talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-14--White Woman Who Called Police On Black Birdwatcher In Viral Video Made Second 911 Call

A white woman whose encounter with a Black man birdwatching in Central Park in went viral in late May made a second call to 911 falsely claiming that he attempted to assault her that was previously unreported , according to prosecutors .
A confrontation in Central Park between Amy Cooper and Christian Cooper ( no relation ) amid a disagreement over her unleashed dog on May 25 went viral .
Christian Cooper recorded Amy Cooper in a video calling 911 and frantically claiming that her “ entire life is being destroyed ” by an African-American man .
“ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cops , ” Amy Cooper could heard saying in the video .
“ I ’ m going to tell them there ’ s an African-American man threatening my life.
” On Wednesday , the Manhattan District Attorney ’ s Office filed a misdemeanor charge against Amy Cooper and revealed that she had made a second 911 call about the encounter , which was not shown in the viral video .
During her second call , Amy Cooper allegedly accused Christian Cooper of endangering her life and claimed that he was trying to assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DA ’ s office noted that when police arrived , Amy Cooper told an officer that she made false reports , and denied that Christian Cooper touched or assaulted her .
Amy Cooper and her attorney appeared before a judge on Wednesday morning , but no plea was entered .
The case is adjourned until November 17 in order to give Cooper ’ s attorney , Robert Barnes , and prosecutors time to work out details on a possible disposition .
According to Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. , Cooper was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with falsely reporting an incident in the third degree .
The viral video of the Central Park encounter was filmed on the same day Minneapolis Police killed George Floyd , whose death sparked nationwide protests against police brutality against Black people .
In a statement , Vance deemed Amy Cooper ’ s actions as racist and that her called her calls to the police a “ hoax.
” “ Our Office is committed to safety , justice , and anti-racism , and we will hold people who make false and racist 911 calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
“ As alleged in the complaint , Amy Cooper engaged in racist criminal conduct when she falsely accused a Black man of trying to assault her in a previously unreported second call with a 911 dispatcher .
Fortunately , no one was injured or killed in the police response to Ms. Cooper ’ s hoax .
”

A white woman whose encounter with a Black man birdwatching in Central Park in went viral in late May made a second call to 911 falsely claiming that he attempted to assault her that was previously unreported, according to prosecutors.
A confrontation in Central Park between Amy Cooper and Christian Cooper (no relation) amid a disagreement over her unleashed dog on May 25 went viral. Christian Cooper recorded Amy Cooper in a video calling 911 and frantically claiming that her “entire life is being destroyed” by an African-American man.
“I’m taking a picture and calling the cops,” Amy Cooper could heard saying in the video. “I’m going to tell them there’s an African-American man threatening my life.”
On Wednesday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office filed a misdemeanor charge against Amy Cooper and revealed that she had made a second 911 call about the encounter, which was not shown in the viral video. During her second call, Amy Cooper allegedly accused Christian Cooper of endangering her life and claimed that he was trying to assault her.
A criminal complaint filed by the DA’s office noted that when police arrived, Amy Cooper told an officer that she made false reports, and denied that Christian Cooper touched or assaulted her.
Amy Cooper and her attorney appeared before a judge on Wednesday morning, but no plea was entered. The case is adjourned until November 17 in order to give Cooper’s attorney, Robert Barnes, and prosecutors time to work out details on a possible disposition.
According to Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr., Cooper was charged in New York County Criminal Court with falsely reporting an incident in the third degree.
The viral video of the Central Park encounter was filmed on the same day Minneapolis Police killed George Floyd, whose death sparked nationwide protests against police brutality against Black people.
In a statement, Vance deemed Amy Cooper’s actions as racist and that her called her calls to the police a “hoax.”
“Our Office is committed to safety, justice, and anti-racism, and we will hold people who make false and racist 911 calls accountable,” Vance said in a statement. “As alleged in the complaint, Amy Cooper engaged in racist criminal conduct when she falsely accused a Black man of trying to assault her in a previously unreported second call with a 911 dispatcher. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed in the police response to Ms. Cooper’s hoax.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-14--Federal Judge Grants Virginia Voter Registration Deadline Extension After Outage

A federal judge granted a 48-hour extension for voter registration in Virginia on Wednesday morning , a day after a cut cable shut down the state ’ s online voter registration system .
The outage happened on the state ’ s final day for voter registration and impeded early in-person voting as well .
U.S. District Judge John Gibney Jr. in Richmond said the order will reopen both online and in-person voter registration until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday .
Gibney said that the shutdown of the state ’ s website caused “ tremendous harm ” to people who want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press .
“ You can ’ t go back in time and register people , ” Gibney said , according to CNN , before adding that without the extension order “ almost an entire day of voter registration will be lost.
” Gibney ’ s order comes after Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring issued a statement on Tuesday night urging the extension , noting that the November election was 21 days out and that he wanted to “ make sure that every Virginian who wants to vote has the opportunity to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a petition for an extension following the outage , the Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed a lawsuit arguing that without a voter registration extension , voters who were “ unable through no fault of their own , will be absolutely disenfranchised in the upcoming elections.
” After acknowledging that the state lacked a backup plan after a 10-gigabit optical fiber circuit was inadvertently cut during a Chesterfield County roadside utilities project on Tuesday , Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam ( D ) expressed support for extending the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that only the courts could do so .

A federal judge granted a 48-hour extension for voter registration in Virginia on Wednesday morning, a day after a cut cable shut down the state’s online voter registration system. The outage happened on the state’s final day for voter registration and impeded early in-person voting as well.
U.S. District Judge John Gibney Jr. in Richmond said the order will reopen both online and in-person voter registration until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday.
Gibney said that the shutdown of the state’s website caused “tremendous harm” to people who want to register the vote, according to the Associated Press.
“You can’t go back in time and register people,” Gibney said, according to CNN, before adding that without the extension order “almost an entire day of voter registration will be lost.”
Gibney’s order comes after Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring issued a statement on Tuesday night urging the extension, noting that the November election was 21 days out and that he wanted to “make sure that every Virginian who wants to vote has the opportunity to do so.”
Among several groups that filed a petition for an extension following the outage, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed a lawsuit arguing that without a voter registration extension, voters who were “unable through no fault of their own, will be absolutely disenfranchised in the upcoming elections.”
After acknowledging that the state lacked a backup plan after a 10-gigabit optical fiber circuit was inadvertently cut during a Chesterfield County roadside utilities project on Tuesday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) expressed support for extending the state’s voter registration deadline, but said that only the courts could do so.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-15--Report: Trump Advisers Gave GOP Donors Leg Up On COVID’s Economic Toll

