usatoday--2020-08-05--'No such thing happened': Former acting AG Sally Yates says Obama, Biden did not urge Flynn inquiry

Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates told a Senate panel Wednesday that in the days before Donald Trump 's inauguration , President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden made no attempt to target incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn for prosecution to undermine the new administration .
Yates , describing a Jan. 5 , 2017 , Oval Office meeting to discuss Russian interference in the 2016 election , said she was surprised to learn from Obama that the FBI had intercepted Flynn 's conversations with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in which the incoming national security adviser sought to `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kremlin for its election intervention .
`` My memory is clear , '' Yates told the Senate Judiciary Committee , adding that Obama urged caution when sharing information with Flynn during the transition to the Trump administration .
`` No such thing happened , '' Yates said , when later pressed whether administration officials sought to pursue a Flynn inquiry .
`` That meeting was not about an investigation at all .
That would have set off alarms for me . ''
The Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee called the former Obama administration official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Russia inquiry and the early days of the investigation into Flynn , who would later plead guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Kislyak .
Flynn moved to withdraw that guilty plea in January , claiming the government had breached the plea agreement .
While Flynn awaited sentencing , the Justice Department in May abruptly abandoned the prosecution over the objection of career prosecutors .
The move was challenged by the sentencing judge , who has since asked a federal appeals court to reconsider Justice 's decision , leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncertain , nearly three years after he first pleaded guilty .
In her testimony Wednesday , Yates differed sharply with the current Justice Department decision and defended the Flynn investigation as legitimate , referring to Flynn 's ultimate decision to plead guilty .
`` I was very surprised , '' she said of the decision to drop the case .
`` The circumstances here ( in the Flynn case ) called out '' for the FBI to pursue its investigation .
But Yates , who testified by video , also expressed deep concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early days of the Russia investigation , taking specific issue with then-FBI Director James Comey .
Yates described a tense encounter with Comey following the 2017 Oval Office meeting , saying that she upbraided the FBI director for not informing her of the intercepted Flynn conversations prior to the briefing with the president .
At the time , she said , the FBI was not providing adequate briefings on the agency 's activities .
Asked by Chairman Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , whether Comey had gone `` rogue , '' Yates responded : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yes . ''
Yates also said she would not have signed off on the surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page had she known that the FBI 's wire-tap warrant was deeply flawed .
Last year , the Justice Department 's internal watchdog found that the surveillance warrant was riddled with errors , raising questions about its justification .
The department 's inspector general identified 17 separate inaccuracies in the surveillance applications .
The inspector general , however , concluded the FBI was legally justified in launching its inquiry into Russian election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' that false information was submitted to support the warrant , Yates told lawmakers .
Prior to Wednesday 's hearing , Trump targeted Yates via Twitter , saying the career Justice official has `` zero credibility . ''
`` She was a part of the greatest political crime of the Century , and Obama Biden knew EVERYTHING ! ''
Trump wrote .
Senate Republicans followed Trump 's lead , asserting that the Obama Justice Department had sought to derail Trump 's campaign .
At one point , Sen. John Kennedy , R-La.
, @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
`` I do n't despise anyone , '' Yates responded .
`` I do n't respect the manner in which he has carried out the presidency . ''
Yates , ultimately fired by Trump for refusing to carry out his executive order banning travelers to the U.S. from certain Muslim countries , first outlined her concerns about Flynn in explosive testimony three years ago before the same committee , saying the former national security adviser 's lies about his contacts with Kislyak extended to Vice President Mike Pence .
`` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a national security adviser could get blackmailed by the Russians , ’ ’ Yates told the committee then .
Yates is the second high-profile witness called by the panel as part of its inquiry .
In June , former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein , a key player in the sprawling Russia investigation that shadowed much of Trump 's presidency , defended his oversight of the probe while acknowledging flaws in the FBI 's surveillance process .
`` Senators , whenever agents or prosecutors make serious mistakes or engage in misconduct , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And if existing policies fall short , those policies need to be changed , '' Rosenstein said in his opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee .
Ultimately , Rosenstein acknowledged he is responsible for the missteps that happened in the early days of the Russia investigation .
`` I 'm accountable .
I feel accountable .
...
I think the issue is , 'How do we fix the problem ? '
'' Rosenstein said .
Trump and his allies have sought to frame the entire Russia investigation as a hoax and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seizing on some aspects of Crossfire Hurricane , the code name for the FBI 's counterintelligence investigation into Russia 's election meddling and possible ties to the Trump campaign .
Republicans have seized on the inspector general 's findings on the flawed surveillance of Page to cast a sprawling inquiry by Russia special counsel Robert Mueller as illegitimate .
Yates was deputy attorney general under former president Barack Obama .
She became the acting attorney general when former attorney general Loretta Lynch resigned following Trump 's election .

'No such thing happened': Former acting AG Sally Yates says Obama, Biden did not urge Flynn inquiry
Show Caption Hide Caption Yates warned White House of 'possible blackmailing' Former Attorney General Sally Yates testified that she warned President Trump's White House that Michael Flynn was susceptible to blackmail by Russia. USA TODAY
Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates told a Senate panel Wednesday that in the days before Donald Trump's inauguration, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden made no attempt to target incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn for prosecution to undermine the new administration.
Yates, describing a Jan. 5, 2017, Oval Office meeting to discuss Russian interference in the 2016 election, said she was surprised to learn from Obama that the FBI had intercepted Flynn's conversations with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in which the incoming national security adviser sought to "neuter" recently imposed sanctions on the Kremlin for its election intervention.
"My memory is clear," Yates told the Senate Judiciary Committee, adding that Obama urged caution when sharing information with Flynn during the transition to the Trump administration.
"No such thing happened," Yates said, when later pressed whether administration officials sought to pursue a Flynn inquiry. "That meeting was not about an investigation at all. That would have set off alarms for me."
The Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee called the former Obama administration official as part of its ongoing review of the Russia inquiry and the early days of the investigation into Flynn, who would later plead guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Kislyak. Flynn moved to withdraw that guilty plea in January, claiming the government had breached the plea agreement.
While Flynn awaited sentencing, the Justice Department in May abruptly abandoned the prosecution over the objection of career prosecutors. The move was challenged by the sentencing judge, who has since asked a federal appeals court to reconsider Justice's decision, leaving the retired Army lieutenant general's fate uncertain, nearly three years after he first pleaded guilty.
In her testimony Wednesday, Yates differed sharply with the current Justice Department decision and defended the Flynn investigation as legitimate, referring to Flynn's ultimate decision to plead guilty.
"I was very surprised," she said of the decision to drop the case. "The circumstances here (in the Flynn case) called out" for the FBI to pursue its investigation.
But Yates, who testified by video, also expressed deep concerns about the FBI's conduct in the early days of the Russia investigation, taking specific issue with then-FBI Director James Comey.
Yates described a tense encounter with Comey following the 2017 Oval Office meeting, saying that she upbraided the FBI director for not informing her of the intercepted Flynn conversations prior to the briefing with the president.
At the time, she said, the FBI was not providing adequate briefings on the agency's activities.
Asked by Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., whether Comey had gone "rogue," Yates responded: "You could use that term, yes."
Yates also said she would not have signed off on the surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page had she known that the FBI's wire-tap warrant was deeply flawed.
Last year, the Justice Department's internal watchdog found that the surveillance warrant was riddled with errors, raising questions about its justification.
The department's inspector general identified 17 separate inaccuracies in the surveillance applications. The inspector general, however, concluded the FBI was legally justified in launching its inquiry into Russian election interference.
"Certainly, I regret" that false information was submitted to support the warrant, Yates told lawmakers.
Prior to Wednesday's hearing, Trump targeted Yates via Twitter, saying the career Justice official has "zero credibility."
"She was a part of the greatest political crime of the Century, and Obama Biden knew EVERYTHING!" Trump wrote.
Senate Republicans followed Trump's lead, asserting that the Obama Justice Department had sought to derail Trump's campaign.
At one point, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., asked Yates whether she "despised" Trump.
"I don't despise anyone," Yates responded. "I don't respect the manner in which he has carried out the presidency."
RARE MOVE: Appeals court will rehear Michael Flynn case
Yates, ultimately fired by Trump for refusing to carry out his executive order banning travelers to the U.S. from certain Muslim countries, first outlined her concerns about Flynn in explosive testimony three years ago before the same committee, saying the former national security adviser's lies about his contacts with Kislyak extended to Vice President Mike Pence.
Sally Yates schools Ted Cruz on the law When Ted Cruz questioned former acting Attorney General Sally Yates for not supporting Donald Trump's temporary travel ban, she was ready to defend her position. USA TODAY
"You don’t want a situation where a national security adviser could get blackmailed by the Russians,’’ Yates told the committee then.
Yates is the second high-profile witness called by the panel as part of its inquiry.
In June, former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, a key player in the sprawling Russia investigation that shadowed much of Trump's presidency, defended his oversight of the probe while acknowledging flaws in the FBI's surveillance process.
"Senators, whenever agents or prosecutors make serious mistakes or engage in misconduct, the Department of Justice must take remedial action. And if existing policies fall short, those policies need to be changed," Rosenstein said in his opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Ultimately, Rosenstein acknowledged he is responsible for the missteps that happened in the early days of the Russia investigation.
"I'm accountable. I feel accountable. ... I think the issue is, 'How do we fix the problem?'" Rosenstein said.
Trump and his allies have sought to frame the entire Russia investigation as a hoax and a witch hunt against the president, seizing on some aspects of Crossfire Hurricane, the code name for the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into Russia's election meddling and possible ties to the Trump campaign.
Republicans have seized on the inspector general's findings on the flawed surveillance of Page to cast a sprawling inquiry by Russia special counsel Robert Mueller as illegitimate.
Yates was deputy attorney general under former president Barack Obama. She became the acting attorney general when former attorney general Loretta Lynch resigned following Trump's election.
Contributing: Kristine Phillips


