talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-01--Trump Forces Self-Promoting Letter Into USDA’s Food Aid Boxes

President Trump ’ s re-election efforts have extended to millions of food aid boxes that are distributed to needy families .
Last week , the Agriculture Department began requiring that boxes of surplus food that are distributed to families in need , which is run by the USDA ’ s $ 4 billion Farmers to Families Food Box Program , must also include a letter from the President claiming credit for the program .
According to Politico , the letter is printed on White House letterhead , comes in both English and Spanish , and features Trump ’ s famous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safeguarding the health and well-being of our citizens is one of my highest priorities , ” the letter reads , according to Politico .
“ As part of our response to coronavirus , I prioritized sending nutritious food from our farmers to families in need throughout America.
” Organizations distributing the food aid boxes through the program , which has sent more than 100 million boxes to those in need since May , are raising concerns that the program is being co-opted as part of Trump ’ s re-election efforts a month before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have refused to distribute the boxes in light of the Trump-mandated letter requirement , according to Politico .
Politico noted that the Trump administration had gradually begun including letters from the President in USDA ’ s food boxes over the past few months .
However , it was only last week that the USDA mandated the inclusion of the Trump-touting letters in all boxes distributed by companies with government contracts , according to six sources who spoke with Politico .
It ’ s not the first time that the President has used a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his image amid his re-election campaign .
Earlier this year , Trump ensured that his signature was featured in letters for people who received stimulus checks as part of a coronavirus relief package .
The President ’ s name was also printed on the checks .

President Trump’s re-election efforts have extended to millions of food aid boxes that are distributed to needy families.
Last week, the Agriculture Department began requiring that boxes of surplus food that are distributed to families in need, which is run by the USDA’s $4 billion Farmers to Families Food Box Program, must also include a letter from the President claiming credit for the program.
According to Politico, the letter is printed on White House letterhead, comes in both English and Spanish, and features Trump’s famous bold signature.
“As President, safeguarding the health and well-being of our citizens is one of my highest priorities,” the letter reads, according to Politico. “As part of our response to coronavirus, I prioritized sending nutritious food from our farmers to families in need throughout America.”
Organizations distributing the food aid boxes through the program, which has sent more than 100 million boxes to those in need since May, are raising concerns that the program is being co-opted as part of Trump’s re-election efforts a month before the November presidential election.
Several organizations have refused to distribute the boxes in light of the Trump-mandated letter requirement, according to Politico.
Politico noted that the Trump administration had gradually begun including letters from the President in USDA’s food boxes over the past few months. However, it was only last week that the USDA mandated the inclusion of the Trump-touting letters in all boxes distributed by companies with government contracts, according to six sources who spoke with Politico.
It’s not the first time that the President has used a similar tactic amid his efforts to bolster his image amid his re-election campaign.
Earlier this year, Trump ensured that his signature was featured in letters for people who received stimulus checks as part of a coronavirus relief package. The President’s name was also printed on the checks.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-01--Report: DHS Officials Told To Give Sympathetic Talking Points About Alleged Kenosha Shooter

Officials at the Department of Homeland Security were reportedly instructed to describe Kyle Rittenhouse , the 17-year-old who has been charged with murder after the fatal shooting of two protesters in Kenosha , Wisconsin , in a sympathetic light .
According to NBC News , DHS officials received internal memos directing them to mention while speaking to the media that Rittenhouse “ took his rifle to the scene of the rioting to help defend small business owners.
” Other talking points reportedly say that “ Kyle was seen being chased and attacked by rioters before allegedly shooting three of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video has emerged reportedly showing that there were ‘ multiple gunmen ’ involved , which would lend more credence to the self-defense claims.
” NBC News also reported that DHS officials were directed to tell the media they would not comment on an ongoing investigation in response to inquiries about Rittenhouse , then tell the media , “ what I will say is that Rittenhouse , just like everyone else in America , is innocent until proven guilty and deserves a fair trial based on all the facts , not just the ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is why we try the accused in the court of law , not the star chamber of public opinion.
” A DHS spokesperson told NBC News that the department “ does not comment on alleged leaked documents.
” President Donald Trump has refused to condemn Rittenhouse , stating instead that the shootings were an “ interesting situation ” and suggested , as the DHS memos do , that the teen acted out of self-defense .

Officials at the Department of Homeland Security were reportedly instructed to describe Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old who has been charged with murder after the fatal shooting of two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in a sympathetic light.
According to NBC News, DHS officials received internal memos directing them to mention while speaking to the media that Rittenhouse “took his rifle to the scene of the rioting to help defend small business owners.”
Other talking points reportedly say that “Kyle was seen being chased and attacked by rioters before allegedly shooting three of them, killing two” and “Subsequent video has emerged reportedly showing that there were ‘multiple gunmen’ involved, which would lend more credence to the self-defense claims.”
NBC News also reported that DHS officials were directed to tell the media they would not comment on an ongoing investigation in response to inquiries about Rittenhouse, then tell the media, “what I will say is that Rittenhouse, just like everyone else in America, is innocent until proven guilty and deserves a fair trial based on all the facts, not just the ones that support a certain narrative. This is why we try the accused in the court of law, not the star chamber of public opinion.”
A DHS spokesperson told NBC News that the department “does not comment on alleged leaked documents.”
President Donald Trump has refused to condemn Rittenhouse, stating instead that the shootings were an “interesting situation” and suggested, as the DHS memos do, that the teen acted out of self-defense.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-01--Texas Governor Limits Mail-In Ballot Drop-Off To One Location Per County

Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott on Thursday restricted the number of locations where voters can drop off mail-in ballots , adding a potentially cumbersome hurdle to the process just weeks before Election Day .
An executive order from the governor says that there can only be one location per county where voters can drop off their mail-in ballots .
Abbott ’ s order also requires that clerks at early voting locations “ allow poll watchers to observe any activity conducted at the early voting clerk ’ s office location related to the in-person delivery of a marked mail ballot.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observe the presentation of voters ’ identification , Abbott ’ s order specifies .
The order takes effect on Friday .
“ The State of Texas has a duty to voters to maintain the integrity of our elections , ” Abbott said in a statement accompanying the order .
“ As we work to preserve Texans ’ ability to vote during the COVID-19 pandemic , we must take extra care to strengthen ballot security protocols throughout the state .
These enhanced security protocols will ensure greater transparency and will help stop attempts at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Statesman ’ s Chuck Lindell , who first reported Abbott ’ s order Thursday , the restriction will severely cut down options for dropping off ballots in the state ’ s largest counties : Harris County currently has 12 locations where voters can drop off ballots .
Travis County has four .
In a statement slamming the change , Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa accused Abbott of trying to change election rules at the last minute because “ Republicans are on the verge of losing.
” “ Governor Abbott and Texas Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We are creating a movement that will beat them at the ballot box on November 3 , and there ’ s nothing these cheaters can do about it.
” Voters ’ options for dropping off mail-in ballots have become a flashpoint in the legal fights over election rules in the pandemic .
The Trump campaign has sued to block the use of drop boxes in Pennsylvania , a key swing state , while state GOP officials in Ohio have sought to limit the counties from setting up more than one ballot drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have come amid anxiety about the U.S .
Postal Service and the changes to its operations imposed by the new Trump-aligned Postmaster General Louis DeJoy .
Texas has been extremely resistant to measures that would make voting easier during the pandemic — but Abbott had extended in person early voting by a week and allowed for mail ballots to be dropped off early as well .
Prominent Texas Republicans have gone to court to undo the extension of in person early voting .
The latest move will limit the options Texas voters who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return mail-ballots in person .
By population , Harris County — home to Houston — is larger than several states .
Now , under Abbott ’ s order , it will have just one ballot drop off location .
In a statement , Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins accused Abbott of “ going back on his word ” by imposing new restrictions on voting options he previously approved .
Tuesday ’ s proclamation “ will result in widespread confusion and voter suppression , ” Hollis said , while noting that for weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Our office is more than willing to accommodate poll watchers at mail ballot drop-off locations , ” Hollins said .
“ But to force hundreds of thousands of seniors and voters with disabilities to use a single drop-off location in a county that stretches over nearly 2,000 square miles is prejudicial and dangerous.
” This post has been updated .

