talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--Chief Justice John Roberts Remembers Ginsburg: ‘A Jurist Of Historic Stature’

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , a diminutive yet towering women ’ s rights champion who became the court ’ s second female justice , died Friday at her home in Washington .
She was 87 .
Ginsburg died of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer , the court said .
Her death just over six weeks before Election Day is likely to set off a heated battle over whether President Donald Trump should nominate , and the Republican-led Senate should confirm , her replacement , or if the seat should remain vacant until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden is known .
Chief Justice John Roberts mourned Ginsburg ’ s passing .
“ Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature .
We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague .
Today we mourn , but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice , ” Roberts said in a statement .
Ginsburg announced in July that she was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for lesions on her liver , the latest of her several battles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years on the bench as the unquestioned leader of the court ’ s liberal wing and became something of a rock star to her admirers .
Young women especially seemed to embrace the court ’ s Jewish grandmother , affectionately calling her the Notorious RBG , for her defense of the rights of women and minorities , and the strength and resilience she displayed in the face of personal loss and health crises .
Those health issues included five bouts with cancer beginning in 1999 , falls that resulted in broken ribs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blocked artery and assorted other hospitalizations after she turned 75 .
She resisted calls by liberals to retire during Barack Obama ’ s presidency at a time when Democrats held the Senate and a replacement with similar views could have been confirmed .
Instead , Trump will almost certainly try to push Ginsburg ’ s successor through the Republican-controlled Senate — and move the conservative court even more to the right .
Ginsburg antagonized Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign in a series of media interviews , including calling him a faker .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Bill Clinton in 1993 was the first by a Democrat in 26 years .
She initially found a comfortable ideological home somewhere left of center on a conservative court dominated by Republican appointees .
Her liberal voice grew stronger the longer she served .
Ginsburg was a mother of two , an opera lover and an intellectual who watched arguments behind oversized glasses for many years , though she ditched them for more fashionable frames in her later years .
At argument sessions in the ornate courtroom , she was known for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a stickler for following the rules .
She argued six key cases before the court in the 1970s when she was an architect of the women ’ s rights movement .
She won five .
“ Ruth Bader Ginsburg does not need a seat on the Supreme Court to earn her place in the American history books , ” Clinton said at the time of her appointment .
“ She has already done that.
” On the court , where she was known as a facile writer , her most significant majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Virginia Military Institute to accept women or give up its state funding , and the 2015 decision that upheld independent commissions some states use to draw congressional districts .
Besides civil rights , Ginsburg took an interest in capital punishment , voting repeatedly to limit its use .
During her tenure , the court declared it unconstitutional for states to execute the intellectually disabled and killers younger than 18 .
In addition , she questioned the quality of lawyers for poor accused murderers .
In the most divisive of cases , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she was often at odds with the court ’ s more conservative members — initially Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Justices Sandra Day O ’ Connor , Antonin Scalia , Anthony M. Kennedy and Clarence Thomas .
The division remained the same after John Roberts replaced Rehnquist as chief justice , Samuel Alito took O ’ Connor ’ s seat , and , under Trump , Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh joined the court , in seats that had been held by Scalia and Kennedy , respectively .
Ginsburg would say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush was a “ breathtaking episode ” at the court .
She was perhaps personally closest on the court to Scalia , her ideological opposite .
Ginsburg once explained that she took Scalia ’ s sometimes biting dissents as a challenge to be met .
“ How am I going to answer this in a way that ’ s a real putdown ?
” she said .
When Scalia died in 2016 , also an election year , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge Merrick Garland to fill the opening .
The seat remained vacant until after Trump ’ s surprising presidential victory .
McConnell has said he would move to confirm a Trump nominee if there were a vacancy this year .
Reached by phone late Friday , Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , the chairman of the Judiciary Committee , declined to disclose any plans .
He said a statement would be forthcoming .
Ginsburg authored powerful dissents of her own in cases involving abortion , voting rights and pay discrimination against women .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opinions of her fellow judges while others were “ an appeal to the intelligence of another day ” in the hopes that they would provide guidance to future courts .
“ Hope springs eternal , ” she said in 2007 , “ and when I am writing a dissent , I ’ m always hoping for that fifth or sixth vote — even though I ’ m disappointed more often than not.
” She wrote memorably in 2013 that the court ’ s decision to cut out a key part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights of Black people , Hispanics and other minorities was “ like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.
” Change on the court hit Ginsburg especially hard .
She dissented forcefully from the court ’ s decision in 2007 to uphold a nationwide ban on an abortion procedure that opponents call partial-birth abortion .
The court , with O ’ Connor still on it , had struck down a similar state ban seven years earlier .
The “ alarming ” ruling , Ginsburg said , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than an effort to chip away at a right declared again and again by this court — and with increasing comprehension of its centrality to women ’ s lives.
” In 1999 , Ginsburg had surgery for colon cancer and received radiation and chemotherapy .
She had surgery again in 2009 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and in December 2018 for cancerous growths on her left lung .
Following the last surgery , she missed court sessions for the first time in more than 25 years on the bench .
Ginsburg also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on her pancreas in August 2019 .
She maintained an active schedule even during the three weeks of radiation .
When she revealed a recurrence of her cancer in July 2020 , Ginsburg said she remained “ fully able ” to continue as a justice .
Joan Ruth Bader was born in Brooklyn , New York , in 1933 , the second daughter in a middle-class family .
Her older sister , who gave her the lifelong nickname “ Kiki , ” died at age 6 , so Ginsburg grew up in Brooklyn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child .
Her dream , she has said , was to be an opera singer .
Ginsburg graduated at the top of her Columbia University law school class in 1959 but could not find a law firm willing to hire her .
She had “ three strikes against her ” — for being Jewish , female and a mother , as she put it in 2007 .
She had married her husband , Martin , in 1954 , the year she graduated from Cornell University .
She attended Harvard University ’ s law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband took a law job there .
Martin Ginsburg went on to become a prominent tax attorney and law professor .
Martin Ginsburg died in 2010 .
She is survived by two children , Jane and James , and several grandchildren .
Ginsburg once said that she had not entered the law as an equal-rights champion .
“ I thought I could do a lawyer ’ s job better than any other , ” she wrote .
“ I have no talent in the arts , but I do write fairly well and @ @ @ @ @