usatoday--2020-08-05--Bride's wedding photoshoot shows moment and power of the explosion in Beirut

The Beirut blast was captured in this bride 's wedding shoot This bride was in the middle of her wedding @ @ @ @ @ ripped through the square .

The Beirut blast was captured in this bride's wedding shoot
This bride was in the middle of her wedding photoshoot when the Beirut explosion ripped through the square.
USA TODAY, Storyful


usatoday--2020-08-04--Paralyzed hockey player learns to walk again

Doctors did n't know if Carson would ever walk again after a car accident , but this 16-year-old hockey player @ @ @ @ @ on the ice .

Paralyzed hockey player learns to walk again
Doctors didn't know if Carson would ever walk again after a car accident, but this 16-year-old hockey player is determined to get back on the ice.
Sportskind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-06--Trump and Birx praise Arizona as new national model for battling coronavirus pandemic

PHOENIX – For nearly a month , Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey has warned against taking any `` victory laps '' over declines in the state 's COVID-19 metrics , arguing the gradual improvements are `` not cause for celebration . ''
The White House may not have gotten the memo .
Throughout the governor 's Wednesday visit to Washington , D.C. , senior officials held up Arizona as a leader in COVID-19 containment measures , with President Donald Trump saying Ducey had `` done an incredible job '' controlling the virus .
`` He was hit very hard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump said of the governor 's leadership , as the pair took questions from reporters after a private discussion Wednesday afternoon .
`` You 've done a fantastic job .
We 're very proud of you .
We love the people of Arizona , and they are very proud of the job you 've done also , Doug , '' Trump said .
Dr. Deborah Birx , U.S. coronavirus task force coordinator , also said Ducey `` did a great job putting these pieces together and really creating that path forward .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump coronavirus posts of Fox interview about kids being 'almost immune' During a call with reporters earlier in the day , she had deemed Arizona a model for the rest of the nation , saying Ducey had shown other states it was possible to safely `` keep most of the economy open '' while having residents `` continue to use masks , continue to social distance , continue to not gather together in large groups . ''
`` We 're very encouraged by what 's happened in Phoenix and Tucson , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed dramatic spike in cases Indeed , Arizona has seen drops in daily COVID-19 caseloads , hospitalization rates and positive test results over the last month , after Ducey shuttered bars and gyms and local governments imposed mask mandates .
But those moves came after caseloads spiraled out of control in June – ultimately producing one of the worst outbreaks in the world – not before .
Despite the advice of epidemiologists , Ducey lifted stay-at-home restrictions in mid-May and encouraged Arizonans to patronize their favorite businesses , saying the state was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic . ''
At the time , Trump was encouraging state leaders to `` free '' their residents from lockdowns .
The Arizona Democratic Party took issue with the narrative Ducey and Trump presented during their question-and-answer session on Wednesday .
The party wrote on Twitter that the pair `` just patted themselves on the back for their half-measures addressing the pandemic in AZ , but the reality is their efforts were too little , too late . ''
Ducey acknowledged the state had `` had a very difficult June '' but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , week over week , for four weeks . ''
He credited Arizonans with `` embracing '' public health recommendations and making `` good decisions . ''
As of Wednesday , the state had more than 182,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nearly 4,000 known deaths .
`` We 're going to keep our guard up , '' he said .
Birx described Arizona as a test case for the federal government 's new series of mitigation strategies , which include local mask mandates , limited restaurant service , bar closures and limiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being `` willing to be the first example of how to move forward together , '' saying he had proved their `` theoretical '' plan could work .
`` We ’ ve taken that model all the way across the South and up into Tennessee and Kentucky and Ohio and Indiana , '' she told the president on Wednesday afternoon .
`` We ’ ll be going to six states in the heartland next week , because we think this is a way to really decrease cases , decrease hospitalizations , decrease mortality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common-sense approach . ''
Ducey , for his part , said he was grateful Trump had ensured Arizona received personal protective equipment , hospital staff and a shipment of the antiviral treatment remdesivir .
He also mentioned relief funding for tribal nations , and the two surge testing sites the federal government set up in Maryvale and south Phoenix after residents reported wait times of 13-plus hours .
The governor said the state in recent weeks had improved both testing accessibility and turnaround times for results , which at times last month were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s fantastic , '' Trump said .
`` Wow .
Proud of you .
That 's a great success . ''
Ducey thanked him but said there was `` more to do . ''
`` We like the trajectory , and we ’ re going to keep pressing , '' he said .

