mercurynews--2020-11-06--2020 Latest: Biden overtakes Trump in Georgia vote count

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The Latest on the presidential campaign ( all times local ) : Democrat Joe Biden is now leading President Donald Trump in the battleground state of Georgia .
By Friday morning , Biden overtook Trump in the number of ballots counted in the battleground , a must-win state for Trump that has long been a Republican stronghold .
Biden now has a 917-vote advantage .
The contest is still too early for The Associated Press to call .
Thousands of ballots are still left to be counted — many in counties where the former vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP analysis showed that Biden ’ s vote margins grew as counties processed mail ballots cast in his favor .
There is a potential that the race could go to a recount .
Under Georgia law , if the margin between Biden and Trump is under half a percentage point of difference , a recount can be requested .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE : Democrat Joe Biden is pushing closer to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to carry the White House , securing victories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and narrowing President Donald Trump ’ s path .
— Trump predicts a ‘ lot of litigation ’ to decide the White House race — EXPLAINER : States still in play and what makes them that way — Trump and his Republican allies made significant inroads with Latino voters

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the presidential campaign (all times local):
11:05 p.m.
Joe Biden says he is already preparing to assume the presidency even though he has not been declared the winner in his race against President Donald Trump.
“I want people to know we’re not waiting to get the work done,” he said late Friday in remarks to the nation.
Biden said he and his running mate, Kamala Harris, have held briefings on the coronavirus and the economy this week as the U.S. records record daily cases.
He noted nearly 240,000 people have died from the pandemic and said he wants those families to know they aren’t alone.
He also addressed the millions of Americans who remain out of work and are struggling to pay rent or buy food.
“We don’t have any more time to waste on partisan warfare,” he said.
The Associated Press has not yet declared a winner in the race between Biden and Trump because neither candidate has reached the 270 Electoral College votes needed to carry the White House.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE:
Democrat Joe Biden is pushing closer to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to carry the White House, securing victories in the battlegrounds of Wisconsin and Michigan and narrowing President Donald Trump’s path. Biden planned a prime-time address alongside his running mate, Kamala Harris, on Friday night. Trump remained ensconced in the White House, occasionally tweeting.
Read more:
— Biden on cusp of presidency after gains in Pennsylvania
— Trump’s wild claims test limits of Republican loyalty
— Trump’s attacks on mail-in ballots rankle some military veterans
— Sen. Johnson says half of country won’t accept Biden win
— EXPLAINER: States still in play and what makes them that way
— Protesters crying foul over vote counts stir safety concerns
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON:
10:50 p.m.
Joe Biden projected confidence Friday that he would win the presidential election, citing his lead in votes in key states like Pennsylvania.
The Associated Press has not yet declared a winner in the race between Biden and President Donald Trump because neither candidate has reached the 270 Electoral College votes needed to carry the White House.
Biden noted he has already won the most votes in history for any presidential candidate.
He said a record number of Americans “chose change over more of the same.”
He told the nation that the political parties may be opponents, but they are not enemies.
“Let’s put the anger and the demonization behind us,” he said.
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8:05 p.m.
Democrat Joe Biden’s lead over President Donald Trump is growing in battleground Pennsylvania.
By Friday evening, the Democrat held a lead of over 19,500 votes out of more than 6.5 million ballots cast. That’s an edge of about 0.29%. State law dictates that a recount must be held if the margin between the two candidates is less than 0.5%.
The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the state.
The Pennsylvania secretary of state’s website said Friday that there were 102,541 more mail ballots that needed to be counted, including many from Allegheny County, a Democratic area that is home to Pittsburgh, and the Democratic stronghold of Philadelphia County.
Additionally, there are potentially tens of thousands of provisional ballots that remain to be tabulated, though an exact number remained unclear. Those ballots will be counted after officials verify their eligibility to be included.
Pennsylvania is among a handful of battleground states that Trump and Biden are narrowly contesting as they seek the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.
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8 p.m.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has ordered county elections officials in Pennsylvania to keep separate mail-in ballots that arrived after Election Day. The state’s top elections official already had ordered those ballots be kept apart.
The order came Friday night in response to a plea from the state Republican Party as Democrat Joe Biden inched ahead of President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania in the presidential race.
Alito, acting on his own, said he was motivated in part by the Republicans’ assertion that they can’t be sure elections officials are complying with guidance issued by Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat.
The justice handles emergency appeals from Pennsylvania. He ordered a response from the state by Saturday afternoon and said he has referred the matter to the full court for further action.
The order is related to an ongoing Republican appeal to the Supreme Court to try to keep ballots received in the mail after Election Day from being counted. The state’s top court granted a three-day extension, and the Supreme Court refused to block it.
The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the state.
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6:40 p.m.
Democrat Joe Biden’s lead over President Donald Trump in Nevada has grown slightly, putting the former vice president ahead by 22,657 votes in the battleground state.
The results Friday afternoon were mail-in ballots from Democrat-heavy Clark County, which include Las Vegas and three-quarters of Nevada’s population.
Biden had 632,558 votes, and Trump had 609,901. Vote counting in the state — and several other battlegrounds — is continuing.
The fresh batch of results was among 63,000 mail ballots that Clark County Registrar Joe Gloria said Friday morning that his workers were starting to process. He expected the bulk would be processed by Sunday.
Gloria has an additional 60,000 provisional ballots to be processed later.
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6:05 p.m.
Democrat Joe Biden is adding to his lead over President Donald Trump in Georgia.
As of early Friday evening, Biden had overtaken Trump by 4,235 votes in the battleground state, which Trump must win to have a shot at reelection.
The Democrat first surpassed Trump in the state vote count on Friday morning as votes continue to be counted.
The contest is still too early for The Associated Press to call.
Trump’s lead dwindled after Election Day when state officials began processing mail-in ballots, a form of voting that has skewed heavily in Biden’s favor after Trump spent months claiming — without proof — that voting by mail would lead to widespread voter fraud.
If there is less than a 0.5% difference between Biden’s and Trump’s vote totals, state law dictates that a recount must be held. Biden currently holds a lead of about 0.08%.
A Democratic presidential candidate hasn’t won Georgia since Bill Clinton in 1992.
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5:25 p.m.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris is expected to deliver remarks Friday alongside Joe Biden.
Biden has scheduled a prime-time address on the presidential contest as votes continue to be counted in several battleground states. Biden is on the cusp of victory as he opened narrow leads over President Donald Trump in Georgia and Pennsylvania.
Harris has appeared alongside Biden during his remarks in recent days but has not made any public comments herself on the state of the race. A campaign official confirmed she will speak Friday night before Biden does.
The California senator has been at a hotel in Wilmington, Delaware, with her family since Tuesday night.
The Associated Press has not yet declared a winner in Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Alaska.
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3:30 p.m.
Top Republican officials in Georgia say they are confident the secretary of state will ensure that ballots are properly counted.
The statement Friday from GOP Gov. Brian Kemp and others came a day after President Donald Trump alleged without any details or evidence that election officials are trying to “steal the election” from him.
Trump said Thursday that the “election apparatus in Georgia is run by Democrats,” even though the top election official is a Republican whom he endorsed.
Democrat Joe Biden was leading Trump in Georgia by about 1,500 votes midday Friday. The Associated Press has not called the race for either candidate yet.
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3:10 p.m.
The federal agency that oversees U.S. election security is pushing back at unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud without mentioning that President Donald Trump is making unfounded allegations about the vote count.
A new statement from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency notes that local election offices have detection measures that “make it highly difficult to commit fraud through counterfeit ballots.”
CISA, a component of the Department of Homeland Security, published the statement Friday on a section of its website devoted to dispelling rumors. It said it was countering a rumor about the role of DHS and CISA in the printing of ballots and auditing of results. Neither agency has a role in printing or auditing ballots. CISA principally helps local and state election departments protect themselves against cyberattacks.
CISA also put out a statement noting that the systems and processes used to tabulate votes and certify results “are protected by various safeguards that help ensure the accuracy of election results.”
The agency has been urging the public for weeks to be patient during the counting of results, which was slower this year in large part because of COVID-19 and the large number of mail-in ballots. It has made no comment on Trump saying without evidence that the ballot-counting process is unfair and corrupt.
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2:50 p.m.
Pennsylvania Republicans are turning to the U.S. Supreme Court to ask for an order that mail ballots arriving after Election Day in the battleground state be segregated. The state’s top elections official already had ordered those ballots be kept apart.
The emergency request Friday came as Democrat Joe Biden inched ahead of President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.
The plea is part of an ongoing Republican appeal to the Supreme Court to try to keep ballots received in the mail after Election Day from being counted. The state’s top court granted a three-day extension, and the Supreme Court refused to block it.
But Democratic Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar told local officials to keep the ballots separate because the high court hasn’t ultimately decided whether to step in.
Republicans presented no evidence that counties are not adhering to Boockvar’s orders, but said, “It is unclear whether all county boards are following them in the post-election chaos.”
The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the state.
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2:30 p.m.
A statewide appellate court judge in Pennsylvania has dismissed a request from Republicans to stop the state or counties from counting provisional ballots that were cast by voters whose mail-in ballots were disqualified by a technicality.
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s state elections bureau last month gave guidance to counties that a voter could use a provisional ballot if they “did not successfully vote” with the mail-in or absentee ballot they were issued, or if their ballot was rejected and they believe they are eligible to vote.
The Democratic National Committee, which had sought to oppose the case in court, said Republicans wanted to “throw out lawfully cast provisional ballots.”
Wolf’s top elections official, Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat, has insisted that the practice is legal and not prohibited by law.
Regardless, she said there aren’t “overwhelming” numbers of voters who cast a provisional ballot after their mail-in ballot was disqualified, but she has not given an exact figure.
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2 p.m.
Democrat Joe Biden has increased his lead over President Donald Trump in Nevada to 20,137 votes.
Results released Friday from Democrat-heavy Clark County, which includes Las Vegas and three-quarters of Nevada’s population, along with two rural counties, put Biden at 627,104 votes and Trump at 606,967.
Biden’s lead nearly doubled from Thursday, when he was leading Trump by about 11,000 votes.
The Associated Press has not called the presidential race. Votes are still being counted in several battleground states.
Clark County Registrar Joe Gloria says his county has an additional 63,000 mail ballots to be processed over the next few days and 60,000 provisional ballots to be processed later.
Gloria said Clark County would release more results Friday afternoon but he said he did not know exactly how many ballots could be included in that release.
The state has said it will provide an update later Friday on how many ballots are yet to be counted statewide. On Thursday, they reported that number at 190,150.
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1:50 p.m.
President Donald Trump says he “will never give up fighting for you and our nation” as he is on the cusp of losing his bid for reelection.
Trump is spending Friday at the White House tweeting, watching results come in and continuing to cast unfounded doubt over the integrity of the election.
He says in a statement released by his campaign: “We believe the American people deserve to have full transparency into all vote counting and election certification.” And he adds that, “This is no longer about any single election. This is about the integrity of our entire election process.”
There is no evidence that any votes cast illegally are being counted or that the process is unfair and corrupt. Indeed, the ballot-counting process across the country largely has been running smoothly, if slowly, because of the increase in mail-in ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic.
But Trump is nonetheless threatening continued legal action, saying: “We will pursue this process through every aspect of the law to guarantee that the American people have confidence in our government.”
Trump’s Democratic rival, Joe Biden, has opened up narrow leads over Trump in the critical battlegrounds of Georgia and Pennsylvania.
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12:55 p.m.
Sen. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, says President Donald Trump is “damaging the cause of freedom” and inflaming “destructive and dangerous passions” by claiming, without foundation, that the election was rigged and stolen from him.
Romney lost to President Barack Obama in 2012 but was gracious in defeat. He is Trump’s most vocal critic within the Republican Party and voted to convict him in Trump’s impeachment trial early this year.
The Utah Republican offered his assessment Friday on Twitter, saying that Trump is well within his rights to challenge the results through the legal remedies available to him. But Romney says Trump is “wrong to say that the election was rigged, corrupt, and stolen from him — doing so damages the cause of freedom here and around the world.”
Democrat Joe Biden is on the cusp of winning the presidency as he opens up narrow leads over Trump in several critical backgrounds.
The Associated Press has not called the presidential race. Votes are still being counted in states including Pennsylvania and Georgia.
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12:40 p.m.
Joe Biden’s campaign says he will give a speech during prime time Friday.
The Democratic presidential candidate’s campaign announced that he would be making an address but did not say where or what he plans to say.
Biden is on the cusp of winning the presidency as he opens up narrow leads over President Donald Trump in several critical backgrounds.
The Associated Press has not called the presidential race. Votes are still being counted in states including Pennsylvania and Georgia.
He has urged the public to be patient as vote counting continues. He was spending Friday at home in Wilmington, Delaware.
A stage set up since election night for a victory party outside the city’s convention center remained intact and has been secured for days by security personnel using high fencing and car barriers.
Biden campaign staffers who arrived in Wilmington for a victory party earlier in the week have been told to hold onto their hotel rooms until early next week.
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11:50 a.m.
Democrat Joe Biden is leading President Donald Trump in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
By Friday morning, Biden overtook Trump in the number of ballots counted in the state, which Trump must win to have a shot at reelection. Biden leads by more than 9,000 votes. The contest is still too early for The Associated Press to call. Votes in the state are still being counted.
Trump’s lead dwindled after Election Day when state officials began processing mail-in ballots, a form of voting that has skewed heavily in Biden’s favor. Trump spent months claiming — without proof — that voting by mail would lead to widespread voter fraud.
If there is less than a half percentage point difference between Biden’s and Trump’s vote totals, state law dictates that a recount must be held.
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8:50 a.m.
Democrat Joe Biden is now leading President Donald Trump in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
By Friday morning, Biden overtook Trump in the number of ballots counted in the state, which Trump must win to have a shot at reelection. Biden now holds a nearly 6,000-vote advantage.
The contest is still too early for The Associated Press to call. Votes in the state are still being counted.
Trump’s lead dwindled after Election Day when state officials began processing mail-in ballots, a form of voting that has skewed heavily in Biden’s favor after Trump spent months claiming — without proof — that voting by mail would lead to widespread voter fraud.
If there is less than a half percentage point difference between Biden’s and Trump’s vote totals, state law dictates that a recount must be held.
___
4:40 a.m.
Democrat Joe Biden is now leading President Donald Trump in the battleground state of Georgia.
By Friday morning, Biden overtook Trump in the number of ballots counted in the battleground, a must-win state for Trump that has long been a Republican stronghold. Biden now has a 917-vote advantage.
The contest is still too early for The Associated Press to call. Thousands of ballots are still left to be counted — many in counties where the former vice president was in the lead.
An AP analysis showed that Biden’s vote margins grew as counties processed mail ballots cast in his favor.
There is a potential that the race could go to a recount. Under Georgia law, if the margin between Biden and Trump is under half a percentage point of difference, a recount can be requested.