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a diminutive yet towering women’s rights champion who became the court’s second female justice, died Friday at her home in Washington. She was 87.
Ginsburg died of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer, the court said.
Her death just over six weeks before Election Day is likely to set off a heated battle over whether President Donald Trump should nominate, and the Republican-led Senate should confirm, her replacement, or if the seat should remain vacant until the outcome of his race against Democrat Joe Biden is known.
Chief Justice John Roberts mourned Ginsburg’s passing. “Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature. We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice,” Roberts said in a statement.
Ginsburg announced in July that she was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for lesions on her liver, the latest of her several battles with cancer.
Ginsburg spent her final years on the bench as the unquestioned leader of the court’s liberal wing and became something of a rock star to her admirers. Young women especially seemed to embrace the court’s Jewish grandmother, affectionately calling her the Notorious RBG, for her defense of the rights of women and minorities, and the strength and resilience she displayed in the face of personal loss and health crises.
Those health issues included five bouts with cancer beginning in 1999, falls that resulted in broken ribs, insertion of a stent to clear a blocked artery and assorted other hospitalizations after she turned 75.
She resisted calls by liberals to retire during Barack Obama’s presidency at a time when Democrats held the Senate and a replacement with similar views could have been confirmed. Instead, Trump will almost certainly try to push Ginsburg’s successor through the Republican-controlled Senate — and move the conservative court even more to the right.
Ginsburg antagonized Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign in a series of media interviews, including calling him a faker. She soon apologized.
Her appointment by President Bill Clinton in 1993 was the first by a Democrat in 26 years. She initially found a comfortable ideological home somewhere left of center on a conservative court dominated by Republican appointees. Her liberal voice grew stronger the longer she served.
Ginsburg was a mother of two, an opera lover and an intellectual who watched arguments behind oversized glasses for many years, though she ditched them for more fashionable frames in her later years. At argument sessions in the ornate courtroom, she was known for digging deep into case records and for being a stickler for following the rules.
She argued six key cases before the court in the 1970s when she was an architect of the women’s rights movement. She won five.
“Ruth Bader Ginsburg does not need a seat on the Supreme Court to earn her place in the American history books,” Clinton said at the time of her appointment. “She has already done that.”
On the court, where she was known as a facile writer, her most significant majority opinions were the 1996 ruling that ordered the Virginia Military Institute to accept women or give up its state funding, and the 2015 decision that upheld independent commissions some states use to draw congressional districts.
Besides civil rights, Ginsburg took an interest in capital punishment, voting repeatedly to limit its use. During her tenure, the court declared it unconstitutional for states to execute the intellectually disabled and killers younger than 18.
In addition, she questioned the quality of lawyers for poor accused murderers. In the most divisive of cases, including the Bush v. Gore decision in 2000, she was often at odds with the court’s more conservative members — initially Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy and Clarence Thomas.
The division remained the same after John Roberts replaced Rehnquist as chief justice, Samuel Alito took O’Connor’s seat, and, under Trump, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh joined the court, in seats that had been held by Scalia and Kennedy, respectively.
Ginsburg would say later that the 5-4 decision that settled the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush was a “breathtaking episode” at the court.
She was perhaps personally closest on the court to Scalia, her ideological opposite. Ginsburg once explained that she took Scalia’s sometimes biting dissents as a challenge to be met. “How am I going to answer this in a way that’s a real putdown?” she said.
When Scalia died in 2016, also an election year, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to act on Obama’s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to fill the opening. The seat remained vacant until after Trump’s surprising presidential victory. McConnell has said he would move to confirm a Trump nominee if there were a vacancy this year.
Reached by phone late Friday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, declined to disclose any plans. He said a statement would be forthcoming.
Ginsburg authored powerful dissents of her own in cases involving abortion, voting rights and pay discrimination against women. She said some were aimed at swaying the opinions of her fellow judges while others were “an appeal to the intelligence of another day” in the hopes that they would provide guidance to future courts.
“Hope springs eternal,” she said in 2007, “and when I am writing a dissent, I’m always hoping for that fifth or sixth vote — even though I’m disappointed more often than not.”
She wrote memorably in 2013 that the court’s decision to cut out a key part of the federal law that had ensured the voting rights of Black people, Hispanics and other minorities was “like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.”
Change on the court hit Ginsburg especially hard. She dissented forcefully from the court’s decision in 2007 to uphold a nationwide ban on an abortion procedure that opponents call partial-birth abortion. The court, with O’Connor still on it, had struck down a similar state ban seven years earlier. The “alarming” ruling, Ginsburg said, “cannot be understood as anything other than an effort to chip away at a right declared again and again by this court — and with increasing comprehension of its centrality to women’s lives.”
In 1999, Ginsburg had surgery for colon cancer and received radiation and chemotherapy. She had surgery again in 2009 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and in December 2018 for cancerous growths on her left lung. Following the last surgery, she missed court sessions for the first time in more than 25 years on the bench.
Ginsburg also was treated with radiation for a tumor on her pancreas in August 2019. She maintained an active schedule even during the three weeks of radiation. When she revealed a recurrence of her cancer in July 2020, Ginsburg said she remained “fully able” to continue as a justice.
Joan Ruth Bader was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1933, the second daughter in a middle-class family. Her older sister, who gave her the lifelong nickname “Kiki,” died at age 6, so Ginsburg grew up in Brooklyn’s Flatbush section as an only child. Her dream, she has said, was to be an opera singer.
Ginsburg graduated at the top of her Columbia University law school class in 1959 but could not find a law firm willing to hire her. She had “three strikes against her” — for being Jewish, female and a mother, as she put it in 2007.
She had married her husband, Martin, in 1954, the year she graduated from Cornell University. She attended Harvard University’s law school but transferred to Columbia when her husband took a law job there. Martin Ginsburg went on to become a prominent tax attorney and law professor. Martin Ginsburg died in 2010. She is survived by two children, Jane and James, and several grandchildren.
Ginsburg once said that she had not entered the law as an equal-rights champion. “I thought I could do a lawyer’s job better than any other,” she wrote. “I have no talent in the arts, but I do write fairly well and analyze problems clearly.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-18--Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dead At 87

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dead At 87

She was 87 years old .
“ My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed , ” Ginsburg said in a statement dictated to her granddaughter before her death , according to NPR .
Ginsburg , the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court , was appointed by President Clinton in 1993 .
She previously served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit , where she was appointed in 1980 .
“ Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature .
We at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement .
“ Today we mourn , but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice.
” Before her career as a judge , she was best known for her work on gender equality .
As a civil rights attorney , she argued pivotal gender equality cases before the Supreme Court .
She also helped launched the ACLU ’ s Women ’ s Rights Project .
Gender equality was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court justice .
She wrote the majority opinion in a case that declared unconstitutional Virginia Military Institute ’ s all-male admission policy .
Her scathing dissents in the gender discrimination case Ledbetter v. Goodyear , and in the Hobby Lobby case , where the majority kneecapped Obamacare ’ s birth control coverage mandate , also earned her wide acclaim .
She penned notably sharp dissents in voting rights disputes as well , including the 2013 Shelby County case that gutted the Voting Rights Act and , most recently , an April dispute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary during the pandemic .
Her passing gives Republicans the opportunity to cement conservative control of the Supreme Court for the next generation .
Despite his 2016 stance that the vacancy left by the late Justice Antonin Scalia , who died in February before the election , would remain unfilled until the next President selected a nominee , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) has made no secret that he intended to fill any vacancies created this year , even if it was just weeks before the election .
To block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats will have to secure defections of at least four GOP senators .
The White House has already sent signals that it intends to name a nominee to fill Ginsburg ’ s seat , according to ABC News .

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday evening due to complications of metastatic pancreas cancer.
She was 87 years old.
“My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed,” Ginsburg said in a statement dictated to her granddaughter before her death, according to NPR.
Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, was appointed by President Clinton in 1993.
She previously served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where she was appointed in 1980.
“Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature. We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement. “Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice.”
Before her career as a judge, she was best known for her work on gender equality. As a civil rights attorney, she argued pivotal gender equality cases before the Supreme Court. She also helped launched the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project.
Gender equality was also a hallmark of her tenure as a Supreme Court justice. She wrote the majority opinion in a case that declared unconstitutional Virginia Military Institute’s all-male admission policy. Her scathing dissents in the gender discrimination case Ledbetter v. Goodyear, and in the Hobby Lobby case, where the majority kneecapped Obamacare’s birth control coverage mandate, also earned her wide acclaim.
She penned notably sharp dissents in voting rights disputes as well, including the 2013 Shelby County case that gutted the Voting Rights Act and, most recently, an April dispute over absentee voting in Wisconsin’s primary during the pandemic.
Her passing gives Republicans the opportunity to cement conservative control of the Supreme Court for the next generation. Despite his 2016 stance that the vacancy left by the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February before the election, would remain unfilled until the next President selected a nominee, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has made no secret that he intended to fill any vacancies created this year, even if it was just weeks before the election.
To block the Senate from confirming her replacement, Democrats will have to secure defections of at least four GOP senators.
The White House has already sent signals that it intends to name a nominee to fill Ginsburg’s seat, according to ABC News.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-18--ICYMI: Your TPM Weekend News Roundup

ICYMI: Your TPM Weekend News Roundup

Desperate To Help Trump ’ s Campaign : • The Trump administration continues to politicize its response to COVID-19 to boost the President ’ s reelection prospects .
• On Monday , experts warned TPM about the “ disastrous ” effects of political officials pressuring the CDC to manipulate the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report , a key tool that tracks the spread of the virus .
• On another front , the Trump administration doubled down on its pre-election timetable for a COVID-19 vaccine — which scientists agree is a wildly optimistic deadline .
• Even Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contradicted Trump on his vaccine timeline , which apparently earned him a salty call from the President .
• White House chief of staff Mark Meadows continued throwing Redfield under the bus on Thursday , claiming that the top health official wasn ’ t close enough to the vaccine process to know the specifics .
• The New York Times reported Thursday evening that the CDC posted controversial COVID-19 testing guidance on asymptomatic people against the agency ’ s own health officials .
• After the exposé , the CDC reversed course on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people exposed to COVID should be tested for the virus .
• Michael Caputo ’ s short-lived but controversial tenure as HHS spokesman came to an abrupt halt this week .
• Caputo ’ s downfall began last weekend , when he went on a Facebook rant claiming that “ seditious ” scientists at the CDC were working to undermine Trump .
• Sen. Patty Murray ( D-WA ) , the ranking member of the Senate Health Committee , called for Caputo to step down after his screed surfaced .
• Caputo blamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal medical issues and purported death threats against his family , acknowledging that his comments did not reflect well on HHS .
• On Wednesday , HHS announced Caputo was taking a 60-day leave of absence “ to focus on his health and the well-being of his family.
” He insists he ’ ll be back in action .
• This week saw another wave of former Trump administration officials coming out against the President .
On Thursday afternoon , a former staffer for Vice President Mike Pence starred in a new anti-Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response .
• Olivia Troye , who was part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force , said that Trump at one point expressed his happiness that he would no longer be forced to shake the hands of his “ disgusting ” ( in the President ’ s words ) supporters .
Troye also announced that she was throwing her support behind Biden .
• In an interview with the New Yorker , Troye said the political pressure being applied to the development of a COVID vaccine was just one of the reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • She wasn ’ t the only ex-administration official to publicly rebuke the Trump government this week .
Josh Venable , former chief of staff to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos , joined the anti-Trump group Republican Political Alliance for Integrity and Reform as an adviser .
Is this feature useful ?
Let us know .

