usatoday--2020-11-11--'Got there just in the nick of time': 200 queens were in first 'murder hornet' nest. But there could

A nest of a massive , and potentially deadly , invasive hornet species in Washington state likely is n't the only one in the U.S. , a state entomologist said .
A team with the Washington State Department of Agriculture that destroyed the first discovered nest in the U.S. found about 500 hornets at various stages of their life cycles in the nest — including approximately 200 queens .
Some of the queens could have escaped , mated and formed new colonies next year had they not been captured .
`` We got there just in the nick of time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entomologist with the state Department of Agriculture .
However , other sightings of hornets around the area indicate that the team 's work might not be finished .
`` We do believe there are additional nests , '' he said at a virtual news conference Tuesday .
`` When you see all be it a relatively small nest like this able to pump out 200 queens , it does give one a little bit of pause . ''
Could 'murder hornets ' spread across the USA ?
The West Coast could be at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named Vespa mandarinia and nicknamed `` murder hornets '' in the media , are a species not native to the United States that can devastate honeybee populations critical for crop pollination .
However , the habitat in the Pacific Northwest is `` perfect '' for the hornet , Spichiger said .
The hornets were first detected in the U.S. in December 2019 in Washington state and one was captured in July in Whatcom County near the Canadian border .
It 's unknown how the insect made it from its native areas of China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Vietnam to North America , but Spichiger said confirmed sightings are limited to Whatcom County and British Columbia .
The insects are the world 's largest hornet and can grow up to 2 inches long .
Terrifying in appearance , their stings could also deliver a potentially deadly venom , especially for those who are allergic or if someone were to stumble upon a nest and sustain multiple stings , Spichiger said .
The stings can cause necrosis and lead to organ failure , he added .
'Murder hornet ' mania : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Asian giant hornet In Asian countries , the hornets kill more than a dozen people a year , but `` these are not going to hunt you down and murder you , '' he said .
In the U.S. , typical hornets , wasps and bees kill an average of 62 people a year , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says .
There were less than 800 cells in the nest destroyed in October , Spichiger said , while other nests in the hornets ' native area can produce more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spichiger said he was confident that most of the queens from that nest did not escape .
An unknown number could have , though , meaning they have a chance at founding new colonies next spring .
While it 's not known how many nests could already be out there , Spichiger said he 's cautiously optimistic that it is still possible to stamp out the hornets ' presence in North America .
`` Right now it 's just us and British Columbia and it 's a fairly contained event at the moment @ @ @ @ @

'Got there just in the nick of time': 200 queens were in first 'murder hornet' nest. But there could be more out there
Show Caption Hide Caption Hundreds of 'murder hornets' found in first U.S. nest It's unknown how many "murder hornet" queens escaped from the first nest of its kind in the U.S. USA TODAY, Associated Press
A nest of a massive, and potentially deadly, invasive hornet species in Washington state likely isn't the only one in the U.S., a state entomologist said.
A team with the Washington State Department of Agriculture that destroyed the first discovered nest in the U.S. found about 500 hornets at various stages of their life cycles in the nest — including approximately 200 queens.
Some of the queens could have escaped, mated and formed new colonies next year had they not been captured.
"We got there just in the nick of time," said Sven-Erik Spichiger, an entomologist with the state Department of Agriculture.
However, other sightings of hornets around the area indicate that the team's work might not be finished.
"We do believe there are additional nests," he said at a virtual news conference Tuesday.
"When you see all be it a relatively small nest like this able to pump out 200 queens, it does give one a little bit of pause."
Could 'murder hornets' spread across the USA? The West Coast could be at risk.
Asian giant hornets, officially named Vespa mandarinia and nicknamed "murder hornets" in the media, are a species not native to the United States that can devastate honeybee populations critical for crop pollination. However, the habitat in the Pacific Northwest is "perfect" for the hornet, Spichiger said.
The hornets were first detected in the U.S. in December 2019 in Washington state and one was captured in July in Whatcom County near the Canadian border. It's unknown how the insect made it from its native areas of China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea and Vietnam to North America, but Spichiger said confirmed sightings are limited to Whatcom County and British Columbia.
Why you probably won't ever see the Asian giant 'murder' hornet A small number of Asian giant hornet sightings in the Pacific Northwest has raised alarm. USA TODAY, Wochit
The insects are the world's largest hornet and can grow up to 2 inches long. Terrifying in appearance, their stings could also deliver a potentially deadly venom, especially for those who are allergic or if someone were to stumble upon a nest and sustain multiple stings, Spichiger said. The stings can cause necrosis and lead to organ failure, he added.
'Murder hornet' mania: Hundreds of people think they've spotted the Asian giant hornet
In Asian countries, the hornets kill more than a dozen people a year, but "these are not going to hunt you down and murder you," he said. In the U.S., typical hornets, wasps and bees kill an average of 62 people a year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
There were less than 800 cells in the nest destroyed in October, Spichiger said, while other nests in the hornets' native area can produce more than 4,000 cells and 800 queens.
Spichiger said he was confident that most of the queens from that nest did not escape. An unknown number could have, though, meaning they have a chance at founding new colonies next spring.
While it's not known how many nests could already be out there, Spichiger said he's cautiously optimistic that it is still possible to stamp out the hornets' presence in North America.
"Right now it's just us and British Columbia and it's a fairly contained event at the moment," Spichiger said.
Contributing: John Bacon
Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller


usatoday--2020-11-11--Election 2020: What the Democratic Party did wrong

In this year 's elections , Democrats won the presidency but little else .
Their dreams of a Senate majority appear to have vanished .
Rather than picking up three to five seats on election night as many had predicted , they netted but one , and now pin their hopes of a wafer-thin majority on two runoffs to be held in Georgia in January .
In the House of Representatives , it looks like Democrats will lose roughly seven to 11 seats when they had been banking on a gain of roughly that amount to pad their majority .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were a bust .
Much of the analysis of what went wrong for Democrats needs to wait for the millions of outstanding votes to be counted in multiple states .
Leading theories include poorer-than-expected showings with Latinos and Asian Americans , and voters wanting to put a check on former Vice President Joe Biden .
But an overarching theme seems to be Democrats ’ unique talent for pigeonholing themselves as too far to the left on social and economic policies .
Say what you will about their candidates ’ actual proposals , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ Democratic socialism.
” The argument that Democratic policies were radically anti-business seemed , to Democrats , absurd .
After all , the 477 counties Biden won nationwide are responsible for 70 % of America ’ s economic output .
What 's more , quite a few Democratic economic policies are clearly popular .
Even as Biden was going down to defeat in Florida , for example , the state was passing a $ 15-an-hour minimum wage as a ballot initiative .
Yet the Democratic message on business — that cultivating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxes , is what drives growth — gets lost when people like Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , propose massive increases in entitlement spending , widespread debt forgiveness for students , and impractical energy policies that involve bans on fracking and nuclear energy .
In an era of grossly misleading social media , Democrats need to think how their policies will look as a tweet or a 30-second attack ad .
As the saying goes , in politics if you are explaining , you are losing .
On social matters , Democrats are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is real and needs to be addressed .
But the party too often leaves the impression that America is a biracial nation , not the multiracial , multiethnic country it really is .
Many immigrants are religious and social traditionalists who are less interested in being part of some movement than they are in prospering financially , buying a house in a nice neighborhood and raising a family .
Harsh anti-police rhetoric is more likely to turn them away than to win them over .
The Democrats need a message that 's more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The message ought to to incorporate their most important values while not being seen as too quick to throw money at preferred groups or too quick to pass judgment on others .
If the Democratic Party can ’ t manage that , it will face more elections like this one and more presidents with short coattails .

Election 2020: What the Democratic Party did wrong Our View: 477 counties Biden won are responsible for 70% of America’s economic output. But all voters heard were 'defund the police' and 'socialism'
In this year's elections, Democrats won the presidency but little else.
Their dreams of a Senate majority appear to have vanished. Rather than picking up three to five seats on election night as many had predicted, they netted but one, and now pin their hopes of a wafer-thin majority on two runoffs to be held in Georgia in January.
In the House of Representatives, it looks like Democrats will lose roughly seven to 11 seats when they had been banking on a gain of roughly that amount to pad their majority. Their efforts to flip state legislative assemblies were a bust.
Biden counties equal 70% of economic output
Much of the analysis of what went wrong for Democrats needs to wait for the millions of outstanding votes to be counted in multiple states. Leading theories include poorer-than-expected showings with Latinos and Asian Americans, and voters wanting to put a check on former Vice President Joe Biden.
But an overarching theme seems to be Democrats’ unique talent for pigeonholing themselves as too far to the left on social and economic policies. Say what you will about their candidates’ actual proposals, many voters heard only “defund the police” and “Democratic socialism.”
The argument that Democratic policies were radically anti-business seemed, to Democrats, absurd. After all, the 477 counties Biden won nationwide are responsible for 70% of America’s economic output.
What's more, quite a few Democratic economic policies are clearly popular. Even as Biden was going down to defeat in Florida, for example, the state was passing a $15-an-hour minimum wage as a ballot initiative.
Yet the Democratic message on business — that cultivating a skilled workforce, rather than slashing taxes, is what drives growth — gets lost when people like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., propose massive increases in entitlement spending, widespread debt forgiveness for students, and impractical energy policies that involve bans on fracking and nuclear energy.
In an era of grossly misleading social media, Democrats need to think how their policies will look as a tweet or a 30-second attack ad. As the saying goes, in politics if you are explaining, you are losing.
Multiracial voters hold many views of social issues
On social matters, Democrats are more actively to blame. Racial injustice is real and needs to be addressed. But the party too often leaves the impression that America is a biracial nation, not the multiracial, multiethnic country it really is.
Many immigrants are religious and social traditionalists who are less interested in being part of some movement than they are in prospering financially, buying a house in a nice neighborhood and raising a family. Harsh anti-police rhetoric is more likely to turn them away than to win them over.
The Democrats need a message that's more than anti-Trumpism and less than Big Government. The message ought to to incorporate their most important values while not being seen as too quick to throw money at preferred groups or too quick to pass judgment on others.
If the Democratic Party can’t manage that, it will face more elections like this one and more presidents with short coattails.


