talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-21--Is Your State Ready For The Pandemic Election? A Look At GA, MI, PA, TX, and WI

With an ever-changing landscape around voting during the pandemic , it ’ s hard to predict exactly how rocky November ’ s election will be or what kind of chaos could be in store .
While some states have made great strides in adapting their election infrastructure for the COVID-19 outbreak , trouble spots remain .
Further complicating the picture is a President eager to trumpet false claims about voter fraud , while his campaign finds other ways to gum up the works .
To help you prepare for things getting messier come November , we ’ re taking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most ready for what the pandemic could bring , and where things are most likely to be knocked off kilter due to coronavirus .
Across the country , a picture is developing of what key factors will determine a smooth — or not so smooth — election .
Which states could take several days to report their election results ?
Where are Trump ’ s allies most focused on fighting the expansion of vote-by-mail ?
And what kind of policies are still giving voting rights advocates heartburn ?
These are some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming weeks , as we take a look at how each state is preparing for the pandemic election .
Here ’ s our look at Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , Texas , and Wisconsin .
We will continue to publish these state-based profiles in the weeks leading up to the election .
Georgia ’ s debacle of an election in June was a warning sign for the rest of the country .
It encapsulated all the kinds of things that could go wrong in November , and there has been a blame @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was at fault for the fiasco , which saw the most pronounced problems in the Atlanta metro area .
Regardless , with its history of voter suppression fights and at least one , if not two competitive Senate races , Georgia will be closely watched in November — and the partisan rancor in the state won ’ t help things go smoothly .
Georgia offered no-excuse absentee voting before the pandemic , but nonetheless had limited experience , before this year , with implementing large scale mail-in voting .
Mail ballots typically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes cast , but nearly half of Georgia ’ s June voters cast absentee ballots .
To take pressure off the counties in June ’ s primary , state officials proactively sent absentee ballot request forms to active voters .
Yet , local officials in some jurisdictions were overwhelmed by the applications that came back in , and long lines at the limited in-person voting sites were exacerbated by those who showed up because their mail ballots didn ’ t arrive in time .
For the general election , the state has scaled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applications in favor of an online application portal it ’ s setting up instead .
Meanwhile , in the August run-off , there continued to be technical issues with the new in-person voting technology the state adopted this year .
If unresolved , those problems could bring about a repeat of June ’ s long lines for November .
A public-private partnership will have voters casting ballots in Atlanta ’ s NBA stadium come November — a model which has reduced waits in pandemic elections elsewhere .
But for absentee voters , ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as voters of color tend to be overrepresented in the rejection rates of some Georgia counties .
Michigan has flown under the radar in terms of election issues this year , but that doesn ’ t mean there isn ’ t anything to worry about .
The battleground state is a focal point for both presidential campaigns , and Sen. Gary Peters ( D-MI ) also faces a re-election battle this cycle .
That has helped fuel lawsuits over absentee voting and legal challenges from GOP-backed groups seeking to purge voter rolls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lightning rod of disinformation , with President Trump singling the state out in tweets bashing vote-by-mail and Don Jr. wailing about people voting from beyond the grave ( not true ) .
Michigan voters passed comprehensive election reforms in November 2018 which guaranteed automatic voter registration , same-day voting registration , and , crucially , allow people to obtain absentee ballots without providing a reason .
But the changes leave a short turnaround time for voters between the absentee ballot request deadline — Oct. 30 — and the due date for their receipt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots coming in after then deadline .
Michigan ’ s GOP-controlled state legislature has blocked attempts from the Democratic secretary of state to proactively send out absentee ballots ballots — instead , the state will proactively mail out informational postcards about absentee voting .
The state ’ s August 3 primary offers a preview of what Michiganders could be in for this November .
The state saw a record 2.5 million voters turn out , two-thirds of whom voted by mail .
The surge led to delays in counting the votes and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were postmarked before the election but arrived after the election are valid .
Michigan ’ s Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has said that more than 80 percent of the nearly 11,000 ballots rejected were tossed out either because they arrived too late , or because of signature verification problems .
Election officials have asked for money to hire more staffers for November and legislative changes to allow them to tally votes before Election Day , but neither appear to be forthcoming .
Benson has warned that the primary suggests that close races @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called until the weekend after the election .
Pennsylvanians couldn ’ t have known , when Gov .
Tom Wolf ( D ) signed landmark new voting legislation into law last October , how quickly it would be put to the test .
With residents allowed to vote by mail without an excuse , and with the COVID-19 crisis keeping many voters away from crowded polling places , the state ’ s primary elections offered a useful preview of what the state may see in November .
It went … okay .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an executive order allowing officials in six counties to count mailed ballots that arrived late , as long as they were sent on time .
The results in some races weren ’ t known for several days .
And the state was sued over a “ constitutionally deficient ” signature verification process that left many voters without options for curing allegedly “ mismatched ” signatures .
In all , according to CBS News , more than 26,000 ballots were rejected , or 1.9 % of the 1.49 million cast by mail .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sought to allow election officials to count ballots that were cast on-time but arrive up to three days late .
In addition to that legal question , which is now before the state ’ s Supreme Court , lawsuits abound in the Keystone state over everything from ballot drop boxes to poll watchers ’ residency requirements .
( The Trump campaign asserts that dropboxes make fraud easier , but have admitted there ’ s no evidence of this . )
Some counties have taken extra steps to make it easier to avoid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ select counties may be able to use “ satellite ” locations as a one-stop-shop for requesting and submitting absentee ballots in one fell swoop .
But these locations need to be funded first , so it ’ s unclear whether that option will be available everywhere .
Voters can also apply for mail-in ballots directly from their county election office , where they can submit them once completed as well .
The stakes couldn ’ t be higher : President Donald Trump narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2016 , but current polling shows Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Kathy Boockvar has predicted that 50 % of voters will cast ballots by mail rather than in person .
And even with the hype around mail-in voting , the potential for poll worker shortages continues to be a concern for in-person voting , given the impact of COVID-19 on a workforce that skews older .
Texas has been one of the states most resistant to expanding its vote-by-mail apparatuses amid the pandemic , and already had stiff qualifications about who can vote absentee if the voter is under 65 years old .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the absentee ballot exception for those with a “ sickness or physical condition , ” as the Texas Democratic Party and some voting rights advocates argued that susceptibility to catching COVID-19 should qualify voters under that provision .
The case made its way up to the entirely-Repubican state Supreme Court , which ruled against the Democrats , but added that election workers can not inquire into the nature of a voter ’ s claimed disability .
However , state Attorney General Ken Paxton effectively closed that loophole by threatening any third party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t qualify to use the disability clause with criminal conviction .
As it is , very few Texans vote by mail in a normal year .
“ Going from 8 percent to 100 percent vote by mail was not feasible for us , ” said Josh Houston of Texas Impact .
That puts the pressure on in-person voting for November ’ s election .
The July primaries , postponed from late May , went off surprisingly smoothly .
But , Texas voters are already fighting against a rich history of voter suppression through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcing strict voter ID requirements .
And this year , the lack of polling places is likely to be more glaring , after the legislature voted in 2019 to remove temporary and mobile polling places , which were previously set up in smaller or far-flung neighborhoods and college campuses during the early voting period .
Complicating things further , Texas does not allow for online voter registration , making it incumbent on the new voter to get an application mailed in on time — a process further complicated by the current USPS slowdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year voters will not have straight-ticket voting , which could lead to confusion and longer wait times .
On a brighter note , Gov .
Greg Abbott ( R ) has made some small changes ahead of the general election .
He issued a proclamation extending the early voting period by six days and allowing voters to drop their ballots off at the clerk ’ s office during the early voting period , as well as on Election Day .
State Democrats have slammed the improvements as too small for the situation at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more intense due to the extremely high stakes this year : aside from Texas ’ possible status as a battleground state in the presidential contest and its U.S. Senate race on the ballot , Democrats are in the best position to flip the state House of Representatives than they ’ ve been in decades .
Kicking off a rocky season of pandemic voting was Wisconsin ’ s disastrous April primary , when 175 of Milwaukee ’ s 180 polling places were closed due to the outbreak and a fight over absentee voting was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just four days before the election .
But the state has since made considerable strides in adapting ahead of the general election , and officials are feeling confident that things will run more smoothly in November .
To wit , the state ’ s August election went off without any major hitches .
Still , there are several factors at play that make Wisconsin a state to watch .
One , it ’ s a key swing state for President Trump and one his top campaign lawyer highlighted when discussing the campaign ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot security ” activity in a leaked , pre-pandemic tape .
Also at stake is the potential for the GOP to win a supermajority in both state legislative chambers .
After a 2010 bloodbath gave Republicans the ability to draw one of the most aggressive gerrymanders in the country , they ’ ll need to add just three seats to their House margin to shut out Democratic Gov .
Tony Evans — and thus Democrats — from the redistricting process for the next decade .
So the stakes are high .
And while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak , the state isn ’ t used to handling the massive influx of ballots November could see : mail ballots previously only made up a single-digit percentage of all votes cast and there continue to be rules on the books that slow down the process of counting them .
Meanwhile , a court battle continues over Wisconsin ’ s witness requirement and whether to count ballots received after Election Day with a proper postmark .
If the ballot receipt deadline is extended , we could be waiting several days to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