Start your day with TPM.
Desperate To Help Trump’s Campaign:
Kaput-o
Michael Caputo’s short-lived but controversial tenure as HHS spokesman came to an abrupt halt this week.
Caputo’s downfall began last weekend, when he went on a Facebook rant claiming that “seditious” scientists at the CDC were working to undermine Trump.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the ranking member of the Senate Health Committee, called for Caputo to step down after his screed surfaced.
Caputo blamed his erratic behavior on a combination of personal medical issues and purported death threats against his family, acknowledging that his comments did not reflect well on HHS.
On Wednesday, HHS announced Caputo was taking a 60-day leave of absence “to focus on his health and the well-being of his family.” He insists he’ll be back in action.
Dam Breaks On Anti-Trumpers
This week saw another wave of former Trump administration officials coming out against the President. On Thursday afternoon, a former staffer for Vice President Mike Pence starred in a new anti-Trump video excoriating the administration’s COVID-19 response.
Olivia Troye, who was part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said that Trump at one point expressed his happiness that he would no longer be forced to shake the hands of his “disgusting” (in the President’s words) supporters. Troye also announced that she was throwing her support behind Biden.
In an interview with the New Yorker, Troye said the political pressure being applied to the development of a COVID vaccine was just one of the reasons she had decided to speak out.
She wasn’t the only ex-administration official to publicly rebuke the Trump government this week. Josh Venable, former chief of staff to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, joined the anti-Trump group Republican Political Alliance for Integrity and Reform as an adviser.
Is this feature useful? Let us know.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-18--Trump Claims To Know More Than Experts ‘In Many Cases’ After Clashes With Officials

President Donald asserted that he often knows more about issues than his own government experts on Friday afternoon , after publicly pushing undermining FBI Director Christopher Wray and Centers of Disease Control and Prevention Director ( CDC ) Robert Redfield ’ s testimonies on Russian election interference and the COVID-19 vaccine , respectively .
During a White House press briefing , a reporter brought up Trump ’ s tweets from Thursday night that chastised Wray for warning Congress about Russia ’ s efforts to “ denigrate ” Democratic candidate Joe Biden on Trump ’ s behalf and for correctly stating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ anti-fascist ” ) is an ideology , not a formal organization .
“ How is it that you don ’ t trust your own experts ?
Do you think you know better than they do ?
” ABC ’ s Jonathan Karl asked , also pointing out that Trump claimed Redfield made a “ mistake ” when he said a COVID-19 vaccine wouldn ’ t likely be widely available until around summer 2021 .
Trump repeated his claim that China poses a bigger threat to the U.S. than Russia and that Wray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ absolutely incorrect definition.
” “ I speak up .
I like to speak up , ” Trump said .
On Thursday night , the President tweeted “ Chris , you don ’ t see any activity from China , even though it is a FAR greater threat than Russia , Russia , Russia , ” in response to Wray ’ s testimony that the FBI has seen “ very active , very active efforts ” from Russia to boost Trump in the elections .
Trump was also apparently upset by the FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider antifa to be an organization .
“ …And I look at them as a bunch of well funded ANARCHISTS & THUGS who are protected because the Comey/Mueller inspired FBI is simply unable , or unwilling , to find their funding source , and allows them to get away with ‘ murder , ' ” the President tweeted .
Correction : This post has been updated to correct the spelling of Robert Redfield ’ s name .

President Donald asserted that he often knows more about issues than his own government experts on Friday afternoon, after publicly pushing undermining FBI Director Christopher Wray and Centers of Disease Control and Prevention Director (CDC) Robert Redfield’s testimonies on Russian election interference and the COVID-19 vaccine, respectively.
During a White House press briefing, a reporter brought up Trump’s tweets from Thursday night that chastised Wray for warning Congress about Russia’s efforts to “denigrate” Democratic candidate Joe Biden on Trump’s behalf and for correctly stating that “antifa” (short for “anti-fascist”) is an ideology, not a formal organization.
“How is it that you don’t trust your own experts? Do you think you know better than they do?” ABC’s Jonathan Karl asked, also pointing out that Trump claimed Redfield made a “mistake” when he said a COVID-19 vaccine wouldn’t likely be widely available until around summer 2021.
“Yeah, in many cases I do,” Trump replied.
Trump repeated his claim that China poses a bigger threat to the U.S. than Russia and that Wray’s definition of antifa was an “absolutely incorrect definition.”
“I speak up. I like to speak up,” Trump said.
On Thursday night, the President tweeted “Chris, you don’t see any activity from China, even though it is a FAR greater threat than Russia, Russia, Russia,” in response to Wray’s testimony that the FBI has seen “very active, very active efforts” from Russia to boost Trump in the elections.
Trump was also apparently upset by the FBI director stating that the agency did not consider antifa to be an organization.
“…And I look at them as a bunch of well funded ANARCHISTS & THUGS who are protected because the Comey/Mueller inspired FBI is simply unable, or unwilling, to find their funding source, and allows them to get away with ‘murder,'” the President tweeted.
Watch Trump below:
Trump claims "in many cases" he knows more than experts. pic.twitter.com/pREyaCdJEh — TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) September 18, 2020
Correction: This post has been updated to correct the spelling of Robert Redfield’s name.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-18--Trump Admin Reverses Politicized Testing Guidance After Interference Exposed

The Trump administration reversed itself on a key effort to politicize the response to COVID-19 , reversing a scientifically unfounded recommendation that asymptomatic people in contact with those infected with the virus not get tested .
The Centers for Disease Control made the change on its website without fanfare after the New York Times reported Thursday evening that political officials at the Department of Health and Human Services had made the change against the express wishes of CDC scientists .
Virtually no other agency or organization took the Trump administration ’ s advice that people exposed to COVID-19 should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presenting symptoms .
Evidence that the virus can transmit asymptomatically has been around for months , provoking disgust in the scientific and public health community at the agency ’ s guidance , which seemed to be directed towards reducing the number of tests overall .
From the outset , Trump administration officials pushed back on the idea that the guidance had been issued for political reasons or with the intent of reducing the number of tests – a goal that President Trump has repeatedly pushed for .
“ Conceptually , we don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go down .
Conceptually , we believe the number of tests will go up , ” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir in a press call last month .
Giroir added at the time that the guidance change had been approved by the CDC .
“ Everyone signed off on it before it got to a place where the political leadership would have even seen it , ” Giroir added .
Those explanations immediately unraveled , however , in part due to Giroir telling journalists that the change had undergone approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a late August meeting .
On the day the meeting was held , Dr. Fauci was in surgery to remove a polyp on his vocal cords .
Since then , the guidance change has contributed to a sinking but overwhelming feeling in the scientific and public health communities that Trump administration officials have contorted the CDC , the nation ’ s premier public health agency , into an arm of his re-election campaign .
Friday ’ s guidance change itself states what science has long understood : “ Due to the significance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been in close contact with an infected person should be tested for COVID-19 .
Estimates vary on what percentage of COVID cases occur asymptomatically , though estimates range to as many as half .
One study of a quarantined town in northern Italy found that more than 40 percent of COVID-19 infections in the town showed no symptoms .
But the change came after the New York Times reported widespread discontent at the CDC with the guidance .
One official told the paper that the “ policy does not reflect what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the policy.
” Officials told the paper that the guidance had been posted to the CDC ’ s website without approval by agency scientists .
The efforts to manipulate the country ’ s fight against COVID into a re-election prop extend beyond the faulty testing guidance .
Michael Caputo and an aide reportedly spent much of the past five months terrorizing CDC staff out of saying anything remotely critical or contradictory of President Trump , for example .

The Trump administration reversed itself on a key effort to politicize the response to COVID-19, reversing a scientifically unfounded recommendation that asymptomatic people in contact with those infected with the virus not get tested.
The Centers for Disease Control made the change on its website without fanfare after the New York Times reported Thursday evening that political officials at the Department of Health and Human Services had made the change against the express wishes of CDC scientists.
Virtually no other agency or organization took the Trump administration’s advice that people exposed to COVID-19 should not get tested if they’re not presenting symptoms. Evidence that the virus can transmit asymptomatically has been around for months, provoking disgust in the scientific and public health community at the agency’s guidance, which seemed to be directed towards reducing the number of tests overall.
From the outset, Trump administration officials pushed back on the idea that the guidance had been issued for political reasons or with the intent of reducing the number of tests – a goal that President Trump has repeatedly pushed for.
“Conceptually, we don’t believe the number of tests should go down. Conceptually, we believe the number of tests will go up,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir in a press call last month.
Giroir added at the time that the guidance change had been approved by the CDC.
“Everyone signed off on it before it got to a place where the political leadership would have even seen it,” Giroir added.
Those explanations immediately unraveled, however, in part due to Giroir telling journalists that the change had undergone approval from Dr. Tony Fauci and others at a late August meeting. On the day the meeting was held, Dr. Fauci was in surgery to remove a polyp on his vocal cords.
Since then, the guidance change has contributed to a sinking but overwhelming feeling in the scientific and public health communities that Trump administration officials have contorted the CDC, the nation’s premier public health agency, into an arm of his re-election campaign.
Friday’s guidance change itself states what science has long understood: “Due to the significance of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission,” those who have been in close contact with an infected person should be tested for COVID-19.
Estimates vary on what percentage of COVID cases occur asymptomatically, though estimates range to as many as half. One study of a quarantined town in northern Italy found that more than 40 percent of COVID-19 infections in the town showed no symptoms.
But the change came after the New York Times reported widespread discontent at the CDC with the guidance. One official told the paper that the “policy does not reflect what many people at the CDC feel should be the policy.”
Officials told the paper that the guidance had been posted to the CDC’s website without approval by agency scientists.
The efforts to manipulate the country’s fight against COVID into a re-election prop extend beyond the faulty testing guidance. Michael Caputo and an aide reportedly spent much of the past five months terrorizing CDC staff out of saying anything remotely critical or contradictory of President Trump, for example.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--3 Big Ways RBG’s Death Could Have An Immediate SCOTUS Impact

