate .
Mosquito-borne EEE spreading in Michigan , officials say : 6 more animal cases identified .
The Collier Mosquito Control District on Sept. 19 issued an advisory that its scientists had detected West Nile in local mosquitoes and was treating adult mosquitoes in standing water .
“ Hurricane Sally left us with an abundance of standing water , and this week we ’ ve not only treated for mosquitoes , but we ’ ve applied larvicide granules which have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Patrick Linn , executive director of the district , said .
“ We will continue to work at mitigating the number of adult mosquitoes in coming weeks.
” Most people who are infected with the mosquito-borne virus don ’ t show symptoms or only have minor symptoms like mild headache and fever , and the symptoms generally go away on their own , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
More serious symptoms are severe headache , weakness and disorientation which require immediate medical attention .
In some cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cord or brain , which can be life-threatening .
'Vicious little suckers ' : Massive clouds of mosquitoes kill cows , horses in Louisiana after Hurricane Laura The health department advises using mosquito repellent that contains DEET , picaridin , oil of lemon eucalyptus , para-menthane-diol , 2-undecanone , and IR3535 .
Repellent should be used to protect children younger than two months old .
The district monitors daily mosquito data for treatment planning and for performing in-house testing of local mosquitoes for West Nile and other mosquito-borne health threats .

West Nile virus found in people in 2 Florida counties, prompting health advisory to take precautions against mosquitoes
Show Caption Hide Caption Leading symptoms of West Nile Virus, explained West Nile Virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne diseases in the U.S., with the highest concentration in the Midwest. Here’s how to tell if you’re infected. USA TODAY
Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this story misstated what should be used to protect children under 2 months old. Mosquito netting should be used.
NAPLES, Fla. — State health officials advised residents in two southwest Florida counties to take precautions against mosquitoes after West Nile virus was confirmed in people.
The health department in Lee County reported one human case of West Nile, according to spokeswoman Tammy Yzaguirre. The health department in Collier County declined to say how many cases of human infection have been identified.
The public is advised to take precautions against mosquitoes by covering exposed skin with clothing and using insect repellent.
In addition, the health department recommends reducing mosquito breeding grounds around homes by draining standing water from pots, birdbaths, coolers, garbage cans and other items where water can accumulate.
Mosquito-borne EEE spreading in Michigan, officials say: 6 more animal cases identified.
The Collier Mosquito Control District on Sept. 19 issued an advisory that its scientists had detected West Nile in local mosquitoes and was treating adult mosquitoes in standing water.
“Hurricane Sally left us with an abundance of standing water, and this week we’ve not only treated for mosquitoes, but we’ve applied larvicide granules which have a 30-day release to kill mosquito larvae,” Patrick Linn, executive director of the district, said. “We will continue to work at mitigating the number of adult mosquitoes in coming weeks.”
Most people who are infected with the mosquito-borne virus don’t show symptoms or only have minor symptoms like mild headache and fever, and the symptoms generally go away on their own, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More serious symptoms are severe headache, weakness and disorientation which require immediate medical attention. In some cases, people develop inflammation of the spinal cord or brain, which can be life-threatening.
'Vicious little suckers': Massive clouds of mosquitoes kill cows, horses in Louisiana after Hurricane Laura
The health department advises using mosquito repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, 2-undecanone, and IR3535.
Mosquito netting should be used to protect children younger than 2 months old.
The district monitors daily mosquito data for treatment planning and for performing in-house testing of local mosquitoes for West Nile and other mosquito-borne health threats.
Follow Liz Freeman on Twitter: @ndnlizfreeman


usatoday--2020-09-28--Oil washes up along five-mile stretch of Florida beach in wake of Hurricane Sally

PENSACOLA , Fla. – Oil washed up along parts of a five-mile stretch of a beach on Florida 's Perdido Key on Saturday , less than two weeks after Hurricane Sally made landfall in the area .
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Dustin Williams told the Pensacola News Journal , part of the USA TODAY Network , the oil was discovered Saturday , and samples were collected to determine the source of the oil .
The Coast Guard investigates reports of oil pollution in U.S. waters .
It 's unclear at this point if the submerged oil is from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Hurricane Sally or if it is from another source .
Williams said the Coast Guard will work with the Gulf Islands National Seashore to ensure the pollution is cleaned up .
`` We want to get it cleaned up as fast as possible , so we 'll be working with the Park Service to make sure that happens , '' Williams said .
`` Until we get those test samples back , right now , it 's still an unknown source . ''
Hurricane season takes a breather : But activity could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ) : A Florida island has turned into multiple islands after Hurricane Sally slices through Williams said it unknown at this point how much oil washed up but said the estimated shore-line impact was about five miles .
Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley said the oil looked like tarballs , perhaps from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill were washed up and liquified in the sun .
Gilley said they would n't know the source of the oil until the Coast Guard 's test results came back .
Trump income taxes : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report