usatoday--2020-11-11--Pennsylvania postal worker denies recanting fraud claim

A U.S .
Postal Service employee in Erie , Pennsylvania , who made claims last week that his superiors were back-dating ballots that were sent after Election Day , recanted his statements in interviews with investigators , according to reports .
On Tuesday evening , The Washington Post reported that Richard Hopkins admitted to fabricating the allegations while being interviewed by Postal Service investigators in recent days .
The Post cited three people briefed on the investigation and a statement on Twitter from Democrats on the House Oversight Committee .
But hours later , in a video retweeted by President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recanted his allegations , stating that `` I 'm here to say I did not recant my statements .
That did not happen .
That is not what happened . ''
• No evidence that 14,000 dead people voted in Michigan • Ballots in video of `` Trump ballots '' being burned is fake , city officials say • Nine military ballots were incorrectly discarded , but it was n't an instance of fraud —and they were n't in a ditch • Arizona election department : Sharpies can be used on ballots The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received more than 1.3 million views .
Hopkins ' allegations , though , were already beginning to fall apart before news broke that he had recanted his statement .
The Erie Times-News on Tuesday morning reviewed 129 mail-in ballot envelopes that were postmarked Nov. 3 but arrived at the Erie County Board of Elections after Election Day .
Of those 129 ballots , only two postmarked Nov. 3 were processed through the Erie facility , the Times-News discovered in its review , which was conducted in the presence of Erie County Board of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Landslide ?
: Was Biden 's win over Trump a landslide ?
Narrow ?
A look at previous elections A bulk of the ballots were processed at various locations across the state and the country , from places as far west as Tacoma , Washington , and as far south as Florida .
Most were postmarked in Pittsburgh .
The voters are registered in Erie County but likely are out of the area for work , college , or travel , Anderson said .
The courts have ordered that all late-arriving mail-in ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also ordered that the ballots not be included in any Pennsylvania county 's overall tally .
The Erie County Board of Elections will remove those ballots from its count either Tuesday or in the coming days .
Vote totals are unofficial .
Though counties were supposed to finalize their vote totals by 5 p.m. Tuesday , Pennsylvania 's Deputy Secretary for Elections and Commissions Jonathan Marks extended the counting to accommodate elections observers who are monitoring the process .
Erie County completed its final , unofficial count Tuesday evening .
Pompeo : Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he expects 'transition to a second Trump administration' The allegation that employees at the Erie Postal Service facility were `` back-dating '' mail-in ballots that arrived after Election Day was made by Hopkins , 32 , last week .
The claims came as Trump and his supporters have filed a slew of lawsuits and made numerous public , but yet-to-be-proved claims of voter fraud in Pennsylvania and other states .
Hopkins initially told the conservative activist group Project Veritas that he and other carriers were instructed by Postmaster Robert Weisenbach to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Election Day .
Hopkins also claimed to overhear Weisenbach tell another supervisor that he , Weisenbach , was back-dating ballots `` to make it appear as though the ballots had been collected on Nov. 3 , 2020 , despite them in fact being collected on November 4 and possibly later , '' according to an affidavit circulated by the group and purportedly signed by Hopkins .
Hopkins initially said `` all but one '' of the ballots received Nov. 4 had been back-dated to Nov. 3 .
On Nov. 5 , Hopkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another supervisor ) that they 'messed up yesterday ' – Nov. 4 , 2020 – by accidentally postmarking one ballot as having been collected Nov. 4 , 2020 ( when it had actually been collected ) , '' the signed affidavit says .
Not only did the Erie Times-News review find that only two late-arriving ballots processed at the Erie postal facility have a Nov. 3 postmark , but it also found that nine late ballots processed in Erie were postmarked Nov. 4 or later .
Project Veritas , founded by James O @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for undercover-style reporting and video , sometimes secretly recorded , used to reveal what it sees as liberal bias .
Some of the content it has circulated has been found to be false or misleading .
Weisenbach issued a statement Saturday evening saying the allegations are `` 100 % false . ''
Live election updates : Election 2020 live updates : Trump , GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan win in Alaska ; Georgia will do hand recount “ Good evening my friends , ” Weisenbach wrote .
“ There has been awful things posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
The allegations made against me and the Erie Post Office are 100 % false made by an employee that was recently disciplined multiple times .
“ The Erie Post Office did not backdate any ballots , ” Weisenbach wrote .
Hopkins had not responded to requests for comment from the Erie Times-News .
Last week , a Postal Service spokesman said that the U.S .
Postal Inspection Service and the Office of Inspector General were looking into the claims .
According to The Washington Post , Hopkins admitted to investigators that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed a new affidavit recanting the claims .
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform , on its Twitter page , reported on Tuesday evening that Hopkins “ completely recanted ” his allegations regarding mishandled ballots in Erie .
That committee is the U.S. House of Representatives ’ main investigative body and has jurisdiction over the Postal Service .
It is led by Rep. Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. COVID stimulus : Is a coronavirus stimulus deal likely in the 'lame duck ' session ?
All signs point to more impasse .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which was sent at 5:22 p.m. Tuesday , the Postal Service ’ s investigation of Hopkins ’ allegations began last week .
Investigators from the Office of the Inspector General “ informed Committee staff today that they interviewed Hopkins on Friday ” and that Hopkins recanted his allegations , according to one of the tweets .
Further , Hopkins “ did not explain why he signed a false affidavit ” with Project Veritas alleging tampering and fraud , according to the committee ’ s tweets .
Tad Kelley , a Pittsburgh-based U.S @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately be reached for comment .
Hopkins denied reports that he recanted his initial claims late Tuesday evening .
Before Trump called him a `` brave patriot '' Tuesday , Hopkins ' allegations had been amplified by the likes of Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee , and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany .
Graham , in a statement recently , called on the Department of Justice and the Postal Service to inspect Hopkins ' claims , saying he would not allow `` allegations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the rug . ''
Graham stated he received Hopkins ' sworn affidavit from the Trump campaign .
The two Project Veritas videos of Hopkins , the first of which his identity is anonymous , his voice is distorted and his face is blurred , have been viewed thousands of times on social media .
Hopkins had started an online fundraiser that , as of Tuesday afternoon , had raised more than $ 136,000 , far exceeding its $ 50,000 goal , to help him if he is fired or forced to resign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site had frozen the account , barring Hopkins from drawing funds from it .
The page appeared to have been removed by 11 p.m. Tuesday .
Project Veritas also claimed Hopkins had been placed on unpaid leave , but the Erie Times-News has not yet verified that statement .
Project Veritas has circulated similar , unproven claims of Postal Service back-dating in Michigan and another part of Pennsylvania .
The claim about back-dating postmarks in Michigan , though unproven , would still be a moot point because the state did not accept any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law also required all mail-in and absentee ballots to be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day .
Veterans Day : On Veterans Day , how President-elect Biden 's plan for the Pentagon differs from Trump However , the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in September granted a request from Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar to accept mail-in and absentee ballots received within three days of the election as long as there was no proof those ballots were sent after Election Day .
The Pennsylvania Republican Party appealed the decision to the United States Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue last month .
The GOP refiled the case , which the court declined to expedite before the election .
Trump 's campaign in recent days has sought to join the lawsuit .
Though the ballots were made part of Erie County 's vote total Friday , a court order Monday requires that those votes be removed from any county 's tally until lawsuits are resolved .
Though the Erie Post Office only postmarked two ballots Nov. 3 that were received by the Erie County Board of Elections within the three-day window , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they , not the Post Office , erred in including seven other ballots with Nov. 4 postmarks in the count of valid , late-arriving ballots .
Six of the seven were processed and postmarked Nov. 4 by the mail facility in Erie .
Even though all late-arriving mail-in ballots are currently not permitted to be part of the total vote count , Anderson and Supervisor of Elections Tonia Fernandez said the office would try to `` reconcile '' which of the seven ballots were sent after Election Day .
By the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots had been matched to their envelopes .
Anderson noted that the inclusion of those ballots was a `` clerical error '' that the elections office caught on its own and that there was no `` ill-intent '' involved .
Joe Biden wins Pennsylvania : :Here 's how he reclaimed his home state and the 'blue wall' Even if the late-arriving ballots are not included in Erie County 's vote totals when the Board of Elections certifies its count , they would make no change in the presidential race .
That 's because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the five votes removed , President-elect Joe Biden received 62 votes ( a loss of three ) ; President Donald Trump received 58 votes ( a loss of two ) ; Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen received eight votes and there were two write-ins .
Erie County completed its final , unofficial count of all ballot types late Tuesday .
Biden had 68,336 votes to Trump 's 66,912 votes – a margin of 1,424 votes .
Libertarian presidential candidate Jo Jorgensen had 1,936 votes .
There were also 414 write-in votes for president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timesnews.com .
Follow him on Twitter at @ ETNrink .