Trump and Birx praise Arizona as new national model for battling coronavirus pandemic
Show Caption Hide Caption Gov. Doug Ducey in Oval Office with President Donald Trump Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey updates President Donald Trump on Aug. 5, 2020, on how Arizona is dealing with COVID-19. White House
PHOENIX – For nearly a month, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has warned against taking any "victory laps" over declines in the state's COVID-19 metrics, arguing the gradual improvements are "not cause for celebration."
The White House may not have gotten the memo.
Throughout the governor's Wednesday visit to Washington, D.C., senior officials held up Arizona as a leader in COVID-19 containment measures, with President Donald Trump saying Ducey had "done an incredible job" controlling the virus.
"He was hit very hard, and he hit back even harder," Trump said of the governor's leadership, as the pair took questions from reporters after a private discussion Wednesday afternoon.
"You've done a fantastic job. We're very proud of you. We love the people of Arizona, and they are very proud of the job you've done also, Doug," Trump said.
Dr. Deborah Birx, U.S. coronavirus task force coordinator, also said Ducey "did a great job putting these pieces together and really creating that path forward."
More: Facebook, Twitter remove Trump coronavirus posts of Fox interview about kids being 'almost immune'
During a call with reporters earlier in the day, she had deemed Arizona a model for the rest of the nation, saying Ducey had shown other states it was possible to safely "keep most of the economy open" while having residents "continue to use masks, continue to social distance, continue to not gather together in large groups."
"We're very encouraged by what's happened in Phoenix and Tucson," she said.
Mask mandates, new closures followed dramatic spike in cases
Indeed, Arizona has seen drops in daily COVID-19 caseloads, hospitalization rates and positive test results over the last month, after Ducey shuttered bars and gyms and local governments imposed mask mandates.
But those moves came after caseloads spiraled out of control in June – ultimately producing one of the worst outbreaks in the world – not before.
Despite the advice of epidemiologists, Ducey lifted stay-at-home restrictions in mid-May and encouraged Arizonans to patronize their favorite businesses, saying the state was "clearly on the other side of this pandemic." At the time, Trump was encouraging state leaders to "free" their residents from lockdowns.
The Arizona Democratic Party took issue with the narrative Ducey and Trump presented during their question-and-answer session on Wednesday.
The party wrote on Twitter that the pair "just patted themselves on the back for their half-measures addressing the pandemic in AZ, but the reality is their efforts were too little, too late."
Ducey acknowledged the state had "had a very difficult June" but said it had "seen improvement every week, week over week, for four weeks." He credited Arizonans with "embracing" public health recommendations and making "good decisions."
As of Wednesday, the state had more than 182,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nearly 4,000 known deaths.
"We're going to keep our guard up," he said.
Birx: Arizona a national model
Birx described Arizona as a test case for the federal government's new series of mitigation strategies, which include local mask mandates, limited restaurant service, bar closures and limiting social gatherings.
She applauded Ducey for being "willing to be the first example of how to move forward together," saying he had proved their "theoretical" plan could work.
"We’ve taken that model all the way across the South and up into Tennessee and Kentucky and Ohio and Indiana," she told the president on Wednesday afternoon.
"We’ll be going to six states in the heartland next week, because we think this is a way to really decrease cases, decrease hospitalizations, decrease mortality while still keeping things safe through this common-sense approach."
Ducey, for his part, said he was grateful Trump had ensured Arizona received personal protective equipment, hospital staff and a shipment of the antiviral treatment remdesivir.
He also mentioned relief funding for tribal nations, and the two surge testing sites the federal government set up in Maryvale and south Phoenix after residents reported wait times of 13-plus hours.
The governor said the state in recent weeks had improved both testing accessibility and turnaround times for results, which at times last month were averaging nine to 12 days.
"That’s fantastic," Trump said. "Wow. Proud of you. That's a great success."
Ducey thanked him but said there was "more to do."
"We like the trajectory, and we’re going to keep pressing," he said.
Follow Maria Polletta on Twitter @mpolletta.


usatoday--2020-08-05--The cost of applying for U.S. citizenship is dramatically increasing

PHOENIX – It 's going to cost more to apply for U.S. citizenship .
A lot more .
Starting Oct. 2 , legal immigrants eligible to apply for citizenship will pay $ 1,160 if they submit their application online , or $ 1,170 if submitting a paper application .
Under the new fee , immigrants will pay at least $ 520 more to apply for citizenship .
That is more than 80 % higher than the current application fee of $ 640 .
It 's also the second biggest jump in the naturalization application fee in history , analysts say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed lower income immigrants to apply for naturalization for free are also being eliminated .
And for the first time , people fleeing persecution in their home countries will have to pay a $ 50 fee to apply for asylum if they are not in deportation proceedings .
In the past , there has been no cost to apply for asylum .
The new fees and elimination of many fee waivers are part of an overall adjustment of immigration benefit fees that will increase by 20 % on average and generate an estimated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new fees were finalized Monday .
U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services , the agency that processes immigration benefits , says the fee increases are needed to offset the higher cost of processing applications for immigration benefits , including the Trump administration 's attempt to crack down on fraud and increase the vetting of immigrants applying for benefits .
“ USCIS is required to examine incoming and outgoing expenditures and make adjustments based on that analysis , '' Joseph Edlow , USCIS deputy director for policy , said in a statement to The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fees are necessary to efficiently and fairly administer our nation 's lawful immigration system , secure the homeland and protect Americans . ''
The agency relies almost entirely on fees .
It is facing a huge budget shortfall this year and has asked Congress for $ 1.2 billion to cover the gap .
Fees are reviewed every two years .
Some fees will decrease under the new changes .
The agency last adjusted fees in December 2016 under the Obama administration on average overall by a 21 % increase .
More : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more low-income adults , defying GOP leaders Supporters say the fee increases are long overdue , and will help make the agency financially solvent again without having to rely on tax dollars .
However , analysts said the fee increase will result in fewer legal permanent residents , especially lower-income immigrants , applying for citizenship , limiting their political power because only U.S. citizens can vote .
In the past , Republican and Democratic administrations have kept the cost of applying for naturalization low to encourage immigrants to apply for citizenship , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Migration Policy Institute , a nonpartisan think tank .
Only immigrants over 18 who have been legal permanent residents for at least five years , or three years if married to a U.S. citizen , can apply for citizenship .
Until now , the lower citizenship application fee was `` in recognition of the value of citizenship and the belief that those who qualify should be able to access citizenship , '' Bolter said .
`` So this naturalization fee is increasing more than other ( fees ) because this administration is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was held artificially lower in the past . ''
The large increase in the naturalize fee comes as USCIS is trying to work through a large backlog of citizenship applications exacerbated by the new coronavirus pandemic , which forced USCIS to shut down in-person naturalization interviews and naturalization oath ceremonies for several months .
`` So it just adds another obstacle to naturalization for people who might be eligible , '' she said .
The 81 % increase in the online naturalization application fee ( 83 % increase for paper applications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bolter said .
The highest increase was in 1999 , when under the Clinton administration the fee to apply for citizenship increase from $ 95 to $ 225 , a 137 % increase .
Combined with the fee increase , the elimination of fee waivers will result in fewer immigrants applying for citizenship , especially lower-income immigrants , Bolter said .
Under the Trump administration , USCIS is eliminating fee waivers for all immigrants , with the exception of a few categories , including victims of domestic violence , crime and human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who assisted the U.S. government and minors applying for special immigrant visas who still are under supervision of a juvenile court or child welfare agency , Bolter said .
USCIS is eliminating most fee waivers for immigrants applying for green cards and for work authorization , she said .
`` So this is also going to be really impactful , '' Bolter said .
`` Not only are these fees increasing but the mitigation measures to ensure that '' immigrants who are eligible but `` simply did n't have the resources to apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were about 9.1 million legal permanent residents in the United States in 2019 eligible to naturalize but had n't , according to Department of Homeland Security 's most recent data .
Of those , the largest share , about 2.5 million , were from Mexico , followed by China , with about 490,000 , and the Philippines , with 370,000 , according to DHS data .
About 810,000 legal permanent residents applied for citizenship in 2018 , according to the most recent USCIS data .
Of those , 761,901 became citizens .
David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cato Institute , a libertarian think tank that supports higher levels of immigration and foreign workers , believes the combination of the naturalization fee increase and elimination of fee waivers will result in more immigrants deciding not to become citizens .
`` I would expect you will see more people foregoing that opportunity '' to become full Americans , Bier said .
`` Especially when you already know it 's not a quick process .
It might take over a year or maybe even longer as a result of the '' backlogs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be processed .
He said the fee increases are part of the Trump administration 's ongoing efforts to restrict legal immigrants to the U.S. USICIS is raising the fees on many other categories of immigration benefits , including for H-1B high-skilled workers , H-2A seasonal agriculture workers and several other temporary worker categories .
USCIS is raising fees to cover the increased cost of processing applications for many benefits after the Trump administration implemented many `` onerous '' new regulations that have made applying for certain benefits unnecessarily more difficult , Bier said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some immigration forms are `` double or triple '' than what they were under the Obama administration , and many new questions have been added , Bier said .
`` All of that requires significantly more staff time , '' Bier said .
`` Now we are seeing that reflected in the fees that are going to be charged to sponsors and immigrants . ''
Jessica Vaughan , policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies , a think tank that favors less overall immigration , supports the fees increases , calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We need to have fees that are high enough to keep USCIS fiscally stable , and we can ’ t run our immigration system on the cheap , because there are security considerations and too much fraud , '' Vaughan said in an email .
`` Most people agree that US taxpayers should not have to subsidize the cost of adjudicating applications in the legal immigration system , especially when there are also other costs for welfare benefits that they end up subsidizing . ''
She also supports eliminating many of the fee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` a major fiscal drag on USCIS . ''
Fee waivers increased under the Obama administration , adding to their costs , she said In 2018 , USCIS waived fees for 350,000 applicants .
These waivers were valued at $ 368 million , averaging about $ 1,051 apiece , she said .
`` That ’ s a pretty big chunk of the $ 1.2 billion deficit that they are facing , '' Vaughan said .
`` These waivers were expanded significantly after a policy change implemented in the Obama administration .
Now Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so that legal immigrants don ’ t have to subsidize the applications of so many others . ''
She does n't believe the fee increases will lead to a decrease in immigrants applying for citizenship .
In the short term , the increases may result in a spike in immigrants applying for citizenship before the fees go up in October , she said .
`` Despite the higher fees , immigrants will still want to become citizens because they love this country and because they want to sponsor family members .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Vaughan said .