Oil washes up along five-mile stretch of Florida beach in wake of Hurricane Sally
Show Caption Hide Caption Hurricane Sally pummels Orange Beach, Alabama, Florida panhandle Hurricane Sally toppled boats and ripped walls and roofs from structures along Florida's panhandle and Alabama Gulf Coast. USA TODAY
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Oil washed up along parts of a five-mile stretch of a beach on Florida's Perdido Key on Saturday, less than two weeks after Hurricane Sally made landfall in the area.
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Dustin Williams told the Pensacola News Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, the oil was discovered Saturday, and samples were collected to determine the source of the oil. The Coast Guard investigates reports of oil pollution in U.S. waters.
It's unclear at this point if the submerged oil is from the 2010 oil spill that was stirred up from Hurricane Sally or if it is from another source.
Williams said the Coast Guard will work with the Gulf Islands National Seashore to ensure the pollution is cleaned up.
"We want to get it cleaned up as fast as possible, so we'll be working with the Park Service to make sure that happens," Williams said. "Until we get those test samples back, right now, it's still an unknown source."
Hurricane season takes a breather: But activity could ramp up again in October
Island(s): A Florida island has turned into multiple islands after Hurricane Sally slices through
Williams said it unknown at this point how much oil washed up but said the estimated shore-line impact was about five miles.
Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley said the oil looked like tarballs, perhaps from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill were washed up and liquified in the sun.
Gilley said they wouldn't know the source of the oil until the Coast Guard's test results came back.
Follow reporter Jim Little on Twitter: @JimWLittle
Trump income taxes: Top seven revelations from New York Times report
'Dangerous rate of speed': Two California wildfires explode overnight, forcing thousands to flee


usatoday--2020-09-28--Louisville officer pleads not guilty to charges related to fatal Breonna Taylor shooting

LOUISVILLE , Ky. — The sole Louisville police officer charged in connection to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor pleaded not guilty to three counts of wanton endangerment at his arraignment Monday .
Former Louisville Metro Police Detective Brett Hankison was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday over shots that went into a neighboring apartment the night Taylor was killed .
He was booked that afternoon at the Shelby County Detention Center and released about half an hour later after posting a $ 15,000 cash bond .
Following the plea , presiding Judge Ann Bailey Smith set the conditions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any firearms pending a court decision .
His attorney Stewart Mathews requested the restriction be reconsidered for self-defense purposes , citing multiple threats he says Hankison has received .
Smith refused , saying she does not allow people charged with offenses involving firearms to possess any such weapons .
Hankison will appear in court on Oct. 28 at 11 a.m. for a pre-trial conference .
In Kentucky , wanton endangerment is a Class D felony .
If convicted , Hankison could face up to five years in prison for each count .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the first degree when , under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life , he wantonly engages in conduct which creates a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to another person , '' state law says .
The other two officers who shot weapons in Taylor 's apartment were not charged .
Sgt .
Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove remain on administrative reassignment pending an internal investigation into the shooting .
An FBI ballistics test found Cosgrove fired the fatal bullet , Kentucky Attorney General Daniel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision .
But a state ballistics test was inconclusive .
Hankison 's charges are not directly related to Taylor 's death .
Hankison was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in June after interim Chief Robert Schroeder said he fired indiscriminately into Taylor 's apartment and adjoining units .
Hankison 's attorney called the firing a `` cowardly political act , '' and Hankison is appealing the decision .
The appeal will be heard by the Police Merit Board — of which Hankison was a member until his termination — after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Breonna Taylor evidence leaks appear to show charged Louisville officer in her unit after shooting Evidence from the case leaked on social media and digital news sites over the weekend , and Hankison can be seen in video footage entering Taylor 's apartment after her death .
Schroeder confirmed the footage came from body cameras of responding officers who arrived after Taylor was shot .
`` We are looking to work with the FBI and the attorney general 's office to see what information we can release , what could potentially damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigation and release whatever information we can that will not harm that , '' Schroeder said .
Trump income taxes : Top seven revelations from New York Times report More : Donald Trump 's taxes already at issue in at least two New York investigations