Top White House economic advisers briefed a group of majority Republican donors in February about the genuine threat of COVID-19 and its perceived impact on the economy , while President Donald Trump was firing off tweets that suggested the opposite — that the coronavirus pandemic was “ very much under control , ” in the United States and that the stock market was “ starting to look very good to me !
” According to a document describing the private sessions obtained by the New York Times , White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow , the director of the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a private board meeting with the Hoover Institute that the virus was “ contained in the U.S. , to date , but now we just don ’ t know.
” The stark assessment came hours after Kudlow painted a much rosier picture during a CNBC interview , saying that the coronavirus was contained in the United States , adding : “ it ’ s pretty close to airtight.
” The document was authored by hedge fund consultant William Callanan who attended the private briefing of Hoover ’ s board long before the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic .
Per the Times , Callanan ’ s apparent overarching message in the memo pointed at a potentially crippling virus outbreak in the United States , and suggested that government officials were more aware of the threat than they stated publicly .
It provided members of the investment world the advantage of a more honest look at what turned out to be a bleak financial future amid a ravaged COVID-19 economy .
According to the Times , the document reveals how Trump aides appeared to be giving wealthy Republican donors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage of COVID-19 at a time when Trump was telling Americans in public that coronavirus was nonthreatening .
The Times conducted interviews with eight sources who received copies of Callanan ’ s memo and several investors confirmed that the document provided elite traders access to information from the administration that helped them secure a financial edge just before global markets plunged .
“ Short everything , ” one investor told the Times , using the Wall Street term for betting stock prices soon dropping .
At least two investors told the Times that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advanced knowledge of the pandemic ’ s effects encouraged them to stock up on what became scarce household essentials .
When later asked about what Callanan described as his conflicting messages on the reality of the pandemic , Kudlow told the Times that he did not see conflict in the messages he provided publicly on CNBC and in the Hoover board meeting , even suggesting they were essentially the same .
“ There was never any intent on my part to misinform , ” he said .

Top White House economic advisers briefed a group of majority Republican donors in February about the genuine threat of COVID-19 and its perceived impact on the economy, while President Donald Trump was firing off tweets that suggested the opposite — that the coronavirus pandemic was “very much under control,” in the United States and that the stock market was “starting to look very good to me!”
According to a document describing the private sessions obtained by the New York Times, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, the director of the National Economic Council, told Republican donors in a private board meeting with the Hoover Institute that the virus was “contained in the U.S., to date, but now we just don’t know.” The stark assessment came hours after Kudlow painted a much rosier picture during a CNBC interview, saying that the coronavirus was contained in the United States, adding: “it’s pretty close to airtight.”
The document was authored by hedge fund consultant William Callanan who attended the private briefing of Hoover’s board long before the public was informed of impending economic storms amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Per the Times, Callanan’s apparent overarching message in the memo pointed at a potentially crippling virus outbreak in the United States, and suggested that government officials were more aware of the threat than they stated publicly. It provided members of the investment world the advantage of a more honest look at what turned out to be a bleak financial future amid a ravaged COVID-19 economy.
According to the Times, the document reveals how Trump aides appeared to be giving wealthy Republican donors an advanced warning about the anticipated economic damage of COVID-19 at a time when Trump was telling Americans in public that coronavirus was nonthreatening.
The Times conducted interviews with eight sources who received copies of Callanan’s memo and several investors confirmed that the document provided elite traders access to information from the administration that helped them secure a financial edge just before global markets plunged.
“Short everything,” one investor told the Times, using the Wall Street term for betting stock prices soon dropping. At least two investors told the Times that the information helped boost profits and that advanced knowledge of the pandemic’s effects encouraged them to stock up on what became scarce household essentials.
When later asked about what Callanan described as his conflicting messages on the reality of the pandemic, Kudlow told the Times that he did not see conflict in the messages he provided publicly on CNBC and in the Hoover board meeting, even suggesting they were essentially the same. “There was never any intent on my part to misinform,” he said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-15--Biden Breaks Monthly Fundraising Record Again With Jaw-Dropping $383 Million

Democratic candidate Joe Biden announced on Wednesday night that he had raised $ 383 million last month , shattering his @ @ @ @ @ “ To every person who chipped in a few dollars last month — thank you @ @ @ @ @ , we raised an astounding $ 383 million , ” Biden tweeted .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ Campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon retweeted Biden and stated that $ 203 million @ @ @ @ @ from online donors .
The massive haul beat the Biden campaign ’ s already record-breaking @ @ @ @ @ in August .
By contrast , President Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign raised $ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has not yet reported his fundraising totals for September .
However , Buzzfeed News @ @ @ @ @ campaign has gutted millions of dollars from ad spending in crucial swing states , including @ @ @ @ @ Wisconsin .

Democratic candidate Joe Biden announced on Wednesday night that he had raised $383 million last month, shattering his previous record in August.
“To every person who chipped in a few dollars last month — thank you. Because of your support, we raised an astounding $383 million,” Biden tweeted. “I’m incredibly humbled.”
Campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon retweeted Biden and stated that $203 million of the funds had come from online donors.
The massive haul beat the Biden campaign’s already record-breaking windfall of $364.5 million in August. By contrast, President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign raised $210 million that month.
Trump has not yet reported his fundraising totals for September. However, Buzzfeed News reported last week that his campaign has gutted millions of dollars from ad spending in crucial swing states, including Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-15--Malcontents ‘R’ Us! Ammon Bundy Unites Anti-Vaxxers, COVID Truthers, Sovereign Citizens

