talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-21--In Gaudy We Trust: Trump Issues Exec Order Mandating Classical Architecture On Fed Buildings

More than 300,000 Americans killed in the raging coronavirus pandemic .
Hospital systems buckling and overwhelmed .
Widespread economic devastation .
And what is President Trump focused on this week ?
An executive order “ promoting beautiful federal civic architecture.
” Trump announced the executive order Monday morning .
The order ’ s text bemoans a lack of “ beautiful ” federal buildings — and seeks to change it .
“ With a limited number of exceptions , such as the Tuscaloosa Federal Building and Courthouse and the Corpus Christi Federal Courthouse , the Federal Government has largely stopped building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In Washington , D.C. , Federal architecture has become a discordant mixture of classical and modernist designs.
” “ It is time to update the policies guiding Federal architecture to address these problems and ensure that architects designing Federal buildings serve their clients , the American people .
New Federal building designs should , like America ’ s beloved landmark buildings , uplift and beautify public spaces , inspire the human spirit , ennoble the United States , command respect from the general public , and , as appropriate , respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the order ’ s text continues .
Never mind that many of Trump ’ s eponymous skyscrapers are modern-looking steel and glass structures , complete with lots of gaudy gold decor .
A number of commentators on Twitter noted that authoritarian leaders love the sort of neoclassical buildings Trump is boosting in the order .
Others pointed out how Trump surely has better things to do with his limited time left in government .

More than 300,000 Americans killed in the raging coronavirus pandemic. Hospital systems buckling and overwhelmed. Widespread economic devastation. And what is President Trump focused on this week? An executive order “promoting beautiful federal civic architecture.”
He’s a builder, after all.
Trump announced the executive order Monday morning. The order’s text bemoans a lack of “beautiful” federal buildings — and seeks to change it.
“With a limited number of exceptions, such as the Tuscaloosa Federal Building and Courthouse and the Corpus Christi Federal Courthouse, the Federal Government has largely stopped building beautiful buildings,” the order reads. “In Washington, D.C., Federal architecture has become a discordant mixture of classical and modernist designs.”
“It is time to update the policies guiding Federal architecture to address these problems and ensure that architects designing Federal buildings serve their clients, the American people. New Federal building designs should, like America’s beloved landmark buildings, uplift and beautify public spaces, inspire the human spirit, ennoble the United States, command respect from the general public, and, as appropriate, respect the architectural heritage of a region,” the order’s text continues.
Never mind that many of Trump’s eponymous skyscrapers are modern-looking steel and glass structures, complete with lots of gaudy gold decor.
A number of commentators on Twitter noted that authoritarian leaders love the sort of neoclassical buildings Trump is boosting in the order.
Authoritarians love neoclassicism. They just do. It doesn’t matter where. https://t.co/1EnMFNR39e — Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) December 21, 2020
My first thought upon reading this: A few years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a directive for architects to stop constructing "weird" buildings. https://t.co/rXjY0qkdQV https://t.co/cP4slXS6Zd — Felicia Sonmez (@feliciasonmez) December 21, 2020
Comically proto-fascist, yes, but the truly funny thing is that this little essay begins "Societies have long recognized the importance of beautiful public architecture." Check-plus, off to recess. https://t.co/P7chtbuwze — Nathan Heller (@nathanheller) December 21, 2020
Others pointed out how Trump surely has better things to do with his limited time left in government.
Finally, the relief that the working people of Ohio and Indiana were praying would come before the socialists take over https://t.co/fUgcy3rKFi — Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) December 21, 2020
Ah yes, the party of small government would now like the government to decide what counts as Art Deco. (For the next thirty days, I guess.) https://t.co/3wRFrUcb7N — Hank Green (@hankgreen) December 21, 2020
We've reached the point where he's nothing but a punchline. https://t.co/KJXLKFoqQV — Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) December 21, 2020


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-21--Appeals Court Swats Down GOP Attempt To Resurrect GA Signature Match Lawsuit

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals denied Republicans ’ attempt to resurrect a lawsuit targeting Georgia ’ s signature-matching process days after a federal judge shot it down initially .
Last week , Judge Eleanor Ross of the Northern District of Georgia found that the plaintiffs — including the state Republican party , National Republican Senatorial committee and committees for Sens .
Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) and David Perdue ( R-GA ) — lacked standing to bring the suit .
The appeals court on Sunday agreed , finding that the Republican group failed to show how Secretary of State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the defendants , are responsible for alleged signature matching issues or the changes the plaintiffs want .
“ Since the Secretary and the election board do not conduct the signature matching process , are not the election officials that review the voter ’ s signature , and do not control whether the signature matching process can be observed , the Campaigns ’ alleged injury is not traceable to the Secretary , ” a three-judge panel wrote .
The plaintiffs sought to change the rules so three election officials have to check the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to get more absentee ballots , which heavily favored the Democrats in the general election , tossed .
The defeat is just the latest in a string of rejected Republican attempts to throw a wrench into the state ’ s election machinery even as hundreds of thousands of Georgians have already cast their ballots .
Last week , Republicans were defeated on three attempts in two days , all lawsuits at the federal level targeting features like drop boxes and the signature match system , or in one extreme case , trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast by new registrants investigated and possibly invalidated .
But even as lawsuit after lawsuit has been tossed onto the scrap pile , Republicans keep grasping handfuls of straws and flinging them into more hastily-written challenges .
This weekend , the newest effort was spearheaded by Lin Wood , the conspiratorial-minded celebrity lawyer who became a right-wing cause célèbre with his attempts to get the presidential election overturned for the Trump campaign in Georgia .
His latest pro-se lawsuit was focused on the runoff and riddled with ridiculous mistakes — see his signature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and takes aim at various machinery of the election including the processing of mail-in votes and electronic voting machines .
Wood even invokes the specter of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in his regurgitation of a conspiracy theory involving Dominion voting machines that is popular in fringier MAGA circles .
As the Republicans keep launching their increasingly fantastical attempts to get ballots tossed out , over a million Georgians have already voted in the runoff .

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals denied Republicans’ attempt to resurrect a lawsuit targeting Georgia’s signature-matching process days after a federal judge shot it down initially.
Last week, Judge Eleanor Ross of the Northern District of Georgia found that the plaintiffs — including the state Republican party, National Republican Senatorial committee and committees for Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA) — lacked standing to bring the suit.
The appeals court on Sunday agreed, finding that the Republican group failed to show how Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and the state elections board, the defendants, are responsible for alleged signature matching issues or the changes the plaintiffs want.
“Since the Secretary and the election board do not conduct the signature matching process, are not the election officials that review the voter’s signature, and do not control whether the signature matching process can be observed, the Campaigns’ alleged injury is not traceable to the Secretary,” a three-judge panel wrote.
The plaintiffs sought to change the rules so three election officials have to check the signature match instead of one — an attempt to get more absentee ballots, which heavily favored the Democrats in the general election, tossed.
The defeat is just the latest in a string of rejected Republican attempts to throw a wrench into the state’s election machinery even as hundreds of thousands of Georgians have already cast their ballots.
Last week, Republicans were defeated on three attempts in two days, all lawsuits at the federal level targeting features like drop boxes and the signature match system, or in one extreme case, trying to lay the groundwork to get votes cast by new registrants investigated and possibly invalidated.
But even as lawsuit after lawsuit has been tossed onto the scrap pile, Republicans keep grasping handfuls of straws and flinging them into more hastily-written challenges.
This weekend, the newest effort was spearheaded by Lin Wood, the conspiratorial-minded celebrity lawyer who became a right-wing cause célèbre with his attempts to get the presidential election overturned for the Trump campaign in Georgia.
His latest pro-se lawsuit was focused on the runoff and riddled with ridiculous mistakes — see his signature under “plenty of perjury” — and takes aim at various machinery of the election including the processing of mail-in votes and electronic voting machines.
Wood even invokes the specter of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in his regurgitation of a conspiracy theory involving Dominion voting machines that is popular in fringier MAGA circles.
As the Republicans keep launching their increasingly fantastical attempts to get ballots tossed out, over a million Georgians have already voted in the runoff.
Read the appeals court ruling here:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-21--After Legal Threat, Fox Shows Aired Identical Fact Checks Of Election Conspiracy-Mongering