mercurynews--2020-11-07--The count goes on — with Biden on the cusp of presidency

By JONATHAN LEMIRE , ZEKE MILLER , JILL COLVIN and WILL WEISSERT WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Democrat Joe Biden stood on the cusp of winning the presidency Friday night , three days after Election Day , as the long , exacting work of counting votes widened his lead over President Donald Trump in critical battleground states .
High turnout , a massive number of mail-in ballots and slim margins between the two candidates all contributed to the delay in naming a winner .
But Biden held leads in Pennsylvania , Nevada and Georgia , putting him in an ever-stronger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes needed to take the White House .
There was intense focus on Pennsylvania , where Biden led Trump by more than 16,000 votes , and Nevada , where the Democrat led by about 22,000 .
The prolonged wait added to the anxiety of a nation facing historic challenges , including the surging pandemic and deep political polarization .
Biden was at his home in Wilmington , Delaware , as the vote count continued , and aides said he would address the nation late in the evening .
Trump stayed in the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more results trickled in and expanded Biden ’ s lead in must-win Pennsylvania .
In the West Wing during the day , televisions remained tuned to the news amid trappings of normalcy , as reporters lined up for coronavirus tests and outdoor crews worked on the North Lawn on a mild , muggy fall day .
Trump ’ s campaign was mostly quiet — a dramatic difference from the day before , when officials held a morning call projecting confidence and then a flurry of press conferences announcing litigation in key states .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday evening — Georgia , North Carolina too early to call along with Pennsylvania and Nevada .
In all four states the margins between Trump and Biden were too narrow and the number of ballots left to be counted too great for the AP to declare a victor .
In Pennsylvania , officials were not allowed to begin processing mail-in ballots until Election Day under state law .
In Nevada , there were a number of provisional ballots cast by voters who registered on Election Day , and officials had to verify their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in both Pennsylvania and Georgia .
With his pathway to reelection appearing to greatly narrow , Trump was testing how far he could go in using the trappings of presidential power to undermine confidence in the vote .
On Thursday , he advanced unsupported accusations of voter fraud to falsely argue that his rival was trying to seize power .
It was an extraordinary effort by a sitting American president to sow doubt about the democratic process .
“ This is a case when they are trying to steal an election , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump said from the podium of the White House briefing room .
He took to Twitter late Friday to pledge further legal action , tweeting that “ Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President .
I could make that claim also .
Legal proceedings are just now beginning !
” Trump did claim that he won late on Election Night .
He also tweeted that he had “ such a big lead in all of these states late into election night , only to see the leads miraculously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” although it was well known that votes cast before Tuesday were still being legally counted .
Biden spent Thursday trying to ease tensions and project a more traditional image of presidential leadership .
After participating in a coronavirus briefing , he declared that “ each ballot must be counted.
” “ I ask everyone to stay calm .
The process is working , ” Biden said .
“ It is the will of the voters .
No one , not anyone else who chooses the president of the United States of America.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the integrity of the election challenged Republicans now faced with the choice of whether to break with a president who , though his grip on his office grew tenuous , commanded sky-high approval ratings from rank-and-file members of the GOP .
That was especially true for those who are eyeing presidential runs of their own in 2024 .
Maryland GOP Gov .
Larry Hogan , a potential presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump , said unequivocally : “ There is no defense for the President ’ s comments tonight undermining our Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we must respect the results as we always have before.
” But others who are rumored to be considering a White House run of their own in four years aligned themselves with the incumbent , including Sen. Josh Hawley , R-Mo.
, who tweeted support for Trump ’ s claims , writing that “ If last 24 hours have made anything clear , it ’ s that we need new election integrity laws NOW.
” Trump ’ s campaign engaged in a flurry of legal activity , saying it would seek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuits in Pennsylvania , Michigan and Georgia .
But judges in the three states quickly swatted down legal action .
A federal judge who was asked to stop vote counts in Philadelphia instead forced the two sides to reach an agreement without an order over the number of observers allowed .
“ Really , can ’ t we be responsible adults here and reach an agreement ?
” an exasperated U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond said during an emergency hearing Thursday evening .
“ The whole thing could ( soon ) be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was confident the president would ultimately pull out a victory in Arizona , where votes were also still being counted , including in Maricopa County , the state ’ s most populous area .
The AP has declared Biden the winner in Arizona and said Thursday that it was monitoring the vote count as it proceeded .
“ The Associated Press continues to watch and analyze vote count results from Arizona as they come in , ” said Sally Buzbee , AP ’ s executive editor .
“ We will follow the facts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilmington , Delaware .
Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report .