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday restricted the number of locations where voters can drop off mail-in ballots, adding a potentially cumbersome hurdle to the process just weeks before Election Day.
An executive order from the governor says that there can only be one location per county where voters can drop off their mail-in ballots.
Abbott’s order also requires that clerks at early voting locations “allow poll watchers to observe any activity conducted at the early voting clerk’s office location related to the in-person delivery of a marked mail ballot.”
That requirement includes allowing poll watchers to observe the presentation of voters’ identification, Abbott’s order specifies. The order takes effect on Friday.
“The State of Texas has a duty to voters to maintain the integrity of our elections,” Abbott said in a statement accompanying the order.
“As we work to preserve Texans’ ability to vote during the COVID-19 pandemic, we must take extra care to strengthen ballot security protocols throughout the state. These enhanced security protocols will ensure greater transparency and will help stop attempts at illegal voting.”
According to the Austin-American Statesman’s Chuck Lindell, who first reported Abbott’s order Thursday, the restriction will severely cut down options for dropping off ballots in the state’s largest counties: Harris County currently has 12 locations where voters can drop off ballots. Travis County has four.
In a statement slamming the change, Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa accused Abbott of trying to change election rules at the last minute because “Republicans are on the verge of losing.”
“Governor Abbott and Texas Republicans are scared,” he said. “We are creating a movement that will beat them at the ballot box on November 3, and there’s nothing these cheaters can do about it.”
Voters’ options for dropping off mail-in ballots have become a flashpoint in the legal fights over election rules in the pandemic. The Trump campaign has sued to block the use of drop boxes in Pennsylvania, a key swing state, while state GOP officials in Ohio have sought to limit the counties from setting up more than one ballot drop off location per county.
These moves have come amid anxiety about the U.S. Postal Service and the changes to its operations imposed by the new Trump-aligned Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
Texas has been extremely resistant to measures that would make voting easier during the pandemic — but Abbott had extended in person early voting by a week and allowed for mail ballots to be dropped off early as well. Prominent Texas Republicans have gone to court to undo the extension of in person early voting.
The latest move will limit the options Texas voters who live in large and sprawling counties have to return mail-ballots in person. By population, Harris County — home to Houston — is larger than several states.
Now, under Abbott’s order, it will have just one ballot drop off location.
In a statement, Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins accused Abbott of “going back on his word” by imposing new restrictions on voting options he previously approved.
Tuesday’s proclamation “will result in widespread confusion and voter suppression,” Hollis said, while noting that for weeks his county has advertised the multiple locations.
“Our office is more than willing to accommodate poll watchers at mail ballot drop-off locations,” Hollins said. “But to force hundreds of thousands of seniors and voters with disabilities to use a single drop-off location in a county that stretches over nearly 2,000 square miles is prejudicial and dangerous.”
This post has been updated.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-02--Trump And First Lady Melania Trump Test Positive For COVID-19

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — President Donald Trump said early Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus , a stunning announcement that plunges the country deeper into uncertainty just a month before the presidential election .
Trump , who has spent much of the year downplaying the threat of a virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans , said he and Mrs. Trump were quarantining .
The White House physician said the president is expected to continue carrying out his duties “ without disruption ” while recovering .
Still , Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destabilizing effect in Washington , raising questions about how far the virus had spread through the highest levels of the U.S. government .
Hours before Trump announced he had contracted the virus , the White House said a top aide who had traveled with him during the week had tested positive .
“ Tonight , @ FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19 .
We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately , ” Trump tweeted just before 1 a.m. “ We will get through this TOGETHER !
” Trump was last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House on Thursday evening and did not appear visibly ill. Trump is 74 years old , putting him at higher risk of serious complications from a virus that has infected more than 7 million people nationwide .
The president ’ s physician said in a memo that Trump and the first lady , who is 50 , “ are both well at this time ” and “ plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence.
” The diagnosis marks a devastating blow for a president who has been trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst of the pandemic is behind them .
In the best of cases , if he develops no symptoms , which can include fever , cough and breathing trouble , it will force him off the campaign trail just weeks before the election .
Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic has already been a major flashpoint in his race against Democrat Joe Biden , who spent much of the summer off the campaign trail and at his home in Delaware because of the virus .
Biden has since resumed a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , socially distanced crowds .
He also regularly wears a mask in public , something Trump mocked him for at Tuesday night ’ s debate .
“ I don ’ t wear masks like him , ” Trump said of Biden .
“ Every time you see him , he ’ s got a mask .
He could be speaking 200 feet away from me , and he shows up with the biggest mask I ’ ve ever seen.
” There was no immediate comment from the Biden campaign on whether the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the debate with Trump or whether he was taking any additional safety protocols .
Trump had been scheduled to attend a fundraiser and hold another campaign rally in Sanford , Florida , on Friday evening .
But just after 1 a.m. , the White House released a revised schedule with only one event : A phone call on “ COVID-19 support to vulnerable seniors.
” Trump ’ s announcement came hours after he confirmed that Hope Hicks , one of most trusted and longest-serving aides , had been diagnosed with the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the plane ride home from a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday evening , according to an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private information .
She was isolated from other passengers aboard the plane , the person said .
Hicks had been with Trump and other senior staff aboard Marine One and Air Force One en route to that rally and had accompanied the president to Tuesday ’ s presidential debate in Cleveland , along with members of the Trump family .
They did not wear masks during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ venue rules .
Multiple White House staffers have previously tested positive for the virus , including Vice President Mike Pence ’ s press secretary , Katie Miller , national security adviser Robert O ’ Brien and one of the president ’ s personal valets .
But Trump has consistently played down concerns about being personally vulnerable , even after White House staff and allies were exposed and sickened .
Since the coronavirus emerged earlier this year , Trump has refused to abide by basic public health guidelines — including those issued by his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in public and practicing social distancing .
Instead , he has continued to hold campaign rallies that draw thousands of supporters .
“ I felt no vulnerability whatsoever , ” he said told reporters back in May .
The news was sure to rattle an already shaken nation still grappling with how to safely reopen the economy without driving virus transmission .
The White House has access to near-unlimited resources , including a constant supply of quick-result tests , and still failed to keep the president safe , raising questions about how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect its workers , students and the public as businesses and schools reopen .
Questions remain about why it took so long for Trump to be tested and why he and his aides continued to come to work and travel after Hicks fell ill. Trump traveled to New Jersey on Thursday for a fundraiser , exposing attendees to the virus .
Pence ’ s aides had no immediate comment on whether the vice president had been tested or in contact with Trump .
It is unclear where the Trumps and Hicks may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his Fox interview , Trump seemed to suggest it may have been spread by someone in the military or law enforcement .
“ It ’ s very , very hard when you are with people from the military or from law enforcement , and they come over to you , and they want to hug you , and they want to kiss you , ” he said , “ because we really have done a good job for them .
And you get close .
And things happen.
” The White House began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s senior aides after earlier positive cases close to the president .
Anyone in close proximity to the president or vice president is also tested every day , including reporters .
Yet since the early days of the pandemic , experts have questioned the health and safety protocols at the White House and asked why more wasn ’ t being done to protect the commander in chief .
Trump continued to shake hands with visitors long after public health officials were warning against it and he initially resisted being tested .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader to test positive for the virus , which previously infected Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson , who spent a week in the hospital , including three nights in intensive care .
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was hospitalized last month while fighting what he called a “ hellish ” case of COVID-19 .
While there is currently no evidence that Trump is seriously ill , the positive test raises questions about what would happen if he were to become incapacitated due to illness .
The Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedures under which a president can declare themselves “ unable to discharge the powers and duties ” of the presidency .
If he were to make that call , Trump would transmit a written note to the Senate president pro tempore , Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa , and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. Pence would serve as acting president until Trump transmitted “ a written declaration to the contrary.
” The vice president and a majority of either the Cabinet or another body established by law , can also declare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and duties of his office , in which case Pence would “ immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President ” until Trump could provide a written declaration to the contrary .
Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report .