What do anti-vaxxers , sovereign citizens , Second Amendment die-hards and online edgelords obsessed with “ Zionist Banksters ” have in common ?
They ’ re all volunteers in Ammon Bundy ’ s nationwide and extremely eclectic COVID-19 protest network , “ People ’ s Rights.
” The group is basically a glorified phone tree to funnel “ reopen ” demonstrators to whichever nearby dog-grooming business , playground or police station is deemed to be infringing on individual liberties through public health measures .
But it ’ s exploded in popularity in recent months , turning what one Montana-based group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” into a complex hierarchy with dozens of chapters across 16 states .
And according to a new report from from the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights and the Montana Human Rights Network , People ’ s Rights ’ big tent has housed everyone from skeptics of modern medicine to rank-and-file members of fringe armed groups .
Researchers for the human rights organizations , in order to pick apart the People ’ s Rights network , systematically signed up for each local chapter and recorded information about them , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using the same phone number multiple times , researchers churned through numbers as they went .
“ I think we went through like 40 different burner numbers , ” said Devin Burghart , president and executive director of IREHR .
People ’ s Rights , he said , was “ being really cagey about it.
” Eventually , the groups tallied around 20,000 members .
But during a phone Thursday , Bundy gleefully informed TPM that the report had lowballed him : People ’ s Rights , he said , was closer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report had seemingly caught the attention of someone at Facebook : All of the group ’ s pages were removed from the social media site yesterday .
But Bundy was less concerned to hear that , according to the report , a leader of the group in California , Tony Pellegrino , shared a meme earlier this year ranting about “ Zionist Banksters ” and “ The FRAUD and DECEPTION of the Satanic Zionist Jesuit Freemason scum.
” Bundy said that he personally was quite fond of the Jewish people — though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them have worked ethically inside the banking system.
” And he defended Pellegrino , who said he “ believes in God and believes that we should be good to each other.
” “ There ’ s criminals that are black , there ’ s criminals that are white , there ’ s criminals that are police officers , there ’ s criminals that are Jewish , there ’ s criminals that are reporters , ” Bundy told TPM .
“ People ’ s Rights would stand against all of them.
” Bundy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for leading the weeks-long armed occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2016 .
But researchers found that People ’ s Right ’ s membership extended far beyond Bundy ’ s relatively niche appeal , housing a spectrum of ideologies under one roof that , in most cases , wouldn ’ t make a lot of sense together .
“ They ’ ve drawn in all these far-right figures and really reached out to the COVID insurrection world to try to find a whole new base of supporters , ” Burghart said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ big Bundy-led protests against public health orders targeted police officers who arrested Sara Brady , an anti-vaccine activist in Idaho , who was cited for using a playground that had been taped off by local authorities .
More recently , People ’ s Rights protesters rallied around a pet groomer in Washington state , protesting for hours in front of the home of a deputy city attorney in Vancouver because the groomer faced charges for violating public health orders .
Joey Gibson , leader of the street-fighting right-wing group Patriot Prayer who currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year , was in attendance .
Gibson has been a member of his local People ’ s Rights group since July , according to the report .
That month , the group also protested in front of a Spokane public health official ’ s house .
The protest gatherings “ served not only as a point of defiance to the life-saving health measures , but an opportunity to organize , ” Lindsay Schubiner , program director at the Western States Center , told TPM .
Bundy downplayed ideology to TPM , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” for local organization .
That ’ s not quite the message one gets watching an ominous recruiting video for People ’ s Rights , which shows violent protesters lighting fires and destroying property and urges viewers to “ Join With Your Neighbors ” as part of Bundy ’ s national neighborhood watch .
The only reason to distrust People ’ s Right ’ s roaming bands , Bundy told TPM , was if “ you don ’ t have a belief in mankind to do the right thing .
”

What do anti-vaxxers, sovereign citizens, Second Amendment die-hards and online edgelords obsessed with “Zionist Banksters” have in common?
They’re all volunteers in Ammon Bundy’s nationwide and extremely eclectic COVID-19 protest network, “People’s Rights.”
The group is basically a glorified phone tree to funnel “reopen” demonstrators to whichever nearby dog-grooming business, playground or police station is deemed to be infringing on individual liberties through public health measures.
But it’s exploded in popularity in recent months, turning what one Montana-based group leader called an “Uber-like protective service” into a complex hierarchy with dozens of chapters across 16 states.
And according to a new report from from the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights and the Montana Human Rights Network, People’s Rights’ big tent has housed everyone from skeptics of modern medicine to rank-and-file members of fringe armed groups.
Researchers for the human rights organizations, in order to pick apart the People’s Rights network, systematically signed up for each local chapter and recorded information about them, including leadership and membership numbers. To avoid using the same phone number multiple times, researchers churned through numbers as they went.
“I think we went through like 40 different burner numbers,” said Devin Burghart, president and executive director of IREHR. People’s Rights, he said, was “being really cagey about it.”
Eventually, the groups tallied around 20,000 members. But during a phone Thursday, Bundy gleefully informed TPM that the report had lowballed him: People’s Rights, he said, was closer to 37,000-strong.
He also griped that the report had seemingly caught the attention of someone at Facebook: All of the group’s pages were removed from the social media site yesterday.
But Bundy was less concerned to hear that, according to the report, a leader of the group in California, Tony Pellegrino, shared a meme earlier this year ranting about “Zionist Banksters” and “The FRAUD and DECEPTION of the Satanic Zionist Jesuit Freemason scum.”
Bundy said that he personally was quite fond of the Jewish people — though, he noted, “not that all of them have worked ethically inside the banking system.” And he defended Pellegrino, who said he “believes in God and believes that we should be good to each other.”
“There’s criminals that are black, there’s criminals that are white, there’s criminals that are police officers, there’s criminals that are Jewish, there’s criminals that are reporters,” Bundy told TPM. “People’s Rights would stand against all of them.”
Bundy rose to stardom on the fringe right for leading the weeks-long armed occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2016. But researchers found that People’s Right’s membership extended far beyond Bundy’s relatively niche appeal, housing a spectrum of ideologies under one roof that, in most cases, wouldn’t make a lot of sense together.
“They’ve drawn in all these far-right figures and really reached out to the COVID insurrection world to try to find a whole new base of supporters,” Burghart said.
For example, one of the first big Bundy-led protests against public health orders targeted police officers who arrested Sara Brady, an anti-vaccine activist in Idaho, who was cited for using a playground that had been taped off by local authorities.
More recently, People’s Rights protesters rallied around a pet groomer in Washington state, protesting for hours in front of the home of a deputy city attorney in Vancouver because the groomer faced charges for violating public health orders. Joey Gibson, leader of the street-fighting right-wing group Patriot Prayer who currently faces felony riot charges over a brawl last year, was in attendance.
Gibson has been a member of his local People’s Rights group since July, according to the report. That month, the group also protested in front of a Spokane public health official’s house.
The protest gatherings “served not only as a point of defiance to the life-saving health measures, but an opportunity to organize,” Lindsay Schubiner, program director at the Western States Center, told TPM.
Bundy downplayed ideology to TPM, saying the group was merely a “platform” for local organization. That’s not quite the message one gets watching an ominous recruiting video for People’s Rights, which shows violent protesters lighting fires and destroying property and urges viewers to “Join With Your Neighbors” as part of Bundy’s national neighborhood watch.
The only reason to distrust People’s Right’s roaming bands, Bundy told TPM, was if “you don’t have a belief in mankind to do the right thing.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-15--Christie Regrets Forgoing Mask-Wearing At WH Event After COVID-19 Hospitalization