By JONATHAN LEMIRE, ZEKE MILLER, JILL COLVIN and WILL WEISSERT
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Joe Biden stood on the cusp of winning the presidency Friday night, three days after Election Day, as the long, exacting work of counting votes widened his lead over President Donald Trump in critical battleground states.
High turnout, a massive number of mail-in ballots and slim margins between the two candidates all contributed to the delay in naming a winner. But Biden held leads in Pennsylvania, Nevada and Georgia, putting him in an ever-stronger position to capture the 270 Electoral College votes needed to take the White House.
There was intense focus on Pennsylvania, where Biden led Trump by more than 27,000 votes, and Nevada, where the Democrat led by about 22,000. The prolonged wait added to the anxiety of a nation facing historic challenges, including the surging pandemic and deep political polarization.
DUBLIN, CA - NOV. 6: Video Only store manager, Ken Crawford, of San Jose, watches former Vice President Joe Biden at the TV and audio store in Dublin, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, as Biden addresses the nation from Wilmington, Delaware. Votes continue to be counted in several battleground states as the nation waits for a winner to be declared in the 2020 presidential election. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - NOV. 6: A bicyclist stops to admire the red, white and blue lights illuminating San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020. The nation waits for the results of the 2020 presidential election as we enter the end of the third day of counting ballots. Currently former vice president Joe Biden leads President Donald J. Trump 264-214 in electoral votes as of 6 p.m. Friday evening per the Associated Press. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA - NOVEMBER 6: Former Vice President Joe Biden is seen on a TV addressing the nation from Wilmington, Delaware at a restaurant along Santana Row in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020. Votes continue to be counted in several battleground states as the nation waits for a winner to be declared in the 2020 presidential election. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - NOV. 6: Protesters gather in front of Twitter headquarters to protest against President Donald Trump in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020. The nation waits for the results of the 2020 presidential election as we enter the end of the third day of counting ballots. Currently former vice president Joe Biden leads President Donald J. Trump 264-214 in electoral votes as of 6 p.m. Friday evening per the Associated Press. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - NOVEMBER 06: Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden addresses the nation at the Chase Center November 06, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. The winner of the 2020 presidential election has yet to be declared, as vote counting continues in the key states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, and North Carolina. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Trump stayed in the White House and out of sight, as more results trickled in and expanded Biden’s lead in must-win Pennsylvania. In the West Wing during the day, televisions remained tuned to the news amid trappings of normalcy, as reporters lined up for coronavirus tests and outdoor crews worked on the North Lawn on a mild, muggy fall day.
Biden, for his part, addressed the nation Friday night near his home in Wilmington, Delaware, and acknowledged the sluggish pace of the count “can be numbing.” But he added, “Never forget the tallies aren’t just numbers: They represent votes and voters.”
He expressed confidence that victory ultimately would be his, saying, “The numbers tell us a clear and convincing story: We’re going to win this race.”
Standing alongside his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, and against a backdrop of flags, Biden wasn’t able to give the acceptance speech his aides had hoped. But he hit notes of unity, seemingly aimed at cooling the temperature of a heated, divided nation.
“We have to remember the purpose of our politics isn’t total unrelenting, unending warfare,” he said. “No, the purpose of our politics, the work of our nation, isn’t to fan the flames of conflict, but to solve problems, to guarantee justice, to give everybody a fair shot.”
Trump’s campaign on Friday was mostly quiet — a dramatic difference from the day before, when officials held a morning call projecting confidence and then a flurry of press conferences announcing litigation in key states. But it was touched once again by the coronavirus pandemic.
Chief of staff Mark Meadows contracted the virus, according to two senior White House officials not authorized to publicly discuss private matters. Several other members of the White House staff and Trump’s campaign team also tested positive.
Trump’s handling of the pandemic has been the defining issue of the campaign. The president, first lady Melania Trump and several other people in Trump’s orbit have fallen ill.
A handful of states remained in play Friday evening — Georgia, North Carolina too early to call along with Pennsylvania and Nevada. In all four states the margins between Trump and Biden were too narrow and the number of ballots left to be counted too great for the AP to declare a victor.
In Pennsylvania, officials were not allowed to begin processing mail-in ballots until Election Day under state law. In Nevada, there were a number of provisional ballots cast by voters who registered on Election Day, and officials had to verify their eligibility. And recounts could be triggered in both Pennsylvania and Georgia.
With his pathway to reelection appearing to greatly narrow, Trump was testing how far he could go in using the trappings of presidential power to undermine confidence in the vote.
On Thursday, he advanced unsupported accusations of voter fraud to falsely argue that his rival was trying to seize power. It was an extraordinary effort by a sitting American president to sow doubt about the democratic process.
“This is a case when they are trying to steal an election, they are trying to rig an election,” Trump said from the podium of the White House briefing room.
He took to Twitter late Friday to pledge further legal action, tweeting that “Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!”
Trump did claim that he won late on Election Night. He also tweeted that he had “such a big lead in all of these states late into election night, only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by,” although it was well known that votes cast before Tuesday were still being legally counted.
Biden spent Thursday trying to ease tensions and project a more traditional image of presidential leadership. After participating in a coronavirus briefing, he declared that “each ballot must be counted.”
“I ask everyone to stay calm. The process is working,” Biden said. “It is the will of the voters. No one, not anyone else who chooses the president of the United States of America.”
Trump’s erroneous claims about the integrity of the election challenged Republicans now faced with the choice of whether to break with a president who, though his grip on his office grew tenuous, commanded sky-high approval ratings from rank-and-file members of the GOP. That was especially true for those who are eyeing presidential runs of their own in 2024.
Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, a potential presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump, said unequivocally: “There is no defense for the President’s comments tonight undermining our Democratic process. America is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before.”
But others who are rumored to be considering a White House run of their own in four years aligned themselves with the incumbent, including Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who tweeted support for Trump’s claims, writing that “If last 24 hours have made anything clear, it’s that we need new election integrity laws NOW.”
Trump’s campaign engaged in a flurry of legal activity, saying it would seek a recount in Wisconsin and had filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia.
On Friday evening, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito approved a GOP request ordering county boards to comply with state guidance to keep the late ballots separate from those received before or on Election Day. However, Alito did not direct election officials to stop counting the ballots, as the Republicans had also sought.
But judges in three states quickly swatted down legal action. A federal judge who was asked to stop vote counts in Philadelphia instead forced the two sides to reach an agreement without an order over the number of observers allowed.
“Really, can’t we be responsible adults here and reach an agreement?” an exasperated U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond said during an emergency hearing Thursday evening. “The whole thing could (soon) be moot.”
The Trump campaign said it was confident the president would ultimately pull out a victory in Arizona, where votes were also still being counted, including in Maricopa County, the state’s most populous area. The AP has declared Biden the winner in Arizona and said Thursday that it was monitoring the vote count as it proceeded.
“The Associated Press continues to watch and analyze vote count results from Arizona as they come in,” said Sally Buzbee, AP’s executive editor. “We will follow the facts in all cases.”
___
Weissert reported from Wilmington, Delaware. Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-11-07--Lost Daly City chameleon rescued from power line back home with owner

A chameleon rescued from power lines in Daly City on Wednesday was back in the arms of his owner after she read about its daring save in the newspaper .
Geneva Buerer reunited with Meraxes , named for one of the dragons in “ Game of Thrones , ” after contacting the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA .
Buerer read about the shelter rescuing a chameleon from where it had been stranded on a bundle of power lines .
The woman who reported seeing the chameleon said it had been there at least three days .
Three days on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who in “ Game of Thrones ” lore was a she-dragon ridden by Queen Rhaenys Targaryen during Aegon ’ s Conquest .
The chameleon had been missing from his Daly City home for almost five months .
Meraxes somehow escaped from his greenhouse enclosure in June .
Buerer and her husband looked for him for many weeks before deciding that he had met an untimely fate .
They had hatched Meraxes from an egg , and his loss was a hard one for the couple .
They found new hope , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and as they live only a few doors down from where he was found , they were confident their missing pet had been located .
• How do I discourage owls from roosting in my eucalyptus tree ?
A reunion at the Peninsula Humane Society ’ s San Mateo ’ s shelter was hastily arranged on Friday .
Chameleons are not native to California or even to North America .
Shelter officials suspected the animal was someone ’ s escaped pet .
The chameleon had been seen by a woman who called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successful rescue .
Meraxes appeared in good condition , but officials said with the weather getting colder , he might have struggled had he not been found .