The cost of applying for U.S. citizenship is dramatically increasing
Show Caption Hide Caption AP Debrief: Supreme Court rejects Trump on DACA The Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump’s effort to end legal protections for 650,000 young immigrants, the second stunning election-season rebuke from the court in a week. (June 18) AP
PHOENIX – It's going to cost more to apply for U.S. citizenship. A lot more.
Starting Oct. 2, legal immigrants eligible to apply for citizenship will pay $1,160 if they submit their application online, or $1,170 if submitting a paper application.
Under the new fee, immigrants will pay at least $520 more to apply for citizenship. That is more than 80% higher than the current application fee of $640.
It's also the second biggest jump in the naturalization application fee in history, analysts say.
Most of the fee waivers that allowed lower income immigrants to apply for naturalization for free are also being eliminated.
And for the first time, people fleeing persecution in their home countries will have to pay a $50 fee to apply for asylum if they are not in deportation proceedings. In the past, there has been no cost to apply for asylum.
The new fees and elimination of many fee waivers are part of an overall adjustment of immigration benefit fees that will increase by 20% on average and generate an estimated $1 billion in revenue.
The new fees were finalized Monday.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that processes immigration benefits, says the fee increases are needed to offset the higher cost of processing applications for immigration benefits, including the Trump administration's attempt to crack down on fraud and increase the vetting of immigrants applying for benefits.
“USCIS is required to examine incoming and outgoing expenditures and make adjustments based on that analysis," Joseph Edlow, USCIS deputy director for policy, said in a statement to The Arizona Republic. "These overdue adjustments in fees are necessary to efficiently and fairly administer our nation's lawful immigration system, secure the homeland and protect Americans."
The agency relies almost entirely on fees. It is facing a huge budget shortfall this year and has asked Congress for $1.2 billion to cover the gap.
Fees are reviewed every two years. Some fees will decrease under the new changes. The agency last adjusted fees in December 2016 under the Obama administration on average overall by a 21% increase.
More: Missouri voters OK Medicaid expansion to cover more low-income adults, defying GOP leaders
Supporters say the fee increases are long overdue, and will help make the agency financially solvent again without having to rely on tax dollars.
However, analysts said the fee increase will result in fewer legal permanent residents, especially lower-income immigrants, applying for citizenship, limiting their political power because only U.S. citizens can vote.
In the past, Republican and Democratic administrations have kept the cost of applying for naturalization low to encourage immigrants to apply for citizenship, said Jessica Bolter, associate policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank.
Only immigrants over 18 who have been legal permanent residents for at least five years, or three years if married to a U.S. citizen, can apply for citizenship.
Until now, the lower citizenship application fee was "in recognition of the value of citizenship and the belief that those who qualify should be able to access citizenship," Bolter said. "So this naturalization fee is increasing more than other (fees) because this administration is trying to make up for the fact that it was held artificially lower in the past."
The large increase in the naturalize fee comes as USCIS is trying to work through a large backlog of citizenship applications exacerbated by the new coronavirus pandemic, which forced USCIS to shut down in-person naturalization interviews and naturalization oath ceremonies for several months.
"So it just adds another obstacle to naturalization for people who might be eligible," she said.
The 81% increase in the online naturalization application fee (83% increase for paper applications) is the second highest increase ever, Bolter said. The highest increase was in 1999, when under the Clinton administration the fee to apply for citizenship increase from $95 to $225, a 137% increase.
Combined with the fee increase, the elimination of fee waivers will result in fewer immigrants applying for citizenship, especially lower-income immigrants, Bolter said.
Under the Trump administration, USCIS is eliminating fee waivers for all immigrants, with the exception of a few categories, including victims of domestic violence, crime and human trafficking victims, Afghani and Iraqi nationals who assisted the U.S. government and minors applying for special immigrant visas who still are under supervision of a juvenile court or child welfare agency, Bolter said.
USCIS is eliminating most fee waivers for immigrants applying for green cards and for work authorization, she said.
"So this is also going to be really impactful," Bolter said. "Not only are these fees increasing but the mitigation measures to ensure that" immigrants who are eligible but "simply didn't have the resources to apply" are also being eliminated.
There were about 9.1 million legal permanent residents in the United States in 2019 eligible to naturalize but hadn't, according to Department of Homeland Security's most recent data.
Of those, the largest share, about 2.5 million, were from Mexico, followed by China, with about 490,000, and the Philippines, with 370,000, according to DHS data.
About 810,000 legal permanent residents applied for citizenship in 2018, according to the most recent USCIS data. Of those, 761,901 became citizens.
David Bier, immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank that supports higher levels of immigration and foreign workers, believes the combination of the naturalization fee increase and elimination of fee waivers will result in more immigrants deciding not to become citizens.
"I would expect you will see more people foregoing that opportunity" to become full Americans, Bier said. "Especially when you already know it's not a quick process. It might take over a year or maybe even longer as a result of the" backlogs of immigrants waiting for their citizenship applications to be processed.
He said the fee increases are part of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to restrict legal immigrants to the U.S.
More: Trump issues executive order limiting temporary work visas
USICIS is raising the fees on many other categories of immigration benefits, including for H-1B high-skilled workers, H-2A seasonal agriculture workers and several other temporary worker categories.
USCIS is raising fees to cover the increased cost of processing applications for many benefits after the Trump administration implemented many "onerous" new regulations that have made applying for certain benefits unnecessarily more difficult, Bier said.
For example, the length of some immigration forms are "double or triple" than what they were under the Obama administration, and many new questions have been added, Bier said.
"All of that requires significantly more staff time," Bier said. "Now we are seeing that reflected in the fees that are going to be charged to sponsors and immigrants."
Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that favors less overall immigration, supports the fees increases, calling them "long overdue."
"We need to have fees that are high enough to keep USCIS fiscally stable, and we can’t run our immigration system on the cheap, because there are security considerations and too much fraud," Vaughan said in an email. "Most people agree that US taxpayers should not have to subsidize the cost of adjudicating applications in the legal immigration system, especially when there are also other costs for welfare benefits that they end up subsidizing."
She also supports eliminating many of the fee waivers, which she said have been "a major fiscal drag on USCIS."
Fee waivers increased under the Obama administration, adding to their costs, she said
In 2018, USCIS waived fees for 350,000 applicants. These waivers were valued at $368 million, averaging about $1,051 apiece, she said.
"That’s a pretty big chunk of the $1.2 billion deficit that they are facing," Vaughan said. "These waivers were expanded significantly after a policy change implemented in the Obama administration. Now Trump is rolling that back a little bit, so that legal immigrants don’t have to subsidize the applications of so many others."
She doesn't believe the fee increases will lead to a decrease in immigrants applying for citizenship. In the short term, the increases may result in a spike in immigrants applying for citizenship before the fees go up in October, she said.
"Despite the higher fees, immigrants will still want to become citizens because they love this country and because they want to sponsor family members. I don’t see that changing much," Vaughan said.
Follow Daniel Gonzalez on Twitter @azdangonzalez


usatoday--2020-08-05--Gallup poll finds highest Supreme Court approval rating since 2009

