talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-25--Is Your State Ready For The Pandemic Election? A Look At AR, CA, IL, NJ, and VT

Our journey through America ’ s varying levels of pandemic-voting preparedness continues this week with looks at Arkansas , California , Illinois , New Jersey and Vermont .
Every week , we ’ re looking at what states have done — or not done — to make voting easier during the coronavirus outbreak , where the fights over those moves have been the most contentious , and which states feature the kind of competitive races that could make things extra messy and volatile come November .
Here ’ s this week ’ s installment of our survey , and check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examined .
Unlike some other states , Arkansas is not sending every active registered voter a ballot for this year ’ s election .
Nor , like many other states , is it sending everyone an application to request a ballot .
The state also doesn ’ t provide prepaid postage .
But let ’ s count our blessings : In August , Gov .
Asa Hutchinson ( R ) did issue an executive order allowing anyone concerned about COVID-19 to vote by mail .
In the same order , Hutchinson said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coinciding with the state ’ s early voting period , to process mailed ballots in order to accommodate the spike in demand .
But the state made these changes reluctantly .
In June , the state faced a lawsuit when it dragged its feet to change Arkansas ’ existing restrictions for absentee voting — requiring that a voter be “ unavoidably absent ” — and even then , the state appeared ready to fight the case .
County officials , Secretary of State John Thurston said , “ have conveyed to my office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be adequate in November.
” The pair of changes — expanding absentee voting and allowing early ballot processing time for elections officials — may be able to expand voting by mail without stressing election officials with a wave of ballots that overwhelm counting capacities .
Counties have seen record-breaking demand for the absentee option .
But even with the expansion in absentee voting , challenges remain .
For example , ballots received after Election Day , even if they ’ re postmarked on Election Day , won ’ t be counted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ register or submit absentee ballot applications online .
The state is a shoo-in for Trump and Sen. Tom Cotton ( R-AK ) , who faces no Democratic challenger but instead a Libertarian opposed to Cotton ’ s view that the United States has an “ under-incarceration problem.
” The Second Congressional District , on the other hand , is surprisingly close according to one recent poll , between incumbent Rep. French Hill ( R-AK ) and state Sen. Joyce Elliott ( D ) .
If you want to know how serious California ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 pandemic — or at least , how serious they are about looking serious — check out the new bill signed into law on last week : SB 739 makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally mislead Californians about their right to vote by mail .
Even before the pandemic , a growing number of Californians were embracing vote-by-mail : State data shows that , over the years , the percentage of ballots cast by mail in California crept up to encompass the majority of the state , reaching 72 % earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available for the general election , every registered , active voter in the state will receive a mail-in ballot for the November contest , in line with a handful of states across the country doing the same .
And mailed-in ballots will be counted a full 17 days after Election Day if they are postmarked on time , an extension from years past and one that will allow even more time for the state ’ s famously slow counting process .
That extension could help some ballots arriving late because of mail delays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the California Voter Foundation found that in 2018 , most ballots rejected for late arrival in Sacramento County were actually postmarked the day after Election Day , and therefore wouldn ’ t have been helped by the 17-day grace period .
The state faces other hurdles : California has millions of eligible voters who self-identify as “ limited English proficient ” — more than some states have in their total voting populace .
And whereas those voters would normally be able to ask poll workers for help at their precinct , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call election officials to request a ballot in their preferred language .
The climate apocalypse poses a threat to voting as well .
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated to escape wildfires over the last month , but evacuees can still vote in person , contact election officials to change their address , or even fill out their ballot online and then print and deliver it to election officials .
Advocates in the state voiced another fear to TPM : Distrust of the postal service , spurred by President Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discourage some voters .
But Californians have a useful tool on their side in the form of a spiffy ballot tracker .
The state is a lock for Joe Biden .
But interesting races abound down-ballot , perhaps most of all in the race to fill the currently vacant seat of convicted felon Duncan Hunter .
Hunter ’ s former congressional competitor Ammar Campa-Najjar and former Rep. Darrell Issa ( R-CA ) are locked in a dead heat .
CA-25 , currently represented by Rep. Mike Garcia ( R-CA ) after Rep. Katie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , offers a rematch of the special election Garcia won just a few months ago , against State Assemblywoman Christy Smith .
Illinois has taken some major steps to make casting a ballot safer during the pandemic , but there are still a few places where voter advocates say that the state has fallen short in making voting easier .
Perhaps the most significant change was the state ’ s move , via a law signed by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ( D ) , to send ballot applications to registered voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Legislation signed by the governor also declared Nov. 3 a state holiday so that schools and government buildings could serve as polling places , so as to spread out in-person voting at more locations .
Additionally , the state made changes to its early in-person voting regime to make that option more accessible during the pandemic .
Chicago-area Republicans sued to block several of the changes the state made to open up voting , but the lawsuit was rejected by a federal judge earlier this month .
Illinois already had no-excuse absentee voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not been particularly widely used until now .
Illinois ’ last election was just before the COVID-19 outbreak had really taken hold , but the application numbers for the primary suggest that it will see a major surge in mail voting for the general .
In Cook County for instance , election officials have already seen four times the absentee ballot applications over its previous record .
The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot , less than a week before the election , runs the risk of voters not receiving them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local election officials are expanding their use of ballot drop boxes , and ballots postmarked by Election Day will be counted if they ’ re received within two weeks after the election .
The state also offers multiple options for voter registration — including an online process and the opportunity to register in-person up until Election Day .
Despite these strides , voter advocates are still frustrated that the state is only mailing ballot applications to recent voters , rather than everyone who is registered to vote .
There is also not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though some counties have set up an online request option on their own .
There is a possibility that final election results will take longer to report , given the two-week grace period for accepting absentee ballots .
But helping election officials deliver unofficial results quickly is the fact that they are allowed to begin processing absentee ballots as they come in .
There are three U.S. House races in Illinois that are being particularly closely watched .
Democrats are trying to capture a Republican-held seat while they hold off GOP challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 , as well as to DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos .
New Jersey is conducting an almost entirely vote-by-mail election , for the first time proactively sending out ballots to registered Democrats and Republicans and ballot applications to all other eligible voters .
It had a similar set-up for the July elections , including limited in-person voting sites where people could cast a provisional paper ballot .
Election officials sought to iron out in July ’ s contest some of the issues that arose in the state ’ s May municipal elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jersey ever conducted 100 percent by mail .
ne in every ten ballots in May ’ s election was rejected .
The July primaries went more smoothly , though it took over a month for the results to be certified .
That ’ s partially due to the large window given for ballots to be accepted — up to a week after Election Day with a timely postmark — and partially because New Jersey is still getting the hang of administering such mail-heavy elections .
In the 2018 midterms , a then-record 12.3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail .
In July , about 87 percent of it was .
The Trump campaign , RNC and state committee have mounted a sluggish legal crusade against the state ’ s expanded voting access .
Initially , they argued that Gov .
Phil Murphy ’ s ( D ) executive order greenlighting the mostly-mail election was unlawful and that only the legislature could determine how elections were administered .
That argument became moot when the Democratic-majority legislature expanded and codified Murphy ’ s measures in law .
The Republican challengers then refocused their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provisions that allow election workers to start counting ballots 10 days before Election Day and to accept ballots without a postmark up to two days afterwards .
However , team Trump did not file a corresponding motion for an injunction .
Even the federal judge on the case seemed surprised by the halfhearted maneuver : “ I ’ m just not sure why this was not filed with any urgency , ” he said earlier this month .
While the presidential and Senate races in New Jersey are safe Democratic bets , three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all three — districts two , three and seven — Democrats flipped previously Republican seats in 2018 , and are fighting to keep the districts blue .
In two of them , incumbent Reps. Andy Kim ( D-NJ ) and Tom Malinowski ( D-NJ ) are charged with that responsibility — their races rated by the Cook Political Report a “ toss up ” and “ leans Democratic , ” respectively .
The third features Rep. Jeff Van Drew ( R-NJ ) , a Democrat when he won the seat in 2018 who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ undying support ” for President Donald Trump .
He ’ s up against Amy Kennedy ( yes , those Kennedys ) in the traditionally Republican district .
Polls show them neck-and-neck .
Vermont ’ s election should be a relative snoozefest at the federal level , with the Trump campaign not seriously contesting the state and the only federal election — for the state ’ s single House seat — likely safe for the Democratic incumbent .
The state ’ s Republican governor is up for reelection after a narrow win in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state legislature is seriously contested , sitting heavily on the Democratic side .
But in COVID-19 terms , the state is reasonably well-prepared , though this is the first time it will be trying out a vote-by-mail plan that has survived an attack in the courts by Republicans .
To safely hold elections during the pandemic , Vermont enacted sweeping changes to create a universal mail-by-voting system that sends ballots with pre-paid postage to every Vermont voter .
Vermonters can vote without notary or witness requirements , then return the ballots either in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a polling precinct , or by mail .
Election officials can begin processing absentee ballots 30 days before the election , which should help them manage any potential backlog created by this year ’ s unprecedented surge in mail voting .
Additionally , Vermont has an accessible system for voter registration that includes online registration , and the option for Election Day registration for those who vote in person .
Interestingly , the state ’ s Republican governor approved this absentee voting expansion , only to have a current and a former state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit .
A federal judge threw the case out of court this month , allowing the secretary of state to begin sending ballots this week .
The state held a primary in August , during which some 6,000 mail-in ballots were rejected due to defects , out of the record-breaking 123,000 absentee ballots that were cast .
Vermont also does not accept ballots postmarked by but arriving after Election Day , and those who submit defective ballots have no opportunity to fix them after submission .
Otherwise , this state ’ s election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come , and may have results counted and certified on the evening of Election Day — a potential rarity for states this year .