A chameleon rescued from power lines in Daly City on Wednesday is back in the arms of his owner.
Geneva Buerer reunited with Meraxes, named for one of the dragons in “Game of Thrones,” after contacting the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA. Buerer saw a story in this newspaper about the shelter rescuing a chameleon from where it had been stranded on a bundle of power lines, and immediately recognized him.
“Oh yeah, I knew right away it was him,” Buerer said Saturday.
Meraxes apparently spent three days stranded on a bundle of power lines before a woman noticed him and called the Peninsula Humane Society.
Three days on a high wire is nothing for Meraxes, who in “Game of Thrones” lore was a she-dragon ridden by Queen Rhaenys Targaryen during Aegon’s Conquest. The chameleon had been missing from his Daly City home for almost five months.
Related Articles Pets and Animals | Chameleon rescued from high wires in Daly City Meraxes somehow escaped from his greenhouse enclosure in June. Buerer and her husband, Bryan Haupt, looked for him for many weeks before deciding that he had met an untimely fate. They had hatched Meraxes from an egg, and his loss was a hard one for the couple.
Buerer and Haupt have a special affinity for chameleons. Meraxes is one of six the couple are raising in their Daly City home. They also have a YouTube channel called Jungle Dragons, where they give advice and instruction on raising chameleons.
Meraxes is about 1½ years old and is a Panther Tamatave chameleon, which are native to the islands of Madagascar. When he’s most content, he’s a combination of lovely Christmas colors, Buerer says.
Beurer says they aren’t sure how Meraxes managed his escape. The chameleons are normally kept inside, but on warm days, they are allowed to enjoy life in the greenhouse for a few hours.
Although chameleons are amazing predators, Buerer says she was surprised he had managed so well on his own in the suburban jungle. It could be, Buerer says, because he never left the neighborhood and probably avoided crossing streets. He was found just a few doors down from his home.
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Outlaw 841: Santa Cruz otter saga highlights human disturbances Pets and Animals | Surfboard-hopping sea otter continues to give authorities the slip A reunion at the Peninsula Humane Society’s San Mateo’s shelter was hastily arranged on Friday. Chameleons are not native to California or even to North America, so shelter officials suspected the animal was someone’s escaped pet.
Meraxes appeared in good condition, but officials said with the weather getting colder, he might have struggled had he not been found.
Buerer says Meraxes is now under house arrest, but he doesn’t seem to mind. She is keeping a close eye on him, however.


mercurynews--2020-11-07--Trump has reportedly said he has no plans to concede

Facing a disappearing pathway to victory , President Donald Trump offered little indication on Friday he was prepared to concede defeat , leading those around him to wonder who might be able to reckon with a leader who has given virtually no thought to leaving the White House .
Even as vote totals now show him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in key battlegrounds , Trump has not prepared a concession speech and in conversations with allies in recent days has said he has no intention of conceding the election , people familiar with the matter said .
Video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to concede ?
So far he has been bolstered in his stance by those closest to him , including his senior advisers and his adult sons , who have mounted an aggressive effort in the courts to challenge the results and have pressured other Republicans into defending him .
Top aides , including his chief of staff Mark Meadows , have not attempted to come to terms with the President about the reality of what is happening .
Instead , they have fed his baseless claim that the election is being stolen from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some annoyance among staff , who believe Meadows is feeding the President ’ s baseless claim that the election is illegitimate .
Vice President Mike Pence — who has not been seen since the early hours of Wednesday morning — is doing his part to appease Trump by soliciting funds for his legal defense fund .
Trump is not scheduled to appear in public on Friday , though an appearance at some point has not been ruled out .
He spent the morning angry and frustrated , watching television while griping more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airwaves .
In a written statement on Friday afternoon , Trump signaled his intentions to continue waging legal battle .
“ This is no longer about any single election .
This is about the integrity of our entire election process , ” he wrote .
“ We will pursue this process through every aspect of the law to guarantee the American people have confidence in our government .
I will never give up fighting for you and our nation.
” A source familiar with some of the legal discussions behind the scenes said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he may not be able to pull out a come-from-behind victory .
The source pointed to Trump ’ s more modulated statement , that was drained of the bluster from Thursday night ’ s performance in the briefing room .
But even as Trump has acknowledged to some allies he recognizes the electoral math will not work in his favor , according to people familiar with the conversations , he has maintained that a prolonged court battle and corrosive rhetoric about election fraud would sow enough doubt to allow him to refuse to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one source close to the President said Trump will exhaust his legal avenues for fighting the results in several key battleground states before giving any consideration to conceding .
“ He ’ s in fighting mode , ” one source close to the President said .
“ He thinks it ’ s in his benefit to fight.
” While the reality of Trump ’ s impending loss has set in for many people close to the campaign , others are advising the President to continue fighting the outcomes and investigate claims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little concern at the prospect of Trump clinging to power .
“ As we said on July 19 , the American people will decide this election .
And the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House , ” campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement .
The Trump campaign released a statement Friday morning making clear it will refuse to concede the election , calling any projections of Biden as the winner “ false ” and the race “ far from final.
” “ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign general counsel Matt Morgan said in a statement .
Still , some of the President ’ s allies have grown concerned that someone will eventually have to reckon with him that his time in office is likely coming to an end .
It is a possibility the President did not consider in a serious way during the election , despite polls showing him with only a narrow path to victory , believing that looking past Election Day was bad luck .
The delicate matter of a loss — and a potential post-presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his team and was not raised often with the President , who believed adamantly he would win .
Trump spent much of the campaign claiming Biden was the worst presidential candidate in history — and suggesting that losing to him would amount to abject humiliation .
“ Losing is never easy , ” he said at his campaign headquarters on Election Day .
“ Not for me , it ’ s not.
” Now , people around Trump are working to identify who might be able to communicate to him the stark reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jared Kushner or Ivanka Trump , though their willingness to lead a difficult intervention wasn ’ t clear .
One idea being floated is framing potential conversations with Trump around the idea of preserving his brand for life after being president — and explaining that dragging out an election he clearly lost would ruin his businesses and forestall whatever political future he ’ s hoping for .
Before the election , Trump raised the prospect of running for President again in 2024 if he were to lose , though only in a joking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump garnered more votes than he did in 2016 and his future role as a Republican kingmaker seems secured — though some fear a drawn out and ugly loss could damage his standing .
Trump has spent the days since election night ensconced at the White House , angrily phoning allies and demanding that more people come out to defend him .
He has complained that his legal team is ill-prepared to wage an effective battle in courts , according to one person who spoke to him .
At the same time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared somewhat slipshod .
Some in the campaign questioned the Trump team ’ s decision to dispatch the likes of Rudy Giuliani and Trump ’ s sons to make unfounded allegations of voter fraud , arguing they likely diminished the President ’ s claims of wrongdoing .
Trump sounded downtrodden during an evening statement from the White House on Thursday and departed the room without answering for his false claims about voter fraud .
• The count goes on — with Biden on the cusp of presidency • MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact ’ gets coronavirus In meetings with his team in the Oval Office and the White House residence , Trump has asked why more Republicans weren ’ t coming out to allege voter irregularities or make the same claims he was making about votes being counted after Election Day .
He also pressed them into arranging a public statement , something he ’ d been itching to do since Wednesday .
Aides had successfully stalled , believing anything the President said would damage his standing and make matters worse .
But after Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Delaware , on Thursday afternoon , Trump insisted a statement be added for him to detail his legal case .
Afterward , several advisers said the performance was precisely what they ’ d hoped to avoid .