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said early Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus, a stunning announcement that plunges the country deeper into uncertainty just a month before the presidential election.
Trump, who has spent much of the year downplaying the threat of a virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans, said he and Mrs. Trump were quarantining. The White House physician said the president is expected to continue carrying out his duties “without disruption” while recovering.
Still, Trump’s diagnosis was sure to have a destabilizing effect in Washington, raising questions about how far the virus had spread through the highest levels of the U.S. government. Hours before Trump announced he had contracted the virus, the White House said a top aide who had traveled with him during the week had tested positive.
“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately,” Trump tweeted just before 1 a.m. “We will get through this TOGETHER!”
Trump was last seen by reporters returning to the White House on Thursday evening and did not appear visibly ill. Trump is 74 years old, putting him at higher risk of serious complications from a virus that has infected more than 7 million people nationwide.
The president’s physician said in a memo that Trump and the first lady, who is 50, “are both well at this time” and “plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence.”
The diagnosis marks a devastating blow for a president who has been trying desperately to convince the American public that the worst of the pandemic is behind them. In the best of cases, if he develops no symptoms, which can include fever, cough and breathing trouble, it will force him off the campaign trail just weeks before the election.
Trump’s handling of the pandemic has already been a major flashpoint in his race against Democrat Joe Biden, who spent much of the summer off the campaign trail and at his home in Delaware because of the virus. Biden has since resumed a more active campaign schedule, but with small, socially distanced crowds. He also regularly wears a mask in public, something Trump mocked him for at Tuesday night’s debate.
“I don’t wear masks like him,” Trump said of Biden. “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from me, and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
There was no immediate comment from the Biden campaign on whether the former vice president had been tested since appearing at the debate with Trump or whether he was taking any additional safety protocols.
Trump had been scheduled to attend a fundraiser and hold another campaign rally in Sanford, Florida, on Friday evening. But just after 1 a.m., the White House released a revised schedule with only one event: A phone call on “COVID-19 support to vulnerable seniors.”
Trump’s announcement came hours after he confirmed that Hope Hicks, one of most trusted and longest-serving aides, had been diagnosed with the virus Thursday. Hicks began feeling mild symptoms during the plane ride home from a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday evening, according to an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private information. She was isolated from other passengers aboard the plane, the person said.
Hicks had been with Trump and other senior staff aboard Marine One and Air Force One en route to that rally and had accompanied the president to Tuesday’s presidential debate in Cleveland, along with members of the Trump family. They did not wear masks during the debate, in violation of the venue rules.
Multiple White House staffers have previously tested positive for the virus, including Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, Katie Miller, national security adviser Robert O’Brien and one of the president’s personal valets.
But Trump has consistently played down concerns about being personally vulnerable, even after White House staff and allies were exposed and sickened. Since the coronavirus emerged earlier this year, Trump has refused to abide by basic public health guidelines — including those issued by his own administration — such as wearing masks in public and practicing social distancing. Instead, he has continued to hold campaign rallies that draw thousands of supporters.
“I felt no vulnerability whatsoever,” he said told reporters back in May.
The news was sure to rattle an already shaken nation still grappling with how to safely reopen the economy without driving virus transmission. The White House has access to near-unlimited resources, including a constant supply of quick-result tests, and still failed to keep the president safe, raising questions about how the rest of the country will be able to protect its workers, students and the public as businesses and schools reopen.
Questions remain about why it took so long for Trump to be tested and why he and his aides continued to come to work and travel after Hicks fell ill. Trump traveled to New Jersey on Thursday for a fundraiser, exposing attendees to the virus.
Pence’s aides had no immediate comment on whether the vice president had been tested or in contact with Trump.
It is unclear where the Trumps and Hicks may have caught the virus, but in his Fox interview, Trump seemed to suggest it may have been spread by someone in the military or law enforcement.
“It’s very, very hard when you are with people from the military or from law enforcement, and they come over to you, and they want to hug you, and they want to kiss you,” he said, “because we really have done a good job for them. And you get close. And things happen.”
The White House began instituting a daily testing regimen for the president’s senior aides after earlier positive cases close to the president. Anyone in close proximity to the president or vice president is also tested every day, including reporters.
Yet since the early days of the pandemic, experts have questioned the health and safety protocols at the White House and asked why more wasn’t being done to protect the commander in chief. Trump continued to shake hands with visitors long after public health officials were warning against it and he initially resisted being tested.
Trump is far from the first world leader to test positive for the virus, which previously infected Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who spent a week in the hospital, including three nights in intensive care. Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was hospitalized last month while fighting what he called a “hellish” case of COVID-19.
While there is currently no evidence that Trump is seriously ill, the positive test raises questions about what would happen if he were to become incapacitated due to illness.
The Constitution’s 25th Amendment spells out the procedures under which a president can declare themselves “unable to discharge the powers and duties” of the presidency. If he were to make that call, Trump would transmit a written note to the Senate president pro tempore, Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Pence would serve as acting president until Trump transmitted “a written declaration to the contrary.”
The vice president and a majority of either the Cabinet or another body established by law, can also declare the president unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, in which case Pence would “immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President” until Trump could provide a written declaration to the contrary.
___
Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-02--ICYMI: Your TPM Weekend News Roundup

ICYMI: Your TPM Weekend News Roundup

• President Trump announced in an early morning tweet Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19 , placing him in a small orbit of world leaders who have contracted the virus in recent months .
• The TPM staff got cracking on a liveblog early in the morning , and you can find all of our updates on the fast-moving story here .
• Initially , the White House was vague on how severe the President ’ s case of COVID was .
But throughout the day , Donald and Melania Trump ’ s symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then “ moderate.
” By the end of the day Friday , Trump was being hospitalized at Walter Reed for “ a few days , ” according to the White House .
• Trump has had a busy week of campaign events , including the presidential debate on Tuesday and a rally Wednesday , flouting CDC guidelines on self-isolating even after members of his inner orbit tested positive for COVID-19 .
• Local officials have already begun cleaning up Trump ’ s COVID mess , with New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get tested .
The Minnesota Department of Health also urged people to get tested if they attended Trump ’ s Wednesday night rally in Duluth .
• Vice President Joe Biden tested negative for COVID-19 on Friday .
While that isn ’ t proof that Biden is totally out of the woods , the ample space between the two podiums at the debate on Tuesday means he is likely at low risk for catching the virus .
• A number of prominent people online , including Chance the Rapper and filmmaker Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about his coronavirus diagnosis .
We never bought into that magical line of thinking .
• Trump threw a tantrum onstage for 90 minutes during his first debate with Joe Biden on Wednesday , interrupting and interjecting at nearly every turn .
• After the dust settled on the debate , Trump ’ s refusal to condemn white supremacy and a far-right hate group called the Proud Boys stuck out as the most consequential moment .
The group loved Trump ’ s shout out when the President said , awkwardly , “ stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump as the “ elite ” class that the President so often rails against .
One of Biden ’ s sharpest lines of the night came when he said Trump “ wouldn ’ t know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn .
I was raised in the suburbs.
” • When Trump wasn ’ t constantly interrupting , he tripled down on his threat to oppose a peaceful transition of power if he loses to Biden in November .
• Trump belligerent debate performance earned him swift rebukes from journalists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spectacle a “ shit show.
” Flynn Not Out Of The Woods Yet • The saga of Michael Flynn stretches on .
During a hearing on whether the government ’ s case against Flynn should be dropped on Tuesday , Flynn ’ s lawyer made a stunning revelation : She had personally briefed the President on the status of the case .
• One thing was clear after the nearly five-hour hearing wrapped up : U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan was not yet ready to let Flynn off the hook .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kovensky live-blogged the hearing here .

The California State Bar is arguing that recent criminal charges against John Eastman in Fulton County, Georgia should not prevent…


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-02--What Is PA’s GOP House Up To With Its Plans For A Sketchy Election Probe Panel?

Pennsylvania ’ s Republican lawmakers aim to create a GOP-controlled select committee that would have the authority — including subpoena power — to investigate the 2020 election before it is even over .
Their plans for a state House floor vote Thursday to formally create the committee were delayed after a GOP member tested positive for COVID-19 .
It ’ s likely that chamber will approve the resolution that will create the committee later this month .
To justify its creation , Republicans point to recent court decisions , and to the actions of Democratic state officials , that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that warrants legislative inquiry now — even as they insist that the goal is a post-election report .
Democrats and voter advocates , however , have serious concerns that the committee is actually aimed at further sowing doubts about the election , after President Trump has already lobbed baseless allegations about fraud in mail-in voting .
They warn that the probe could inject more confusion into a chaotic election while ballots are still being cast or counted .
And there is at least some worry that the committee is part of a larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t really win — a claim the resolution ’ s supporters deny .
“ They are using the mechanisms of government to create sham hearings , to create sham processes , to justify their stealing of the election , ” Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta , a Democrat who serves on the committee that advanced the resolution Wednesday , told TPM .
“ And I hate to use terms that feel hyperbolic , but there ’ s no other way to describe what ’ s happening here.
” The resolution would create a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three Republicans and two Democrats — that could , via subpoena , demand testimony and documents from election officials , candidates , voters , and anyone else tangentially connected to the election .
Voting rights groups oppose the resolution in part because they fear that subpoenaing election officials while voting is already underway will further hinder their ability to administer an already challenging election .
At a committee hearing on the resolution Wednesday , its sponsor Rep. Garth Everett ( R ) stressed that the intention of the select committee was to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once it was over .
But that assurance seemed at odds with the resolution text itself , which says that the committee could propose changes “ before or after ” the 2020 election , along with other nods to the possibility that the investigation will be started while the election is still happening .
Everett at first seemed open to a Democratic request that he change the text to make clear that any investigation would wait until after the 2020 results were certified .
But then a staffer whispered in his ear , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would stay as it is .
Jason Gottesman , a spokesperson for House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff ( R ) , confirmed that the select committee would be allowed to begin investigating as soon as the resolution was approved on the House floor .
“ There might be the need to gather some documents or information about something that ’ s going on right now , ” Gottesman told TPM .
“ So yes , they should start immediately .
But it ’ s not meant to or designed to interfere in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are suspicious of the plan .
For one , an advisory committee — made up of four Republicans and four Democrats — had already been created for assessing election reforms that were passed in 2019 and earlier this year .
Secondly , the push to create this new committee came about very quickly — Democrats say they only learned about the resolution on Tuesday — and whatever it does will have to happen very quickly , as there are only a handful of legislative days left on the statehouse ’ s calendar .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t the intent match the words ?
Why aren ’ t we using a current vehicle that we already have ?
Why is it happening in a purely partisan way ?
” Rep. Jared Solomon , another Democrat on Everett ’ s committee , told TPM .
Asked why an additional committee was needed and why it was being put together so quickly , Gottesman pointed to the recent court decisions , including a recent state Supreme Court decision , which he said created “ an election law that didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court decision — which has been partially appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court by Pennsylvania ’ s GOP legislative leaders — extended the deadline by which mailed-in ballots must be received to three days after the election , while upholding the use of ballot dropboxes .
“ This is a concern of expanding the law , as it was never intended intended to be , by activist courts and its ramifications on a very significant election and our elections going forward , ” Gottesman said .
Gottesman also dismissed a recent report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Democratic anxiety about the committee .
The report alleges that the Trump campaign and Pennsylvania GOP leaders had been looking at an arcane procedure that could allow a state legislature to choose its state ’ s Electoral College electors if an election remains contested after Dec. 8 .
Kenyatta sees the select committee as playing a role in that purported scheme , if it is able to gin up false fraud accusations that delay certification of the election and give Republicans cover to chose their own electors .
Gottesman , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussion ” among the Republican legislative caucus of that option , and suggested that for such a scheme to work , Democratic Gov .
Tom Wolf would have to approve a change to state law .
With the COVID-19 case disrupting the Thursday vote plans , the next day the House is scheduled to be in session is Oct. 19 — and there are just four days total currently scheduled for legislative activity this year .
But it is possible that members could be called back by House Speaker Bryan Cutler ( R @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the resolution .
“ It ’ s in the Speaker ’ s hands , ” Solomon said .
Correction : A previous version of this story incorrectly said Mike Turzai was the speaker of the Pennsylvania House .
Turzai resigned earlier this year .
The speaker is Bryan Cutler .