Our journey through America’s varying levels of pandemic-voting preparedness continues this week with looks at Arkansas, California, Illinois, New Jersey and Vermont.
Every week, we’re looking at what states have done — or not done — to make voting easier during the coronavirus outbreak, where the fights over those moves have been the most contentious, and which states feature the kind of competitive races that could make things extra messy and volatile come November.
Here’s this week’s installment of our survey, and check out the other states we’ve examined.
Arkansas
Unlike some other states, Arkansas is not sending every active registered voter a ballot for this year’s election. Nor, like many other states, is it sending everyone an application to request a ballot. The state also doesn’t provide prepaid postage.
But let’s count our blessings: In August, Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) did issue an executive order allowing anyone concerned about COVID-19 to vote by mail. In the same order, Hutchinson said that election officials would have additional time, coinciding with the state’s early voting period, to process mailed ballots in order to accommodate the spike in demand.
But the state made these changes reluctantly. In June, the state faced a lawsuit when it dragged its feet to change Arkansas’ existing restrictions for absentee voting — requiring that a voter be “unavoidably absent” — and even then, the state appeared ready to fight the case. County officials, Secretary of State John Thurston said, “have conveyed to my office that they feel the current voting system will be adequate in November.”
The pair of changes — expanding absentee voting and allowing early ballot processing time for elections officials — may be able to expand voting by mail without stressing election officials with a wave of ballots that overwhelm counting capacities. Counties have seen record-breaking demand for the absentee option.
But even with the expansion in absentee voting, challenges remain. For example, ballots received after Election Day, even if they’re postmarked on Election Day, won’t be counted. And prospective voters still can’t register or submit absentee ballot applications online.
The state is a shoo-in for Trump and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK), who faces no Democratic challenger but instead a Libertarian opposed to Cotton’s view that the United States has an “under-incarceration problem.” The Second Congressional District, on the other hand, is surprisingly close according to one recent poll, between incumbent Rep. French Hill (R-AK) and state Sen. Joyce Elliott (D).
California
If you want to know how serious California’s politicians are about mail-in voting during the COVID-19 pandemic — or at least, how serious they are about looking serious — check out the new bill signed into law on last week: SB 739 makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally mislead Californians about their right to vote by mail.
Even before the pandemic, a growing number of Californians were embracing vote-by-mail: State data shows that, over the years, the percentage of ballots cast by mail in California crept up to encompass the majority of the state, reaching 72% earlier this year.
While in-person voting is still available for the general election, every registered, active voter in the state will receive a mail-in ballot for the November contest, in line with a handful of states across the country doing the same. And mailed-in ballots will be counted a full 17 days after Election Day if they are postmarked on time, an extension from years past and one that will allow even more time for the state’s famously slow counting process.
That extension could help some ballots arriving late because of mail delays, but risks remain: A study by the California Voter Foundation found that in 2018, most ballots rejected for late arrival in Sacramento County were actually postmarked the day after Election Day, and therefore wouldn’t have been helped by the 17-day grace period.
The state faces other hurdles: California has millions of eligible voters who self-identify as “limited English proficient” — more than some states have in their total voting populace. And whereas those voters would normally be able to ask poll workers for help at their precinct, this time around many will have to proactively call election officials to request a ballot in their preferred language.
The climate apocalypse poses a threat to voting as well. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated to escape wildfires over the last month, but evacuees can still vote in person, contact election officials to change their address, or even fill out their ballot online and then print and deliver it to election officials.
Advocates in the state voiced another fear to TPM: Distrust of the postal service, spurred by President Trump’s attacks on the institution, could discourage some voters. But Californians have a useful tool on their side in the form of a spiffy ballot tracker.
The state is a lock for Joe Biden. But interesting races abound down-ballot, perhaps most of all in the race to fill the currently vacant seat of convicted felon Duncan Hunter. Hunter’s former congressional competitor Ammar Campa-Najjar and former Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) are locked in a dead heat. CA-25, currently represented by Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA) after Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA) stepped down last year, offers a rematch of the special election Garcia won just a few months ago, against State Assemblywoman Christy Smith.
Illinois
Illinois has taken some major steps to make casting a ballot safer during the pandemic, but there are still a few places where voter advocates say that the state has fallen short in making voting easier.
Perhaps the most significant change was the state’s move, via a law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D), to send ballot applications to registered voters who had participated in recent elections. Legislation signed by the governor also declared Nov. 3 a state holiday so that schools and government buildings could serve as polling places, so as to spread out in-person voting at more locations. Additionally, the state made changes to its early in-person voting regime to make that option more accessible during the pandemic.
Chicago-area Republicans sued to block several of the changes the state made to open up voting, but the lawsuit was rejected by a federal judge earlier this month.
Illinois already had no-excuse absentee voting in the state, though it had not been particularly widely used until now. Illinois’ last election was just before the COVID-19 outbreak had really taken hold, but the application numbers for the primary suggest that it will see a major surge in mail voting for the general. In Cook County for instance, election officials have already seen four times the absentee ballot applications over its previous record.
The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot, less than a week before the election, runs the risk of voters not receiving them in time for the election. However, local election officials are expanding their use of ballot drop boxes, and ballots postmarked by Election Day will be counted if they’re received within two weeks after the election.
The state also offers multiple options for voter registration — including an online process and the opportunity to register in-person up until Election Day.
Despite these strides, voter advocates are still frustrated that the state is only mailing ballot applications to recent voters, rather than everyone who is registered to vote. There is also not a statewide portal for requesting mail ballots online, though some counties have set up an online request option on their own.
There is a possibility that final election results will take longer to report, given the two-week grace period for accepting absentee ballots. But helping election officials deliver unofficial results quickly is the fact that they are allowed to begin processing absentee ballots as they come in.
There are three U.S. House races in Illinois that are being particularly closely watched. Democrats are trying to capture a Republican-held seat while they hold off GOP challenges to a House seat Dems only took in 2018, as well as to DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos.
New Jersey
New Jersey is conducting an almost entirely vote-by-mail election, for the first time proactively sending out ballots to registered Democrats and Republicans and ballot applications to all other eligible voters. It had a similar set-up for the July elections, including limited in-person voting sites where people could cast a provisional paper ballot.
Election officials sought to iron out in July’s contest some of the issues that arose in the state’s May municipal elections, which were the first elections New Jersey ever conducted 100 percent by mail. ne in every ten ballots in May’s election was rejected. The July primaries went more smoothly, though it took over a month for the results to be certified. That’s partially due to the large window given for ballots to be accepted — up to a week after Election Day with a timely postmark — and partially because New Jersey is still getting the hang of administering such mail-heavy elections. In the 2018 midterms, a then-record 12.3 percent of the vote was cast by mail. In July, about 87 percent of it was.
The Trump campaign, RNC and state committee have mounted a sluggish legal crusade against the state’s expanded voting access. Initially, they argued that Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) executive order greenlighting the mostly-mail election was unlawful and that only the legislature could determine how elections were administered. That argument became moot when the Democratic-majority legislature expanded and codified Murphy’s measures in law. The Republican challengers then refocused their ire on the new law’s provisions that allow election workers to start counting ballots 10 days before Election Day and to accept ballots without a postmark up to two days afterwards. However, team Trump did not file a corresponding motion for an injunction. Even the federal judge on the case seemed surprised by the halfhearted maneuver: “I’m just not sure why this was not filed with any urgency,” he said earlier this month.
While the presidential and Senate races in New Jersey are safe Democratic bets, three House contests are extremely competitive. In all three — districts two, three and seven — Democrats flipped previously Republican seats in 2018, and are fighting to keep the districts blue. In two of them, incumbent Reps. Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) are charged with that responsibility — their races rated by the Cook Political Report a “toss up” and “leans Democratic,” respectively. The third features Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), a Democrat when he won the seat in 2018 who has since switched parties and declared his “undying support” for President Donald Trump. He’s up against Amy Kennedy (yes, those Kennedys) in the traditionally Republican district. Polls show them neck-and-neck.
Vermont
Vermont’s election should be a relative snoozefest at the federal level, with the Trump campaign not seriously contesting the state and the only federal election — for the state’s single House seat — likely safe for the Democratic incumbent. The state’s Republican governor is up for reelection after a narrow win in 2016, while neither chamber of the state legislature is seriously contested, sitting heavily on the Democratic side. But in COVID-19 terms, the state is reasonably well-prepared, though this is the first time it will be trying out a vote-by-mail plan that has survived an attack in the courts by Republicans.
To safely hold elections during the pandemic, Vermont enacted sweeping changes to create a universal mail-by-voting system that sends ballots with pre-paid postage to every Vermont voter. Vermonters can vote without notary or witness requirements, then return the ballots either in person to the local clerk or at a polling precinct, or by mail. Election officials can begin processing absentee ballots 30 days before the election, which should help them manage any potential backlog created by this year’s unprecedented surge in mail voting. Additionally, Vermont has an accessible system for voter registration that includes online registration, and the option for Election Day registration for those who vote in person.
Interestingly, the state’s Republican governor approved this absentee voting expansion, only to have a current and a former state Republican legislator attack the changes in a lawsuit. A federal judge threw the case out of court this month, allowing the secretary of state to begin sending ballots this week. The state held a primary in August, during which some 6,000 mail-in ballots were rejected due to defects, out of the record-breaking 123,000 absentee ballots that were cast. Vermont also does not accept ballots postmarked by but arriving after Election Day, and those who submit defective ballots have no opportunity to fix them after submission. Otherwise, this state’s election does not outwardly suggest major problems to come, and may have results counted and certified on the evening of Election Day — a potential rarity for states this year.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-25--The Dem Dems Love To Dunk On: Calls Grow For Lieberman To GTFO Of GA Senate Race