WASHINGTON — A Gallup poll found that 58 % of Americans approve of the job being done by the Supreme Court .
It 's the court 's highest approval rating since 2009 .
The poll , conducted after a few high-profile court decisions , also found that roughly six out of 10 Republicans , independents and Democrats approve of the court 's overall performance — the closest partisans rating Gallup has recorded since 2000 .
While there is an unusual consensus of the Supreme Court 's approval rating across party lines , the court is less popular with Republicans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican approval was found to be down 13 percentage points from the year before while Democrat approval of the court increased 18 points .
Approval of the Supreme Court increased four percentage points since September 2019 and seven percentage points since September 2018 , according to Gallup 's report .
The July poll surveyed 1,007 American adults and has a margin of error of four percentage points .
The data was collected weeks after the court ruled in several major court decisions — many of which favored liberal positions despite the court 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ workers from discrimination and rejected President Donald Trump 's attempt to end the Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals program as well as striking down Louisiana 's abortion restrictions .
The poll also found that approval of the Supreme Court is higher among women , college-educated and white Americans .
Seventy percent of college-educated Americans approve of the court while 60 % of women do , compared to 55 % of men .
Sixty-one percent of white Americans also approve of the Supreme Court while only 52 % @ @ @ @ @

Gallup poll finds highest Supreme Court approval rating since 2009
Show Caption Hide Caption Supreme Court rules to keep program protecting undocumented immigrants The Trump administration wanted to dismantled the program protecting so-called "Dreamers," but the Supreme Court decided against it. USA TODAY, Wochit
WASHINGTON — A Gallup poll found that 58% of Americans approve of the job being done by the Supreme Court. It's the court's highest approval rating since 2009.
The poll, conducted after a few high-profile court decisions, also found that roughly six out of 10 Republicans, independents and Democrats approve of the court's overall performance — the closest partisans rating Gallup has recorded since 2000.
While there is an unusual consensus of the Supreme Court's approval rating across party lines, the court is less popular with Republicans and more popular with Democrats this year.
More: Year of surprise Supreme Court rulings shows influence of powerful chief justice John Roberts
Republican approval was found to be down 13 percentage points from the year before while Democrat approval of the court increased 18 points.
Approval of the Supreme Court increased four percentage points since September 2019 and seven percentage points since September 2018, according to Gallup's report.
The July poll surveyed 1,007 American adults and has a margin of error of four percentage points.
The data was collected weeks after the court ruled in several major court decisions — many of which favored liberal positions despite the court's conservative majority.
The court ruled that the Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ workers from discrimination and rejected President Donald Trump's attempt to end the Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals program as well as striking down Louisiana's abortion restrictions.
Read: Supreme Court’s top cases
The poll also found that approval of the Supreme Court is higher among women, college-educated and white Americans.
Seventy percent of college-educated Americans approve of the court while 60% of women do, compared to 55% of men. Sixty-one percent of white Americans also approve of the Supreme Court while only 52% of non-white Americans do.


usatoday--2020-08-05--Joe Biden will not travel to Milwaukee for DNC due to coronavirus concerns

Joe Biden will not travel for 2020 DNC due to coronavirus concerns Joe Biden will not be traveling to Milwaukee @ @ @ @ @ due to coronavirus concerns .

Joe Biden will not travel for 2020 DNC due to coronavirus concerns
Joe Biden will not be traveling to Milwaukee for the Democratic National Convention due to coronavirus concerns.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-05--'Blatant disrespect of Black women': Women leaders criticize treatment of Black women being consider

WASHINGTON – Over 100 Black women leaders and activists slammed comments made of Black women being considered to be Joe Biden 's running mate as racist and sexist in an open letter published Wednesday .
Sen. Kamala Harris , Rep. Karen Bass , former US Ambassador Susan Rice , Rep. Val Demings and former Georgia Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams have all been floated as possible vice presidential contenders for Biden .
The letter comes as Biden is nearing an announcement on his vice presidential pick .
It also comes just days after a Virginia mayor made a Facebook post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just announced Aunt Jemima as his VP pick.
” Barry Presgraves , mayor of Luray , Va. , is now facing calls to resign following the post , which has since been deleted , according to a report from WTOP .
Riots .
Radicalism .
Corruption .
: Trump and Biden supporters turn to apocalyptic themes in campaign ad wars .
`` Regardless of your political affiliation , whether it 's the media , members of the vice-presidential vetting committee , a former Governor , a top political donor , or a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aunt Jemimas , '' the letter said .
`` The use of the racist myth of a happy , Black servant portrayed as a happy domestic worker loyal to her White employer is not lost on us .
`` While some of the relentless attacks on Black women and our leadership abilities have been more suggestive than others , make no mistake -- we are qualified and ambitious without remorse , '' the letter continued .
Influential leaders such as Aimee Allison , founder and president of She The People , key members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Roslyn M. Brock , chairman emeritus of the National Board of Directors , and LaTosha Brown , founder of Black Voters Matters , were among those who signed the letter .
Jotaka Eaddy , founder and CEO of Full Circle Strategies , a social impact and political consulting firm , helped spearhead the letter .
She said that the Black women over the past several months have faced narratives of being `` too ambitious '' or comments of these women not being apologetic .
Eaddy also criticized Presgraves comments , saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women running for office have to face .
`` What we are seeing is that these women are being subjected to treatment that others in the process , and men before that has been in the same process , have n't been subjected to , '' Eaddy said .
Biden , who committed to choosing a woman as his running mate in March , said last month that at least four Black women were being vetted .
Black women voters have called on Biden to choose a Black woman as his running mate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Harris , have been scrutinized .
POLITICO reported last month that former Sen. Chris Dodd , who is a member of Biden ’ s vice presidential search committee , criticized Harris for her clash with the former vice president at the first Democratic debate over his civil rights record .
Dodd reportedly said : “ She laughed and said , ‘ that ’ s politics.
’ She had no remorse . ''
Dodd 's comments have drawn criticism , particularly from Democratic women , who say Harris is being held to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a man .
Over the past couple of weeks , Biden 's outreach to women of color has also been criticized .
More : Cori Bush defeats Rep. William Lacy Clay , plus more key takeaways from Tuesday 's primaries In July , She The People , which advocates for women of color , outlined concerns about Biden 's outreach to women of color , particularly in battleground states .
One way to help gain support among the crucial voting bloc was for Biden to pick a woman of color as his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memo stated .
In the Wednesday open letter , the women wrote that `` Black women have been and remain vital across sectors , '' naming women like civil rights activist Ella Baker , Shirley Chisholm , the first black woman elected to Congress , and journalist Ida B .
Wells .
`` We are servant leaders -- motivated by a desire to uplift and advance our communities and nation , '' the letter said .
`` And we will not tolerate racist or sexist tropes consistently utilized in an effort to undermine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are supporting for Vice President , you should be equally outraged by the blatant disrespect of Black women . ''