Former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie ( R ) on Thursday expressed regret for not wearing a mask during a White House event honoring Judge Amy Coney Barrett and during his debate preparations with President Trump , following his recent hospitalization after contracting COVID-19 .
According to the New York Times on Thursday , Christie said he was “ wrong ” not to wear a mask at an event held in the White House Rose Garden late last month honoring Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee .
Christie , who spent days in the intensive care unit of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he contracted COVID-19 at the same time others in Trump ’ s orbit did earlier this month , told the Times in a statement that he believed he was in a “ safe zone ” at the White House while there , but urged people to comply with mask wearing and social distancing .
Christie also assisted Trump in preparing for his first presidential debate against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , alongside Trump ’ s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani .
“ I believed when I entered the White House grounds , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to the testing that I and many others underwent every day , ” Christie told the Times in a statement .
“ I was wrong .
I was wrong not to wear a mask at the Amy Coney Barrett announcement and I was wrong not to wear a mask at my multiple debate prep sessions with the President and the rest of the team.
” Christie told the Times that he hopes his experience with COVID-19 demonstrates to the public why they should comply with CDC guidelines in public regardless of location @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s efforts to portray himself as a strongman who beat COVID-19 and departed Walter Reed following four days of treatment , Christie — who was released from the hospital last Saturday and says he has been cleared to have regular contact with others — told the Times that the novel coronavirus is “ something to take very seriously ” and that “ the ramifications are wildly random and potentially deadly.
” According to the Times , although Christie still suffers from some fatigue , it is nowhere near the levels he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Times noted that Christie did not blame Trump — who has downplayed his COVID-19 diagnosis as “ a blessing from God ” following his release from Walter Reed — and admitted to having a false sense of safety due to daily COVID-19 testing requirements for everyone around the President .
“ I don ’ t know who infected me and I don ’ t know how frequently he was tested , ” Christie told the Times , referring to Trump .
Regarding the White House Rose Garden event for Barrett late last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was in the third row for the event and that attendees were told that everyone in the first three rows tested negative for COVID-19 that day .
“ I shouldn ’ t have relied on that , ” Christie told the Times .
According to the Times , Christie has not heard from the White House regarding contact-tracing , but local officials have reached out to him for those purposes .

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Thursday expressed regret for not wearing a mask during a White House event honoring Judge Amy Coney Barrett and during his debate preparations with President Trump, following his recent hospitalization after contracting COVID-19.
According to the New York Times on Thursday, Christie said he was “wrong” not to wear a mask at an event held in the White House Rose Garden late last month honoring Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
Christie, who spent days in the intensive care unit of the Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey after he contracted COVID-19 at the same time others in Trump’s orbit did earlier this month, told the Times in a statement that he believed he was in a “safe zone” at the White House while there, but urged people to comply with mask wearing and social distancing.
Christie also assisted Trump in preparing for his first presidential debate against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, alongside Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
“I believed when I entered the White House grounds, that I had entered a safe zone, due to the testing that I and many others underwent every day,” Christie told the Times in a statement. “I was wrong. I was wrong not to wear a mask at the Amy Coney Barrett announcement and I was wrong not to wear a mask at my multiple debate prep sessions with the President and the rest of the team.”
Christie told the Times that he hopes his experience with COVID-19 demonstrates to the public why they should comply with CDC guidelines in public regardless of location and to wear a mask.
Contrasting Trump’s efforts to portray himself as a strongman who beat COVID-19 and departed Walter Reed following four days of treatment, Christie — who was released from the hospital last Saturday and says he has been cleared to have regular contact with others — told the Times that the novel coronavirus is “something to take very seriously” and that “the ramifications are wildly random and potentially deadly.”
According to the Times, although Christie still suffers from some fatigue, it is nowhere near the levels he experienced when he first contracted COVID-19.
The Times noted that Christie did not blame Trump — who has downplayed his COVID-19 diagnosis as “a blessing from God” following his release from Walter Reed — and admitted to having a false sense of safety due to daily COVID-19 testing requirements for everyone around the President.
“I don’t know who infected me and I don’t know how frequently he was tested,” Christie told the Times, referring to Trump.
Regarding the White House Rose Garden event for Barrett late last month, Christie told the Times that he was in the third row for the event and that attendees were told that everyone in the first three rows tested negative for COVID-19 that day.
“I shouldn’t have relied on that,” Christie told the Times.
According to the Times, Christie has not heard from the White House regarding contact-tracing, but local officials have reached out to him for those purposes.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-15--New Study Finds Large, Uncounted Death Toll As COVID Surged

Tens of thousands of additional deaths occurred in the United States between March and July of 2020 on top of the COVID-19 death toll , according to a paper released this week .
The Virginia Commonwealth University study , published on Monday , found that COVID was listed as the cause for only 67 percent of excess deaths from March through Aug. 1 of this year .
The study also found that there were a total of 225,530 deaths by Aug. 1 beyond what would have been forecasted for 2020 based on mortality rates from previous years and population trends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to that point unaccounted for .
The U.S. official COVID-19 death toll passed 200,000 on Sept 22 .
Dr. Steven Woolf , the study ’ s lead author and a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University , told TPM that all of the excess deaths identified in the study were due either to the virus itself or those who “ died because of disruption caused by the pandemic.
” Though the study found that COVID-19 accounted for two-thirds of national excess deaths during the first five months of the pandemic , the discrepancy at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona , for example , which by Aug. 1 had seen an estimate of 7,471 more deaths than in a non-pandemic year , only 53 percent of those deaths had been attributed to COVID-19 .
Similarly , only 56 percent of Texas ’ s 17,772 excess deaths were attributed to COVID-19 , the study found .
Woolf said that the gap could be due to a wide range of reasons , and noted that for a period of time following the deadliest weeks in New York City ’ s spring outbreak “ there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s what appears to be a big gap between COVID deaths and excess deaths.
” He added that looking back at the same time period in New York City , local authorities had updated the tallies so that 80 to 90 percent of excess deaths in the five boroughs are now attributable to COVID-19 .
Woolf added that the discrepancy raises other issues , including limited public health resources and deaths due to disruption caused by the pandemic .
The Houston Chronicle reported in August that the pandemic ’ s true toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on its deaths certificates ; Woolf did not discount that possibility as well .
The research also reflects differing approaches to managing the virus .
New York City , which faced a severe outbreak in late March but then enacted longer-term suppression policies , “ returned to baseline in May ” for excess deaths .
But states that reopened earlier “ experienced more protracted increases in excess deaths that extended into the summer , ” the study found .
Woolf added that the study also identified national increases in deaths due to heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dementia ; it remains unclear whether those are due to the virus or some other cause related to the disruption of the pandemic .