Matt Lieberman , son of former Sen. Joe Lieberman , is running for Georgia Senate as a Democratic candidate – and the party wants him to get lost .
“ I would encourage Matt to search his conscience , ” Stacey Abrams , one of George ’ s most prominent Democratic leaders , said during a press conference on Thursday .
“ We need Matt Lieberman to understand that he is not called to this moment.
” Lieberman ’ s campaign threatens to siphon votes from the top Democratic candidate in the race , Rev .
Raphael Warnock , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church , where Martin Luther King Jr. used to preach .
Warnock is the heavy favorite in his party , having racked up endorsements from former President Barack Obama , former Attorney General Eric Holder and Abrams .
And with the race being a free-for-all jungle primary special election in which incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) and Rep. Doug Collins ( R-GA ) are locked in a heated intra-party throw-down , Warnock winning could help Democrats in their quest to take back the Senate .
Now Lieberman ’ s getting hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in virtually every comment section on his own Facebook page .
But he ’ s refused to listen and has chosen instead to post ill-advised screeds on social media accusing his Black opponents , including Warnock himself , of playing the race card .
“ I regret @ reverendwarnock is again using race to divide Georgians ahead of this important election by attacking an anti-racism book I wrote to help us face the legacy of racism in the South , ” Lieberman tweeted on Thursday .
“ Suppressing democracy , using race to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook tirade against Abrams on Friday in which he seemingly copied and pasted the text of his tweet and switched out Warnock ’ s name for Abrams ’ .
“ @ ReverendWarnock congrats on endorsement from 44 who has endorsed every DC-approved senate candidate , ” he tweeted .
Believe it or not , Lieberman ’ s attacks aren ’ t playing so well :

Matt Lieberman, son of former Sen. Joe Lieberman, is running for Georgia Senate as a Democratic candidate – and the party wants him to get lost.
“I would encourage Matt to search his conscience,” Stacey Abrams, one of George’s most prominent Democratic leaders, said during a press conference on Thursday. “We need Matt Lieberman to understand that he is not called to this moment.”
Lieberman’s campaign threatens to siphon votes from the top Democratic candidate in the race, Rev. Raphael Warnock, a pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. used to preach.
Warnock is the heavy favorite in his party, having racked up endorsements from former President Barack Obama, former Attorney General Eric Holder and Abrams. And with the race being a free-for-all jungle primary special election in which incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) are locked in a heated intra-party throw-down, Warnock winning could help Democrats in their quest to take back the Senate.
Now Lieberman’s getting hit with calls to drop out, including in virtually every comment section on his own Facebook page. But he’s refused to listen and has chosen instead to post ill-advised screeds on social media accusing his Black opponents, including Warnock himself, of playing the race card.
“I regret @reverendwarnock is again using race to divide Georgians ahead of this important election by attacking an anti-racism book I wrote to help us face the legacy of racism in the South,” Lieberman tweeted on Thursday. “Suppressing democracy, using race to divide?”
He posted a similar Facebook tirade against Abrams on Friday in which he seemingly copied and pasted the text of his tweet and switched out Warnock’s name for Abrams’.
Then Lieberman mocked Obama’s endorsement of Warnock.
“@ReverendWarnock congrats on endorsement from 44 who has endorsed every DC-approved senate candidate,” he tweeted.
Believe it or not, Lieberman’s attacks aren’t playing so well:
Matt Lieberman's closing message in a Georgia Senate primary is to talk shit about Obama. https://t.co/OsgiTcCpz8 — Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) September 25, 2020
Again, candidates who know they're losing do stupid irrational shit like this. If Matt Lieberman still has a campaign manager that person should probably try and take the candidate's phone away. https://t.co/Tj7ixUZOvg — Melissa Ryan (@MelissaRyan) September 25, 2020
"It’s clear that Matt Lieberman should drop out of the race, unless he wants to be responsible for costing Democrats a victory in Georgia.” — @rahnamepting https://t.co/BxreZ8N0NN — MoveOn (@MoveOn) September 25, 2020
If you want something to rage read today – here you go. It's becoming very clear that Matt Lieberman is in this race to help the GOP. There is no other explanation for the behavior below. https://t.co/9lkKsdEaXK — Tim Fullerton (@TimFullerton) September 25, 2020


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-25--Two Former GOP Lawmakers Endorsing Biden: Trump Is ‘No Republican’

Two former Republican lawmakers have joined the ranks of Republicans endorsing Democratic nominee Joe Biden for president .
Former Reps. Mickey Edwards ( R-OK ) , a former chair of the American Conservative Union who served in Congress for 16 years until vacating his seat in 1993 and Charles Djou ( R-HI ) , an Afghanistan war veteran , who won a three-way special election in 2010 and served until 2011 , have become the latest GOP supporters of Biden .
“ Joe Biden is not a perfect man , but he is a man of humble decency , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ op-ed published by Roll Call on Friday .
“ America needs a restored sense of national unity , basic civility and true character in our president .
After four years of reckless Trumpian chaos and division , we believe it is time for a new president and ask that you join us.
” The duo , who have said they “ should be among Donald Trump ’ s biggest supporters , ” have backed Biden , citing Trump ’ s disparaging remarks about fallen military heroes in 2018 , as first reported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Childish name-calling , crude behavior and immature narcissism is unwarranted in any adult , let alone our president , ” the former GOP lawmakers wrote .
The former GOP congressmen further expressed discontent about alienation from global democracies as demonstrated by Trump ’ s efforts to cozy up to the world ’ s dictators .
“ Trump professes kinship with dictators such as Russia ’ s Vladimir Putin and even expressed love for North Korean despot Kim Jong Un , ” they wrote , appearing to refer to reports by famed investigative journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gushing idolatry of the North Korean dictator in his book “ Rage.
” The pair added that they were “ so disturbed ” by what they called President Trump ’ s affection for conspiracy theories , which they said “ reflect a disturbing paranoia.
” Trump has repeatedly praised GOP candidates who have sympathized and even promoted QAnon — a conspiracy theory that has been flagged by the FBI as a domestic terror threat .
“ Donald Trump may pretend to be heir to the great Republican tradition that appealed to us both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is simply an ill-formed man who lacks basic self-control and shows no semblance of inner character , ” Djou and Edwards said .
The former lawmakers decried Trump ’ s “ anti-immigrant devotion to isolationism , ” citing a Trump policy which beginning in 2017 , separated children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border .
The policy was also mentioned by a former senior Trump official , Miles Taylor , in a video clip produced by Republicans Against Trump ahead of the Republican National Convention last month .
“ His anti-immigrant approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ autocrats in Turkey or Russia or China than the American Statue of Liberty , ” the former lawmakers wrote .
The former lawmakers appealed to the ideals of a unified America , ripping Trump for stoking division “ for his personal gain.
” The comments comes as Trump suggested earlier this week that he may not accept the peaceful transfer of power if he loses the election in November .
The former GOP lawmakers appear to stand in stark contrast with some of the Republican leaders of today who scrambled to play down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he says , “ crazy stuff ” or that Democrats had a tendency to “ over-dramatize ” the remarks .