Even before it ’ s determined whether President Trump will get to fill the seat left vacant by the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s death , her absence could have a big impact on disputes already before or likely headed to the Supreme Court .
When Justice Antonin Scalia died in 2016 , the 10 months the court was down to eight justices created four-four splits that deferred to how the lower court handled the issue , including in some major cases .
Here are three ways Ginsburg ’ s death could shift the dynamics of issues that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court .
Obamacare : The Supreme Court already has scheduled for oral arguments in November a major challenge to the Affordable Care Act .
Texas and other GOP states are seeking to dismantle the Affordable Care Act under the dubious theory that , when the congressional Republicans zeroed out Obamacare ’ s individual mandate , they rendered the entire law unconstitutional .
Because Chief Justice John Roberts had voted in favor of upholding Obamacare when the arguments against it were more plausible , legal observers — and even Senate Republicans — did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casting a deciding vote to demolish it .
But if the four other conservatives side with Texas , that will create a 4-4 split that will defer back to the lower courts .
A district court had fully invalidated the law .
The conservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit punted , sending it back to the district court for review before the Supreme Court took the case .
Election Disputes : A half dozen emergency legal disputes over election rules have been kicked up to the Supreme Court .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuck together to side with the party wanting to maintain restrictive voting laws that have been relaxed by lower courts .
So , Ginsburg ’ s death doesn ’ t change that dynamic .
However , the one exception to the trend was a case out of Rhode Island , where the RNC was trying to overturn a consent decree the state had reached with voter advocates that opened up absentee voting .
Three conservatives noted their dissents publicly , but it ’ s possible that a fourth conservative also would have ruled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justices aren ’ t required to note their dissents publicly in these kinds of emergency disputes ) .
So Ginsburg ’ s death may open up the door for the RNC or other outside groups to overturn at SCOTUS the legal agreements states have reached to make voting easier .
Perhaps the even bigger question is what her death means for any hypothetical disputes — a la Bush v. Gore — that arise after the election .
The speculation on how those would play out center on Chief Justice Roberts ’ instinct towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisions when possible .
But he may lose some leverage if the other conservatives can band together to deadlock a case .
This means the way lower courts handle major post-election disputes will take on extra importance .
Census : It ’ s already guaranteed that the Supreme Court will be the final word on whether President Trump can exclude undocumented immigrants from the congressional apportionment —a move widely believed to be unconstitutional and violation of federal statute .
But the timing of when the matter will be decided by the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Justice Department formally noticed its appeal to the Supreme Court this week .
Last week , a three-judge panel ruled that Trump ’ s policy violated the law .
( The panel opted not to decide the constitutional questions . )
Because the case deals with apportionment , it goes directly to the Supreme Court after getting its initial review from a three-judge panel .
And the Supreme Court has to issue some sort of judgement on the dispute — though it ’ s up to the court whether to have full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decision more quickly .
The justices will also have before them fairly soon a decision whether to immediately block the Trump policy while the case is on appeal .
The opportunity Trump has to put on the court a justice more likely to rule in his favor makes the decisions about timing and whether to block the policy now much more consequential .

Even before it’s determined whether President Trump will get to fill the seat left vacant by the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, her absence could have a big impact on disputes already before or likely headed to the Supreme Court.
When Justice Antonin Scalia died in 2016, the 10 months the court was down to eight justices created four-four splits that deferred to how the lower court handled the issue, including in some major cases.
Here are three ways Ginsburg’s death could shift the dynamics of issues that are now on their way to the Supreme Court.
Obamacare: The Supreme Court already has scheduled for oral arguments in November a major challenge to the Affordable Care Act. Texas and other GOP states are seeking to dismantle the Affordable Care Act under the dubious theory that, when the congressional Republicans zeroed out Obamacare’s individual mandate, they rendered the entire law unconstitutional.
Because Chief Justice John Roberts had voted in favor of upholding Obamacare when the arguments against it were more plausible, legal observers — and even Senate Republicans — did not see much of a chance of him casting a deciding vote to demolish it. But if the four other conservatives side with Texas, that will create a 4-4 split that will defer back to the lower courts. A district court had fully invalidated the law. The conservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit punted, sending it back to the district court for review before the Supreme Court took the case.
Election Disputes: A half dozen emergency legal disputes over election rules have been kicked up to the Supreme Court. In most cases, the conservative court has stuck together to side with the party wanting to maintain restrictive voting laws that have been relaxed by lower courts. So, Ginsburg’s death doesn’t change that dynamic.
However, the one exception to the trend was a case out of Rhode Island, where the RNC was trying to overturn a consent decree the state had reached with voter advocates that opened up absentee voting. Three conservatives noted their dissents publicly, but it’s possible that a fourth conservative also would have ruled in the RNC’s favor (justices aren’t required to note their dissents publicly in these kinds of emergency disputes). So Ginsburg’s death may open up the door for the RNC or other outside groups to overturn at SCOTUS the legal agreements states have reached to make voting easier.
Perhaps the even bigger question is what her death means for any hypothetical disputes — a la Bush v. Gore — that arise after the election. The speculation on how those would play out center on Chief Justice Roberts’ instinct towards stirring the court away from highly politicized decisions when possible. But he may lose some leverage if the other conservatives can band together to deadlock a case. This means the way lower courts handle major post-election disputes will take on extra importance.
Census: It’s already guaranteed that the Supreme Court will be the final word on whether President Trump can exclude undocumented immigrants from the congressional apportionment —a move widely believed to be unconstitutional and violation of federal statute. But the timing of when the matter will be decided by the Supreme Court is still up in the air. The Justice Department formally noticed its appeal to the Supreme Court this week.
Last week, a three-judge panel ruled that Trump’s policy violated the law. (The panel opted not to decide the constitutional questions.) Because the case deals with apportionment, it goes directly to the Supreme Court after getting its initial review from a three-judge panel. And the Supreme Court has to issue some sort of judgement on the dispute — though it’s up to the court whether to have full arguments on the case or to issue a decision more quickly. The justices will also have before them fairly soon a decision whether to immediately block the Trump policy while the case is on appeal.
The opportunity Trump has to put on the court a justice more likely to rule in his favor makes the decisions about timing and whether to block the policy now much more consequential.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--Where Key GOP Senators Stand On An Election Year SCOTUS Vacancy

In the four years since they stole a Supreme Court pick from President Barack Obama , several Republican senators have spoken about what they might do if a similar situation arose again in a future election year .
With the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , that scenario is now upon us .
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) can only afford to lose three Republicans before the Senate ’ s balance tips against him .
Here ’ s what other key Republican senators have said about filling a vacancy on the court just before an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Republicans were setting a “ precedent ” by refusing to consider a nominee from then-President Barack Obama to fill the vacancy created by Justice Antonin Scalia ’ s passing .
As the Senate Judiciary Committee ’ s current chairman , Graham hypothetically could play the role that former chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R-IA ) played in 2016 , by refusing to hold hearings on a nominee .
“ I want you to use my words against me : If there ’ s a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term , you can say Lindsey Graham said let ’ s let the next president , whoever it might be , make that nomination.
” He added : “ We ’ re setting a precedent here today , Republicans are , that in the last year — at least of a lame duck eight-year term , I would say it ’ s going to be a four-year term — that you ’ re not going to fill a vacancy at the Supreme Court based on what we ’ re doing here today.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But by May of this year , he had changed his tune , telling Fox News ’ Greta Van Susteren that “ Merrick Garland was a different situation.
” “ You had the president of one party nominating , and you had the Senate in the hands of the other party , ” he said .
“ A situation where you ’ ve got them both would be different .
I don ’ t want to speculate , but I think appointing judges is a high priority for me in 2020.
” Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that ’ s too close , I really do ” when asked if she would fill a Supreme Court seat in October , The New York Times ’ Jonathan Martin reported after Ginsburg ’ s death Friday .
Murkowski on Friday — before news broke of Ginsburg ’ s passing — said “ I would not vote to confirm a Supreme Court nominee .
We are 50 some days away from an election.
” That echoes what she said last month : that it would be a “ double standard ” to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day and therefore that she “ would not support it.
” Back when he was still serving as Judiciary Committee chairman , in October 2018 , Grassley said the committee wouldn ’ t consider a Supreme Court nominee in 2020 .
“ If I ’ m chairman they won ’ t take it up , ” he said during an interview on Fox News .
“ No , because I pledged that in 2016 , that if the ball ’ s the same as it is , ” he added .
“ Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the committee , they ’ ll have to decide for themselves .
But that ’ s a decision I made a long time ago.
” Asked early last month by The Hill whether Republicans should hold open a Supreme Court vacancy this year , Romney declined to say .
“ I ’ m not at a point where I have something to say , ” he told a reporter .