With an ever-changing landscape around voting during the pandemic, it’s hard to predict exactly how rocky November’s election will be or what kind of chaos could be in store.
While some states have made great strides in adapting their election infrastructure for the COVID-19 outbreak, trouble spots remain. Further complicating the picture is a President eager to trumpet false claims about voter fraud, while his campaign finds other ways to gum up the works.
To help you prepare for things getting messier come November, we’re taking a state-by-state look at the places that appear most ready for what the pandemic could bring, and where things are most likely to be knocked off kilter due to coronavirus.
Across the country, a picture is developing of what key factors will determine a smooth — or not so smooth — election. Which states could take several days to report their election results? Where are Trump’s allies most focused on fighting the expansion of vote-by-mail? And what kind of policies are still giving voting rights advocates heartburn? These are some of the questions we will be answering in the coming weeks, as we take a look at how each state is preparing for the pandemic election.
Here’s our look at Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. We will continue to publish these state-based profiles in the weeks leading up to the election.
Georgia
Georgia’s debacle of an election in June was a warning sign for the rest of the country. It encapsulated all the kinds of things that could go wrong in November, and there has been a blame game between state and local officials over who was at fault for the fiasco, which saw the most pronounced problems in the Atlanta metro area. Regardless, with its history of voter suppression fights and at least one, if not two competitive Senate races, Georgia will be closely watched in November — and the partisan rancor in the state won’t help things go smoothly.
Georgia offered no-excuse absentee voting before the pandemic, but nonetheless had limited experience, before this year, with implementing large scale mail-in voting. Mail ballots typically made up a single-digit percentage of total votes cast, but nearly half of Georgia’s June voters cast absentee ballots. To take pressure off the counties in June’s primary, state officials proactively sent absentee ballot request forms to active voters. Yet, local officials in some jurisdictions were overwhelmed by the applications that came back in, and long lines at the limited in-person voting sites were exacerbated by those who showed up because their mail ballots didn’t arrive in time.
For the general election, the state has scaled back its proactive mailing of absentee ballot applications in favor of an online application portal it’s setting up instead. Meanwhile, in the August run-off, there continued to be technical issues with the new in-person voting technology the state adopted this year. If unresolved, those problems could bring about a repeat of June’s long lines for November. A public-private partnership will have voters casting ballots in Atlanta’s NBA stadium come November — a model which has reduced waits in pandemic elections elsewhere. But for absentee voters, ballot rejection practices will be a major question, as voters of color tend to be overrepresented in the rejection rates of some Georgia counties.
Michigan
Michigan has flown under the radar in terms of election issues this year, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to worry about. The battleground state is a focal point for both presidential campaigns, and Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) also faces a re-election battle this cycle. That has helped fuel lawsuits over absentee voting and legal challenges from GOP-backed groups seeking to purge voter rolls.
The state has also become a lightning rod of disinformation, with President Trump singling the state out in tweets bashing vote-by-mail and Don Jr. wailing about people voting from beyond the grave (not true).
Michigan voters passed comprehensive election reforms in November 2018 which guaranteed automatic voter registration, same-day voting registration, and, crucially, allow people to obtain absentee ballots without providing a reason. But the changes leave a short turnaround time for voters between the absentee ballot request deadline — Oct. 30 — and the due date for their receipt, Election Day, stoking concerns over ballots coming in after then deadline. Michigan’s GOP-controlled state legislature has blocked attempts from the Democratic secretary of state to proactively send out absentee ballots ballots — instead, the state will proactively mail out informational postcards about absentee voting.
The state’s August 3 primary offers a preview of what Michiganders could be in for this November. The state saw a record 2.5 million voters turn out, two-thirds of whom voted by mail. The surge led to delays in counting the votes and to litigation contesting whether thousands of ballots that were postmarked before the election but arrived after the election are valid. Michigan’s Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has said that more than 80 percent of the nearly 11,000 ballots rejected were tossed out either because they arrived too late, or because of signature verification problems. Election officials have asked for money to hire more staffers for November and legislative changes to allow them to tally votes before Election Day, but neither appear to be forthcoming. Benson has warned that the primary suggests that close races in Michigan this November may not be called until the weekend after the election.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvanians couldn’t have known, when Gov. Tom Wolf (D) signed landmark new voting legislation into law last October, how quickly it would be put to the test. With residents allowed to vote by mail without an excuse, and with the COVID-19 crisis keeping many voters away from crowded polling places, the state’s primary elections offered a useful preview of what the state may see in November.
It went … okay. The day before the primary, Wolf signed an executive order allowing officials in six counties to count mailed ballots that arrived late, as long as they were sent on time. The results in some races weren’t known for several days. And the state was sued over a “constitutionally deficient” signature verification process that left many voters without options for curing allegedly “mismatched” signatures. In all, according to CBS News, more than 26,000 ballots were rejected, or 1.9% of the 1.49 million cast by mail.
For the general election, the state has sought to allow election officials to count ballots that were cast on-time but arrive up to three days late. In addition to that legal question, which is now before the state’s Supreme Court, lawsuits abound in the Keystone state over everything from ballot drop boxes to poll watchers’ residency requirements. (The Trump campaign asserts that dropboxes make fraud easier, but have admitted there’s no evidence of this.)
Some counties have taken extra steps to make it easier to avoid the mail when voting, and voters in select counties may be able to use “satellite” locations as a one-stop-shop for requesting and submitting absentee ballots in one fell swoop. But these locations need to be funded first, so it’s unclear whether that option will be available everywhere. Voters can also apply for mail-in ballots directly from their county election office, where they can submit them once completed as well.
The stakes couldn’t be higher: President Donald Trump narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2016, but current polling shows Joe Biden slightly ahead there. Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar has predicted that 50% of voters will cast ballots by mail rather than in person. And even with the hype around mail-in voting, the potential for poll worker shortages continues to be a concern for in-person voting, given the impact of COVID-19 on a workforce that skews older.
Texas
Texas has been one of the states most resistant to expanding its vote-by-mail apparatuses amid the pandemic, and already had stiff qualifications about who can vote absentee if the voter is under 65 years old. Those restrictions prompted a lawsuit homing in on the absentee ballot exception for those with a “sickness or physical condition,” as the Texas Democratic Party and some voting rights advocates argued that susceptibility to catching COVID-19 should qualify voters under that provision. The case made its way up to the entirely-Repubican state Supreme Court, which ruled against the Democrats, but added that election workers cannot inquire into the nature of a voter’s claimed disability. However, state Attorney General Ken Paxton effectively closed that loophole by threatening any third party that encourages voters who usually wouldn’t qualify to use the disability clause with criminal conviction.
As it is, very few Texans vote by mail in a normal year. “Going from 8 percent to 100 percent vote by mail was not feasible for us,” said Josh Houston of Texas Impact. That puts the pressure on in-person voting for November’s election.
The July primaries, postponed from late May, went off surprisingly smoothly. But, Texas voters are already fighting against a rich history of voter suppression through removing polling places in minority neighborhoods and enforcing strict voter ID requirements. And this year, the lack of polling places is likely to be more glaring, after the legislature voted in 2019 to remove temporary and mobile polling places, which were previously set up in smaller or far-flung neighborhoods and college campuses during the early voting period. Complicating things further, Texas does not allow for online voter registration, making it incumbent on the new voter to get an application mailed in on time — a process further complicated by the current USPS slowdown. Plus, this is the first year voters will not have straight-ticket voting, which could lead to confusion and longer wait times.
On a brighter note, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has made some small changes ahead of the general election. He issued a proclamation extending the early voting period by six days and allowing voters to drop their ballots off at the clerk’s office during the early voting period, as well as on Election Day. State Democrats have slammed the improvements as too small for the situation at hand, a sentiment likely all the more intense due to the extremely high stakes this year: aside from Texas’ possible status as a battleground state in the presidential contest and its U.S. Senate race on the ballot, Democrats are in the best position to flip the state House of Representatives than they’ve been in decades.
Wisconsin
Kicking off a rocky season of pandemic voting was Wisconsin’s disastrous April primary, when 175 of Milwaukee’s 180 polling places were closed due to the outbreak and a fight over absentee voting was decided by a confusing Supreme Court order just four days before the election.
But the state has since made considerable strides in adapting ahead of the general election, and officials are feeling confident that things will run more smoothly in November. To wit, the state’s August election went off without any major hitches.
Still, there are several factors at play that make Wisconsin a state to watch. One, it’s a key swing state for President Trump and one his top campaign lawyer highlighted when discussing the campaign’s plans to ramp up GOP “ballot security” activity in a leaked, pre-pandemic tape.
Also at stake is the potential for the GOP to win a supermajority in both state legislative chambers. After a 2010 bloodbath gave Republicans the ability to draw one of the most aggressive gerrymanders in the country, they’ll need to add just three seats to their House margin to shut out Democratic Gov. Tony Evers — and thus Democrats — from the redistricting process for the next decade.
So the stakes are high. And while Wisconsin already had no-excuse absentee voting before the outbreak, the state isn’t used to handling the massive influx of ballots November could see: mail ballots previously only made up a single-digit percentage of all votes cast and there continue to be rules on the books that slow down the process of counting them.
Meanwhile, a court battle continues over Wisconsin’s witness requirement and whether to count ballots received after Election Day with a proper postmark. If the ballot receipt deadline is extended, we could be waiting several days to find out the results of crucial Wisconsin races.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-21--Bannon Calls Charges Against Him A ‘Political Hit Job’