Two former Republican lawmakers have joined the ranks of Republicans endorsing Democratic nominee Joe Biden for president.
Former Reps. Mickey Edwards (R-OK), a former chair of the American Conservative Union who served in Congress for 16 years until vacating his seat in 1993 and Charles Djou (R-HI), an Afghanistan war veteran, who won a three-way special election in 2010 and served until 2011, have become the latest GOP supporters of Biden.
“Joe Biden is not a perfect man, but he is a man of humble decency,” the former GOP lawmakers penned in an op-ed published by Roll Call on Friday. “America needs a restored sense of national unity, basic civility and true character in our president. After four years of reckless Trumpian chaos and division, we believe it is time for a new president and ask that you join us.”
The duo, who have said they “should be among Donald Trump’s biggest supporters,” have backed Biden, citing Trump’s disparaging remarks about fallen military heroes in 2018, as first reported by The Atlantic earlier this month.
“Childish name-calling, crude behavior and immature narcissism is unwarranted in any adult, let alone our president,” the former GOP lawmakers wrote.
The former GOP congressmen further expressed discontent about alienation from global democracies as demonstrated by Trump’s efforts to cozy up to the world’s dictators.
“Trump professes kinship with dictators such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin and even expressed love for North Korean despot Kim Jong Un,” they wrote, appearing to refer to reports by famed investigative journalist Bob Woodward who detailed Trump’s gushing idolatry of the North Korean dictator in his book “Rage.”
The pair added that they were “so disturbed” by what they called President Trump’s
affection for conspiracy theories, which they said “reflect a disturbing paranoia.”
Trump has repeatedly praised GOP candidates who have sympathized and even promoted QAnon — a conspiracy theory that has been flagged by the FBI as a domestic terror threat.
“Donald Trump may pretend to be heir to the great Republican tradition that appealed to us both but he is no Republican. He is simply an ill-formed man who lacks basic self-control and shows no semblance of inner character,” Djou and Edwards said.
The former lawmakers decried Trump’s “anti-immigrant devotion to isolationism,” citing a Trump policy which beginning in 2017, separated children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. The policy was also mentioned by a former senior Trump official, Miles Taylor, in a video clip produced by Republicans Against Trump ahead of the Republican National Convention last month.
“His anti-immigrant approach bears a much closer relationship to the autocrats in Turkey or Russia or China than the American Statue of Liberty,” the former lawmakers wrote.
The former lawmakers appealed to the ideals of a unified America, ripping Trump for stoking division “for his personal gain.”
The comments comes as Trump suggested earlier this week that he may not accept the peaceful transfer of power if he loses the election in November. The former GOP lawmakers appear to stand in stark contrast with some of the Republican leaders of today who scrambled to play down the President’s comments, suggesting that he says, “crazy stuff” or that Democrats had a tendency to “over-dramatize” the remarks.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-25--Report: Barr Behind Trump’s Fixation On 9 Military Ballots In Pennsylvania

Attorney General Bill Barr personally briefed President Donald Trump on the military ballots found in a dumpster in Luzerne , Pennsylvania , setting off a chain reaction that culminated with the widely-criticized public comments on the case from the local U.S. Attorney ’ s office , according to an ABC News report .
Barr reportedly found out about the situation when the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office turned to Main Justice for help fielding media requests from local Pennsylvania news outlets .
The new link in the story explains how Trump knew about the “ Trump ballots ” in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Thursday interview on Fox News host Brian Kilmeade ’ s radio show .
Shortly after the interview , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany teased the information during a press briefing .
“ And also , I can confirm for you that Trump ballots — ballots for the President were found in Pennsylvania , ” she said in response to a question about Trump ’ s refusal to promise a smooth transfer of power .
“ And I believe you should be getting more information on that shortly .
Here , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found cast aside.
” U.S. Attorney David Freed then issued a press release unveiling that an investigation was ongoing , and including jarringly specific details like that all nine ballots were cast for Trump .
The DOJ later had to issue another press release clarifying that only seven of the ballots were known to be cast for him .
Experts and DOJ alum were up in arms over the press release , bewildered as to why he felt compelled to release such a sketchy and selective account so early in the investigation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional information that suggested that the ballot mishandling may have been a mistake , and not the malicious election tampering immediately claimed by the Trump camp .
“ It was explained to investigators the envelopes used for official overseas , military , absentee and mail-in ballot requests are so similar , that the staff believed that adhering to the protocol of preserving envelopes unopened would cause them to miss such ballot requests , ” he wrote .
Still , he maintained a sinister tone , calling the preliminary findings “ troubling ” without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Much is still unknown about the situation , including the nature of the nine ballots found by Luzerne County Elections Director Shelby Watchilla in the dumpster last week .
Due to a protracted court fight over the Green Party candidate , ballots are still being finalized in some counties in Pennsylvania , making it unlikely that absentee ballots could have already been mailed out and sent back .
There are some special provisions surrounding military voting , including Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots , that members of the military can send in if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and return an official absentee ballot .
It ’ s unclear if that type of ballot is in play in the Luzerne County situation .

Attorney General Bill Barr personally briefed President Donald Trump on the military ballots found in a dumpster in Luzerne, Pennsylvania, setting off a chain reaction that culminated with the widely-criticized public comments on the case from the local U.S. Attorney’s office, according to an ABC News report.
Barr reportedly found out about the situation when the U.S. Attorney’s Office turned to Main Justice for help fielding media requests from local Pennsylvania news outlets.
The new link in the story explains how Trump knew about the “Trump ballots” in a “garbage can” he referenced during a Thursday interview on Fox News host Brian Kilmeade’s radio show.
Shortly after the interview, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany teased the information during a press briefing.
“And also, I can confirm for you that Trump ballots — ballots for the President were found in Pennsylvania,” she said in response to a question about Trump’s refusal to promise a smooth transfer of power. “And I believe you should be getting more information on that shortly. Here, in the last 24 hours, they were found cast aside.”
U.S. Attorney David Freed then issued a press release unveiling that an investigation was ongoing, and including jarringly specific details like that all nine ballots were cast for Trump. The DOJ later had to issue another press release clarifying that only seven of the ballots were known to be cast for him.
Experts and DOJ alum were up in arms over the press release, bewildered as to why he felt compelled to release such a sketchy and selective account so early in the investigation.
In a subsequent letter, Freed provided additional information that suggested that the ballot mishandling may have been a mistake, and not the malicious election tampering immediately claimed by the Trump camp.
“It was explained to investigators the envelopes used for official overseas, military, absentee and mail-in ballot requests are so similar, that the staff believed that adhering to the protocol of preserving envelopes unopened would cause them to miss such ballot requests,” he wrote.
Still, he maintained a sinister tone, calling the preliminary findings “troubling” without detailing any possible crimes or foul play.
Much is still unknown about the situation, including the nature of the nine ballots found by Luzerne County Elections Director Shelby Watchilla in the dumpster last week. Due to a protracted court fight over the Green Party candidate, ballots are still being finalized in some counties in Pennsylvania, making it unlikely that absentee ballots could have already been mailed out and sent back.
There are some special provisions surrounding military voting, including Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots, that members of the military can send in if there isn’t time to receive and return an official absentee ballot. It’s unclear if that type of ballot is in play in the Luzerne County situation.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-26--Trump Officially Taps Conservative Amy Coney Barrett For Supreme Court