Tens of thousands of additional deaths occurred in the United States between March and July of 2020 on top of the COVID-19 death toll, according to a paper released this week.
The Virginia Commonwealth University study, published on Monday, found that COVID was listed as the cause for only 67 percent of excess deaths from March through Aug. 1 of this year.
The study also found that there were a total of 225,530 deaths by Aug. 1 beyond what would have been forecasted for 2020 based on mortality rates from previous years and population trends. That leaves around 75,000 deaths up to that point unaccounted for.
The U.S. official COVID-19 death toll passed 200,000 on Sept 22.
Dr. Steven Woolf, the study’s lead author and a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, told TPM that all of the excess deaths identified in the study were due either to the virus itself or those who “died because of disruption caused by the pandemic.”
Though the study found that COVID-19 accounted for two-thirds of national excess deaths during the first five months of the pandemic, the discrepancy at state level is far starker.
In Arizona, for example, which by Aug. 1 had seen an estimate of 7,471 more deaths than in a non-pandemic year, only 53 percent of those deaths had been attributed to COVID-19. Similarly, only 56 percent of Texas’s 17,772 excess deaths were attributed to COVID-19, the study found.
Woolf said that the gap could be due to a wide range of reasons, and noted that for a period of time following the deadliest weeks in New York City’s spring outbreak “there was a process of backfill where there’s what appears to be a big gap between COVID deaths and excess deaths.”
He added that looking back at the same time period in New York City, local authorities had updated the tallies so that 80 to 90 percent of excess deaths in the five boroughs are now attributable to COVID-19.
Woolf added that the discrepancy raises other issues, including limited public health resources and deaths due to disruption caused by the pandemic. The Houston Chronicle reported in August that the pandemic’s true toll was higher than the state had reported on its deaths certificates; Woolf did not discount that possibility as well.
The research also reflects differing approaches to managing the virus.
New York City, which faced a severe outbreak in late March but then enacted longer-term suppression policies, “returned to baseline in May” for excess deaths.
But states that reopened earlier “experienced more protracted increases in excess deaths that extended into the summer,” the study found.
Woolf added that the study also identified national increases in deaths due to heart disease as well as Alzheimer’s and dementia; it remains unclear whether those are due to the virus or some other cause related to the disruption of the pandemic.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-15--Giuliani’s Daughter Pleads For Public To Vote For Biden To ‘End This Nightmare’

The daughter of Trump ’ s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani issued a scathing rebuke on Thursday against the President ’ s re-election efforts and urged voters in next month ’ s presidential election to throw their support behind Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden instead .
In an essay published in Vanity Fair on Thursday , Caroline Giuliani wrote about her “ difficult confession ” of being the daughter of the President ’ s personal lawyer .
She said she and her father are “ multiverses apart , politically and otherwise.
” After writing that she has dissociated herself from her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arts separate from her last name , Giuliani argued that “ none of us can afford to be silent right now ” when “ the stakes are too high.
” Giuliani wrote that she can empathize with “ anyone who feels overwhelmed or apathetic about this election ” because of how she witnessed “ firsthand the kind of cruel , selfish politics ” of Trump as a child .
“ It made me want to run as far away from them as possible .
But trust me when I tell you : Running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Giuliani wrote .
“ We have to stand and fight.
” Giuliani then urged the public to “ end this nightmare ” by voting for Biden .
“ There is hope on the horizon , but we ’ ll only grasp it if we elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris , ” Giuliani wrote .
After acknowledging her “ extremely privileged childhood ” and her gratitude for it , Giuliani wrote that felt that it was important to speak her mind “ in Trump ’ s era of chest-thumping partisan tribalism.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the helpless feeling this confrontation cycle created in me , but we are not helpless , ” Giuliani wrote .
“ I may not be able to change my father ’ s mind , but together , we can vote this toxic administration out of office.
” Giuliani went on to rip Trump and those in his orbit for stoking “ injustice that already permeated our society ” to “ dramatically new , Bond-villain heights , ” noting how she ’ s a filmmaker in the LGBTQ+ community whose goal is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuliani recalled her support for Hillary Clinton in 2016 before going on to praise Biden — who she confessed wasn ’ t her first choice during the primary season — for prioritizing “ common ground and civility over alienation , bullying , and scorched-earth tactics ” and his policies addressing climate change .
Giuliani concluded the essay by warning voters not to be complacent .
“ We are hanging by a single , slipping finger on a cliff ’ s edge , and the fall will be fatal .
If we remove ourselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in freefall , ” Giuliani wrote .
“ Alternatively , we can hang on , elect a compassionate and decent president , and claw our way back onto the ledge .
If I , after decades of despair over politics , can engage in our democracy to meet this critical moment , I know you can too .
”