Just one day after his arrest , President Donald Trump ’ s former adviser Steve Bannon is vowing to fight fraud and money laundering charges tied to a fundraising campaign that claimed to support the building of the Trump administration ’ s Southern border wall .
“ This fiasco is a total political hit job , ” Bannon said Friday on his conservative podcast , “ War Room , ” insisting that he would not “ back down ” amid pressure .
“ I ’ m in this for the long-haul .
I ’ m in this for the fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m going to continue to fight.
” Bannon was charged Thursday for allegedly using $ 1 million donated to an online crowdfunding campaign called We Build the Wall for personal expenses , among other things .
The former Trump adviser insisted on his podcast Friday that his arrest was an attempt to “ stop and intimidate people ” who have supported the Trump administration ’ s effort to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border and who , as he put it , “ have Trump ’ s back.
” Bannon described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , Brian Kolfage , as “ an American hero.
” Bannon had featured Kolfage on his show the day before his arrest .
According to the indictment , Kolfage , who was also involved in the alleged scheme , had falsely promised donors that the campaign would use all of its more than $ 25 million in contributions to help construct the border wall .
Prosecutors have said that Kolfage instead used more than $ 350,000 from We Build the Wall “ for his personal use.
” Bannon was also charged with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering .
He pleaded not guilty to the charges , and said Friday on his podcast that the charges were “ nonsense.
” President Trump distanced himself from Bannon and the allegedly fraudulent fundraising campaign when pressed by reporters on the issue at the White House on Thursday afternoon , saying he hasn ’ t been “ dealing ” with his former adviser “ at all.
” The President also claimed that he was unaware that Bannon was in charge and was unfamiliar with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he said he “ didn ’ t like.
” But in a New York Times interview in January 2019 , then- Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach ( R ) said President Trump gave the We Build The Wall effort his “ blessing ” in a phone call , apparently telling Kobach “ the project has my blessing , and you can tell the media that .
”

Just one day after his arrest, President Donald Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon is vowing to fight fraud and money laundering charges tied to a fundraising campaign that claimed to support the building of the Trump administration’s Southern border wall.
“This fiasco is a total political hit job,” Bannon said Friday on his conservative podcast, “War Room,” insisting that he would not “back down” amid pressure.
“I’m in this for the long-haul. I’m in this for the fight,” Bannon said. “I’m going to continue to fight.”
Bannon was charged Thursday for allegedly using $1 million donated to an online crowdfunding campaign called We Build the Wall for personal expenses, among other things.
The former Trump adviser insisted on his podcast Friday that his arrest was an attempt to “stop and intimidate people” who have supported the Trump administration’s effort to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border and who, as he put it, “have Trump’s back.”
Bannon described another of the three defendants in the case, Brian Kolfage, as “an American hero.” Bannon had featured Kolfage on his show the day before his arrest. According to the indictment, Kolfage, who was also involved in the alleged scheme, had falsely promised donors that the campaign would use all of its more than $25 million in contributions to help construct the border wall.
Prosecutors have said that Kolfage instead used more than $350,000 from We Build the Wall “for his personal use.”
Bannon was also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and said Friday on his podcast that the charges were “nonsense.”
President Trump distanced himself from Bannon and the allegedly fraudulent fundraising campaign when pressed by reporters on the issue at the White House on Thursday afternoon, saying he hasn’t been “dealing” with his former adviser “at all.” The President also claimed that he was unaware that Bannon was in charge and was unfamiliar with Bannon’s associates on the project which he said he “didn’t like.”
But in a New York Times interview in January 2019, then- Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) said President Trump gave the We Build The Wall effort his “blessing” in a phone call, apparently telling Kobach “the project has my blessing, and you can tell the media that.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-21--What DeJoy Did — And Did Not — Clear Up About His Policies’ Impact On Vote-By-Mail

In highly-anticipated Senate testimony Friday , embattled Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was able to assuage some of election experts ’ worst fears about how new changes at the U.S .
Postal Service could hinder vote-by-mail this November .
But he dismissed other concerns that have swept the country in recent weeks , leaving a still-murky picture of whether his agency was prepared for a pandemic election , even as some questions central to the USPS ’ ability to deliver ballots on time were cleared up .
Crucially , DeJoy promised that USPS would continue its approach of expediting the delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials chose a cheaper — and , thus , typically slower — postage class .
And he put a great deal of distance between Trump ’ s attacks on mail-in voting and his own beliefs , stating that voting by mail is a safe and reliable way to cast a ballot .
“ The Postal Service is fully capable of delivering the nation ’ s election mail securely and on time , ” DeJoy said , later noting that he has frequently voted by mail .
Repeatedly , however , he clashed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security and Governmental Affairs — which was hosting the hearing — who pressed him on mail sorting machines that have been shut down in facilities across the county , a move that many say is slowing down deliveries .
And he insisted he was not to blame for several of the policies causing much of the anxiety ahead of November ’ s election .
He claimed that the policies he would take ownership of were intended to speed up mail delivery , despite evidence they have not .
“ Theoretically , ” DeJoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave on schedule , regardless of whether all the mail was ready for them , should have gotten everyone ’ s mail to them faster .
But as he struggled with questions about what kind of analysis he did before making the change , he admitted that for a “ variety of reasons ” that policy didn ’ t pan out exactly as he had expected .
Election officials have been alarmed by a shift in messaging in USPS guidance that seemed to indicate that ballots would move more slowly through the mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postage , which costs nearly three times as much as the various discounted rates vote-by-mail veterans have used for sending ballots to voters .
The new emphasis on urging election officials to pay for first class service was among the points made in letters that went out to several states this summer warning them that the quick turnaround in their absentee voting deadlines risked some ballots not making it back in time to be counted .
On Friday , DeJoy said that those letters were intended to “ safeguard ” a largely vote-by-mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also said that USPS wanted to send a national message to voters encouraging them to get their ballots in early .
He clarified that , despite what was implied by the letters , the USPS will continue to treat ballots with priority , regardless of their postage class .
Furthermore , he committed to meeting a benchmark set in previous election cycles of 95 percent of election mail being delivered in three days or less .
For all the clarity DeJoy brought about the special treatment ballots would get , DeJoy ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play in making sure vote-by-mail happens smoothly was more mixed .
When reports surfaced last month that employees were being told that overtime would be curtailed , election officials clamored for assurances that an exemption would be made for postal workers handling ballots .
Some vote-by-mail veterans have said their local post office officials — with whom they have long-standing relationships — have signaled that the extra effort their USPS workers have put in to making vote-by-mail run smoothly will continue .
But , until Friday , a nationwide guarantee that overtime limitations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of delivering ballots has been missing .
On the one hand , DeJoy made several comments Friday that suggested that USPS was still willing to devote the same amount — if not more — effort to get ballots delivered .
He confirmed to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema ( D-AZ ) that overtime and extra trips will be permitted for the delivery of election mail , while announcing “ aggressive efforts ” that will start in October “ to make sure everything is moving and flowing timely.
” He told Sen. Mitt Romney ( R-UT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote-by-mail program , that USPS will “ scour every plant each night ” to guarantee that , as long as voters put their ballots in the mail at least a week before the election , they will be delivered in time to be counted .
Asked by Sen. Maggie Hassan ( D-NH ) about USPS ’ plans for dealing with increased volume as vote-by-mail ramps up , DeJoy said USPS was going through the “ detailed processes ” that have been used in the past , and looking to expand upon them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he still played down the idea that under his tenure , USPS was pulling back on overtime , even though TPM and other outlets have obtained documents suggesting a shift in policy .
In a statement this week , he said “ overtime has , and will continue to be , approved as needed.
” “ We never eliminated overtime … it has not been curtailed by me or the leadership team , ” he said Friday , when pressed on the reported cuts to overtime and whether they would be suspended .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blue Boxes And Sorting Machines DeJoy insisted several times that the USPS ’ iconic “ blue boxes ” that have been removed and shifted around in recent days — as highlighted in viral social media photos that have spread like wildfire amid panic over the Postal Service — were simply part of a “ a normal process that ’ s been around 50 years.
” When he saw the “ excitement it was creating , ” he said , “ I decided to stop it and we ’ ll pick it up after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that COVID-19 has caused a drop in letter volume , but election experts have told TPM that the movement of blue boxes , especially so close to the election , deserved more up-front explanation .
The same goes for mail sorting machines , which DeJoy said at one point were being removed to make more room for package sorting given the recent increase in that category .
As The Washington Post pointed out , the mail sorting machines set aside to be decommissioned this year amounted to 13 % of the USPS stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 5 % in 2019 .
On Tuesday , DeJoy said in a statement that blue boxes and mail sorting machines “ will remain where they are.
” But on Friday , he confirmed that this meant the ones that had already been removed or decommissioned would stay that way .
Pressed by Hassan on whether he would brief her office on a plan recommission at least some off the machines , DeJoy said he disagreed with the premise but promised to get back to her .
Hassan pointed to the processing facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machines had been taken out of service , she said .
The machines “ are just sitting there , ” one has already been sold for scrap , and there ’ s just one left operational .
“ If that machine fails — like it did yesterday when I was talking to postal workers in my state — sorting stops and mail is delayed until the machine can be fixed , ” she said .