President Donald Trump on Saturday formally nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a move that if confirmed will significantly tilt the ideological bearings of the Supreme Court for years to come .
“ She is a woman of unparalleled achievement , towering intellect , sterling credentials and unyielding loyalty to the Constitution , ” Trump said .
“ I looked and I studied , and you are very eminently qualified , ” Trump added of Barrett as she stood beside him in the Rose Garden .
Barrett , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for her views on abortion and health care , will likely be an ideological opposite to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg she is poised to replace .
An ideological heir to the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia , for whom she clerked in the 1990s , Barrett noted the friendship between the late Ginsburg and Scalia in remarks on Saturday , adding of her mentor : “ His judicial philosophy is mine , too.
” Barrett is the third Trump nomination for the hight court , following previous nominations for Justices Neil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominated Barrett in 2017 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago .
At that time , she faced tough questioning about whether her religious convictions would influence her legal decisions .
Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D-CA ) , grilling Barrett at that time , said that “ the dogma lives loudly within you , and that ’ s of concern.
” A mother of seven and a devoted Roman Catholic , Barrett will likely face rigorous questioning amid her confirmation in the coming weeks about whether she will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expectations of her church when it comes to rendering her judgment on the high court .
Barrett would also be the only justice on the current court not to have received her law degree from an Ivy League school .
The eight current justices all attended either Harvard or Yale .
The president had previously interviewed Barrett in 2018 for the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy , but Trump ultimately chose Brett Kavanaugh .
If confirmed , Barrett will be the sixth justice of Catholic faith on the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notable Catholics who serve on the high court include the liberal Sonia Sotomayor and the staunchly conservative Clarence Thomas .
There has been a majority of Catholic justices on the Supreme Court since Alito joined in 2006 .
Until that time , the Supreme Court for most its its history had been almost entirely populated by white male Protestants .
Trump and his political allies are itching for another fight over Barrett ’ s faith , seeing it as a political windfall that would backfire on Democrats .
Catholic voters in Pennsylvania , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pivotal demographic in the swing state that Biden , also Catholic , is trying to recapture .
While Democrats appear powerless to stop Barrett ’ s confirmation in the GOP-controlled Senate , they are seeking to use the process to weaken Trump ’ s reelection chances .
Barrett ’ s nomination could become a reckoning over abortion , an issue that has divided many Americans so bitterly for almost half a century .
The idea of overturning or gutting Roe v. Wade , the landmark 1973 decision that legalized abortion , has animated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , with the seemingly decisive shift in the court ’ s ideological makeup , Democrats hope their voters will turn out in droves because of their frustration with the Barrett pick .
Trump has also increasingly embraced the high court — which he will have had an outsized hand in reshaping -– as an insurance policy in a close election .
Increases in mail , absentee and early voting brought about by the coronavirus pandemic have already led to a flurry of election litigation , and both Trump and Biden have assembled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once vote-counting begins .
Trump has been open about tying his push to name a third justice to the court to a potentially drawn-out court fight to determine who will be sworn in on Jan. 20 , 2021 .
“ I think this will end up in the Supreme Court , ” Trump said Wednesday of the election , adding , “ And I think it ’ s very important that we have nine justices.
” Meanwhile , outside conservative groups are planning to spend more than $ 25 million to support Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Network has organized a coalition that includes American First Policies , the Susan B. Anthony List , the Club for Growth and the group Catholic Vote to help confirm Barrett , and Trump ’ s campaign is expected to include the nomination in upcoming advertising .

President Donald Trump on Saturday formally nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a move that if confirmed will significantly tilt the ideological bearings of the Supreme Court for years to come.
“She is a woman of unparalleled achievement, towering intellect, sterling credentials and unyielding loyalty to the Constitution,” Trump said.
“I looked and I studied, and you are very eminently qualified,” Trump added of Barrett as she stood beside him in the Rose Garden.
Barrett, a favorite among right-wing activists and religious conservatives for her views on abortion and health care, will likely be an ideological opposite to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg she is poised to replace.
An ideological heir to the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, for whom she clerked in the 1990s, Barrett noted the friendship between the late Ginsburg and Scalia in remarks on Saturday, adding of her mentor: “His judicial philosophy is mine, too.”
Barrett is the third Trump nomination for the hight court, following previous nominations for Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
Trump previously nominated Barrett in 2017 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago. At that time, she faced tough questioning about whether her religious convictions would influence her legal decisions.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), grilling Barrett at that time, said that “the dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern.”
A mother of seven and a devoted Roman Catholic, Barrett will likely face rigorous questioning amid her confirmation in the coming weeks about whether she will be able or willing to resist the expectations of her church when it comes to rendering her judgment on the high court.
Barrett would also be the only justice on the current court not to have received her law degree from an Ivy League school. The eight current justices all attended either Harvard or Yale.
The president had previously interviewed Barrett in 2018 for the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, but Trump ultimately chose Brett Kavanaugh.
If confirmed, Barrett will be the sixth justice of Catholic faith on the Supreme Court’s nine-seat bench. Other notable Catholics who serve on the high court include the liberal Sonia Sotomayor and the staunchly conservative Clarence Thomas.
There has been a majority of Catholic justices on the Supreme Court since Alito joined in 2006. Until that time, the Supreme Court for most its its history had been almost entirely populated by white male Protestants.
Trump and his political allies are itching for another fight over Barrett’s faith, seeing it as a political windfall that would backfire on Democrats. Catholic voters in Pennsylvania, in particular, are viewed as a pivotal demographic in the swing state that Biden, also Catholic, is trying to recapture.
While Democrats appear powerless to stop Barrett’s confirmation in the GOP-controlled Senate, they are seeking to use the process to weaken Trump’s reelection chances.
Barrett’s nomination could become a reckoning over abortion, an issue that has divided many Americans so bitterly for almost half a century. The idea of overturning or gutting Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that legalized abortion, has animated activists in both parties for decades. Now, with the seemingly decisive shift in the court’s ideological makeup, Democrats hope their voters will turn out in droves because of their frustration with the Barrett pick.
Trump has also increasingly embraced the high court — which he will have had an outsized hand in reshaping -– as an insurance policy in a close election.
Increases in mail, absentee and early voting brought about by the coronavirus pandemic have already led to a flurry of election litigation, and both Trump and Biden have assembled armies of lawyers to continue the fight once vote-counting begins. Trump has been open about tying his push to name a third justice to the court to a potentially drawn-out court fight to determine who will be sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021.
“I think this will end up in the Supreme Court,” Trump said Wednesday of the election, adding, “And I think it’s very important that we have nine justices.”
Meanwhile, outside conservative groups are planning to spend more than $25 million to support Trump and his nominee. The Judicial Crisis Network has organized a coalition that includes American First Policies, the Susan B. Anthony List, the Club for Growth and the group Catholic Vote to help confirm Barrett, and Trump’s campaign is expected to include the nomination in upcoming advertising.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-26--Biden Compares Trump To Nazi Propaganda Minister: ‘He’s Sort Of Like Goebbels’

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden called out President Donald Trump ’ s penchant for spreading misinformation on Saturday , comparing Trump ’ s tendency to mislead to Joseph Goebbels , Nazi Germany ’ s minister of propaganda .
Biden made the Goebbels comparison when asked by MSNBC ’ s Stephanie Ruhle about Trump ’ s assertion that Biden is pushing a socialist agenda during an interview that aired Saturday .
“ I ’ m not sure anybody that hadn ’ t already made up their mind they ’ re for Trump will believe it , ” Biden said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of like Goebbels .
You say the lie long enough — keep repeating it , repeating it , repeating it — it becomes common knowledge.
” Biden also appeared to dismiss Trump ’ s suggestion earlier this week that he may refuse to commit to a peaceful transfer of power in the case of electoral defeat in November , calling it “ a typical Trump distraction.
” Biden had previously responded to Trump ’ s comments late Wednesday , by facetiously asking a reporter , “ What country are we in ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s remarks did not represent those of a leader committed to ruling by the democratic tradition established in the United States .