By Kevin Liptak and Kaitlan Collins | CNN
Facing a disappearing pathway to victory, President Donald Trump offered little indication on Friday he was prepared to concede defeat, leading those around him to wonder who might be able to reckon with a leader who has given virtually no thought to leaving the White House.
Even as vote totals now show him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in key battlegrounds, Trump has not prepared a concession speech and in conversations with allies in recent days has said he has no intention of conceding the election, people familiar with the matter said.
[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/11/02/what-if-trump-loses-and-refuses-to-concede-orig-dp-jm.cnn”]
Video: What if Trump loses and refuses to concede?
So far he has been bolstered in his stance by those closest to him, including his senior advisers and his adult sons, who have mounted an aggressive effort in the courts to challenge the results and have pressured other Republicans into defending him.
Top aides, including his chief of staff Mark Meadows, have not attempted to come to terms with the President about the reality of what is happening. Instead, they have fed his baseless claim that the election is being stolen from underneath him. That has led to some annoyance among staff, who believe Meadows is feeding the President’s baseless claim that the election is illegitimate.
Vice President Mike Pence — who has not been seen since the early hours of Wednesday morning — is doing his part to appease Trump by soliciting funds for his legal defense fund.
Trump is not scheduled to appear in public on Friday, though an appearance at some point has not been ruled out. He spent the morning angry and frustrated, watching television while griping more people weren’t defending him on the airwaves.
In a written statement on Friday afternoon, Trump signaled his intentions to continue waging legal battle.
“This is no longer about any single election. This is about the integrity of our entire election process,” he wrote. “We will pursue this process through every aspect of the law to guarantee the American people have confidence in our government. I will never give up fighting for you and our nation.”
A source familiar with some of the legal discussions behind the scenes said the President is starting to tell advisers he may not be able to pull out a come-from-behind victory.
The source pointed to Trump’s more modulated statement, that was drained of the bluster from Thursday night’s performance in the briefing room.
But even as Trump has acknowledged to some allies he recognizes the electoral math will not work in his favor, according to people familiar with the conversations, he has maintained that a prolonged court battle and corrosive rhetoric about election fraud would sow enough doubt to allow him to refuse to accept the results.
Two campaign advisers and one source close to the President said Trump will exhaust his legal avenues for fighting the results in several key battleground states before giving any consideration to conceding.
“He’s in fighting mode,” one source close to the President said. “He thinks it’s in his benefit to fight.”
While the reality of Trump’s impending loss has set in for many people close to the campaign, others are advising the President to continue fighting the outcomes and investigate claims of fraud.
Biden’s campaign voiced little concern at the prospect of Trump clinging to power.
“As we said on July 19, the American people will decide this election. And the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House,” campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement.
The Trump campaign released a statement Friday morning making clear it will refuse to concede the election, calling any projections of Biden as the winner “false” and the race “far from final.”
“This election is not over,” Trump campaign general counsel Matt Morgan said in a statement.
Still, some of the President’s allies have grown concerned that someone will eventually have to reckon with him that his time in office is likely coming to an end. It is a possibility the President did not consider in a serious way during the election, despite polls showing him with only a narrow path to victory, believing that looking past Election Day was bad luck.
The delicate matter of a loss — and a potential post-presidential life — was not discussed widely among his team and was not raised often with the President, who believed adamantly he would win.
Trump spent much of the campaign claiming Biden was the worst presidential candidate in history — and suggesting that losing to him would amount to abject humiliation.
“Losing is never easy,” he said at his campaign headquarters on Election Day. “Not for me, it’s not.”
Now, people around Trump are working to identify who might be able to communicate to him the stark reality. There has been talk of potentially Jared Kushner or Ivanka Trump, though their willingness to lead a difficult intervention wasn’t clear.
One idea being floated is framing potential conversations with Trump around the idea of preserving his brand for life after being president — and explaining that dragging out an election he clearly lost would ruin his businesses and forestall whatever political future he’s hoping for.
Before the election, Trump raised the prospect of running for President again in 2024 if he were to lose, though only in a joking manner. Even in likely loss, Trump garnered more votes than he did in 2016 and his future role as a Republican kingmaker seems secured — though some fear a drawn out and ugly loss could damage his standing.
Trump has spent the days since election night ensconced at the White House, angrily phoning allies and demanding that more people come out to defend him. He has complained that his legal team is ill-prepared to wage an effective battle in courts, according to one person who spoke to him.
At the same time, his legal team’s efforts have appeared somewhat slipshod. Some in the campaign questioned the Trump team’s decision to dispatch the likes of Rudy Giuliani and Trump’s sons to make unfounded allegations of voter fraud, arguing they likely diminished the President’s claims of wrongdoing.
Trump sounded downtrodden during an evening statement from the White House on Thursday and departed the room without answering for his false claims about voter fraud.
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Judge Chutkan: Trump’s right to free speech ‘not absolute’ National Politics | A conservative case for disqualifying Donald Trump in 2024 In meetings with his team in the Oval Office and the White House residence, Trump has asked why more Republicans weren’t coming out to allege voter irregularities or make the same claims he was making about votes being counted after Election Day.
He also pressed them into arranging a public statement, something he’d been itching to do since Wednesday. Aides had successfully stalled, believing anything the President said would damage his standing and make matters worse.
But after Biden spoke from near his home in Wilmington, Delaware, on Thursday afternoon, Trump insisted a statement be added for him to detail his legal case.
Afterward, several advisers said the performance was precisely what they’d hoped to avoid.


mercurynews--2020-11-07--2020 Latest: Biden’s lead grows in battleground Pennsylvania