In the four years since they stole a Supreme Court pick from President Barack Obama, several Republican senators have spoken about what they might do if a similar situation arose again in a future election year. With the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, that scenario is now upon us.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) can only afford to lose three Republicans before the Senate’s balance tips against him.
Here’s what other key Republican senators have said about filling a vacancy on the court just before an election
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
During a March 2016 hearing, Graham said Republicans were setting a “precedent” by refusing to consider a nominee from then-President Barack Obama to fill the vacancy created by Justice Antonin Scalia’s passing. As the Senate Judiciary Committee’s current chairman, Graham hypothetically could play the role that former chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) played in 2016, by refusing to hold hearings on a nominee.
“I want you to use my words against me: If there’s a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term, you can say Lindsey Graham said let’s let the next president, whoever it might be, make that nomination.”
He added: “We’re setting a precedent here today, Republicans are, that in the last year — at least of a lame duck eight-year term, I would say it’s going to be a four-year term — that you’re not going to fill a vacancy at the Supreme Court based on what we’re doing here today.”
LINDSEY GRAHAM on March 10, 2016: “I want you to use my words against me. If there’s a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term, you can say Lindsey Graham said let’s let the next president, whoever it might be, make that nomination.” pic.twitter.com/DYXou0KEI8 — JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) September 19, 2020
Graham reiterated that point in 2018. But by May of this year, he had changed his tune, telling Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren that “Merrick Garland was a different situation.”
“You had the president of one party nominating, and you had the Senate in the hands of the other party,” he said. “A situation where you’ve got them both would be different. I don’t want to speculate, but I think appointing judges is a high priority for me in 2020.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Just days ago, Collins said “I think that’s too close, I really do” when asked if she would fill a Supreme Court seat in October, The New York Times’ Jonathan Martin reported after Ginsburg’s death Friday.
News: @SenatorCollins told me earlier this month in Maine that she would not seat a Supreme Court justice in October. “I think that’s too close, I really do,” she said. She said she’d also oppose seating a justice in the lame duck if there’s a change in presidents. — Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) September 19, 2020
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Murkowski on Friday — before news broke of Ginsburg’s passing — said “I would not vote to confirm a Supreme Court nominee. We are 50 some days away from an election.”
That echoes what she said last month: that it would be a “double standard” to fill a vacancy so close to Election Day and therefore that she “would not support it.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Back when he was still serving as Judiciary Committee chairman, in October 2018, Grassley said the committee wouldn’t consider a Supreme Court nominee in 2020.
“If I’m chairman they won’t take it up,” he said during an interview on Fox News.
“No, because I pledged that in 2016, that if the ball’s the same as it is,” he added. “Now, if somebody else is the chairman of the committee, they’ll have to decide for themselves. But that’s a decision I made a long time ago.”
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT)
Asked early last month by The Hill whether Republicans should hold open a Supreme Court vacancy this year, Romney declined to say.
“I’m not at a point where I have something to say,” he told a reporter.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--Biden: No New Supreme Court Nominee Until After The Election

Former Vice President Joe Biden said late Friday that the winner of the November election should name a successor to @ @ @ @ @ late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , who died earlier Friday at home in @ @ @ @ @ is no doubt , let me be clear , that the voters should pick the @ @ @ @ @ should pick the justice for the Senate to consider , ” Biden told reporters in @ @ @ @ @ , Delaware .
Biden , who previously served as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman , pointed @ @ @ @ @ process for a Supreme Court justice was 47 days .
Election Day 2020 is 46 @ @ @ @ @ vice president also heralded Ginsburg ’ s legal career , calling her “ fierce and @ @ @ @ @ the civil and legal rights of , civil rights of everyone.
” “ Her opinions @ @ @ @ @ to continue to influence the basis for our law for a generation , ” he @ @

Former Vice President Joe Biden said late Friday that the winner of the November election should name a successor to fill the seat of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died earlier Friday at home in Washington, D.C.
Biden: Voters should choose the president, and the president should choose a justice to replace Ginsburg pic.twitter.com/kcY8RiMFpA — TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) September 19, 2020
“There is no doubt, let me be clear, that the voters should pick the President, and the President should pick the justice for the Senate to consider,” Biden told reporters in a brief statement from Wilmington, Delaware.
Biden, who previously served as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, pointed out that the fastest confirmation process for a Supreme Court justice was 47 days. Election Day 2020 is 46 days away.
The former vice president also heralded Ginsburg’s legal career, calling her “fierce and unflinching in her pursuit of the civil and legal rights of, civil rights of everyone.”
“Her opinions and her dissent are going to continue to influence the basis for our law for a generation,” he added.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--Professional Conservatives Push Senate GOP To Hold The Line On Ginsburg Seat

Leading conservatives in advocacy and media immediately ramped up the pressure Friday night on Republican senators to support an immediate vote on a GOP replacement for deceased Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
The agitation that Republican senators agree to vote on a Trump appointee to replace Ginsburg signals the tremendous pressure that they will be under to confirm a replacement on the Supreme Court before the election or inauguration .
Sean Davis , a former aide to Sen. Tom Coburn ( R-OK ) , laid out the logic that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) would use to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later in the evening .
The argument goes that Republican control of the Senate and White House justifies nominating a new Supreme Court justice weeks before the 2020 Presidential election .
The Susan B. Anthony List , an influential anti-abortion group , described the appointment as “ a turning point for the nation in the fight to protect its most vulnerable , the unborn.
” “ The pro-life grassroots have full confidence that President Trump , Leader McConnell , Chairman Graham , and every pro-life senator will move swiftly to fill this vacancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
Hugh Hewitt , a conservative columnist , name-checked Senate Judiciary Committee chair Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) , saying that he “ has to hold the hearings quickly or his SC voters will revolt.
” Others have argued that the Republicans simply have no choice but to confirm a replacement before the election .
Their hands are tied , you see , because otherwise a 4-4 split could leave any election-related cases decided by a lower court ruling .
David Brody , a conservative journalist , suggested that it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t ram through a nominee before the election or inauguration .
Matt Mackowiak , a Republican political consultant , said that Democrats would “ whine about Senate tradition and precedent , ” but argued that such concerns should be disregarded amid suggestions that a Democratic Senate majority would eliminate the filibuster .
Jay Sekulow , an attorney for President Trump , described it to Sean Hannity as “ a historic moment for really the United States Senate.
” Later in the evening , McConnell said that “ President Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floor ” of the Senate .

Leading conservatives in advocacy and media immediately ramped up the pressure Friday night on Republican senators to support an immediate vote on a GOP replacement for deceased Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The agitation that Republican senators agree to vote on a Trump appointee to replace Ginsburg signals the tremendous pressure that they will be under to confirm a replacement on the Supreme Court before the election or inauguration.
Sean Davis, a former aide to Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), laid out the logic that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) would use to justify the decision to hold a vote later in the evening. The argument goes that Republican control of the Senate and White House justifies nominating a new Supreme Court justice weeks before the 2020 Presidential election.
The McConnell rule applies when the Senate and White House are controlled by *different* parties, which is obviously not the case in 2020. Journos understand this, but many will deliberately mislead their readers and viewers who do not. https://t.co/uznuz4Jz6r — Sean Davis (@seanmdav) September 18, 2020
The Susan B. Anthony List, an influential anti-abortion group, described the appointment as “a turning point for the nation in the fight to protect its most vulnerable, the unborn.”
“The pro-life grassroots have full confidence that President Trump, Leader McConnell, Chairman Graham, and every pro-life senator will move swiftly to fill this vacancy,” the group said in a statement.
Hugh Hewitt, a conservative columnist, name-checked Senate Judiciary Committee chair Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), saying that he “has to hold the hearings quickly or his SC voters will revolt.”
Yes they have and yes they will. As a practical matter, @LindseyGrahamSC has to hold the hearings quickly or his SC voters will revolt. And the Court must be at a full compliment should any election disputes such as Bush v Gore occur. https://t.co/8HQr53lR4L — Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) September 19, 2020
Others have argued that the Republicans simply have no choice but to confirm a replacement before the election. Their hands are tied, you see, because otherwise a 4-4 split could leave any election-related cases decided by a lower court ruling.
Ted Cruz with an excellent point. If election is litigated can't risk having just 8 justices and the possibility of a deadlocked court. Could cause a constitutional crisis. — Marc Thiessen (@marcthiessen) September 19, 2020
David Brody, a conservative journalist, suggested that it would be “political malpractice” if Republicans didn’t ram through a nominee before the election or inauguration.
If the Republicans don’t attempt to get a Supreme Court nominee confirmed before Election Day then when you look up, “political malpractice” in the dictionary, all of their faces will appear. — David Brody (@DavidBrodyCBN) September 19, 2020
Matt Mackowiak, a Republican political consultant, said that Democrats would “whine about Senate tradition and precedent,” but argued that such concerns should be disregarded amid suggestions that a Democratic Senate majority would eliminate the filibuster.
On the SCOTUS nomination, Dems will whine about Senate tradition and precedent after signaling that they will eliminate the filibuster if they get the majority. You reap what you sow. — Matt Mackowiak (@MattMackowiak) September 19, 2020
Jay Sekulow, an attorney for President Trump, described it to Sean Hannity as “a historic moment for really the United States Senate.”
Later in the evening, McConnell said that “President Trump’s nominee would receive a vote on the floor” of the Senate.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--Trump Reacts To Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Death: ‘She Led An Amazing Life’

Shortly after concluding a rally Friday evening in northern Minnesota , President Trump reacted to the news of Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ s death , saying that “ she led an amazing life.
” “ She just @ @ @ @ @ t know that .
She led an amazing life , what else can you say @ @ @ @ @ not … she led an amazing life , ” Trump told reporters before boarding Air @ @ @ @ @ a White House pool report .