In highly-anticipated Senate testimony Friday, embattled Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was able to assuage some of election experts’ worst fears about how new changes at the U.S. Postal Service could hinder vote-by-mail this November. But he dismissed other concerns that have swept the country in recent weeks, leaving a still-murky picture of whether his agency was prepared for a pandemic election, even as some questions central to the USPS’ ability to deliver ballots on time were cleared up.
Crucially, DeJoy promised that USPS would continue its approach of expediting the delivery of mail ballots, even if election officials chose a cheaper — and, thus, typically slower — postage class. And he put a great deal of distance between Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting and his own beliefs, stating that voting by mail is a safe and reliable way to cast a ballot.
“The Postal Service is fully capable of delivering the nation’s election mail securely and on time,” DeJoy said, later noting that he has frequently voted by mail.
Repeatedly, however, he clashed with Democrats on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs — which was hosting the hearing — who pressed him on mail sorting machines that have been shut down in facilities across the county, a move that many say is slowing down deliveries. And he insisted he was not to blame for several of the policies causing much of the anxiety ahead of November’s election. He claimed that the policies he would take ownership of were intended to speed up mail delivery, despite evidence they have not.
“Theoretically,” DeJoy insisted, his demand that delivery trucks leave on schedule, regardless of whether all the mail was ready for them, should have gotten everyone’s mail to them faster.
But as he struggled with questions about what kind of analysis he did before making the change, he admitted that for a “variety of reasons” that policy didn’t pan out exactly as he had expected.
Special Treatment Promised For Ballots
Election officials have been alarmed by a shift in messaging in USPS guidance that seemed to indicate that ballots would move more slowly through the mail stream unless election officials paid for first-class postage, which costs nearly three times as much as the various discounted rates vote-by-mail veterans have used for sending ballots to voters.
The new emphasis on urging election officials to pay for first class service was among the points made in letters that went out to several states this summer warning them that the quick turnaround in their absentee voting deadlines risked some ballots not making it back in time to be counted.
On Friday, DeJoy said that those letters were intended to “safeguard” a largely vote-by-mail election, not to hamper it. He also said that USPS wanted to send a national message to voters encouraging them to get their ballots in early.
He clarified that, despite what was implied by the letters, the USPS will continue to treat ballots with priority, regardless of their postage class. Furthermore, he committed to meeting a benchmark set in previous election cycles of 95 percent of election mail being delivered in three days or less.
A Step Forward On Clearing Up Overtime Concerns
For all the clarity DeJoy brought about the special treatment ballots would get, DeJoy’s messaging on what role overtime will play in making sure vote-by-mail happens smoothly was more mixed.
When reports surfaced last month that employees were being told that overtime would be curtailed, election officials clamored for assurances that an exemption would be made for postal workers handling ballots. Some vote-by-mail veterans have said their local post office officials — with whom they have long-standing relationships — have signaled that the extra effort their USPS workers have put in to making vote-by-mail run smoothly will continue. But, until Friday, a nationwide guarantee that overtime limitations won’t get in the way of delivering ballots has been missing.
On the one hand, DeJoy made several comments Friday that suggested that USPS was still willing to devote the same amount — if not more — effort to get ballots delivered.
He confirmed to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) that overtime and extra trips will be permitted for the delivery of election mail, while announcing “aggressive efforts” that will start in October “to make sure everything is moving and flowing timely.”
He told Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), whose state has an established vote-by-mail program, that USPS will “scour every plant each night” to guarantee that, as long as voters put their ballots in the mail at least a week before the election, they will be delivered in time to be counted.
Asked by Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) about USPS’ plans for dealing with increased volume as vote-by-mail ramps up, DeJoy said USPS was going through the “detailed processes” that have been used in the past, and looking to expand upon them.
But, on the other hand, he still played down the idea that under his tenure, USPS was pulling back on overtime, even though TPM and other outlets have obtained documents suggesting a shift in policy. In a statement this week, he said “overtime has, and will continue to be, approved as needed.”
“We never eliminated overtime … it has not been curtailed by me or the leadership team,” he said Friday, when pressed on the reported cuts to overtime and whether they would be suspended.
A Refusal To Bring Back The Removed Blue Boxes And Sorting Machines
DeJoy insisted several times that the USPS’ iconic “blue boxes” that have been removed and shifted around in recent days — as highlighted in viral social media photos that have spread like wildfire amid panic over the Postal Service — were simply part of a “a normal process that’s been around 50 years.”
When he saw the “excitement it was creating,” he said, “I decided to stop it and we’ll pick it up after the election.”
It is the case that COVID-19 has caused a drop in letter volume, but election experts have told TPM that the movement of blue boxes, especially so close to the election, deserved more up-front explanation.
The same goes for mail sorting machines, which DeJoy said at one point were being removed to make more room for package sorting given the recent increase in that category.
As The Washington Post pointed out, the mail sorting machines set aside to be decommissioned this year amounted to 13% of the USPS stock — compared to 3% in 2018 and 5% in 2019.
On Tuesday, DeJoy said in a statement that blue boxes and mail sorting machines “will remain where they are.” But on Friday, he confirmed that this meant the ones that had already been removed or decommissioned would stay that way.
Pressed by Hassan on whether he would brief her office on a plan recommission at least some off the machines, DeJoy said he disagreed with the premise but promised to get back to her.
Hassan pointed to the processing facility in Manchester, NH: Four sorting machines had been taken out of service, she said. The machines “are just sitting there,” one has already been sold for scrap, and there’s just one left operational.
“If that machine fails — like it did yesterday when I was talking to postal workers in my state — sorting stops and mail is delayed until the machine can be fixed,” she said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-21--Pence Distances Himself From Bannon’s Border Wall Scheme

Vice President Mike Pence on Friday morning claimed ignorance of former Trump campaign chairman Steve Bannon ’ s alleged money laundering scheme in the “ We Build The Wall ” project , which landed the former White House chief strategist a bombshell indictment by Manhattan prosecutors on fraud charges .
“ I want to allow Steve Bannon to have his day in court , ” Pence told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo .
“ I don ’ t know any more about that than what I ’ ve read in the paper.
” “ What I do know is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months ago , ” he added .
Trump did claim to have no involvement in “ We Build The Wall ” for the first time in July ( not “ months and months ” ago ) and again on Thursday following Bannon ’ s arrest , but multiple people in Trump ’ s inner circle had rallied around the project and its founder , Brian Kolfage , who was also indicted over the scheme .
On Thursday , Trump said he hasn ’ t “ been dealing with ” his former campaign manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typical response to news of an associate getting caught in alleged criminal activity .