Louisville officer pleads not guilty to charges related to fatal Breonna Taylor shooting
Show Caption Hide Caption Breonna Taylor: Kentucky grand jury indicts 1 officer Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison has been indicted on criminal charges after shooting into the apartment next door to Breonna Taylor. USA TODAY
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The sole Louisville police officer charged in connection to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor pleaded not guilty to three counts of wanton endangerment at his arraignment Monday.
Former Louisville Metro Police Detective Brett Hankison was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday over shots that went into a neighboring apartment the night Taylor was killed. He was booked that afternoon at the Shelby County Detention Center and released about half an hour later after posting a $15,000 cash bond.
Following the plea, presiding Judge Ann Bailey Smith set the conditions that Hankison must not be in possession of any firearms pending a court decision. His attorney Stewart Mathews requested the restriction be reconsidered for self-defense purposes, citing multiple threats he says Hankison has received.
Smith refused, saying she does not allow people charged with offenses involving firearms to possess any such weapons.
Hankison will appear in court on Oct. 28 at 11 a.m. for a pre-trial conference.
Breonna Taylor: Ballistics report doesn't support Kentucky AG's claim that Taylor's boyfriend shot cop
In Kentucky, wanton endangerment is a Class D felony. If convicted, Hankison could face up to five years in prison for each count.
"A person is guilty of wanton endangerment in the first degree when, under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life, he wantonly engages in conduct which creates a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to another person," state law says.
The other two officers who shot weapons in Taylor's apartment were not charged. Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove remain on administrative reassignment pending an internal investigation into the shooting.
An FBI ballistics test found Cosgrove fired the fatal bullet, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said following the grand jury's decision. But a state ballistics test was inconclusive.
Hankison's charges are not directly related to Taylor's death.
Hankison was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in June after interim Chief Robert Schroeder said he fired indiscriminately into Taylor's apartment and adjoining units.
Hankison's attorney called the firing a "cowardly political act," and Hankison is appealing the decision. The appeal will be heard by the Police Merit Board — of which Hankison was a member until his termination — after the criminal case has been completed.
More: Breonna Taylor evidence leaks appear to show charged Louisville officer in her unit after shooting
Evidence from the case leaked on social media and digital news sites over the weekend, and Hankison can be seen in video footage entering Taylor's apartment after her death. Schroeder confirmed the footage came from body cameras of responding officers who arrived after Taylor was shot.
"We are looking to work with the FBI and the attorney general's office to see what information we can release, what could potentially damage the investigation, what would not damage the investigation and release whatever information we can that will not harm that," Schroeder said.
Follow reporter Emma Austin on Twitter at @emmacaustin
Trump income taxes: Top seven revelations from New York Times report
More: Donald Trump's taxes already at issue in at least two New York investigations


usatoday--2020-09-29--John Mellencamp supported BLM during FarmAid performance. Some viewers weren't happy