After their parent company received a lengthy , angry letter from a voting machine manufacturer at the center of multiple election conspiracy theories , three separate programs on Fox News and Fox Business aired an identical interview fact-checking some of their hosts ’ own claims this weekend , enraging viewers and surprising the fact-based community .
The company , Smartmatic , has been smeared repeatedly by Fox News and Fox Business hosts — not to mention the President ’ s lawyers and others in the right-wing fever swamps — as a key player in a plot to rob Trump of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Smartmatic sent a lengthy legal notice to Fox News demanding a public retractions “ on multiple occasions … and across the various platforms used by Fox News to disseminate the false and defamatory statements.
” “ The prominence of the retraction , including being featured during prime time slots , must match the attention and audience targeted with the original defamatory publications , ” a lawyer for Smartmatic demanded .
It ’ s not yet clear whether Smartmatic is satisfied with the interview that aired several times over the weekend , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perez , and performed by a nameless , faceless producer .
But the segment itself was completely surreal .
In a tight three minutes , Perez debunked many of the same falsehoods that the three shows have perpetrated for months .
In addition to Dobbs ’ program , the interview aired on “ Justice with Judge Jeanine ” Saturday night and “ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo ” the following morning .
“ I have not seen any evidence that Smartmatic software was used to delete , change , alter — anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in response to the anonymous producer ’ s first question .
And later : “ I ’ m not aware of any direct connection between George Soros and Smartmatic.
” That would be news to Dobbs ’ viewers : As Smartmatic itself pointed out in its letter earlier this month to Fox News , Dobbs claimed in November that “ the chairman of Smartmatic is very very close to none other than Mr. Soros , ” and therefore that the company consisted of “ left-wing radicals.
” An attorney for Smartmatic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smartmatic can not comment on the recent broadcast by Fox News due to potential litigation.
” Perez , the global director of technology development and open standards at the Open Source Election Technology Institute ( OSET ) , apparently didn ’ t know that he would be part of a legal cover-your-ass maneuver .
“ I was never informed that the content would be for Mr. Dobbs ’ show , ” he told CNN , adding : “ I am not accustomed to seeing Lou Dobbs air very straightforward factual evidence.
” Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the three shows , their introductions were nearly identical as well .
Dobbs said of Perez : “ We asked him for his assessment of Smartmatic , and recent claims about the company.
” A day later , Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe , guest-hosting for Jeanine Pirro , said “ We asked him what he knew about Smartmatic and the claims some have made about that company.
” Bartiromo , on Sunday morning , read the same exact line before airing the interview .
Over the weekend , OSET ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ angry that their favorite shows had aired something contrary to the weeks of election misinformation to which viewers had grown accustomed .

After their parent company received a lengthy, angry letter from a voting machine manufacturer at the center of multiple election conspiracy theories, three separate programs on Fox News and Fox Business aired an identical interview fact-checking some of their hosts’ own claims this weekend, enraging viewers and surprising the fact-based community.
The company, Smartmatic, has been smeared repeatedly by Fox News and Fox Business hosts — not to mention the President’s lawyers and others in the right-wing fever swamps — as a key player in a plot to rob Trump of a second term.
Earlier this month, Smartmatic sent a lengthy legal notice to Fox News demanding a public retractions “on multiple occasions … and across the various platforms used by Fox News to disseminate the false and defamatory statements.”
“The prominence of the retraction, including being featured during prime time slots, must match the attention and audience targeted with the original defamatory publications,” a lawyer for Smartmatic demanded.
It’s not yet clear whether Smartmatic is satisfied with the interview that aired several times over the weekend, which was with the election technology expert Eddie Perez, and performed by a nameless, faceless producer.
But the segment itself was completely surreal.
In a tight three minutes, Perez debunked many of the same falsehoods that the three shows have perpetrated for months. In addition to Dobbs’ program, the interview aired on “Justice with Judge Jeanine” Saturday night and “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo” the following morning.
“I have not seen any evidence that Smartmatic software was used to delete, change, alter — anything related to vote tabulation,” Perez said in response to the anonymous producer’s first question. And later: “I’m not aware of any direct connection between George Soros and Smartmatic.”
That would be news to Dobbs’ viewers: As Smartmatic itself pointed out in its letter earlier this month to Fox News, Dobbs claimed in November that “the chairman of Smartmatic is very very close to none other than Mr. Soros,” and therefore that the company consisted of “left-wing radicals.”
An attorney for Smartmatic, Erik Connolly, told TPM: “Smartmatic cannot comment on the recent broadcast by Fox News due to potential litigation.”
Perez, the global director of technology development and open standards at the Open Source Election Technology Institute (OSET), apparently didn’t know that he would be part of a legal cover-your-ass maneuver.
“I was never informed that the content would be for Mr. Dobbs’ show,” he told CNN, adding: “I am not accustomed to seeing Lou Dobbs air very straightforward factual evidence.”
This is very bizarre. Lou Dobbs ran a segment tonight basically debunking his own lies about Smartmatic voting machines pic.twitter.com/FDM91SPtT1 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 19, 2020
Fox viewers, struck with the truth, weren’t happy.
Who got to @MariaBartiromo? Why has she put this fraud Eddie Perez, clearly an apologist for Smartmatic, on her show TWICE to read scripted denials to scripted questions– right down to reading back the questions, a deposition trick taught by good trial attorneys? #Election2020 — KenTimmerman (@KenTimmerman) December 20, 2020
The media has been using an interview w/Eddie Perez, a Smartmatic "expert", without any pushback, to make a case defending Smartmatic. It's a joke. Noticeable in the entire interview was that he answered EVERY question with "I'm not aware of…" To me this means he knows nothing. — Jerry Rosen (@Shortrosen) December 20, 2020
So I guess @MariaBartiromo just sold out-shameful — One Proud Nana (@McwhirterDiana) December 20, 2020
Not only were identical interviews aired on each of the three shows, their introductions were nearly identical as well. Dobbs said of Perez: “We asked him for his assessment of Smartmatic, and recent claims about the company.”
A day later, Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe, guest-hosting for Jeanine Pirro, said “We asked him what he knew about Smartmatic and the claims some have made about that company.” Bartiromo, on Sunday morning, read the same exact line before airing the interview.
Over the weekend, OSET’s social media team parried away Trump fans angry that their favorite shows had aired something contrary to the weeks of election misinformation to which viewers had grown accustomed.
We appreciate your zeal here, but their source code or its origination is truly irrelevant here because there is absolutely no connection between @smartmatic technology and the Dominion technology used in this last election in any state or jurisdiction in question. For real. — OSET Institute (@OSET) December 20, 2020
On the contrary, we’re well read into the history, not to mention our having some lead researchers here who spent years (in one case >10yrs) working for those vendors. They joined our cause for good reason. #KeepItReal — OSET Institute (@OSET) December 20, 2020
We certainly won’t. That’s for others. We simply share our expertise and knowledge for anyone who asks. — OSET Institute (@OSET) December 21, 2020


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-21--Barr Shoots Down Trump Allies’ Wild-Eyed Idea To Seize Voting Machines

Attorney General Bill Barr said Monday that he saw “ no basis ” for the federal government to seize voting machines , responding to a reporter ’ s question geared at the recent news that President Trump ’ s allies have floated such a gambit .
Barr also gave no support to the idea of appointing a special counsel to investigate the conspiracy theories around election fraud .
Over the weekend , Trump reportedly discussed the idea of appointing Sidney Powell — the fringy lawyer leading the flailing legal gambit to overturn the election results — to such a role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counsel at this stage was the right tool and was appropriate , I would have named one , ” Barr said Monday .
“ But I haven ’ t and I am not going to.
” Barr said he stood by his previous remarks indicating the Department had not found evidence of mass voter fraud in the 2020 presidential contest , though he stressed Monday that he did think some fraud occurs in “ most ” elections .
Trump is continuing on his doomed quest to reverse his electoral defeat , having spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rudy Giuliani and Michael Flynn to reportedly discuss ideas such as having the Department of Homeland Security seize voting machines to investigate for fraud .
At Monday press conference , which was pegged to the Justice Department ’ s announcement of charges against an alleged conspirator in the 1988 Pan Am Lockerbie bombing , Barr was also asked to in on the prospect that he would appoint a special counsel to lead the investigation into Hunter Biden , son of President-elect Joe Biden , who is reportedly being probed for tax issues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as special counsel the U.S. attorney who had been reviewing the launch of the 2016 Russia probe .
“ To this point , I have not seen a reason to appoint a special counsel ” for the Hunter Biden investigation , Barr said , “ and I have no plan to do so before I leave.
” Barr said last week that he was resigning from his post this month , before Trump ’ s term is up on January 20 .
Barr will be departing the Department on Wednesday .