Vice President Mike Pence on Friday morning claimed ignorance of former Trump campaign chairman Steve Bannon’s alleged money laundering scheme in the “We Build The Wall” project, which landed the former White House chief strategist a bombshell indictment by Manhattan prosecutors on fraud charges.
“I want to allow Steve Bannon to have his day in court,” Pence told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo. “I don’t know any more about that than what I’ve read in the paper.”
“What I do know is that President Trump denounced that effort months and months ago,” he added.
Trump did claim to have no involvement in “We Build The Wall” for the first time in July (not “months and months” ago) and again on Thursday following Bannon’s arrest, but multiple people in Trump’s inner circle had rallied around the project and its founder, Brian Kolfage, who was also indicted over the scheme.
On Thursday, Trump said he hasn’t “been dealing with” his former campaign manager “at all,” invoking his typical response to news of an associate getting caught in alleged criminal activity.
Watch Pence below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-21--Top Vaccine Official Says He’ll Resign If FDA Caves To Political Pressure

The country ’ s top career official in charge of approving a COVID-19 vaccine said that he would resign from his position if he felt that the approval process had been politically compromised , Reuters reported on Thursday .
Dr. Peter Marks , director of the Food and Drug Administration ’ s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research , reportedly said on a conference call last week held by the National Institutes of Health that he would resign if an ineffective or unsafe vaccine was pushed through “ I could not stand by and see something that was unsafe or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Marks later confirmed to Reuters .
“ I would feel obligated ( to resign ) because in doing so , I would indicate to the American public that there ’ s something wrong.
” Marks is the official in charge of determining that there ’ s enough evidence showing that a COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective to allow an emergency use approval .
A Star Trek fan , Marks came up with the name for Operation Warp Speed , the Trump administration ’ s effort to accelerate vaccine development for mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s remarks come as the starkest example of fear that President Trump will push for an unproven vaccine to be approved before the November election .
Trump said on Aug. 6 that he wanted a vaccine to be approved “ right around ” Election Day , while Operation Warp Speed officials have said that they ’ re planning to “ overwhelm ” the airwaves with vaccine messaging by November .
The concern partly comes down to the nature of the vaccine trials that are ongoing and the severity of the disease ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participants getting infected in the real world , with researchers comparing outcomes between a vaccinated and a placebo group .
Since the failure to control the pandemic virtually guarantees that many participants will be infected quickly , some have expressed concern over a scenario where a vaccine is known to be effective , but not necessarily safe .
Dr. Paul Offitt , a member of the FDA ’ s vaccine advisory committee , expressed concern to TPM that the Trump administration would approve a vaccine in such a situation .
“ Who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Are they relying on [ FDA commissioner ] Stephen Hahn ?
A committee ?
” Offit asked .
“ The committee that makes these decisions is the vaccine advisory committee .
They ’ re usually the one to make a recommendation.
” In June , scientists at the CDC ’ s vaccine committee needled an Operation Warp Speed official over concerns that the Trump administration would leave them out of the loop .
Dr. Beth Bell , head of the committee ’ s COVID-19 working group , said that she hoped the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision-making process .
Dr. Bell told Operation Warp Speed official Dr. Matthew Hepburn that her committee has played a role in vaccines “ for decades and decades ” with a “ well-oiled and highly respected process for taking scientific information as it becomes available and using it to develop policies that are evidence based.
” Hepburn replied that he was “ all in favor of continuing the dialogue .
Just let me know .
”

The country’s top career official in charge of approving a COVID-19 vaccine said that he would resign from his position if he felt that the approval process had been politically compromised, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, reportedly said on a conference call last week held by the National Institutes of Health that he would resign if an ineffective or unsafe vaccine was pushed through
“I could not stand by and see something that was unsafe or ineffective that was being put through,” Marks later confirmed to Reuters. “I would feel obligated (to resign) because in doing so, I would indicate to the American public that there’s something wrong.”
Marks is the official in charge of determining that there’s enough evidence showing that a COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective to allow an emergency use approval. A Star Trek fan, Marks came up with the name for Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s effort to accelerate vaccine development for mass production by January 2021.
But Marks’s remarks come as the starkest example of fear that President Trump will push for an unproven vaccine to be approved before the November election. Trump said on Aug. 6 that he wanted a vaccine to be approved “right around” Election Day, while Operation Warp Speed officials have said that they’re planning to “overwhelm” the airwaves with vaccine messaging by November.
The concern partly comes down to the nature of the vaccine trials that are ongoing and the severity of the disease’s spread. The trials rely on participants getting infected in the real world, with researchers comparing outcomes between a vaccinated and a placebo group. Since the failure to control the pandemic virtually guarantees that many participants will be infected quickly, some have expressed concern over a scenario where a vaccine is known to be effective, but not necessarily safe.
Dr. Paul Offitt, a member of the FDA’s vaccine advisory committee, expressed concern to TPM that the Trump administration would approve a vaccine in such a situation.
“Who are they relying on to make this decision? Are they relying on [FDA commissioner] Stephen Hahn? A committee?” Offit asked. “The committee that makes these decisions is the vaccine advisory committee. They’re usually the one to make a recommendation.”
In June, scientists at the CDC’s vaccine committee needled an Operation Warp Speed official over concerns that the Trump administration would leave them out of the loop.
Dr. Beth Bell, head of the committee’s COVID-19 working group, said that she hoped the Trump administration would include the CDC in the decision-making process.
Dr. Bell told Operation Warp Speed official Dr. Matthew Hepburn that her committee has played a role in vaccines “for decades and decades” with a “well-oiled and highly respected process for taking scientific information as it becomes available and using it to develop policies that are evidence based.”
Hepburn replied that he was “all in favor of continuing the dialogue. Just let me know.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-21--Pelosi Says She Endorsed Kennedy Because She Was Upset By ‘Assault’ On Kennedy Family Legacy

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) said on Thursday that her startling endorsement of Rep. Joe Kennedy ’ s ( D-MA ) primary campaign against Sen. Ed Markey ( D-MA ) was born of outrage over what she believed to be slander against the Kennedy dynasty .
“ I wasn ’ t too happy with some of the assault that I saw made on the Kennedy family , ” Pelosi told the Washington Post .
“ And I thought , Joe didn ’ t ask me to endorse him , but I felt an imperative to do so.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s campaign has painted the young challenger as an example of the Kennedy family dynasty that has long dominated Massachusetts politics .
In one viral ad , the senator swiped at his challenger with a reference to President John F. Kennedy ’ s famous “ ask not what your country can do for you ” speech .
“ With all due respect , it ’ s time to start asking what your country can do for you , ” Markey says in the ad .
Pelosi ’ s decision to back Kennedy on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed out the disconnect between the House speaker ’ s endorsement and the party establishment ’ s disapproval of primary challenges against sitting Democrats .
After the 2018 midterms , the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ( DCCC ) began an official blacklist against vendors who work with primary challengers , a policy Pelosi approved .
One critic included Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) , who co-sponsored the Green New Deal with Markey , tweeting that “ no one gets to complain about primary challenges again.
” “ So @ dccc , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blacklist policy against primary orgs ?
” she asked .
“ Because between this and lack of care around @ IlhanMN ’ s challenger , it seems like less a policy and more a cherry-picking activity.
” The New York congresswoman was referring to how DCCC declined to take action when Rep. Ilhan Omar ’ s ( D-MN ) moderate primary challenger , Antone Melton-Meaux , freely admitted to using LLCs for campaign funds in order to dodge the fundraising arm ’ s blacklist .

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said on Thursday that her startling endorsement of Rep. Joe Kennedy’s (D-MA) primary campaign against Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) was born of outrage over what she believed to be slander against the Kennedy dynasty.
“I wasn’t too happy with some of the assault that I saw made on the Kennedy family,” Pelosi told the Washington Post. “And I thought, Joe didn’t ask me to endorse him, but I felt an imperative to do so.”
Throughout the primary race, Markey’s campaign has painted the young challenger as an example of the Kennedy family dynasty that has long dominated Massachusetts politics. In one viral ad, the senator swiped at his challenger with a reference to President John F. Kennedy’s famous “ask not what your country can do for you” speech.
“With all due respect, it’s time to start asking what your country can do for you,” Markey says in the ad.
Pelosi’s decision to back Kennedy on Thursday sparked backlash among progressives, who pointed out the disconnect between the House speaker’s endorsement and the party establishment’s disapproval of primary challenges against sitting Democrats. After the 2018 midterms, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) began an official blacklist against vendors who work with primary challengers, a policy Pelosi approved.
One critic included Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who co-sponsored the Green New Deal with Markey, tweeting that “no one gets to complain about primary challenges again.”
“So @dccc, when can we expect you to reverse your blacklist policy against primary orgs?” she asked. “Because between this and lack of care around @IlhanMN’s challenger, it seems like less a policy and more a cherry-picking activity.”
The New York congresswoman was referring to how DCCC declined to take action when Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) moderate primary challenger, Antone Melton-Meaux, freely admitted to using LLCs for campaign funds in order to dodge the fundraising arm’s blacklist.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-22--Lara Trump Slams DNC For ‘Dismal’ And ‘Depressing’ Vision Of America

Trump campaign senior adviser Lara Trump on Saturday slammed the recent Democratic National Convention for presenting what she called a “ dismal ” vision of America ’ s future , that she said would not be repeated at the Republican party ’ s convention next week .
“ What we saw last week from the Democrats , really their entire convention was about bashing Donald Trump , and it was a dark , dismal and really depressing vision of America I think that they presented , ” she told NBC in a Saturday Weekend Today interview .
Lara Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are going to have the opposite , ” Lara Trump said .
“ Ours will be hopeful and inspirational and patriotic.
” She said that she wanted Republicans at the end of the convention to be convinced “ that America continues to be the greatest , most exceptional nation in the world.
” Her comments echo those made by Trump when on Friday he called the Democratic convention the “ darkest and angriest and gloomiest ” in the country ’ s history in remarks to a conservative group in Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a four-day virtual Democratic convention that culminated Thursday as former Vice President Joe Biden accepted the party ’ s presidential nomination and speakers throughout the week suggested that President Trump was unfit to carry the country through the coronavirus pandemic which has killed more than 170,000 people in the United States .
Biden on Thursday urged voters to choose what he called “ a path of hope and light.
” “ If you entrust me with the presidency , I will draw on the best of us , not the worst .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the light , not the darkness , ” Biden said .
The senior adviser said of the RNC , that Trump will be a part of each of its four nights as speakers praise his work over the past three and a half years .
“ President Trump is the American dream , ” she said .
Lara Trump ’ s remarks sharply contrast the sentiments of the likes of former First Lady Michelle Obama who delivered a fiery keynote speech last week and told Americans that “ Donald Trump is the wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested that the President “ is clearly in over his head.
” “ He can not meet this moment , ” the former First Lady said .
“ He simply can not be who we need him to be for us .
It is what it is .
”