You know you hit a nerve with people when they want to take back money donated during an online fundraiser .
John Mellencamp sparked this level of YouTube griping Saturday night , when he promoted the Black Lives Matter movement as part of the all-star Farm Aid concert .
The Indiana music icon performed “ Easy Target , ” a bleakly sarcastic song that refers to Black Americans as being “ created equal , equally beneath me and you , ” and he ended the tune by kneeling and raising his right fist .
Variations of “ Why bring politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Can I rescind my donation ?
” scrolled by in the real-time comments posted during the online event .
To some , Mellencamp may defy expectations of what a classic rocker in a red state is supposed to be .
But for anyone paying attention , he stayed true to his track record of opposing racial injustice .
From showcasing an interracial couple in the 1987 video for his song `` Cherry Bomb '' to collaborating with Public Enemy rapper Chuck D in 2001 , Mellencamp strives for equity and inclusion in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s no chance Mellencamp , who turns 69 next month , will back down from his “ Crumblin ’ Down ” persona : “ I ’ m the same old trouble you ’ ve been having for years.
” Because the coronavirus pandemic made this year 's Farm Aid an online streaming event , performers were allowed to get creative with their recorded performances .
Neil Young , who co-founded the benefit for independent farmers with Willie Nelson and Mellencamp in 1985 , sent in footage of chickens and ducks at his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ Everybody Knows This is Nowhere.
” Mellencamp was the only one of 21 acts to record in front of a live human audience .
He made it a timely and topical gathering , playing with guitarist Andy York in woodsy Indiana for a dozen socially distanced people wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and pandemic face coverings .
Ironically , though , no one in the audience was Black .
Online viewers who complained about Farm Aid being too political should know the event 's entire purpose has been political for 35 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matthews , who became a member of the nonprofit ’ s board of directors when the concert came to Ruoff Music Center in 2001 , work to leverage their influence to help underdog farmers survive in the era of corporate agriculture .
Videos between Saturday ’ s performances highlighted challenges faced by Black farmers , whose numbers have decreased from nearly 1 million in 1920 to 45,000 today , and Native American farmers .
“ We ’ ve been farming out here for well over 2,000 years , ” one Native American farmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reed and John Mellencamp onstage in Indiana in 1987 Mellencamp performed four songs : “ Longest Days , ” “ Jack & Diane , ” “ Easy Target ” and unofficial Farm Aid anthem “ Rain on the Scarecrow.
” “ Easy Target ” features the lines , “ So , Black lives matter ?
Who we trying to kid ?
They ’ re just easy targets .
Do n't matter , never did.
” Although the song may sound new in the year of Breonna Taylor , George Floyd and Jacob Blake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his 2017 album “ Sad Clowns & Hillbillies.
” In February 2018 , Mellencamp performed “ Easy Target ” on “ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
” Similar to Saturday ’ s Farm Aid , he “ took a knee ” on the “ Late Show ” telecast and raised a Black Power fist in the tradition of athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics .
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has something in common with Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich , whose streak of kneeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to three weeks on Sunday .
When Mellencamp ’ s fans wear Black Lives Matters shirts and Colts players do the same during pre-game warmups , their hope is that people consider what ’ s being requested : a decrease in the disproportionate shooting of Black Americans by the police .
Regrettably , some observers sidestep the sentiment and shift focus to the Black Lives Matter Global Network they label as a “ Marxist front organization.
” IndianapoLIST : Obsessed with Indianapolis ?
Subscribe to our newsletter With no Black audience members among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Farm Aid performance , the singer might be criticized for being overly calculated and performative .
But he ’ s no newcomer to singing about race relations .
Mellencamp ’ s catalog includes : • `` Jena , ” a 2007 song inspired by the Jena Six case in which six Black high school students in Louisiana were charged with attempted murder in the beating of a white student .
`` Jena , take your nooses down , '' Mellencamp sang in the chorus .
• `` Peaceful World , '' a 2001 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives in the U.S.A. today , better get hip to what Martin Luther King had to say . ''
R & B singer India Arie appeared as guest vocalist on `` Peaceful World . ''
• `` Cuttin ' Heads , '' title track of Mellencamp 's 2001 album .
`` Poppi had a wife , '' Mellencamp sang .
`` And she was Black and Poppi was white .
Everything was rolling great , until some man called her race a disgrace . ''
Public Enemy rapper Chuck D contributes a verse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying , `` Die , ' N ' word , die . ''
You can watch the entire Farm Aid concert at YouTube .
Mellencamp ’ s four-song performance begins at the 90-minute mark .
Contact IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at dave.lindquist @ indystar.com or 317-444-6404 .
Follow him on Twitter : @ 317Lindquist .