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden called out President Donald Trump’s penchant for spreading misinformation on Saturday, comparing Trump’s tendency to mislead to Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Germany’s minister of propaganda.
Biden made the Goebbels comparison when asked by MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle about Trump’s assertion that Biden is pushing a socialist agenda during an interview that aired Saturday.
“I’m not sure anybody that hadn’t already made up their mind they’re for Trump will believe it,” Biden said. “But who knows. He’s sort of like Goebbels. You say the lie long enough — keep repeating it, repeating it, repeating it — it becomes common knowledge.”
Biden also appeared to dismiss Trump’s suggestion earlier this week that he may refuse to commit to a peaceful transfer of power in the case of electoral defeat in November, calling it “a typical Trump distraction.”
“He’ll leave,” Biden said.
Biden had previously responded to Trump’s comments late Wednesday, by facetiously asking a reporter, “What country are we in?”– implying that the President’s remarks did not represent those of a leader committed to ruling by the democratic tradition established in the United States.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-26--WATCH LIVE: Trump Announces Supreme Court Pick At 5 PM ET

US President Donald Trump delivers remarks in front of the media in the Rose Garden of the White House in @ @ @ @ @ 1 , 2020 .
- US President Donald Trump was due to make a televised @ @ @ @ @ US President Donald Trump delivers remarks in front of the media in the Rose Garden @ @ @ @ @ Washington , DC on June 1 , 2020 .
- US President Donald Trump was @ @ @ @ @ address to the nation on Monday after days of anti-racism protests against police brutality that @ @ @ @ @ The White House announced that the president would make remarks imminently after he has been @ @ @ @ @ in the crisis in recent days .
( Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP ) @ @ @ @ @ via Getty Images )

US President Donald Trump delivers remarks in front of the media in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC on June 1, 2020. - US President Donald Trump was due to make a televised address to the nation ...
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks in front of the media in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC on June 1, 2020. - US President Donald Trump was due to make a televised address to the nation on Monday after days of anti-racism protests against police brutality that have erupted into violence. The White House announced that the president would make remarks imminently after he has been criticized for not publicly addressing in the crisis in recent days. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
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talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-26--Report: Confirmation Hearing For Trump Supreme Court Nominee Expected To Begin Oct. 12

The Senate Judiciary Committee is likely to begin a confirmation hearing on Oct. 12 for President Donald Trump ’ s pick to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court , according to a report from The Hill .
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) is expected to announce the committee ’ s schedule later Saturday , once Trump formally nominates his replacement .
Sources familiar with the process told Bloomberg News the plan could lead to a final vote by the Senate by the week of Oct. 26 .
Trump is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as his nominee on Saturday , according to multiple reports .
Barrett was previously nominated by Trump to serve on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017 .
A devout Roman Catholic , she is and a favorite among religious conservatives .
Trump told reporters following his arrival in Maryland yesterday that Barrett was “ outstanding.
” The Hill noted that Trump ’ s former nominees , Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh , had roughly two months between their formal nominations and the first day of their hearings .
If Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will likely have just over two weeks between her nomination Saturday and the beginning of her hearing on Oct. 12 .
Graham said that he would swiftly hold the committee ’ s hearing telling Fox News on Monday that the GOP has the votes to fill Ginsburg ’ s seat before Nov. 3 .
“ We ’ re going to move forward in the committee , ” Gram said , “ We ’ re going to report the nomination out of the committee to the floor of the United States Senate so we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dianne Feinstein ( D-CA ) a Democrat on the committee , criticized Republicans earlier this week for jamming through a confirmation .
“ This entire process is a charade , ” she said in a statement obtained by Bloomberg News .
“ This president shouldn ’ t even be nominating a replacement to Justice Ginsburg ’ s seat so close to an election .
Republicans are only compounding that mistake by rushing the process.
” Per The Hill , a source said that Barrett ’ s confirmation hearings are expected to follow a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening statements , two days for questioning , and a final day inviting outside experts .

The Senate Judiciary Committee is likely to begin a confirmation hearing on Oct. 12 for President Donald Trump’s pick to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, according to a report from The Hill.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is expected to announce the committee’s schedule later Saturday, once Trump formally nominates his replacement.
Sources familiar with the process told Bloomberg News the plan could lead to a final vote by the Senate by the week of Oct. 26.
Trump is expected to be formally announce Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee on Saturday, according to multiple reports. Barrett was previously nominated by Trump to serve on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017. A devout Roman Catholic, she is and a favorite among religious conservatives.
Trump told reporters following his arrival in Maryland yesterday that Barrett was “outstanding.”
The Hill noted that Trump’s former nominees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, had roughly two months between their formal nominations and the first day of their hearings.
If Graham advances as quickly as expected, Barrett will likely have just over two weeks between her nomination Saturday and the beginning of her hearing on Oct. 12.
Graham said that he would swiftly hold the committee’s hearing telling Fox News on Monday that the GOP has the votes to fill Ginsburg’s seat before Nov. 3.
“We’re going to move forward in the committee,” Gram said, “We’re going to report the nomination out of the committee to the floor of the United States Senate so we can vote before the election.”
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) a Democrat on the committee, criticized Republicans earlier this week for jamming through a confirmation.
“This entire process is a charade,” she said in a statement obtained by Bloomberg News. “This president shouldn’t even be nominating a replacement to Justice Ginsburg’s seat so close to an election. Republicans are only compounding that mistake by rushing the process.”
Per The Hill, a source said that Barrett’s confirmation hearings are expected to follow a similar four-days schedule, allotting time for opening statements, two days for questioning, and a final day inviting outside experts.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-26--Troye: WH Staffers Discussed Possible Scenario Of Trump Refusing To Leave Office

Former top aide to Vice President Mike Pence Olivia Troye said Friday night that she and other White House staffers had discussed the possibility that President Donald Trump could refuse to leave the White House after potentially losing the November presidential election , long before he made the remarks during a briefing on Wednesday .
When asked by CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer on Friday if Trump ’ s refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power in the event that he loses the upcoming election surprised her , Troye said , “ It does not.
” Troye , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has since endorsed Democratic nominee Joe Biden , told CNN that she had engaged in closed-door conversations with White House staffers and other government officials including members of the intelligence community who discussed possible scenarios of Trump refusing to leave office .
Troye warned on Friday that Trump ’ s comments should be taken seriously , even if they ’ re disguised as jokes .
“ The president when he ’ s joking , if he says that he ’ s joking , he ’ s telling you a half truth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is something fairly frightening and scary.
” “ What you see is what you get , ” she added .
“ You should trust that .
He doesn ’ t hide it.
” On Thursday , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters that Trump “ will accept the results of a free and fair election.
” But late Friday Trump appeared to double down on his potential refusal to commit to a peaceful departure if he loses .
During a campaign rally in Newport News , Virginia the President suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election if Democrats cheated , adding : “ we ’ re not going to stand for it.
” “ I want a smooth , beautiful transition , ” Trump claimed , adding : “ But it ’ s got to be an honest vote.
” In a continuous effort by the President to undermine mail-in voting which he has repeatedly claimed will yield fraudulent results , he said the election was a “ disaster waiting to happen.
” “ I could be leading , and then they ’ ll just keep getting ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump complained of anticipated delays related to mailed votes , adding : “ So if we ’ re waiting for one state , does that mean the whole nation , the whole world is going to wait for one state ?
” Trump said that amid an expansion of mail-in voting , mailed ballots were “ very hard to watch , ” adding that “ the only way ” he would lose is “ if there ’ s mischief.
” The President at one point even talked on Friday of canceling the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popularity would be much higher if his achievements hadn ’ t been overshadowed by reports speculating that he had ties with Russia , Trump went on to say that in such a scenario Democrats would be prone to conceding to a continuation of his presidency without contest realizing they “ have no chance .
”

Former top aide to Vice President Mike Pence Olivia Troye said Friday night that she and other White House staffers had discussed the possibility that President Donald Trump could refuse to leave the White House after potentially losing the November presidential election, long before he made the remarks during a briefing on Wednesday.
When asked by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Friday if Trump’s refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power in the event that he loses the upcoming election surprised her, Troye said, “It does not.”
Troye, who left the White House in August and has since endorsed Democratic nominee Joe Biden, told CNN that she had engaged in closed-door conversations with White House staffers and other government officials including members of the intelligence community who discussed possible scenarios of Trump refusing to leave office.
Troye warned on Friday that Trump’s comments should be taken seriously, even if they’re disguised as jokes.
“The president when he’s joking, if he says that he’s joking, he’s telling you a half truth,” Troye said. “And in there is something fairly frightening and scary.”
“What you see is what you get,” she added. “You should trust that. He doesn’t hide it.”
On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters that Trump “will accept the results of a free and fair election.”
But late Friday Trump appeared to double down on his potential refusal to commit to a peaceful departure if he loses. During a campaign rally in Newport News, Virginia the President suggested that he would only lose the upcoming election if Democrats cheated, adding: “we’re not going to stand for it.”
“I want a smooth, beautiful transition,” Trump claimed, adding: “But it’s got to be an honest vote.”
In a continuous effort by the President to undermine mail-in voting which he has repeatedly claimed will yield fraudulent results, he said the election was a “disaster waiting to happen.”
“I could be leading, and then they’ll just keep getting ballots and ballots and ballots and ballots,” Trump complained of anticipated delays related to mailed votes, adding: “So if we’re waiting for one state, does that mean the whole nation, the whole world is going to wait for one state?”
Trump said that amid an expansion of mail-in voting, mailed ballots were“very hard to watch,” adding that “the only way” he would lose is “if there’s mischief.”
The President at one point even talked on Friday of canceling the election altogether. First suggesting that his popularity would be much higher if his achievements hadn’t been overshadowed by reports speculating that he had ties with Russia, Trump went on to say that in such a scenario Democrats would be prone to conceding to a continuation of his presidency without contest realizing they “have no chance.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-26--Trump On Pandemic: ‘The Only Thing’ Administration Has Done Poorly Is Public Relations