Trump campaign senior adviser Lara Trump on Saturday slammed the recent Democratic National Convention for presenting what she called a “dismal” vision of America’s future, that she said would not be repeated at the Republican party’s convention next week.
“What we saw last week from the Democrats, really their entire convention was about bashing Donald Trump, and it was a dark, dismal and really depressing vision of America I think that they presented,” she told NBC in a Saturday Weekend Today interview. Lara Trump is also President Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law.
“We are going to have the opposite,” Lara Trump said. “Ours will be hopeful and inspirational and patriotic.” She said that she wanted Republicans at the end of the convention to be convinced “that America continues to be the greatest, most exceptional nation in the world.”
Her comments echo those made by Trump when on Friday he called the Democratic convention the “darkest and angriest and gloomiest” in the country’s history in remarks to a conservative group in Virginia.
Both of the Trumps remarks come after a four-day virtual Democratic convention that culminated Thursday as former Vice President Joe Biden accepted the party’s presidential nomination and speakers throughout the week suggested that President Trump was unfit to carry the country through the coronavirus pandemic which has killed more than 170,000 people in the United States.
Biden on Thursday urged voters to choose what he called “a path of hope and light.”
“If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I’ll be an ally of the light, not the darkness,” Biden said.
The senior adviser said of the RNC, that Trump will be a part of each of its four nights as speakers praise his work over the past three and a half years.
“President Trump is the American dream,” she said.
Lara Trump’s remarks sharply contrast the sentiments of the likes of former First Lady Michelle Obama who delivered a fiery keynote speech last week and told Americans that “Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” and suggested that the President “is clearly in over his head.”
“He cannot meet this moment,” the former First Lady said. “He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-22--Trump Baselessly Accuses ‘Deep State’ At FDA Of Delaying Clinical Trials For COVID Vaccine

President Donald Trump on Saturday baselessly accused the “ deep state ” at the Federal Drug Administration of purposely making it difficult for drug companies to get people to participate in clinical trials as a deliberate tactic to delay a COVID-19 vaccine until after the election .
“ Obviously , they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd , ” Trump wrote , as though the speed of vaccine testing was a targeted attempt to impede his re-election or slow his chance for a victory lap .
While Trump began the tweet with his sweeping — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep state ” that conspiracy theories suggest is embedded in government agencies and actively working against his re-election , Trump concluded the tweet by directly tagging the account of FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn , who he had nominated for the job last year .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Saturday called Trump ’ s tweet “ a very dangerous statement , ” adding that “ even for him , it went beyond the pale.
” “ The FDA has a responsibility to approve drugs , judging on their safety and their efficacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House about speed and politicizing the FDA , ” Pelosi said at a rare Saturday news conference ahead of a House vote .
The tweet intensifies past efforts by the President to attack scientists within his administration for challenging his opinions and sometimes untenable timelines .
Trump has continuously criticized top infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony S. Fauci who is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , for not endorsing his opinions about resuming in-person learning and sports games .
In another tweet Saturday , Trump doubled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its decision to withdraw authorization for emergency use of hydroxychloroquine a treatment for COVID-19 suggesting that “ many doctors and scientists disagree with this !
” The President has routinely appeared to reject and undercut recommendations from genuine health experts in favor of sharing unsubstantiated claims from unreliable sources that claim to align with science but in fact have often contributed to the spread of false information about the coronavirus .
In one instance last month , Trump retweeted the viral video of a woman who belonged to a group called “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falsely promoted hydroxychloroquine as a “ cure ” for COVID-19 .
Further examination of the doctor ’ s credentials showed that she had history of making false statements — including a claim that endometriosis is caused by sex with demons in dreams .

President Donald Trump on Saturday baselessly accused the “deep state” at the Federal Drug Administration of purposely making it difficult for drug companies to get people to participate in clinical trials as a deliberate tactic to delay a COVID-19 vaccine until after the election.
The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics. Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives! @SteveFDA — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2020
“Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd,” Trump wrote, as though the speed of vaccine testing was a targeted attempt to impede his re-election or slow his chance for a victory lap.
While Trump began the tweet with his sweeping — and customary — accusation against the alleged “deep state” that conspiracy theories suggest is embedded in government agencies and actively working against his re-election, Trump concluded the tweet by directly tagging the account of FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn, who he had nominated for the job last year.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Saturday called Trump’s tweet “a very dangerous statement,” adding that “even for him, it went beyond the pale.”
“The FDA has a responsibility to approve drugs, judging on their safety and their efficacy, not by a declaration from the White House about speed and politicizing the FDA,” Pelosi said at a rare Saturday news conference ahead of a House vote.
The tweet intensifies past efforts by the President to attack scientists within his administration for challenging his opinions and sometimes untenable timelines. Trump has continuously criticized top infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony S. Fauci who is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, for not endorsing his opinions about resuming in-person learning and sports games.
In another tweet Saturday, Trump doubled down on his attack on the FDA for its decision to withdraw authorization for emergency use of hydroxychloroquine a treatment for COVID-19 suggesting that “many doctors and scientists disagree with this!”
The President has routinely appeared to reject and undercut recommendations from genuine health experts in favor of sharing unsubstantiated claims from unreliable sources that claim to align with science but in fact have often contributed to the spread of false information about the coronavirus.
In one instance last month, Trump retweeted the viral video of a woman who belonged to a group called “America’s Frontline Doctors” who falsely promoted hydroxychloroquine as a “cure” for COVID-19. Further examination of the doctor’s credentials showed that she had history of making false statements — including a claim that endometriosis is caused by sex with demons in dreams.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-22--Pelosi Calls Out Trump For ‘Suppress The Vote Tactic’

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) on Saturday warned voters to ignore President Donald Trump ’ s increasingly desperate attempts to attack both the US Postal Service and the legitimacy of voting by mail , saying that it is all “ designed to suppress the vote.
” In addition to ongoing attacks on mail-in voting , Pelosi said the President ’ s recent threat now to install law enforcement officers at the polling stations , is part of Trump ’ s intimidation “ playbook.
” The House Speaker addressed reporters during a rare Saturday news conference ahead of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill to provide much-needed support to the USPS and ban operational changes .
“ We ’ ve seen their playbook , ” Pelosi said of the Trump administration , adding , that in her view the President ’ s tweet Thursday seized on an opportunity to intimidate voters by inviting ICE agents or other law enforcement to patrol polling stations and “ instill fear in people.
” “ It ’ s scary , but ignore that , ” Pelosi continued .
“ It ’ s a suppress the vote tactic , as is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postal system to deliver on its responsibility , to treat ballots as first class mail and to deliver in a timely fashion.
” Pelosi ’ s comments come just a day after Trump-allied postmaster general Louis DeJoy testified in a hearing hosted by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs where he vowed that the mail service would continue to do its best to expedite the delivery of all mail ballots , even those with a cheaper ( and slower ) postage class .
While DeJoy sought to distance himself from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said that he believes it to be a safe and reliable way to cast a ballot .
“ The Postal Service is fully capable of delivering the nation ’ s election mail securely and on time , ” DeJoy told lawmakers on Friday .
On Saturday , Pelosi addressed clashes and untended dissatisfaction with DeJoy , saying that the postmaster general had expressed “ no intention ” of replacing letter collection boxes or sorting machinery that were reportedly removed from rotation in a number of American cities in recent weeks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sorting machines set aside to be decommissioned this year amounted to 13 percent of the postal service ’ s stock — compared to three percent in 2018 and five percent in 2019 .
“ Let us remember that it is a service , ” Pelosi said in her remarks Saturday .
“ No business that I can think of would ever be saddled with what we ’ ve done to the Postal Service .
”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Saturday warned voters to ignore President Donald Trump’s increasingly desperate attempts to attack both the US Postal Service and the legitimacy of voting by mail, saying that it is all “designed to suppress the vote.”
In addition to ongoing attacks on mail-in voting, Pelosi said the President’s recent threat now to install law enforcement officers at the polling stations, is part of Trump’s intimidation “playbook.”
The House Speaker addressed reporters during a rare Saturday news conference ahead of a House vote over a $25 billion bill to provide much-needed support to the USPS and ban operational changes.
“We’ve seen their playbook,” Pelosi said of the Trump administration, adding, that in her view the President’s tweet Thursday seized on an opportunity to intimidate voters by inviting ICE agents or other law enforcement to patrol polling stations and “instill fear in people.”
“It’s scary, but ignore that,” Pelosi continued. “It’s a suppress the vote tactic, as is the suppressing of the ability of the postal system to deliver on its responsibility, to treat ballots as first class mail and to deliver in a timely fashion.”
Pelosi’s comments come just a day after Trump-allied postmaster general Louis DeJoy testified in a hearing hosted by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs where he vowed that the mail service would continue to do its best to expedite the delivery of all mail ballots, even those with a cheaper (and slower) postage class.
While DeJoy sought to distance himself from Trump’s attack on mail-in voting, he said that he believes it to be a safe and reliable way to cast a ballot.
“The Postal Service is fully capable of delivering the nation’s election mail securely and on time,” DeJoy told lawmakers on Friday.
On Saturday, Pelosi addressed clashes and untended dissatisfaction with DeJoy, saying that the postmaster general had expressed “no intention” of replacing letter collection boxes or sorting machinery that were reportedly removed from rotation in a number of American cities in recent weeks.
The Washington Post noted that the mail sorting machines set aside to be decommissioned this year amounted to 13 percent of the postal service’s stock — compared to three percent in 2018 and five percent in 2019.
“Let us remember that it is a service,” Pelosi said in her remarks Saturday. “No business that I can think of would ever be saddled with what we’ve done to the Postal Service.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-22--McSally Suggests That Supporters ‘Fast A Meal’ To Come Up With Funds For Her Campaign