Pennsylvania’s Republican lawmakers aim to create a GOP-controlled select committee that would have the authority — including subpoena power — to investigate the 2020 election before it is even over.
Their plans for a state House floor vote Thursday to formally create the committee were delayed after a GOP member tested positive for COVID-19. It’s likely that chamber will approve the resolution that will create the committee later this month.
To justify its creation, Republicans point to recent court decisions, and to the actions of Democratic state officials, that they say have created a new election environment that warrants legislative inquiry now — even as they insist that the goal is a post-election report.
Democrats and voter advocates, however, have serious concerns that the committee is actually aimed at further sowing doubts about the election, after President Trump has already lobbed baseless allegations about fraud in mail-in voting. They warn that the probe could inject more confusion into a chaotic election while ballots are still being cast or counted. And there is at least some worry that the committee is part of a larger plot to hand Trump an election he didn’t really win — a claim the resolution’s supporters deny.
“They are using the mechanisms of government to create sham hearings, to create sham processes, to justify their stealing of the election,” Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democrat who serves on the committee that advanced the resolution Wednesday, told TPM. “And I hate to use terms that feel hyperbolic, but there’s no other way to describe what’s happening here.”
The resolution would create a select House committee — made up of three Republicans and two Democrats — that could, via subpoena, demand testimony and documents from election officials, candidates, voters, and anyone else tangentially connected to the election.
Voting rights groups oppose the resolution in part because they fear that subpoenaing election officials while voting is already underway will further hinder their ability to administer an already challenging election.
At a committee hearing on the resolution Wednesday, its sponsor Rep. Garth Everett (R) stressed that the intention of the select committee was to take a retroactive look at the 2020 election once it was over.
But that assurance seemed at odds with the resolution text itself, which says that the committee could propose changes “before or after” the 2020 election, along with other nods to the possibility that the investigation will be started while the election is still happening.
Everett at first seemed open to a Democratic request that he change the text to make clear that any investigation would wait until after the 2020 results were certified. But then a staffer whispered in his ear, and he backtracked, saying the text would stay as it is.
Jason Gottesman, a spokesperson for House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R), confirmed that the select committee would be allowed to begin investigating as soon as the resolution was approved on the House floor.
“There might be the need to gather some documents or information about something that’s going on right now,” Gottesman told TPM. “So yes, they should start immediately. But it’s not meant to or designed to interfere in the processes.”
There are other reasons Democrats are suspicious of the plan. For one, an advisory committee — made up of four Republicans and four Democrats — had already been created for assessing election reforms that were passed in 2019 and earlier this year.
Secondly, the push to create this new committee came about very quickly — Democrats say they only learned about the resolution on Tuesday — and whatever it does will have to happen very quickly, as there are only a handful of legislative days left on the statehouse’s calendar.
“Why are we rushing? Why didn’t the intent match the words? Why aren’t we using a current vehicle that we already have? Why is it happening in a purely partisan way?” Rep. Jared Solomon, another Democrat on Everett’s committee, told TPM.
Asked why an additional committee was needed and why it was being put together so quickly, Gottesman pointed to the recent court decisions, including a recent state Supreme Court decision, which he said created “an election law that didn’t exist in statute.”
The state Supreme Court decision — which has been partially appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court by Pennsylvania’s GOP legislative leaders — extended the deadline by which mailed-in ballots must be received to three days after the election, while upholding the use of ballot dropboxes.
“This is a concern of expanding the law, as it was never intended intended to be, by activist courts and its ramifications on a very significant election and our elections going forward,” Gottesman said.
Gottesman also dismissed a recent report in the Atlantic that is driving some of the Democratic anxiety about the committee. The report alleges that the Trump campaign and Pennsylvania GOP leaders had been looking at an arcane procedure that could allow a state legislature to choose its state’s Electoral College electors if an election remains contested after Dec. 8.
Kenyatta sees the select committee as playing a role in that purported scheme, if it is able to gin up false fraud accusations that delay certification of the election and give Republicans cover to chose their own electors.
Gottesman, however, said there had been “no discussion” among the Republican legislative caucus of that option, and suggested that for such a scheme to work, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf would have to approve a change to state law.
With the COVID-19 case disrupting the Thursday vote plans, the next day the House is scheduled to be in session is Oct. 19 — and there are just four days total currently scheduled for legislative activity this year. But it is possible that members could be called back by House Speaker Bryan Cutler (R) before Oct. 19 to vote on the resolution.
“It’s in the Speaker’s hands,” Solomon said.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly said Mike Turzai was the speaker of the Pennsylvania House. Turzai resigned earlier this year. The speaker is Bryan Cutler.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-02--NY Nightmare: Our Pandemic-Election Risk Assessment Looks At CT, DE, DC, NY, OK