Attorney General Bill Barr said Monday that he saw “no basis” for the federal government to seize voting machines, responding to a reporter’s question geared at the recent news that President Trump’s allies have floated such a gambit.
Barr also gave no support to the idea of appointing a special counsel to investigate the conspiracy theories around election fraud. Over the weekend, Trump reportedly discussed the idea of appointing Sidney Powell — the fringy lawyer leading the flailing legal gambit to overturn the election results — to such a role.
“If I thought a special counsel at this stage was the right tool and was appropriate, I would have named one,” Barr said Monday. “But I haven’t and I am not going to.”
Barr said he stood by his previous remarks indicating the Department had not found evidence of mass voter fraud in the 2020 presidential contest, though he stressed Monday that he did think some fraud occurs in “most” elections.
Trump is continuing on his doomed quest to reverse his electoral defeat, having spent the weekend in meetings with Powell, Rudy Giuliani and Michael Flynn to reportedly discuss ideas such as having the Department of Homeland Security seize voting machines to investigate for fraud.
At Monday press conference, which was pegged to the Justice Department’s announcement of charges against an alleged conspirator in the 1988 Pan Am Lockerbie bombing, Barr was also asked to in on the prospect that he would appoint a special counsel to lead the investigation into Hunter Biden, son of President-elect Joe Biden, who is reportedly being probed for tax issues.
Prior to the election, Barr appointed as special counsel the U.S. attorney who had been reviewing the launch of the 2016 Russia probe.
“To this point, I have not seen a reason to appoint a special counsel” for the Hunter Biden investigation, Barr said, “and I have no plan to do so before I leave.”
Barr said last week that he was resigning from his post this month, before Trump’s term is up on January 20. Barr will be departing the Department on Wednesday.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-21--Clyburn Issues Subpoenas To Force HHS, CDC To Comply With COVID Investigation

Jim Clyburn ( D-SC ) , chairman of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus , announced Monday that he is issuing subpoenas to force the Department of Health and Human Services to cooperate with his probe into political interference in the Centers for Disease Control ’ s COVID-19 work .
In a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and CDC Director Robert Redfield , Clyburn demanded the documents he ’ d been requesting be handed over , unredacted , by December 30 .
“ The subpoenas were necessary because the Select Subcommittee ’ s investigation has revealed that efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were far more extensive and dangerous than previously known , ” he wrote .
“ Today ’ s subpoenas are just for show , ” wrote committee ranking member Steve Scalise ( R-LA ) in a statement , adding that “ Democrats continue to search for imaginary evidence of improper political influence in the Trump Administration ’ s whole-of-America pandemic response.
” Clyburn alluded to an HHS official advocating for “ herd immunity , ” a reference to emails a political appointee and top deputy to Michael Caputo , the longtime Trump hype @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top HHS and CDC officials , pushing them to look into letting young people get widely infected .
Clyburn said that the subpoenas were necessary to know “ who in the Trump Administration was responsible for this political pressure campaign.
” Caputo and his deputy , Paul Alexander , emerge as the primary villains in Clyburn ’ s summary of the alleged misdeeds his subcommittee has uncovered so far .
Clyburn details episodes of Alexander seeking to suppress or downplay information about the severity of the pandemic in CDC reports , sometimes saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad headlines for the administration .
He cites interactions in which Caputo allegedly scolded or sought to punish CDC scientists for being truthful in interviews with media outlets .
In his letter , Clyburn doesn ’ t let the Trump administration off the hook for the actions of the two , both of whom were political appointees .
They left in September after initial reports of their behavior became public .
“ Although HHS and CDC officials have recently tried to distance themselves from Mr. Caputo and Dr. Alexander , emails show Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for months but took no action until the press became aware of this behavior and the Select Subcommittee launched an investigation , ” Clyburn wrote .
An HHS spokesperson told TPM last week that Alexander ’ s ideas “ did not shape department strategy ” and painted him as a temporary appointee who ’ s long gone by this point .
Clyburn also detailed HHS ’ refusal to cooperate so far , citing withheld documents and interviews abruptly cancelled after a CDC official allegedly testified that Redfield had directed her to delete an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ HHS and CDC have indicated their unwillingness to voluntarily cooperate with the Select Subcommittee ’ s investigation , ” Clyburn wrote , adding later that if the agencies continue to shortchange him on his requests , “ additional subpoenas may be necessary .
”

Jim Clyburn (D-SC), chairman of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus, announced Monday that he is issuing subpoenas to force the Department of Health and Human Services to cooperate with his probe into political interference in the Centers for Disease Control’s COVID-19 work.
In a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and CDC Director Robert Redfield, Clyburn demanded the documents he’d been requesting be handed over, unredacted, by December 30.
“The subpoenas were necessary because the Select Subcommittee’s investigation has revealed that efforts to interfere with scientific work at CDC were far more extensive and dangerous than previously known,” he wrote.
“Today’s subpoenas are just for show,” wrote committee ranking member Steve Scalise (R-LA) in a statement, adding that “Democrats continue to search for imaginary evidence of improper political influence in the Trump Administration’s whole-of-America pandemic response.”
Clyburn alluded to an HHS official advocating for “herd immunity,” a reference to emails a political appointee and top deputy to Michael Caputo, the longtime Trump hype man and HHS official, sent to top HHS and CDC officials, pushing them to look into letting young people get widely infected. Clyburn said that the subpoenas were necessary to know “who in the Trump Administration was responsible for this political pressure campaign.”
Caputo and his deputy, Paul Alexander, emerge as the primary villains in Clyburn’s summary of the alleged misdeeds his subcommittee has uncovered so far.
Clyburn details episodes of Alexander seeking to suppress or downplay information about the severity of the pandemic in CDC reports, sometimes saying outright that the information would lead to bad headlines for the administration.
He cites interactions in which Caputo allegedly scolded or sought to punish CDC scientists for being truthful in interviews with media outlets.
In his letter, Clyburn doesn’t let the Trump administration off the hook for the actions of the two, both of whom were political appointees. They left in September after initial reports of their behavior became public.
“Although HHS and CDC officials have recently tried to distance themselves from Mr. Caputo and Dr. Alexander, emails show Trump Administration officials were aware of their conduct for months but took no action until the press became aware of this behavior and the Select Subcommittee launched an investigation,” Clyburn wrote.
An HHS spokesperson told TPM last week that Alexander’s ideas “did not shape department strategy” and painted him as a temporary appointee who’s long gone by this point.
Clyburn also detailed HHS’ refusal to cooperate so far, citing withheld documents and interviews abruptly cancelled after a CDC official allegedly testified that Redfield had directed her to delete an email showing Alexander’s political interference.
“HHS and CDC have indicated their unwillingness to voluntarily cooperate with the Select Subcommittee’s investigation,” Clyburn wrote, adding later that if the agencies continue to shortchange him on his requests, “additional subpoenas may be necessary.”
Read the letter here:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-21--Robert E. Lee Statue Removed From US Capitol

A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was removed from the U.S. Capitol early Monday , a move Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam hailed as an “ important step forward for our Commonwealth and our country.
” Virginia provided the Lee statue to the Capitol .
In its place will stand a statue of civil rights icon Barbara Rose Johns .
“ The Confederacy is a symbol of Virginia ’ s racist and divisive history , and it is past time we tell our story with images of perseverance , diversity , and inclusion , ” Northam said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to seeing a trailblazing young woman of color represent Virginia in the U.S. Capitol , where visitors will learn about Barbara Johns ’ contributions to America and be empowered to create positive change in their communities just like she did.
” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had already relocated the Lee statue out of the National Statuary Hall , where states display statues .
Pelosi heralded the removal of the Lee statue , which took place around 3 a.m .
ET Monday .
Sen. Tim Kaine ( D-VA ) , Rep. Jennifer Wexton ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office were present for the removal .
“ The removal of the statue of Robert E. Lee and its forthcoming replacement by a tribute to Barbara Johns , a civil rights pioneer and pride of Virginia , is welcome news .
The halls of Congress are the very heart of our Democracy , and the statues within the Capitol should embody our highest ideals as Americans , ” Pelosi said in a statement of her own Monday .
In June , Pelosi called for the removal of Confederate statues from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hate , not heritage .
They must be removed , ” Pelosi wrote in a letter to the Joint Committee on the Library at the time .