The daughter of Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani issued a scathing rebuke on Thursday against the President’s re-election efforts and urged voters in next month’s presidential election to throw their support behind Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden instead.
In an essay published in Vanity Fair on Thursday, Caroline Giuliani wrote about her “difficult confession” of being the daughter of the President’s personal lawyer. She said she and her father are “multiverses apart, politically and otherwise.”
After writing that she has dissociated herself from her father by forging an identity in the arts separate from her last name, Giuliani argued that “none of us can afford to be silent right now” when “the stakes are too high.”
Giuliani wrote that she can empathize with “anyone who feels overwhelmed or apathetic about this election” because of how she witnessed “firsthand the kind of cruel, selfish politics” of Trump as a child.
“It made me want to run as far away from them as possible. But trust me when I tell you: Running away does not solve the problem,” Giuliani wrote. “We have to stand and fight.”
Giuliani then urged the public to “end this nightmare” by voting for Biden.
“There is hope on the horizon, but we’ll only grasp it if we elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Giuliani wrote.
After acknowledging her “extremely privileged childhood” and her gratitude for it, Giuliani wrote that felt that it was important to speak her mind “in Trump’s era of chest-thumping partisan tribalism.”
“I imagine many Americans can relate to the helpless feeling this confrontation cycle created in me, but we are not helpless,” Giuliani wrote. “I may not be able to change my father’s mind, but together, we can vote this toxic administration out of office.”
Giuliani went on to rip Trump and those in his orbit for stoking “injustice that already permeated our society” to “dramatically new, Bond-villain heights,” noting how she’s a filmmaker in the LGBTQ+ community whose goal is to “humanize people and foster empathy.”
Giuliani recalled her support for Hillary Clinton in 2016 before going on to praise Biden — who she confessed wasn’t her first choice during the primary season — for prioritizing “common ground and civility over alienation, bullying, and scorched-earth tactics” and his policies addressing climate change.
Giuliani concluded the essay by warning voters not to be complacent.
“We are hanging by a single, slipping finger on a cliff’s edge, and the fall will be fatal. If we remove ourselves from the fight, our country will be in freefall,” Giuliani wrote. “Alternatively, we can hang on, elect a compassionate and decent president, and claw our way back onto the ledge. If I, after decades of despair over politics, can engage in our democracy to meet this critical moment, I know you can too.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-15--Rick Gates Makes Last-Minute Bid For Pity Pardon After Flipping On Trump, Manafort

The Trump campaign factotum and longtime GOP political consultant buddy of Paul Manafort ’ s is back , and he ’ s flipped .
But not in the same way he flipped in February 2018 , when he began providing what the Mueller investigation described as “ extraordinary assistance ” that earned him a sentence of 45 days behind bars after prosecutors asked for no jail time .
Rather , Gates is publicly pleading for a pardon , three weeks out from the November presidential election .
He ’ s also reportedly offering up his services to help smear Hunter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to become a cooperating witness in the Mueller investigation was seen as a turning point for the probe , in part because it offered the special counsel an inside look at the Trump campaign from someone who was there through Election Day and because it ratcheted up the pressure on Gates ’ s longtime boss , Manafort .
Gates also helped run President Trump ’ s 2017 inauguration celebration , another target of federal investigations .
Manafort released a statement at the time slamming Gates , saying that he “ had hoped and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strength to continue the battle to prove our innocence.
” “ For reasons yet to surface he chose to do otherwise , ” Manafort added .
Gates went on to damage Manafort at trial , providing direct testimony that helped secure his conviction .
Manafort ’ s attorneys attempted to damage his credibility , which led in part to Gates admitting at one point under questioning that he had embezzled money from Manafort and the inaugural committee .
Gates himself , via his attorney Tom Green , said at sentencing that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with three congressional investigations and because “ his cooperation likely represents the most extensive undertaking by any cooperating defendant.
” Gates decided to cooperate in the Mueller investigation under direct pressure from Manafort not to .
According to the Mueller report , Manafort told Gates that Trump was “ going to take care of us ” via a pardon .
Such clemency has yet to be extended to Trump ’ s former campaign chairman , who is now under home confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
But Gates is really milking it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on MSNBC to openly plead for a pardon from President Trump saying that , “ I think everybody should have an opportunity where the president says ‘ this is not right , this is not fair , ’ and yeah , ultimately he pardons all of us.
” Gates said that partly in the context of a tour to promote his new book Wicked Game : An Insider ’ s Story on How Trump Won , Mueller Failed , and America Lost .
That book , if you didn ’ t get it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mueller probe was a coercive exercise and pseudo-coup targeting President Trump .
If Gates really believes that , fine .
But it doesn ’ t answer the nagging questions around his own participation , including his testimony in the trial of a Trump ally who did receive a commutation earlier this year : GOP operative Roger Stone .
As part of Stone ’ s trial , Gates described less than a year ago a July 2016 phone call between Stone and President Trump in which the pair appeared to discuss Wikileaks .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ more information would be coming ” from Wikileaks , Gates testified .
Both Stone and a Manafort spokesman declined to comment .

Remember Rick Gates?
The Trump campaign factotum and longtime GOP political consultant buddy of Paul Manafort’s is back, and he’s flipped.
But not in the same way he flipped in February 2018, when he began providing what the Mueller investigation described as “extraordinary assistance” that earned him a sentence of 45 days behind bars after prosecutors asked for no jail time. Rather, Gates is publicly pleading for a pardon, three weeks out from the November presidential election.
He’s also reportedly offering up his services to help smear Hunter Biden.
Rick Gates, who went to prison as part of a deal that included testifying to Mueller about dirty finances in Ukraine he was mixed up with, is now going to do an event today where he says he'll reveal new evidence he has from Ukraine about Hunter Biden — Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) October 15, 2020
It’s quite a departure for Gates.
His decision in February 2018 to become a cooperating witness in the Mueller investigation was seen as a turning point for the probe, in part because it offered the special counsel an inside look at the Trump campaign from someone who was there through Election Day and because it ratcheted up the pressure on Gates’s longtime boss, Manafort. Gates also helped run President Trump’s 2017 inauguration celebration, another target of federal investigations.
Manafort released a statement at the time slamming Gates, saying that he “had hoped and expected my business colleague would have had the strength to continue the battle to prove our innocence.”
“For reasons yet to surface he chose to do otherwise,” Manafort added.
Gates went on to damage Manafort at trial, providing direct testimony that helped secure his conviction. Manafort’s attorneys attempted to damage his credibility, which led in part to Gates admitting at one point under questioning that he had embezzled money from Manafort and the inaugural committee.
Gates himself, via his attorney Tom Green, said at sentencing that he should be shown lenience because he helped with three congressional investigations and because “his cooperation likely represents the most extensive undertaking by any cooperating defendant.”
Gates decided to cooperate in the Mueller investigation under direct pressure from Manafort not to. According to the Mueller report, Manafort told Gates that Trump was “going to take care of us” via a pardon.
Such clemency has yet to be extended to Trump’s former campaign chairman, who is now under home confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Gates is really milking it. He used a Wednesday night appearance on MSNBC to openly plead for a pardon from President Trump saying that, “I think everybody should have an opportunity where the president says ‘this is not right, this is not fair,’ and yeah, ultimately he pardons all of us.”
Gates said that partly in the context of a tour to promote his new book Wicked Game: An Insider’s Story on How Trump Won, Mueller Failed, and America Lost. That book, if you didn’t get it from the title, posits that the Mueller probe was a coercive exercise and pseudo-coup targeting President Trump.
If Gates really believes that, fine.
But it doesn’t answer the nagging questions around his own participation, including his testimony in the trial of a Trump ally who did receive a commutation earlier this year: GOP operative Roger Stone. As part of Stone’s trial, Gates described less than a year ago a July 2016 phone call between Stone and President Trump in which the pair appeared to discuss Wikileaks.
On that call, President Trump suggested that “more information would be coming” from Wikileaks, Gates testified.
Both Stone and a Manafort spokesman declined to comment.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-15--Hollywood Bigwigs Rip NBC For Rewarding Trump With Town Hall