Pennsylvania postal worker denies recanting fraud claim
Show Caption Hide Caption 'Its an embarrassment:' President-elect Biden on Trump not conceding President-elect Joe Biden says 'it's an embarrassment' that President Donald Trump is still refusing to concede the presidential race. USA TODAY
A U.S. Postal Service employee in Erie, Pennsylvania, who made claims last week that his superiors were back-dating ballots that were sent after Election Day, recanted his statements in interviews with investigators, according to reports.
On Tuesday evening, The Washington Post reported that Richard Hopkins admitted to fabricating the allegations while being interviewed by Postal Service investigators in recent days. The Post cited three people briefed on the investigation and a statement on Twitter from Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.
But hours later, in a video retweeted by President Donald Trump, Hopkins denied he had recanted his allegations, stating that "I'm here to say I did not recant my statements. That did not happen. That is not what happened."
'FRAUD' FACT CHECKS:
The video in just a few hours had received more than 1.3 million views.
Hopkins' allegations, though, were already beginning to fall apart before news broke that he had recanted his statement.
The Erie Times-News on Tuesday morning reviewed 129 mail-in ballot envelopes that were postmarked Nov. 3 but arrived at the Erie County Board of Elections after Election Day.
Of those 129 ballots, only two postmarked Nov. 3 were processed through the Erie facility, the Times-News discovered in its review, which was conducted in the presence of Erie County Board of Elections Chairman Carl Anderson and others.
Landslide?: Was Biden's win over Trump a landslide? Narrow? A look at previous elections
A bulk of the ballots were processed at various locations across the state and the country, from places as far west as Tacoma, Washington, and as far south as Florida. Most were postmarked in Pittsburgh. The voters are registered in Erie County but likely are out of the area for work, college, or travel, Anderson said.
The courts have ordered that all late-arriving mail-in ballots be segregated. On Monday, they also ordered that the ballots not be included in any Pennsylvania county's overall tally. The Erie County Board of Elections will remove those ballots from its count either Tuesday or in the coming days.
Vote totals are unofficial. Though counties were supposed to finalize their vote totals by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Pennsylvania's Deputy Secretary for Elections and Commissions Jonathan Marks extended the counting to accommodate elections observers who are monitoring the process. Erie County completed its final, unofficial count Tuesday evening.
Pompeo: Despite election results showing Biden win, Pompeo said he expects 'transition to a second Trump administration'
The allegations
The allegation that employees at the Erie Postal Service facility were "back-dating" mail-in ballots that arrived after Election Day was made by Hopkins, 32, last week. The claims came as Trump and his supporters have filed a slew of lawsuits and made numerous public, but yet-to-be-proved claims of voter fraud in Pennsylvania and other states.
Hopkins initially told the conservative activist group Project Veritas that he and other carriers were instructed by Postmaster Robert Weisenbach to bring him all ballots that they picked up after Election Day.
Hopkins also claimed to overhear Weisenbach tell another supervisor that he, Weisenbach, was back-dating ballots "to make it appear as though the ballots had been collected on Nov. 3, 2020, despite them in fact being collected on November 4 and possibly later," according to an affidavit circulated by the group and purportedly signed by Hopkins. Hopkins initially said "all but one" of the ballots received Nov. 4 had been back-dated to Nov. 3.
On Nov. 5, Hopkins said he "overheard Weisenbach tell (another supervisor) that they 'messed up yesterday' – Nov. 4, 2020 – by accidentally postmarking one ballot as having been collected Nov. 4, 2020 (when it had actually been collected)," the signed affidavit says.
Not only did the Erie Times-News review find that only two late-arriving ballots processed at the Erie postal facility have a Nov. 3 postmark, but it also found that nine late ballots processed in Erie were postmarked Nov. 4 or later.
Project Veritas, founded by James O’Keefe in 2010, is known for undercover-style reporting and video, sometimes secretly recorded, used to reveal what it sees as liberal bias. Some of the content it has circulated has been found to be false or misleading.
Weisenbach issued a statement Saturday evening saying the allegations are "100% false."
Live election updates: Election 2020 live updates: Trump, GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan win in Alaska; Georgia will do hand recount
“Good evening my friends,” Weisenbach wrote. “There has been awful things posted about the USPS and here is my statement. The allegations made against me and the Erie Post Office are 100% false made by an employee that was recently disciplined multiple times.
“The Erie Post Office did not backdate any ballots,” Weisenbach wrote.
Hopkins had not responded to requests for comment from the Erie Times-News. Last week, a Postal Service spokesman said that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Office of Inspector General were looking into the claims. According to The Washington Post, Hopkins admitted to investigators that his statements were not true and he signed a new affidavit recanting the claims.
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform, on its Twitter page, reported on Tuesday evening that Hopkins “completely recanted” his allegations regarding mishandled ballots in Erie.
That committee is the U.S. House of Representatives’ main investigative body and has jurisdiction over the Postal Service. It is led by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y.
COVID stimulus: Is a coronavirus stimulus deal likely in the 'lame duck' session? All signs point to more impasse.
According to a series of tweets, the first of which was sent at 5:22 p.m. Tuesday, the Postal Service’s investigation of Hopkins’ allegations began last week. Investigators from the Office of the Inspector General “informed Committee staff today that they interviewed Hopkins on Friday” and that Hopkins recanted his allegations, according to one of the tweets.
Further, Hopkins “did not explain why he signed a false affidavit” with Project Veritas alleging tampering and fraud, according to the committee’s tweets.
Tad Kelley, a Pittsburgh-based U.S. Postal Service spokesman, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Hopkins denied reports that he recanted his initial claims late Tuesday evening.
Before Trump called him a "brave patriot" Tuesday, Hopkins' allegations had been amplified by the likes of Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
Graham, in a statement recently, called on the Department of Justice and the Postal Service to inspect Hopkins' claims, saying he would not allow "allegations of voting irregularities and misconduct to be swept under the rug."
Graham stated he received Hopkins' sworn affidavit from the Trump campaign.
The two Project Veritas videos of Hopkins, the first of which his identity is anonymous, his voice is distorted and his face is blurred, have been viewed thousands of times on social media.
Hopkins had started an online fundraiser that, as of Tuesday afternoon, had raised more than $136,000, far exceeding its $50,000 goal, to help him if he is fired or forced to resign. Project Veritas claimed that the fundraising site had frozen the account, barring Hopkins from drawing funds from it. The page appeared to have been removed by 11 p.m. Tuesday. Project Veritas also claimed Hopkins had been placed on unpaid leave, but the Erie Times-News has not yet verified that statement.
Project Veritas has circulated similar, unproven claims of Postal Service back-dating in Michigan and another part of Pennsylvania. The claim about back-dating postmarks in Michigan, though unproven, would still be a moot point because the state did not accept any ballots received after Election Day.
Pennsylvania law also required all mail-in and absentee ballots to be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Veterans Day: On Veterans Day, how President-elect Biden's plan for the Pentagon differs from Trump
However, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in September granted a request from Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar to accept mail-in and absentee ballots received within three days of the election as long as there was no proof those ballots were sent after Election Day.
The Pennsylvania Republican Party appealed the decision to the United States Supreme Court, which deadlocked 4-4 on the issue last month. The GOP refiled the case, which the court declined to expedite before the election. Trump's campaign in recent days has sought to join the lawsuit.
Though the ballots were made part of Erie County's vote total Friday, a court order Monday requires that those votes be removed from any county's tally until lawsuits are resolved.
County mistakenly included seven late ballots
Though the Erie Post Office only postmarked two ballots Nov. 3 that were received by the Erie County Board of Elections within the three-day window, county elections officials on Monday evening discovered that they, not the Post Office, erred in including seven other ballots with Nov. 4 postmarks in the count of valid, late-arriving ballots. Six of the seven were processed and postmarked Nov. 4 by the mail facility in Erie.
Even though all late-arriving mail-in ballots are currently not permitted to be part of the total vote count, Anderson and Supervisor of Elections Tonia Fernandez said the office would try to "reconcile" which of the seven ballots were sent after Election Day. By the end of Tuesday, five of the seven ballots had been matched to their envelopes.
Anderson noted that the inclusion of those ballots was a "clerical error" that the elections office caught on its own and that there was no "ill-intent" involved.
Joe Biden wins Pennsylvania:: Here's how he reclaimed his home state and the 'blue wall'
Even if the late-arriving ballots are not included in Erie County's vote totals when the Board of Elections certifies its count, they would make no change in the presidential race.
That's because the candidates nearly split those votes.
With the five votes removed, President-elect Joe Biden received 62 votes (a loss of three); President Donald Trump received 58 votes (a loss of two); Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen received eight votes and there were two write-ins.
Erie County completed its final, unofficial count of all ballot types late Tuesday. Biden had 68,336 votes to Trump's 66,912 votes – a margin of 1,424 votes. Libertarian presidential candidate Jo Jorgensen had 1,936 votes. There were also 414 write-in votes for president.
Contributing: Kevin Flowers
Contact Matthew Rink at mrink@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ETNrink.