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The Latest on the presidential campaign ( all times local ) : Democrat Joe Biden ’ s lead over President Donald Trump is growing in battleground Pennsylvania .
By Friday evening , the Democrat held a lead of over 19,500 votes out of more than 6.5 million ballots cast .
That ’ s an edge of about 0.29 % .
State law dictates that a recount must be held if the margin between the two candidates is less than 0.5 % .
The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the state .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Friday that there were 102,541 more mail ballots that needed to be counted , including many from Allegheny County , a Democratic area that is home to Pittsburgh , and the Democratic stronghold of Philadelphia County .
Additionally , there are potentially tens of thousands of provisional ballots that remain to be tabulated , though an exact number remained unclear .
Those ballots will be counted after officials verify their eligibility to be included .
Pennsylvania is among a handful of battleground states that Trump and Biden are narrowly contesting as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win the presidency .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE : Democrat Joe Biden is pushing closer to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to carry the White House , securing victories in the battlegrounds of Wisconsin and Michigan and narrowing President Donald Trump ’ s path .
Biden planned a prime-time address alongside his running mate , Kamala Harris , on Friday night .
Trump remained ensconced in the White House , occasionally tweeting .
— Biden on cusp of presidency after gains in Pennsylvania — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what makes them that way HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON : Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has ordered county elections officials in Pennsylvania to keep separate mail-in ballots that arrived after Election Day .
The state ’ s top elections official already had ordered those ballots be kept apart .
The order came Friday night in response to a plea from the state Republican Party as Democrat Joe Biden inched ahead of President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania in the presidential race .
Alito , acting on his own , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans ’ assertion that they can ’ t be sure elections officials are complying with guidance issued by Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar , a Democrat .
The justice handles emergency appeals from Pennsylvania .
He ordered a response from the state by Saturday afternoon and said he has referred the matter to the full court for further action .
The order is related to an ongoing Republican appeal to the Supreme Court to try to keep ballots received in the mail after Election Day from being counted .
The state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the Supreme Court refused to block it .
The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the state .
Democrat Joe Biden ’ s lead over President Donald Trump in Nevada has grown slightly , putting the former vice president ahead by 22,657 votes in the battleground state .
The results Friday afternoon were mail-in ballots from Democrat-heavy Clark County , which include Las Vegas and three-quarters of Nevada ’ s population .
Biden had 632,558 votes , and Trump had 609,901 .
Vote counting in the state — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fresh batch of results was among 63,000 mail ballots that Clark County Registrar Joe Gloria said Friday morning that his workers were starting to process .
He expected the bulk would be processed by Sunday .
Gloria has an additional 60,000 provisional ballots to be processed later .
Democrat Joe Biden is adding to his lead over President Donald Trump in Georgia .
As of early Friday evening , Biden had overtaken Trump by 4,235 votes in the battleground state , which Trump must win to have a shot at reelection .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ state vote count on Friday morning as votes continue to be counted .
The contest is still too early for The Associated Press to call .
Trump ’ s lead dwindled after Election Day when state officials began processing mail-in ballots , a form of voting that has skewed heavily in Biden ’ s favor after Trump spent months claiming — without proof — that voting by mail would lead to widespread voter fraud .
If there is less than a 0.5 % difference between Biden ’ s and Trump ’ s vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recount must be held .
Biden currently holds a lead of about 0.08 % .
Biden has scheduled a prime-time address on the presidential contest as votes continue to be counted in several battleground states .
Biden is on the cusp of victory as he opened narrow leads over President Donald Trump in Georgia and Pennsylvania .
Harris has appeared alongside Biden during his remarks in recent days but has not made any public comments herself on the state of the race .
A campaign official confirmed she will speak Friday night before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been at a hotel in Wilmington , Delaware , with her family since Tuesday night .
The Associated Press has not yet declared a winner in Nevada , North Carolina , Georgia , Pennsylvania and Alaska .
Top Republican officials in Georgia say they are confident the secretary of state will ensure that ballots are properly counted .
The statement Friday from GOP Gov .
Brian Kemp and others came a day after President Donald Trump alleged without any details or evidence that election officials are trying to “ steal the election ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ election apparatus in Georgia is run by Democrats , ” even though the top election official is a Republican whom he endorsed .
Democrat Joe Biden was leading Trump in Georgia by about 1,500 votes midday Friday .
The Associated Press has not called the race for either candidate yet .
The federal agency that oversees U.S. election security is pushing back at unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud without mentioning that President Donald Trump is making unfounded allegations about the vote count .
A new statement from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have detection measures that “ make it highly difficult to commit fraud through counterfeit ballots.
” CISA , a component of the Department of Homeland Security , published the statement Friday on a section of its website devoted to dispelling rumors .
It said it was countering a rumor about the role of DHS and CISA in the printing of ballots and auditing of results .
Neither agency has a role in printing or auditing ballots .
CISA principally helps local and state election departments protect themselves against cyberattacks .
CISA also put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and processes used to tabulate votes and certify results “ are protected by various safeguards that help ensure the accuracy of election results.
” The agency has been urging the public for weeks to be patient during the counting of results , which was slower this year in large part because of COVID-19 and the large number of mail-in ballots .
It has made no comment on Trump saying without evidence that the ballot-counting process is unfair and corrupt .
Pennsylvania Republicans are turning to the U.S. Supreme Court to ask for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day in the battleground state be segregated .
The state ’ s top elections official already had ordered those ballots be kept apart .
The emergency request Friday came as Democrat Joe Biden inched ahead of President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania .
The plea is part of an ongoing Republican appeal to the Supreme Court to try to keep ballots received in the mail after Election Day from being counted .
The state ’ s top court granted a three-day extension , and the Supreme Court refused to block it .
But Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials to keep the ballots separate because the high court hasn ’ t ultimately decided whether to step in .
Republicans presented no evidence that counties are not adhering to Boockvar ’ s orders , but said , “ It is unclear whether all county boards are following them in the post-election chaos.
” The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the state .
A statewide appellate court judge in Pennsylvania has dismissed a request from Republicans to stop the state or counties from counting provisional ballots that were cast by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a technicality .
Democratic Gov .
Tom Wolf ’ s state elections bureau last month gave guidance to counties that a voter could use a provisional ballot if they “ did not successfully vote ” with the mail-in or absentee ballot they were issued , or if their ballot was rejected and they believe they are eligible to vote .
The Democratic National Committee , which had sought to oppose the case in court , said Republicans wanted to “ throw out lawfully cast provisional ballots.
” Wolf ’ s top elections official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Democrat , has insisted that the practice is legal and not prohibited by law .
Regardless , she said there aren ’ t “ overwhelming ” numbers of voters who cast a provisional ballot after their mail-in ballot was disqualified , but she has not given an exact figure .
Democrat Joe Biden has increased his lead over President Donald Trump in Nevada to 20,137 votes .
Results released Friday from Democrat-heavy Clark County , which includes Las Vegas and three-quarters of Nevada ’ s population , along with two rural counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump at 606,967 .
Biden ’ s lead nearly doubled from Thursday , when he was leading Trump by about 11,000 votes .
The Associated Press has not called the presidential race .
Votes are still being counted in several battleground states .
Clark County Registrar Joe Gloria says his county has an additional 63,000 mail ballots to be processed over the next few days and 60,000 provisional ballots to be processed later .
Gloria said Clark County would release more results Friday afternoon but he said he did not know exactly how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release .
The state has said it will provide an update later Friday on how many ballots are yet to be counted statewide .
On Thursday , they reported that number at 190,150 .
President Donald Trump says he “ will never give up fighting for you and our nation ” as he is on the cusp of losing his bid for reelection .
Trump is spending Friday at the White House tweeting , watching results come in and continuing to cast unfounded doubt over the integrity of the election .
He says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ We believe the American people deserve to have full transparency into all vote counting and election certification.
” And he adds that , “ This is no longer about any single election .
This is about the integrity of our entire election process.
” There is no evidence that any votes cast illegally are being counted or that the process is unfair and corrupt .
Indeed , the ballot-counting process across the country largely has been running smoothly , if slowly , because of the increase in mail-in ballots because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonetheless threatening continued legal action , saying : “ We will pursue this process through every aspect of the law to guarantee that the American people have confidence in our government.
” Trump ’ s Democratic rival , Joe Biden , has opened up narrow leads over Trump in the critical battlegrounds of Georgia and Pennsylvania .
Sen. Mitt Romney , the 2012 Republican presidential nominee , says President Donald Trump is “ damaging the cause of freedom ” and inflaming “ destructive and dangerous passions ” by claiming , without foundation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from him .
Romney lost to President Barack Obama in 2012 but was gracious in defeat .
He is Trump ’ s most vocal critic within the Republican Party and voted to convict him in Trump ’ s impeachment trial early this year .
The Utah Republican offered his assessment Friday on Twitter , saying that Trump is well within his rights to challenge the results through the legal remedies available to him .
But Romney says Trump is “ wrong to say that the election was rigged , corrupt , and stolen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause of freedom here and around the world.
” Democrat Joe Biden is on the cusp of winning the presidency as he opens up narrow leads over Trump in several critical backgrounds .
The Associated Press has not called the presidential race .
Votes are still being counted in states including Pennsylvania and Georgia .
Joe Biden ’ s campaign says he will give a speech during prime time Friday .
The Democratic presidential candidate ’ s campaign announced that he would be making an address but did not say where or what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the cusp of winning the presidency as he opens up narrow leads over President Donald Trump in several critical backgrounds .
The Associated Press has not called the presidential race .
Votes are still being counted in states including Pennsylvania and Georgia .
He has urged the public to be patient as vote counting continues .
He was spending Friday at home in Wilmington , Delaware .
A stage set up since election night for a victory party outside the city ’ s convention center remained intact and has been secured for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and car barriers .
Biden campaign staffers who arrived in Wilmington for a victory party earlier in the week have been told to hold onto their hotel rooms until early next week .
Democrat Joe Biden is leading President Donald Trump in the battleground state of Pennsylvania .
By Friday morning , Biden overtook Trump in the number of ballots counted in the state , which Trump must win to have a shot at reelection .
Biden leads by more than 9,000 votes .
The contest is still too early for The Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state are still being counted .
Trump ’ s lead dwindled after Election Day when state officials began processing mail-in ballots , a form of voting that has skewed heavily in Biden ’ s favor .
Trump spent months claiming — without proof — that voting by mail would lead to widespread voter fraud .
If there is less than a half percentage point difference between Biden ’ s and Trump ’ s vote totals , state law dictates that a recount must be held .
Democrat Joe Biden is now leading President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania .
By Friday morning , Biden overtook Trump in the number of ballots counted in the state , which Trump must win to have a shot at reelection .
Biden now holds a nearly 6,000-vote advantage .
The contest is still too early for The Associated Press to call .
Votes in the state are still being counted .
Trump ’ s lead dwindled after Election Day when state officials began processing mail-in ballots , a form of voting that has skewed heavily in Biden ’ s favor after Trump spent months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by mail would lead to widespread voter fraud .
If there is less than a half percentage point difference between Biden ’ s and Trump ’ s vote totals , state law dictates that a recount must be held .
Democrat Joe Biden is now leading President Donald Trump in the battleground state of Georgia .
By Friday morning , Biden overtook Trump in the number of ballots counted in the battleground , a must-win state for Trump that has long been a Republican stronghold .
Biden now has a 917-vote advantage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Associated Press to call .
Thousands of ballots are still left to be counted — many in counties where the former vice president was in the lead .
An AP analysis showed that Biden ’ s vote margins grew as counties processed mail ballots cast in his favor .
There is a potential that the race could go to a recount .
Under Georgia law , if the margin between Biden and Trump is under half a percentage point of difference , a recount can be requested .


mercurynews--2020-11-07--PlayStation 5 vs. Xbox Series X: Which system is better?