A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was removed from the U.S. Capitol early Monday, a move Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam hailed as an “important step forward for our Commonwealth and our country.”
Virginia provided the Lee statue to the Capitol. In its place will stand a statue of civil rights icon Barbara Rose Johns.
“The Confederacy is a symbol of Virginia’s racist and divisive history, and it is past time we tell our story with images of perseverance, diversity, and inclusion,” Northam said in a statement. “I look forward to seeing a trailblazing young woman of color represent Virginia in the U.S. Capitol, where visitors will learn about Barbara Johns’ contributions to America and be empowered to create positive change in their communities just like she did.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had already relocated the Lee statue out of the National Statuary Hall, where states display statues. Pelosi heralded the removal of the Lee statue, which took place around 3 a.m. ET Monday. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) and a representative of Northam’s office were present for the removal.
“The removal of the statue of Robert E. Lee and its forthcoming replacement by a tribute to Barbara Johns, a civil rights pioneer and pride of Virginia, is welcome news. The halls of Congress are the very heart of our Democracy, and the statues within the Capitol should embody our highest ideals as Americans,” Pelosi said in a statement of her own Monday.
In June, Pelosi called for the removal of Confederate statues from the Capitol.
“Their statues pay homage to hate, not heritage. They must be removed,” Pelosi wrote in a letter to the Joint Committee on the Library at the time.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-22--‘Sadly, Mitch Forgot’: Trump Attacks McConnell In Email To GOP Lawmakers

President Donald Trump sought vengeance over Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) who recently finally acknowledged the election win of Democrat Joe Biden , sending a slide to Republican lawmakers that suggested he had saved McConnell ’ s political career by endorsing him earlier this year .
“ Sadly , Mitch forgot , ” the slide sent out by Trump ’ s personal assistant on Monday and obtained by Axios reads .
“ He was the first one off the ship.
” The slide includes polling data that appeared to show McConnell in a dead heat against Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s election until Trump signaled his endorsement .
McConnell handily beat out McGrath in last month ’ s election in spite of her well-financed $ 94 million fundraising effort to unseat him by nearly 20 percent .
Trump ’ s latest effort to trash a top member of his party , reflects an increasingly desperate effort to alienate any GOP lawmaker who shows a commitment to carrying out the traditions of democracy which delivered a win to his opponent , President-elect Biden .
Trump ’ s slide points to polling that depicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump tweeted his endorsement of the Senate leader on June 19 .
The slide again shows polling tightening to 51 % -40 % before Trump delivered an Oct. 31 robocall in support of McConnell .
Although McConnell easily won over McGrath for his 7th term , the slide plays into an enduring perception that in the wake of Trump ’ s White House departure , he will continue to hold sway over the election campaigns of Republican lawmakers in 2022 and beyond .
The unprecedented move comes weeks before the all-important Georgia runoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perdue and Kelly Loeffler have vowed their continued support of the president and have turned on GOP officials in their own state in efforts they hope will boost their prospects of holding onto seats that will determine which party holds Senate majority .

President Donald Trump lashed out against Senate Majority Leader Mitch (R-KY) for finally acknowledging Joe Biden’s clear electoral win. Trump sent a slide to Republican lawmakers that suggested the President had saved McConnell’s political career by endorsing him earlier this year
“Sadly, Mitch forgot,” the slide, which was sent out by Trump’s personal assistant on Monday and obtained by Axios, reads. “He was the first one off the ship.”
The slide includes polling data that appeared to show McConnell in a dead heat against Democratic challenger Amy McGrath ahead of the Nov. 3 election until Trump offered his endorsement.
McConnell handily beat McGrath by nearly 20 points in last month’s election, despite her well-financed $94 million fundraising effort to unseat him.
Trump’s latest effort to trash a top member of his party reflects an increasingly desperate effort to alienate any GOP lawmaker who shows a commitment to carrying out the traditions of democracy which delivered a win to his opponent, President-elect Biden.
Trump’s slide points to polling that depicted a very tight race in Kentucky until Trump tweeted his endorsement of the Senate leader on June 19.
The slide again shows polling tightening to 51%-40% before Trump delivered an Oct. 31 robocall in support of McConnell.
Although McConnell easily won over McGrath for his 7th term, the slide plays into an enduring perception that in the wake of Trump’s White House departure, he will continue to hold sway over the election campaigns of Republican lawmakers in 2022 and beyond.
The unprecedented move comes weeks before the all-important Georgia runoff elections where Trump loyalists Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler have vowed their continued support of the president and have turned on GOP officials in their own state in efforts they hope will boost their prospects of holding onto seats that will determine which party holds Senate majority.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-22--Thune Says Any Challenge To Electoral College Tally Would ‘Go Down Like a Shot Dog’

Senate Majority Whip John Thune ( R-SD ) said Monday that a desperate effort by a a handful of House members in his party to challenge the Electoral College ’ s results reaffirming Joe Biden as the next president would “ go down like a shot dog.
” “ It ’ s just not going anywhere , ” Thune told reporters on Monday , adding that he knows of no senators who have committed to back an effort by several House Republicans to challenge the Electoral College votes when Congress convenes Jan. 6 to open and count certificates from each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes cast this month which cemented Biden ’ s win .
“ In the Senate it would go down like a shot dog , ” Thune said .
“ I just don ’ t think it makes a lot of sense to put everybody through this when you know what the ultimate outcome is going to be.
” Thune ’ s comments came hours after reports that several House GOP members met privately at the White House with President Donald Trump to discuss elements of Trump ’ s latest election gambit — plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least six states .
The Oval Office meeting with Trump included loyalists like Reps. Mo Brooks ( AL ) , Matt Gaetz ( FL ) , Jim Jordan ( OH ) and Jody Hice ( GA ) and Rep.-elect Marjorie Greene , among others , per Bloomberg News .
After the meeting , Hice tweeted that he would “ lead an objection ” to his state ’ s electors on Jan. 6 .
“ The courts refuse to hear the President ’ s legal case .
We ’ re going to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Greene tweeted on Friday that she was looking for the support of a senator to back her effort to fight for Trump who she said has always “ fought for us.
” Under federal law , Congress will meet in a joint session to reaffirm Biden ’ s win and are permitted to object to votes from any given state , but any attempt to do so would require a member of both chambers to object in writing — and would almost certainly fail .
Assuming a member of both the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would then have to agree to it by a simple majority vote .
Senate Majority Leader who finally faced the reality of Biden ’ s win last week has warned GOP senators not to advance a futile effort by any members of the House saying they would have to vote it down and it would be “ terrible .
”

Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-SD) said Monday that a desperate effort by a handful of House members in his party to challenge the Electoral College’s results reaffirming Joe Biden as the next president would “go down like a shot dog.”
“It’s just not going anywhere,” Thune told reporters on Monday, adding that he knows of no senators who have committed to back an effort by several House Republicans to challenge the Electoral College votes when Congress convenes Jan. 6 to open and count certificates from each state that contain a record of electoral votes cast this month which cemented Biden’s win.
“In the Senate it would go down like a shot dog,” Thune said. “I just don’t think it makes a lot of sense to put everybody through this when you know what the ultimate outcome is going to be.”
Thune’s comments came hours after reports that several House GOP members met privately at the White House with President Donald Trump to discuss elements of Trump’s latest election gambit — plans to challenge the Electoral College votes in at least six states.
The Oval Office meeting with Trump included loyalists like Reps. Mo Brooks (AL), Matt Gaetz (FL), Jim Jordan (OH) and Jody Hice (GA) and Rep.-elect Marjorie Greene, among others, per Bloomberg News.
After the meeting, Hice tweeted that he would “lead an objection” to his state’s electors on Jan. 6.
“The courts refuse to hear the President’s legal case. We’re going to make sure the People can!” he added.
Greene tweeted on Friday that she was looking for the support of a senator to back her effort to fight for Trump who she said has always “fought for us.”
Under federal law, Congress will meet in a joint session to reaffirm Biden’s win and are permitted to object to votes from any given state, but any attempt to do so would require a member of both chambers to object in writing — and would almost certainly fail.
Assuming a member of both the Senate and House offered objections both chambers would then have to agree to it by a simple majority vote.
Senate Majority Leader who finally faced the reality of Biden’s win last week has warned GOP senators not to advance a futile effort by any members of the House saying they would have to vote it down and it would be “terrible.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-22--Congress Passes $900B COVID Relief Bill

Congress Passes $900B COVID Relief Bill

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Congress passed a $ 900 billion pandemic relief package Monday night that would finally deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and resources to vaccinate a nation confronting a frightening surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths .
Lawmakers tacked on a $ 1.4 trillion catchall spending bill and thousands of pages of other end-of-session business in a massive bundle of bipartisan legislation as Capitol Hill prepared to close the books on the year .
The bill goes to President Donald Trump for his signature , which is expected in the coming days .
The relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the House and Senate in a matter of hours .
The Senate cleared the massive package by a 92-6 vote after the House approved the COVID-19 package by another lopsided vote , 359-53 .
The tallies were a bipartisan coda to months of partisanship and politicking as lawmakers wrangled over the relief question , a logjam that broke after President-elect Joe Biden urged his party to accept a compromise with top Republicans that is smaller than many Democrats would have liked .
The bill combines coronavirus-fighting funds with financial relief for individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary $ 300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and a $ 600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans , along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses , restaurants , and theaters and money for schools , health care providers and renters facing eviction .
The 5,593-page legislation — by far the longest bill ever — came together Sunday after months of battling , posturing and postelection negotiating that reined in a number of Democratic demands as the end of the congressional session approached .
Biden was eager for a deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a boost to the economy , even though it was less than half the size that Democrats wanted in the fall .
“ This deal is not everything I want — not by a long shot , ” said Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern , D-Mass.
, a longstanding voice in the party ’ s old-school liberal wing .
“ The choice before us is simple .
It ’ s about whether we help families or not .
It ’ s about whether we help small businesses and restaurants or not .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( food stamp ) benefits and strengthen anti-hunger programs or not .
And whether we help those dealing with a job loss or not .
To me , this is not a tough call.
” The Senate , meanwhile , was also on track to pass a one-week stopgap spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown at midnight and give Trump time to sign the sweeping legislation .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , a key negotiator , said on CNBC Monday morning that the direct payments would begin arriving in bank accounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come once Biden takes office , but Republicans were signaling a wait-and-see approach .
The measure would fund the government through September , wrapping a year ’ s worth of action on annual spending bills into a single package that never saw Senate committee or floor debate .
The legislation followed a tortured path .
Democrats played hardball up until Election Day , amid accusations that they wanted to deny Trump a victory that might help him prevail .
Democrats denied that , but their demands indeed became more realistic after Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it clear that half a loaf was better than none .
The final bill bore ample resemblance to a $ 1 trillion package put together by Senate Republican leaders in July , a proposal that at the time was scoffed at by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , as way too little .
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , took a victory lap after blocking far more ambitious legislation from reaching the Senate floor .
He said the pragmatic approach of Biden was key .
“ The president-elect suggesting that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in moving both Pelosi and Schumer into a better place , ” McConnell told The Associated Press .
“ My view about what comes next is let ’ s take a look at it .
Happy to evaluate that based upon the needs that we confront in February and March.
” Vice President-elect Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , came to the Senate to cast her vote for the bill .
“ The American people need relief and I want to be able to do what I can to help them , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill provides $ 600 to individuals making up to $ 75,000 per year and $ 1,200 to couples making up to $ 150,000 , with payments phased out for higher incomes .
An additional $ 600 payment will be made per dependent child , similar to the last round of relief payments in the spring .
“ I expect we ’ ll get the money out by the beginning of next week — $ 2,400 for a family of four , ” Mnuchin said .
“ So much needed relief just in time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per week bonus jobless benefit was half the supplemental federal unemployment benefit provided under the $ 1.8 billion CARES Act in March .
That more generous benefit and would be limited to 11 weeks instead of 16 weeks .
The direct $ 600 stimulus payment was also half the March payment .
The CARES Act was credited with keeping the economy from falling off a cliff during widespread lockdowns in the spring , but Republicans controlling the Senate cited debt concerns in pushing against Democratic demands .
“ Anyone who thinks this bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desperation in the voices of their constituents , has not looked into the eyes of the small-business owner on the brink of ruin , ” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer , a lifelong New Yorker who pushed hard for money helping his city ’ s transit systems , renters , theaters and restaurants .
Progress came after a bipartisan group of pragmatists and moderates devised a $ 908 billion plan that built a middle-ground position that the top four leaders of Congress — the GOP and Democratic leaders of both the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their talks .
The lawmakers urged leaders on both sides to back off of hardline positions .
“ At times we felt like we were in the wilderness because people on all sides of the aisle didn ’ t want to give , in order to give the other side a win , ” said freshman Rep. Elssa Slotkin , D-Mich. “ And it was gross to watch , frankly.
” Republicans were most intent on reviving the Paycheck Protection Program with $ 284 billion , which would cover a second round @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Democrats won set-asides for low-income and minority communities .
The sweeping bill also contains $ 25 billion in rental assistance , $ 15 billion for theaters and other live venues , $ 82 billion for local schools , colleges and universities , and $ 10 billion for child care .
The governmentwide appropriations bill was likely to provide a last $ 1.4 billion installment for Trump ’ s U.S.-Mexico border wall as a condition of winning his signature .
The Pentagon would receive $ 696 billion .
Democrats and Senate Republicans prevailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to squeeze $ 12.5 billion more for domestic programs into the legislation .
The bill was an engine to carry much of Capitol Hill ’ s unfinished business , including an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $ 10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control , environmental and coastal protection projects .
Another addition would extend a batch of soon-to-expire tax breaks , such as one for craft brewers , wineries and distillers .
It also would carry numerous clean-energy provisions sought by Democrats with fossil fuel incentives favored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase access to broadband , $ 4 billion to help other nations vaccinate their people , $ 14 billion for cash-starved transit systems , $ 1 billion for Amtrak and $ 2 billion for airports and concessionaires .
Food stamp benefits would temporarily be increased by 15 % .
The Senate Historical Office said the previous record for the length of legislation was the 2,847-page tax reform bill of 1986 — about one-half the size of Monday ’ s behemoth .