Shortly after concluding a rally Friday evening in northern Minnesota, President Trump reacted to the news of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, saying that “she led an amazing life.”
“She just died? I didn’t know that. She led an amazing life, what else can you say? Whether you agree or not … she led an amazing life,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One, according to a White House pool report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--Rally Crowd Shouts ‘Ginsburg Is Dead!’ When Oblivious Trump Mentions Supreme Court

At President Donald Trump ’ s rally Friday in Bemidji , Minnesota , several people in the crowd shouted “ Ginsburg is dead !
” when the President , seemingly oblivious of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s death , noted potential Supreme Court vacancies .
Trump either didn ’ t hear the shouting or didn ’ t address it — he took the stage a few minutes after 6 p.m. local time and did not appear to know , during his remarks , that the 87-year-old Supreme Court justice had passed .
During Trump ’ s speech , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by noting the court .
“ The next President will get one , two , three , or four Supreme Court justices , ” Trump said .
“ Many presidents have had none , they ’ ve had none , because they are there for a long time.
” Several people in the audience shouted “ Ginsburg is dead !
” but Trump didn ’ t appear to hear them .
“ The next one will have anywhere from one to four , ” he added , before moving on and ultimately concluding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passing .

At President Donald Trump’s rally Friday in Bemidji, Minnesota, several people in the crowd shouted “Ginsburg is dead!” when the President, seemingly oblivious of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, noted potential Supreme Court vacancies.
Trump either didn’t hear the shouting or didn’t address it — he took the stage a few minutes after 6 p.m. local time and did not appear to know, during his remarks, that the 87-year-old Supreme Court justice had passed.
During Trump’s speech, he stressed the importance of the upcoming election by noting the court.
“The next President will get one, two, three, or four Supreme Court justices,” Trump said. “Many presidents have had none, they’ve had none, because they are there for a long time.”
Several people in the audience shouted “Ginsburg is dead!” but Trump didn’t appear to hear them. “The next one will have anywhere from one to four,” he added, before moving on and ultimately concluding his remarks without mentioning Ginsburg’s passing.
Watch below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--Walkback For The Ages: Graham Ditches McConnell Rule He Promised To Apply Evenly

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) has perhaps made the biggest flip-flop yet seen as the GOP races to reverse former comments condemning the confirmation of Supreme Court justices during an election year .
Graham now says he supports “ any effort to move forward ” to fill the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s seat .
Earlier Saturday , President Trump tweeted that he intended to move forward with nominating Ginsburg ’ s successor “ without delay.
” Back in 2016 , Graham was singing a very different tune .
When Senate Republicans refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Merrick Garland , Graham said it was too close to the election even though at the time of late Justice Antonin Scalia ’ s death in February it was roughly nine months away .
“ I want you to use my words against me , ” Graham said at the time .
“ If there ’ s a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term , you can say Lindsey Graham said let ’ s let the next president , whoever it might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since reissued that promise several times over .
In 2018 , he said that following a potential seat vacancy in the final year of Trump ’ s term the Senate would “ wait to the next election.
” “ If an opening comes in the last year of President Trump ’ s term , and the primary process has started , we ’ ll wait to the next election , ” he said .
But Graham began to set the stage for his epic reversal more recently when he said in May that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me in 2020 , ” and that Merrick Garland was “ a different situation.
” “ You had the President of one party nominating , and you had the Senate in the hands of the other party .
A situation where you ’ ve got them both would be different .
I don ’ t want to speculate , but I think appointing judges is a high priority for me in 2020 , ” Graham said during a “ Full Court Press ” interview with Greta Van Susteren .
Graham completed his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ginsburg ’ s death — that he would support a Supreme Court nomination by President Trump .
“ I will support President @ realDonaldTrump in any effort to move forward regarding the recent vacancy created by the passing of Justice Ginsburg , ” Graham wrote .

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has perhaps made the biggest flip-flop yet seen as the GOP races to reverse former comments condemning the confirmation of Supreme Court justices during an election year.
Graham now says he supports “any effort to move forward” to fill the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat. Earlier Saturday, President Trump tweeted that he intended to move forward with nominating Ginsburg’s successor “without delay.”
Back in 2016, Graham was singing a very different tune. When Senate Republicans refused to even hold a hearing on Obama-nominee Judge Merrick Garland, Graham said it was too close to the election even though at the time of late Justice Antonin Scalia’s death in February it was roughly nine months away.
“I want you to use my words against me,” Graham said at the time. “If there’s a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term, you can say Lindsey Graham said let’s let the next president, whoever it might be, make that nomination.” He has since reissued that promise several times over.
In 2018, he said that following a potential seat vacancy in the final year of Trump’s term the Senate would “wait to the next election.”
“If an opening comes in the last year of President Trump’s term, and the primary process has started, we’ll wait to the next election,” he said.
But Graham began to set the stage for his epic reversal more recently when he said in May that “appointing judges is a high priority for me in 2020,” and that Merrick Garland was “a different situation.”
“You had the President of one party nominating, and you had the Senate in the hands of the other party. A situation where you’ve got them both would be different. I don’t want to speculate, but I think appointing judges is a high priority for me in 2020,” Graham said during a “Full Court Press” interview with Greta Van Susteren.
Graham completed his reversal Saturday — the day after the Ginsburg’s death — that he would support a Supreme Court nomination by President Trump.
“I will support President @realDonaldTrump in any effort to move forward regarding the recent vacancy created by the passing of Justice Ginsburg,” Graham wrote.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--Susan Collins: Ginsburg Seat Should Be Filled By The President Elected Nov. 3

In a surprise stance , Sen. Susan Collins ( R-ME ) announced Saturday afternoon that whoever wins the presidential election Nov. 3 should be the one to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
“ President Trump has the constitutional authority to make a nomination to fill the Supreme Court vacancy , and I would have no objection to the Senate Judiciary Committee ’ s beginning the process of reviewing his nominee ’ s credentials .
Given the proximity of the presidential election , however , I do not believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prior to the election , ” Collins wrote .
“ In fairness to the American people , who will either be re-electing the President or selecting a new one , the decision on a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court should be made by the President who is elected on November 3rd.
” Collins ’ comments come as she faces a tight race for re-election .
She is the first GOP senator to come forward and break with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s ( R-KY ) call to hold a vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventual Trump nominee for the open seat .
Collins had told The New York Times earlier month that she would not favor voting on a new justice in October .
“ I think that ’ s too close , ” she said .
In 2016 , Collins was one of only two Republicans who opposed McConnell ’ s effort to block then President Barack Obama ’ s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland for the high court .
Shortly after Collin ’ released her statement , President Trump told reporters that he intended to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding that it would “ most likely ” be a woman .
When asked about Collins ’ statement , President Donald Trump told reporters on Saturday that “ totally ” disagrees .
“ We won , ” he added .
The President blew off suggestions of a reversal in standards set by Senate Republicans in 2016 with their refusal to hold a hearing for Obama ’ s nominee .
“ That ’ s the consequence of losing an election , ” Trump said .
Prior to the announcement of Ginsburg ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R ) indicated she would not favor voting for a new Supreme Court justice before the election , saying , “ fair is fair.
” Murkowski has not appeared , however , to offer any further comments on a potential nomination since McConnell called for a vote .
McConnell can only afford to lose three GOP senators on the confirmation of Ginsburg ’ s replacement .
But Collins ’ statement doesn ’ t necessarily mean McConnell is perilously close to losing the historic opportunity to cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claiming one of the three free passes McConnell has to dole out .
Collins is facing a tough re-election battle , and McConnell finds ways to protect his most vulnerable senators to preserve his Senate majority .