Reviewing the new consoles during a pandemic is like being at a theater dress rehearsal .
Before the machines are launched , the software is still coming together .
Parts of the experience are still a work in progress .
Games have come in and out of availability .
Like actors and production crews behind the scenes , everyone is figuring out their parts .
It ’ s a strange mix of chaos and potential .
Until the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 are in the wild , we won ’ t exactly know how everything will work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent testing the systems gave me a strong impression of how these two kaiju-sized machines stack up .
What I discovered is that each console has a different vision of a next-gen experience , and they follow through with hardware , software and infrastructure built in that direction .
Here ’ s a look at how the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 stack up , and which console would best for gamers today and beyond .
Much like the end of the last generation , the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both feature AMD ’ s Zen 2 and RDNA 2 chips ( but they run at different speeds ) and custom hard drives .
They will both feature ray tracing — a rendering technique that creates stunningly realistic lighting effects — and can run games at 120 frames per second .
The speed at which games load will also be lightning fast .
That means multi-platform releases will likely look similar on both systems .
When it comes to monitor support , the Series X supports several resolutions up to 8K .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Unfortunately , it didn ’ t work on a 1440p monitor .
The big difference in hardware comes in how the two consoles handle sound .
The Series X supports multiple standards of spatial sound , including Dolby Atmos , DTS : X and Windows Sonic .
That means if you invested thousands of dollars in audio setups , the Series X will support that big booming sound you ’ re accustomed to .
The PlayStation 5 is different with its Tempest 3D AudioTech .
The system funnels all the spatial audio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a speaker and headset .
With that said , because Sony has its own proprietary standard , it won ’ t work with everything yet .
At launch , the audio works with headsets , especially its own Pulse 3D wireless peripheral , and the spatial audio does make a difference giving players a deeper sense of place .
When all is said and done , Microsoft ’ s support for different audio formats is friendlier and more flexible to gamers .
The Series X is playing catch up in this category @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its new Xbox Wireless Controller .
It remains mostly the same as its predecessor save for a few physical changes .
The LT and RT buttons have a textured grip , and in the middle , players will find a Share button , a feature that first appeared on Sony ’ s DualShock 4 .
Internally , latency and connectivity to other devices has improved but nothing is really game-changing .
On the other hand , Sony ’ s DualSense controller could be the defining upgrade of this generation .
Often overlooked , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in how players experience games .
With upgrades in visuals becoming less impressive each generation , Sony found a way to create a next-gen feeling by overhauling its controller .
The star of this reboot is the adaptive-trigger system on the DualSense .
It essentially creates force feedback on that part of the controller .
If you ’ ve played an arcade racing game like “ Daytona 500 , ” you ’ ll understand how this works .
It ’ s like the sensation of the steering wheel fighting you as your car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll find that kind of resistance consistently on the shoulder buttons .
It creates a tension — and telling feedback — that deepens your immersion into a game .
For example , if you prepare to fire a bow and arrow , you can feel the tension on the string .
When firing guns , you ’ ll experience the blast of a recoil in your fingertips .
The adaptive triggers have a way of changing the feel of the DualSense .
When it ’ s locked , the controller feels heavy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the buttons , it feels light and easy .
The experience is magical , almost like the DualSense is a malleable piece of tech instead of one built out of metal , plastic and screws .
Aside from the triggers , the DualSense features haptics that are a smidgen better than the HD rumble coming from Nintendo ’ s Joy-Con .
Lastly , the controller features a microphone that likely won ’ t play a huge role in gameplay but could be used as a backup microphone if players don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interface issues on the PS5 .
Navigating the menus and accessing information is snappier than before .
Taking screenshots is more transparent as players can hit the Share button and choose from a number of options .
Native streaming only supports YouTube and Twitch , but the new HD Camera , which removes the background around a player , can ideally make videos look more professional .
The big PS5 quality-of-life improvement is the concept of cards .
This feature helps enhance players ’ user experience .
It zips them to different parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a trophy or helps them along with a level that ’ s giving them trouble .
It ’ s there to ferry players through to a positive gaming experience .
Unfortunately , PlayStation ’ s work on smartphone lags behind Xbox .
It ’ s getting better with the option to do party chats and messaging through iOS and Android apps .
Players can even purchase games on their phone and track the download process to the machine , but it falls short of the tight integration of assets seen in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handheld devices are to everyday life , and using the infrastructure it has , the company made sharing easier than ever .
When players hit the Share button , the screenshot or video is uploaded to the cloud and they can access it through the app .
From there , they can share it on any social media channel they want .
If they want to modify the clip , they can download it to the PC via OneDrive and edit it however they want .
Both systems feature remote play , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ category because of xCloud , its streaming service .
This lets players access Xbox Game Pass Ultimate titles via Android phones from wherever they are .
It lets players enjoy gaming while on vacation or running an errand , and then pick up where they left off when the get home .
As for the Series X user interface , it remains consistent with previous consoles .
Much like its controller , Microsoft didn ’ t change much .
Streaming is still down via apps with the system supporting third-party cameras .
Players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the home screen .
Game Pass has a more prominent role in the user interface .
Which is better : The Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 ?
That ’ s a tough question to answer because the systems differ on their views on the future .
The big ideas behind each console are reflected in their appearances and size .
Like its monolithic form , the Xbox Series X is all about stability and consistency .
One if its strengths lies in its backward compatibility — supporting older games with new technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able access games at any time and from anywhere .
Players who buy games on the system should be confident that they ’ ll be able to play them far into the future .
Microsoft ’ s track record speaks for itself .
Unfortunately , the Series X launch games aren ’ t as impressive as the PS5 ’ s , so players will have to wait until Microsoft ’ s bigger releases , specifically titles from Bethesda and Obsidian , come out .
Meanwhile , the bold design and soaring lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s clawing for that next-generation experience .
Sony wants to push the envelope and it has done so with its DualSense controller and interface refinements — changes that have made the gaming experience better .
Its launch-related new-game releases show off the potential of new experiences .
The whole system should make any gamer excited .
If you ’ re looking for a next-gen system for the holidays , the PS5 is the one to get .
But when it comes to the long game , the Series X could have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last long into the future .

Reviewing the new consoles during a pandemic is like being at a theater dress rehearsal. Before the machines are launched, the software is still coming together. Parts of the experience are still a work in progress. Games have come in and out of availability.
Like actors and production crews behind the scenes, everyone is figuring out their parts. It’s a strange mix of chaos and potential. Until the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 are in the wild, we won’t exactly know how everything will work. Despite that, the time I spent testing the systems gave me a strong impression of how these two kaiju-sized machines stack up.
What I discovered is that each console has a different vision of a next-gen experience, and they follow through with hardware, software and infrastructure built in that direction. Here’s a look at how the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 stack up, and which console would best for gamers today and beyond.
Hardware
Much like the end of the last generation, the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 face off as comparable counterparts. Both feature AMD’s Zen 2 and RDNA 2 chips (but they run at different speeds) and custom hard drives. They will both feature ray tracing — a rendering technique that creates stunningly realistic lighting effects — and can run games at 120 frames per second. The speed at which games load will also be lightning fast. That means multi-platform releases will likely look similar on both systems.
When it comes to monitor support, the Series X supports several resolutions up to 8K. The PS5 works on high-definition and 4K TV. Unfortunately, it didn’t work on a 1440p monitor.
The big difference in hardware comes in how the two consoles handle sound. The Series X supports multiple standards of spatial sound, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Windows Sonic. That means if you invested thousands of dollars in audio setups, the Series X will support that big booming sound you’re accustomed to.
The PlayStation 5 is different with its Tempest 3D AudioTech. The system funnels all the spatial audio information on that chip and it outputs to a speaker and headset. With that said, because Sony has its own proprietary standard, it won’t work with everything yet. At launch, the audio works with headsets, especially its own Pulse 3D wireless peripheral, and the spatial audio does make a difference giving players a deeper sense of place.
When all is said and done, Microsoft’s support for different audio formats is friendlier and more flexible to gamers.
Controller
The Series X is playing catch up in this category. Microsoft took a conservative approach with its new Xbox Wireless Controller. It remains mostly the same as its predecessor save for a few physical changes. The LT and RT buttons have a textured grip, and in the middle, players will find a Share button, a feature that first appeared on Sony’s DualShock 4. Internally, latency and connectivity to other devices has improved but nothing is really game-changing.
On the other hand, Sony’s DualSense controller could be the defining upgrade of this generation. Often overlooked, the humble controller plays an outsized role in how players experience games. With upgrades in visuals becoming less impressive each generation, Sony found a way to create a next-gen feeling by overhauling its controller.
The star of this reboot is the adaptive-trigger system on the DualSense. It essentially creates force feedback on that part of the controller. If you’ve played an arcade racing game like “Daytona USA,” you’ll understand how this works. It’s like the sensation of the steering wheel fighting you as your car crashes into a wall. You’ll find that kind of resistance consistently on the shoulder buttons.
It creates a tension — and telling feedback — that deepens your immersion into a game. For example, if you prepare to fire a bow and arrow, you can feel the tension on the string. When firing guns, you’ll experience the blast of a recoil in your fingertips.
The adaptive triggers have a way of changing the feel of the DualSense. When it’s locked, the controller feels heavy and thick, when players can easily press the buttons, it feels light and easy. The experience is magical, almost like the DualSense is a malleable piece of tech instead of one built out of metal, plastic and screws.
Aside from the triggers, the DualSense features haptics that are a smidgen better than the HD rumble coming from Nintendo’s Joy-Con. Lastly, the controller features a microphone that likely won’t play a huge role in gameplay but could be used as a backup microphone if players don’t have a headset.
User interface and smartphone apps
Sony cleaned up its interface issues on the PS5. Navigating the menus and accessing information is snappier than before. Taking screenshots is more transparent as players can hit the Share button and choose from a number of options. Native streaming only supports YouTube and Twitch, but the new HD Camera, which removes the background around a player, can ideally make videos look more professional.
The big PS5 quality-of-life improvement is the concept of cards. This feature helps enhance players’ user experience. It zips them to different parts of the game in order to work on a trophy or helps them along with a level that’s giving them trouble. It’s there to ferry players through to a positive gaming experience.
Unfortunately, PlayStation’s work on smartphone lags behind Xbox. It’s getting better with the option to do party chats and messaging through iOS and Android apps. Players can even purchase games on their phone and track the download process to the machine, but it falls short of the tight integration of assets seen in the Series X.
Microsoft knows how important the handheld devices are to everyday life, and using the infrastructure it has, the company made sharing easier than ever. When players hit the Share button, the screenshot or video is uploaded to the cloud and they can access it through the app. From there, they can share it on any social media channel they want. If they want to modify the clip, they can download it to the PC via OneDrive and edit it however they want.
Both systems feature remote play, but again Microsoft has an edge in this category because of xCloud, its streaming service. This lets players access Xbox Game Pass Ultimate titles via Android phones from wherever they are. It lets players enjoy gaming while on vacation or running an errand, and then pick up where they left off when the get home.
As for the Series X user interface, it remains consistent with previous consoles. Much like its controller, Microsoft didn’t change much. Streaming is still down via apps with the system supporting third-party cameras. Players can still pin their favorite games to the home screen. Game Pass has a more prominent role in the user interface.
Final verdict
Which is better: The Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5? That’s a tough question to answer because the systems differ on their views on the future. The big ideas behind each console are reflected in their appearances and size. Like its monolithic form, the Xbox Series X is all about stability and consistency. One if its strengths lies in its backward compatibility — supporting older games with new technology — and the idea that you should be able access games at any time and from anywhere.
Players who buy games on the system should be confident that they’ll be able to play them far into the future. Microsoft’s track record speaks for itself. Unfortunately, the Series X launch games aren’t as impressive as the PS5’s, so players will have to wait until Microsoft’s bigger releases, specifically titles from Bethesda and Obsidian, come out.
Meanwhile, the bold design and soaring lines of the PS5 reflect a system that’s clawing for that next-generation experience. Sony wants to push the envelope and it has done so with its DualSense controller and interface refinements — changes that have made the gaming experience better. Its launch-related new-game releases show off the potential of new experiences. The whole system should make any gamer excited.
If you’re looking for a next-gen system for the holidays, the PS5 is the one to get. But when it comes to the long game, the Series X could have the edge because gamers’ libraries will likely last long into the future.
PlayStation 5
3½ stars out of 4
Release date: Nov. 12
Price: $499 (standard edition), $399 (digital edition)
Xbox Series X
3 stars out of 4
Release date: Nov. 10, 2020
Price: $499


mercurynews--2020-11-07--Oakland man sentenced to 5 years in ‘open air drug market’ case