John Mellencamp supported BLM during FarmAid performance. Some viewers weren't happy
Show Caption Hide Caption Retro podcast: John Mellencamp at the turn of the century In this episode of the "Dave's Old Interview Tapes" podcast, IndyStar reporter David Lindquist and Jim Ryser revisit three chats with John Mellencamp. David Lindquist, david.lindquist@indystar.com
You know you hit a nerve with people when they want to take back money donated during an online fundraiser.
John Mellencamp sparked this level of YouTube griping Saturday night, when he promoted the Black Lives Matter movement as part of the all-star Farm Aid concert.
The Indiana music icon performed “Easy Target,” a bleakly sarcastic song that refers to Black Americans as being “created equal, equally beneath me and you,” and he ended the tune by kneeling and raising his right fist.
Variations of “Why bring politics to Farm Aid?” and “Can I rescind my donation?” scrolled by in the real-time comments posted during the online event.
To some, Mellencamp may defy expectations of what a classic rocker in a red state is supposed to be. But for anyone paying attention, he stayed true to his track record of opposing racial injustice.
From showcasing an interracial couple in the 1987 video for his song "Cherry Bomb" to collaborating with Public Enemy rapper Chuck D in 2001, Mellencamp strives for equity and inclusion in his art.
Despite YouTube detractors, there’s no chance Mellencamp, who turns 69 next month, will back down from his “Crumblin’ Down” persona: “I’m the same old trouble you’ve been having for years.”
BLM shirts and pandemic masks
Because the coronavirus pandemic made this year's Farm Aid an online streaming event, performers were allowed to get creative with their recorded performances. Neil Young, who co-founded the benefit for independent farmers with Willie Nelson and Mellencamp in 1985, sent in footage of chickens and ducks at his feet during renditions of “Homegrown” and “Everybody Knows This is Nowhere.”
Mellencamp was the only one of 21 acts to record in front of a live human audience.
He made it a timely and topical gathering, playing with guitarist Andy York in woodsy Indiana for a dozen socially distanced people wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and pandemic face coverings. Ironically, though, no one in the audience was Black.
Missing the point
Online viewers who complained about Farm Aid being too political should know the event's entire purpose has been political for 35 years.
Famous musicians, including Dave Matthews, who became a member of the nonprofit’s board of directors when the concert came to Ruoff Music Center in 2001, work to leverage their influence to help underdog farmers survive in the era of corporate agriculture.
Videos between Saturday’s performances highlighted challenges faced by Black farmers, whose numbers have decreased from nearly 1 million in 1920 to 45,000 today, and Native American farmers. “We’ve been farming out here for well over 2,000 years,” one Native American farmer said.
Unearthed video: See Lou Reed and John Mellencamp onstage in Indiana in 1987
Mellencamp performed four songs: “Longest Days,” “Jack & Diane,” “Easy Target” and unofficial Farm Aid anthem “Rain on the Scarecrow.”
“Easy Target” features the lines, “So, Black lives matter? Who we trying to kid? They’re just easy targets. Don't matter, never did.”
Although the song may sound new in the year of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Jacob Blake, Mellencamp recorded “Easy Target” for his 2017 album “Sad Clowns & Hillbillies.”
In February 2018, Mellencamp performed “Easy Target” on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
Similar to Saturday’s Farm Aid, he “took a knee” on the “Late Show” telecast and raised a Black Power fist in the tradition of athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics.
Looking for understanding
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has something in common with Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich, whose streak of kneeling during “The Star-Spangled Banner” extended to three weeks on Sunday.
When Mellencamp’s fans wear Black Lives Matters shirts and Colts players do the same during pre-game warmups, their hope is that people consider what’s being requested: a decrease in the disproportionate shooting of Black Americans by the police.
Regrettably, some observers sidestep the sentiment and shift focus to the Black Lives Matter Global Network they label as a “Marxist front organization.”
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With no Black audience members among the 12 gathered for Mellencamp’s Farm Aid performance, the singer might be criticized for being overly calculated and performative.
But he’s no newcomer to singing about race relations. Mellencamp’s catalog includes:
"Jena,” a 2007 song inspired by the Jena Six case in which six Black high school students in Louisiana were charged with attempted murder in the beating of a white student. "Jena, take your nooses down," Mellencamp sang in the chorus.
"Jim Crow," a 2007 duet with Joan Baez.
"Peaceful World," a 2001 single featuring the lines, "Racism lives in the U.S.A. today, better get hip to what Martin Luther King had to say." R&B singer India Arie appeared as guest vocalist on "Peaceful World."
"Cuttin' Heads," title track of Mellencamp's 2001 album. "Poppi had a wife," Mellencamp sang. "And she was Black and Poppi was white. Everything was rolling great, until some man called her race a disgrace." Public Enemy rapper Chuck D contributes a verse to "Cuttin' Heads," saying, "Die, 'N' word, die."
You can watch the entire Farm Aid concert at YouTube. Mellencamp’s four-song performance begins at the 90-minute mark.
Contact IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at dave.lindquist@indystar.com or 317-444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.


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