'Blatant disrespect of Black women': Women leaders criticize treatment of Black women being considered as Biden VP pick
Show Caption Hide Caption Vetting for Joe Biden's VP pick in final stretch Joe Biden is facing increased pressure to tap a woman of color as his running mate in the wake of America's reckoning with racism. He says he'll have his pick this month. (Aug. 3) AP
WASHINGTON – Over 100 Black women leaders and activists slammed comments made of Black women being considered to be Joe Biden's running mate as racist and sexist in an open letter published Wednesday.
Sen. Kamala Harris, Rep. Karen Bass, former US Ambassador Susan Rice, Rep. Val Demings and former Georgia Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams have all been floated as possible vice presidential contenders for Biden.
The letter comes as Biden is nearing an announcement on his vice presidential pick. It also comes just days after a Virginia mayor made a Facebook post that read, “Joe Biden has just announced Aunt Jemima as his VP pick.”
Barry Presgraves, mayor of Luray, Va., is now facing calls to resign following the post, which has since been deleted, according to a report from WTOP.
Riots. Radicalism. Corruption.: Trump and Biden supporters turn to apocalyptic themes in campaign ad wars.
"Regardless of your political affiliation, whether it's the media, members of the vice-presidential vetting committee, a former Governor, a top political donor, or a small town mayor: We are not your Aunt Jemimas," the letter said. "The use of the racist myth of a happy, Black servant portrayed as a happy domestic worker loyal to her White employer is not lost on us.
"While some of the relentless attacks on Black women and our leadership abilities have been more suggestive than others, make no mistake--we are qualified and ambitious without remorse," the letter continued.
Influential leaders such as Aimee Allison, founder and president of She The People, key members of the NAACP like vice-chair Karen Boykin-Towns and Roslyn M. Brock, chairman emeritus of the National Board of Directors, and LaTosha Brown, founder of Black Voters Matters, were among those who signed the letter.
Jotaka Eaddy, founder and CEO of Full Circle Strategies, a social impact and political consulting firm, helped spearhead the letter. She said that the Black women over the past several months have faced narratives of being "too ambitious" or comments of these women not being apologetic.
Eaddy also criticized Presgraves comments, saying that is the type of comments that Black women running for office have to face.
"What we are seeing is that these women are being subjected to treatment that others in the process, and men before that has been in the same process, haven't been subjected to," Eaddy said.
Biden, who committed to choosing a woman as his running mate in March, said last month that at least four Black women were being vetted. Black women voters have called on Biden to choose a Black woman as his running mate.
Many of the leading contenders, such as Harris, have been scrutinized.
POLITICO reported last month that former Sen. Chris Dodd, who is a member of Biden’s vice presidential search committee, criticized Harris for her clash with the former vice president at the first Democratic debate over his civil rights record. Dodd reportedly said: “She laughed and said, ‘that’s politics.’ She had no remorse."
Dodd's comments have drawn criticism, particularly from Democratic women, who say Harris is being held to a standard that wouldn’t apply to a man.
Over the past couple of weeks, Biden's outreach to women of color has also been criticized.
More: Cori Bush defeats Rep. William Lacy Clay, plus more key takeaways from Tuesday's primaries
In July, She The People, which advocates for women of color, outlined concerns about Biden's outreach to women of color, particularly in battleground states. One way to help gain support among the crucial voting bloc was for Biden to pick a woman of color as his running mate, the She the People memo stated.
In the Wednesday open letter, the women wrote that "Black women have been and remain vital across sectors," naming women like civil rights activist Ella Baker, Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress, and journalist Ida B. Wells.
"We are servant leaders -- motivated by a desire to uplift and advance our communities and nation," the letter said. "And we will not tolerate racist or sexist tropes consistently utilized in an effort to undermine our power.
"No matter who you are supporting for Vice President, you should be equally outraged by the blatant disrespect of Black women."
Contributing: Bart Jansen, Deborah Barfield Berry and Savannah Behrmann, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-05--Trump campaign sues Nevada over mail-in ballot law before November election

The Associated Press and staff reports President Donald Trump 's campaign filed a lawsuit against the state of Nevada in an effort to stop its plan to send ballots to all registered voters for the election in November .
As first reported in the Nevada Independent , the lawsuit claims `` electoral process can not function properly if it lacks integrity and results in chaos .
Put simply , the American people must be able to trust that the result is the product of a free and fair election . ''
`` Nevada ’ s recently enacted election laws – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this standard , '' the lawsuit says .
Nevada lawmakers passed AB4 Sunday on a party-line vote , joining a list of states mailing active voters ballots before the election .
The bill was signed into law Monday by Democratic Gov .
Steve Sisolak .
Seven other states plan to send voters mail ballots , including California and Vermont , which moved this summer to adopt automatic mail ballot policies .
Trump called the bill ’ s passage “ an illegal late night coup ” in a tweet Monday morning .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes in Nevada would favor Democrats .
Trump and Nevada : Trump threatens legal action after Nevada passes bill to expand mail-in voting Mail-in voting : Trump backtracks on his condemnation of mail-in voting , says Florida is an exception Trump claimed Monday that he has the authority to issue an executive order on mail-in ballots .
“ I have the right to do it , '' Trump said at a White House news conference .
`` We have n't gotten there yet , we 'll see what happens.
” Nearly all election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the remainder set by Congress or enshrined in the Constitution .
There is no precedent for Trump to try to curtail the use of mail-in ballots by executive order .
Last week , Trump publicly suggested a delay to the presidential election Nov. 3 , a notion was met with swift bipartisan blowback .
In Nevada 's primary in June , the state mailed all active voters absentee ballots and opened a limited number of polling places to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske told lawmakers Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any fraud in the process .
Limited polling places in Reno and Las Vegas resulted in lines of up to eight hours .
The bill signed Sunday requires at least 140 polling places throughout the state , including 100 in Clark County , which had 179 in the election in November 2018 .
In Colorado and Oregon , which have mailed all voters ballots for years , the procedure is cheaper than holding an in-person election .
Cegavske said the equipment , education , printing and postage would cost the secretary of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million , not including costs to counties , which distribute and tabulate ballots .
Nevada spent more than $ 4 million in federal relief dollars in the primary in June , most of which it funneled to counties .
More than $ 1 million went toward leasing counting and sorting machines to accommodate a greater number of absentee ballots .
Primary takeaways : Cori Bush defeats Rep. William Lacy Clay , plus more takeaways from Tuesday 's primaries Cegavske , the state ’ s top election official and only Republican to hold statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She blasted the Democratic-controlled Legislature for excluding her from discussions and said she saw a draft of the bill only a day before the vote in the state Assembly .
“ We were not involved in this bill ’ s writing at all .
...
I wish somebody would have asked us about it because we could have told you what we had planned , ” she said Friday .
AB4 gives the governor the power to command the secretary of state to adjust election procedures during a declared state of emergency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assembly , where Democrats were in favor and Republicans opposed .
Republicans were particularly distressed by provisions of the bill that expand who is allowed to collect and hand in ballots .
They warned it would enable a practice detractors call “ ballot harvesting , ” in which volunteers working for political groups collect and turn in large quantities of ballots to tip the scales in elections .
Democrats argued allowing people other than family members to return ballots would help groups such as Nevada ’ s 32 tribes , whose members have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from polling places , and seniors , who may need assistance with voting and fear venturing to the polls .
In June 's primary , all voters were mailed ballots , and 1.6 % voted in person on Election Day , a tiny share compared with the 34.2 % that voted in person in November 2018 .
Trump has sought to cast doubt on November ’ s election and the expected pandemic-induced surge in mail-in and absentee voting .
Trump , who trails in polling , called remote voting options the “ biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign and the Republican Party sued to combat the practice , which was once a significant advantage for the GOP .
There is no known evidence of widespread voter fraud through mail-in voting , and the states that use it exclusively say they have safeguards in place to ensure that a hostile foreign actor doesn ’ t disrupt the vote .
Election security experts said voter fraud is rare in all forms of balloting , including by mail .
Coronavirus relief talks : Dems , White House optimistic deal could be reached this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition to his claims of fraud , Trump argued that voting by mail would delay the determination of the election 's victor , noting that the winner of a New York Democratic congressional primary vote conducted by mail weeks ago remains undeclared .
Trump said that race would need to be “ rerun . ''
Trump claimed the challenge would be greater in a presidential election , in which the Electoral College could come down to one state , and some states allow mail-in ballots to be received up to a week after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never know who won that state , ” Trump said Monday .
Tuesday , Trump encouraged voters in the critical swing state of Florida to vote by mail after months of criticizing the practice .
His encouragement followed a surge in Democratic requests to vote by mail in Florida , a state that Trump almost certainly must win to secure a second term .
Democrats have about 1.9 million Floridians signed up to vote by mail this November , almost 600,000 more than the Republicans ’ 1.3 million , according to the Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both sides had about 1.3 million signed up before the general election .
“ Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting , in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure , Tried and True .
Florida ’ s Voting system has been cleaned up ( we defeated Democrats attempts at change ) , so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail !
” Trump tweeted Tuesday .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany rejected the notion that the president changed his views .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail for a reason , as opposed to states mailing out ballots to all voters , regardless of whether they requested them .
Many election officials said there is little effective difference between absentee voting and voting by mail .
Trump elaborated on why he supports voting by mail in Florida but not elsewhere .
“ They ’ ve been doing this over many years , and they ’ ve made it really terrific , '' Trump said .
“ This took years to do , '' he said .
`` This doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the case of Nevada , they ’ re going to be voting in a matter of weeks .
And you can ’ t do that.
” Florida hardly has a history of flawless elections .
In 2000 , the state 's disputed vote count had to be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court , delivering the presidency to George W. Bush over Al Gore .
More voters during this year 's primary elections opted to vote by mail , and several states relaxed restrictions for voting absentee through the mail .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary this year .
Five states have relied on mail-in ballots since before the coronavirus pandemic raised concerns about voting in person .