OAKLAND — A federal judge handed down a five-year federal prison term for an Oakland man who was convicted through a plea deal of selling cocaine with people who were part of an investigation into what authorities called an “ open air drug market ” in Oakland .
Joe Frank was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers .
The charges relate to Frank using a cellphone to arrange half-pound cocaine transactions from a residential drug treatment facility in Sacramento , where he was housed after violating his supervised release in an unrelated drug case .
Frank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun trafficking investigation centered on the 200 block of Makin Street in Oakland .
During the investigation — which included the use of DEA surveillance cameras set up on the block — authorities determined that Frank ’ s drug supplier was also supplying people who were distributing drugs from a Makin Street home .
Frank ’ s attorney , John Jordan , argued for a four-year sentence .
In a sentencing memo , Jordan said that Frank ’ s family — including his young son — would suffer if Frank was sentenced to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflected on Frank ’ s “ difficult upbringing , ” which includes surviving two shootings .
“ Upon his release , ( Frank ) plans to immediately pay his union dues and put himself on the job list , to start work immediately , ” Jordan wrote .
“ The defendant has had 15 months at Santa Rita to reflect on his mistakes .
”

OAKLAND — A federal judge handed down a five-year federal prison term for an Oakland man who was convicted through a plea deal of selling cocaine with people who were part of an investigation into what authorities called an “open air drug market” in Oakland.
Joe Frank was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. The charges relate to Frank using a cellphone to arrange half-pound cocaine transactions from a residential drug treatment facility in Sacramento, where he was housed after violating his supervised release in an unrelated drug case.
Frank was linked to a large-scaled drug and gun trafficking investigation centered on the 200 block of Makin Road in Oakland. During the investigation — which included the use of DEA surveillance cameras set up on the block — authorities determined that Frank’s drug supplier was also supplying people who were distributing drugs from a Makin Street home.
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“Upon his release, (Frank) plans to immediately pay his union dues and put himself on the job list, to start work immediately,” Jordan wrote. “The defendant has had 15 months at Santa Rita to reflect on his mistakes.”


mercurynews--2020-11-07--MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow dropped from election coverage after ‘close contact’ gets coronavirus

As the contentious and highly volatile presidential election stretches toward the weekend , MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow will miss some of the action after a “ close contact ” of hers tested positive for coronavirus .
“ I ’ ve tested negative thus far , but will be at home quarantining ’ til it ’ s safe for me to be back at work without putting anyone at risk , ” Maddow said in a message posted Friday on social media .
• MSNBC ’ s Nicolle Wallace on being fired from ‘ The View ’ : It felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elaborate on the statement .
Maddow , a native of Castro Valley and Stanford grad , is MSNBC ’ s most-watched anchor .
“ You will be in good hands tonight with Nicolle ( Wallace ) and Joy ( Reid ) and Brian ( Williams ) and the Great and Good Mr. ( Steve ) Kornacki and the whole MSNBC crew , ” she wrote .
Maddow headlines MSNBC ’ s highest-rated program and she has played a key role in the cable network ’ s wall-to-wall coverage of the 2020 election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewers — significantly more than MSNBC ’ s typical nightly audience .
Leading into the election , the topic of COVID-19 had dominated much of Maddow ’ s self-titled show as the left-leaning anchor repeatedly hammered President Donald Trump for his handling of the pandemic .
On Friday , the U.S. reported more than 128,000 new coronavirus cases , a record .
Here is Maddow ’ s full statement on her absence :

As the contentious and highly volatile presidential election stretches toward the weekend, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow will miss some of the action after a “close contact” of hers tested positive for coronavirus.
“I’ve tested negative thus far, but will be at home quarantining ’til it’s safe for me to be back at work without putting anyone at risk,” Maddow said in a message posted Friday on social media.
Related Articles Election | MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace on being fired from ‘The View’: It felt ‘personal’ MSBNC has declined to elaborate on the statement.
Maddow, a native of Castro Valley and Stanford grad, is MSNBC’s most-watched anchor.
“You will be in good hands tonight with Nicolle (Wallace) and Joy (Reid) and Brian (Williams) and the Great and Good Mr. (Steve) Kornacki and the whole MSNBC crew,” she wrote.
Maddow headlines MSNBC’s highest-rated program and she has played a key role in the cable network’s wall-to-wall coverage of the 2020 election, which has averaged about 5.9 million primetime viewers — significantly more than MSNBC’s typical nightly audience.
Leading into the election, the topic of COVID-19 had dominated much of Maddow’s self-titled show as the left-leaning anchor repeatedly hammered President Donald Trump for his handling of the pandemic.
On Friday, the U.S. reported more than 128,000 new coronavirus cases, a record.
Here is Maddow’s full statement on her absence:


mercurynews--2020-11-07--Hayward man guilty of murdering CHP officer in 2017 DUI crash

DUBLIN — Four days into their deliberation , an Alameda County jury returned guilty verdicts on murder and drunk driving charges in the 2017 crash that killed California Highway Patrol Ofc .
Andrew Camilleri .
Mohammed Ali , 24 , faces a sentence of 15 years to life on the second degree murder conviction alone .
Jurors acquitted Ali of one count , driving under the influence of marijuana .
Ali was arrested and charged with murder after he rear-ended a parked CHP car on Interstate 880 in Hayward .
Prosecutors say he was driving speeds exceeding 100 miles per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a blood-alcohol test proved he was legally drunk .
Camilleri was killed in the crash , and his partner was critically injured .
“ I am grateful to the jury for its diligence and hard work , especially in the face of the unusual circumstances in the courthouse as a result of COVID-19 , ” deputy district attorney Stacie Pettigrew , who prosecuted the case , said in a statement to this news organization .
“ It is my hope that today ’ s verdict brings a sense of peace to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to his colleagues.
” The crash occurred on Christmas Eve 2017 .
Earlier in the evening , Ali and his wife had gotten into a serious argument in Manteca , and police were called .
Ali was obviously drunk according to several eyewitnesses , but officers didn ’ t arrest him after he promised to go inside his wife ’ s family ’ s home and sleep it off .
Instead , after Manteca police left , Ali drove at high speeds to Hayward , nearly completing the 58-mile journey when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ali ’ s attorney argued that the CHP vehicle was dangerously parked , but conceded Ali was drunk and at fault in the crash .
He argued Ali did not have the mental state required for murder , which is unique in drunk driving murder cases ; prosecutors must prove the defendant knew his or her actions were likely to cause death and ignored the danger .
To prove that , Pettigrew cited Ali ’ s history of speeding ; he ’ d been pulled over several times for driving faster than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the dangers of drunk driving in a traffic safety class .
Police found undated videos on his phone that showed him nonchalantly remarking that he didn ’ t care about being fined as he gunned the motor of his vehicle to excessive speeds .
Ali will not be sentenced until at least early 2021 .

DUBLIN — Four days into their deliberation, an Alameda County jury returned guilty verdicts on murder and drunk driving charges in the 2017 crash that killed California Highway Patrol Ofc. Andrew Camilleri.
Mohammed Ali, 24, faces a sentence of 15 years to life on the second degree murder conviction alone. Jurors acquitted Ali of one count, driving under the influence of marijuana.
Ali was arrested and charged with murder after he rear-ended a parked CHP car on Interstate 880 in Hayward. Prosecutors say he was driving speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour at the time of the crash, and a blood-alcohol test proved he was legally drunk. Camilleri was killed in the crash, and his partner was critically injured.
“I am grateful to the jury for its diligence and hard work, especially in the face of the unusual circumstances in the courthouse as a result of COVID-19,” deputy district attorney Stacie Pettigrew, who prosecuted the case, said in a statement to this news organization. “It is my hope that today’s verdict brings a sense of peace to Ofc. Andrew Camilleri’s family and to his colleagues.”
The crash occurred on Christmas Eve 2017. Earlier in the evening, Ali and his wife had gotten into a serious argument in Manteca, and police were called. Ali was obviously drunk according to several eyewitnesses, but officers didn’t arrest him after he promised to go inside his wife’s family’s home and sleep it off.
Instead, after Manteca police left, Ali drove at high speeds to Hayward, nearly completing the 58-mile journey when he rammed the CHP vehicle.
At trial, Ali’s attorney argued that the CHP vehicle was dangerously parked, but conceded Ali was drunk and at fault in the crash. He argued Ali did not have the mental state required for murder, which is unique in drunk driving murder cases; prosecutors must prove the defendant knew his or her actions were likely to cause death and ignored the danger.
To prove that, Pettigrew cited Ali’s history of speeding; he’d been pulled over several times for driving faster than 100 miles per hour and been admonished about the dangers of drunk driving in a traffic safety class. Police found undated videos on his phone that showed him nonchalantly remarking that he didn’t care about being fined as he gunned the motor of his vehicle to excessive speeds.
Ali will not be sentenced until at least early 2021.