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress passed a $900 billion pandemic relief package Monday night that would finally deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and resources to vaccinate a nation confronting a frightening surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Lawmakers tacked on a $1.4 trillion catchall spending bill and thousands of pages of other end-of-session business in a massive bundle of bipartisan legislation as Capitol Hill prepared to close the books on the year. The bill goes to President Donald Trump for his signature, which is expected in the coming days.
The relief package, unveiled Monday afternoon, sped through the House and Senate in a matter of hours. The Senate cleared the massive package by a 92-6 vote after the House approved the COVID-19 package by another lopsided vote, 359-53. The tallies were a bipartisan coda to months of partisanship and politicking as lawmakers wrangled over the relief question, a logjam that broke after President-elect Joe Biden urged his party to accept a compromise with top Republicans that is smaller than many Democrats would have liked.
The bill combines coronavirus-fighting funds with financial relief for individuals and businesses. It would establish a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and a $600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans, along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants, and theaters and money for schools, health care providers and renters facing eviction.
The 5,593-page legislation — by far the longest bill ever — came together Sunday after months of battling, posturing and postelection negotiating that reined in a number of Democratic demands as the end of the congressional session approached. Biden was eager for a deal to deliver long-awaited help to suffering people and a boost to the economy, even though it was less than half the size that Democrats wanted in the fall.
“This deal is not everything I want — not by a long shot,” said Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., a longstanding voice in the party’s old-school liberal wing. “The choice before us is simple. It’s about whether we help families or not. It’s about whether we help small businesses and restaurants or not. It’s about whether we boost (food stamp) benefits and strengthen anti-hunger programs or not. And whether we help those dealing with a job loss or not. To me, this is not a tough call.”
The Senate, meanwhile, was also on track to pass a one-week stopgap spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown at midnight and give Trump time to sign the sweeping legislation.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, a key negotiator, said on CNBC Monday morning that the direct payments would begin arriving in bank accounts next week.
Democrats promised more aid to come once Biden takes office, but Republicans were signaling a wait-and-see approach.
The measure would fund the government through September, wrapping a year’s worth of action on annual spending bills into a single package that never saw Senate committee or floor debate.
The legislation followed a tortured path. Democrats played hardball up until Election Day, amid accusations that they wanted to deny Trump a victory that might help him prevail. Democrats denied that, but their demands indeed became more realistic after Trump’s loss and as Biden made it clear that half a loaf was better than none.
The final bill bore ample resemblance to a $1 trillion package put together by Senate Republican leaders in July, a proposal that at the time was scoffed at by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as way too little.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., took a victory lap after blocking far more ambitious legislation from reaching the Senate floor. He said the pragmatic approach of Biden was key.
“The president-elect suggesting that we needed to do something now was helpful in moving both Pelosi and Schumer into a better place,” McConnell told The Associated Press. “My view about what comes next is let’s take a look at it. Happy to evaluate that based upon the needs that we confront in February and March.”
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, D-Calif., came to the Senate to cast her vote for the bill. “The American people need relief and I want to be able to do what I can to help them,” she said.
On direct payments, the bill provides $600 to individuals making up to $75,000 per year and $1,200 to couples making up to $150,000, with payments phased out for higher incomes. An additional $600 payment will be made per dependent child, similar to the last round of relief payments in the spring.
“I expect we’ll get the money out by the beginning of next week — $2,400 for a family of four,” Mnuchin said. “So much needed relief just in time for the holidays.”
The $300 per week bonus jobless benefit was half the supplemental federal unemployment benefit provided under the $1.8 billion CARES Act in March. That more generous benefit and would be limited to 11 weeks instead of 16 weeks. The direct $600 stimulus payment was also half the March payment.
The CARES Act was credited with keeping the economy from falling off a cliff during widespread lockdowns in the spring, but Republicans controlling the Senate cited debt concerns in pushing against Democratic demands.
“Anyone who thinks this bill is enough hasn’t heard the desperation in the voices of their constituents, has not looked into the eyes of the small-business owner on the brink of ruin,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, a lifelong New Yorker who pushed hard for money helping his city’s transit systems, renters, theaters and restaurants.
Progress came after a bipartisan group of pragmatists and moderates devised a $908 billion plan that built a middle-ground position that the top four leaders of Congress — the GOP and Democratic leaders of both the House and Senate — used as the basis for their talks. The lawmakers urged leaders on both sides to back off of hardline positions.
“At times we felt like we were in the wilderness because people on all sides of the aisle didn’t want to give, in order to give the other side a win,” said freshman Rep. Elssa Slotkin, D-Mich. “And it was gross to watch, frankly.”
Republicans were most intent on reviving the Paycheck Protection Program with $284 billion, which would cover a second round of PPP grants to especially hard-hit businesses. Democrats won set-asides for low-income and minority communities.
The sweeping bill also contains $25 billion in rental assistance, $15 billion for theaters and other live venues, $82 billion for local schools, colleges and universities, and $10 billion for child care.
The governmentwide appropriations bill was likely to provide a last $1.4 billion installment for Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall as a condition of winning his signature. The Pentagon would receive $696 billion. Democrats and Senate Republicans prevailed in a bid to use bookkeeping maneuvers to squeeze $12.5 billion more for domestic programs into the legislation.
The bill was an engine to carry much of Capitol Hill’s unfinished business, including an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental and coastal protection projects. Another addition would extend a batch of soon-to-expire tax breaks, such as one for craft brewers, wineries and distillers.
It also would carry numerous clean-energy provisions sought by Democrats with fossil fuel incentives favored by Republicans, $7 billion to increase access to broadband, $4 billion to help other nations vaccinate their people, $14 billion for cash-starved transit systems, $1 billion for Amtrak and $2 billion for airports and concessionaires. Food stamp benefits would temporarily be increased by 15%.
The Senate Historical Office said the previous record for the length of legislation was the 2,847-page tax reform bill of 1986 — about one-half the size of Monday’s behemoth.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-23--US Deaths In 2020 Top 3 Million, Far Exceeding Most Ever Counted

NEW YORK ( AP ) — This is the deadliest year in U.S. history , with deaths expected to top 3 million for the first time — due mainly to the coronavirus pandemic .
Final mortality data for this year will not be available for months .
But preliminary numbers suggest that the United States is on track to see more than 3.2 million deaths this year , or at least 400,000 more than in 2019 .
U.S. deaths increase most years , so some annual rise in fatalities is expected .
But the 2020 numbers amount to a jump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go higher once all the deaths from this month are counted .
That would mark the largest single-year percentage leap since 1918 , when tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers died in World War I and hundreds of thousands of Americans died in a flu pandemic .
Deaths rose 46 % that year , compared with 1917 .
COVID-19 has killed more than 318,000 Americans and counting .
Before it came along , there was reason to be hopeful about U.S. death trends .
The nation ’ s overall mortality rate fell a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in heart disease and cancer deaths .
And life expectancy inched up — by several weeks — for the second straight year , according to death certificate data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
But life expectancy for 2020 could end up dropping as much as three full years , said Robert Anderson of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The CDC counted 2,854,838 U.S. deaths last year , or nearly 16,000 more than 2018 .
That ’ s fairly good news : Deaths usually rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mainly due to the nation ’ s aging , and growing , population .
Indeed , the age-adjusted death rate dropped about 1 % in 2019 , and life expectancy rose by about six weeks to 78.8 years , the CDC reported .
“ It was actually a pretty good year for mortality , as things go , ” said Anderson , who oversees CDC death statistics .
The U.S. coronavirus epidemic has been a big driver of deaths this year , both directly and indirectly .
The virus was first identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first U.S. cases were reported this year .
But it has become the third leading cause of death , behind only heart disease and cancer .
For certain periods this year , COVID-19 was the No .
1 killer .
But some other types of deaths also have increased .
A burst of pneumonia cases early this year may have been COVID-19 deaths that simply weren ’ t recognized as such early in the epidemic .
But there also have been an unexpected number of deaths from certain types of heart and circulatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Many of those , too , may be related to COVID .
The virus could have weakened patients already struggling with those conditions , or could have diminished the care they were getting , he said .
Early in the epidemic , some were optimistic that car crash deaths would drop as people stopped commuting or driving to social events .
Data on that is not yet in , but anecdotal reports suggest there was no such decline .
Suicide deaths dropped in 2019 compared with 2018 , but early information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , Anderson and others said .
Drug overdose deaths , meanwhile , got much worse .
Before the coronavirus even arrived , the U.S. was in the midst of the deadliest drug overdose epidemic in its history .
Data for all of 2020 is not yet available .
But last week the CDC reported more than 81,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending in May , making it the highest number ever recorded in a one-year period .
Experts think the pandemic ’ s disruption to in-person treatment and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People also are more likely to be taking drugs alone — without the benefit of a friend or family member who can call 911 or administer overdose-reversing medication .
But perhaps a bigger factor are the drugs themselves : COVID-19 caused supply problems for dealers , so they are increasingly mixing cheap and deadly fentanyl into heroin , cocaine and methamphetamine , experts said .
“ I don ’ t suspect there are a bunch of new people who suddenly started using drugs because of COVID .
If anything , I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using drugs is more contaminated , ” said Shannon Monnat , a Syracuse University researcher who studies drug overdose trends .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