It ’ s hard to imagine a bigger reminder of the threat that COVID-19 continues to pose than the news that President Trump has tested positive for the virus .
And this week we continue our state-by-state look at how election officials are trying to keep voting safe in the pandemic .
On tap for this week are : Connecticut , Delaware , New York , Oklahoma , and the District of Columbia .
Where have election officials worked out the kinks of their summer primaries ?
And where has the chaos already begun to infect the general ?
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our survey , and check out the other states we ’ ve examined .
Voter advocates were feeling cautiously optimistic that New York had taken steps ahead of the general election to correct the issues that plagued its primary this summer .
Then mail-in ballots started hitting voters ’ mailboxes .
Scores of voters in New York City have received ballots or ballot envelopes meant for other people .
The city elections officials have blamed the fiasco on a vendor issue and are planning another mailing of 100,000 new ballots to cover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the debacle has amped up anxiety that New York ’ s general could be as rocky as its primary , after which the results took several weeks to report in some races and fights broke out over how to count ballots that were missing a postmark .
This time around , if voters submit the ballots that they were mailed erroneously and that weren ’ t meant for them , those ballots will be rejected — though , if the voters in question then show up to vote in-person , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead .
The need for voters to pay for absentee ballot postage — something that was covered for voters during the primary — is also prompting concern , particularly as voters have reported receiving contradictory guidance on how much postage their ballots will require .
“ It ’ s a total nightmare , ” said Jennifer Wilson , the deputy director of New York ’ s League of Women Voters .
“ Anything that can go wrong is going wrong.
” New York has historically been one of the least-voter friendly places , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radar — due to its Democratic control and lack of swing state status — but one oft-cited by Republicans to defend the shortcomings of red states .
Last year , legislators finally passed a much-needed overhaul of the voting system , but it unfortunately did not contain exactly the kind of reforms that the pandemic would require .
After Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) by emergency order expanded absentee voting for the primary , it became clear that election officials , particularly in New York City , lacked the infrastructure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mail-in voting .
Confusing ballot design exacerbated the June primary ’ s chaos .
The legislature has since passed a package of measures aimed at avoiding a repeat of this nightmare .
It included a codification of the option voters have to cast ballots absentee because of COVID-19 , a clarification around the postmark rules and the creation of a statewide online portal for absentee ballot applications .
A recent lawsuit also made it easier for voters to avoid having their absentee ballots rejected for minor discrepancies .
Just as important , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2019 legislation that made early in-person voting available for the first time ever in New York — an option that could help voters overcome the doubts about the latest mail ballot fiasco , as well as lingering concerns about the U.S .
Postal Service .
While the overwhelming blueness of New York City precludes much drama over statewide races , several U.S. House races will be closely watched as Dems aim to continue their 2018 gains in previously Republican-leaning suburban communities .
The nation ’ s capital isn ’ t up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that doesn ’ t mean there won ’ t be trouble ahead despite the fact that President Trump isn ’ t contesting the District ’ s three electoral votes .
For November ’ s election , D.C. instituted significant changes in response to COVID-19 , making vote-by-mail universal and agreeing to send ballots to all registered voters .
Those changes came after the District ran into trouble during its June primary , miserably failing the test presented by the pandemic ’ s spike in absentee voting while leading to calls for the resignation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June were myriad , featuring long lines for in-person voting that extended into the early hours of the morning after the District opened 20 polling stations as opposed to a normal- year count of 143 .
The surge of people was partly caused by board of elections failures in coping with more than 90,000 requests for absentee ballots , as opposed to the typical 6,000 or so requests it ’ s gotten in previous elections .
That disaster may turn out to redound to the District ’ s benefit , however .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ enacted wide-ranging changes that include more than 50 secure drop boxes around the District for ballots , and a program to mail a ballot to every registered voter without any request needed .
Election officials will accept mail ballots as long as they ’ re postmarked by Election Day and arrive by Nov. 13 — 10 days after the date of the general election .
The District will have 90 polling locations open on Election Day — fewer than the typical 143 , but enough , experts say , to allow D.C. to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials are also experimenting with new technology allowing voter registration signatures to be submitted via smartphone , while District officials say that they anticipate having enough poll workers to do the job come Election Day .
Delaware just wrapped up its late-in-the-calendar primary two weeks ago .
Aside from small , quickly resolved voting machine glitches and some minimal confusion about moved polling places , the day went smoothly .
Turnout , including by mail , was incredibly high especially given that it was a relatively non-competitive primary .
The General Assembly passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by mail for the primary and general elections .
About 43 percent of voters cast their ballots by mail in the September primary , compared with just 5 percent in the 2018 primaries .
The state Republican party filed a lawsuit in late August arguing that the expanded access to mail ballots was unconstitutional .
A judge shot down that argument on Monday , and the party has indicated that it does not intend to appeal the decision .
The League of Women Voters filed a separate , ongoing lawsuit lobbying for ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are postmarked by Election Day and arrive by November 13 .
Currently , Delaware is only counting ballots received by 8 p.m. on Election Day .
While the state ’ s general election doesn ’ t present any close races of national importance in Delaware ( which Joe Biden represented in Congress ) , there were some notable results from the September primaries .
Sen. Chris Coons ( D-DE ) , the heavy favorite to win reelection , is facing Republican challenger Lauren Witzke , an open supporter of the Q-Anon conspiracy theory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its first ever transgender state senator in Democratic nominee Sarah McBride .
For Connecticut ’ s August primary , Gov .
Ned Lamont ( D ) signed an executive order allowing all registered voters to vote absentee due to the pandemic .
That left a state used to handling four to six percent of the vote in absentee ballots , partially due to its normally strict excuse requirement , facing a tsunami of ballot requests .
All told , 59 percent of the primary vote was cast through mail-in ballots .
There were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-party mail vendor , was hired to help get the applications and ballots out to voters .
A week before the election , 20,000 voters who requested absentee ballots still had not received them .
The President of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association instructed the clerks , who were taking over the mailing , to go through a massive spreadsheet of all 20,000 voters , isolate those in their towns and resend the ballots to ensure the voters had time to return them .
She also recommended that voters avail themselves of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of risking the mail , which in some parts of the state was experiencing days-long delays .
The mess dissolved into a circle of finger-pointing with some blaming the vendor and others , including critical state Republicans , blaming the secretary of state for not communicating well with the town clerks .
Those issues were compounded by Tropical Storm Isasias , which made landfall days before the election .
Due to mail delays caused by the storm , Lamont issued an executive order allowing ballots to be accepted until Thursday as long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the primary took place .
As a result , it took days for races to be called .
Connecticut is also mailing out absentee ballot applications to all eligible voters for November , and hoping to iron out some of the hiccups that plagued the primary .
The state House this week passed a bill , now in the Senate , allowing election workers to start counting ballots the Friday before Election Day .
Republican state Senate minority leader Len Fasano , who has criticized Lamont at every turn , still predicts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ litigation.
” Secretary of State Denise Merrill was more optimistic , telling the Hartford Courant that “ If we don ’ t have the storm delay , if we don ’ t have all the problems with getting things mailed out in a timely way , I think it will be fine.
” Oklahoma , a deep-red state and therefore not much of a subject of national political interest , earned much of its election-related headlines this year when Donald Trump held an in-person rally there , in Tulsa , on June 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to the death of a former competitor for the presidency , Herman Cain , who attended and shortly afterward was diagnosed with COVID-19 .
The rally , free of basically any public health precautions , was a metaphor for the state ’ s approach to this year ’ s elections : Oklahoma hasn ’ t done much to accommodate changes to voting in the interest of public health .
What allowances it has made have tinkered at the margins .
For example , the typical requirement that absentee ballots be notarized can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if a copy of the voter ’ s photo ID is included .
For those who are physically incapacitated , two witness signatures will suffice .
For a brief moment , the state was free of the notary requirement altogether , after its state Supreme Court struck it down in a ruling in May .
But the reprieve lasted just three days before the state ’ s conservative legislature passed a new law putting the requirement back in place .
( That was just ahead of the state ’ s June primaries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicaid . )
In a ruling earlier this month , U.S. District Judge John Dowdell denied the state Democratic Party ’ s requests to step in and further loosen those rules and others , such as those limiting who can help a voter request and submit an absentee ballot .
The judge also rejected the same lawsuit ’ s attempts to loosen mail deadlines in light of USPS warnings that late-arriving ballots may disenfranchise voters .
Despite all of the obstacles , state officials expect there to be an increase in votes cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the elderly .
During the state ’ s March primary election , 4 % of ballots were cast by mail .
In June , that number went up to 14 % .