More than 100 top directors , producers and Hollywood stars have issued a letter to Comcast and NBCUniversal executives protesting the timing of Thursday ’ s scheduled event with President Donald Trump , which is set to air during rival network ABC ’ s town hall with Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
“ By agreeing to air his town hall as counterprogramming opposite Vice President Biden ’ s town hall on ABC , you are enabling the president ’ s bad behavior while undercutting the Presidential Debate Commission and doing a disservice to the American public , ” the letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , states .
The letter , which was sent to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts , NBCUniversal chairman Jeff Shell and NBCUniversal News Group chairman Cesar Conde condemns the timing of an hourlong Trump event on NBC ’ s network scheduled to air in direct conflict with the first hour of Biden ’ s 90-minute town hall on ABC .
The missive comes after President Trump refused to participate in the virtual debate scheduled for Thursday night by the debate commission amid concerns about health risks after Trump was diagnosed with coronavirus days after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cleveland , Ohio .
“ This is not a partisan issue .
This is about the political health of our democracy , ” the letter states .
Prominent actors , directors and producers — including many involved with NBC ’ s programming — have signed the letter .
Sterling K. Brown of “ This is Us ” as well as Ava DuVernay and Aaron Sorkin are among its signatories .
Trump scored the NBC event after declining to participate in the virtual debate put forward by the debate commission , and accusing its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling C-SPAN ’ s Steve Scully a “ Never Trumper.
” NBC has long leaned on Trump for ratings , including gigs long before his presidential bid on the Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice , which arguably helped boost his profile as a shrewd businessman and real estate magnate .
Per the Associated Press , NBC said in a statement that “ the Trump campaign did not dictate or request the time slot nor express any preference.
” The network provided a statement from clinical director of the National Institute of Health , Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had reviewed the President ’ s medical record and concluded “ with a high degree of confidence ” that the president was no longer contagious based on information provided by White House physician Dr. Sean Conley .
Katie Couric , a former “ Today ” show host , said on Twitter that NBC ’ s decision was “ bad for democracy.
” Another former NBC News executive , Vivian Schiller , called the move “ shameful ” in a tweet Wednesday , saying , “ the point of a news organization is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposite .
@ NBCNews could literally run this any other day , or any other time .
”

More than 100 top directors, producers and Hollywood stars have issued a letter to Comcast and NBCUniversal executives protesting the timing of Thursday’s scheduled event with President Donald Trump, which is set to air during rival network ABC’s town hall with Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
“By agreeing to air his town hall as counterprogramming opposite Vice President Biden’s town hall on ABC, you are enabling the president’s bad behavior while undercutting the Presidential Debate Commission and doing a disservice to the American public,” the letter, first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, states.
The letter, which was sent to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, NBCUniversal chairman Jeff Shell and NBCUniversal News Group chairman Cesar Conde condemns the timing of an hourlong Trump event on NBC’s network scheduled to air in direct conflict with the first hour of Biden’s 90-minute town hall on ABC.
The missive comes after President Trump refused to participate in the virtual debate scheduled for Thursday night by the debate commission amid concerns about health risks after Trump was diagnosed with coronavirus days after leaving the first presidential debate stage in Cleveland, Ohio.
“This is not a partisan issue. This is about the political health of our democracy,” the letter states.
Prominent actors, directors and producers — including many involved with NBC’s programming — have signed the letter. Sterling K. Brown of “This is Us” as well as Ava DuVernay and Aaron Sorkin are among its signatories.
Trump scored the NBC event after declining to participate in the virtual debate put forward by the debate commission, and accusing its leadership and scheduled moderator of bias — calling C-SPAN’s Steve Scully a “Never Trumper.”
NBC has long leaned on Trump for ratings, including gigs long before his presidential bid on the Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice, which arguably helped boost his profile as a shrewd businessman and real estate magnate.
Per the Associated Press, NBC said in a statement that “the Trump campaign did not dictate or request the time slot nor express any preference.”
The network provided a statement from clinical director of the National Institute of Health, Dr. H. Clifford Lane, declaring that he had reviewed the President’s medical record and concluded “with a high degree of confidence” that the president was no longer contagious based on information provided by White House physician Dr. Sean Conley.
Katie Couric, a former “Today” show host, said on Twitter that NBC’s decision was “bad for democracy.”
Another former NBC News executive, Vivian Schiller, called the move “shameful” in a tweet Wednesday, saying, “the point of a news organization is to serve the public. This is the opposite. @NBCNews could literally run this any other day, or any other time.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-15--C-SPAN Suspends Political Editor Steve Scully After He Lied About Twitter Hack

NEW YORK ( AP ) — C-SPAN suspended its political editor Steve Scully indefinitely Thursday after he admitted to lying about his Twitter feed being hacked when he was confronted about a questionable exchange with former Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci .
The news came on the day of what was supposed to be a career highlight for the 30-year C-SPAN veteran .
Scully was to moderate the second debate between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden , which was canceled after Trump would not agree to a virtual format because of his COVID-19 diagnosis .
A week ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ never Trumper , ” Scully tweeted “ @ Scaramucci should I respond to Trump.
” Scaramucci , a former Trump communications director and now a critic of the president , advised Scully to ignore him .
Scully said that when he saw his tweet had created a controversy , “ I falsely claimed that my Twitter account had been hacked.
” He had been frustrated by Trump ’ s comments and several weeks of criticism on social media and conservative news outlets about his role as moderator , including attacks directed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These were both errors in judgement for which I am totally responsible for , ” Scully said .
“ I apologize.
” He said he let down his colleagues at C-SPAN , fellow news professionals and the debate commission .
“ I ask for their forgiveness as I try to move forward in a moment of reflection and disappointment in myself , ” he said .
C-SPAN said Scully confessed to lying about the hack on Wednesday .
“ He understands that he made a serious mistake , ” the network said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ news and do not condone his actions.
” The debate commission did not immediately return a message seeking comment .
Scully has led the network ’ s presidential election coverage since 1992 , but the suspension means he won ’ t be part of C-SPAN ’ s election night programming .
Scully has been the moderator of “ Washington Journal , ” the weekly call-in program , and regularly hosted other C-SPAN programs .
The network said Scully has consistently demonstrated fairness and professionalism , and built a reservoir of good will .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we believe in his ability to continue to contribute to C-SPAN , ” the network said .