President Donald Trump on Friday patted himself on the back for his administration ’ s bungled effort at curbing the coronavirus which has now killed more than 204,000 people in the United States .
“ I ’ d give us an A to an A+ , ” the President said at a campaign rally in Newport News , Virginia , maintaining that when the first coronavirus cases appeared in the United States his administration “ launched the largest national mobilization since WWII.
” “ You look at the ventilators — you look at all we ’ ve done.
” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators when he speaks about how he ’ s handled the pandemic .
A recent ProPublica report prompted congressional investigation that in August found “ evidence of fraud , waste and abuse ” in the government ’ s acquisition of Philips ventilators .
Trump insisted on Friday that the White House has worked hard to support governors in securing the equipment they need .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany regarded the grim milestone of 200,000 deaths on Tuesday as a “ testament ” to the President ’ s bold leadership amid projections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We were looking at the prospect of 2 million people potentially perishing from the coronavirus in this country , ” McEnany told reporters during a press briefing .
“ We grieve when even one life is lost — the fact that we have come nowhere near that number is a testament to this president taking immediate action.
” The comments from Trump and the White House broadly , reflect a broader effort by the Trump administration to rewrite history .
Last month , during the Republican National Convention , White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 pandemic in the past tense .
Earlier this month , Trump suggested that the nation had “ rounded the final turn ” of the health crisis .
Meanwhile , top health experts like the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases director , Dr. Anthony Fauci have countered those claims , warning in recent weeks , that COVID-19 data was “ disturbing ” and that Americans needed to “ hunker down ” in the colder months amid new cases that were plateauing at an unsatisfactorily high rate .
While giving himself high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to undermine the efforts of health officials in his own administration .
On Wednesday , President Trump intensified pressure to politicize the vaccine by suggesting that he wouldn ’ t approve stricter FDA guidelines for a coronavirus vaccine “ That has to be approved by the White House , ” Trump said of the FDA standards when addressing reporters at a White House briefing .
“ That sounds like a political move.
” The following day , Trump offered a vague and unsupported theory suggesting that unnamed officials were conspiring to slow the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the explicit intention of hurting his reelection bid .
“ The only thing we did badly on was public relations , because we were working so hard , ” Trump insisted on Friday to a tightly packed crowd — a majority in attendance did not wear masks .
“ We ’ ve done a hell of a job , ” the President said , repeating his remarks about botched optics by saying , “ except on public relations and that ’ s explaining it to people.
” But optics have been perhaps the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have accused of being fixated on his media presence .
A former top aide to Vice President Mike Pence , Olivia Troye , who was involved in the White House ’ s task force on the coronavirus before leaving the administration in August , told NBC News earlier this week that the President was frequently more concerned about his “ public image ” than he was with protecting Americans .
“ He was really focused on public image , messaging , ” Troye said , adding that for Trump , it was more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agenda identified by the task force which was “ how are we going to save and protect Americans .
”

President Donald Trump on Friday patted himself on the back for his administration’s bungled effort at curbing the coronavirus which has now killed more than 204,000 people in the United States.
“I’d give us an A to an A+,” the President said at a campaign rally in Newport News, Virginia, maintaining that when the first coronavirus cases appeared in the United States his administration “launched the largest national mobilization since WWII.”
“You look at the ventilators — you look at all we’ve done.” Trump said.
The President has repeatedly touted ventilators when he speaks about how he’s handled the pandemic. A recent ProPublica report prompted congressional investigation that in August found “evidence of fraud, waste and abuse” in the government’s acquisition of Philips ventilators.
Trump insisted on Friday that the White House has worked hard to support governors in securing the equipment they need.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany regarded the grim milestone of 200,000 deaths on Tuesday as a “testament” to the President’s bold leadership amid projections of a potentially much higher death toll.
“We were looking at the prospect of 2 million people potentially perishing from the coronavirus in this country,” McEnany told reporters during a press briefing. “We grieve when even one life is lost — the fact that we have come nowhere near that number is a testament to this president taking immediate action.”
The comments from Trump and the White House broadly, reflect a broader effort by the Trump administration to rewrite history.
Last month, during the Republican National Convention, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, described the COVID-19 pandemic in the past tense.
Earlier this month, Trump suggested that the nation had “rounded the final turn” of the health crisis. Meanwhile, top health experts like the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases director, Dr. Anthony Fauci have countered those claims, warning in recent weeks, that COVID-19 data was “disturbing” and that Americans needed to “hunker down” in the colder months amid new cases that were plateauing at an unsatisfactorily high rate.
While giving himself high marks, President Trump has repeatedly sought to undermine the efforts of health officials in his own administration.
On Wednesday, President Trump intensified pressure to politicize the vaccine by suggesting that he wouldn’t approve stricter FDA guidelines for a coronavirus vaccine
“That has to be approved by the White House,” Trump said of the FDA standards when addressing reporters at a White House briefing. “That sounds like a political move.”
The following day, Trump offered a vague and unsupported theory suggesting that unnamed officials were conspiring to slow the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, with the explicit intention of hurting his reelection bid.
“The only thing we did badly on was public relations, because we were working so hard,” Trump insisted on Friday to a tightly packed crowd — a majority in attendance did not wear masks.
“We’ve done a hell of a job,” the President said, repeating his remarks about botched optics by saying, “except on public relations and that’s explaining it to people.”
But optics have been perhaps the only concern of a president who some have accused of being fixated on his media presence.
A former top aide to Vice President Mike Pence, Olivia Troye, who was involved in the White House’s task force on the coronavirus before leaving the administration in August, told NBC News earlier this week that the President was frequently more concerned about his “public image” than he was with protecting Americans.
“He was really focused on public image, messaging,” Troye said, adding that for Trump, it was more about his “personal agenda” than the agenda identified by the task force which was “how are we going to save and protect Americans.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-09-26--Trump Refocuses On Pennsylvania To Shore Up Reelection