The Associated Press and staff reports, Reno Gazette Journal

Trump campaign sues Nevada over mail-in ballot law before November election
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump slams Nevada lawmakers over mail-in voting President Donald Trump says his administration plans to sue Nevada after the state's lawmakers passed a bill to mail active voters ballots ahead of the November election amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Aug. 3) AP
President Donald Trump's campaign filed a lawsuit against the state of Nevada in an effort to stop its plan to send ballots to all registered voters for the election in November.
As first reported in the Nevada Independent, the lawsuit claims "electoral process cannot function properly if it lacks integrity and results in chaos. Put simply, the American people must be able to trust that the result is the product of a free and fair election."
"Nevada’s recently enacted election laws – collectively, AB4 – fall far short of this standard," the lawsuit says.
Nevada lawmakers passed AB4 Sunday on a party-line vote, joining a list of states mailing active voters ballots before the election.
The bill was signed into law Monday by Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak. Seven other states plan to send voters mail ballots, including California and Vermont, which moved this summer to adopt automatic mail ballot policies.
Trump called the bill’s passage “an illegal late night coup” in a tweet Monday morning. He accused Sisolak of exploiting COVID-19 to ensure votes in Nevada would favor Democrats.
Trump and Nevada: Trump threatens legal action after Nevada passes bill to expand mail-in voting
Mail-in voting: Trump backtracks on his condemnation of mail-in voting, says Florida is an exception
Trump claimed Monday that he has the authority to issue an executive order on mail-in ballots.
“I have the right to do it," Trump said at a White House news conference. "We haven't gotten there yet, we'll see what happens.”
Nearly all election procedures are governed on a state-by-state basis, the remainder set by Congress or enshrined in the Constitution. There is no precedent for Trump to try to curtail the use of mail-in ballots by executive order.
Last week, Trump publicly suggested a delay to the presidential election Nov. 3, a notion was met with swift bipartisan blowback.
Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Nevada bill allows mail-in, in-person voting
In Nevada's primary in June, the state mailed all active voters absentee ballots and opened a limited number of polling places to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske told lawmakers Friday that she wasn’t aware of any fraud in the process.
Limited polling places in Reno and Las Vegas resulted in lines of up to eight hours.
The bill signed Sunday requires at least 140 polling places throughout the state, including 100 in Clark County, which had 179 in the election in November 2018.
In Colorado and Oregon, which have mailed all voters ballots for years, the procedure is cheaper than holding an in-person election. Cegavske said the equipment, education, printing and postage would cost the secretary of state’s office an additional $3 million, not including costs to counties, which distribute and tabulate ballots.
Nevada spent more than $4 million in federal relief dollars in the primary in June, most of which it funneled to counties. More than $1 million went toward leasing counting and sorting machines to accommodate a greater number of absentee ballots.
Primary takeaways: Cori Bush defeats Rep. William Lacy Clay, plus more takeaways from Tuesday's primaries
Cegavske, the state’s top election official and only Republican to hold statewide office, opposed the revised procedures. She blasted the Democratic-controlled Legislature for excluding her from discussions and said she saw a draft of the bill only a day before the vote in the state Assembly.
“We were not involved in this bill’s writing at all. ... I wish somebody would have asked us about it because we could have told you what we had planned,” she said Friday.
AB4 gives the governor the power to command the secretary of state to adjust election procedures during a declared state of emergency. It passed through the state Senate and Assembly, where Democrats were in favor and Republicans opposed.
Republicans were particularly distressed by provisions of the bill that expand who is allowed to collect and hand in ballots. They warned it would enable a practice detractors call “ballot harvesting,” in which volunteers working for political groups collect and turn in large quantities of ballots to tip the scales in elections.
Democrats argued allowing people other than family members to return ballots would help groups such as Nevada’s 32 tribes, whose members have historically faced difficulty voting and live far from polling places, and seniors, who may need assistance with voting and fear venturing to the polls.
In June's primary, all voters were mailed ballots, and 1.6% voted in person on Election Day, a tiny share compared with the 34.2% that voted in person in November 2018.
Trump casts doubt on election integrity
Trump has sought to cast doubt on November’s election and the expected pandemic-induced surge in mail-in and absentee voting. Trump, who trails in polling, called remote voting options the “biggest risk” to his reelection. His campaign and the Republican Party sued to combat the practice, which was once a significant advantage for the GOP.
There is no known evidence of widespread voter fraud through mail-in voting, and the states that use it exclusively say they have safeguards in place to ensure that a hostile foreign actor doesn’t disrupt the vote. Election security experts said voter fraud is rare in all forms of balloting, including by mail.
Coronavirus relief talks: Dems, White House optimistic deal could be reached this week after both sides make concessions
In addition to his claims of fraud, Trump argued that voting by mail would delay the determination of the election's victor, noting that the winner of a New York Democratic congressional primary vote conducted by mail weeks ago remains undeclared. Trump said that race would need to be “rerun."
Trump claimed the challenge would be greater in a presidential election, in which the Electoral College could come down to one state, and some states allow mail-in ballots to be received up to a week after Election Day.
“You’ll never know who won that state,” Trump said Monday.
In Florida, a different opinion
Tuesday, Trump encouraged voters in the critical swing state of Florida to vote by mail after months of criticizing the practice.
His encouragement followed a surge in Democratic requests to vote by mail in Florida, a state that Trump almost certainly must win to secure a second term. Democrats have about 1.9 million Floridians signed up to vote by mail this November, almost 600,000 more than the Republicans’ 1.3 million, according to the Florida secretary of state.
In 2016, both sides had about 1.3 million signed up before the general election.
“Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True. Florida’s Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail!” Trump tweeted Tuesday.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany rejected the notion that the president changed his views. She said he supports absentee voting by mail for a reason, as opposed to states mailing out ballots to all voters, regardless of whether they requested them. Many election officials said there is little effective difference between absentee voting and voting by mail.
Trump elaborated on why he supports voting by mail in Florida but not elsewhere.
“They’ve been doing this over many years, and they’ve made it really terrific," Trump said.
“This took years to do," he said. "This doesn’t take weeks or months. In the case of Nevada, they’re going to be voting in a matter of weeks. And you can’t do that.”
Florida hardly has a history of flawless elections. In 2000, the state's disputed vote count had to be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court, delivering the presidency to George W. Bush over Al Gore.
Precedent for mail-in voting
More voters during this year's primary elections opted to vote by mail, and several states relaxed restrictions for voting absentee through the mail. Trump himself voted by mail in the Florida primary this year.
Five states have relied on mail-in ballots since before the coronavirus pandemic raised concerns about voting in person.


usatoday--2020-08-05--Trump backtracks on his condemnation of mail-in voting, says Florida is an exception