NEW YORK (AP) — C-SPAN suspended its political editor Steve Scully indefinitely Thursday after he admitted to lying about his Twitter feed being hacked when he was confronted about a questionable exchange with former Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci.
The news came on the day of what was supposed to be a career highlight for the 30-year C-SPAN veteran. Scully was to moderate the second debate between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, which was canceled after Trump would not agree to a virtual format because of his COVID-19 diagnosis.
A week ago, after Trump had criticized him as a “never Trumper,” Scully tweeted “@Scaramucci should I respond to Trump.” Scaramucci, a former Trump communications director and now a critic of the president, advised Scully to ignore him.
Scully said that when he saw his tweet had created a controversy, “I falsely claimed that my Twitter account had been hacked.”
He had been frustrated by Trump’s comments and several weeks of criticism on social media and conservative news outlets about his role as moderator, including attacks directed at his family, he said.
“These were both errors in judgement for which I am totally responsible for,” Scully said. “I apologize.”
He said he let down his colleagues at C-SPAN, fellow news professionals and the debate commission. “I ask for their forgiveness as I try to move forward in a moment of reflection and disappointment in myself,” he said.
C-SPAN said Scully confessed to lying about the hack on Wednesday.
“He understands that he made a serious mistake,” the network said. “We were very saddened by this news and do not condone his actions.”
The debate commission did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Scully has led the network’s presidential election coverage since 1992, but the suspension means he won’t be part of C-SPAN’s election night programming. Scully has been the moderator of “Washington Journal,” the weekly call-in program, and regularly hosted other C-SPAN programs.
The network said Scully has consistently demonstrated fairness and professionalism, and built a reservoir of good will.
“After some distance from this episode, we believe in his ability to continue to contribute to C-SPAN,” the network said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-15--Trump Mocks Fauci Again With Imaginary Quote But Will ‘Keep Him Around’

President Trump continued mocking White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci on Thursday , just days after the nation ’ s top expert on infectious diseases slammed the Trump campaign for misleadingly using his words in an ad without permission and out of context .
During a campaign rally in North Carolina on Thursday , Trump nonchalantly quipped that Fauci is a “ nice guy ” before bringing up an imaginary quote attributed to him on mask-wearing .
“ He said , ‘ This is not a threat , this is not a problem , don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the craziest thing , ” Trump said .
“ Then he said , ‘ Do not wear a mask , do not wear a mask under any circumstances .
Don ’ t wear a mask , don ’ t , don ’ t , don ’ t. ’ So we don ’ t wear a mask , and then they say wear a mask .
Did you ever see any conflicts ?
” The President reiterated that Fauci is a “ nice guy ” so “ we ’ ll keep him around.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House coronavirus task force member is a Democrat in cahoots with New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) .
“ He ’ s a Democrat , everybody knows that .
He is Cuomo ’ s friend .
Cuomo did the worst job of any governor in the United States , ” Trump said , which prompted boos from the crowd .
According to a CNN report on Sunday , Fauci denied consenting to being featured in the Trump campaign ad and said that his words in the ad that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s handling of the COVID-19 crisis were taken out of context .
Fauci — who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President George W. Bush — also mentioned to CNN that he has never publicly endorsed any political candidate during his nearly five decades of public service .
Trump took a swing at Fauci ’ s denial of consenting to the ad a day later by throwing in a reference to when Fauci threw out the first pitch at a Washington Nationals game in July , which reportedly irritated Trump at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incorrectly reported that Fauci had received the Medal of Honor .
He received the Medal of Freedom .
We regret the error .

President Trump continued mocking White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci on Thursday, just days after the nation’s top expert on infectious diseases slammed the Trump campaign for misleadingly using his words in an ad without permission and out of context.
During a campaign rally in North Carolina on Thursday, Trump nonchalantly quipped that Fauci is a “nice guy” before bringing up an imaginary quote attributed to him on mask-wearing.
“He said, ‘This is not a threat, this is not a problem, don’t worry about it.’ It’s the craziest thing,” Trump said. “Then he said, ‘Do not wear a mask, do not wear a mask under any circumstances. Don’t wear a mask, don’t, don’t, don’t.’ So we don’t wear a mask, and then they say wear a mask. Did you ever see any conflicts?”
The President reiterated that Fauci is a “nice guy” so “we’ll keep him around.” Trump went on to baselessly claim that the White House coronavirus task force member is a Democrat in cahoots with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).
“He’s a Democrat, everybody knows that. He is Cuomo’s friend. Cuomo did the worst job of any governor in the United States,” Trump said, which prompted boos from the crowd.
According to a CNN report on Sunday, Fauci denied consenting to being featured in the Trump campaign ad and said that his words in the ad that were spun to praise the President’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis were taken out of context.
Fauci — who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President George W. Bush — also mentioned to CNN that he has never publicly endorsed any political candidate during his nearly five decades of public service.
Trump took a swing at Fauci’s denial of consenting to the ad a day later by throwing in a reference to when Fauci threw out the first pitch at a Washington Nationals game in July, which reportedly irritated Trump at the time.
Actually, Tony’s pitching arm is far more accurate than his prognostications. “No problem, no masks”. WHO no longer likes Lockdowns – just came out against. Trump was right. We saved 2,000,000 USA lives!!! https://t.co/YyLyCsbZ7a — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2020
Watch Trump’s remarks below:
Trump cites fake quote on Fauci, but says he's a "nice guy" so "we'll keep him around" pic.twitter.com/3rE3pMz6ox — TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) October 15, 2020
Correction: This post incorrectly reported that Fauci had received the Medal of Honor. He received the Medal of Freedom. We regret the error.