In a surprise stance, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) announced Saturday afternoon that whoever wins the presidential election Nov. 3 should be the one to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“President Trump has the constitutional authority to make a nomination to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, and I would have no objection to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s beginning the process of reviewing his nominee’s credentials. Given the proximity of the presidential election, however, I do not believe that the Senate should vote on the nominee prior to the election,” Collins wrote.
“In fairness to the American people, who will either be re-electing the President or selecting a new one, the decision on a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court should be made by the President who is elected on November 3rd.”
Collins’ comments come as she faces a tight race for re-election.
She is the first GOP senator to come forward and break with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) call to hold a vote on the Senate floor to confirm an eventual Trump nominee for the open seat.
Collins had told The New York Times earlier this month that she would not favor voting on a new justice in October. “I think that’s too close,” she said.
In 2016, Collins was one of only two Republicans who opposed McConnell’s effort to block then President Barack Obama’s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland for the high court.
Shortly after Collin’ released her statement, President Trump told reporters that he intended to announce a nominee “next week” adding that it would “most likely” be a woman.
When asked about Collins’ statement, President Donald Trump told reporters on Saturday that “totally” disagrees. “We won,” he added.
The President blew off suggestions of a reversal in standards set by Senate Republicans in 2016 with their refusal to hold a hearing for Obama’s nominee.
“That’s the consequence of losing an election,” Trump said.
Prior to the announcement of Ginsburg’s death on Friday, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski (R) indicated she would not favor voting for a new Supreme Court justice before the election, saying, “fair is fair.”
Murkowski has not appeared, however, to offer any further comments on a potential nomination since McConnell called for a vote.
McConnell can only afford to lose three GOP senators on the confirmation of Ginsburg’s replacement. But Collins’ statement doesn’t necessarily mean McConnell is perilously close to losing the historic opportunity to cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the high court. Collins could just be claiming one of the three free passes McConnell has to dole out. Collins is facing a tough re-election battle, and McConnell finds ways to protect his most vulnerable senators to preserve his Senate majority.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--Envelope Containing Ricin Addressed To White House

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Federal officials intercepted an envelope addressed to the White House that contained the poison ricin , a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Saturday .
The letter was intercepted at a government facility that screens mail addressed to the White House and President Donald Trump , the official said .
A preliminary investigation indicated it tested positive for ricin , a poison found naturally in castor beans , the official said .
The official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity .
Federal investigators were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and who mailed it .
The FBI , the Secret Service and the U.S .
Postal Inspection Service were leading the investigation .
In a statement , the FBI said agents were working to investigate “ a suspicious letter received at a U.S. government mail facility ” and that there is “ no known threat to public safety.
” A Navy veteran was arrested in 2018 and confessed to sending envelopes to Trump and members of his administration that contained the substance from which ricin is derived .
Authorities said the man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ envelopes with ground castor beans to the president , FBI Director Christopher Wray , along with then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis , then-CIA Director Gina Haspel , Adm. John Richardson , who at the time was the Navy ’ s top officer , and then-Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson .
The letters were intercepted , and no one was hurt .
In 2014 , a Mississippi man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after sending letters dusted with ricin to President Barack Obama and other officials .

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials intercepted an envelope addressed to the White House that contained the poison ricin, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Saturday.
The letter was intercepted at a government facility that screens mail addressed to the White House and President Donald Trump, the official said. A preliminary investigation indicated it tested positive for ricin, a poison found naturally in castor beans, the official said.
The official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Federal investigators were working to determine where the enveloped originated and who mailed it. The FBI, the Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were leading the investigation.
In a statement, the FBI said agents were working to investigate “a suspicious letter received at a U.S. government mail facility” and that there is “no known threat to public safety.”
A Navy veteran was arrested in 2018 and confessed to sending envelopes to Trump and members of his administration that contained the substance from which ricin is derived.
Authorities said the man, William Clyde Allen III, sent the envelopes with ground castor beans to the president, FBI Director Christopher Wray, along with then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, then-CIA Director Gina Haspel, Adm. John Richardson, who at the time was the Navy’s top officer, and then-Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson. The letters were intercepted, and no one was hurt.
In 2014, a Mississippi man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after sending letters dusted with ricin to President Barack Obama and other officials.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--As Trump Prepares for NC Rally, Tillis Backs Call To Fill Ginsburg Seat

While President Donald Trump prepares for a campaign rally in North Carolina on Saturday , Republican Thom Tillis , a junior senator for the state , is making his position clear that he believes the President is justified in nominating a successor for the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg who died Friday ahead of the election .
Tillis , who faces a challenge from attorney and Democrat Cal Cunningham in November , tried to justify President Trump ’ s effort to nominate a replacement for Ginsburg ’ s seat before the election by saying that voters in his state would “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second-term for Trump at least in part based on how the President chooses to fill the court ’ s vacancy .
“ President Trump is again facing voters at the ballot box and North Carolinians will ultimately render their judgment on his presidency and how he chooses to fill the vacancy , ” Tillis said in a statement Saturday .
“ There is a clear choice on the future of the Supreme Court between the well-qualified and conservative jurist President Trump will nominate and I will support , and the liberal activist Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support , who will legislate radical , left-wing policies from the bench , ” he added .
But voting is already underway in battleground North Carolina , and with some early ballots cast and Election Day less than seven weeks away , some Democratic lawmakers are contesting that a Trump nominee to the court would be inconsistent with the stance taken by many Republicans in 2016 when the late Justice Antonin Scalia died nine months before the presidential election .
That was the same argument made by leading Republicans and shared by Tillis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already underway .
It is essential to the institution of the Senate and to the very health of our republic to not launch our nation into a partisan , divisive confirmation battle during the very same time the American people are casting their ballots to elect our next president , ” Tillis said during a Senate floor speech at the time .
Top Republicans , including Senate Majority Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) who are now in a race to quickly fill Ginsburg ’ s seat had fiercely opposed former President Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the bench .
“ The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice , ” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) said at the time in refusal of a hearing .
“ Therefore , this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president .
”

While President Donald Trump prepares for a campaign rally in North Carolina on Saturday, Republican Thom Tillis, a junior senator for the state, is making his position clear that he believes the President is justified in nominating a successor for the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg who died Friday ahead of the election.
Tillis, who faces a challenge from attorney and Democrat Cal Cunningham in November, tried to justify President Trump’s effort to nominate a replacement for Ginsburg’s seat before the election by saying that voters in his state would “ultimately render their judgment” about a second-term for Trump at least in part based on how the President chooses to fill the court’s vacancy.
“President Trump is again facing voters at the ballot box and North Carolinians will ultimately render their judgment on his presidency and how he chooses to fill the vacancy,” Tillis said in a statement Saturday.
“There is a clear choice on the future of the Supreme Court between the well-qualified and conservative jurist President Trump will nominate and I will support, and the liberal activist Joe Biden will nominate and Cal Cunningham will support, who will legislate radical, left-wing policies from the bench,” he added.
But voting is already underway in battleground North Carolina, and with some early ballots cast and Election Day less than seven weeks away, some Democratic lawmakers are contesting that a Trump nominee to the court would be inconsistent with the stance taken by many Republicans in 2016 when the late Justice Antonin Scalia died nine months before the presidential election.
That was the same argument made by leading Republicans and shared by Tillis in 2016.
“The campaign is already underway. It is essential to the institution of the Senate and to the very health of our republic to not launch our nation into a partisan, divisive confirmation battle during the very same time the American people are casting their ballots to elect our next president,” Tillis said during a Senate floor speech at the time.
Top Republicans, including Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-KY) who are now in a race to quickly fill Ginsburg’s seat had fiercely opposed former President Barack Obama’s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the bench.
“The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said at the time in refusal of a hearing. “Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-19--Walmart, Amazon Made Donations To QAnon-Promoting GOP Lawmaker