It’s hard to imagine a bigger reminder of the threat that COVID-19 continues to pose than the news that President Trump has tested positive for the virus. And this week we continue our state-by-state look at how election officials are trying to keep voting safe in the pandemic.
On tap for this week are: Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Oklahoma, and the District of Columbia.
Where have election officials worked out the kinks of their summer primaries? And where has the chaos already begun to infect the general?
Here’s this week’s installment of our survey, and check out the other states we’ve examined.
New York
Voter advocates were feeling cautiously optimistic that New York had taken steps ahead of the general election to correct the issues that plagued its primary this summer. Then mail-in ballots started hitting voters’ mailboxes.
Scores of voters in New York City have received ballots or ballot envelopes meant for other people. The city elections officials have blamed the fiasco on a vendor issue and are planning another mailing of 100,000 new ballots to cover all the voters who were potentially affected.
But the debacle has amped up anxiety that New York’s general could be as rocky as its primary, after which the results took several weeks to report in some races and fights broke out over how to count ballots that were missing a postmark. This time around, if voters submit the ballots that they were mailed erroneously and that weren’t meant for them, those ballots will be rejected — though, if the voters in question then show up to vote in-person, they’re in-person ballot will be counted instead. The need for voters to pay for absentee ballot postage — something that was covered for voters during the primary — is also prompting concern, particularly as voters have reported receiving contradictory guidance on how much postage their ballots will require.
“It’s a total nightmare,” said Jennifer Wilson, the deputy director of New York’s League of Women Voters. “Anything that can go wrong is going wrong.”
New York has historically been one of the least-voter friendly places, a fact that flew somewhat under the radar — due to its Democratic control and lack of swing state status — but one oft-cited by Republicans to defend the shortcomings of red states.
Last year, legislators finally passed a much-needed overhaul of the voting system, but it unfortunately did not contain exactly the kind of reforms that the pandemic would require. After Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) by emergency order expanded absentee voting for the primary, it became clear that election officials, particularly in New York City, lacked the infrastructure that could handle this summer’s surge in mail-in voting. Confusing ballot design exacerbated the June primary’s chaos.
The legislature has since passed a package of measures aimed at avoiding a repeat of this nightmare. It included a codification of the option voters have to cast ballots absentee because of COVID-19, a clarification around the postmark rules and the creation of a statewide online portal for absentee ballot applications. A recent lawsuit also made it easier for voters to avoid having their absentee ballots rejected for minor discrepancies.
Just as important, however, may be the provision in the 2019 legislation that made early in-person voting available for the first time ever in New York — an option that could help voters overcome the doubts about the latest mail ballot fiasco, as well as lingering concerns about the U.S. Postal Service.
While the overwhelming blueness of New York City precludes much drama over statewide races, several U.S. House races will be closely watched as Dems aim to continue their 2018 gains in previously Republican-leaning suburban communities.
District of Columbia
The nation’s capital isn’t up for grabs in the presidential race, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be trouble ahead despite the fact that President Trump isn’t contesting the District’s three electoral votes. For November’s election, D.C. instituted significant changes in response to COVID-19, making vote-by-mail universal and agreeing to send ballots to all registered voters. Those changes came after the District ran into trouble during its June primary, miserably failing the test presented by the pandemic’s spike in absentee voting while leading to calls for the resignation of top election officials.
The problems in June were myriad, featuring long lines for in-person voting that extended into the early hours of the morning after the District opened 20 polling stations as opposed to a normal- year count of 143. The surge of people was partly caused by board of elections failures in coping with more than 90,000 requests for absentee ballots, as opposed to the typical 6,000 or so requests it’s gotten in previous elections.
That disaster may turn out to redound to the District’s benefit, however. Following that debacle, local government officials enacted wide-ranging changes that include more than 50 secure drop boxes around the District for ballots, and a program to mail a ballot to every registered voter without any request needed. Election officials will accept mail ballots as long as they’re postmarked by Election Day and arrive by Nov. 13 — 10 days after the date of the general election. The District will have 90 polling locations open on Election Day — fewer than the typical 143, but enough, experts say, to allow D.C. to avoid the June debacle. Local government officials are also experimenting with new technology allowing voter registration signatures to be submitted via smartphone, while District officials say that they anticipate having enough poll workers to do the job come Election Day.
Delaware
Delaware just wrapped up its late-in-the-calendar primary two weeks ago. Aside from small, quickly resolved voting machine glitches and some minimal confusion about moved polling places, the day went smoothly. Turnout, including by mail, was incredibly high especially given that it was a relatively non-competitive primary. The General Assembly passed a bill in June allowing universal vote by mail for the primary and general elections. About 43 percent of voters cast their ballots by mail in the September primary, compared with just 5 percent in the 2018 primaries.
The state Republican party filed a lawsuit in late August arguing that the expanded access to mail ballots was unconstitutional. A judge shot down that argument on Monday, and the party has indicated that it does not intend to appeal the decision. The League of Women Voters filed a separate, ongoing lawsuit lobbying for ballots to be counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day and arrive by November 13. Currently, Delaware is only counting ballots received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
While the state’s general election doesn’t present any close races of national importance in Delaware (which Joe Biden represented in Congress), there were some notable results from the September primaries. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), the heavy favorite to win reelection, is facing Republican challenger Lauren Witzke, an open supporter of the Q-Anon conspiracy theory. Delaware is also likely to have its first ever transgender state senator in Democratic nominee Sarah McBride.
Connecticut
For Connecticut’s August primary, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed an executive order allowing all registered voters to vote absentee due to the pandemic. That left a state used to handling four to six percent of the vote in absentee ballots, partially due to its normally strict excuse requirement, facing a tsunami of ballot requests. All told, 59 percent of the primary vote was cast through mail-in ballots.
There were some glitches in the switchover. A third-party mail vendor, was hired to help get the applications and ballots out to voters. A week before the election, 20,000 voters who requested absentee ballots still had not received them. The President of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association instructed the clerks, who were taking over the mailing, to go through a massive spreadsheet of all 20,000 voters, isolate those in their towns and resend the ballots to ensure the voters had time to return them. She also recommended that voters avail themselves of the drop boxes at town and city halls instead of risking the mail, which in some parts of the state was experiencing days-long delays. The mess dissolved into a circle of finger-pointing with some blaming the vendor and others, including critical state Republicans, blaming the secretary of state for not communicating well with the town clerks.
Those issues were compounded by Tropical Storm Isasias, which made landfall days before the election. Due to mail delays caused by the storm, Lamont issued an executive order allowing ballots to be accepted until Thursday as long as they were postmarked by the Tuesday when the primary took place. As a result, it took days for races to be called.
Connecticut is also mailing out absentee ballot applications to all eligible voters for November, and hoping to iron out some of the hiccups that plagued the primary. The state House this week passed a bill, now in the Senate, allowing election workers to start counting ballots the Friday before Election Day. Republican state Senate minority leader Len Fasano, who has criticized Lamont at every turn, still predicts “mass confusion” and “potential litigation.” Secretary of State Denise Merrill was more optimistic, telling the Hartford Courant that “If we don’t have the storm delay, if we don’t have all the problems with getting things mailed out in a timely way, I think it will be fine.”
Oklahoma
Oklahoma, a deep-red state and therefore not much of a subject of national political interest, earned much of its election-related headlines this year when Donald Trump held an in-person rally there, in Tulsa, on June 20. The event is thought to have led to the death of a former competitor for the presidency, Herman Cain, who attended and shortly afterward was diagnosed with COVID-19.
The rally, free of basically any public health precautions, was a metaphor for the state’s approach to this year’s elections: Oklahoma hasn’t done much to accommodate changes to voting in the interest of public health.
What allowances it has made have tinkered at the margins. For example, the typical requirement that absentee ballots be notarized can be skipped this year, but only if a copy of the voter’s photo ID is included. For those who are physically incapacitated, two witness signatures will suffice.
For a brief moment, the state was free of the notary requirement altogether, after its state Supreme Court struck it down in a ruling in May. But the reprieve lasted just three days before the state’s conservative legislature passed a new law putting the requirement back in place. (That was just ahead of the state’s June primaries, in which voters narrowly opted to expand Medicaid.)
In a ruling earlier this month, U.S. District Judge John Dowdell denied the state Democratic Party’s requests to step in and further loosen those rules and others, such as those limiting who can help a voter request and submit an absentee ballot. The judge also rejected the same lawsuit’s attempts to loosen mail deadlines in light of USPS warnings that late-arriving ballots may disenfranchise voters.
Despite all of the obstacles, state officials expect there to be an increase in votes cast by mail this election cycle, particularly among the elderly. During the state’s March primary election, 4% of ballots were cast by mail. In June, that number went up to 14%.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-02--Superspreader-In-Chief: Officials Now Forced To Clean Up Trump’s COVID Mess

President Donald Trump ’ s announcement early Friday that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 has left in its wake a mess that could have been avoided if the President and his staff had followed appropriate protocol .
And now state and even federal officials are left trying to mop things up .
Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown ( D ) sharply criticized the President for his “ callousness ” in refusing to wear a mask at the presidential debate on Tuesday , endangering those involved in recent election-related events in his state .
Brown ’ s statement — and call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ super-spreader rallies ” — followed reports that a majority of staffers and members of Trump ’ s family refused to wear masks as Trump took the debate stage in Cleveland on Tuesday to face Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
Just two days after the debate , Hope Hicks , a senior aide in Trump ’ s inner circle , tested positive for coronavirus , which should have rung alarm bells for Trump and his team .
But even with knowledge of Hicks ’ illness and the infectious nature of the disease , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a trip to a fundraiser at the President ’ s Bedminster golf club , where Trump has since potentially risked the exposure of roughly 100 attendees , many of them GOP donors .
Republican donors who attended a Trump fundraiser on Thursday were “ freaking out ” early Friday amid the news of Trump ’ s COVID-19 diagnosis , frantically sending texts and calling with concerns after unwittingly risking exposure of infection with coronavirus while spending time with the President at his New Jersey golf club , a person with direct knowledge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phil Murphy hurriedly urged attendees of Trump ’ s fundraiser in his state to self-quarantine and get tested on Friday .
The Trump campaign as of Friday morning , had not sent out official guidance to many of the the donors who attended Thursday ’ s event , per CNBC .
Trump ’ s campaign rally in Duluth , Minnesota on Wednesday has also come under fresh scrutiny .
The Minnesota Department of Health urged attendees to get tested , even if they don ’ t yet have symptoms of the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission occurred at the Duluth rally and other events associated with President Trump ’ s visit , ” the health department said in a statement .
“ Community transmission of COVID-19 was high in St. Louis County prior to this week ’ s rally , and people attending the rally may have been infectious without realizing it.
” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was also tasked with cleaning up Trump ’ s COVID mess on Friday .
Without wearing a mask himself , Meadows carefully fielded questions amid concerns that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at risk of infection given their previous knowledge of Hicks ’ positive test .
Meadows — without taking responsibility for the move — said that the White House had “ already started ” contact tracing “ just prior ” to the Bedminster event .
It was only aftermath of Trump ’ s announcement that his campaign manager Bill Stepien , who was aboard Air Force One with both Trump and Hicks on Tuesday and did not wear a mask himself , fired off a memo to wash the campaign ’ s hands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wear masks which he claimed was among “ practices the campaign has long encouraged .
”