HARRISBURG , Pa. ( AP ) — President Donald Trump ’ s campaign has grown increasingly focused on making inroads in Pennsylvania to offset potential vulnerabilities in other battlegrounds .
The president will travel to the state for the second time in a week on Saturday , hoping to attract the same rural and white working-class voters who delivered him a narrow victory here in 2016 .
The in-person touch , in what may become the most important battleground on the map , complements an aggressive get-out-the-vote operation that has been working for four years to find new voters by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump narrowly flipped three Great Lakes states — Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — from blue to red in 2016 .
He has virtually no path to reelection without keeping at least one of those states in his column .
His campaign has long viewed Wisconsin as his best option , but aides who requested anonymity to discuss strategy said their thinking has begun to shift .
There are growing concerns inside the campaign , the aides said , about Trump ’ s ability to retain Wisconsin .
Even winning that upper Midwest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes if Trump ’ s Democratic challenger , Joe Biden , claims Arizona .
But Pennsylvania would be enough .
“ With Pennsylvania , I don ’ t have to make a play , we ’ ve got Pennsylvania , ” boasted Trump at a rally Tuesday night just outside Pittsburgh .
That may be harder than Trump suggests .
Despite fervent Republican efforts , no GOP nominee since George H.W .
Bush in 1988 had captured the state until Trump did four years ago , winning by just 44,000 votes out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone born in Scranton , Joe Biden is also heavily focused on the state .
Recent Pennsylvania polls disagree over the state of the race : Some show Trump and Biden in a competitive race , while others have Biden slightly ahead of Trump .
And just as “ Florida , Florida , Florida ” became the moniker in 2000 for the electoral delays and controversies in the state that decided the election that year , Pennsylvania , which may be 2020 ’ s tipping point state , may have its own drama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters expected to cast ballots by mail , lawmakers , party officials and election officials are warning that the conditions are ripe for a presidential election result to be left hanging in limbo on a drawn-out vote .
A partisan stalemate and lawsuits have held up fixes to glitches in the state ’ s fledgling mail-in voting law , and Democrats are warning that as many as 100,000 or more mail-in ballots — dubbed “ naked ballots ” — could be invalidated if they aren ’ t put in the proper envelope by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania also is where a federal prosecutor ’ s announcement that nine mailed-in military ballots had been found in the trash at a local election office was seized upon by Trump and his supporters .
But there was little explanation of what had happened or whether investigators believed a criminal act had occurred in a county controlled by Republicans .
Pennsylvania is anchored by large cities — Philadelphia to the east , Pittsburgh to the west — on opposite ends , each with sprawling suburbs .
But the rest of the state is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and towns where Trump ran up the score four years ago .
He will likely need to again , as his prospects have slipped since 2016 in vote-rich suburban Philadelphia , where he underperformed by past Republican measures .
This raises the stakes for his campaign ’ s more aggressive outreach to new rural and small-town voters across the industrial north .
In Chester County , for instance , Trump was the first Republican presidential nominee in more than 50 years to lose what is Pennsylvania ’ s fourth most-populous county and once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee Mitt Romney carried the county on the western edge of metro Philadelphia , Trump fell short by 10 percentage points .
If Trump is to carry Pennsylvania again , he can not just add new voters in the state ’ s expansive rural areas but must stop the bleeding outside Philadelphia , former Rep. Ryan Costello , a Republican , said .
“ If the hypothesis is Trump can increase his margin , he will have to first not allow regions where he didn ’ t perform well to perform worse , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has to make up even more ground.
” Republicans also point to an aging population and a shrinking voter-registration edge for Democrats , down 20 % from 2016 ’ s election to 733,000 , according to the latest state data , although the numbers also show that many more non-voting Democrats than Republicans fell off voter rolls in the last four years .
Despite the pandemic , Trump ’ s campaign has prioritized in-person events , including over 4,000 meet-ups that have drawn more than 38,000 people .
The president and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ads accusing Biden of wanting to ban fracking , a sensitive topic in the No .
2 natural gas state behind Texas .
While Biden insists he does not want to ban fracking broadly — he wants to ban it on federal lands and make electricity production fossil-fuel free by 2035 — it may make it harder for him to win back rank-and-file union members who work on an expanding network of pipelines , power plants and processing facilities .
Biden may have an advantage in getting his message out in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 2-to-1 in Pennsylvania from last spring through this month , according to data from Kantar/CMAG , a market research and consulting firm .
From April through mid-September , Biden had spent $ 27 million compared with the Trump campaign ’ s $ 12.5 million .
The campaigns had reserved similar amounts for the six-week stretch to Nov. 3 , with Trump at $ 11.5 million and Biden at $ 10.1 million .
Pennsylvania , which is tied for the fourth most electoral college votes , is “ personal ” for Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during one of his trips to his native state .
Since the beginning of June , he ’ s made eight in-person trips to Pennsylvania , far outpacing other states with his pandemic-limited itinerary .
Priorities USA , a pro-Democrat group , has identified Pennsylvania as the likely tipping point state in the Electoral College , and it announced Thursday a new $ 7.3 million TV and online ad blitz in the state that will pummel Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
Sincere Harris , a senior strategist for Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the state are “ huge ” and open a path to votes that other Democrats might not get .
“ Biden is in the perfect position to come back to these voters that Trump lied to four years ago , ” Harris said .

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s campaign has grown increasingly focused on making inroads in Pennsylvania to offset potential vulnerabilities in other battlegrounds.
The president will travel to the state for the second time in a week on Saturday, hoping to attract the same rural and white working-class voters who delivered him a narrow victory here in 2016. The in-person touch, in what may become the most important battleground on the map, complements an aggressive get-out-the-vote operation that has been working for four years to find new voters by knocking on doors in competitive neighborhoods.
Trump narrowly flipped three Great Lakes states — Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — from blue to red in 2016. He has virtually no path to reelection without keeping at least one of those states in his column. His campaign has long viewed Wisconsin as his best option, but aides who requested anonymity to discuss strategy said their thinking has begun to shift.
There are growing concerns inside the campaign, the aides said, about Trump’s ability to retain Wisconsin. Even winning that upper Midwest battleground wouldn’t provide the needed votes if Trump’s Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, claims Arizona.
But Pennsylvania would be enough.
“With Pennsylvania, I don’t have to make a play, we’ve got Pennsylvania,” boasted Trump at a rally Tuesday night just outside Pittsburgh.
That may be harder than Trump suggests.
Despite fervent Republican efforts, no GOP nominee since George H.W. Bush in 1988 had captured the state until Trump did four years ago, winning by just 44,000 votes out of nearly 5.9 million cast. And as someone born in Scranton, Joe Biden is also heavily focused on the state.
Recent Pennsylvania polls disagree over the state of the race: Some show Trump and Biden in a competitive race, while others have Biden slightly ahead of Trump.
And just as “Florida, Florida, Florida” became the moniker in 2000 for the electoral delays and controversies in the state that decided the election that year, Pennsylvania, which may be 2020’s tipping point state, may have its own drama looming.
With 3 million or more voters expected to cast ballots by mail, lawmakers, party officials and election officials are warning that the conditions are ripe for a presidential election result to be left hanging in limbo on a drawn-out vote. A partisan stalemate and lawsuits have held up fixes to glitches in the state’s fledgling mail-in voting law, and Democrats are warning that as many as 100,000 or more mail-in ballots — dubbed “naked ballots” — could be invalidated if they aren’t put in the proper envelope by people unaccustomed to voting by mail.
Pennsylvania also is where a federal prosecutor’s announcement that nine mailed-in military ballots had been found in the trash at a local election office was seized upon by Trump and his supporters. But there was little explanation of what had happened or whether investigators believed a criminal act had occurred in a county controlled by Republicans.
Pennsylvania is anchored by large cities — Philadelphia to the east, Pittsburgh to the west — on opposite ends, each with sprawling suburbs. But the rest of the state is largely rural, comprised of small cities and towns where Trump ran up the score four years ago.
He will likely need to again, as his prospects have slipped since 2016 in vote-rich suburban Philadelphia, where he underperformed by past Republican measures. This raises the stakes for his campaign’s more aggressive outreach to new rural and small-town voters across the industrial north.
In Chester County, for instance, Trump was the first Republican presidential nominee in more than 50 years to lose what is Pennsylvania’s fourth most-populous county and once a GOP stronghold. While 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney carried the county on the western edge of metro Philadelphia, Trump fell short by 10 percentage points.
If Trump is to carry Pennsylvania again, he cannot just add new voters in the state’s expansive rural areas but must stop the bleeding outside Philadelphia, former Rep. Ryan Costello, a Republican, said.
“If the hypothesis is Trump can increase his margin, he will have to first not allow regions where he didn’t perform well to perform worse,” Costello said. “That means he has to make up even more ground.”
Republicans also point to an aging population and a shrinking voter-registration edge for Democrats, down 20% from 2016’s election to 733,000, according to the latest state data, although the numbers also show that many more non-voting Democrats than Republicans fell off voter rolls in the last four years.
Despite the pandemic, Trump’s campaign has prioritized in-person events, including over 4,000 meet-ups that have drawn more than 38,000 people. The president and his allies are also hitting hard in TV ads accusing Biden of wanting to ban fracking, a sensitive topic in the No. 2 natural gas state behind Texas.
While Biden insists he does not want to ban fracking broadly — he wants to ban it on federal lands and make electricity production fossil-fuel free by 2035 — it may make it harder for him to win back rank-and-file union members who work on an expanding network of pipelines, power plants and processing facilities.
Biden may have an advantage in getting his message out in the state. He’s outspent Trump by more than 2-to-1 in Pennsylvania from last spring through this month, according to data from Kantar/CMAG, a market research and consulting firm. From April through mid-September, Biden had spent $27 million compared with the Trump campaign’s $12.5 million.
The campaigns had reserved similar amounts for the six-week stretch to Nov. 3, with Trump at $11.5 million and Biden at $10.1 million.
Pennsylvania, which is tied for the fourth most electoral college votes, is “personal” for Biden, the former vice president recently acknowledged during one of his trips to his native state.
Since the beginning of June, he’s made eight in-person trips to Pennsylvania, far outpacing other states with his pandemic-limited itinerary. Priorities USA, a pro-Democrat group, has identified Pennsylvania as the likely tipping point state in the Electoral College, and it announced Thursday a new $7.3 million TV and online ad blitz in the state that will pummel Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sincere Harris, a senior strategist for Biden in Pennsylvania, said the personal ties to the state are “huge” and open a path to votes that other Democrats might not get.
“Biden is in the perfect position to come back to these voters that Trump lied to four years ago,” Harris said.