NEW YORK (AP) — This is the deadliest year in U.S. history, with deaths expected to top 3 million for the first time — due mainly to the coronavirus pandemic.
Final mortality data for this year will not be available for months. But preliminary numbers suggest that the United States is on track to see more than 3.2 million deaths this year, or at least 400,000 more than in 2019.
U.S. deaths increase most years, so some annual rise in fatalities is expected. But the 2020 numbers amount to a jump of about 15%, and could go higher once all the deaths from this month are counted.
That would mark the largest single-year percentage leap since 1918, when tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers died in World War I and hundreds of thousands of Americans died in a flu pandemic. Deaths rose 46% that year, compared with 1917.
COVID-19 has killed more than 318,000 Americans and counting. Before it came along, there was reason to be hopeful about U.S. death trends.
The nation’s overall mortality rate fell a bit in 2019, due to reductions in heart disease and cancer deaths. And life expectancy inched up — by several weeks — for the second straight year, according to death certificate data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But life expectancy for 2020 could end up dropping as much as three full years, said Robert Anderson of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC counted 2,854,838 U.S. deaths last year, or nearly 16,000 more than 2018. That’s fairly good news: Deaths usually rise by about 20,000 to 50,000 each year, mainly due to the nation’s aging, and growing, population.
Indeed, the age-adjusted death rate dropped about 1% in 2019, and life expectancy rose by about six weeks to 78.8 years, the CDC reported.
“It was actually a pretty good year for mortality, as things go,” said Anderson, who oversees CDC death statistics.
The U.S. coronavirus epidemic has been a big driver of deaths this year, both directly and indirectly.
The virus was first identified in China last year, and the first U.S. cases were reported this year. But it has become the third leading cause of death, behind only heart disease and cancer. For certain periods this year, COVID-19 was the No. 1 killer.
But some other types of deaths also have increased.
A burst of pneumonia cases early this year may have been COVID-19 deaths that simply weren’t recognized as such early in the epidemic. But there also have been an unexpected number of deaths from certain types of heart and circulatory diseases, diabetes and dementia, Anderson said.
Many of those, too, may be related to COVID. The virus could have weakened patients already struggling with those conditions, or could have diminished the care they were getting, he said.
Early in the epidemic, some were optimistic that car crash deaths would drop as people stopped commuting or driving to social events. Data on that is not yet in, but anecdotal reports suggest there was no such decline.
Suicide deaths dropped in 2019 compared with 2018, but early information suggests they have not continued to drop this year, Anderson and others said.
Drug overdose deaths, meanwhile, got much worse.
Before the coronavirus even arrived, the U.S. was in the midst of the deadliest drug overdose epidemic in its history.
Data for all of 2020 is not yet available. But last week the CDC reported more than 81,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending in May, making it the highest number ever recorded in a one-year period.
Experts think the pandemic’s disruption to in-person treatment and recovery services may have been a factor. People also are more likely to be taking drugs alone — without the benefit of a friend or family member who can call 911 or administer overdose-reversing medication.
But perhaps a bigger factor are the drugs themselves: COVID-19 caused supply problems for dealers, so they are increasingly mixing cheap and deadly fentanyl into heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, experts said.
“I don’t suspect there are a bunch of new people who suddenly started using drugs because of COVID. If anything, I think the supply of people who are already using drugs is more contaminated,” said Shannon Monnat, a Syracuse University researcher who studies drug overdose trends.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-23--Trump Demands Congress Increase ‘Ridiculously Low’ Stimulus Checks To $2,000

President Donald Trump on Tuesday night demanded that Congress increase the “ ridiculously low ” stimulus checks to millions of Americans in the COVID relief bill , calling the nearly $ 900 billion legislation passed by Congress a day before “ a disgrace.
” Trump went as far as to suggest he would not immediately sign off on the much-needed aid package that has been stalled for months to deliver relief to millions of Americans , calling on Congress in a video posted to Twitter to increase stimulus checks to Americans from $ 600 to $ 2,000 .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation , and to send me a suitable bill , or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package , and maybe that administration will be me , ” Trump said .
Trump ’ s refusal to sign the bill would shut down the government on Dec. 29 and freeze $ 900 billion in emergency economic aid .
The comments come after just last week reports revealed that the president had complained to some aides that the $ 600 stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted them raised to $ 1,200 or $ 2,000 .
Aides had stepped in to stop him from potentially wrecking the negotiations .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) tweeted swiftly after Trump ’ s video was posted , saying congressional Democrats would be prepared to meet as soon as this week to advance the $ 2,000 stimulus checks .
“ Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks , ” Pelosi tweeted on Tuesday night .
“ At last , the President has agreed to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent .
Let ’ s do it !
” The package including the slimmer checks was introduced on Monday afternoon and passed the House and Senate late Tuesday night with wide bipartisan support .
Republicans had insisted on the economic relief portion totaling less than $ 1 trillion .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) also backed the effort for larger stimulus checks , tweeting that Republicans had blocked moves by Democrats for “ months ” to put forward $ 2,000 checks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help people and keep the government open and we ’ re glad to pass more aid Americans need , ” Schumer wrote .
“ Maybe Trump can finally make himself useful and get Republicans not to block it again.
” But the effort to approve heftier checks is likely to face opposition — in fact , if any Republican in the House opposed Pelosi ’ s effort on Thursday , it would not pass .
Such a change would also require Senate Republicans to pass the measure unanimously , which is unlikely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have come as a surprise to even his own Treasury secretary , Steve Mnuchin , who tweeted before the video was released on Tuesday that he was pleased that Congress had passed the package “ on an overwhelming bipartisan basis.
” Many of the other complaints Trump made in the four-minute video , including foreign aid agreements and others , are not part of the $ 900 billion COVID relief agreement that was packaged together with coronavirus relief but represent separately negotiated parts of the legislation , the Washington Post points out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief bill , but it has almost nothing to do with COVID , ” Trump said in the video before railing on Congress for finding “ plenty of money for foreign countries , lobbyists and special interests while sending the bare minimum to the American people.
” According to the Post , Trump ’ s chief of staff , Mark Meadows , kept the video very closely held on Tuesday .
Several sources told the Post that even aides involved in the negotiations were only made aware of the video an hour before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether or not Trump will sign the bill , he did not explicitly say he would veto it .