President Donald Trump’s announcement early Friday that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 has left in its wake a mess that could have been avoided if the President and his staff had followed appropriate protocol.
And now state and even federal officials are left trying to mop things up.
Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) sharply criticized the President for his “callousness” in refusing to wear a mask at the presidential debate on Tuesday, endangering those involved in recent election-related events in his state.
Statement for @SenSherrodBrown includes this: "I’m extremely troubled by the reports that the President’s family and staff refused to wear masks at the debate in Cleveland, and then held a fundraiser the next day – endangering all who worked at and attended these events." pic.twitter.com/ABNIUIDShl — Sydney Ember (@melbournecoal) October 2, 2020
Brown’s statement — and call for the President to cancel his “super-spreader rallies” — followed reports that a majority of staffers and members of Trump’s family refused to wear masks as Trump took the debate stage in Cleveland on Tuesday to face Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Just two days after the debate, Hope Hicks, a senior aide in Trump’s inner circle, tested positive for coronavirus, which should have rung alarm bells for Trump and his team. But even with knowledge of Hicks’ illness and the infectious nature of the disease, Trump and his staffers carried on with a trip to a fundraiser at the President’s Bedminster golf club, where Trump has since potentially risked the exposure of roughly 100 attendees, many of them GOP donors.
Republican donors who attended a Trump fundraiser on Thursday were “freaking out” early Friday amid the news of Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis, frantically sending texts and calling with concerns after unwittingly risking exposure of infection with coronavirus while spending time with the President at his New Jersey golf club, a person with direct knowledge of the conversations told CNBC.
Gov. Phil Murphy hurriedly urged attendees of Trump’s fundraiser in his state to self-quarantine and get tested on Friday. The Trump campaign as of Friday morning, had not sent out official guidance to many of the the donors who attended Thursday’s event, per CNBC.
We urge everyone who attended yesterday's event in Bedminster to take full precautions, including self-quarantining and getting tested for #COVID19. Find your nearest testing location: https://t.co/JZg9mGpUuV. — Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) October 2, 2020
Trump’s campaign rally in Duluth, Minnesota on Wednesday has also come under fresh scrutiny. The Minnesota Department of Health urged attendees to get tested, even if they don’t yet have symptoms of the coronavirus.
“There is a potential risk that transmission occurred at the Duluth rally and other events associated with President Trump’s visit,” the health department said in a statement. “Community transmission of COVID-19 was high in St. Louis County prior to this week’s rally, and people attending the rally may have been infectious without realizing it.”
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was also tasked with cleaning up Trump’s COVID mess on Friday.
Without wearing a mask himself, Meadows carefully fielded questions amid concerns that the President and his staff had put others at risk of infection given their previous knowledge of Hicks’ positive test.
Meadows — without taking responsibility for the move — said that the White House had “already started” contact tracing “just prior” to the Bedminster event.
It was only aftermath of Trump’s announcement that his campaign manager Bill Stepien, who was aboard Air Force One with both Trump and Hicks on Tuesday and did not wear a mask himself, fired off a memo to wash the campaign’s hands of responsibility — in it he urged staffers to wear masks which he claimed was among “practices the campaign has long encouraged.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-02--Here’s Why It’s Unlikely That Trump Infected Biden

Former Vice President Joe Biden tested negative for COVID-19 on Friday , a moment of relief for those panicked that he ’ d been infected by President Donald Trump at Tuesday ’ s debate .
While one negative test does not mean Biden is entirely out of the woods due to the virus ’ long incubation period , the relatively low exposure from debate night puts Biden in a fairly safe spot .
“ The negative test in itself should not be reassuring , ” Dr. Leana Wen , an emergency physician and visiting professor of health policy and management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the CDC , COVID-19 ’ s incubation period is 14 days with an average of four to five days from infection to the onset of symptoms .
Biden ’ s Friday negative test happened about two and a half days after he shared the stage with Trump Tuesday night .
Still , Wen said , the chance of Trump transmitting the virus to Biden at the debate is “ very low.
” “ Just looking at that setting : yes it was inside and yes they didn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking loudly — but they were separated by quite some distance , well over six feet , ” she said .
She added that the debate lacked the usual opening handshake , and that absent Biden and Trump “ hugging or kissing , ” the risk from the encounter was minimal .
The lecterns at the debate were 12 feet and eight inches apart , per CNN .
In keeping with CDC guidelines , Biden would only have to quarantine if he was within six feet of the President .
Trump announced his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , though it is not clear exactly when he was infected or when he got his results .
Dr. Susan Hassig , an epidemiologist at Tulane University , also classified the risk to Biden from the debate as “ very low.
” “ The distance is some protection for Biden , as is the size of the room , ” she told TPM , though she added that “ Trump was yelling a lot , creating aerosols , and they were in the same space for 90 minutes.
” Hassig said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from those in Trump ’ s orbit not quarantining or even wearing masks .
She pointed out that despite Vice President Mike Pence ’ s negative test , he too could be infected but still within the incubation period .
“ Pence is not yet definitively uninfected , and should also be quarantining , ” she said .
“ The debate with [ Kamala ] Harris may need to be virtual.
” She also said that the type of COVID-19 tests being used to test the government officials is critical , as rapid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positives and negatives .
Trump announced his infection the day after news broke that his close aide Hope Hicks had tested positive for the virus after traveling with him extensively this week .
Soon after , it was revealed that Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel had tested positive on Wednesday .
According to the New York Times , she and Trump were together in Michigan on Friday .
No one on the Trump campaign forewarned the Biden campaign about the President ’ s positive diagnosis , or risk of infection , before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBC News reporter .

Former Vice President Joe Biden tested negative for COVID-19 on Friday, a moment of relief for those panicked that he’d been infected by President Donald Trump at Tuesday’s debate.
While one negative test does not mean Biden is entirely out of the woods due to the virus’ long incubation period, the relatively low exposure from debate night puts Biden in a fairly safe spot.
“The negative test in itself should not be reassuring,” Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor of health policy and management at George Washington University, told TPM. According to the CDC, COVID-19’s incubation period is 14 days with an average of four to five days from infection to the onset of symptoms. Biden’s Friday negative test happened about two and a half days after he shared the stage with Trump Tuesday night.
Still, Wen said, the chance of Trump transmitting the virus to Biden at the debate is “very low.”
“Just looking at that setting: yes it was inside and yes they didn’t have masks on and were at many times speaking loudly — but they were separated by quite some distance, well over six feet,” she said. She added that the debate lacked the usual opening handshake, and that absent Biden and Trump “hugging or kissing,” the risk from the encounter was minimal.
The lecterns at the debate were 12 feet and eight inches apart, per CNN. In keeping with CDC guidelines, Biden would only have to quarantine if he was within six feet of the President.
Trump announced his positive test in a 1 a.m. tweet Friday, though it is not clear exactly when he was infected or when he got his results.
Dr. Susan Hassig, an epidemiologist at Tulane University, also classified the risk to Biden from the debate as “very low.”
“The distance is some protection for Biden, as is the size of the room,” she told TPM, though she added that “Trump was yelling a lot, creating aerosols, and they were in the same space for 90 minutes.”
Hassig said that her bigger concern is the possible spreading from those in Trump’s orbit not quarantining or even wearing masks. She pointed out that despite Vice President Mike Pence’s negative test, he too could be infected but still within the incubation period.
“Pence is not yet definitively uninfected, and should also be quarantining,” she said. “The debate with [Kamala] Harris may need to be virtual.”
She also said that the type of COVID-19 tests being used to test the government officials is critical, as rapid tests are known to produce both false positives and negatives.
Trump announced his infection the day after news broke that his close aide Hope Hicks had tested positive for the virus after traveling with him extensively this week. Soon after, it was revealed that Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel had tested positive on Wednesday. According to the New York Times, she and Trump were together in Michigan on Friday.
No one on the Trump campaign forewarned the Biden campaign about the President’s positive diagnosis, or risk of infection, before Trump tweeted on Friday according to an NBC News reporter.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-02--WaPo: Trump’s SCOTUS Nom Tested Positive For COVID Over The Summer

President Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett testified positive and since has recovered from COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ Post report that dates the diagnosis to “ this summer.
” The White House said @ @ @ @ @ had tested negative in a COVID-19 test .
The announcement came amid news that people @ @ @ @ @ with , including the President and a Republican senator , had tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ White House , Coney Barrett had been receiving daily COVID-19 tests , including a test @ @ @ @ @ Friday morning .
The White House declined to comment to the Washington Post on the @ @ @ @ @ s summer diagnosis .
President Trump , whom the judge stood alongside on Saturday , @ @ @ @ @ R-UT ) , whom Coney Barrett met with on the Hill this week , both @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
Lee attended Coney Barrett ’ s nomination announcement on Saturday , as did @ @ @ @ @ who also announced Friday testing positive for COVID-19 .