usatoday--2020-11-11--Golden retriever is rescued from 40-foot sinkhole

When Sammy the golden retriever found himself at the bottom of a 40-foot sinkhole , a fire rescue team was @ @ @ @ @ ladder to save him .

Golden retriever is rescued from 40-foot sinkhole
When Sammy the golden retriever found himself at the bottom of a 40-foot sinkhole, a fire rescue team was ready with bacon and a ladder to save him.
Animalkind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-11--First U.S. 'murder hornet' nest found, more expected

First U.S. 'murder hornet ' nest found , more expected It 's unknown how many `` murder hornet '' queens @ @ @ @ @ of its kind in the U.S .

Hundreds of 'murder hornets' found in first U.S. nest
It's unknown how many "murder hornet" queens escaped from the first nest of its kind in the U.S.
USA TODAY, Associated Press


usatoday--2020-11-11--AP Explains: Election's validity intact despite Trump claims

The U.S. presidential election was not tainted by widespread voter fraud or irregularities in how ballots were counted , despite a huge effort by President Donald Trump to prove otherwise .
In refusing to concede the election , Trump claims that he would have won were it not for `` illegal '' votes counted in several states that he lost or where he is currently trailing .
But Trump and his allies have n't offered any proof , and their legal challenges have largely been rejected by the courts .
Nonpartisan investigations of previous elections have found that voter fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both parties , as well as international observers , have also stated that the 2020 election went well .
• No evidence that 14,000 dead people voted in Michigan • Ballots in video of `` Trump ballots '' being burned is fake , city officials say • Nine military ballots were incorrectly discarded , but it was n't an instance of fraud —and they were n't in a ditch • Arizona election department : Sharpies can be used on ballots A look at the election and the allegations Trump has made : How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 150 million people voted in the presidential election .
As of Tuesday night , one week after the election , President-elect Joe Biden had received over 5 million more votes than Trump .
Biden has 290 votes in the Electoral College to Trump 's 214 .
The Associated Press has not yet determined the winner in Alaska , Georgia or North Carolina .
Of the states Trump has most targeted as allegedly tainted by fraud , Biden holds small but significant leads in all of them .
The Democrat leads in Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania and Wisconsin .
How did the election go ?
Several states successfully enacted voting measures during the coronavirus pandemic .
The Democratic stronghold of California improved its mail-in balloting system , for example , and delivered as expected for Biden .
But Trump easily won reliably Republican Nebraska , North Dakota and Montana , all states that also significantly expanded vote by mail this year .
Two decades after it was at the center of a disputed recount , Florida has adopted early voting and allowed voters to cast absentee ballots without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida for Trump at 12:35 a.m. Wednesday .
Vote counting was slow in three Midwestern states that went for Trump four years ago and flipped to Biden this time : the `` blue wall '' of Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin .
That 's because of an increase in mail-in ballots , which the Biden campaign pushed its supporters to use as a safety measure because of the pandemic .
Trump baselessly argued that mail-in ballots were subject to fraud and encouraged his supporters to show up to vote in person on Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led all three states in Election Day voting , but those leads were erased as mail-in ballots were counted .
All three states largely ignored advice from nonpartisan observers to expand the window for counting mail-in ballots before Election Day .
Michigan gave election officials one day , and Pennsylvania and Wisconsin did not allow counting beforehand .
All three states have Republican legislatures .
The Trump campaign has filed more than a dozen lawsuits in at least five states .
On Tuesday night , campaign officials said they would file a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that their poll watchers were harassed or turned away and asking the secretary of state not to certify the election results .
Attorney Mark `` Thor '' Hearne promised `` overwhelming evidence '' and piles of affidavits .
Poll watchers have no role in counting votes .
In Pennsylvania , the campaign has challenged the state Supreme Court ruling allowing election officials to accept mail-in ballots up to three days after the election as long as they were postmarked by Election Day .
Trump has also sued over campaign observers allegedly being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And he 's challenged the secretary of state instructing counties that voters whose absentee ballots were rejected could cast a provisional ballot .
Trump has won one victory so far : A state court ruled his campaign observers had to be allowed closer to the actual vote counting .
That ruling had no impact on the outcome of the race .
Four other lawsuits filed by the campaign have been dismissed .
Others are pending .
On Monday , his campaign sued to force Pennsylvania not to certify the results of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contained no evidence of voter fraud , other than a smattering of allegations such as an election worker in Chester County altering `` over-voted '' ballots by changing votes that had been marked for Trump to another candidate .
Top Democratic leaders in the state accused Trump of trying to disenfranchise voters and overturn an election he lost .
What are Trump allies saying ?
Trump 's lawyers and campaign staff say that the election is not over and that they are investigating claims in several states , though they continue to lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outcome of the race .
Top Republicans have supported the president 's efforts to fight the election results in court .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Trump was `` 100 % within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options . ''
Attorney General William Barr authorized the Justice Department to investigate `` clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities . ''
What happens next ?
All disputes over the counts in each state must be complete by Dec. 8 .
Members of the Electoral College vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Senate hold a joint session on Jan. 6 , 2021 , to count the electoral votes in each state .
Associated Press writers Christina A. Cassidy in Atlanta and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report .