Walmart , Amazon and other corporate giants donated money to the reelection campaign of a Tennessee state lawmaker who had used social media to amplify and promote the QAnon conspiracy theory , according to an Associated Press review of campaign finance records and the candidate ’ s posts .
The corporate support for a QAnon-promoting politician is another example of how the conspiracy theory has penetrated mainstream politics , spreading beyond its origins on internet message boards popular with right-wing extremists .
Dozens of QAnon-promoting candidates have run for federal or state offices during this election cycle .
Collectively , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of donors .
Individually , however , most of them have run poorly financed campaigns with little or no corporate or party backing .
Unlike state Rep. Susan Lynn , who chairs the Tennessee House finance committee , few are incumbents who can attract corporate PAC money .
Though she repeatedly posted a well-known QAnon slogan on her Twitter and Facebook accounts , Lynn told the AP in an interview Friday that she does not support the conspiracy theory .
Walmart did not respond to repeated requests for comment made by email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokeswoman declined to comment .
A spokeswoman for another donor to Lynn ’ s campaign , Kentucky-based distillery company Brown-Forman , which has a facility in Tennessee , said the company didn ’ t know about Lynn ’ s QAnon posts and wouldn ’ t have donated to her campaign through its Jack Daniel ’ s PAC if it had .
“ Now that our awareness is raised , we will reevaluate our criteria for giving to help identify affiliations like this in the future , ” Elizabeth Conway said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates to support on the basis of narrow , pragmatic policy issues rather than broader political concerns , said Anthony Corrado , a Colby College government professor and campaign finance expert .
“ In many instances , you don ’ t have any kind of corporate board oversight or any kind of accountability in terms of review of contributions before they ’ re made , ” Corrado said .
“ Some corporations now have adopted policies about the supervision of PAC contributions because of the reputational risks involved in this.
” At least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported the conspiracy theory or promoted QAnon content , with at least 24 qualifying for November ’ s general election ballot , according to the liberal watchdog Media Matters for America .
As of Friday , the candidates collectively had raised nearly $ 5 million in contributions for this election cycle , but only eight had raised over $ 100,000 individually , according to the AP ’ s review of Federal Election Commission data .
The FEC ’ s online database doesn ’ t have any fundraising reports for 30 of the candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running as Republicans .
Congress is virtually certain to have at least one QAnon-supporting member next year .
Marjorie Taylor Greene , whose campaign has raised over $ 1 million , appeared to be coasting to victory in a deep-red congressional district in Georgia even before her Democratic opponent dropped out of the race .
At the state level , the AP and Media Matters have identified more than two dozen legislative candidates who have expressed some support or interest in QAnon .
QAnon centers on the baseless belief that President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the “ deep state ” and a child sex trafficking ring run by satanic pedophiles and cannibals .
Trump has praised QAnon supporters and often retweets accounts that promote the conspiracy theory .
QAnon has been linked to killings , attempted kidnappings and other crimes .
In May 2019 , an FBI bulletin mentioning QAnon warned that conspiracy theory-driven extremists have become a domestic terrorism threat .
Lynn said her social media posts do not indicate any support for the conspiracy theory .
“ This is the United States of America , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or retweet anything I want , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t understand why this is even an issue .
Believe me , I am not in the inside of some QAnon movement.
” But in October 2019 , Lynn retweeted posts by QAnon-promoting accounts with tens of thousands of followers .
One of the posts she retweeted praised Trump and included the hashtag # TheGreatAwakening , a phrase commonly invoked by QAnon followers .
Between Oct. 31 , 2019 , and Jan. 9 , 2020 , her campaign received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LLC , BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee ’ s PAC , health insurer Humana , the Southwest Airlines Co. Freedom Fund and Walmart Inc. “ Like many other companies , our PAC periodically contributes to elected officials in Tennessee , including those serving in leadership like Rep. Lynn , ” BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee spokeswoman Dalya Qualls said in a statement .
In April , Lynn updated her Facebook page with a cover photo that included a flag with stars forming a “ Q ” above the abbreviation “ WWG1WGA , ” which stands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go one , we go all.
” In May and June , Lynn punctuated several tweets with the same abbreviation .
And when a leading QAnon supporter nicknamed “ Praying Medic ” tweeted the message , “ Is it time to Q the Trump rallies ?
” Lynn responded , “ It is time !
” in a May 31 tweet of her own .
Lynn said she viewed “ Where we go one , we go all ” as a “ very unifying slogan ” and didn ’ t know it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handful of Facebook users who replied to her updated cover photo in April commented on the QAnon connection .
The flag is no longer her cover photo but could still be seen in the feed on her page on Friday .
In July , AT & T Tennessee PAC , Cigna Corporation PAC and Jack Daniel ’ s PAC contributed a total of $ 4,000 to Lynn ’ s campaign .
The PACs linked to BlueCross BlueShield , AT & T Tennessee , Cigna , Southwest Airlines and Jack Daniel ’ s had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign before she amplified QAnon-promoting Twitter accounts last year .
AP contacted all of the companies mentioned in this story .
Some did not respond to requests for comment and others declined to comment .
___ Associated Press data journalist Andrew Milligan in New Haven , Connecticut ; and Adrian Sainz in Memphis , Tennessee , contributed to this report .

Walmart, Amazon and other corporate giants donated money to the reelection campaign of a Tennessee state lawmaker who had used social media to amplify and promote the QAnon conspiracy theory, according to an Associated Press review of campaign finance records and the candidate’s posts.
The corporate support for a QAnon-promoting politician is another example of how the conspiracy theory has penetrated mainstream politics, spreading beyond its origins on internet message boards popular with right-wing extremists.
Dozens of QAnon-promoting candidates have run for federal or state offices during this election cycle. Collectively, they have raised millions of dollars from thousands of donors. Individually, however, most of them have run poorly financed campaigns with little or no corporate or party backing. Unlike state Rep. Susan Lynn, who chairs the Tennessee House finance committee, few are incumbents who can attract corporate PAC money.
Though she repeatedly posted a well-known QAnon slogan on her Twitter and Facebook accounts, Lynn told the AP in an interview Friday that she does not support the conspiracy theory.
Walmart did not respond to repeated requests for comment made by email and through its website. An Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment. A spokeswoman for another donor to Lynn’s campaign, Kentucky-based distillery company Brown-Forman, which has a facility in Tennessee, said the company didn’t know about Lynn’s QAnon posts and wouldn’t have donated to her campaign through its Jack Daniel’s PAC if it had.
“Now that our awareness is raised, we will reevaluate our criteria for giving to help identify affiliations like this in the future,” Elizabeth Conway said in a statement.
Corporate PAC managers typically decide which candidates to support on the basis of narrow, pragmatic policy issues rather than broader political concerns, said Anthony Corrado, a Colby College government professor and campaign finance expert.
“In many instances, you don’t have any kind of corporate board oversight or any kind of accountability in terms of review of contributions before they’re made,” Corrado said. “Some corporations now have adopted policies about the supervision of PAC contributions because of the reputational risks involved in this.”
At least 81 current or former congressional candidates have supported the conspiracy theory or promoted QAnon content, with at least 24 qualifying for November’s general election ballot, according to the liberal watchdog Media Matters for America.
As of Friday, the candidates collectively had raised nearly $5 million in contributions for this election cycle, but only eight had raised over $100,000 individually, according to the AP’s review of Federal Election Commission data. The FEC’s online database doesn’t have any fundraising reports for 30 of the candidates, the vast majority of whom are running as Republicans.
Congress is virtually certain to have at least one QAnon-supporting member next year. Marjorie Taylor Greene, whose campaign has raised over $1 million, appeared to be coasting to victory in a deep-red congressional district in Georgia even before her Democratic opponent dropped out of the race.
At the state level, the AP and Media Matters have identified more than two dozen legislative candidates who have expressed some support or interest in QAnon.
QAnon centers on the baseless belief that President Donald Trump is waging a secret campaign against enemies in the “deep state” and a child sex trafficking ring run by satanic pedophiles and cannibals. Trump has praised QAnon supporters and often retweets accounts that promote the conspiracy theory.
QAnon has been linked to killings, attempted kidnappings and other crimes. In May 2019, an FBI bulletin mentioning QAnon warned that conspiracy theory-driven extremists have become a domestic terrorism threat.
Lynn said her social media posts do not indicate any support for the conspiracy theory.
“This is the United States of America, and I am absolutely free to tweet or retweet anything I want,” she said. “I don’t understand why this is even an issue. Believe me, I am not in the inside of some QAnon movement.”
But in October 2019, Lynn retweeted posts by QAnon-promoting accounts with tens of thousands of followers. One of the posts she retweeted praised Trump and included the hashtag #TheGreatAwakening, a phrase commonly invoked by QAnon followers.
Between Oct. 31, 2019, and Jan. 9, 2020, her campaign received $4,750 in donations from Amazon.com Services LLC, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s PAC, health insurer Humana, the Southwest Airlines Co. Freedom Fund and Walmart Inc.
“Like many other companies, our PAC periodically contributes to elected officials in Tennessee, including those serving in leadership like Rep. Lynn,” BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee spokeswoman Dalya Qualls said in a statement.
In April, Lynn updated her Facebook page with a cover photo that included a flag with stars forming a “Q” above the abbreviation “WWG1WGA,” which stands for the QAnon slogan “Where we go one, we go all.” In May and June, Lynn punctuated several tweets with the same abbreviation.
And when a leading QAnon supporter nicknamed “Praying Medic” tweeted the message, “Is it time to Q the Trump rallies?” Lynn responded, “It is time!” in a May 31 tweet of her own.
Lynn said she viewed “Where we go one, we go all” as a “very unifying slogan” and didn’t know it was a QAnon motto. However, a handful of Facebook users who replied to her updated cover photo in April commented on the QAnon connection. The flag is no longer her cover photo but could still be seen in the feed on her page on Friday.
In July, AT&T Tennessee PAC, Cigna Corporation PAC and Jack Daniel’s PAC contributed a total of $4,000 to Lynn’s campaign.
The PACs linked to BlueCross BlueShield, AT&T Tennessee, Cigna, Southwest Airlines and Jack Daniel’s had also previously donated to Lynn’s campaign before she amplified QAnon-promoting Twitter accounts last year.
AP contacted all of the companies mentioned in this story. Some did not respond to requests for comment and others declined to comment.
___
Associated Press data journalist Andrew Milligan in New Haven, Connecticut; and Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed to this report.