Arizona Sen. Martha McSally ( R ) who is trailing in polls behind a Democratic challenger , recently told supporters to “ fast a meal ” and donate those funds to her campaign .
In an audio recording obtained by Arizona ’ s Family , the Republican senator who was endorsed by Trump , explained to her audience that more money would be needed to defeat her opponent Mark Kelly whose fundraising efforts have slotted him above her .
“ We ’ re doing our part to catch up , you know , to get our message out .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can give , I ’ m not ashamed to ask , to invest , ” McSally pleaded at a recent campaign in northern Arizona .
“ If you can give a dollar , five dollars , if you can fast a meal and give what that would be.
” Although she has been a top fundraiser among GOP peers , McSally ’ s $ 11 million in cash is still just about half the size of Kelly ’ s $ 21 million .
McSally ’ s comments come as many Americans continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 economy that has shattered their livelihood .
McSally ’ s campaign has said the suggestion to skip a meal was a joke .
Caroline Anderegg , a McSally campaign spokeswoman shrugged pushback , calling it a “ dumb , non-story ” about a candidate .
Anderegg told the Arizona Republic that it was “ disgusting ” that the Senator ’ s comments were being used to launch “ a misleading character assassination.
” “ Martha has written checks to people on her block that can ’ t afford their groceries , ” @ @ @

Arizona Sen. Martha McSally (R) who is trailing in polls behind a Democratic challenger, recently told supporters to “fast a meal” and donate those funds to her campaign.
In an audio recording obtained by Arizona’s Family, the Republican senator who was endorsed by Trump, explained to her audience that more money would be needed to defeat her opponent Mark Kelly whose fundraising efforts have slotted him above her.
“We’re doing our part to catch up, you know, to get our message out. But it takes resources. So, anybody can give, I’m not ashamed to ask, to invest,” McSally pleaded at a recent campaign in northern Arizona. “If you can give a dollar, five dollars, if you can fast a meal and give what that would be.”
Although she has been a top fundraiser among GOP peers, McSally’s $11 million in cash is still just about half the size of Kelly’s $21 million.
McSally’s comments come as many Americans continue to struggle under the financial duress of a COVID-19 economy that has shattered their livelihood.
McSally’s campaign has said the suggestion to skip a meal was a joke.
Caroline Anderegg, a McSally campaign spokeswoman shrugged pushback, calling it a “dumb, non-story” about a candidate. Anderegg told the Arizona Republic that it was “disgusting” that the Senator’s comments were being used to launch “a misleading character assassination.”
“Martha has written checks to people on her block that can’t afford their groceries,” Anderegg said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-22--Court To Hear Trump’s Bid To Delay Financial Records Subpoena On Sept. 1

A federal appeals court will hear on Sept. 1 , President Donald Trump ’ s emergency request to put on hold a judge ’ s ruling that would make it possible for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. to enforce a subpoena for his tax returns and other financial records .
Bloomberg reported that the New York appellate court also denied Trump ’ s request to stay the lower court decision while he appeals to halt the release of records .
Vance had previously agreed not to enforce the subpoena until seven days after the district court ruling — that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It remains unclear what will happen to the subpoena in the interim between the August 28 deadline and next month ’ s hearing .
Trump could potentially call on the Supreme Court to place an immediate hold on the subpoena .
The ruling , comes after Trump ’ s lawyers immediately appealed U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero ’ s decision rejecting an earlier attempt to shield Trump ’ s tax returns .
Friday ’ s ruling is the latest development in an effort begun by Vance ’ s office last year to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of Trump ’ s personal and business records as well as his tax returns .
Prosecutors have said the documents are essential to their investigation into the Trump Organization .

A federal appeals court will hear on Sept. 1, President Donald Trump’s emergency request to put on hold a judge’s ruling that would make it possible for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. to enforce a subpoena for his tax returns and other financial records.
Bloomberg reported that the New York appellate court also denied Trump’s request to stay the lower court decision while he appeals to halt the release of records.
Vance had previously agreed not to enforce the subpoena until seven days after the district court ruling — that deadline is set to expire next week.
It remains unclear what will happen to the subpoena in the interim between the August 28 deadline and next month’s hearing. Trump could potentially call on the Supreme Court to place an immediate hold on the subpoena.
The ruling, comes after Trump’s lawyers immediately appealed U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero’s decision rejecting an earlier attempt to shield Trump’s tax returns.
Friday’s ruling is the latest development in an effort begun by Vance’s office last year to subpoena accounting firm Mazars USA for eight years of Trump’s personal and business records as well as his tax returns. Prosecutors have said the documents are essential to their investigation into the Trump Organization.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-23--Trump Admin And Camp Continue Distancing Themselves From Bannon’s Border Wall Scheme

Acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf and Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller on Sunday distanced themselves from former Trump campaign chairman Steve Bannon ’ s alleged money laundering scheme in the “ We Build The Wall ” project that led to his indictment by Manhattan prosecutors on fraud charges .
During Sunday morning interviews , both Wolf and Miller appeared to take a cue from President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in claiming ignorance of Bannon ’ s border wall scheme .
On Thursday , Trump claimed that he hasn ’ t “ been dealing with ” his former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invoking his typical reaction to news of an associate getting caught in alleged criminal activity — despite how several people in Trump ’ s inner circle previously embraced the private border-wall gambit and its founder , Brian Kolfage , who was also indicted over the scheme .
The President ’ s remarks came a month after he first claimed no involvement in “ We Build the Wall ” in a tweet .
Similarly , Pence told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that he wants “ to allow Steve Bannon to have his day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump doubled down on denying his involvement in Bannon ’ s border wall scheme .
“ I don ’ t know any more about that than what I ’ ve read in the paper , ” Pence said on Fox Business .
“ What I do know is that President Trump denounced that effort months and months ago.
” Here ’ s what Wolf and Miller had to say : During an interview on CNN on Sunday , Wolf was pressed on his praise of Bannon ’ s border wall scheme last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” that he “ welcomed ” as “ part of the solution , ” and whether he now regrets his public support of it .
“ No , ” Wolf said .
“ Again , I think you hit it on the head , which is I said , and I ’ ll continue to say , I welcome all that want to be part of the solution .
I did not specifically endorse this particular organization or what they are doing.
” CNN ’ s Jake Tapper then mentioned how Wolf made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey the project .
Wolf defended the move by claiming that it was simply part of his first trip to the border as acting DHS secretary and that he was trying “ to get a sense of everything ” in the area .
Wolf went on to reiterate that he “ welcomes all that want to be a part of the solution on that Southwest border ” and that he did not endorse any particular group , before Tapper asked whether he welcomes the support of “ scam artists who want to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replied “ absolutely not ” before arguing that “ none of this had come out ” when he made his remark last year praising “ We Build the Wall.
” “ I don ’ t have anything to do with the Department of Justice indictment or anything to do with that .
So , I ’ m going to let that play out in the courts , ” Wolf said , before once again insisting that he “ obviously ” does not endorse any type of fraud .
When asked about whether he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department regarding Bannon ’ s bombshell indictment — given how he collaborated with the former Trump campaign chairman on a podcast — during an interview on “ Meet the Press , ” Miller denied that he has and added that “ it looks like this investigation was going along before the podcast even started.
” Miller conceded that the damning allegations against Bannon are “ very serious ” and that he hopes “ Steve has some good answers for the things that he ’ s been accused of.
” “ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Miller said .
“ I don ’ t know anything about the financial dealings of this organization or how it worked , and I hope Steve has the opportunity to tell his side of the story.
” Miller went on to hit back at the notion that the President surrounds himself with people who have “ shady instincts ” after “ Meet the Press ” host Chuck Todd pointed out that people who worked on Trump ’ s 2016 campaign have had run ins with the law , which include : Bannon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Manafort , Rick Gates , Michael Cohen and Roger Stone .
“ I disagree on that , ” Miller said , before offering his glowing praise of President Trump for supposedly surrounding himself with “ brilliant ” people and having a “ very good track record of hiring excellent people.
” Although he agreed that some of Trump ’ s associates have committed “ serious mistakes ” that they will have to be held accountable for , Miller went back to praising White House officials such as Mark Meadows , Kellyanne Conway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miller .

Acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf and Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller on Sunday distanced themselves from former Trump campaign chairman Steve Bannon’s alleged money laundering scheme in the “We Build The Wall” project that led to his indictment by Manhattan prosecutors on fraud charges.
During Sunday morning interviews, both Wolf and Miller appeared to take a cue from President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in claiming ignorance of Bannon’s border wall scheme.
On Thursday, Trump claimed that he hasn’t “been dealing with” his former campaign manager “at all” — invoking his typical reaction to news of an associate getting caught in alleged criminal activity — despite how several people in Trump’s inner circle previously embraced the private border-wall gambit and its founder, Brian Kolfage, who was also indicted over the scheme. The President’s remarks came a month after he first claimed no involvement in “We Build the Wall” in a tweet.
Similarly, Pence told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that he wants “to allow Steve Bannon to have his day in court,” a day after Trump doubled down on denying his involvement in Bannon’s border wall scheme.
“I don’t know any more about that than what I’ve read in the paper,” Pence said on Fox Business. “What I do know is that President Trump denounced that effort months and months ago.”
Here’s what Wolf and Miller had to say:
Acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf
During an interview on CNN on Sunday, Wolf was pressed on his praise of Bannon’s border wall scheme last year, which he called a “game-changer” that he “welcomed” as “part of the solution,” and whether he now regrets his public support of it.
“No,” Wolf said. “Again, I think you hit it on the head, which is I said, and I’ll continue to say, I welcome all that want to be part of the solution. I did not specifically endorse this particular organization or what they are doing.”
CNN’s Jake Tapper then mentioned how Wolf made an unannounced visit to El Paso to survey the project. Wolf defended the move by claiming that it was simply part of his first trip to the border as acting DHS secretary and that he was trying “to get a sense of everything” in the area.
Wolf went on to reiterate that he “welcomes all that want to be a part of the solution on that Southwest border” and that he did not endorse any particular group, before Tapper asked whether he welcomes the support of “scam artists who want to be part of the solution.”
Wolf repeatedly replied “absolutely not” before arguing that “none of this had come out” when he made his remark last year praising “We Build the Wall.”
“I don’t have anything to do with the Department of Justice indictment or anything to do with that. So, I’m going to let that play out in the courts,” Wolf said, before once again insisting that he “obviously” does not endorse any type of fraud.
Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller
When asked about whether he’s been interviewed by the Justice Department regarding Bannon’s bombshell indictment — given how he collaborated with the former Trump campaign chairman on a podcast — during an interview on “Meet the Press,” Miller denied that he has and added that “it looks like this investigation was going along before the podcast even started.”
Miller conceded that the damning allegations against Bannon are “very serious” and that he hopes “Steve has some good answers for the things that he’s been accused of.”
“It’s not something that I worked on,” Miller said. “I don’t know anything about the financial dealings of this organization or how it worked, and I hope Steve has the opportunity to tell his side of the story.”
Miller went on to hit back at the notion that the President surrounds himself with people who have “shady instincts” after “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd pointed out that people who worked on Trump’s 2016 campaign have had run ins with the law, which include: Bannon, Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Michael Cohen and Roger Stone.
“I disagree on that,” Miller said, before offering his glowing praise of President Trump for supposedly surrounding himself with “brilliant” people and having a “very good track record of hiring excellent people.”
Although he agreed that some of Trump’s associates have committed “serious mistakes” that they will have to be held accountable for, Miller went back to praising White House officials such as Mark Meadows, Kellyanne Conway, Ja’Ron Smith and Stephen Miller.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-08-23--CA Court Orders Trump To Pay $44,000 In Legal Fees To Stormy Daniels

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) — A California court ordered President Donald Trump this week to pay $ 44,100 in attorney fees to porn actress Stormy Daniels to pay for her legal battle over her effort to cancel a hush money deal brokered to keep her quiet about their sexual relationship a decade ago .
The order in Superior Court in Los Angeles determined Daniels won her lawsuit against Trump over the agreement that was signed 11 days before the 2016 presidential election .
As a part of that deal , the losing party would pay the lawyers fees .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a request for comment about the decision .
The president ’ s personal lawyer at the time , Michael Cohen , paid $ 130,000 to Daniels , who filed the suit under her legal name Stephanie Clifford .
After Trump ’ s election , Daniels sued to void the agreement .
Trump and his supporters denied the president knew about the payment for several years before Trump acknowledged it on Twitter in May 2018 and said he reimbursed Cohen for the money paid to Daniels .
Daniels ’ suit over the non-disclosure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a settlement because the parties were no longer quiet .
Trump ’ s lawyers said Daniels didn ’ t win the case and therefore wasn ’ t entitled to lawyer fees , but Judge Robert Broadbelt III disagreed in his ruling Monday , posted online by Daniels ’ lawyers .
Trump ’ s lawyers also argued Daniels didn ’ t prove the president was a part of the non-disclosure agreement which was made under the name “ David Dennison , ” but Broadbelt wrote there was a large amount of evidence showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
After her lawyer announced the decision , Daniels wrote on Twitter : “ Yup .
Another win.
” But they haven ’ t all been wins for Daniels .
She also sued Trump for defamation after the president ’ s comments on Twitter that a man she said threatened her to stay quiet about their alleged affair in 2011 was “ nonexistent.
” Trump also posted side-by-side photos of the composite sketch of the man making the threats and Daniels ’ husband .
The defamation lawsuit was thrown out and Daniels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay Trump almost $ 300,000 in attorney fees .
A judge in that case ruled Trump ’ s statements on Twitter were protected speech under the First Amendment .
Since Trump ’ s election , Daniels has remained in the adult entertainment industry , using her new fame to promote strip club appearances and shows , including her latest venture called “ Spooky Babes Paranormal Show ” where she said she is leading a team of investigators to hunt ghosts and get answers for people here on Earth .
She also still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance charges and lying to Congress , among other crimes , and was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 .

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California court ordered President Donald Trump this week to pay $44,100 in attorney fees to porn actress Stormy Daniels to pay for her legal battle over her effort to cancel a hush money deal brokered to keep her quiet about their sexual relationship a decade ago.
The order in Superior Court in Los Angeles determined Daniels won her lawsuit against Trump over the agreement that was signed 11 days before the 2016 presidential election. As a part of that deal, the losing party would pay the lawyers fees.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the decision.
The president’s personal lawyer at the time, Michael Cohen, paid $130,000 to Daniels, who filed the suit under her legal name Stephanie Clifford. After Trump’s election, Daniels sued to void the agreement.
Trump and his supporters denied the president knew about the payment for several years before Trump acknowledged it on Twitter in May 2018 and said he reimbursed Cohen for the money paid to Daniels.
Daniels’ suit over the non-disclosure agreement was dismissed before going to trial or a settlement because the parties were no longer quiet. Trump’s lawyers said Daniels didn’t win the case and therefore wasn’t entitled to lawyer fees, but Judge Robert Broadbelt III disagreed in his ruling Monday, posted online by Daniels’ lawyers.
Trump’s lawyers also argued Daniels didn’t prove the president was a part of the non-disclosure agreement which was made under the name “ David Dennison,” but Broadbelt wrote there was a large amount of evidence showing Cohen chose Dennison as a pseudonym for Trump.
After her lawyer announced the decision, Daniels wrote on Twitter: “Yup. Another win.”
But they haven’t all been wins for Daniels. She also sued Trump for defamation after the president’s comments on Twitter that a man she said threatened her to stay quiet about their alleged affair in 2011 was “nonexistent.” Trump also posted side-by-side photos of the composite sketch of the man making the threats and Daniels’ husband.
The defamation lawsuit was thrown out and Daniels is appealing the decision and an order to pay Trump almost $300,000 in attorney fees.
A judge in that case ruled Trump’s statements on Twitter were protected speech under the First Amendment.
Since Trump’s election, Daniels has remained in the adult entertainment industry, using her new fame to promote strip club appearances and shows, including her latest venture called “Spooky Babes Paranormal Show” where she said she is leading a team of investigators to hunt ghosts and get answers for people here on Earth. She also still takes shots at the president on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance charges and lying to Congress, among other crimes, and was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018.