AP Explains: Election's validity intact despite Trump claims
Show Caption Hide Caption How a contentious election affects a peaceful transition of power What history has shown us about contested elections and peaceful transitions of power. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The U.S. presidential election was not tainted by widespread voter fraud or irregularities in how ballots were counted, despite a huge effort by President Donald Trump to prove otherwise.
In refusing to concede the election, Trump claims that he would have won were it not for "illegal" votes counted in several states that he lost or where he is currently trailing. But Trump and his allies haven't offered any proof, and their legal challenges have largely been rejected by the courts.
Nonpartisan investigations of previous elections have found that voter fraud is exceedingly rare. State officials from both parties, as well as international observers, have also stated that the 2020 election went well.
'FRAUD' FACT CHECKS:
A look at the election and the allegations Trump has made:
How many people voted this year?
More than 150 million people voted in the presidential election. As of Tuesday night, one week after the election, President-elect Joe Biden had received over 5 million more votes than Trump.
Biden has 290 votes in the Electoral College to Trump's 214. The Associated Press has not yet determined the winner in Alaska, Georgia or North Carolina.
Of the states Trump has most targeted as allegedly tainted by fraud, Biden holds small but significant leads in all of them. The Democrat leads in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Watch: Biden backers and Trump supporters clash at Pennsylvania Capitol There were dueling rallies in favor of Biden and Trump in Harrisburg. Things got heated. Shane Bahn and Cameron Clark, York Daily Record
How did the election go?
Several states successfully enacted voting measures during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Democratic stronghold of California improved its mail-in balloting system, for example, and delivered as expected for Biden. But Trump easily won reliably Republican Nebraska, North Dakota and Montana, all states that also significantly expanded vote by mail this year.
Two decades after it was at the center of a disputed recount, Florida has adopted early voting and allowed voters to cast absentee ballots without having an excuse. The AP called Florida for Trump at 12:35 a.m. Wednesday.
Vote counting was slow in three Midwestern states that went for Trump four years ago and flipped to Biden this time: the "blue wall" of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
That's because of an increase in mail-in ballots, which the Biden campaign pushed its supporters to use as a safety measure because of the pandemic. Trump baselessly argued that mail-in ballots were subject to fraud and encouraged his supporters to show up to vote in person on Election Day.
As a result, Trump led all three states in Election Day voting, but those leads were erased as mail-in ballots were counted.
All three states largely ignored advice from nonpartisan observers to expand the window for counting mail-in ballots before Election Day. Michigan gave election officials one day, and Pennsylvania and Wisconsin did not allow counting beforehand. All three states have Republican legislatures.
What is Trump challenging?
The Trump campaign has filed more than a dozen lawsuits in at least five states. On Tuesday night, campaign officials said they would file a new lawsuit in Michigan alleging, in part, that their poll watchers were harassed or turned away and asking the secretary of state not to certify the election results. Attorney Mark "Thor" Hearne promised "overwhelming evidence" and piles of affidavits.
Poll watchers have no role in counting votes.
In Pennsylvania, the campaign has challenged the state Supreme Court ruling allowing election officials to accept mail-in ballots up to three days after the election as long as they were postmarked by Election Day. Trump has also sued over campaign observers allegedly being blocked from witnessing vote tallying in Pennsylvania. And he's challenged the secretary of state instructing counties that voters whose absentee ballots were rejected could cast a provisional ballot.
Trump has won one victory so far: A state court ruled his campaign observers had to be allowed closer to the actual vote counting. That ruling had no impact on the outcome of the race.
Four other lawsuits filed by the campaign have been dismissed. Others are pending.
On Monday, his campaign sued to force Pennsylvania not to certify the results of the election altogether. The 85-page lawsuit itself contained no evidence of voter fraud, other than a smattering of allegations such as an election worker in Chester County altering "over-voted" ballots by changing votes that had been marked for Trump to another candidate.
Top Democratic leaders in the state accused Trump of trying to disenfranchise voters and overturn an election he lost.
What are Trump allies saying?
Trump's lawyers and campaign staff say that the election is not over and that they are investigating claims in several states, though they continue to lack any evidence of widespread fraud that affected the outcome of the race. Top Republicans have supported the president's efforts to fight the election results in court.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Trump was "100% within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options." Attorney General William Barr authorized the Justice Department to investigate "clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities."
What happens next?
All disputes over the counts in each state must be complete by Dec. 8. Members of the Electoral College vote on Dec. 14. The U.S. House and Senate hold a joint session on Jan. 6, 2021, to count the electoral votes in each state.
Associated Press writers Christina A. Cassidy in Atlanta and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report.


usatoday--2020-11-12--'It's an embarrassment': Joe Biden responds to Donald Trump's refusal to concede presidential race

WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday dismissed President Donald Trump 's refusal to concede the election as not very consequential to his efforts to begin transition planning and said it did not reflect well on Trump .
`` I just think it 's an embarrassment , quite frankly , '' Biden said .
`` How can I say this tactfully ?
I think it will not help the president 's legacy . ''
Biden , the Democratic nominee , racked up the 270 Electoral College votes to clinch presidency on Saturday .
Trump has falsely claimed the election was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges in several states , including Pennsylvania , Michigan , Georgia and Nevada .
More : 'Time to heal in America ' : President-elect Joe Biden , VP-elect Kamala Harris talk of unity Biden is preparing for his Jan. 20 inauguration , including assembling an advisory panel to guide his efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic .
He said he would likely make his first Cabinet announcements by Thanksgiving .
Biden on Tuesday spoke to leaders of the United Kingdom , Germany , France and other European nations who congratulated him on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussions with foreign leaders thus far that they are hopeful that the United States ' democratic institutions are viewed once again as being strong and endured , '' Biden said .
`` But I think at the end of the day , it 's going to all come to fruition on Jan .
20 . ''
More : Supreme Court appears unlikely to topple Affordable Care Act in latest challenge by Republicans Biden , speaking in Wilmington , Delaware , took questions from reporters for the first time since he was declared the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He had just delivered remarks about the Affordable Care Act , which the Supreme Court held oral arguments on Tuesday and appeared likely to uphold for the third time in eight years .
Biden said Trump 's unwillingness to acknowledge his election victory is `` not of much consequence '' to his transition team 's ability to plan and that he 's communicated to world leaders that `` America 's back . ''
`` We are already beginning the transition .
We 're well underway , '' the former vice president said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recognize our win does not change the dynamics of what we 're able to do . ''
Asked what his message is for Trump , Biden said : `` Mr. President , I look forward to speaking with you . ''
More : 'Hopefully it will calm down ' : The election is over .
Now a stressed nation looks for normalcy under Joe Biden Biden says he does n't need transition funding Biden would win with a comfortable 306 electoral votes if a 12,427-vote lead for the former vice president holds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to call and subject to a recount .
On election night , Fox News and the Associated Press declared that Biden had won Arizona , but the counting continues there , where Biden leads by less than 15,000 votes and other organizations are waiting to declare a winner .
Even if Biden were to lose both states , he would still exceed 270 electoral votes .
But that has n't stopped the Trump campaign and other Republicans from digging in .
Attorney General Bill Barr announced he 's authorized prosecutors to `` pursue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irregularities '' despite a lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud .
• No evidence that 14,000 dead people voted in Michigan • Ballots in video of `` Trump ballots '' being burned is fake , city officials say • Nine military ballots were incorrectly discarded , but it was n't an instance of fraud —and they were n't in a ditch • Arizona election department : Sharpies can be used on ballots The U.S. General Services Administration , an agency instrumental in presidential transitions , has not begun the initial steps in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are typically provided to an incoming administration .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo echoed Trump 's false assertions about the election outcome , telling reporters `` there will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration '' when asked whether the Trump administration would cooperate with the Biden transition .
More : The GSA holds the keys to the Trump-to-Biden transition .
What is it ?
More : Despite election results showing Biden win , Pompeo said he expects 'transition to a second Trump administration' Biden dismissed Pompeo ’ s remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said with a laugh .
He also said his team will be fine without the federal transition funding or access to presidential daily briefings known as `` PDBs . ''
He said he “ doesn ’ t see a need for legal action ” to force the Trump administration to cooperate .
“ We can get through without the funding , ” Biden said .
“ We ’ re in a position that we feel very good about .
There ’ s nothing that slows up our efforts to put things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be useful , but it ’ s not necessary .
“ We ’ re going to do exactly what we ’ d be doing if he had conceded and said we have won , which we have , ” Biden said .
Only four Republican senators – Ben Sasse of Nebraska , Susan Collins of Maine , Mitt Romney of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – have congratulated Biden on winning .
Others like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , Ted Cruz of Texas and Tom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had not been decided .
`` President Trump is 100 % within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options , '' McConnell said on the floor Monday .
He said the winner of the election is n't decided until the Electoral College meets Dec. 14 .
More : Georgia senators facing runoffs call on Secretary of State to resign — election updates Biden said he hadn ’ t had a chance to speak to McConnell but expects to soon .
“ I think that the whole Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with a few notable exceptions , of being mildly intimidated by the sitting president , '' Biden said .
`` But there ’ s only one president at a time .
He ’ s president .
The Electoral College will be making their judgement in December and it will be announced in January.
” Biden , who campaigned on bipartisanship and bringing a divided nation together , said he 's optimistic the two parties will be able to work together once he takes office to tackle issues such as health care .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pessimist , as you know , '' he said .
`` And I think there are a enough Republicans who 've already spoken out .
And I think there will be many more – not many more , a larger number – once the election is declared and I 'm sworn in to be able to get things done .
I think they understand . ''
`` They will , '' Biden said when pressed on how expects to work with Republicans if they do n't recognize him as president-elect .
`` They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden flipped the electoral map and won the presidency with room to spare