President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett testified positive and since has recovered from COVID-19, according to a Friday Washington Post report that dates the diagnosis to “this summer.”
The White House said earlier Friday that had Barrett had tested negative in a COVID-19 test. The announcement came amid news that people Coney Barrett had recently interacted with, including the President and a Republican senator, had tested positive for the virus. According to the White House, Coney Barrett had been receiving daily COVID-19 tests, including a test that showed her negative on Friday morning.
The White House declined to comment to the Washington Post on the revelation of the judge’s summer diagnosis.
President Trump, whom the judge stood alongside on Saturday, and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), whom Coney Barrett met with on the Hill this week, both announced positive COVID-19 tests on Friday.
Lee attended Coney Barrett’s nomination announcement on Saturday, as did the Notre Dame University president who also announced Friday testing positive for COVID-19.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-02--No, Trump Isn’t Faking COVID In A Master Scheme To Vanquish Biden

Almost immediately after news broke that President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump had been diagnosed with COVID-19 , the doubt began to spread : Can we really believe the President ?
Soon , some on the web felt they had uncovered the President ’ s masterstroke : Faking his COVID diagnosis .
“ He ’ s lying , ” Chance the Rapper said bluntly on Twitter .
The genius , three-dimensional-chess move could allow the President to perpetrate any number of schemes , social media commentators mused .
Filmmaker Michael Moore , for his part , reminded his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth about Trump : He is a consistent , absolute , unrelenting , fearless , and professional liar .
Moore posited that while Trump is “ probably ” actually sick , he might just as well be trying to “ change the conversation about this campaign.
” Trump could be feigning illness in order to showcase the release of a COVID-19 vaccine , Moore mused , or he could use the diagnosis to delay or postpone the election .
Trump might also use the illness to drop out of the race and put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the presidential ticket , Moore wrote , “ and then Pence could pre-emptively pardon Trump for all of his crimes.
” For some , including writer and strategist Cheri Jacobus , the administration just couldn ’ t be trusted to deliver the news .
The moochman himself , former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci , sought to inject some order into the discussion just before 8 a.m .
ET Friday , during a CNN interview .
“ Somebody said to me this morning , ‘ Well , maybe he doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s looking for sympathy , ” Scaramucci recalled .
“ No , that ’ s not true.
” “ I ’ m sure he has it , because there ’ s no way he would want to isolate himself for 14 days if he didn ’ t have it .
”

Almost immediately after news broke that President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump had been diagnosed with COVID-19, the doubt began to spread: Can we really believe the President?
Soon, some on the web felt they had uncovered the President’s masterstroke: Faking his COVID diagnosis.
“He’s lying,” Chance the Rapper said bluntly on Twitter.
The genius, three-dimensional-chess move could allow the President to perpetrate any number of schemes, social media commentators mused. Filmmaker Michael Moore, for his part, reminded his Facebook followers of the “one absolute truth about Trump: He is a consistent, absolute, unrelenting, fearless, and professional liar.
Moore posited that while Trump is “probably” actually sick, he might just as well be trying to “change the conversation about this campaign.”
Trump could be feigning illness in order to showcase the release of a COVID-19 vaccine, Moore mused, or he could use the diagnosis to delay or postpone the election.
Trump might also use the illness to drop out of the race and put Vice President Mike Pence at the top of the presidential ticket, Moore wrote, “and then Pence could pre-emptively pardon Trump for all of his crimes.”
For some, including writer and strategist Cheri Jacobus, the administration just couldn’t be trusted to deliver the news.
Until we hear from Walter Reed, I am skeptical. This White House cannot be trusted. https://t.co/6cUqE83ZJS — Cheri Jacobus (@CheriJacobus) October 2, 2020
“It’s understandable people feel skeptical,” journalist Steven Bechloss added.
I am not entertaining conspiracy theories, not about Trump’s diagnosis, QAnon or otherwise. But Trump is a pathological liar, we never got the truth of why he went to Walter Reed months ago nor ever about his actual physical health. It’s understandable people feel skeptical. — Steven Beschloss (@StevenBeschloss) October 2, 2020
The moochman himself, former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, sought to inject some order into the discussion just before 8 a.m. ET Friday, during a CNN interview.
“Somebody said to me this morning, ‘Well, maybe he doesn’t have it, maybe he’s looking for sympathy,” Scaramucci recalled. “No, that’s not true.”
“I’m sure he has it, because there’s no way he would want to isolate himself for 14 days if he didn’t have it.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-02--Supreme Court to Review Arizona ‘Ballot Harvesting’ Law

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The Supreme Court said Friday it will review a 2016 Arizona law that bars anyone but a family member or caregiver from returning another person ’ s early ballot .
The law itself , however , remains in effect through the presidential election and until the justices rule .
The court will begin hearing arguments again next week after a summer break .
The Arizona case was one of four cases the court , now eight justices because of the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , agreed to hear in its new term that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the justices did not comment in taking the cases .
Because of the coronavirus pandemic , the justices will not be returning to the courtroom to hear arguments but instead will continue hearing arguments by telephone .
The court has been closed to the public since March .
In the Arizona case , a federal appeals court ruled in January that Arizona ’ s law banning so-called “ ballot harvesting ” violates the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution , but the court put its ruling on hold while the Supreme Court was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeals court also found that Arizona ’ s policy of discarding ballots if a voter went to the wrong precinct violates the law .
The court said both have a discriminatory impact on minority voters in violation of the Voting Rights Act .
The high court in recent years has weakened the Voting Rights Act , throwing out the most powerful part of the landmark law in 2013 .
It could use the current case to go even further .
The case began after Republicans in Arizona passed the law making it a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot to election officials in most cases and Democrats sued .
Both parties had used ballot collection in Arizona to boost turnout during elections by going door to door and asking voters if they have completed their mail-in ballot .
Democrats used the method aggressively in minority communities and argued their success prompted the new GOP-sponsored law .
Republicans argued the law was aimed at preventing election fraud .
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich , a Republican , said in a statement he is pleased the court will hear the case .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a longstanding effort by the Federal Communications Commission to relax restrictions in individual media markets on ownership of different forms of media — TV stations and newspapers — over fears that it would leave fewer outlets controlled by minorities .
The court also will take up cases involving how immigration officials evaluate the claims of asylum seekers and a lawsuit by the city of Baltimore against BP Inc. and other energy companies seeking money for their contribution to climate change , although the issue before the justices is a technical one involving where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court has already filled its argument calendar through December , so none of the cases will be argued before January 2021 .

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Friday it will review a 2016 Arizona law that bars anyone but a family member or caregiver from returning another person’s early ballot. The law itself, however, remains in effect through the presidential election and until the justices rule.
The court will begin hearing arguments again next week after a summer break. The Arizona case was one of four cases the court, now eight justices because of the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, agreed to hear in its new term that begins Monday. As is usual, the justices did not comment in taking the cases. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the justices will not be returning to the courtroom to hear arguments but instead will continue hearing arguments by telephone. The court has been closed to the public since March.
In the Arizona case, a federal appeals court ruled in January that Arizona’s law banning so-called “ballot harvesting” violates the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution, but the court put its ruling on hold while the Supreme Court was asked to take the case.
The appeals court also found that Arizona’s policy of discarding ballots if a voter went to the wrong precinct violates the law. The court said both have a discriminatory impact on minority voters in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
The high court in recent years has weakened the Voting Rights Act, throwing out the most powerful part of the landmark law in 2013. It could use the current case to go even further.
The case began after Republicans in Arizona passed the law making it a felony to return someone else’s ballot to election officials in most cases and Democrats sued.
Both parties had used ballot collection in Arizona to boost turnout during elections by going door to door and asking voters if they have completed their mail-in ballot. Democrats used the method aggressively in minority communities and argued their success prompted the new GOP-sponsored law. Republicans argued the law was aimed at preventing election fraud.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, said in a statement he is pleased the court will hear the case.
The justices also said Friday they will review a longstanding effort by the Federal Communications Commission to relax restrictions in individual media markets on ownership of different forms of media — TV stations and newspapers — over fears that it would leave fewer outlets controlled by minorities.
The court also will take up cases involving how immigration officials evaluate the claims of asylum seekers and a lawsuit by the city of Baltimore against BP Inc. and other energy companies seeking money for their contribution to climate change, although the issue before the justices is a technical one involving where the case should be heard.
The Supreme Court has already filled its argument calendar through December, so none of the cases will be argued before January 2021.