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has castigated states for several months for moving to expand mail-in voting as the worsening coronavirus pandemic has made voters wary of venturing to the polls to cast their ballots .
He has warned , without evidence , that voting by mail will lead to widespread voter fraud .
On Tuesday , Trump singled out Florida as an exception , tweeting that his supporters there should request an absentee ballot and vote by mail because the election system in the Republican-run battleground state is `` Safe and Secure , Tried and True . ''
Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ integrity of absentee votes , which are only sent out to eligible voters who request one .
After the 2018 election that featured testy recount battles in whisker-thin races for governor and U.S. Senate , the state adopted stricter rules on signature and verification rules , as well as speeding up the process for counting absentee ballots .
`` We 're further along in the vote-by-mail process than other states that are just jumping into it this election cycle , '' said Susan MacManus , University of South Florida Distinguished University Professor Emerita @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definitely ahead of the country . ''
Most political pundits agree Trump needs to capture Florida if he has any chance of winning re-election .
And winning Florida requires at least performing solidly with absentee voters , a tough assignment for Republicans when the president continually rips mail voting as fraudulent and corrupt , said University of Florida Political Scientist Michael McDonald , an expert on mail voting .
More : 'We will not allow you ' : Governors slam Trump for floating delay of presidential election '' The Trump campaign knows that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally got through to the president that his rhetoric on mail balloting , at least within Florida , is hurting his re-election chances , '' he said .
With its large contingent of seniors and a population that 's very transient , Florida has long encouraged mail-in voting .
In 2016 , 29 % of voters mailed in their ballot .
In 2018 , that rose to 32 % .
Given the pandemic 's impact , McDonald estimates up to half the state voters might mail in their ballot .
So far , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago , Democrats requested 5,732 more absentee ballots than Republicans did though Republicans ended up casting 58,244 more , according to McDonald .
Through Tuesday , Democrats had requested nearly 600,000 more – 1.9 million vs. 1.3 million – state election figures show .
As they watched the opposition embrace mail-in-voting , key Republicans led by Gov .
Ron DeSantis have urged Trump to publicly encourage his supporters to do so as well given the importance of the Sunshine State in November , MacManus said .
`` He was getting a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but from a lot of Republicans across the state , '' she said .
`` They were complaining , knowing that his characterization of vote-by-mail was not accurate for Florida . ''
Asked at a White House news conference Tuesday afternoon about his tweet , Trump said he has `` total confidence '' in the Florida 's ability to administer mail ballots in a secure fashion .
`` Florida 's different from other states .
Florida 's been working on this for years ...
They 've really got a great system of absentee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you mail in your ballot in Florida , it 's going to matter . ''
More : Riots .
Radicalism .
Corruption .
Trump and Biden supporters turn to apocalyptic themes in campaign ad wars .
Trump may turn out to be one of those absentee voters .
Last year , he declared he was moving from his home base of New York to Florida , where he owns the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach .
Republicans are lagging in absentee requests in other swing states as well , McDonald said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ many Democrats in North Carolina had requested mail ballots as Republicans , he tweeted .
And GOP leaders in the battleground states of Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin , are echoing similar concerns as those in Florida .
`` What the president is doing when he keeps saying that this mail-in balloting thing is fraudulent , he 's scaring our own voters from using a legit way to cast your ballot , '' said Rohn Bishop , the GOP chairman in Fond du Lac County , Wisconsin .
`` We 're kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that 's the wisest way to go . ''
More : GOP : President Trump 's renomination vote to be held in private The president last week floated the idea of delaying the general election over his concerns of expanded mail-in voting , a decision that would require approval from Congress and was immediately dismissed by congressional Republicans and Democrats .
Trump has argued that the U.S .
Postal Service is not equipped to handle a surge in mail-in ballots and said a New York congressional primary race held in June should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to determine a winner .
On Monday , the president said his administration plans to sue Nevada to stop a just-passed bill guaranteeing mail-in ballots to all active voters .
One analysis from the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice found only 491 cases of absentee voter fraud out of billions of votes cast across all U.S. elections from 2000 to 2012 .
Prior to the pandemic , five states – Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Utah and Washington – mailed ballots to registered voters whether or not they requested one .
California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all voters as well .
Nevada 's decision to follow suit means there are seven states following that protocol .

Trump backtracks on his condemnation of mail-in voting, says Florida is an exception
Show Caption Hide Caption Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has castigated states for several months for moving to expand mail-in voting as the worsening coronavirus pandemic has made voters wary of venturing to the polls to cast their ballots. He has warned, without evidence, that voting by mail will lead to widespread voter fraud.
On Tuesday, Trump singled out Florida as an exception, tweeting that his supporters there should request an absentee ballot and vote by mail because the election system in the Republican-run battleground state is "Safe and Secure, Tried and True."
Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True. Florida’s Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail! #MAGA — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2020
Florida has taken aggressive steps to safeguard the integrity of absentee votes, which are only sent out to eligible voters who request one. After the 2018 election that featured testy recount battles in whisker-thin races for governor and U.S. Senate, the state adopted stricter rules on signature and verification rules, as well as speeding up the process for counting absentee ballots.
"We're further along in the vote-by-mail process than other states that are just jumping into it this election cycle," said Susan MacManus, University of South Florida Distinguished University Professor Emerita in political science. "Florida is definitely ahead of the country."
Most political pundits agree Trump needs to capture Florida if he has any chance of winning re-election. And winning Florida requires at least performing solidly with absentee voters, a tough assignment for Republicans when the president continually rips mail voting as fraudulent and corrupt, said University of Florida Political Scientist Michael McDonald, an expert on mail voting.
Trump slams Nevada lawmakers over mail-in voting President Donald Trump says his administration plans to sue Nevada after the state's lawmakers passed a bill to mail active voters ballots ahead of the November election amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Aug. 3) AP
More: 'We will not allow you': Governors slam Trump for floating delay of presidential election
"The Trump campaign knows that this is hurting them and the message finally got through to the president that his rhetoric on mail balloting, at least within Florida, is hurting his re-election chances," he said.
With its large contingent of seniors and a population that's very transient, Florida has long encouraged mail-in voting. In 2016, 29% of voters mailed in their ballot. In 2018, that rose to 32%. Given the pandemic's impact, McDonald estimates up to half the state voters might mail in their ballot.
So far, Democrats have a sizable advantage.
More: Trump threatens legal action after Nevada passes bill to expand mail-in voting
Four years ago, Democrats requested 5,732 more absentee ballots than Republicans did though Republicans ended up casting 58,244 more, according to McDonald. Through Tuesday, Democrats had requested nearly 600,000 more – 1.9 million vs. 1.3 million – state election figures show.
As they watched the opposition embrace mail-in-voting, key Republicans led by Gov. Ron DeSantis have urged Trump to publicly encourage his supporters to do so as well given the importance of the Sunshine State in November, MacManus said.
"He was getting a lot of pressure from not only the governor but from a lot of Republicans across the state," she said. "They were complaining, knowing that his characterization of vote-by-mail was not accurate for Florida."
Asked at a White House news conference Tuesday afternoon about his tweet, Trump said he has "total confidence" in the Florida's ability to administer mail ballots in a secure fashion.
"Florida's different from other states. Florida's been working on this for years ... They've really got a great system of absentee ballots," he said. "If you mail in your ballot in Florida, it's going to matter."
More: Riots. Radicalism. Corruption. Trump and Biden supporters turn to apocalyptic themes in campaign ad wars.
Trump may turn out to be one of those absentee voters. Last year, he declared he was moving from his home base of New York to Florida, where he owns the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach.
Republicans are lagging in absentee requests in other swing states as well, McDonald said. As of Tuesday, three times as many Democrats in North Carolina had requested mail ballots as Republicans, he tweeted.
And GOP leaders in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, are echoing similar concerns as those in Florida.
"What the president is doing when he keeps saying that this mail-in balloting thing is fraudulent, he's scaring our own voters from using a legit way to cast your ballot," said Rohn Bishop, the GOP chairman in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. "We're kind of hurting ourselves, and I don't think that's the wisest way to go."
More: GOP: President Trump's renomination vote to be held in private
The president last week floated the idea of delaying the general election over his concerns of expanded mail-in voting, a decision that would require approval from Congress and was immediately dismissed by congressional Republicans and Democrats.
Trump has argued that the U.S. Postal Service is not equipped to handle a surge in mail-in ballots and said a New York congressional primary race held in June should be invalidated as election officials have yet to determine a winner.
On Monday, the president said his administration plans to sue Nevada to stop a just-passed bill guaranteeing mail-in ballots to all active voters.
One analysis from the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice found only 491 cases of absentee voter fraud out of billions of votes cast across all U.S. elections from 2000 to 2012.
Prior to the pandemic, five states – Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington – mailed ballots to registered voters whether or not they requested one. California recently decided it will send ballots to all voters as well. Nevada's decision to follow suit means there are seven states following that protocol.
Contributing: Courtney Subramanian, Joey Garrison