'It's an embarrassment': Joe Biden responds to Donald Trump's refusal to concede presidential race
Show Caption Hide Caption 'Its an embarrassment:' President-elect Biden on Trump not conceding President-elect Joe Biden says 'it's an embarrassment' that President Donald Trump is still refusing to concede the presidential race. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday dismissed President Donald Trump's refusal to concede the election as not very consequential to his efforts to begin transition planning and said it did not reflect well on Trump.
"I just think it's an embarrassment, quite frankly," Biden said. "How can I say this tactfully? I think it will not help the president's legacy."
Biden, the Democratic nominee, racked up the 270 Electoral College votes to clinch presidency on Saturday. Trump has falsely claimed the election was stolen, as his campaign mounts legal challenges in several states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia and Nevada.
More: 'Time to heal in America': President-elect Joe Biden, VP-elect Kamala Harris talk of unity
Biden is preparing for his Jan. 20 inauguration, including assembling an advisory panel to guide his efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he would likely make his first Cabinet announcements by Thanksgiving. Biden on Tuesday spoke to leaders of the United Kingdom, Germany, France and other European nations who congratulated him on a victory.
"I know from my discussions with foreign leaders thus far that they are hopeful that the United States' democratic institutions are viewed once again as being strong and endured," Biden said. "But I think at the end of the day, it's going to all come to fruition on Jan. 20."
More: Supreme Court appears unlikely to topple Affordable Care Act in latest challenge by Republicans
Message to foreign leaders: 'America's back'
Biden, speaking in Wilmington, Delaware, took questions from reporters for the first time since he was declared the winner of the presidential election Saturday. He had just delivered remarks about the Affordable Care Act, which the Supreme Court held oral arguments on Tuesday and appeared likely to uphold for the third time in eight years.
Biden said Trump's unwillingness to acknowledge his election victory is "not of much consequence" to his transition team's ability to plan and that he's communicated to world leaders that "America's back."
"We are already beginning the transition. We're well underway," the former vice president said, adding that the administration's "failure to recognize our win does not change the dynamics of what we're able to do."
Asked what his message is for Trump, Biden said: "Mr. President, I look forward to speaking with you."
More: 'Hopefully it will calm down': The election is over. Now a stressed nation looks for normalcy under Joe Biden
Biden says he doesn't need transition funding
Biden would win with a comfortable 306 electoral votes if a 12,427-vote lead for the former vice president holds in Georgia, which is too close to call and subject to a recount. On election night, Fox News and the Associated Press declared that Biden had won Arizona, but the counting continues there, where Biden leads by less than 15,000 votes and other organizations are waiting to declare a winner. Even if Biden were to lose both states, he would still exceed 270 electoral votes. But that hasn't stopped the Trump campaign and other Republicans from digging in.
Concession speeches: A look back on history Scott Farris, author of "Almost President: The Men Who Lost the Race but Changed the Nation," describes the tradition of offering a concession speech. USA TODAY
Attorney General Bill Barr announced he's authorized prosecutors to "pursue substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities" despite a lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud.
'FRAUD' FACT CHECKS:
"WE WILL WIN," Trump tweeted Tuesday morning.
The U.S. General Services Administration, an agency instrumental in presidential transitions, has not begun the initial steps in the process, delaying funding and resources that are typically provided to an incoming administration. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo echoed Trump's false assertions about the election outcome, telling reporters "there will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration" when asked whether the Trump administration would cooperate with the Biden transition.
More: The GSA holds the keys to the Trump-to-Biden transition. What is it?
More: Despite election results showing Biden win, Pompeo said he expects 'transition to a second Trump administration'
Biden dismissed Pompeo’s remarks. “Secretary of State Pompeo," he said with a laugh.
He also said his team will be fine without the federal transition funding or access to presidential daily briefings known as "PDBs." He said he “doesn’t see a need for legal action” to force the Trump administration to cooperate.
“We can get through without the funding,” Biden said. “We’re in a position that we feel very good about. There’s nothing that slows up our efforts to put things together. Obviously, the PDB would be useful, but it’s not necessary.
“We’re going to do exactly what we’d be doing if he had conceded and said we have won, which we have,” Biden said.
Biden: Republicans 'mildly intimidated' by Trump
Only four Republican senators – Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Susan Collins of Maine, Mitt Romney of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – have congratulated Biden on winning. Others like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Ted Cruz of Texas and Tom Cotton of Arkansas have said the election had not been decided.
"President Trump is 100% within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options," McConnell said on the floor Monday. He said the winner of the election isn't decided until the Electoral College meets Dec. 14.
More: Georgia senators facing runoffs call on Secretary of State to resign — election updates
Biden said he hadn’t had a chance to speak to McConnell but expects to soon.
“I think that the whole Republican Party has been put in a position, with a few notable exceptions, of being mildly intimidated by the sitting president," Biden said. "But there’s only one president at a time. He’s president. The Electoral College will be making their judgement in December and it will be announced in January.”
Biden, who campaigned on bipartisanship and bringing a divided nation together, said he's optimistic the two parties will be able to work together once he takes office to tackle issues such as health care.
"Look, I am not a pessimist, as you know," he said. "And I think there are a enough Republicans who've already spoken out. And I think there will be many more – not many more, a larger number – once the election is declared and I'm sworn in to be able to get things done. I think they understand."
"They will," Biden said when pressed on how expects to work with Republicans if they don't recognize him as president-elect. "They will."
More: How Joe Biden flipped the electoral map and won the presidency with room to spare
Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.


usatoday--2020-11-11--GOP Sen. Tillis reelected to North Carolina seat, boosting GOP chances to keep majority. Cunningham

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis fended off a tough battle to win a second term against Democrat Cal Cunningham , prevailing in a race Democrats had hoped to pick up in their quest to recapture the majority .
Tillis won 49 % -47 % , or by about 100,000 votes out of more than 5.3 million cast , a slightly wider margin than President Donald Trump 's lead in the Tar Heel State .
“ The voters have spoken and I respect their decision , '' Cunningham said Tuesday in a news release shortly after calling Tillis to concede .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there remain deep political divisions in our state and nation , the more complete story of our country lies in what unites us : our faith and sense of confidence in our democracy , our civic values and common humanity , our shared aspiration to care for one another , and our belief that we live in a country that does exceptional things . ''
The loss means Democrats ’ only hopes of taking the majority are several longshot races .
They still have a chance if they take two races in Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about two decades .
Both races in Georgia are set for a Jan. 5 runoff .
Democrats bested Republicans in Colorado , where John Hickenlooper beat Republican Sen. Cory Gardner ; and in Arizona , where Sen. Martha McSally was defeated by Democrat Mark Kelly .
But the party faced a setback in Alabama , where Republicans captured the seat held by Sen. Doug Jones .
The North Carolina race was filled with last-minute surprises that included the disclosure of Cunningham admitting to an extra-marital affair and Tillis contracting COVID-19 .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional race in U.S. history , according to the Center for Responsive Politics .
Cunningham focused on health care , using the campaign to criticize Tillis over Republicans ' efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and for Tillis ' role as state House Speaker in opposing the expansion of Medicaid .
Tillis , for his part , tried to link Cunningham to national Democratic controversies and attacked him for not immediately disclosing the affair .

GOP Sen. Tillis reelected to North Carolina seat, boosting GOP chances to keep majority. Cunningham concedes
Show Caption Hide Caption Georgia runoffs will decide who controls U.S. Senate Millions in campaign contributions are rolling into Georgia as its Senate races have national implications. USA TODAY
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis fended off a tough battle to win a second term against Democrat Cal Cunningham, prevailing in a race Democrats had hoped to pick up in their quest to recapture the majority.
Tillis won 49%-47%, or by about 100,000 votes out of more than 5.3 million cast, a slightly wider margin than President Donald Trump's lead in the Tar Heel State.
“The voters have spoken and I respect their decision," Cunningham said Tuesday in a news release shortly after calling Tillis to concede. "While the results of this election suggest there remain deep political divisions in our state and nation, the more complete story of our country lies in what unites us: our faith and sense of confidence in our democracy, our civic values and common humanity, our shared aspiration to care for one another, and our belief that we live in a country that does exceptional things."
The loss means Democrats’ only hopes of taking the majority are several longshot races. They still have a chance if they take two races in Georgia, which has been solidly red for about two decades. Both races in Georgia are set for a Jan. 5 runoff.
Democrats bested Republicans in Colorado, where John Hickenlooper beat Republican Sen. Cory Gardner; and in Arizona, where Sen. Martha McSally was defeated by Democrat Mark Kelly. But the party faced a setback in Alabama, where Republicans captured the seat held by Sen. Doug Jones.
The North Carolina race was filled with last-minute surprises that included the disclosure of Cunningham admitting to an extra-marital affair and Tillis contracting COVID-19. It was on track to be the most expensive congressional race in U.S. history, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Cunningham focused on health care, using the campaign to criticize Tillis over Republicans' efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and for Tillis' role as state House Speaker in opposing the expansion of Medicaid.
Tillis, for his part, tried to link Cunningham to national Democratic controversies and attacked him for not immediately disclosing the affair.
Contributing: Ledyard King