President Donald Trump on Tuesday night demanded that Congress increase the “ridiculously low” stimulus checks to millions of Americans in the COVID relief bill, calling the nearly $900 billion legislation passed by Congress a day before “a disgrace.”
Trump went as far as to suggest he would not immediately sign off on the much-needed aid package that has been stalled for months to deliver relief to millions of Americans, calling on Congress in a video posted to Twitter to increase stimulus checks to Americans from $600 to $2,000.
“I am also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation, and to send me a suitable bill, or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package, and maybe that administration will be me,” Trump said.
Trump’s refusal to sign the bill would shut down the government on Dec. 29 and freeze $900 billion in emergency economic aid.
The comments come after just last week reports revealed that the president had complained to some aides that the $600 stimulus checks were too low and that he wanted them raised to $1,200 or $2,000. Aides had stepped in to stop him from potentially wrecking the negotiations.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) tweeted swiftly after Trump’s video was posted, saying congressional Democrats would be prepared to meet as soon as this week to advance the $2,000 stimulus checks.
“Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks,” Pelosi tweeted on Tuesday night. “At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!”
The package including the slimmer checks was introduced on Monday afternoon and passed the House and Senate late Tuesday night with wide bipartisan support. Republicans had insisted on the economic relief portion totaling less than $1 trillion.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also backed the effort for larger stimulus checks, tweeting that Republicans had blocked moves by Democrats for “months” to put forward $2,000 checks.
“Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open and we’re glad to pass more aid Americans need,” Schumer wrote. “Maybe Trump can finally make himself useful and get Republicans not to block it again.”
But the effort to approve heftier checks is likely to face opposition — in fact, if any Republican in the House opposed Pelosi’s effort on Thursday, it would not pass. Such a change would also require Senate Republicans to pass the measure unanimously, which is unlikely.
Trump’s video appears to have come as a surprise to even his own Treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, who tweeted before the video was released on Tuesday that he was pleased that Congress had passed the package “on an overwhelming bipartisan basis.”
Many of the other complaints Trump made in the four-minute video, including foreign aid agreements and others, are not part of the $900 billion COVID relief agreement that was packaged together with coronavirus relief but represent separately negotiated parts of the legislation, the Washington Post points out.
“It’s called the COVID relief bill, but it has almost nothing to do with COVID,” Trump said in the video before railing on Congress for finding “plenty of money for foreign countries, lobbyists and special interests while sending the bare minimum to the American people.”
According to the Post, Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, kept the video very closely held on Tuesday. Several sources told the Post that even aides involved in the negotiations were only made aware of the video an hour before it was posted.
It remains unclear whether or not Trump will sign the bill, he did not explicitly say he would veto it.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-23--Dominion Worker Sues Trump Campaign, Newsmax, OANN Following Death Threats

NEW YORK ( AP ) — An election systems worker driven into hiding by death threats has filed a defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump ’ s campaign , two of its lawyers and some conservative media figures and outlets .
Eric Coomer , security director at the Colorado-based Dominion Voting Systems , said he wants his life back after being named in false charges as a key actor in “ rigging ” the election for President-elect Joe Biden .
There has been no evidence that the election was rigged .
His lawsuit , filed Tuesday in district court in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign , lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell , conservative columnist Michelle Malkin , the website Gateway Pundit , Colorado conservative activist Joseph Oltmann , and conservative media Newsmax and One America News Network .
“ I have been thrust into the public spotlight by people with political and financial agendas but , at heart , I am a private person , ” Coomer said in a statement .
“ While I intend to do everything I can to recapture my prior lifestyle , I have few illusions in this regard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , today , I put my trust in the legal process , which has already exposed the truth of the 2020 presidential election.
” Dominion , which provided vote-counting equipment to several states , has denied accusations that it switched Trump votes in Biden ’ s favor , and no evidence has emerged to back those charges up .
Dominion and another voting technology company , Smartmatic , have begun to fight back against being named in baseless conspiracy theories .
After legal threats were made , Fox News Channel and Newsmax in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims made on their networks .
There was no immediate comment from those named in the lawsuit .
His lawyers said Coomer has become “ the face of the false claims.
” Coomer ’ s name first got public exposure in a podcast by Oltmann , who claimed to have heard a strategy call of Antifa activists .
When the prospect of a Trump victory was brought up , Oltmann said a man identified as “ Eric from Dominion ” supposedly said “ don ’ t worry about the election , Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … sure of that , ” adding an expletive .
In an opinion piece written for the Denver Post , Coomer wrote that he has no connections to Antifa , was never on any call and the idea that there is some recording of him is “ wholly fabricated.
” The fact-checking website Snopes said Oltmann hasn ’ t cooperated in any attempts to verify his claims .
Oltmann also claimed that Coomer made anti-Trump comments on Facebook .
The lawsuit acknowledged that Coomer made comments critical of the president on his private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page is inactive .
Oltmann ’ s charges spread after he was interviewed by Malkin and Gateway Pundit .
Eric Trump tweeted about them .
OANN , and its White House correspondent Chanel Rion , reported on them .
Powell , misidentifying Coomer as working for Smartmatic , said at a news conference that Coomer ’ s “ social media is filled with hatred ” for Trump , and she later repeated her charges in a Newsmax interview .
Giuliani , at a news conference , called Coomer “ a vicious , vicious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president … He is completely warped , ” according to the lawsuit .
Fox News Channel , another network popular with Trump supporters , is not being sued and Coomer actually uses Fox ’ s Tucker Carlson to buttress his case .
The lawsuit notes a scheduled Powell appearance on Carlson ’ s show did not happen after she could not provide evidence for her charges .
Coomer told The Associated Press earlier this month that right-wing websites posted his photo , home address and details about his family .
Death threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father , an Army veteran , received a handwritten letter asking , “ How does it feel to have a traitor for a son.
” “ It ’ s terrifying , ” Coomer said .
“ I ’ ve worked in international elections in all sorts of post-conflict countries where election violence is real and people are getting killed over it .
And I feel that we ’ re on the verge of that .
”

NEW YORK (AP) — An election systems worker driven into hiding by death threats has filed a defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s campaign, two of its lawyers and some conservative media figures and outlets.
Eric Coomer, security director at the Colorado-based Dominion Voting Systems, said he wants his life back after being named in false charges as a key actor in “rigging” the election for President-elect Joe Biden. There has been no evidence that the election was rigged.
His lawsuit, filed Tuesday in district court in Denver County, Colorado, names the Trump campaign, lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, conservative columnist Michelle Malkin, the website Gateway Pundit, Colorado conservative activist Joseph Oltmann, and conservative media Newsmax and One America News Network.
“I have been thrust into the public spotlight by people with political and financial agendas but, at heart, I am a private person,” Coomer said in a statement.
“While I intend to do everything I can to recapture my prior lifestyle, I have few illusions in this regard,” he said. “And so, today, I put my trust in the legal process, which has already exposed the truth of the 2020 presidential election.”
Dominion, which provided vote-counting equipment to several states, has denied accusations that it switched Trump votes in Biden’s favor, and no evidence has emerged to back those charges up.
Dominion and another voting technology company, Smartmatic, have begun to fight back against being named in baseless conspiracy theories. After legal threats were made, Fox News Channel and Newsmax in recent days have aired retractions of some claims made on their networks.
There was no immediate comment from those named in the lawsuit.
His lawyers said Coomer has become “the face of the false claims.” Coomer’s name first got public exposure in a podcast by Oltmann, who claimed to have heard a strategy call of Antifa activists. When the prospect of a Trump victory was brought up, Oltmann said a man identified as “Eric from Dominion” supposedly said “don’t worry about the election, Trump is not going to win. I made … sure of that,” adding an expletive.
In an opinion piece written for the Denver Post, Coomer wrote that he has no connections to Antifa, was never on any call and the idea that there is some recording of him is “wholly fabricated.”
The fact-checking website Snopes said Oltmann hasn’t cooperated in any attempts to verify his claims.
Oltmann also claimed that Coomer made anti-Trump comments on Facebook. The lawsuit acknowledged that Coomer made comments critical of the president on his private Facebook page; he now says his page is inactive.
Oltmann’s charges spread after he was interviewed by Malkin and Gateway Pundit. Eric Trump tweeted about them. OANN, and its White House correspondent Chanel Rion, reported on them. Powell, misidentifying Coomer as working for Smartmatic, said at a news conference that Coomer’s “social media is filled with hatred” for Trump, and she later repeated her charges in a Newsmax interview.
Giuliani, at a news conference, called Coomer “a vicious, vicious man. He wrote horrible things about the president … He is completely warped,” according to the lawsuit.
Fox News Channel, another network popular with Trump supporters, is not being sued and Coomer actually uses Fox’s Tucker Carlson to buttress his case. The lawsuit notes a scheduled Powell appearance on Carlson’s show did not happen after she could not provide evidence for her charges.
Coomer told The Associated Press earlier this month that right-wing websites posted his photo, home address and details about his family. Death threats began almost immediately.
He said his father, an Army veteran, received a handwritten letter asking, “How does it feel to have a traitor for a son.”
“It’s terrifying,” Coomer said. “I’ve worked in international elections in all sorts of post-conflict countries where election violence is real and people are getting killed over it. And I feel that we’re on the verge of that.”